Category: Events

Monday — the Fall edition of Maine Restaurant Week started yesterday and continues all week until Sunday – visit the MRW website for a full list of participating restaurants
Tuesday — after many long delays, Figa is scheduled to open on Tuesday.
Wednesday — the Monument Square Farmers Market is taking place, a Fall Brewer’s Dinner is happening at Sebago Brewing, The Salt Exchange is hosting a Skyy Vodka Tasting and Wednesday is the opening night of the 3 day Oktoberfest Beer Garden at Portland Harbor Hotel.
Thursday — Bard Coffee will have a special Halloween themed Latte Art Throwdown, there will be a mead tasting at Browne Trading, The Great Lost Bear will showcase cask conditioned Gritty’s Halloween Ale and the Oktoberfest Beer Garden continues at the Portland Harbor Hotel.
Friday — Trader Joe’s is scheduled to open on Friday but I’ve heard they may open a day earlier on Thursday, it’s the opening night of the Hugo’s Halloween Dinner, there will be a wine dinner at Bibo’s Madd Apple Cafe and it’s the last day of the Oktoberfest Beer Garden.
Saturday — Rabelais is holding a book signing and comparative meat tasting with Deborah Krasner, author of Good Meat, The Complete Guide to Sourcing and Cooking Sustainable Meat at the Quimby Colony (the old Roma Cafe), Cinque Terre is hosting an Italian Cooking Class, the 2nd night of the Hugo’s Halloween Dinner, the Deering Oaks Farmers Market is taking place, there will be a wine tasting at the Scarborough Wine Outlet and a cooking class at Kitchen & Cork.
Sunday — the last night of the Fall Maine Restaurant Week.
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.

PortlandTown has published a set of photos from the Harvest on the Harbor Marketplace event that took place on Saturday.
Photo Credit: Michael Barriault

Kelly Patrick Farrin from Azure Cafe in Freeport was named the Maine Lobster Chef of the Year yesterday at the Harvest on the Harbor. His winning dish was a Herb Grilled Maine Lobster Tail on Arugula with Chive Ricota Gnocchi and Corn Milk (recipe).
For a photos of the event see PortlandTown, and for reporting check out the article in today’s Press Herald.
According to the Press Herald, the “competition will air on NESN at 7:30 p.m. Oct. 29.”

PortlandTown has published sets of photos from two sessions at the opening day of Harvest on the Harbor: the Seafood Splash and last night’s Grand Tasting.

Today’s Press Herald includes a report on the Seafood Splash and the work done by the SMCC team to prep for the event.

Chef Joe Boudreau appeared on WCSH to demo the paella Havana South made for the Grand Tasting.

Photo Credit: Michael Barriault

Wednesday — Down East and Rabelais are hosting an event at the Danforth Inn to relaunch Good Maine Food by Marjorie Moser and Cooking Down East by Marjorie Standish; food historian Sandy Oliver and chef Melissa Kelly will be at the event. Wine Wise is teaching a class on French Reds at The Wine Bar, and the Monument Square Farmers Market is taking place.
Thursday — the first day of the 2010 Harvest on the Harbor, there will be a beer and cheese tasting at the Public Market House, and the weekly beer showcase at The Great Lost Bear will feature brews from D.L. Geary.
Friday — Coffee by Design is giving a tour of their roastery and the second day of the 2010 Harvest on the Harbor is taking place.
Saturday — Eve’s at the Garden is hosting the 6th Annual Caviar Dinner, there will be a cooking class at Kitchen & Cork in Scarborough, the last day of the 2010 Harvest on the Harbor, and the Deering Oaks Farmers Market is taking place.
Sunday — the opening night of the Fall Maine Restaurant Week – visit the MRW website for a full list of participating restaurants.
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.

Wednesday — Down East and Rabelais are hosting an event at the Danforth Inn to relaunch Good Maine Food by Marjorie Moser and Cooking Down East by Marjorie Standish; food historian Sandy Oliver and chef Melissa Kelly will be at the event. Wine Wise is teaching a class on French Reds at The Wine Bar, and the Monument Square Farmers Market is taking place.

Thursday — the first day of the 2010 Harvest on the Harbor, there will be a beer and cheese tasting at the Public Market House, and the weekly beer showcase at The Great Lost Bear will feature brews from D.L. Geary.

Friday — Coffee by Design is giving a tour of their roastery and the second day of the 2010 Harvest on the Harbor is taking place.

Saturday — Eve’s at the Garden is hosting the 6th Annual Caviar Dinner, there will be a cooking class at Kitchen & Cork in Scarborough, the last day of the 2010 Harvest on the Harbor, and the Deering Oaks Farmers Market is taking place.

Sunday — the opening night of the Fall Maine Restaurant Week – visit the MRW website for a full list of participating restaurants.

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.

Monday — Haven’s is holding their annual Open House at the Westbrook location; tour the candy factory, make your own candy and try samples.
Wednesday — Wine Wise is teaching the second of 2 classes on sparkling wine at The Wine Bar, and RSVP is having a wine tasting.
Thursday — Andy Crouch, author of The Good Beer Guide to New England and Great American Craft Beer will be at The Great Lost Bear for a book signing.
Friday — The James Beard Foundation will start accepting nominations for the 2011 JBF awards.
Saturday — there will be a cooking class at Kitchen & Cork in Scarborough.
Farmer’s Markets — the traditional series of Farmer’s Markets are taking place Wednesday (Monument Square) and Saturday (Deering Oaks Park). Cultivating Community is running their new series of markets Wednesday and Thursday at various locations around the city.
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.

Monday — Haven’s is holding their annual Open House at the Westbrook location; tour the candy factory, make your own candy and try samples.

Wednesday — Wine Wise is teaching the second of 2 classes on sparkling wine at The Wine Bar, and RSVP is having a wine tasting.

Thursday — Andy Crouch, author of The Good Beer Guide to New England and Great American Craft Beer will be at The Great Lost Bear for a book signing.

Friday — The James Beard Foundation will start accepting nominations for the 2011 JBF awards.

Saturday — there will be a cooking class at Kitchen & Cork in Scarborough.

Farmer’s Markets — the traditional series of Farmer’s Markets are taking place Wednesday (Monument Square) and Saturday (Deering Oaks Park). Cultivating Community is running their new series of markets Wednesday and Thursday at various locations around the city.

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.

In anticipation of Open Creamery Day which is taking place across the state this weekend, PortlandTown has published a set of photos of the Pineland Farm Creamery cheese makers at work.
Photo Credit: Michael Barriault

The Food & Dining section in today’s Press Herald provides an overview of Harvest on the Harbor, the Portland food festival taking place later this month. The article includes interviews with chefs and highlights of some of the key events.

Chef Michael Ruoss has enjoyed watching Portland’s reputation as a food town grow ever since he toiled in the student kitchens at Southern Maine Community College.

Ruoss worked at the Seaman’s Club and the Snow Squall just across the bridge, then went on to make a name for himself in New Orleans.

He worked his way up to chef de cuisine at Emeril Lagasse’s flagship restaurant, NOLA, and now works on developing new restaurants with a restaurant group called 3 of a Kind.