Final nominations for the 2010 James Beard Awards aren’t due out until March 22, and the award ceremonies aren’t taking place until May but the James Beard Foundation is already gathering input online for “proposed nominations”. This is your way to contribute to the process, just register and submit your recommendations to the judges.
In 2009 Rob Evans won in the Best Chef – Northeast category; Fore Street, Emilitsa and Sam Hayward were all finalist or semi-finalists. Who from Portland do you think will get a nomination (semi or final) in 2010?
Category: General News
Fore Play & Fit to Eat Reviews
The Press Herald has published reviews of Fit to Eat
The bread was chewy and flavorful, but not hard. The bacon was crisp, thick and extremely tasty. The hummus and avocado lent a creaminess that seemed healthier than mayonnaise, and more interesting.
and Fore Play.
This isn’t rocket science. Fore Play is that most trustworthy of establishments, the local watering hole that sports a trove of distractions. It’s a sports staple of the Portland experience. As I go through my checklist of what makes a bar awesome, Fore Play gets a mark in every box, right down to the entirely fryolated menu.
Today’s paper also includes an interview with the President of Lakonia Greek Products and an article on Maine-based food businesses that are selling gluten-free products.
Maine Coastal Vineyards
Today’s Portland Daily Sun includes an interview with Steve Melchiskey from Maine Coastal Vineyards in Falmouth.
Whether or not global warming turns Maine into a wine center, as a 2006 National Science Foundation report suggested, the short season and mild summers make for a climate that is inhospitable to classic wine grapes. St. Pepin, St. Croix, LaCrescent, Leon Millot, Marechal Foch, Ravat 51, Sabrevois and Aurore are the cold-adapted grapes that Melchiskey has found success with. Hundreds of gallons of test blends have been dumped over the years but there has been enough bottled success that their grape harvest festival attracts 125 volunteers.
and an article on the Wayside Soup Kitchen and Food Rescue.
A decade into its mission to feed the hungry and distributing more than a million pounds of food annually, Portland’s Wayside Food Rescue is reaching beyond the traditional food kitchen format by cultivating garden plots and establishing new neighborhood outlets.
Cold River Vodka
There’s a feature story about Cold River Vodka on the front page of today’s Maine Sunday Telegram.
When Chris Dowe looks at the three one-ton bags of potatoes in the distillery, he sees vodka in the raw. The characteristics of the potatoes remain key as they are cooked into a soup that is fermented into wine and triple-distilled. Even after the alcohol is mixed with water, Dowe can trace the vodka’s origins back to the potatoes.
Styxx Reopens
Portland in a Snap has a report on the changes underway at Styxx.
One of the most notable changes the new owners have made is the addition of a tapas menu, with pub standards priced at $5 or $7. Happy hour runs from 4-7 pm Monday-Friday and comes with $4 martinis, $3 well drinks and $1 drafts. Those drafts include Allagash White, Sam Adams, Stella, Shipyard Pumpkinhead and Bud Light.
Hilltop Coffee Update
The Munjoy Hill News has published an update on the sale of the Hilltop Coffee Shop.
“There are 3 or 4 local people seriously interested in buying the property and the business,” said [owner Luke] MacFadyen late this afternoon at the Shop. Several are in the restaurant business already and several are not,” he added. But so far no one has made an offer on the property which is listed at $450,00 with Jim Landry.
Allagash Tripel
Allagash Tripel came in second place (out of 58 entries) in the Belgian-Style Abbey Ale category (#66) at last week’s Great American Beer Festival in Denver.
FoodTech 2009
PopTech has published the list of speakers for their upcoming conference taking place next month in Camden. There’s a strong food vein running through the program this year with journalist Michael Pollan, urban farmer Will Allen, wine expert Phillipe Newlin, and eating designer Marije Vogelzang all on the schedule.
I'd Like a Reservation for 4 Please
People who saw Rabelais included in the list of restaurants in the recent New York Times article about Portland have been calling the bookstore for dinner reservations.
One of the unforeseen results of the New York Times piece has been the repeated calls we have been getting for reservations. We are included in the listing of “Where to eat in a city of abundance”, in the context of all those restaurants. So folks eager to eat at some of Portland’s finest have been calling our number to reserve a table. The desperation in some of their voices has led us to believe that our good friends also mentioned in the story have been booked solid.
Impact
The Press Herald has followed up with some of those mentioned in this week’s New York Times article on Portland food to see what the impact of the “second course of food glory” has had on their businesses.
Potocki made three dozen extra bagels Thursday in anticipation of a rush. He still sold out of some items on his menu by 2 p.m., which is unprecedented for him. He said he was seeing a lot of new customers from other suburbs, such as Falmouth and Cumberland.
“It’s been pretty major,” Potocki said. “I didn’t really know what to expect, to tell you the truth.”