Coffee by Design recently moved their roasting operation to a spacious new facility in East Bayside. A new cafe will be opening in the neihborhood in early January. These photos were taken during a party held last night to celebrate the expansion of the business.
Update: Maine a la Carte has published a report and photos from Sunday night’s CBD party.
This week’s Portland Phoenix provides advice on making oysters part of your holiday party,
To successfully shuck your own oysters, you’ll need an oyster knife ($10), available at the seafood market where you purchase your oysters. Above all, be careful. Shucking oysters is supposed to add to a holiday party, not interrupt it with an emergency-room visit. Wash your oysters well to remove the grit on the shells. Use the tip of the oyster knife to pry open the two shells of the oyster at the hinge using leverage, not brute strength. Watch a few videos online to get the basics, and practice your technique until you’re shucking with ease.
and an article about the new East Bayside location for the winter farmers market.
This winter, the Portland Farmers’ Market will be in a new location in a neighborhood known for its food and beverage businesses. It won’t be the first time the farmers’ market has moved to complement the growth of an area. In 1990, the Wednesday market moved from Federal Street to Monument Square to counteract the loss of the Porteous department store (where the Maine College of Art is now). It makes sense now that the winter farmers’ market is moving to East Bayside, Portland’s most up-and-coming neighborhood.
Both articles are by Blueberry Files author Kate McCarty.
Update: for additional reporting on the winter market see this article in the Bangor Daily News.
The Portland Hunt & Alpine Club has found two reasons to celebrate on Thursday, the launch of New England Distilling’s Gunpowder Rye and the 80th anniversary of the repeal of prohibition. NED’s master distiller will be on-hand and the bar will be serving a special menu of Gunpwder Rye and champagne cocktails.
Thursday — the annual Twelve Beers of Christmas is taking place at the Great Lost Bear, and there will be a wine tasting at the Public Market House.
Friday — there will be a wine tasting at the West End Deli. It’s First Friday Art Walk, restaurants will be extra busy so make reservations in advance.
Saturday — the Winter Farmers Market is starting up. This year it’s taking place at the Urban Farm Fermentory on Anderson Street.
Sunday — In’finiti is holding cocktail and beer dinner, the American Sommelier foundation series will be featuring wines from the United States
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 — the Monument Square Farmers Market is taking place.
Thursday — it’s Thanksgiving, see the PFM Thanksgiving Resource Guide for a list of restaurants that will be open. The Wayside Food Programs will be serving a free dinner (11am – 1pm) at the Portland Club on State Street.
Friday — it’s the release day for Allagash Midnight Bret and for Rising Tide Hesperus.
Saturday — the Deering Oaks Farmers Market is taking place.
Sunday — Petite Jacqueline is holding their next movie night.
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.
As usual a number of Portland area restaurants plan on serving a Thanksgiving dinner. Here are the ones I know about so far. I’ll update the list as more info comes in:
For those of you hosting your own meal at home:
Community Dinners & Donations:
Inspiration:
Is there a local restaurant, market, bakery, or Thanksgiving event that’s missing? Post a comment with the info and I’ll add them to the list.
Monday —MPBN’s Jennifer Rooks will be interviewing Sam Hayward, Kathy Gunst and Amanda Beal about Maine’s farm-to-table movement.
Tuesday — the monthly local food networking breakfast is taking place at Local Sprouts, and an Oxbow tap takeover and izakaya menu, dubbed Oxbozakaya, is taking place at Pai Men.
Wednesday — Five Fifty-Five is serving a 4-course seafood dinner in collaboration with GMRI, there will be an open house in East Bayside for Bomb Diggity Bakery, Pure Pops, Maine Pie Line, and Swallowtail Farm and the Monument Square Farmers Market is taking place.
Thursday — Josh Christie, author of Maine Beer: Brewing in Vacationland will be delivering a lecture at the Maine Historical Society on the history of Maine’s post-Prohibition brewing industry, Rosemont and Tandem are collaborating on the 4th in their tasting series, MJ’s is having a Beaujolais Nouveau release party, and there will bee a wine and cheese tasting at the Public Market House.
Friday — Jason C. Anthony, author of Hoosh: Roast Penguin, Scurvy Day, and Other Stories of Antarctic Cuisine, will be giving a lecture at the Portland Public Library.
Saturday — the Deering Oaks Farmers Market is taking place.
Sunday — the American Sommelier foundation series will be featuring wines from the southern hemisphere, and Petite Jacqueline will be holding a Beaujolais Nouveau wine dinner.
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.
Chef Shannon Bard is scheduled to serve a dinner at the James Beard House in January, according to a report from, Maine a la Carte.
“I’m planning on doing a Mexico meets Maine (theme),” she said. “I want to feature a lot of Maine products in it.”
Tom Bard will be in charge of the wine pairings. Tequila sommelier Sergio Ramos, who is the managing partner in the couple’s two restaurants, will create a tequila cocktail to start off the meal, and one of the courses will feature a tequila pairing as well.
“It’s a great honor to do it,” Bard said. “To even get invited is fantastic. I never thought that would ever happen. I’m very excited.”
For more information see this press release and this article by the Bangor Daily News.
Tuesday — Bar Lola is holding a Spanish wine dinner. It’s their last one before closing at the end of the week to refocus their energy on a new project.
Wednesday — the Monument Square Farmers Market is taking place.
Thursday — the Bier Cellar is holding a tasting with the Bantam Cider Company.
Saturday — Bardic Brews is teaching a mead making workshop at The Honey Exchange, Browne Trading is holding a wine tasting, and the Deering Oaks Farmers Market is taking place.
Ice Bar — the 10th Annual Ice Bar is taking place January 23-25 at the Portland Harbor Hotel. Tickets are now on sale.
PSO Wine Dinner — the 13th Annual Portland Symphony Orchestra wine dinner will be featuring wines from Greece. Chefs from Fore Street, Emilitsa, Piccolo, the Inn by the Sea and the Harraseeket Inn will collaborate on the 5-course dinner. Tickets are now on sale.
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.
While the restaurant still has a few last steps before they’re fully open,