Category: People

Rachels L'Osteria Profile

| Posted in People

Maine Home + Design has posted the profile of Bob and Laura Butler, owners of Rachels L’Osteria, that appeared in the September issue of the magazine.

While the lovingly selected menu is based on Laura’s passion for food, the carefully considered wine list remains Bob’s forte. The trips to Italy have helped fine-tune his growing love for Italian wine, and for the last five years Wine Spectator has recognized Rachel’s 250-label list. While the emphasis is on Italian wines and some older vintages of California Cabernets, small boutique wines also have their place on the list. Whether it’s the $130 bottle or the $23 bottle, Bob has a photographic recall when it comes to wine. “I can’t remember what Laura said five minutes ago, and yet I can remember a bottle of wine people came in and ordered six months ago,” he says.

ShopTalk with Dona Hachey

| Posted in People

Dona Hachey was interviewed for the ShopTalk column in today’s Press Herald. Hachey is the current owner of Ernie’s Pool, Darts & Ping Pong on Forest Ave.

Q. Who’s Ernie?

A. The one who owned it before I did. Ernie Rouleau, a good Frenchman. It was Timothy’s Sports Bar before, and originally called the Forest Avenue Tavern, or Fats. Like Minnesota Fats. I think way back it used to be a car dealership of some sort.

John Myers, Bartender

| Posted in People

Down East has published an extended profile of John Myers, the Dean of Portland bartenders and an acknowledged expert in classic cocktails.

Myers is large and a bit shambling, and has something almost architectural occurring as regards to facial hair. One would be forgiven for thinking him the offspring of Grendel’s mother and Wyatt Earp. (In describing his appearance on stage last year during a national cocktail competition against well-groomed twentysomething bartenders, the Wall Street Journal’s Eric Felten wrote that Myers cultivated “a dour glower in keeping with his Wild Bill Hickok whiskers and locks. His demeanor also appeared to reflect some culture-clash discomfort, the awkwardness Leon Redbone might feel sharing the stage with Moby.”)

Interview with Siam Grille Owner

| Posted in Under Construction, People

The Munjoy Hill Observer has published an article about Thomas Yordprom. He explains his reasons for closing Siam Grille and his plans for the future.

The even better news is that Thomas, originally from Thailand, gives himself between 4 months to one year before he’ll start up another restaurant in the area. Not far from his lounge chair is his completed business plan. The menu is complete; it will be about 80% different from that of the Siam Grille.

Video Interview with Mike Mastronardi

| Posted in People, Uncategorized

Portland Food Heads has published an interesting video interview with Mike Mastronardi the new owner of Fit to Eat.

Mastronardi: When people say Fit to Eat I want them to immediately salivate…I want them to be sitting at their desk thinking about the sandwich they had a couple days ago and just dying and saying I need that again. I want them to crave it, I want them to be addicted to it.

Maine Fare, etc

| Posted in General News, Events, People, Farming

The Food & Dining section in today’s Press Herald includes a pair of articles about Maine Fare which is taking place in Camden next month. Meredith Goad authored an overview of the food festival

If you’d like to learn how to pair Maine-made spirits with smoked seafood, if you want to experience an old-fashioned beanhole supper – even if you’re curious about how to properly butcher a whole hog – Maine Fare is the place to be, whether you feel comfortable calling yourself a foodie or not.

“People need to know that it’s OK to care about what you eat, that it’s not being a snob to care about what you eat,” Jenkins said.

and Avery Yale Kamila tackles the topic of the keynote address “Can Maine Feed Itself?”

The panel brings together a number of movers and shakers from Maine’s food scene for a conversation centered on how the state can become more self-reliant when stocking our grocery stores and filling our dinner plates.

Also is today’s paper is an article about a Maine Cooperative Extension seminar designed to help farmers cope with this year’s poor growing season, and a short piece on Chef Hayward’s shaved head.

Sam Hayward: Haddock and Beans

| Posted in People

Portland Psst! uncovered this interesting NPR interview with Chef Sam Hayward from Fore Street.

Because of the recession, top restaurants across the country are trying to cut costs without compromising quality…But in Portland, Maine, Chef Sam Hayward, a winner of the James Beard award in 2004, says one way he’s keeping business up is by offering lower-priced entrees that still feel special.

The piece includes Fore Street’s recipes for Haddock Cakes as well as their Beans with Caramelized Onions.