Month: May 2011

Food Freedom

| Posted in Farming

The cover story in this week’s Portland Phoenix reports on the struggle of local Maine farmers to break free from federal and state food rules that were written for industrial agriculture.

“From farm to table” isn’t just a meaningless foodie slogan anymore. It’s the rallying cry for the smallest of small-scale farming operations in Maine, which are fighting against what they consider to be burdensome state and federal regulations. In the process, they’re laying the groundwork for a nationwide “food sovereignty” movement, aimed at restoring the direct relationship between food producers and consumers, while reducing government interference in local food systems.

Another Review of Deux Cochon

| Posted in Reviews

The Golden Dish has published a review of Deux Cochon.

Perhaps this is all practice for Chef Adam’s aim to open up a real barbecue joint one day with all the proper accoutrements on site. Maybe then we can celebrate.
For now you can have a nice smoky tasting, saucy spiked sandwich, or a side of  eggs pickled in beet juice or some hip-hugging rib-sticking biscuit and sausage gravy served in an accidental multi-purpose eatery not for the faint of heart.

Review of Deux Cochon

| Posted in Reviews

Deux Cochon received 4½ stars from the Eat & Run review in today’s Press Herald.

The pork in the pulled pork sandwich ($6) was smoky and very flavorful, as close as you’ll find in the Portland area to what you can get down South. My friend and I, however, immediately and independently had the same reaction when we bit into our sandwiches: the meat, while delicious, was too dry. A vinegary, Carolina-style sauce from the Deux Cochon counter solved the problem, although it was a little overpowering…Despite that minor issue, I would highly recommend this pulled pork sandwich.

Immigrant Kitchens: Ghanian Peanut Soup

| Posted in Cooking

In the latest entry on Immigrant Kitchens Lindsay Sterling learns how to make Ghanian Peanut Soup from Ebenezer Akakpo (read the recipe and see the photos).

Ebenezer, born in Ghana, and I, born in Wisconsin, met one day in Roxbury, Massachusetts, at Tropical Foods Supermarket. I’d heard this was the place to go for a foufou stick (a stirring tool) and discovered that this is also the place where all the animal parts go that have gone missing from other supermarkets! Here were some of the labels in the meat section: “Chicken feet, beef neck, beef tongue, pork stomach, pig tails, pig snout, and beef feet.” Ebenezer must have seen me, the only white person in the crowded store, trying to guess my way through what looked like 100 different, boxed foufou mixes. He offered to show me how his family did made it in Ada.

Sun: Deux Cochon, Groceria Cafe, PFM Top 10, Where to Eat

| Posted in Under Construction, General News, People, Profiles

Today’s Portland Daily Sun profiled Deux Cochon and its owner Adam Alfter,

“I love pickled pig’s feet, they are so good, but people are kind of scared of them,” said Adam Alfter, owner of the Public Market House’s newest BBQ joint, Deux Cochon.

“Probably about three people will eat it and I’ll eat the rest of them, but I’m cool with that, because those three people get to know what it’s like,” said Alfter.

reported on the upcoming return of the Groceria Cafe (aka Cafe at Pat’s),

“I had leased it for the last five years, and now I have it back with Greg Gilman, who is the original chef who built it with me. He’s coming back. Everybody’s excited,” [Jaime] Vacchiano said.

The cafe won rave reviews in local media, and one patron who dined at the cafe in its early years said Gilman’s return is great news.

and spread the word about Broke 207’s call for more affordable restaurants and the PFM Top 10 List.

The Changing Face of Maine Farming

| Posted in Farming

The latest issue of Mainebiz reports on the changing face of farming in Maine,

Younger farmers like Brenner and Bliss are invigorating Maine’s agriculture industry, riding a societal shift toward locally sourced goods that has made farming a viable enterprise even for those lacking land and generational expertise. The average Maine farmer is 56.4 years old, hardly a spring chicken but ranking the state a decent 17th in the nation (between Wisconsin and Indiana’s youthful 55 years and last place New Mexico’s comparatively old 59.6), according to 2007 USDA census figures, the most recent available. The age is lower among Maine’s organic farmers, who average 52 years old.

Mushroom Legislation

| Posted in General News

Today’s Press Herald reports on mushroom safety legislation making its way through the Maine Legislature,

Nearly three years after a couple of Portland chefs got sick from eating poisonous mushrooms, Maine lawmakers may adopt the nation’s most extensive food safety regulations for wild fungi.

Legislators are considering a bill to require that at least one person who is trained and certified to identify edible wild mushrooms handle the delicacies before they are sold at markets or served in restaurants.

Here’s a link to the full text of the bill.

This Week’s Events: Austrian Wine, Falmouth Kitchen Tour, Brewer for a Day, Mother’s Day

| Posted in Events

Tuesday — Bresca is holding a 5-course Austrian Wine Dinner.

Wednesday — the Farmers Market is taking place in Monument. Grace is holding their monthly wine club event.

Thursday — authors T. Colin Campbell and Meg Wolff will be at Whole Foods for a book signing.

Friday — the first day of the Falmouth Kitchen Tour. There will be wine tastings at Rosemont and the West End Deli, and Rosemont is running a Austrian Wine Showcase ($45/person) in the evening. Friday is also First Friday Art Walk and restaurants will be very busy so make your reservations early.

Saturday — the Farmers Market is taking place in Deering Oaks Park, the second day of the Falmouth Kitchen Tour, LeRoux is holding a wine tasting, Sebago Brewing is offering a chance for you to work with their brewers on a special batch that will raise funds for their Trek Across Maine cycling team.

Sunday — Mother’s Day, one of the busiest restaurant days of the year, so be prepared to wait a little longer to get in at your favorite Sunday brunch spot. Wine Wise is teaching a special Mother’s Day wine class.

For more information on these and other upcoming food happenings in the area, visit the event calendar.

If you are holding a food event this week that’s not listed above, publicize it by adding it as a comment to this post.