This Week’s Events: JBF Nominees, Best New Chef, German Wine Dinner, Maine Maple Sunday

Monday — the James Beard Foundation will announce the 2013 award nominees later today. Check back this afternoon for details on how the restaurants and chefs that were on the “long list” of semi-finalists faired. Ari Weinzweig, founder of  Zingerman’s Delicatessen in Ann Arbor, will be at Rosemont for a book signing.

TuesdayFood & Wine will announce the winners of the People’s Best New Chef competition. Andrew Taylor and Michael Wiley at Eventide/Hugo’s are on the ballot. The monthly local foods networking breakfast is taking place Local Sprouts.

Wednesday — Old Port Wine Merchants is holding a tasting of 2009 and 2010 wine from Bordeaux.

Thursday — the Great Lost Bear will be featuring beers from Sebago Brewing, the Old Port Sea Grill is offering free oysters, 4-6 pm, or at least until the give away the first 400.

Friday — Eve’s at the Garden is continuing their international dining series with a South American wine dinner.

SaturdayBbBo’s is holding a German wine dinner, and the Winter Farmers Market is taking place.

Sunday — it’s Maine Maple Sunday, the March edition of Pocket Brunch is taking place, Masa Miyake will cook a dinner at Flanagan Farm in Buxton to benefit Maine Farmland Trust.

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.

The Signature Event Wrap-up

Edible Obsessions has published a write up on Maine Restaurant Week’s Signature Event, a cocktail and dessert competition.

As the Missus and I walked into the Prime Mercedes-Benz show room this past Sunday, it felt like we were walking into an adult wonderland of booze and sugary treats. We were hardly alone, too, as roughly 500 other people joined us to ring the final bell of Restaurant Week with their ‘Signature Event,’ a competition of local pastry chefs and bartenders.

The Festival Tickets on Sale

Tickets for the craft beer event taking place in Portland this summer, The Festival, are now on sale.

According to organizers, the event will be bringing “70 of the best beer, cider and mead makers” serving “200 of the best beers, ciders, and meads from all over the world” with producers on-hand to talk about their product.

The Festival is organized by Shelton Brothers and 12 Percent Imports. It will be taking place at the Portland Yacht Services Building on Fore Street.

This Week’s Events: Taste Memory, Nonesuch Oysters, Vegan Dessert Class

WednesdayAllagash Rally at Eventide to rally in support of the chefs and enjoy some newly released brews.

ThursdayDavid Buchanan, author of Taste, Memory will be at Longfellow for a book signing, Abigail Carroll from Nonesuch Oysters will be speaking at GMRI, the Grace wine club is meeting, the Bier Cellar is having a “Wine For Beer Geeks” tasting, the Public Market House is having a wine and cheese tasting, LeRoux is holding a beer dinner, and the Great Lost Bear will be featuring beers from Berkshire Brewing.

Friday — Friday is the last day you can vote in the Phoenix Best of Portland Readership Poll.

SaturdayBrowne Trading is holding a wine tasting, Sea Change Cooking is teaching a vegan dessert class, there will be a benefit for Resilient Roots at Zero Station, and the Winter Farmers Market is taking place.

Sunday — it’s Saint Patrick’s 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.

Coffee Containers, The Signature Event, and MSC Apporval

Today’s Press Herald explore the science and personal opinions on how styrofoam cups impact the flavor of coffee,

Coffee tastes better in a Styrofoam cup. Really?

Really, say some folks concerned about Portland’s proposed ban on Styrofoam containers. But is it a fact these folks can prove? Or is it all in their heads? The answer, according to a trio of scientists with lots of initials after their names, is yes — and yes.

Food writer Meredith Goad was has filed a report from the MRW Signature Event,

Matt and Jackie Schumacher of Yarmouth had fun trying the dessert, but said their favorite entry was the beignets from David’s Opus Ten. They weren’t the only ones raving about the beignets. The fried sweet treats, served with peppered strawberry, won the People’s Choice award for desserts for the evening. Chef Bo Byrne of David’s Opus Ten said he was “absolutely floored.”

and the Marrine Stewardship Council has certified the Maine lobster industry as sustainable.

The state’s lobster fishery got the international Marine Stewardship Council’s Sustainable Seafood Certification. That distinction, which recognizes ecologically sound practices from the harvest to the consumer, will help in the marketing and tracking of Maine lobster, according to the state Department of Marine Resources.

Chaine des Rotisseurs’ Jeunes Chefs Rotisseur Competition

The Press Herald has published a report on a young chef cooking competition taking place at SMCC today.

The kitchens at Southern Maine Community College’s Culinary Arts Center were heating up Sunday morning as 10 young chefs from around the Northeast faced off in the regional rounds of an international cooking competition.

For more information on the competition see the Chaîne des Rôtisseurs website and this article from the Bangor Daily News.

This Week’s Events: MRW, PSO Wine Dinner, Layne Witherell, Cocktail and Dessert Competition

MondayMaine Restaurant Week continues this week through to Sunday. As part of MRW, a number of area bars are participating in the Double Cross Vodka cocktail competition. The folks at El Rayo Cantina tell me they’ll be donating $1 to United Way for every cocktail they serve.

TuesdaySlow Food Portland is holding a potluck dinner.

Wednesday — the 12th Annual Portland Symphony Wine Dinner and Auction is taking place. Chefs from the Haraseeket, Fore Street, Petite Jacqueline, Inn by the Sea and Grace and each designing and preparing a course of the meal. A few seats are still available.

ThursdayLayne Witherell, author of Wine Maniacs: Life in the Wine Biz will be at Longfellow for a book signing, the Bier Cellar is holding a tasting of saison/farmhouse ales, and the Great Lost Bear will be featuring beers from Founders Brewing.

Friday — there will be a wine tasting Rosemont.

Saturday — the Winter Farmers Market is taking place.

Sunday — Maine Restaurant Week’s Signature Event, a cocktail and dessert competition, 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.

Hush Hush #3

hushhush3Map & Menu has posted a field report from last night’s Hush Hush event, the monthly cocktail and tasting party organized the Portland Hunt and Alpine Club. This month’s cocktails featured the Fernet Branca line of products and were accompanied by some very delicious eats from chef Chris Gould.

Tonight, Meredith and I enjoyed a private peek into part of Portland’s food and cocktail future with a sampling of two future area establishments, and I’m happy to report that the town seems to be in good hands.

My personal favorites from the night were the Saffron Sour (Fernet Branca, Royal Rose Saffron, egg white, and lime juice) and the Yellow Fin Vetresca (slow cooked yellow fin with preserved orange, Anaheim pepper and celery leaves).

Both Portland Hunt and Alpine and Chris Gould’s new restaurant are slated to open later this year.

Photo Credit: Map & Menu