Category: Events

Edible Obsessions has published a large set of photo’s from Sunday’s Taste of the Nation fundraiser at Diamond Cove.

Photo Credit: Edible Obsessions

Update: Eat Maine has also posted a set of photos on Facebook.

Monday — vegan chef and author, Kathy Freston, will be at Whole Foods for a book signing.

Wednesday — Sea Change Cooking is teaching a farm share cooking class, the 4th Clock & Dagger supper club dinner is scheduled to take place, and the Monument Square Farmers Market is taking place.

Thursday — it’s the first day of the Greek Heritage Festival, Bard Coffee is hosting the monthly latte art competition, there will be  wine tastings at Browne Trading and Aurora Provisions, a wine and cheese tasting at the Public Market House, The Great Lost Bear is showcasing the beers from 4 Vermont breweries.

Friday — there will be a wine tasting at Rosemont on Brighton, Petite Jacqueline’s namesake will be at the restaurant for a special 3-course dinner, and it’s the second day of the Greek Heritage Festival.

Saturday — the 4th Annual Strawberry Festival is taking place in Cape Elizabeth, Wine Wise is leading a wine walk in the Old Port, chef David Levi is hosting a tasting dinner, the Deering Oaks Farmers Market is taking place, and it’s the last day of the Greek Heritage Festival.

Sunday — chef David Levi is offering  the Vinland tasting dinner #5 for a second night.

Bastille Day Feast — Devenish Wines and Cultivating Community with the help of chefs Brad Messier, David Levi, and Philippe Donald are putting together this 4-course with wine pairings feast to celebrate Bastille Day on July 14. The cost is $48 per person. You can buy tickets online at Brown Paper Tickets.

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.

Wine 24/7 has published a set of photos and tasting notes from last week’s Weygandt dinner at Caiola’s.

For 2nd course, Domaine Pascal Bonhomme Vire-Clesse’ 2010. This is 100% Chardonnay from the Maconnais in the Burgundy region. Elegance, gorgeousness and class personified. This beautiful wine was aged in stainless steel but exhibited a richness that made one think it touched some oak. Mais non! Light gold in color with chartreuse overtones, it was smooth and clean with a touch of floral on the nose. Lush and clean with bright acidity, body and depth without being overly heavy, it had a luxurious mouth feel, along with a lovely sense of romance…

A gentle reminder to those of you who care about the food truck issue. Tonight the City Council subcommittee for Public Safety, Health and Human Services is meeting at 6 pm in City Hall to discuss a draft set of rules for food trucks to legally operate in Portland. If this is an issue you are interested then this would be a good meeting to attend.

Monday — Kate McCarty is teaching a jam and jelly making workshop at Whole Foods.

Tuesday — Local Sprouts is hosting their monthly Local Foods Networking Breakfast.

Wednesday — there will be a wine tasting at the Old Port Wine Merchants, and the Monument Square Farmers Market is taking place.

Thursday — the City Council subcommittee for Public Safety, Health and Human Services will be reviewing a draft ordinance to allow food trucks to operate in the City. Now that the sunny weather has arrived The Great Lost Bear is showcasing the Beers of Summer.

Saturday — the 8th Annual Vegetarian Food Festival will be held at the East End Community Center, Caiola’s and Devenish Wine are hosting a Wine Tasting Marriage Equality Fundraiser, and the Deering Oaks Farmers Market is taking place.

Sunday — The Well and Devenish Wines are co-hosting an Italian Wine Dinner, Dobra is leading a Chinese tea tasting,  and the Taste of the Nation fundraiser to fight hunger in Maine is taking place on Great Diamond Island. Many of Portland’s best restaurants are participating. You can learn more and buy tickets online at Share Our Strength website.

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.

Nonna’s Kitchennette and Seoul Sausage are going to be operating again today in the Old Port with film crews from the Great Food Truck Race. Details are still thin but it looks like they’ll be parking on Commercial in front of Ri-Ra.

Here’s a set of reports on last night’s initial appearance of the 2 trucks:

• Chubby Werewolf returned from a blogging hiatus to publish a thoroughly entertaining and detailed piece about the pop-up food truck event
• Edible Obsessions has posted a report from yesterday along with commentary on the offerings from both trucks
• Fellow food trucks Bite into Maine and Mainely Burgers have been tweeting non-stop
• WCSH has aired a segment which includes an interview with Nonna’s Kitchenette
• Maine a la Carte posted a report on the event with details on Nonna’s

Afternoon Update
Here’s a photo of the trucks out in front of Ri-Ra’s at about 1 pm on Sunday. Both had long lines and crews from the Food Network were filming for the TV show.

Evening Update

• The Press Herald has published a report on this weekend’s food truck happenings
• WCSH has aired another report on food trucks including interviews with the executive producer of the show and co-owners of Brunswick food truck Lola’s Taqueria. This segment later made it’s way onto the USA Today website.

 

Two finalists in the Food Network’s Great Food Truck Race are en route to Portland and should be arriving this afternoon. From what I’ve heard, due to some special event license, they will be able to operate in the city once they get here. The 2 food trucks are:

• Nonna’s Kitchenette from Parsippany, NJ. Here’s the menu: Fried Ravioli $7, Meatball Madness $9, Pizelle Gelato Sandwich $6, East Coast Ice Cream Float $5, Italian Sweet Balls $5. All of it looked good. I especially enjoyed the fried balls with powdered sugar.
• Seoul Sausage from Los Angeles. Here’s the menu: KBBQ Burger $8, Flaming Fried Balls $5, Korean Tatas Supreme $8, Strawberry Lemonade $3.

5 pm: Nonna’s arrived and texted to let me know they’re at 408 Fore Street by the time I walked 2 blocks over from Middle Street there was already a line. Portland’s food writer’s have put in a good showing with Edible Obessions, Chubby Werewolf, and Meredith Goad from the Press Herald also showing up for the fun. A pair of newlyweds also stopped by.

8 pm: Seoul Sausage arrived and parked a few spots in front of Nonna’s. They’re located right outside of Gritty’s. They just have 1 hour to sell due to the rules of the contest.

Press Herald food blog Maine a la Carte reports that Chef Tony Mantuano will be coming to Portland in July for a special wine dinner at Carmen at the Danforth. Mantuanu is the chef at Spiaggia in Chicago.

The critically-acclaimed Spiaggia has been called one of the best Italian restaurants in the country. It was nominated for “Outstanding Restaurant in America” by the James Beard Foundation in 2006, 2007 and 2010. In 2005, Mantuano was named James Beard’s Best Chef: Midwest. Spiaggia is a favorite dining spot for the president and first lady, who celebrated Obama’s presidential election victory there in 2008. Oprah Winfrey has also been a frequent guest.

Portland restaurants cleaned up at last week’s Maine Hot Wing Cook-Off Challenge. The Great lost Bear won in the Hottest of the Hot category, the Asylum took the honors for the Best Traditional Wing Sauce, and Congress Bar & Grill won the People’s Choice Award.

The event was sponsored by Shipyard Brewing. It raised $2,800 for the Relay for Life.