The large, slanted windows of the Ashland Bistro and Café (formerly Ashland Bakery and Café) are one of the main reasons the restaurant has always caught our attention on walks through downtown. It thoughtfully displays a modestly decorated dining room, which under closer inspection has been given considerable creative touches leading to a comfortable ambiance. For our dinner experience at the Ashland Bistro and Café, we chose to sit by one of these fantastic windows so we could have both a view of the bistro and the plaza. Our only recommendation for the environment is to dim the lights a bit and add candles on the tables. This would create a nice distinction between the lunch and dinner menus.

We were impressed with the range of local wines on the drink menu, but chose to go with a French wine due to our dinner selections. Our meal began with the crab cakes, which came in a group of three, over a warm bed of greens. The cakes were thick and tender, with subtle spices and a creamy smoothness. It would have been our preference to have crab cakes that were a bit thinner and crispier, giving them a firmer overall effect. In order to try as many different menu selections, one of us chose the clam chowder and the other a salad with the balsamic vinaigrette. The portion size for these pre-dinner items was generous and presented thoughtfully. The clam chowder was creamy with ample clam and potato, typical of café faire. A salad, in some people’s opinion, is not that important for a rating. Our opinion is quite different on this. There are many ways to overdo something so simple, or to overlook the details. This particular salad was full of a variety of crisp lettuces, a small assortment of other vegetables, and only a hint of vinaigrette…which deserves top ratings in our opinion. For our entrees, we decided to keep it simple, which is sometimes the best way to get an accurate judgment. We shared both the Pomodora and the Lasagna once again, the presentation was elegant and appetizing. The Lasagna was cheesy and chock full of taste. For the Pomodora, it offered exactly what it had advertised. It was light and simple, with hints of garlic, basil, and parmesan. The basil was a little light, but it was not to the effect that the dish came off bland.

Tags: Ashland Bistro Cafe

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Ask A Master

by Master Chae Song Mun

“Master Mun, I was wondering, what is the difference between the different martial arts (i.e. Taekwondo, Karate, etc.)?” – tt_frog, Ashland

Master Mun (MM): Great question, Frog! Each of the original martial arts came as a result of necessity and geography. Taekwondo, for example, comes from Korea and is considered one of the oldest martial arts at over 2,000 years old! Karate comes from Japan. In addition, techniques and philosophies vary greatly between the arts. Taekwondo focuses primarily on foot techniques designed to keep opponents at a greater distance, whereas other arts like Hapkido and Judo focus on close-in engagements.

“Why should I take Taekwondo over another martial art?” – Bill H., Medford

MM: Taekwondo is very effective for combat situations using both hands and feet and is actually incorporated into military training in armies all over the world. Over 184 countries presently train in Taekwondo and it is one of only two martial arts in the Olympics. (The other is Judo).

“Why are there so many different colored belts?”— Mike D., Medford

MM: Belt color signifies rank, or proficiency. Beginners wear a white belt, symbolizing purity and no knowledge of the art. Then graduate to yellow, orange, green, blue, purple, red, brown and then black; each belt representing new knolwedge. Students have to pass practical and theory tests to progress to the next rank. A serious student can reach black belt in three or four years. It all depends on the commitment, age and skill level of the student and each school’s promotion policies.

“I’m being bullied at school, what should I do?”—Anthony R., Talent

MM: Follow the “3 Strike Rule.” 1. Talk to your teacher, then your principal right away. Go home and tell your parents what happened. 2. If it happens again, have your parents contact the principal and teacher. 3. If the school does not resolve the problem and it happens again, protect yourself. If you don’t, the bully will continue to bother you. Typically, bullies pick on the students they consider the weakest and tend to consider students who fight back as “not being worth the trouble.” Make sure your parents are aware of the problem from the first time it happens and give the school an opportunity to resolve the issue first.

“I’ve noticed a big discrepancy in teaching styles and philosophies amongst schools claiming to teach the same martial art. How do you know if a Master or Instructor is certified?”—Concerned Mother, Medford

MM: It is the parent’s responsibility to conduct due diligence when choosing a school. Talk to parents of current students. Do research on the internet about the art and about potential schools. Check to see if the school offers trial lessons. Are belt testings knowledge-based or time-based? Or both? Do Not Hesitate to ask to see the Instructor’s certificate. In Taekwondo, only Kukkiwon (WTF) certified black belts are internationally recognized and respected. In other words, without a Kukkiwon certificate, there is no way to guarantee that your child is learning or benefiting from the high standards of traditional Taekwondo training. Regardless of the art, the same rules should be followed when choosing a martial arts program for your child or yourself. One final thought: Parents—trust your intuition. It is almost always right.

Master Chae Song Mun is a 6^th Degree Certified Master Instructor with over 28 years of training. As the Founder of ATC Taekwondo, he operates 3 school locations in California and recently opened a 4^th location right here in Medford. Submit your questions or comments to chae1m@msn.com ... you may just make it into next month’s column!

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Did you know that there is a new Taekwondo school here in the valley? Well...there is! America Taekwondo Center (ATC) has just opened their fourth location in Bear Creek Plaza in Medford! (ATC has three locations presently in California). Have you been thinking about learning self-defense? Have you been looking for a new workout? Are you just interested in exactly what Taekwondo is?...Well, then read on:

What's the difference between Taekwondo and Karate?
Translated into English, Taekwondo means: "the way of the hand and foot". Taekwondo is a Korean martial art that emphasizes the lower body by focusing on moves designed to keep opponents at a greater distance. While taekwondo does include many hand strikes, punches and other upper-body techniques, the style is best known for it's wide variety of kicks.

Why should I practice Taekwondo?
Regular practice of taekwondo is an excellent way to improve all aspects of physical fitness: endurance, agility, flexibility, strength, reflexes, balance and judgement. The self-discipline of the art also improves one's self-confidence, especially in times of stress and confrontation, and one's self-esteem and perseverance.

Why ATC Medford?

ATC offers a second-to-none training of both mind and body with the help of well experienced instructors to help you reach your highest potential. ATC instructors see each individual's potential and aims to help them reach their goal. ATC enables you to learn about all aspects of taekwondo and have fun in the process. All of ATC's black belts are certified through the WTF/Kukkiwon in Korea. Many martial arts clubs offer black belts that are "gym belts" or "in-house" belts. In the world of Taekwondo, only Kukkiwon certified Black Belts are internationally recognized and respected. Furthermore, to compete in the Olympics, one MUST be certified through the Kukkiwon. When considering a Taekwondo school, ask if their instructors are Kukkiwon-certified black belts and ask to see their certificates.

About ATC-Medford's Master Instructor

6th-Dan Certified Master Instructor Chae Mun has been training in Taekwondo for 28 years.

Master Mun founded ATC with the vision of providing school-aged children and adults of all ages a firm Foundation in the mental, physical and ethical standards of Taekwondo. His goal is to create not only superior athletes, but responsible adults who live according to the tenets of courtesy, integrity, perseverance and self-control. While his rank and experience would qualify him to make a career of coaching already accomplished university athletes, Master Mun has instead dedicated himself to a program of high-quality education for people of all ages.

Master Mun is a living example of all that embodies Taekwondo; knowledgeable, patient, respectable and a person of integrity in and outside of the dojang. His belief in what he does and in his students allows him to help them reach their highest potential. He truly cares about all his students and assists them anyway possible. Master Mun helps his students in setting and reaching their goals in Taekwondo as well as in their personal lives. Master Mun also likes to volunteer his time and efforts into worthy causes for children and donates to his community.

RIGHT NOW ATC-Medford is offering a 2-week trial for only $49.99 which includes a FREE uniform. If you've thought about learning martial arts and/or self-defense, contact them at (541)779-5220.

America Taekwondo Center 960 Biddle Rd, Medford, Oregon 541-779-5220

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FULL DETAILS AVAILABLE ON EBAY, OR ON CRAIGSLIST. 

THE VILLAGE BAKER OF ASHLAND

IN BREATH-TAKING ASHLAND, OREGON IS FOR SALE!!

Up for sale is the most well-known, most established, most respected bakery in Southern Oregon,

The Village Baker of Ashland.

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We are Texas transplants.

We love Mexican food. So, when we moved to Southern Oregon in January, we started looking for "great" Mexican food. We tried many places (that we won't name) and between the watery salsa and the over cooked tortillas, we were beginning to think we might have to move back...then, based on the recommendation of a hairdresser, we visited family-owned Solorio's La Hacienda in Medford. (Technically it is Medford, but really it is just on the other side of Phoenix. Look for the BRIGHT YELLOW building on your right as you are leaving Phoenix going toward Medford on 99).

The first thing we noticed about Solorio's was the decor. The restaurant is clean and bright, decorated with an abundance of plants, colorful murals, hand decorated chairs and tables and fantastic tile mosaics that are reminiscent of spring time in a Mexican villa. The next thing we noticed was the service. We have visited several times and have always been greeted with a smile. The staff are all knowledgable and attentive without being overbearing. (We can think of at least a couple restaurants in neighboring Ashland that could take a page from their book).

But, back to the food... On this particular visit we ordered a pitcher of frozen margaritas to drink. We ordered the Camarones Monterrey--bacon wrapped prawns baked in butter over a bed of sauteed white onions and topped with melted monterrey jack cheese (served Fajita style)--and the Pollo A la Crema--boneless chicken breast in a delectible parmesan cheese cream sauce with mushrooms, rice and veggies. Each dish provides ample servings and included rice, beans and tortillas. (Personal note: try the corn tortillas. They are so delicious that these traditionally flour-tortilla-lovers have permanently switched). One final note on the food: try the Carne Asada tacos. As traditional as they come, this has become a staple during each of our visits.

Additional items of interest: Solorio's makes their own salsa and tortillas. (Easily the best in the valley). They offer a full bar and two banquet rooms that can comfortably host your event of up to 75 people.

Having since tried several items on the menu, we can safely say that if you, like us, are looking for exceptional, traditional Mexican food without having to leave the valley, you can't go wrong with Solorio's. So stay home (in the Valley) and check them out.

Solorios La Hacienda3405 S Pacific Highway
Medford, OR 97501-8807 Phone: (541) 512-2100

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We've sounded off about Ashland, so let's look around a little more. Think long, think hard. Have your voice heard!

Southern Oregon has so many wonderful places; so much culture: mountains, plays, restaurants, bakeries, wineries, galleries, skiing, cheeses...you get the idea. But then we started thinking...what is missing? Is there a particular type of restaurant or gallery or venue or ?....

Sound off by replying to this blog. We'd love to hear what fellow Southern Oregonians want--but don't necessarily have.

We look forward to reading everyone's replies. Peace.

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What makes a great cup of coffee? Not just a good cup, but a GREAT cup? We decided to ask Jared Ronnie, owner of Noble Coffee Roasting in Talent. We sat down to talk to Ronnie and his business partner, Ashland’s own Steve Sax, to find out exactly what goes into a perfect cup. What we found out was as intriguing as it was truly educational.

Ronnie began his journey toward the perfect cup of coffee in 1995, while working at Good Bean in Jacksonville while he was a freshman in college. Starting first as a barista, he quickly moved his way up to Roasting Manager. He continued to whet his skills until his junior year, when he decided to take time off of school to move to the beautiful colonial city of Guanajuato, Mexico; Ashland’s sister city. There he would learn much about the Latin American culture and, as importantly, about their coffee growing traditions. Influenced by this time in Mexico, Ronnie returned to Oregon and completed his studies in Spanish and International Studies at Southern Oregon University. He began Noble Coffee Roasting (named for his grandfather, Noble Dukes) in early 2007.

If you get a chance to talk with Ronnie, one of the first things you will notice is his passion for life, and—of course—for coffee. Both he and his wife are Spanish teachers locally, have two children, and are running their coffee roasting business out of their garage. To look at him, you’d have no idea he gets up at 4:30am every morning. Get him talking about coffee and the energy is contagious... (And that’s before you have a cup)!

The perfect cup starts at the source: the bean fields. Noble Coffee sources their raw (green) coffee beans directly from coffee farmers in South and Latin America, Indonesia, and Africa. They purchase only from organic and fair trade growers. This helps ensure that farmers are paid a fair price for their coffee--often at prices above C Market (the “C” is for coffee) standards. But Ronnie’s quest for the perfect cup goes beyond that. Additionally, they purchase only from regions where the Patrones (land overlords and/or slave drivers) have been removed and only from farms where the pickers are treated properly. By supporting such measures, they are not only providing Oregonian coffee lovers with the perfect cup, but they are also helping promote health care and education, helping support the building of cooperatives, helping end child labor in third world countries and helping guarantee that coffee farmers are paid a sustainable living wage.

According to Ronnie, it is important to be aware of the potential of the coffee. Of course this goes beyond just using organic and fair trade beans. This means that to truly enjoy the best that your beans have to offer, you must use beans that are freshly roasted and drink coffee that is properly prepared. Let’s look at those two bits separately:

First, to enjoy your coffee at its peak, you want to drink your coffee within 1-7 days after the beans have been roasted. This aspect is so important to Ronnie, that the roasting date is listed above the type of coffee on their packaging. Once Noble’s beans pass the 7-day mark they are removed from retail sale, and donated to the Access Food Bank. When you buy your beans at Starbucks, or from the bulk bins in the store, do you know how long the beans have been sitting since they were roasted? One day? One week? One month? Freshly roasted beans can immediately take your cup from bitter to good, or from good to better.

Second, having the greatest, freshest beans in the world means little if you don’t know how to properly prepare the coffee. Ronnie understands the importance of this step. He personally takes the time to go out and to properly train the staffs at the restaurants and cafés that carry Noble’s coffees to ensure that they know all of the nuances that go into a perfect cup. (On a personal note, I make lattes nearly every morning for my wife. Admittedly, they are inconsistent at best and bitter tragedies at worst. After spending just 10 minutes in the kitchen with Ronnie, I learned not only how much and when to grind my beans, but also how to properly pack the grounds and how to properly froth the milk—a work of art in its own right).

For those of you contented with a good cup of coffee, I can only challenge you to contact Ronnie. He is an encyclopedia of coffee knowledge and he is very willing to share. Everything about Noble Coffee Roasting is “by-hand artisan” at its very best. From hand-planted farms, to handpicked beans to their hand-roasted final product, Noble will make a lover out of the everyday coffee drinker, and will make even the most discriminating coffee connoisseur say, “Wow”.

Currently, Noble Coffee Roasting’s coffees are available at Peerless Restaurant, Inner Child Café, and Ashland Bakery Café (which appropriately boasts the fact of having had the 2^nd commercial espresso machine ever in Ashland). Of course, you can also purchase your coffee directly from Noble by emailing your request to orders@noblecoffeeroasting.com. Noble delivers freshly roasted coffee to your doorstep for free in Ashland and Talent. Ronnie asks that your orders are placed by noon on the Wednesday before delivery to ensure that your order can be roasted on Thursday and delivered to you on Friday. For more information, visit their website at: www.noblecoffeeroasting.com.

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Somewhere between Patsy Kline and Jess Klein lives the hypnotizing voice of Sage Meadows. With a honky-tonk, blue grass-inspired sound that is all her own, Meadows delivered a consistent and audibly pleasing sound. Peppering a highly cover-focused set with original tunes, she managed to keep the audience entranced--which, depending on who you talked to--can be a good or a bad thing. We sat down on Friday night to take in her performance at The Jefferson State Pub. I can easily say that if you enjoy the first song of her set, you will enjoy the last song (and every song in between). While vocally she presented poise, experience and comfortable consistency throughout the show, non-verbally she sent mixed signals to the crowd. Additionally, while she co-mingled some of her original tunes with the likes of Johnny Cash and other genre benders, she left me wanting more....More what? More diversity maybe. Maybe more power? It is hard to put my finger on it because it was a satisfying, solid performance. If you are looking to go to see a very talented singer/songwriter who will put you into a relaxing trance, Meadows is your gal. If you are looking for a more diverse, energetic show, you'd probably be better off down the street.

Friday she played with a band consisting of her husband on guitar and a great stand-up bass player. If I were to provide any other insights, it would be to let him (the bass player) cut loose just a little more. He was a delight.

Overall, Sage Meadows comes highly recommended...just know what you are getting into you. If you are looking to go out and relax on a Friday night, don't miss the show. You'll love it. Check her out at: http://www.myspace.com/sagemeadows

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