Jason Loring, chef/owner of Nosh, is partnering up with Stephen Lanzalotta to launch a new bakery. Loring tells me that the plan for the new business is to “set Stephen free” and to “let him do what he does which is amazing”.
They’ve picked out a really great spot for this new venture. I’ll share more on that once they sign a lease.
Tuesday — Maine Pie Line will launch their online pie ordering and delivery service.
Wednesday — Black Tie is catering a farm dinner in New Gloucester, the Makers Market is taking place at the Urban Farm Fermentory in the afternoon and the Monument Square Farmers Market is taking place in the morning.
Thursday — there will be a cider and cheese tasting at the Public Market House and the Great Lost Bear will be showcasing Founders Brewing.
Friday — the Cumberland County and Sacopee Valley Beekeepers Clubs are hosting this screening of the movie More Than Honey on October 4 at the Portland USM campus. Tickets are available online. It’s the first night of Caskfest at Novare Res, there will be a wine tasting at West End Deli, local food trucks will be assembling in Bayside for the monthly Flea Bites mobile food street festival—Urban Sugar Mobile Cafe (facebook, website, twitter) will be launching at Flea Bites.
Saturday — there will be wine tastings at Browne Trading and LeRoux Kitchen, and the Deering Oaks Farmers Market is taking place.
Sunday — the University of Maine Cooperative Extension will be holding a fermentation class at Gather, and the local chapter of American Sommelier is holding the second in a series of wine seminars.
Last night’s American Sommelier class at Vignola/Cinque Terre
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.
Insurance Guy Beer Blog has posted a summary of new breweries under development in Maine.
I know things have been a bit quiet around here but trust me things are about to get interesting. Fall is my favorite time of year in Maine and due to tons of activity in Maine beers scene the fall of 2013 should be a great one. In the next few months there are several new breweries that should be selling beer.
The Maine Sunday Telegram has published an article by departing restaurant critic Nancy Heiser that shares some of her favorites from the last 2 years and answers some common questions she gets asked about her work for the paper.
Who chooses the restaurants you review?
I choose them, but I always run options by the features editor, who occasionally makes a suggestion, as does the newspaper’s food writer, Meredith Goad. The other reviewer for Dine Out Maine, Shonna Milliken Humphrey, does the same. We divvy up the new places. The goal is to include a mix of types of establishments, cover the whole state, and not repeat a review for at least three years. But generally, more than half of the restaurants are in the greater Portland area.
If you see the author of Edible Obsessions about town be sure to congratulate her. Earlier this month she passed a rigorous set of exams to become a Certified Cheese Professional—one of only 253 in the country.
She’s also announced the end of the witty and wonderful Edible Obsessions blog. I’ll be sad to see it go.
Portland magazine has published a review of Boone’s,
It’s amazing that a lost institution like Boone’s can be found like this. The happy noise and fun and pounding music assures you you’ve found the mystical place you’ve been looking for. Come on in and crack one open. We rate this place five seagulls.
an interview with Tollef K. Olson of Ocean Approved about Maine’s seaweed industry,
A multi-billion-dollar industry is making a big splash on Maine’s shores. “We’re going global in the spring,” says Tollef K. Olson (pictured right), CEO and founder of Ocean Approved at 188 Presumpscot Street in Portland, an innovative firm that’s creating a lucrative market for Maine’s kelp beds overnight.
and an article about the claims made about and by Portland restaurants (go to page 47)
[There’s n]othing Maine loves more than food bragging rights, a best-of-boast, a pub fact.
The Golden Dish has published a review of Bar Lola.
My lamb was delicious, especially the mushroom gastrique. There were two chops that were pan roasted. I thought the lamb, however, was tough, something that I’ve noticed before with this farm’s lamb. Otherwise it was another very well devised offering.
Edible Brooklyn has published an article on the back story behind Flanagan’s Table.
As for preserving the barn itself, [Gail] Landry hired a team of carpenters to repurpose the century-old floorboards into a bar area and dining tables for the space, while adding an updated kitchen for serious meals. Empty except for occasional private events, it could house a sublimely beautiful pop-up restaurant. She just needed someone to run it—and she had the perfect person in mind.
Upcoming dinners at Flanagan’s Table feature Krista Kern Desjarlais, Masa Miyake and Pete Sultenfuss.
The Blueberry Files has published a review of Salvage BBQ,
The ribs were everyone’s favorite – nice and tender, with a spicy, smoky dry rub. I also sampled the sausage, which was very smoky, and the spicy chili which contained shredded pork, creating a great unexpected consistency. Everyone in my party was very happy with their experience at Salvage BBQ. The prices may seem high for one, but splitting trays worked out perfectly. I spent about $25 for 2 local beers and half a tray of meat and sides with leftovers.
the Portland Phoenix has published a review of Boone’s,
Boone’s is Smith’s fourth restaurant in town, and probably the best since his first, the Front Room. In seeking to balance the touristic appeal of a place like Gilbert’s or J’s with some of the seafood sophistication of Street and Co. or Eventide, he has developed a place that is distinctive. Portlanders will figure out an affordable way to pass some time on the deck — maybe split a big order of fried scallops with some beers? And they will think of Boone’s when their guests want to sample New England cuisine — especially when those visitors are the type to pick up the bill.
and The 207 Foodie has published a review of the Bar of Chocolate Cafe.
Dessert is the best meal of the day to me, and The Bar of Chocolate in the Old Port deserves some recognition. As a chocoholic, I’ve never found a place that quenches my endless thirst for chocolate and dessert quite like they do. From alcoholic beverages to the perfect dessert to end your night, The Bar of Chocolate means business.
Today’s Press Herald reports on the impact of the Pirate’s departure from the Civic Center on local bars and restaurants.
At Binga’s Stadium, a sports bar directly across Free Street from the civic center, the return of the hockey team after the civic center’s $34 million renovation was seen as “the light at the end of the tunnel,” said its general manager.
For months, the bar has dealt with the noise and dirt of the renovation, as well as the closed streets and lost parking spaces, said Rob Kolodzej. But the Pirates always brought in many fans for pre- and post-game chicken wings and beer, he said.
Today’s paper also has a follow-up on restaurant inspector Michele Sturgeon’s resignation.