Month: January 2013

Best Beer Bars: Great Lost Bear & Novare Res

| Posted in Uncategorized

Draft magazine has named Novare Res and The Great Lost Bear to their 2013 list of America’s Best Beer Bars.

[The Great Lost Bear is p]art of the beer-bar Old Guard, this Portland dive has everything you want in a beer bar: a tavern vibe, an unfussy crowd, a gigantic wing-and-burger-driven menu, and a treasure trove of beer.

Once inside [Novare Res’] delightfully warm, brick pub, grab a seat at one of the communal tables and get decisive: This little bar stocks more than 500 beers from around the world.

Buying a Fruit Tree

| Posted in Farming

The Root has interviewed author David Buchanan to get his advice on buying fruit trees.

Which fruit tree is your favorite to grow?
I love apples, particularly for the hard cider they produce, and other trees like cherries, despite the work involved in harvesting and preparing them. But nothing beats a good peach. Peach trees grow very quickly, often yielding substantial crops in their third or fourth years, and varieties like Red Haven and Madison produce excellent fruit in the Portland area.

Hot Chocolate, Sustainable Food, Trader Joe’s Parking

| Posted in General News, People

The Food & Dininng section in today’s Press Herald includes an article on hot chocolate along with drink reviews from several venues in town like this one for Gorgeous Gelato,

Don’t be surprised if you start hearing sleigh bells while you drink this. This is classic hot chocolate, the kind of drink you dream about when you hear the song “Winter Wonderland” or crave after coming in from a long day of skiing or playing in the snow.

It’s made with two kinds of Belgian chocolate and whole milk. Be sure to ask for whipped cream on top — it’s real whipped cream, cold, thick and delicious, and floats well and long on top of the chocolate…

a profile of Portland resident Dan McGovern who publishes the Sustainable Food News,

Produced in Portland, the online business magazine publishes Monday through Friday and chronicles the health food industry’s latest news and trends. The daily emails go out to 7,500 subscribers.

Also in today’s paper is a piece on the parking situation at Trader Joe’s.

 

Gelato for Heating Assistance

| Posted in Events

The Portland Daily Sun has a report on Gelato Fiasco’s work to raise money for heating assistance.

The Opportunity Alliance is working with Gelato Fiasco, on Fore Street, to raise money for the Keep ME Warm fund, a program that provides emergency home heating assistance to Maine residents. The Fore Street gelato shop will donate 100 percent of the pre-tax purchases made Wednesday to the fund as a part of its ongoing Scooping for the Community program.

Review of Pocket Brunch

| Posted in Reviews

The Blueberry Files has published a review of the January edition of Pocket Brunch.

Next, my favorite course, the salad of spicy gravlax, trout roe, fried Maine potato shreds, creme fraiche, and pistachio marmalade. I was really wowed by this course – so simple and perfectly done. Roe that pops in your mouth, crunchy potatoes, creamy sauce, spicy salmon, and the sweet, salty, crunch of the pistachios.

For additional photos of the event see the Broadturn Farm blog.

Review of Duckfat

| Posted in Reviews

duckfatMap & Menu has published a review of Duckfat.

I opted for the roasted pork belly panini with fennel relish, jalapeno, and caramelized miso, and Meredith ordered the cream of tomato fennel soup with ciabatta croutons and asiago. The easiest decision was the large fry, because going to Duckfat without ordering fries is akin to walking down the Champs-Élysées in an American flag unitard – just don’t do it.

Photo Credit: Map & Menu

This Week’s Events: Smoked Beer, Allagash Dinner, Brew Pub Cup, Beer & Cheese Tasting

| Posted in Events

Tuesday — Local Sprouts is hosting a local foods networking breakfast.

Wednesday — Slow Food Portland’s delegates to Terra Madre will share their experiences at Slow Food’s potluck dinner.

Thursday — there will be a tasting of smoked beers from Germany, Denmark and the US at the Bier Cellar, Vignola is holding an Allagash Beer Dinner, and the Brew Pub Cup is taking place The Great Lost Bear.

Saturday — wine tastings are taking place at Browne Trading and the Rosemont Market, Vignola/Cinque Terre is holding their 6th Annual Beer & Cheese Tasting (30 bbers, 30 cheeses, $30) and the Winter Farmers Market is taking place.

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.

Pocket Brunch: Baller Brunch

| Posted in Events, Pocket Brunch

greenhouse

The January Pocket Brunch took place at Broadturn Farm in Scarborough on Sunday. James Beard award winner Rob Evans was the guest chef for the meal:

  • Soup – Maine sunchoke, fried egg yolk, black truffle and beef tongue grabiche
  • Salad – spicy gravlax, trout roe, Maine potato, creme fraiche, and pistachio marmalade
  • Meat – gold encrusted fois gras, smoked apple butter, apple chips, quince, pickled apple and black bread
  • Egg – sunnyside duck yolk, mortadella, brussel sprout hash, saffron-tobasco hollandaise
  • Dessert – Broadturn yogurt parfait with almond milk tapioca, blood orange and couscous granola

Premeal bites were accompanied by coffee from Tandem Coffee Roasters and menu of custom cocktails from the Bearded Lady.

The Golden Dish has published a review of Sunday’s Pocket Brunch.

David Zwickerhill was at the brunch with his camera and has posted an extensive set of photos online.

salad

meat

egg

dessert

Review of Zen Chinese Bistro

| Posted in Reviews

pArts has published a review of Zen Chinese Bistro.

We’ve waited a long time in Portland (and surrounding area) for not even great Chinese, but DECENT Chinese. When I first learned they were opening, I was disappointed to see the menu was, essentially the same American/Chinese food offered at every other Chinese eatery. My disappointment turned to joy upon realizing that though the dishes shared the same names, the versions of these dishes at Zen were head and shoulders above anything I’ve had anywhere else in Maine since the departure of the now-defunct “Stir Crazy” (great food, strange atmosphere, unfortunate name).