• Skip to main content
  • Skip to secondary menu

Portland Food and Drink

Restaurant News and Information For Portland Oregon Area Restaurants and Bars

  • Facebook
  • Instagram
  • Send me email!
  • Home
  • About
    • Home
    • About the Site
    • The Authors
    • Terms of Service and Privacy Policy
    • Email me
  • Reviews
    • List of All Reviews
    • Steakhouse Roundup
      • Steakhouse Reviews Introduction
      • El Gaucho Steakhouse
      • Morton’s Steakhouse
      • Ringside Steakhouse
      • Ruth’s Chris
      • Steakhouse – Results
  • Topics
    • Memorials
    • Food Memories
    • Travel Writing
    • Food Writing
      • Alcohol Related
        • Beer
        • Wine
        • Spirits
      • April Fools Stories For Portland
      • Contests and Competition
    • Authors / Book Reviews
    • Cheese information
    • Interviews: Honest dialog with people in the Portland food industry
    • Recipes
  • Guides
    • Portland Coffee Guide
    • Guide to Local Wine Shops
    • Guide to Portland Distilleries
    • Guide to Portland’s Beer Shops

Food Haiku Contest – Fooku 2011!

March 21, 2011 by PDX Food Dude

Presenting the 2011 “fooku”, Portland Food and Drink’s annual food haiku contest.

Sharpen your pencils and wax poetic! You can read winning entries from the past below; they are wonderful.

The rules are pretty simple. Your entry must be in haiku format. The ancient art of haiku requires precision: a five syllable first line; seven syllable second line; and five syllables third line. Many haiku features a last line that works like a friendly elbow in the ribs. We only ask that your entry is about food or wine. Bonus points if it is about wine.

A syllable is a part of a word capable of being pronounced by a single impulse of the voice.  I’m sure someone can explain this more simply than me, but it’s the way the word rolls off of the tongue. “Cat” is one syllable. “Be-cause” is two. “Syl-la-ble” is three.

Anyone?

Check out the winning entries from past years below for ideas and to get the feel of haiku. Have fun! Please leave your entries in the comment section of this post.

Some winners from previous years:

2009

By Mark:

Morning coffee brews
Melting butter on warm toast
The furnace kicks in

By Maria W.

Give me some pasta
forkfuls of love and ruin.
The wine’s nearly gone.

By Maria W:

Farmers Market says
“no dogs this year.” May I bring
Spot, my truffle pig?

2008

By MySwanDive:

inhale swirls of cab
palate warmed, bask in the fire
newly lit like me

By Zac Stafford:

He cooked with passion.
The real reason we broke up?
Knives in dishwasher

2007

By CookForHire:

sound of meat browning
feel of knife through vegetable:
a true cook’s reward

By Womby:

at last, no jacket
instead, i grab sunglasses
soon come the favas

By Truth:

airy is the crumb
earthy, this crust of Pearl
heavenly, the smell

2006

By Fathom:

Now forego the fork
Hold close this slice of heaven
Perfect on a crust

By Pam:

Champagne, strawberries
and you, here in my warm bed.
Who cares if it rains?

By Witzend:

How bad could it be?
Real bad. Think Hung Far Low bad.
Ok, fine! YOU choose.

Related

Filed Under: Food Writing

Reader Interactions

Comments

  1. John Book says

    March 21, 2011 at 10:20 pm

    Consume the spirits
    Cuisine teasing to the eye
    Spirits consume us

  2. Megan says

    March 22, 2011 at 6:41 am

    Modernist Cuisine –
    The cookbook lover’s wet dream.
    Goodbye, tax return….

  3. Inspired2cook says

    March 22, 2011 at 7:45 am

    What is the deadline for the Fooku Contest???

    • Food Dude says

      March 22, 2011 at 9:11 am

      It will close Sunday April 17th.

  4. polloelastico says

    March 22, 2011 at 7:45 am

    Drunks fight at strip clubs
    At night to remind us that
    Food comes from Portland

  5. Scott says

    March 22, 2011 at 10:22 am

    Thirty year old wine
    Stems cracked off the good glasses
    We sip from stained mugs

  6. Anh says

    March 22, 2011 at 10:42 am

    Very robust taste
    Good pairing with this meat course
    Charles Shaw really?

  7. M Labrise says

    March 22, 2011 at 11:20 am

    PDX P.I.,
    crying dame, missing morels—
    a Pinot film noir

  8. Dave Taube says

    March 22, 2011 at 11:58 am

    Nectar of the gods
    Pours slowly into my glass
    Oregon pinot

  9. Julie Spilker says

    March 22, 2011 at 1:09 pm

    So is chocolate
    Two syllables or three? Asks
    grammar-retentive.

    • Food Dude says

      March 22, 2011 at 1:12 pm

      Three! Cho-co-late :)

      • Pam says

        March 24, 2011 at 4:34 pm

        Two! Choc-lat.

  10. F.I. Goldhaber says

    March 22, 2011 at 1:38 pm

    Truffles

    Rooted from damp earth
    a little bit of heaven
    sautéed for dinner.

  11. Craig Clark says

    March 22, 2011 at 2:26 pm

    Glass of wine to start.
    Bottle of wine for dinner.
    Glass of wine to end.

    • Craig Clark says

      April 11, 2011 at 3:30 pm

      Pin stripes and straw hats.
      I scream! You sream! We all Scream!
      Bring in “The Zoo”!

  12. Kassie Halpin Robinson says

    March 22, 2011 at 3:20 pm

    Fresh, raw, exquisite:
    Salmon’s salt, tang, rests on pearls.
    Wasabi bursts through.

  13. PDX2CDG says

    March 22, 2011 at 3:47 pm

    Little children are we
    waiting springs first offering
    impatiently

    • PDX2CDG says

      March 25, 2011 at 4:35 pm

      spring has a promise
      it has yet to deliver
      so i sip my wine alone

    • PDX2CDG says

      March 25, 2011 at 4:36 pm

      oops

  14. CO says

    March 22, 2011 at 5:43 pm

    Sake-water, rice, yeast,
    The world raises a Choko,
    Solidarity

  15. Sean says

    March 22, 2011 at 10:29 pm

    Oregon Pinot

    The hype of ’08.
    The elegance of ’07.
    Just keep my glass full.

  16. Adam Z says

    March 23, 2011 at 8:41 am

    Nutritious for you
    textures may reveal a clue
    bug crunch, tastes good too

  17. sweet meat says

    March 23, 2011 at 8:49 am

    Chateauneuf-du-pape
    The first sip like a spring kiss
    Memories of sun

  18. friedalighthouse says

    March 23, 2011 at 9:43 am

    Gotta eat less meat
    How well can a vegan dine?
    Daydreams of pulled pork

  19. Kristin Winslow says

    March 24, 2011 at 7:03 am

    Pronunciation?
    You said, “Willamette, dammit”
    I just drank and smiled

    • Kristin Winslow says

      March 24, 2011 at 7:34 am

      This one instead if possible:

      Pronunciation?
      You said, “Willamette, dammit”
      drank my wine smiling

      Thanks!

  20. AmandaAngelaMarjorie says

    March 24, 2011 at 9:02 am

    sips bubbly and cooks
    sizzling greens in garlic cloves
    low spring moon hangs full

  21. AH says

    March 24, 2011 at 4:20 pm

    Cooking – an event!
    Unless he goes out of town.
    (Then I make popcorn.)

  22. Pam says

    March 24, 2011 at 4:32 pm

    Melting on my tongue
    Fois Gras, reminding me that
    Life is worth living.

  23. Michelle says

    March 24, 2011 at 4:39 pm

    Taste of the Nation
    Benefit for the hungry
    Superb food and wine

  24. Kristin Winslow says

    March 24, 2011 at 5:15 pm

    Pronunciation?
    You said, “Willamette, dammit”
    I just sip and smile

  25. What's for supper? says

    March 25, 2011 at 6:28 am

    The comfort of food
    Shared with family and friends
    Saved me this hard year.

  26. Dave says

    March 25, 2011 at 9:08 pm

    if I spill my wine
    is it funny to call it
    alcohol abuse?

  27. Marshall Manning says

    March 26, 2011 at 8:56 am

    Fifty five dollars
    For young vine Oregon wine?
    Pass the Burgundy!

  28. tobyr says

    March 26, 2011 at 10:37 am

    Oysters and bubbles
    Truffles ushered by Eyrie
    Fernet to settle

  29. JJD says

    March 26, 2011 at 5:14 pm

    invite over friends
    enjoy delectable treats
    laughs pair well with food.

  30. Alex says

    March 26, 2011 at 11:21 pm

    Under the street light,
    lime, pork, and corn tortilla
    disappear quickly.

  31. Alex says

    March 26, 2011 at 11:33 pm

    Is it ok if I do more than one?

    I remember home,
    in packets of chips and tea;
    Uwajimaya

  32. Summer says

    March 27, 2011 at 11:51 am

    rich hues of eggplant
    filling the glass to the brim
    scent of pepper hangs

  33. Vivalavivie says

    March 27, 2011 at 9:25 pm

    I whimper for Weingut
    And beg for buttered biscuits
    But bark for no one

  34. Vivalavivie says

    March 27, 2011 at 9:28 pm

    Whimper for Weingut
    And beg for buttered biscuits
    But bark for no one.

  35. foodieinportland says

    March 27, 2011 at 9:37 pm

    Sancerre with oysters
    pairs with romance and divorce
    memories burn bright

  36. Jessica Poundstone says

    March 27, 2011 at 10:00 pm

    Pork skin, pork belly,
    trotters, rillette and pork pie:
    pig love (happy sigh).

  37. Jessica Poundstone says

    March 27, 2011 at 10:17 pm

    Garden State, Whiffies,
    Addy’s, Koi Fusion, Namu:
    Portland’s carts so rule!

  38. Julie says

    March 31, 2011 at 9:23 pm

    Drink wine, eat roast lamb
    Hard boiled Egg with Charoset
    Passover praises.

    • Julie says

      April 7, 2011 at 9:02 pm

      SUZZ has stolen my idea ….it’s not fair. See  her poem, mine was submitted first. :(
      Julie

      • Food Dude says

        April 8, 2011 at 12:04 am

        Don’t worry… it’s quite a bit different from yours

      • PDX2CDG says

        April 16, 2011 at 10:25 am

        how many can we submit……..I think I’ve got it!!

  39. Scott says

    April 6, 2011 at 1:20 pm

    Another brunch joint?
    Long wait with jobless hipsters?
    Blarg. I’ll eat at home.

  40. laura says

    April 6, 2011 at 4:50 pm

    San Diego thinks
    they beat Portland for craft beer
    Arrogant Bastards!

    • PDX2CDG says

      April 6, 2011 at 5:27 pm

      nice!

  41. PDX2CDG says

    April 6, 2011 at 5:33 pm

    when happenstance sparks the fire
    sipping from the glass
    warm days ahead friend

  42. Josh says

    April 6, 2011 at 6:11 pm

    Hops, barley, and wheat —
    the far superior treat.
    Why bother with wine?

  43. suzz says

    April 7, 2011 at 6:43 am

    Sip divine red wine
    Devour tender lamb roast
    Graze on sweet, ripe fruit

  44. Tracy says

    April 7, 2011 at 9:33 am

    Uncork the bottle,
    Let your secrets flow –
    Happy our hours’ delight.

  45. Food Dude says

    April 8, 2011 at 12:05 am

    Great entries this year! Keep them up!

  46. Pat Scheans says

    April 8, 2011 at 8:27 am

    Lovely vintages
    Now come in screw-off, not cork
    Speed is everything

  47. Gina B. says

    April 10, 2011 at 12:08 pm

    A glass of syrah
    food and drink tastings galore
    the perfect night out

  48. tina says

    April 13, 2011 at 10:56 am

    Looking in my Wine
    I see how food is divine
    To hunger no more

  49. Lionel says

    April 13, 2011 at 12:48 pm

    Hark! Our fare awaits…
    nom nom nom nom nom nom belch.
    Delicious, indeed.

  50. Clinton says

    April 13, 2011 at 7:31 pm

    long before cities
    we gathered around cook fires
    as one to break bread

  51. Clinton says

    April 13, 2011 at 7:31 pm

    bacchanalia:
    Mason jars of cabernet
    and your tannic smile

  52. Clinton says

    April 13, 2011 at 7:32 pm

    Zeus can’t trump the babe
    who transformed the humble grape
    to heady wisdom

  53. Clinton says

    April 13, 2011 at 7:34 pm

    tell Dionysus
    this year’s grapes brought us close to
    apotheosis

  54. Clinton says

    April 13, 2011 at 7:34 pm

    from sky to soil, from
    root to vine, from press to vat,
    from tongue to mind: wine

  55. Zin says

    April 14, 2011 at 7:01 am

    Beautiful Wine
    How Glorious your taste is
    As we meet again

  56. Dave says

    April 16, 2011 at 9:32 am

    my wine disappears
    but I haven’t had any
    the cat is happy

  57. Dave says

    April 16, 2011 at 9:34 am

    we get his updates
    telling us of great events
    pdx pipeline

  58. PDX2CDG says

    April 16, 2011 at 10:25 am

    lamenting the rain
    driving force on window pane
    where art thou summer

  59. Michelle says

    April 16, 2011 at 11:29 pm

    weeks spent on haiku
    it’s finally judgment day
    i hope you like mine

© 2025 · PortlandFoodandDrink.com • See Terms of Service and Privacy Policy