Under Construction: Falmouth Rosemont Market

| Posted in Under Construction

Rosemont Market co-owners John Naylor and Scott Anderson are planning to a open a new 2,000 sq ft market this Winter in Falmouth.

This will be Rosmont’s 7th store, and will be located at 231 U.S. Route 1, near the intersection with Depot Road. The market will serve the full spectrum of Rosemont products and will include “full deli including cheese counter and house-prepared cold cuts, and an all-local butchery. There will also be a Harbor Fish Market licensed seafood counter.”

“I worked and grew up in small neighborhood markets all my life,” said Naylor. “It’s what I know and love. And we’ve known for a long time that Falmouth would be an ideal town for such a market. Our whole reason for being is to connect our neighbors to the farmers, fishers and other food producers we love working with, and so we’re really excited to bring those relationships and that spirit to Falmouth.”

F&W: Entertaining Tips from Hunt & Alpine

| Posted in People

Food & Wine has published a set of Fall entertaining tips from Hunt & Alpine owners Andrew and Briana Volk.

Because if anyone knows how to make cold weather living look good, it’s the husband-and-wife team behind Portland, Maine hotspots Portland Hunt + Alpine Club and newer sister restaurant Little Giant.Through their inspiring book, the Volks share secrets to getting hygge-with-it (sorry) Northern-style, blending inspiration from their Maine lifestyle and Briana’s Scandinavian heritage.

Fyood Founder SCOREs

| Posted in People

Congratulations to Fyood Kitchen founder Maddie Purcell for winning the Outstanding Young Entrepreneur award from SCORE.

Portland entrepreneur Maddie Purcell, founder of Fyood Kitchen, was named winner of the Outstanding Young Entrepreneur Small Business award at the SCORE Foundation’s annual national award ceremony.

Purcell will receive her award Thursday at a Washington, D.C., ceremony along with 12 other small business owners and entrepreneurs, as well as two members of Congress.

5th Annual Heirloom Apple Tasting

| Posted in Events

The Righteous Russet and Portland Food Map have once again teamed up to organize the Annual Heirloom Apple Tasting taking place Monday October 8th at 2 and 6 pm at the Island Creek Oyster Shop on Washington Ave.

Have you ever tasted a Hudson Golden Gem, Fameuse, or Thomas Jefferson’s favorite apple, the Esopus Spitzenburg? Come to the apple tasting to try a wide range apples handpicked in New England’s orchards and learn more about this iconic fall fruit from apple columnist Sean Turley.

Our host, The Shop, will be running a cash bar during the tasting stocked with several hard ciders from across the region that are well worth drinking. Complimenting the fresh apple tasting, the event will also include apple-based treats prepared by chefs and bakers from several local establishments.

Tickets are now on sale on Eventbrite.

Chocolats Passion Opens Today

| Posted in Openings

A new chocolate shop in the West End, Chocolats Passion (website, facebook, instagram), is scheduled to open today at 1 pm.

Owner Catherine Wiersema plans to sell her own artisanal chocolates, tea, hot chocolate, baked goods by Renee by the Bay as well as imported French candies and caramels.

Chocolats Passion is located adjacent to Rosemont Market at 189 Brackett Street.

This Week’s Events: Hunt & Alpine, Shoju, Cocktail Dinner, Chocolats Pasion, Roots Cafe, Dine Out for Equality, Lio Wine Dinner

| Posted in Events

Monday – The Portland Hunt and Alpine Club is celebrating their 5-year anniversary and the release of co-owners Andrew and Briana Volk’s new book Northern Hospitality. Mr Tuna and Carbon are collaborating on a pop-up event taking place at Belleville.

Tuesday – Chaval is holding a 4-course cocktail dinner, and their will be a wine tasting at Bow Street.

Wednesday – It’s the opening day of Chocolats Passion, the 2nd Annual Dine OUT for Equality and the Monument Square Farmers’ Market are taking place.

Thursday – Lio is holding an Austrian/Hungarian wine dinner, and there will be panel discussion on childhood hunger in Maine at the Maine Historical Society.

Friday – There will be a wine tasting at the Rosemont on Brighton.

Saturday – It’s the opening day of gluten-free Roots Cafe in Westbrook, and the Deering Oaks Farmers’ Market is taking place.

Sunday – Piccolo is celebrating their 5-year anniversary with a 30-course Panarda dinner, there will be a Falchini wine dinner at Solo Italiano, and the September edition of Flea Bites is taking place in Congress Square Park.

For more information on these and other upcoming food happenings in the area, visit the event calendar.

If you are holding a food event this week that’s not listed above, publicize it by adding it as a comment to this post.

Interview with Restaurant Critic Andrew Ross

| Posted in People

The Maine Sunday Telegram has published an extended interview with their restaurant critic, Andrew Ross.

Q: Can you truly tell if a restaurant is any good based on just one meal?
A: Oh, absolutely. First of all, I’m not only eating one dish. I’m eating a bare minimum of four dishes. It’s usually more like six or seven dishes. At the same time, I really think I should be going to places more than once if I can. If the budget allowed for it, I’d love to do that. That expands the range of experiences you have. The cruelest irony of this job is that when I have a terrible meal at a restaurant, I have to go back just to confirm it was as bad as I thought it was. But if I have a fantastic meal, I don’t get to go back to confirm that it was as great as I thought it was.

Reviews: Crown Jewel, Union

| Posted in Reviews

The Portland Phoenix has reviewed Crown Jewel, and

Consider a dish of “fried green things;” flash-fried seasonal green vegetables with apricot harissa and roasted almonds — pound for pound one of the tastiest things in recent memory. Vegetables also shine in chef Rocky Hunter’s carrot lox, a fun take on faux-food substituting ribbons of cured heirloom carrots for smoked salmon, garnished liberally with rye crumbs and everything bagel seasoning. It’s playful, imaginative and — most importantly — actually delicious, showing aptitude and purpose that speak to Hunter’s personal vegan leanings.

The Bollard has reviewed Union.

Though technically too young to be a millennial, my daughter’s friend has a thing for avocado toast, and Union’s version ($14) did not disappoint. The fluffy “shaved” hard-boiled egg, creamy ricotta salata and peppery radish provided a welcome variety of textures and flavors, but it was the tart, salty, preserved lemon emulsion that elevated this dish to a higher plane. Likewise, my wife’s smoked salmon ($17) started with a familiar mix of flavors and transformed into something new. Served on square slices of pumpernickel toast, the combination of shaved egg, pickled onions, briny capers, petite greens and “everything spice” was absolutely delicious, and anything but traditional.

Crepe Elizabeth

| Posted in Profiles

The Forecaster has published an article about the Crepe Elizabeth food truck.

Haaf and Stinson’s approach to their cooking and menu is a simple: eight crepe dishes, four sweet and four savory, ranging from $5-10.

Stinson said their most popular crepe is La Classique, which is topped with nutella, strawberries and bananas. One of their more hearty dishes is La Complete; a traditional crepe with cage-free egg, uncured ham and cheese.