This Week’s Events: Peter Weygandt at Caiola’s, Sake Tasting, Smuttfest 2012, Taste of the Nation

Wednesday — the Monument Square Farmers Market is taking place.

Thursday — esteemed wine importer Peter Weygandt is collaborating with Caiola’s on a 6-course wine dinner ($70pp, 772-1110), Miyake is holding a sake tasting, there will be a wine and cheese tasting at the Public Market House, and a wine tasting at Aurora Provisions, and The Great Lost Bear is showcasing beer from Founders Brewing.

Saturday — Novare Res is holding the 2012 Smuttfest celebrating Smuttynose Brewing by offering 25 of their beers on tap, RSVP is having a Founders Brewing beer tasting and the Deering Oaks Farmers Market is taking place.

Taste of the Nation — looking out a couple weeks, the Taste of the Nation fundraiser to fight hunger in Maine is taking place on June 24 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.

This Week’s Events: Hot Wing Challenge, Old Port Festival, Blue Gold, Greenflash

Wednesday — the Monument Square Farmers Market is taking place.

Thursday — the 1st Annual Maine Hot Wing Cook-Off Challenge is taking place, and The Great Lost Bear is showcasing a selection of beers from the Brooklyn Brewing.

Friday — Think Tank is screening the movie Blue Gold, and Novare Res will be showcasing beer from Greenflash Brewery.

Saturday — Wine Wise is leading a wine walk featuring trendsetting European Whites, there will be a wine tasting at Rosemont on Brighton, and the Deering Oaks Farmers Market is taking place.

Sunday — it’s the 39th Annual Old Port Festival.

Twilight Dinnerstickets are now on sale for Cultivating Community’s Twilight Dinners. The dinners have proved so popular that they’re now a weekly occurrence starting July 5.

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.

This Week’s Events: Vegetarian Wine Dinner, Latte Art Competition, Bourbon Tasting

Wednesday — the 3rd Cloak & Dagger dinner is taking place, there will be a wine tasting at Old Port Wine Merchants, and the Monument Square Farmers Market is taking place.

Thursday — Bard Coffee is hosting this month’s Thursday Night Throwdown latte art competition, Bresca is holding a vegetarian wine dinner, and The Great Lost Bear is showcasing a selection of beers from the Tuckerman Brewing.

Fridaywine tastings are being held at Rosemont on Brighton and the West End Deli, The Salt Exchange is holding a Bourbon Tasting and it’s the First Friday Art Walk.

Saturday — there will a wine tasting at LeRoux Kitchen, and the Deering Oaks Farmers Market is taking place.

Sunday — it’s Maine Lemonade Day.

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.

This Week’s Events

TuesdaySea Change Cooking is holding an olive oil tasting at the Woodlands Club in Falmouth.

Wednesday — Frog & Turtle is hosting a beer dinner and the Monument Square Farmers Market is taking place.

Thursday — there will be a wine tastings at Rosemont on Brighton and at Browne Trading, and The Great Lost Bear is showcasing a selection of beers from the Sixpoint Brewery.

Saturday — the Deering Oaks 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.

This Week’s Events

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

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

Thursday — there will be a wine tasting at the Public Market House, and The Great Lost Bear is showcasing a selection of beers from Magic Hat Brewing.

Friday — there will be a beer tasting at the West End Deli

Saturday — the Deering Oaks Farmers Market is taking place.

Sunday — Po’Boys & Pickles are holding a Parking Lot Crawfish Boil.

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.

This Week’s Events: Speckled Ax, Gasharoo, Monkey Fist, Rabelais, Mother’s Day

MondaySpeckled Ax, a new coffee shop from the folks at Matt’s Wood Roasted Coffee is scheduled to open this morning at 567 Congress Street.

Tuesday — both the East Ender and Vignola/Cinque Terre are hosting wine dinners.

Wednesday — there will be a wine tasting at LeRoux Kitchen, and the Monument Square Farmers Market is taking place.

ThursdayGashsaroo is taking place at Novare Res, they’ll have 23 Allagash beers on tap. The Great Lost Bear is showcasing Shipyard’s new beer called Monkey Fist.

Saturday — it’s the opening day for the new Rabelais Books location in Biddeford, Rosemont is holding an event to showcase Spanish wine from C & P Wines (reservations required), Aurora Provisions is holding a tasting of cider, mead and kombucha from the Urban Farm Fermentory, Wine Wise is leading a wine walk in the Old Port, and the Deering Oaks Farmers Market is taking place.

Sunday — it’s Mother’s Day, one of the busiest restaurant days of the year. The Farmer’s Table and Wine Wise are collaborating on a Mother’s Day wine dinner.

Vinland Cooking Classes — the next session of chef David Levi cooking class series is scheduled to start on May 15. More information is available on the Vinland 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.

First Weekend Farmers Market

Instant Portland has posted a set of images captured last weekend at the first Saturday farmers market of the season.

So, it’s possible that I might have gushed mentioned that the first Saturday Farmer’s Market in Deering Oaks took place last Saturday, which to me is as much a hallmark of the start of summer as baseball opening day or the first robin of spring. The thing I love most about the market is how it inspires me: on Saturday I bought whole-wheat flour (grown and milled in Maine), super-fresh Mozzarella, a leek, some scallions, and some green eggs, and was inspired to make leek and bacon pizza (including using the mozzarella) and it was every bit as good as it sounds. I wonder what I’ll be inspired to make next weekend?

For additional reporting see The Golden Dish.

Cinco de Mayo, Slow Money, Oregonian Wines, Almanac of Eats

Today Food & Dining section in the Press Herald includes articles on Saturday’s Cinco de Mayo & Deby Day celebrations,

If it seems as if Cinco de Mayo has been growing in popularity in Portland, hold onto your sombreros. This year, the Mexican holiday falls on a Saturday – and on the same day as the Kentucky Derby, offering local restaurants and bars a winning trifecta when it comes to attracting margarita- and mint julep-loving revelers.

about the Slow Money network,

The Slow Money Maine network has been in existence for only two years, but it’s already helped connect farmers and food producers with more than $2.7 million in capital.

about Maine’s special connection with Oregonian wines,

Clark and Laramy (who by 2010 had joined Clark on the west coast) started bringing bottles back to Maine on visits to share with friends. The friends loved the wines.

The partners started ORWA Wine Brokerage, which establishes relationships with the wineries. Devenish Wines, the Maine distributor, purchases the wines in Oregon and ships them directly to Maine to distribute here.

and about Maine food blogger, Steff Deschenes, who writes daily about national food holidays.

Steff Deschenes has already eaten her way through tempting food holidays such as National Waffle Day (March 26), National Potato Chip Day (March 14) and National “Have a Brownie” Day (Feb. 10). She chronicles these celebratory meals on her Almanac of Eats blog.

This Week’s Events: Union Bagel, Roger Doiron, Belgian Biere Fest, Maine Food Frenzy, Derby Day

Tuesday — the soft launch of Union Bagel, Roger Doiron of Kitchen Gardeners International will be speaking at Grace, Bar Lola is holding a Washington state wine dinner, and it’s the first day of the 4th Annual Belgian Biere Fest at Novare Res.

Wednesday — the Monument Square Farmers Market is taking place.

Thursday — The Great Lost Bear is showcasing beer from Victory Brewing, and there will be a sake and cheese tasting at the Public Market House.

Friday — a wine tasting is taking place at the West End Deli and a bourbon tasting at The Salt Exchange. It’s First Friday Art Walk and restaurants will be busy so be sure to make reservations in advance.

SaturdayMaine Food Frenzy is premiering on WPXT, The Salt Exchange is offering a special Derby Day menu, there will be a wine tasting at LeRoux Kitchen, and the Deering Oaks 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.

This Week’s Events: Latte Art Competition, Wine Tastings, Farmers Markets, Movie Night

Tuesday — there will be a wine tasting at Rosemont on Brighton Ave.

Wednesday — the Monument Square Farmers Market is taking place.

Thursday — the monthly Thursday Night Throwdown latte art competition is taking place at Bard Coffee, there will be a wine tasting at Browne Trading, and The Great Lost Bear is showcasing beer from Smuttynose Brewing.

Saturday — the Deering Oaks Farmers Market is taking place.

Sunday — it’s movie night at Petite Jacqueline and they’ll be screening the film Three Men and a Cradle.

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.