Category: General News

Winnegance Oyster Farm has launched an Indiegogo campaign to raise $7,500 for their oyster and seaweed aquaculture farm.

Winnegance Oyster Farm is located on Maine’s New Meadows River. Our aim is to grow high quality oysters and edible seaweeds using techniques that are good for the environment. We chose the New Meadows for its clean water, its ability to support abundant sea life, and its proximity to the Portland market.

Jordan, Winnegance Oyster Co’s owner and sea-farmer, spent much of the last ten years working in wildlife biology. His background in environmental science, the food industry, and horticulture led him to the world of aquaculture.

Winnegance will be seeding their first batch of oysters this Spring and expect them to take 18 to 24 months to reach full size. Their first seaweed crop will be available in the spring of 2015.

Visit the Winnegance page to support their new venture. For more information on the farm checkout their blog and Facebook page.

Another new book about the Maine food scene, Eating in Maine: At Home, On the Town, and On the Road is now available.

Discover places and plates old and new under the expert guidance of Jillian and Malcolm Bedell, who bring a unique Millennial Generation perspective to the Maine food scene. Month by month, the Bedells dish great Maine food, and their tastes are as wide-ranging as this book. Restaurant reviews range from Dysart s Truck Stop to Fore Street, from Fat Boy Drive-In to Duckfat. Recipes range from a riff on the Maine Italian sandwich to Spicy Lamb Meatballs with Roasted Golden Beets and Moroccan Couscous.

Eating in Maine is by Malcolm and Jillian Bedell, authors of From Away.

The book ($22.95, 288 pages) is available on the Tilbury House  website.

An analysis by Commercial Confidential blogger Christian Milneil looks at whether the increasing number of Portland restaurant has had a positive impact on the wages paid restaurant staff.

In short, though Portland’s diners might feel a lot happier than they did a decade ago, the people serving us don’t feel much difference in their wallets.

A new book about the Portland food scene, Portland Food: The Culinary Capital of Maine is due out next month.

Portland, Maine’s culinary cache belies its size. The vibrant food scene boasts more than three hundred restaurants, as well as specialty food businesses, farmers’ markets, pop-up dinners and food trucks. Since back-to-the-landers began to arrive in the 1970s, Maine’s abundant natural resources have been feeding local dreams of sustainability and resilience. Portland is uniquely primed for chefs and restaurateurs to draw on local agricultural and marine resources. Gulf of Maine fisheries and the working waterfront bring the freshest seafood to Portland’s palate, while Maine’s rural landscape is fertile ground for local farming.

Portland Food is by Kate McCarty, author of The Blueberry Files blog, and food writer for the Portland Phoenix.

The book ($19.99, 160 pages) is available for pre-order via the publisher on The History Press website.

The Press Herald reports that chef Shannon Bard from Zapoteca didn’t make it to round 2 on last night’s episode of Beat Bobby Flay.

Shannon Bard cooks Mexican fare at Zapoteca every day, so it’s a bit ironic that it was a poblano pepper and chipotle pepper spice that brought her down on “Beat Bobby Flay” on the Food Network Thursday night.

Owners Dave Aceto and Ben Culver from Arcadia National Bar (twitter, facebook) have launched a Kickstarter campaign to raise $25,000 for the arcade/bar they’re launching this Spring. They plan on using the money to help renovate the space they’ve leased at 24 Preble Street.

Visit the Arcadia Kickstarter page to learn more and to contribute to this effort.

The City Council approved Arcadia’s liquor license application on Monday night. For more on Arcadia see this recent article on Maine Today.

Meredith Goad has written an article for today’s Press Herald Food & Dining section that looks at how food industry businesses in Maine are using crowdfunding to raise money to launch or support their businesses.

Jarrod Spangler wants to open an Italian-style butcher shop in Kittery. Lisa Laurita and Tom Sigler want to spiff up their Camden restaurant. Gloria Pearse dreams of selling Indian food on the streets of Portland. Arvid Brown and his best friend plan to peddle fish and chips from their Portland food truck this summer. And Anya Heyl just wants to save her waffle business.

The Council voted last night in a 5-4 decision to deny Sangillo’s application for a liquor license renewal, according to reports from the Bangor Daily News and Press Herald.

The Portland City Council on Monday night voted 5-4 to deny a liquor license for the embattled Sangillo’s Tavern, a neighborhood bar on Hampshire Street which police have labeled as dangerous in the aftermath of a late January shooting nearby.

The vote is expected to force Sangillo’s to close down after more than a half century of business in the city’s India Street neighborhood, unless bar managers can get a reprieve from the state.

Also read these articles in the Portland Daily Sun and Portland Phoenix.

The nominees have been announced and voting has begun in the Portland Phoenix 2014 Best of Portland Readership Poll.

Portland Food Map is a nominee this year in the Best Food Blog category along with The Blueberry Files, Food Coma, From Away and Mister Meatball.

Visit the Phoenix website to vote for your favorites in one or more of the categories.