Ecotrust's 'Food Heroes'; Events at Wildwood, Simpatica

On this week's event-planning EaterWire:

PEARL DISTRICT—Conservation and community development organization Ecotrust will hold a benefit this Thursday, March 21, where they'll present awards to Portland's "Local Food Heroes." From 7-10 p.m. at the Ecotrust building, the ceremony will feature a menu of sausages from Laurelhurst Market and Olympic Provisions, sauerkrauts from OlyKraut and Picklopolis, pretzels and tortes from Fressen Artisan Bakery, and beer from Breakside, Hopworks, and Ninkasi. At $32 per person, all food and drink is included. Buy your tickets here.

CENTRAL EASTSIDE INDUSTRIAL—Simpatica Dining Hall and the Commons Brewery are collaborating for a beer pairing dinner this Friday, March 22. The four-course French-Canadian menu is totally hibernation-inducing, from the Montreal smoked meat sandwich with marrow poutine to the maple-bacon peanut butter mousse éclair. A $58 reservation includes beer pairings and a food coma. Call 503-235-1600 to get your seat.

NW/ALPHABET DISTRICT—Jacobsen Salt Co.'s hand-harvested Oregon sea salt is the focal point in Wildwood's "Wine and Salt" dinner this Friday, March 22. Wildwood sommelier Savanna Ray will pair her favorite wines with Jacobsen salt-enhanced dishes from chef Dustin Clark. One particularly intriguing example from the four-course dinner is a cocoa-braised lamb shank with rapini, coffee puree and Jacobsen's pinot noir flake salt, appropriately paired with a pinot noir. For one of the $65 reservations, email here.

—Taylor Thompson

Image of Simpatica Dining Hall courtesy Avila/EPDX