Category: People

Lomba in the Sun

| Posted in People

The Portland Daily Sun has published an article about Johnny Lomba and LFK, his new venture in Longfellow Square.

That “works in progress” vibe, says Lomba, is the idea. Or at least part of the idea. Or one of the ideas.

“What we were trying to do,” he said during an afternoon interview at the bar, “was create a place where conversation begins.”

The typing station is part of that, and so are the large tables where multiple parties are seated together. Lomba likens it to a dinner party where you might arrive knowing a couple of people, but leave having met a few more.

“We want it be a place that when you’re here, you know you’re here,” he said. And while it’s not a music venue, some creative “programming” is likely.

Sea Change Cooking School

| Posted in People

Today’s Press Herald includes an  interview with Michelle Goldman, the founder of Sea Change Cooking School.

The first class she held focused on gluten-free baking and took place in December at the Danforth Inn in Portland. Since then, she’s offered classes on a variety of topics in a number of different locations.

Beginning tonight, Goldman will be hosting a series of classes around the state.

 

Cinco de Mayo, Slow Money, Oregonian Wines, Almanac of Eats

| Posted in Wine, Profiles, People, Events

Today Food & Dining section in the Press Herald includes articles on Saturday’s Cinco de Mayo & Deby Day celebrations,

If it seems as if Cinco de Mayo has been growing in popularity in Portland, hold onto your sombreros. This year, the Mexican holiday falls on a Saturday – and on the same day as the Kentucky Derby, offering local restaurants and bars a winning trifecta when it comes to attracting margarita- and mint julep-loving revelers.

about the Slow Money network,

The Slow Money Maine network has been in existence for only two years, but it’s already helped connect farmers and food producers with more than $2.7 million in capital.

about Maine’s special connection with Oregonian wines,

Clark and Laramy (who by 2010 had joined Clark on the west coast) started bringing bottles back to Maine on visits to share with friends. The friends loved the wines.

The partners started ORWA Wine Brokerage, which establishes relationships with the wineries. Devenish Wines, the Maine distributor, purchases the wines in Oregon and ships them directly to Maine to distribute here.

and about Maine food blogger, Steff Deschenes, who writes daily about national food holidays.

Steff Deschenes has already eaten her way through tempting food holidays such as National Waffle Day (March 26), National Potato Chip Day (March 14) and National “Have a Brownie” Day (Feb. 10). She chronicles these celebratory meals on her Almanac of Eats blog.

Papou’s Kitchen

| Posted in People, Profiles

Today’s Press Herald includes a profile of Christos Zoulamis and his business Papou’s Kitchen.

Behind the Westbrook Market on the corner of Stroudwater Street and William Clarke Drive, Zoulamis soaks chick peas, mixes in herbs and spices, and packages the falafel that can be found in the freezer sections of all the Hannaford supermarkets and Whole Foods stores throughout New England.

It’s on the menus of local restaurants, like Silly’s on Munjoy Hill, and served in the employee cafeteria at Idexx Laboratories.

Tandoor Bakery & UFF Kombucha

| Posted in Fisheries, Profiles, People

The Food & Dining section in today’s Press Herald includes a profile of Tandoor Bakery,

Bread is not the only thing Naser bakes at Tandoor Bread & Restaurant, his little bakery across the street from Baxter Woods.

Every day, he and his wife, Kanat Saad, and their helpers produce a good array of delicious Middle Eastern fare, from falafel and shawarma to baklava and other Arabic pastries.

and an article about the Urban Farm Farmentory’s new line of kombucha products.

The initial release of Urban Farm Fermentory Kombucha Culture offers three varieties: Wild blueberry, ginger and oak barrel, with more flavors to be added in coming months.

Also in today’s paper is a report on a recall of seafood produced by the Portland Shellfish Co.

Presidential Eats, Evans Act II, Public Market House, Wine Dreams, Holy Donuts

| Posted in Wine, Profiles, People, General News

Today’s Press Herald contains a bumper crop of articles about the meal being served at President Obama’s dinner in Portland this Friday,

The White House has thrown up a strict no-talk zone over the dinner menu for the president’s whirlwind Friday fundraising mission to Maine. But here’s what we know.

an interview with Rob Evans on what he plans on doing next now that he’s sold Hugo’s,

Evans said the sale of the restaurant where he built his culinary reputation will give the couple the time and money they need to establish a small farm on 82 acres they bought in Limington. “And then we’re going to be looking at doing more businesses in Portland,” Evans said. “So we’re not retiring. We’re not opening up restaurants in New York like a lot of people think we’re doing. Actually, quite the opposite. We’re looking to get more connected to the state.”

an article about the success of the Public Market House,

The company that Horton formed with the owners of two other stores in the building in Monument Square announced this week that four more businesses are moving in, making 11 in all and essentially filling the place.

The Maine Squeeze Juice Cafe, Y-Limes Gourmet Desserts, Union Bagel Co. and La Cocina Dominicana are either moving in or have already opened in the market.

Joe Appel’s list of “Ten [wine-related] things that will never happen”

The Maine Legislature will summon the courage necessary to override restaurant-industry protectionism and enact a law allowing diners to bring their own bottles of wine to dinner if they pay a “corkage” fee. Restaurants, despite their legitimate concerns regarding waitstaff gratuities and customers’ abuse of the leeway offered, will permit BYO and set parameters that curtail the risks.

and a reprint of the Maine a la Carte blog post about The Holy Donut.

The Holy Donut opened a week ago last Friday at the former site of Terroni’s Market on Park Avenue, near Hadlock Field. Leigh Kellis, the owner, had been using the kitchen at the East Ender and selling her products wholesale at Coffee By Design, Whole Foods and Bard Coffee.