Ramona White began her journey on the road to locally-grown and nourishing food years ago while working at a small café. There she was introduced to local farmers’ produce and blown away by the flavor and quality of food grown close by. She had always been interested in sourcing ingredients locally, but that experience planted a seed for using 100% local products in her meals.
Working in the restaurant industry since the late 70s, it comes as no surprise that Ramona broke out on her own eight years ago with Nourishment. Her business has taken the shape of food truck, restaurant, and food booth at many different markets and Nourishment is currently one of the most popular food stands at the Hollywood Farmers’ Market. Look for Nourishment to hit the streets some time this winter as a food cart. Ramona is still looking for a space, but hopes to be located somewhere in southeast Portland.
Nourishment is in its fourth year at the Hollywood Farmers’ Market and sells breakfast burritos, quiche, and hand-made chocolates from her business partner Dave Beer’s company, Wingnut Confections. Aside from Ramona and Dave, if you visit the Nourishment booth at the Hollywood market, you will see Quinn, busy making burritos for your Saturday morning gustatory pleasure.
Ramona’s goal is to source 100% of her ingredients from Oregon and is close; only a small portion of the tomatillos she uses come from out-of-state (California). Everything else is local, and many ingredients come from vendors at the Hollywood Farmers’ Market. She loves to barter with other vendors and receives beautiful and bountiful produce in return for feeding farmers burritos. She says that she likes making burritos because they are an appealing item, and are relatively easy to source local ingredients for. Her favorite foods, aside from Nourishment’s breakfast burritos, are caprese salad and duck confit.
When asked why she likes being at the Hollywood Farmer’ Market, Ramona answered, “Because it is absolutely the best farmers’ market in Portland. Period. It is the most accessible, has the best of the best in vendors, and the customers are totally loyal.” With work that is sometimes emotionally demanding, Ramona looks forward to seeing the customers at the Hollywood Farmers’ Market every Saturday. “I just want to thank the customers for their loyalty, it is one of the most beautiful gifts in my life, it is a wonderful community.”
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