Rabelais has teamed up with Gilt Taste and Daniel Boulud to offer a unique collection of 17 rare culinary books selected by Boulud. Each volume has a bookplate signed by Daniel Boulud. 10 of the volumes have already sold so you’ll need to move fast if there’s one that’s especially caught your eye.
This sale is the first of a series that Rabelais and Gilt Taste will be doing with prominent chefs.
The Boston Globe has included the Blue Spoon on their list of Ten Great Burger Spots in New England.
Far from the tourist-haunted Old Port, this little neighborhood bar and restaurant on artsy Munjoy Hill is one of those secrets that Portland gourmands mostly keep to themselves. The burger is one of the leanest yet tastiest pieces of beef most of us will ever encounter. The beef is free-range, grass-fed Scottish Highland supplied by A Wee Bit Farm (operated by a retired South Boston police officer) in Orland, Maine.
The Food & Dining in today’s Press Herald includes a profile of the Island Micro Farm on Peaks Island,
Located on the back side of Peaks Island down a winding gravel road, the farm is a new enterprise created by resident Mark Shain. But unlike traditional farms where straight rows of tilled soil define the landscape, Shain’s farm follows a permaculture model.
an article about three Farmers Market add-on services that either cook meals for you or deliver groceries to you door,
The concept of eating local foods is already wildly popular here in Maine, but for some people it can still be a challenge. It’s hard to make it to a farmers market on Saturday morning if your kids have a soccer game on the same day. Other people like the idea of eating locally, but they aren’t sure what to do with the food that comes in a CSA share.
Now a couple of local businesses are trying to remove any remaining barriers by making local, seasonal foods even more accessible to the public.
and a report the recently revived Way Way penny candy store in Saco.
The Press Herald/Maine Sunday Telegram has kicked off their annual readership poll. There are 20 food related categories for you to vote in. The voting ends on July 18 so be sure to fill in your ballot by then.
Mainely Mara has posted a dining fashion guide for four Portland venues: Sonny’s, Miyake, Gingko Blue and Portland Lobster Company. (via DineME on twitter)
Sonny’s: With its eclectic atmosphere, complete with cozy velour couches, colorful stained glass and our favorite infused vodkas, Sonny’s reminds us of a different time. For this sweet spot, slip into seventies inspired pieces, like your favorite fitted bell bottoms or a flowy dress, and complete your look with wood or feather accessories!
This week’s edition of The Forecaster reports on the foreclosure of a few properties along Fore and Wharf Streets. The buildings contain several food-related businesses including Gorgeous Gelato and Havana South.
But the future is uncertain for Zanardi and other Old Port business owners leasing space in two buildings at the Union Street end of Fore and Wharf Streets.
The buildings at 432, 434, 436 and 446 Fore St. and 42 and 50 Wharf St. were scheduled to be auctioned off on Thursday. But the sale has been postponed until July 22.
Natalie Ladd offers some guidance and when and how to send food back to the kitchen in today’s Portland Daily Sun. Step 1 is to
Evaluate the Error: Make sure the problem is on their end, not yours. Be sure to tell your server if you have a food allergy or aversion to an item listed in a dish. However, if your food is undercooked, overcooked, the wrong temperature, stale, has a foreign object in it, or is not what you ordered, send it back. If it doesn’t taste the way you thought it would, however, try to deal with your disappointment. It is my experience that most food is sent back by nitpickers who are disappointed with their own choice, or occasional scammers who hope to have their bill reduced by a preemptive complaint.
Today’s Press Herald reports on the bee ordinance in South Portland. Beekeeper Phil Gaven who was interviewed for the article plans on opening “a store in Portland called The Honey Exchange. He will offer local honey, wax products and honey-based food and drink.”
The paper also includes an article about Sebago Brewing’s new Meatless Monday menu,
“We’ve gotten a lot of requests for more healthy, more local and more vegetarian,” said Elise Loschiavo, Sebago’s marketing manager. “It’s not that hard to come up with a few more meatless options.”
advice on grilling vegetables,
Or brush some Brussels sprouts with olive oil and tamari, and toss them on the grill. “Brussels sprouts are excellent on the grill,” [Toni] Fiore said. “I’ve made them for people who don’t like Brussels sprouts, but they like them on the grill. It just adds a different dimension. It’s not so cabbage-y.”
and a report on a pair of friends who are raising Bison in Berwick, Maine.
Congratulations are due to Grace and their architect Dean Bingham for winning the People’s Choice award from the American Institute of Architects’s Restaurant Design Awards competition.
As part of her birthday celebration, The Spiced Plate went to Maine Mead Works to sample their products.
Of the six meads that we tried, the ones that intrigued me the most were the lavender mead and the elderberry mead. Lavender is known for its relaxing properties, and sounded like it would make the perfect night cap. Elderberry is a pretty little purple fruit that helps to keep your immune system strong and functional, especially in the winter.