The new issue of the Colby alumni magazine highlights the stories of 9 graduates making their mark in the Maine food industry including Maine rice farmer Ben Rooney, Pemaquid Oyster Company co-founders Jeff McKeen and Carter Newell, Blue Ox Malthouse founder Joel Alex, James Beard nominated chef Mike Wiley, Ocean Approved co-founder Paul Dobbins, and several others.

I don’t if it’s because I also went to Colby and so am more likely to notice the connection but my sense is there are a lot of Colby alumni working and leading in the Maine food industry.

The Portland Phoenix has interviewed Cara Stadler, chef/owner of Bao Bao and Tao Yuan.

LO: What made you decide to stay in the industry?
CS: I love food, I love cooking, I love the science behind it, and I love the effect it can have. The fact that you can take someone’s terrible day and turn it around is pretty awesome. We want people to come in and be happy at the end of the day. We do our best every day to deliver something fun and enjoyable.

and interviewed Tim Adams, head brewer and co-owner of Oxbow.

Blending various barrels is clearly an important practice in creating your finished beers. How do you determine what beer to blend with what beer?
It starts with the end goal of having a balanced and complex product. I’ll have a beer in mind, usually that starts with having a color in mind that will need to be accomplished. Flavor profile-wise I want barrel character, but not too much barrel character. I like blending different types of barrels to enhance complexity. I do a lot of mixing of wine barrels and bourbon barrels, and barrels of various ages. I like working with at least a small amount of bourbon barrel beer for the vanillin, I find that it’s a really nice smoother-outer, if you will, on the pointier and sharper notes of acidity.

The North East Kitchen has published an interview with Greg Mitchell & Chad Conley, chef/owners of the Palace Diner. The interviewed is beautifully illustrated with a set of photos from kitchen and counter at the diner.

NEK: What about now, is there someone or something that particularly inspires your cooking?
CC: I’ve moved away from my earlier interest in fine dining and anything “fancy”. My favorite restaurants are well-run local favorites. I’m proud of the way we execute homey, comfortable food at Palace. I’ve become more interested in paying attention to the non-food parts of the restaurant experience. The idea of creating a simply pleasant experience that exceeds people’s expectations and leaves them feeling like they’ve found something unique but approachable has become a part of what drives me alongside creating fun and delicious food.

The North East Kitchen is a new project which will include “interviews – and recipes – from chefs and cooks, and feature kitchens and food life along the North Eastern US”. Author/photographer Myriam Babin is also “producing a photography book about chefs of the North Eastern US to be published by Princeton Architectural Press.”