Foodies Favorite Finds: Jessica Zutz Hilbert of Red Duck Foods

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Monday, July 13, 2015

GolocalPDX Lifestyle Team

Hailing from the east coast, this week’s “foodie” expert is Jessica Zutz Hilbert, the co-founder of Red Duck Foods. 

Throughout the balmy East Coast summers of her youth, Hilbert counts rebelliously eating fresh spinach right out of the ground from her dad’s garden as some of her early favorite memories. Hilbert came to the West Coast to attend Stanford University where she played varsity field hockey and softball. After graduating, the restaurant world came calling so she moved to Southern California where she earned her chops running restaurants in Santa Monica. 

She embarked north on the Oregon Trail to study law, sports business, and entrepreneurship at the University of Oregon, and hopes to one day see Red Duck served in stadiums and ballparks across the country. Hilbert loves playing whatever sport is in season, exploring the artisanal food offerings of Oregon and teaching her toddler, Kayla, new tricks. 

Now after years of traveling, Hilbert seems to have found a home at Red Duck Foods in Oregon. 

Red Duck Foods is Oregon’s premier condiment company founded in Eugene, Oregon by three University of Oregon students on the belief that regular condiments didn’t cut the mustard. Red Duck Ketchup, the company’s first product line, dares to elevate the popular condiment by using high-quality, organic ingredients. With four inventive flavors including, Classic, Spicy, Curry and a rotating seasonal flavor, Red Duck Ketchup complements dishes from burgers and fries to grilled lamb and baked oysters. In 2015, Red Duck expanded their product list and introduced cocktail sauce to their line of condiments. Red Duck’s products focus on using honest ingredients while providing a unique twist on familiar flavors.

For instance, Red Duck spicy ketchup takes their proprietary Latin-infused spice blend and combines it with a few other secret ingredients to complement classic Mexican flavors. It’s got a kick, but the secret ingredient gives it a nice smooth finish. Meanwhile, Red Duck’s classic ketchup flavor is a twist on traditional ketchup that marries a hint of sweet balsamic vinegar with a trace of smoky spices. They drew inspiration for this recipe from the fresh heirloom tomato salads everyone enjoys every summer - delicious balsamic reductions, tomatoes, and the smoke of the grill in the background.

To get a taste of some of these sumptuous condiments, be sure to visit one of the many stores that sell Red Duck products. In the meantime, if you’re looking for a lesser known spot to grab bit. Hilbert makes the following suggestion.

"When I'm thinking of favorite "getaway" spots in Portland, the first one that pops into mind is Double Dragon. The food, for me, is such a welcome departure from the ketchup-heavy fare I find myself tasting on a very regular basis. Every single bite I've had there has been memorable. The brisket banh mi is the stuff of dreams - the meat melts in your mouth, the pickled veg are a most welcome tang & burn, and the bread sops it all up. Most often, I'm enjoying this awesome fare with a cold beer - and the taps are constantly rotating so there's always something fresh and new. I'm certainly not shy to say that I'm a sucker for a solid Dark and Stormy and Double Dragon certainly doesn't disappoint here. I love that every time we walk in we're greeted with a jolly 'the ketchup girls!' greeting...and I also love that it's only a block away from our office. My fellow Red Ducks and I always dread Mondays because they aren't open!"

To purchase Red Duck products click here for store locations. 

Double Dragon, 1235 SE Division Street. Tuesday – Friday 11:30am – Midnight, Saturday 11:30 – 2am, and Sunday 11:30am – 10pm. 

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