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The Pioneer Log Features

March 2, 2012

Spice up your mac and cheese

BY KEVIN RYAN
Staff Writer

A visit to The Conquistador

BY DANIELLE BLECHERT
Staff Writer

Unraveling the four Gs:

As a college student, macaroni and cheese is a staple in my diet. Seriously, I made it through finals on that stuff. But every now and then, I get bored with the same old boxed stuff. I went to Freddies this week in search of some ways to make it more interesting and found plenty of cheap, easy fix-ups for this classic dish. All of these recipes can be made by following the instructions on the box, but cook the pasta for four minutes instead of eight, otherwise it turns to mush.

The conquistadors may have conquered the New World long ago, but there remains a plethora of Portland bars that are yours for the taking. One such bar is The Conquistador. Projecting a Wuthering Heights-esque vibe, this SE Belmont establishment opened this past December. Upon entering, patrons are greeted with 60s classics such as Mrs. Robinson and For What Its Worth. While one may assume this denotes a hippy-dippy vibe, the interior says otherwise. Medieval chandeliers linger above black booths, which were described as both voluptuous and squishalicious throughout the night. Needless to say, they are comfortable. Once seated, theres a good chance youll find one of the many conquistador portraits glaring down at you, encouraging you to conquer another drink. For the price of $7-8, their cocktails are sufficiently strong. Their house special, The Sweet Suggestion, consists of Bulleit bourbon, J. Witty chamomile organic liquer, fresh ginger and apple cider, and is served hot or cold. If youre a fan of Old Fashioneds, The Conquistador reiterates its historical legitimacy by offering something older, the Old Old Fashioned. Comprised of Russells Reserve Rule whiskey, Angostura bitters and fresh lime juice, it is served up accompanied by a black sword stabbing a real cherry, none of that fake maraschino shit, as Hanna Wiemeyer (12) gracefully stated. A noticeable favorite of the

CHIPOTLE MAC: Add three finely minced chipotles in adobo (smoked peppers in a thick, spicy sauce) and a big handful of chopped cilantro. Top with crushed tortilla chips. This is a wonderful augmented mac and cheese, with some added spice and smokiness from the chipotles and the fresh, verdant kick of cilantro. The tortilla chips enhance both the texture and the flavor.

GARLIC & HERBS MAC: Mince four cloves of garlic and saut them for one minute in a skillet with a little olive oil. Chop a handful of Italian parsley and some chives. Add the garlic and herbs to your mac and cheese, along with a dash of red pepper flakes or some black pepper. This turns it into a nicely balanced mix of strong garlic and the fresh herbs, with a nice kick of spice at the end.

EXTRA CHEESY MAC: Add a whole stick of butter and 3/4 cup of milk, plus the cheese packet. Slowly mix in five good handfuls of shredded sharp cheddar. Finally, add a small dollop of sour cream. The end result is extremely creamy, and the sour cream will give it a nice tangy finish.

BACON MAC: Cut about six slices of bacon into small chunks and fry them in a skillet. Add them to the mac and cheese with a lot of black pepper. Adding bacon to anything will make meat-eaters happy. The black pepper helps to round out this rather heavy dish.

Campus Activities Board update

BY STEPHANIE TSINGOS
Guest Writer

crowd was the color black. Dont be surprised if you spot Heathcliff look-a-likes stumbling in with the intention of romancing you into a game of shuffleboard or pool. One of them may even attempt to commandeer one of the many roses found throughout the bar and lure you toward the mysterious upstairs chamber. Tempting you with its slight visibility from downstairs and am-

biguous noises and lights, the upstairs room consists of additional seating and Dracula, Elvis and Medieval Madness pinball machines. It was said that the conquistadors were motivated by the three Gsgold, God, and glory. If they had known about The Conquistador, the fourth G surely would have been gin. 2045 SE Belmont St Portland, OR

PHOTOS BY DANIELLE BLECHERT

Happy Friday! This week, were highlighting some truly incredible performing arts events. On Saturday, ISLC will be hosting the 47th Annual International Fair. Although this is not actually a CAB event, its a great opportunity to experience some delicious foods and unique cultural dances. All of the dishes are prepared by LC students and will be served in the Bon from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. After youve finished eating, head over the Chapel at 2 p.m. for culturally-inspired musical perfor-

mances and a fashion show. On Wednesday, dont miss LC folk band Maxs Midnight Kitchen performing at Maggies at 10 p.m. If you didnt catch them at Battle of the Bands, here is your chance to see this talented group. Their songs offer a delightful mixture of string instruments offset by the smooth sounds of saxophone and beautiful vocals. Finally, mark your calendars for March 9, when well be showing The Muppet Movie in Council Chamber at 8 p.m. Who doesnt love the combination of Jason Segel and Kermit the Frog? Enjoy your weekend!

TriMet Diaries: Line 43a relaxing afternoon on a bus

BY ALIX FINNEGAN
Staff Writer

Aside from Sellwood commuters, most Lewis & Clark students only experience Taylors Ferry Road as the intersection they breeze through on the Pio. Less accessible than Boones Ferry and farther from campus, Line 43 runs from SW Jefferson Street downtown out to Tigard. Heading west from the intersection of Terwilliger and Taylors Ferry begins the long, slow trip through suburban Portland. Uncle Johns Market, at the intersection of Taylors Ferry and Spring Garden, is a nondescript jewel in the otherwise residential meanderings of Taylors Ferry. Dont let the mini-mart faade fool you; this place has phenomenal pizza. Of course, as college students, it is our unalienable right to gorge ourselves on as much pizza as possible. The fact that Uncle Johns features crispy-thin,

flaky crust and those delicate cheesy bub- stores you probably never thought youd be bles that are so hard to come by on Trail glad to see: Party City, Johns Incredible Room pizza is just further incentive to Pizza, Chair Outlet and gorge. Les Schwab Tire Center. The next twenty-minute Its not that the stores at ride is uneventful at best. the Washington Square Small, two-lane resiMall are exciting, but dential streets seem more that its excitto be the theme, ing to see anything. and while the houses And, best of all, are cute, theres not theres a Chipotle. much beyond the If you choose to ride occasional neighbortowards Portland from hood market, the TuTerwilliger and Taylors alatin Heights Market Ferry, its more of the at Taylors Ferry and 55th, same. Line 43 turns off a church or two and DeTaylors Ferry right before licious Texas Pit BBQ, a Macadam and onto Virfunny little red building at giniayet another tiny, resiILLUSTRATION BY CAMILLE SHUMANN SW Hall and Locust. dential road barely big enough Take the bus to the very, very end of the for two cars. Its pleasant enough, and the line and your prize is a motley collection of ride is sprinkled with little neighborhood

gems. Porcellis, at Virginia and Nebraska, is one. A sweet little Italian place buried in the South Waterfront neighborhood, Porcellis is a special-occasion spot: birthdays, anniversaries and celebrations welcome. Once you cross over I-5, things start to look up. If you ever wondered where the radio station 94.7, Portland Alternative, is based, look no further. Its only one of the many slightly-relevant sights along the final push to downtown. Joining it in relative obscurity is Amrita, an sweet, unassuming yoga studio, the charming but ultimately forgettable Xpression coffee house and the Oregon Pinot Noir Club, an intriguingly-named inconspicuous little building in South Waterfront. In short, line 43 is not for the thrillseekers or impatient, but rather for those who need a quiet, relaxing afternoon on a bus.