The Maine Brew Bus has announced plans to expand into the Boston market.
In the Greater Boston area there are dozens of small and medium breweries, distilleries, and wineries. Many of these businesses are brand new or not even open yet, and they do not currently have visits from any tour operators.
Over the past three years we have been refining our business with an eye towards offering our popular style of tours in other areas. And Boston is a logical next market for us.
Charles DeGrandpre, former Wolfe’s Neck Farm manager, passed away recently at the age of 88.
He was recruited to work at Wolfe’s Neck Farm in 1968 by its founders, Lawrence M.C. and Eleanor Houston Smith, early pioneers of organic agriculture. Together, the Smiths and DeGrandpre developed an organic beef farm, which became home to 300 head of mostly Black Angus. He was an early leader in developing healthy soils and nutrient-rich grasses with very few grains.
For more information on his life and accomplishments, see this obituary in the Press Herald.
This week’s Portland Phoenix includes an interview with Masa Miyake,
LO: What would you say is your most popular dish on the menu, and what’s your personal favorite?
MM: The hamayaki (which the menu describes as “lobster, crab and scallop over sushi rice with truffle oil and spicy kewpie”) is very popular. I like Sashimi. I’m excited about local fish and [prepping] it. People also really like the daily Bento Box, which is chef’s choice. (The Bento Box consists of “six different small tastes, from sashimi to meat and vegetables,” according to the menu, and it’s served with miso soup.)
and an article about the emerging interest in natural wine in Portland.
“There’s definitely something afoot,” says Peter [Hale]. Though it gets a lot of attention from high-end publications, natural wine is mostly only popular in “tiny pockets within larger markets” like New York City or the Bay Area. That means Portland, “proportionally, is way ahead of the game” with its single dedicated shop, and Maine is even home to a cutting edge producer in Oyster River Winegrowers, based in Warren.
The Blueberry Files has posted a first look at Drifter’s Wife.
Otto Pizza owners, Mike Keon and Anthony Allen, and their director of marketing, Eric Shepherd, will be leading sessions at this year’s 2016 International Pizza Expo in Las Vegas.
The semi-final list of nominees for the 2016 James Beard Foundation awards were released today. There are 8 semifinalist nominees from Maine:
The final list of nominees will be released on March 15th, and the awards ceremony will take place on May 2nd in Chicago.
Related information:
West End juice bar Farm Truck Juice(facebook, website, twitter, instagram) has announced plans to open on Thursday. They’re located in the West End at 189 Brackett Street in the same building at Rosemont Market.
Restaurateur Walter Loeman, who founded Walter’s, Perfetto’s, Mazza, Cotton Street Cantina and several other restaurants, is part of the team launching the juice bar.
FTJ will serve a menu of “fresh pressed juices made from organic, locally sourced ingredients” such as the Float’n in Florida (grapefruit, orange, lyme lychee) and the Good Green Almighty (kale, chard, spinach, apples, celery, watercress).
Coffee from the Rwanda Bean Company is starting to show up on retail shelves in Portland. Founders Mike Mwenedata and Nick Mazuroski buy beans directly from farmers in the Rwandan province of Karora. The Portland-based coffee roaster has pledged to donate 50% of net profits to fund community development projects in Rwanda.
All three coffees from RBC are available at Aurora Provisions: Ikizere medium roast, Ishema Blend, and Ikerekezo blond roast. RBC is holding their official launch party on February 27th.
Tuesday — it’s the opening night for the Drifter’s Wife, and the monthly local foods networking breakfast is taking place.
Wednesday — the James Beard Foundation will release the semifinal list of nominees for this year’s awards, and Old Port Wines is having a South African wine tasting.
Thursday — Elements in Biddeford is holding a Free Pour Latte Art Competition, The Great Lost Bear will showcase beer from Fore River Brewing, and there will be a Rising Tide tap takeover at Ri Ra.
Saturday — The Rosemont Maker series continues with Old Crow Ranch, and the Winter Farmers’ Market is taking place.
Sunday — Home Catering and The Farm Stand are collaborating on a Winter Harvest Dinner, and Tiqa is teaching a cooking class.
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.
