Catch Orange fever, pack a picnic

Orange is the new food color in Portland this month.

It’s inspired a special beer. And ice cream.

And a bevy of other orange-themed artisan treats that thousands of revelers brought to the fireworks spectacular and orange-themed picnic for the new Tilikum Crossing and Orange MAX line on Aug. 22, thanks to TriMet’s catchy Catch the Orange slogan.

For Andrea Slonecker and her friends, it was at first intimidating trying to think of orange-themed picnic foods to demonstrate to 5,000 people.

Then they looked through their cookbook — “The Picnic: Recipes and Inspiration from Basket to Blanket” — and saw that they had come up with a lot of orange recipes already.

So they picked a few to demonstrate at the Catch the Orange event, including their melon gazpacho, rainbow carrot salad, peachy keen Mason jar pies and an elderflower Pimm’s Cup — the latter of which they served as a nonalcoholic version (but just as tasty) at the event.

Focusing on orange as a picnic theme was “a super fun challenge,” says Slonecker, a Portland food stylist and one of the founding members of the Portland Picnic Society.

Slonecker and cohorts Marnie Hanel and Jen Stevenson released their “Picnic” book in April, to inspire other groups of friends to throw picnics as a way to enjoy one anothers’ company in the outdoors.

They held their first picnic in spring 2012 at Laurelhurst Park, looking for a reason to get together with less commitment than a book club.

They’ve been meeting regularly ever since, at parks and other spots around town — monthly in the spring and summer and at least once in the winter on a blanket on someone’s living room floor.

They started with four women; now they’re up to about a dozen food writers, artisans and chefs.

“We were amazed at how everyone brought the most beautiful dishes,” Slonecker says. “It was an enchanting evening, low stress, a simple way of gathering. I think there’s something special about picnicking in Portland, especially. It’s gloomy and rainy all winter; when spring arrives we want to be outside.”

While the dishes might seem daunting — oysters on the half-shell, deviled eggs, charcuterie boards, classy crudités, Provencal puffs and more — the authors give tips on how to prepare them simply, and with finesse.

Like carrying a seasoning kit, assembling deviled eggs on-site for entertainment and freshness value, and considering practical serveware like tins and Mason jars for individual servings and presentation points.

More important than the food itself is the experience, the chance to slow down, Slonecker says: “Our picnics are kind of intimate. We’re a group of women who are all busy. ... It’s our way of getting together to talk about life, work, family.”

Of course, no Portland event would be complete without a partnership with Salt & Straw. The scoop shop debuted its Olive Oil and Burnt Orange Marmalade for the Catch the Orange celebration.

It’s a version of the flavor they created for their Los Angeles scoop shop, with Ojai, Calif.-grown olives and ribbons of Laura Ann’s Jams, also made in L.A.

“We dedicate this ice cream to the Orange Line and the epic-ness that comes with such a beautiful bridge,” Salt & Straw founders Tyler and Kim Malek say. “Our olive oil ice cream is stark and clean like the white lines of the Tilikum Crossing’s cables. Meanwhile, a splash of burnt orange marmalade glides through this ice cream like our hometown MAX trains.”

Orange and beer also make for a nice pairing.

BridgePort Brewing unveiled their commemorative Tilikum Crossing Orange Line IPA with their own party and free tasting on the bridge last week.

“Our team thought a lot about the actual visuals of Tilikum Crossing, specifically, the white coloring of the bridge and TriMet’s Orange Line that will cross over the Willamette,” said Jeff Edgerton, BridgePort brewmaster. “With that in mind, we also wanted to make a beer for the people, since ‘Tilikum’ means ‘of the People.’”

The beer is the first White IPA BridgePort has brewed. Dry-hopped with Lemondrop hops for aroma, it’s made with 25 percent wheat, giving it a hazy color. It also uses Belgium yeast and is infused with orange peel, for a slightly sweet, lighter take on an IPA.

The beer is available on tap or in 22-ounce bombers.

Can’t wait to catch the orange-themed treats?

They’ll be served at two upcoming events: First Light, held at Zidell Yards, 6 to 10 p.m. Sept. 10; and as part of the Grand Opening Celebration Sept. 12. The beer will be served at the Orange Line's OMSI/Southeast Water Avenue Station, and ice cream at the Clinton/Southeast 12th Avenue Station.

The Tilikum Crossing and Orange MAX Line open Sept. 12. For more: www.portlandpicnicsociety.com.

@jenmomanderson