Mainebiz has published an article about the Portland Barrel Co. and its owner Ed Lutjens.
Lutjens works alone, planing staves so they fit together tightly, sculpting the staves’ inside and shearing off some wood outside so they’ll form a round barrel when set into hoops. He starts from the top of the barrel, placing the staves, which are of different widths, inside a metal hoop that he also hand makes. No glue is involved, so the sides of the staves need to be planed flat and fitted carefully.
The Press Herald has published an article on the challenges Bayside restaurants face as the number of people seeking help at Preble Street has increased.
“It definitely is a challenge for us every day,” Stratton said. “I don’t want to say anything negative about the (Preble Street) resource center. I think the resource center is a great thing for the city. I do appreciate what they do, but as far as a business-friendly neighborhood? We are not located in one.”
Here’s the latest in mobile food news:
Owners of Chaval (website, instagram, twitter, facebook) have announced plans to open on Thursday.
Three new or returning seafood restaurants have recently opened:
Today’s Press Herald reports on the growing number of restaurants that have opened or are in development along Forest Ave.
But there’s also a new hunger in off-peninsula neighborhoods for quality food served at family-friendly restaurants that are within walking distance – especially as these neighborhoods transition to homeowners of a younger generation. Millennials love to dine out, and expect more from the restaurants they frequent than their parents may have.
Wednesday – Noble Barbecue is scheduled to open at 11:30 am, there will be a wine tasting at Browne Trading, and the Monument Square Farmers’ Market is taking place.
Friday – Petite Jacqueline is holding their annual Bastille Day Dinner, and there will be a wine tasting at Rosemont on Congress.f
Saturday – the Pils & Love beer festival is taking place, the Fork Food Lab is holding a market, and the Deering Oaks Farmers’ Market is taking place.
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.
The Maine Sunday Telegram has reviewed Baharat,
Today, vegetable, grain and dairy dishes dominate – from creative fried cauliflower specials (one sweet and refreshing, the other deeply savory); to a sweet and herbal stewed tomato on rich housemade labneh; to crisp, fragrant falafel balls and excellent hummus. It’s a step in the right direction, one that highlights Norris’s skills, while also creating a backdrop for bar manager Arvid Brown’s creative cocktail menu. If you want to see just how far Baharat has come since it got its start serving food in parking lots like the one across the street, grab a seat at the shiny zinc bar, sip a frothy, neon yellow Curcuma sour and work your way through the large-format All In platter – a mosaic of mostly vegetarian dishes for two or four people. And no matter what else you order, don’t skip the housemade pickles.
The Bollard has reviewed The 5 Spot and Mami.
The breakfast sandwiches are served on a soft, fresh hoagie roll, and include a fried egg and choice of cheese and meat. Foregoing the familiar bacon, ham or sausage, I opted for the Pennsylvania Dutch specialty known as scrapple. Described by Keith as “kind of like polenta with pork scraps,” this flavorful, slightly salty, low-brow delicacy was sliced thin and fried to a crisp on the griddle. It was, in a word, amazing.
