Oregon

Oregon ‘Latina Mamas’ cooking classes share food (and wisdom) made from scratch

Published

2 years ago

February 21, 2024

Oregon ‘Latina Mamas’ cooking classes share food (and wisdom) made from scratch

Latina Mamas cooking class Sabina Ramirez, known as one of the Latina Mamas, mixed onions, garlic and cinnamon and chiles to make Mixiote chicken steamed in banana leaves. (Janet Eastman/Janet Eastman/The Oregonian/OregonLive)

Sylvia Poareoâs Ashland kitchen was filled with the aromas of roasting ancho and guajillo chiles Thursday night. Cozying around her stove were a handful of people watching Sabina Ramirez, known as one of the Latina Mamas, mix onions, garlic and cinnamon with the chiles to make mixiote chicken steamed in banana leaves.

Poareo translated questions asked in English for the Spanish-speaking Ramirez, but Ramirezâs hands-on teaching needed no words. Soon, everyone was happily busy, pureeing homegrown tomatillos for salsa verde, smashing seasoned and soft pinto beans for refried beans and tasting the developing flavors.

More than a cooking class, Poareoâs regular gatherings honor migrant hands that tend to Rogue Valley fields and the wisdom of sharing food made from scratch.

Community members donate $35-$65 to the cooks through a nonprofit to hear how the Mamas select ingredients and prepare meals in a traditional way. Guests see their teacherâs hands rolling limewater-cured maize into a dough that will be formed into thin patties and placed on a hot comal to make fresh corn tortillas. They take turns with the steel tortilla press or practice flattening the stone-ground flour balls made with masa harina by hand.

âThe intention here is not to receive written recipes; food is medicine, and the medicine is in the coming together,â said Poareo, whose mother was a migrant worker from Mexico. âWe are honoring and featuring the women who make food, and together we are sharing our humanity.â

Anthropologists say food is a way of communicating a culture without words, and cuisines, like ingredients and cooking methods that Mexicoâs Indigenous people originated, are recognized by UNESCO as an Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity. Making tortillas from maize using nixtamalization has been passed on over millennia and continues today.

Angel Medina, founder and co-owner of the Republica & Co. hospitality company based in Portland, wants his De Noche restaurant customers to be able to watch a tortilla puff up before their eyes.

âItâs not a show, itâs culture,â he said. âThis cuisine isnât meant to be easy. It takes hours, from start to finish after the corn is grown, to make a tortilla, and we present this as an art created in every house in every home in Mexico.â

The cooking classes in Ashland are fundraisers for victims of the 2020 Almeda fire that roared through the Rogue Valley cities of Talent and Phoenix, burning 2,400 structures, displacing families, and intensifying the stateâs affordable housing shortage.

At the time Poareo found herself serving as a go-between, bringing supplies from Ashland residents to many migrant workers who relocated to trailers, spare rooms and hotels without kitchens.

And yet, in the midst of having lost everything and lingering in limbo, âMamas found a way to make food for their children that provided a sense of stability, security and comfort in chaos,â said Poareo. âCare, love and devotion are communicated through nourishment, and Iâd like people to remember that.â

Ramirezâs family lost their home in the fire and when Poareo met them at a hotel, she asked them to live in her house. The Ramirezes stayed for two months before finding permanent housing.

Each morning, around 5 a.m., Sabina Ramirez made tortillas from scratch and fed her family and the Poareo family breakfast. She then packed her childrenâs lunches and then put in a full day as a farmworker.

Poareo, who grew up in foster care in Southern California and has since made a life and healing practice out of reconnection and reclamation, feels she has a foot in two cultures: The Mexican community of Phoenix and Talent, and the majority white community of Ashland where she has lived since 2019.

âPeople wanted to help (fire victims), but they didnât have the connection,â said Poareo, a trained social worker and spiritual teacher who uses Curanderismo healing practices in her work.

Her idea: Invite people to her home to learn the sacred arts of making real food from master cooks who do this as a daily practice.

The message: Food is more than nourishment to the body. Itâs reassuring, grounding and keeps families together.

All donations go directly to the Latina Mamas through the nonprofit Association for the Integration of the Whole Person that aids ministries and theaters as well as alternative and traditional spiritual work, according to aiwp.org.

âThese Mamas have a wisdom passed on by their mothers and grandmothers that they bring in the face of trauma,â said Poareo. âThey make miracles with tomatoes, chili, spices and love. To learn with my dear amigas and be fed by them is a profound gift from their heart, joy and cultural pride.â

Ramirez grew up in Oaxaca, the southern Mexico city recognized by gastronomes as a culinary paradise. She learned to cook from her motherâs generation, using staples of corn and beans, tomato and avocado, and spices like vanilla and chili peppers that Indigenous people cultivated to season fish and turkey long before the Spanish introduced dairy to make quesillo as well as domesticated cows, sheep and chickens.

During the Feb. 22 class, Ramirez will teach the complex process Mexicoâs Indigenous people developed that uses water, heat and limewater to turn maize into hominy for life-sustaining, nutritious tortillas and tamales. Participants will practice the process of nixtamalization, an Aztec word for âlime ashesâ and âcorn dough,â as corn kernels are made into stew, a MichoacÃ¡n-style posole.

Despite the stress and fear facing migrant workers, the Mamas want to share their skills and have fun, and guests want to connect and learn. Throughout last Thursdayâs three-hour class, Ramirez was smiling, encouraging participants to take part in food preparation techniques not included in most cookbooks.

Last Thursdayâs session was the second class Lua Maia of Ashland has joined and sheâs signed up for this weekâs class on posole with fresh nixtamal.

âThere are not many cooking classes offered in Ashland, and none led by someone born in Oaxaca who learned to cook as a child,â she said. Last week, âI saw how to soak a raw, organic chicken in vinegar and sea-salt to clean it and other meticulous details.â

The cooking classes are more like a dinner party with new friends. Strangers chat and make connections while learning. Donna Jones of Ashland signed up for the series of classes because she wanted to study Mexican cooking, but sheâs discovered so much more.

âGrowing up, my mom, like most moms, made dinner in the kitchen and I missed out,â said Jones last Thursday. âI want my children to know how meals are made, and now I have more to share.â

When the mixiote chicken, refried beans, salsa verde and tortillas were ready, participants sat at a long dining table and were asked to join in expressing gratitude. They each spoke from their heart, thanking Poareo for opening her home to them and Ramirez for teaching them.

One participant told Ramirez in English, âyour food needs no translation.â

Ramirez quietly accepted the compliments, then it was her turn to speak. In Spanish, she thanked each participant for taking the time to see how much goes into making a meal, from planting seeds to serving.

She added: âThank you for helping my family and may you be abundantly blessed with good health and finances.â

After a meal of vegetarian enchiladas in January, participants were asked to remember that every ingredient on the table â fruits, vegetables, grains â came to them through largely migrantsâ hands. The husband of one of the Mamas pointed to the Mexican cheese and gently added that âitâs not just the milk that made the cheese, but people who milked the cow, fed the cow, grewâ¨the corn or hay, and cleaned the stalls and so on.â

In the U.S, the majority of agricultural workers were foreign born, most often in Mexico, according to 2023 U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistic report. The USDA in 2021 found 28% of farmworkers are women. Some of these workers travel and work throughout the U.S., serving the trillion-dollar agricultural industry, reports the National Center for Farmworker Health.

Poareo said migrant people experience stigma and mixed messages between groups that welcome migrants and those that scapegoat them.

âThey are living under the feeling of animosity so witnessing them being honored makes me so happy,â she said. âThey deserve to be honored.â

In the U.S., financial success is celebrated, but thereâs a lack of honoring essential earth-based and ancestral skills that are healing for people, Poareo said. Sheâs hoping to change that, one dinner at a time.

Poareo knows people can be relaxed together under one roof, sharing their cultures through music, art and food. Her hosted cooking class can be replicated, she said.

âAnyone who has relationships can find ways to bridge communities and make people feel honored,â she said.

â Janet Eastman | 503-294-4072

jeastman@oregonian.com | @janeteastman

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Oregon

Oregon Lottery Pick 4 results for March 1

Published

9 hours ago

March 2, 2026

Press Room

The Oregon Lottery offers several draw games for those aiming to win big.

Here’s a look at March 1, 2026, results for each game:

Winning Pick 4 numbers from March 1 drawing

1PM: 4-1-6-1

4PM: 6-5-5-6

7PM: 2-1-9-9

10PM: 6-2-5-4

Check Pick 4 payouts and previous drawings here.

Feeling lucky? Explore the latest lottery news & results

When are the Oregon Lottery drawings held?

Powerball: 7:59 p.m. on Monday, Wednesday and Saturday.
Mega Millions: 7:59 p.m. on Tuesday and Friday.
Pick 4: 1 p.m., 4 p.m., 7 p.m. and 10 p.m. daily.
Win for Life: 7:30 p.m. on Monday, Wednesday, and Saturday.
Megabucks: 7:29 p.m. on Monday, Wednesday, and Saturday.

This results page was generated automatically using information from TinBu and a template written and reviewed by an Oregon editor. You can send feedback using this form.

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Oregon

Editorial: A legislative ‘solution’ that only creates more loopholes

Published

21 hours ago

March 1, 2026

Press Room

Editorial: A legislative ‘solution’ that only creates more loopholes

Legislators are bypassing a straightforward solution that would help ski resorts and other recreational providers stave off lawsuits claiming minor negligence and instead are overcomplicating the picture, the editorial board writes. Lawmakers should follow the example of other states rather than create its own path.

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Oregon

6 Friendliest Towns to Visit on the Pacific Coast in 2026

Published

1 day ago

March 1, 2026

Press Room

6 Friendliest Towns to Visit on the Pacific Coast in 2026

From Mount Baker’s soaring backdrop to the hillside village of Oceanside with its hidden tunnel beach, the Pacific Coast’s best moments often come in small-town America. Each waterfront has its own mix of boardwalks and marina sunsets, whether you’re strolling the sand in Brookings or catching the last light in Fort Bragg. Add in Victorian mansions, occasional Mediterranean-style flourishes, and that storybook, salt-air atmosphere that feels tailor-made for seaside fun. Below are the 6 friendliest towns on the Pacific Coast.

Brookings, Oregon

Aerial Drone Photo Overlooking Brookings, Oregon and the Pacific Ocean on a sunny day

Although easy to overlook at first, Brookings leaves a lasting impression once visited. Located near the southern tip of Oregon’s coast, just six miles from California, it offers long, sandy beaches ideal for beachcombing, swimming, and relaxing—often with fewer crowds thanks to the area’s “Banana Belt” climate. North of town, Harris Beach State Park provides stunning scenery, diverse trails, and a rocky pocket beach perfect for memorable photos. Chetco Point Park surrounds Macklyn Cove with peaceful oceanfront paths, tide pools, a scenic lookout, and picnic areas nestled among rocks.

Within town, you’ll find bars, grills, a brewery, and a charming selection of shops and galleries, including Manley Art Center & Gallery—ideal for a midday break or relaxing after sunset. During summer, Azalea Park hosts free concerts and features a bandshell, sports facilities, and kids’ play areas. Take a photo at Capella by the Sea, a unique wood-and-stone chapel built by film producer Elmo Williams, then cross the Chetco River to Harbor, another delightful nearby community. At Chetco Brewing Company, the beer is proudly “homegrown,” crafted with ingredients from the property—like Irish moss for clarifying—without pesticides, herbicides, or additives, resulting in a crisp, refreshing taste.

Depoe Bay, Oregon

Perched above the Pacific, Depoe Bay is a charming, compact town famously known as the world’s smallest natural navigable ocean harbor. Marine enthusiasts visit to see this up close, but that’s just part of the appeal. Combining its small-harbor claim with a larger reputation, Depoe Bay is celebrated as the whale-watching capital of the Oregon coast. From March to December, humpbacks, gray whales, and even orcas can be seen along with a variety of sea life. Unlike many locations where whale watching requires tickets, you can often view these giants for free during migration season from the town’s expansive observation deck.

Beyond whale watching, there’s plenty to explore. Visit the Whale Watch Center, or arrange a trip with Dockside Charters and Whale Watching Tours—an ideal gift for nature lovers. The museum at Whale Research EcoExcursions costs less than $5 and is located right at the harbor. Bayfront hotels in Depoe Bay are a popular choice for couples, especially for special occasions like honeymoons. For a rugged shoreline experience, Depoe Bay Scenic Park, next to the iconic Arch Rock Café, provides spots for wading, picnicking, and photography. When it’s time to dine, Gracie’s Sea Hag offers exceptional oceanfront seafood along with a bar and vibrant music scene.

Fort Bragg, California

About 150 miles north of San Francisco, Fort Bragg feels even more remote—in the best way. The area’s loudest sounds are the soothing waves, and the stars are the only bright lights in the night sky. The air is fresh and crisp, and the streets are pleasantly quiet—thanks to the outdoor attractions that steal the spotlight, from quick dips in the ocean to birdwatching and year-round whale-watching. You can explore Noyo Harbor by kayak from the docks, or take a scenic ride on the Skunk Train (or a rail bike) through meadows and redwoods. For a relaxed day, visit the Glass Fire Art Glass Gallery, stroll the trails at Mendocino Coast Botanical Gardens, then enjoy the sunset at Point Cabrillo Lighthouse, whose beam reaches 15 miles into the sea after dark.

Downtown Fort Bragg offers history walks, wine tastings, pub crawls with local brews, a cooking school, and the Discovery Center featuring a Blue Whale skeleton. Just south, many visitors go to Pomo Bluffs Park, a 25-acre area with benches and interpretive signs along the coastal trail for hiking and biking. Watch fishing boats bring in salmon, Dungeness crab, and abalone, then dine at The Wharf with waterfront views. For more open space, MacKerricher State Park provides wetlands full of birds and seal-watching opportunities, plus nearby Glass Beach, where colorful sea-tumbled glass sparkles like tiny treasures from the ocean.

La Conner, Washington

La Conner is a charming town nestled on a delta near the mouth of the Skagit River, and it’s the oldest town in Skagit County. Its historic downtown showcases beautiful architecture from the early 1860s, a period when pioneers like Alexander Underwood, Michael Sullivan, Sam Calhoun, and A.G. Tillinghast settled in the area shortly after the Civil War. Originally named Swinomish, the town was later renamed by John Conner in honor of his wife, Louisa A., following his purchase of John Hayes’ trading post in 1869. This marked the beginning of the town’s first post office and general store on the west side of the Swinomish Slough. With a proud history and a strong focus on preservation, the entire town is proudly listed on the National Register of Historic Places.

Today, La Conner remains a vibrant community that still hosts the Swinomish Tribal Community. It beautifully combines the laid-back charm of a historic fishing village with the lively spirit of a well-loved artists’ colony. It’s also a peaceful wintering spot for graceful swans and Canada geese. Located along the stunning Salish Sea between Seattle and Vancouver, it’s a perfect place to relax and explore. Whether you visit in April for the colorful Tulip Festival or anytime throughout the year, you’ll enjoy browsing charming galleries, chatting with friendly locals, and admiring breathtaking views of Mount Baker reflected in the water. From the cheerful daffodils of March to classic cars and the lively “Brew on the Slough” event in October, La Conner’s welcoming calendar is packed with delightful events. Enjoy its unique boutiques, tasty dining options, and three fascinating museums—making it a wonderful weekend getaway.

Oceanside, Oregon

Oceanside feels wonderfully calming even before you arrive—true to its name, it’s a place that gently reminds you of just how much the ocean influences our world. It offers everything you might hope for: expansive horizon views, a tranquil beach, and a charming oceanfront café where time seems to slow down on purpose. Offshore, the stunning Three Arch Rocks—part of a protected wildlife refuge—anchor the breathtaking scenery. At Maxwell Point, the coastline creates a delightful illusion of distance and scale. During low tide, you can stroll through a tunnel to reach Tunnel Beach, then continue past rocky points to explore a series of secluded coves that feel like a hidden world miles away.

With cozy beach rentals and charming B&Bs, settling into a relaxed rhythm is easy: start your day with breakfast at Blue Agate Cafe, return later for comforting seafood, homemade desserts, and drinks at Roseanna’s Cafe, and wind down beneath the majestic silhouette of the arched rocks overhead. There are so many iconic spots to explore—Symons State Scenic Viewpoint, Lost Boy Beach, and the Short Beach Trailhead—all just a short hike or drive away. And despite its quiet charm, this community remains wonderfully laid-back, nestled into a hillside that feels like a natural amphitheater, offering sweeping views from Oceanside Beach State Recreation Site.

Tofino, British Columbia

A bird's eye view of Tofino. The community is spread across just a handful of streets — A bird’s eye view of Tofino. The community is spread across just a handful of streets

Stretching from Washington through Oregon and into California, the U.S. “West Coast” continues north into British Columbia. With geography on its side, Tofino is pure Vancouver Island charisma—wild beaches, moody skies, and the real possibility of spotting black bears. With access via a reasonably priced charter flight or a ferry-and-bus combo, it’s surprising that something this rugged and authentic sits so close to Vancouver’s bustle. Start your day at the beloved Rhino Coffee House, then choose your own pace: fishing, kayaking, hiking, or simply sinking into the sands of Tonquin Park, which stretches from wilder Tonquin Beach near the tip to the calmer shoreline around Chesterman Beach.

Home to about 1,400 residents, including many surfers who share a love for whale-watching, Tofino proudly proclaims itself as the end of the Trans-Canada Highway. It offers a cozy selection of campsites, perfect for any adventure. Whether you’re riding the waves or quietly watching gray and humpback whales, just being here feels special — taking in the cedar-scented sea breeze as eagles soar above. Tofino completely avoids the chain-store scene, making it a truly relaxing retreat. Its mild climate features gentle winters and summers that are rarely too hot. For art lovers, Roy Henry Vickers Gallery highlights regional works, while Wolf in the Fog offers inventive, farm-fresh dishes and cocktails in a warm, inviting setting.

These colorful beachside towns greet you with captivating views, crashing waves, and ocean-fresh air—pairing old-world charm with a distinctly modern maritime culture. As varied as Washington, Oregon, California, and coastal British Columbia, they offer a little something for every kind of traveler. From Depoe Bay’s whale-watching scene to Fort Bragg’s wild coastline and Tofino’s surf-town spirit, spotting the ocean’s “friendly giants” is practically part of the itinerary.

And beyond the water, every slow turn down a quiet street reveals artisan boutiques, local eateries, and weathered cottages with real character. Whether you’re road-tripping the coast, escaping city noise, or overdue for a proper vacation, the blend of local life and wildlife delivers the kind of trip that stays with you. Watch whales from Depoe Bay, kayak Noyo Harbor in Fort Bragg, then head north to Tofino for that far-flung, end-of-the-road feeling—without ever losing sight of the sea.

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