The Blueberry Files has posted her first impressions based on last night’s opening at Central Provisions.
Month: February 2014
New Press Herald Food Editor: Peggy Grodinsky
Peggy Grodinsky (LinkedIn, Google) has been hired by Maine Today Media to serve as the new food editor for the Press Herald, Maine Sunday Telegram and Maine Today. From what I’ve heard, today is Grodinsky’s first official day on the job.
Grodinsky was the Executive Editor of the Cook’s Country Magazine (a publication from Cook’s Illustrated/America’s Test Kitchen), prior to that she served as the Food Editor at the Houston Chronicle and Editor of the James Beard Foundation. She’s also taught food writing at the Harvard University extension program and at New York University. Check out her LinkedIn profile for more detail on her resume.
Among other responsibilities the new food editor will be working to launch a new farm-to-table section that will appear weekly in the Maine Sunday Telegram.
PPH: Restaurant Inspections, ABV Law, Butter & Food Corp
Today’s Press Herald includes an article about butter and Maine’s butter producers,
If you haven’t heard of Casco Bay Butter Co., or seen its line of artisanal flavored butters on local store shelves, that may change soon. As the popularity of butter starts bouncing back, more people are searching for butters that meet that foodie trifecta of local, artisanal and organic.
an article about FoodCorps helping farm-to-school initiatives in Maine,
FoodCorps aims to teach children about healthful eating, expand school-based gardens and increase locally grown food in school cafeterias.
as well as additional reporting on restaurant inspections and the Maine law banning bars from posting the alcohol percentage of the beers they serve.
Take-out Tipping, Part 2
The Portland Daily Sun has published the 2nd installment in a series take-out tipping.
Central Provisions Now Open
The highly anticipated Central Provisions (website, facebook, twitter) opened tonight at 414 Fore Street. The restaurant featueres a diverse menu of small plates and cocktails and also features a strong wine program. The bottom floor facing Wharf Street is a bar and one flight up on Fore Street is the main dining room and open kitchen.
Central Provisions is owned by Chris and Paige Gould. Gould is a Maine native. Most recently he who worked at the Ken Orringer restaurants Coppa and Uni before the couple moved to Portland.
Patrick McDonald has joined the staff as bar manager and Chris Peterman has been hired to head up the wine program. Macdonald has been working at Gingko Blue and Peterman is running the American Sommelier training program in Portland.
For more images from opening night see Maine a la Carte and Active Beer Geek as well as Instagram photos from Blueberry Files, Sean Wilkinson.
Miyake Farms
The Portland Phoenix has published an article about Miyake Farms.
The pigs make a racket, squealing and grunting, anticipating another meal, as we gingerly approach on paths of melting snow and ice. I’m in Freeport, where chef Masa Miyake has turned his Freeport backyard into a full-fledged hog farm; farm manager Emily Phillips built paddocks for the pigs and moved them closer to the house for the winter.
Alcohol % Prohibition
The Press Herald has published an update on the recent enforcement by regulators of a 1937 law which bans bars from displaying the alcohol percentage of the beer they serve.
“(The law is) absolutely asinine,” said Greg Norton, whose store on Forest Avenue in Portland, the Bier Cellar, specializes in small-batch beer and wine. “It’s an important piece of knowledge for a customer, to plan how many beers they’re going to have that night.”
It’s unclear why the restriction was added to state law, which included rules for Maine’s post-Prohibition liquor industry with arcane terms such as “high test,” “high proof” and “pre-war strength.” Legislative documents from the time suggest it was aimed at advertisements that sold beer based solely on its strength.
Under Construction: Sweetgrass, Chez Biso, Indian Bazaar, Blue Lobster
Here are a few under construction updates:
- The Blue Lobster Urban Winery project that originally surfaced a couple years ago is back on track albeit at a different location. Details at this point are slim but the owners hope to launch later this year. Check the BLUW website for updates.
- Sweetgrass Farm Winery & Distillery (facebook, twitter, website) is opening a tasting room at 324 Fore Street later this month, according to a report from Urban Eye.
- Indian Bazaar is under construction at 1700 Forest Ave, specializing in take-out.
- Chez Biso Na Biso (photo) is the new name of the African restaurant and lounge under development at 52 Washington Ave, the former home of Chiang Mai.
This Week’s Events: Port Tasting, Absinthe Spoon Show, Bitters Workshop, Chili and Chowder Challenge
Tuesday — Rosemont is holding a Port Tasting at their Commercial Street location.
Wednesday — Outliers is holding a French wine dinner.
Thursday — Wendy & Eric Brown, authors of Browsing Nature’s Aisles will be at Longfellow Books for a talk and book signing, and The Great Lost Bear will be showcasing beer from Funky Bow.
Friday — the Bar of Chocolate Cafe is hosting a “absinthe spoon show” called Absinthe Makes the Heart Grow Founder for First Friday Art Walk.
Saturday — Vena’s Fizz House is teaching a bitters workshop, and the Winter Farmers Market is taking place at the Urban Farm Fermentory on Anderson Street.
Sunday — the 20th Annual Great Chili and Chowder Challenge is taking place at the Holiday Inn by the Bay.
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.
Black Dinah Moving to Portland
Black Dinah Chocolatiers (facebook, website, twitter) are planning to move to the Portland area, according to a report from the Bangor Daily News.
After a Christmas season of rough weather and doubling sales, the owners of Black Dinah Chocolatiers on Isle au Haut are charting a course for Portland.
“Resources are difficult and limited here,” said Steve Shaffer, who has run the high-end chocolate business with his wife Kate Shaffer on the Penobscot Bay island for eight years. “We have to bring everything out here, take everything off the boat. Our utilities and insurance are three times as much as the mainland.”
For more detail on new restaurants and food producers under development in Portland see the PFM Under Construction list.