Thanksgiving Wine Recommendations

| Posted in Wine

Unsure of what wine to serve with your Thanksgiving dinner? Wine writer Joe Appel has it covered. For his weekly article he gathered recommendations from eight local wine experts, learning what they plan to serve their family next week.

Erica Archer, sommelier at Wine Wise, a wine education program featuring wine walks, sails and cruises, and private and corporate events: “The 2008 Mount Langi Ghiran ‘Cliff Edge’ Riesling ($19), from Grampians, Australia, is a gorgeous and developed riesling that is drinking absolutely beautifully right now. It’s loaded with aromatic developed fruits: tropical – mango, pineapple, papaya; citrus – lemon, lime; and ripe orchard fruits – apple, pear, juicy peach. It has this bold minerality that shines through, and zesty acidity that balances out the fruitiness and alcohol. There’s a lot going on in this wine, just as there’s a lot going on on a traditional Thanksgiving plate.

Word Play: The Color Series

| Posted in Events

Flanagan’s Table has unveiled the 2016 calendar for their popular dinner series. During the coming year they’re adding an extra twist for Word Play: The Color Series. Each is conceived by a pair (or more) of chefs and “This eight dinner series is colored themed and an execution of the chefs’ interpretation of those colors — literally and figuratively — through a five-course meal.”

  • January 31st, Purple, Thomas Pisha-Duffly from The Honey Paw and Justin Walker from Earth
  • February 27th, Red, Amanda Hallowell from Nebo Lodge and David Turin from David’s
  • April 30th, Yellow, Krista Kern Desjarlais from The Purple House and Josh Potocki from 158
  • June 26th, Green, Rob Evans from Duckfat and Masa Miyake from Miyake/Pai Men
  • July 31st, Pink, Wilson Rothschild from Terlingua and Anders Talberg from Roustabout
  • August 7th, Black, Sous Chef dinner
  • October 2nd, Orange, Ilma Lopez and Damian Sansonetti from Piccolo and Andrew Taylor and Michael Wiley from Hugo’s
  • December 3rd, White, Larry Matthews from Back Bay Grill and Jason Williams from The Well

On Wednesday, Flanagan’s Table will begin selling a limited number of subscriptions to the entire series.

This Week’s Events: Friendsgiving, Štekar Wines, Aquardiente, Beard Dinner, Sarah Fioroni, Bissell Dinner, Beaujolais Nouveau, Thanksgiving List

| Posted in Events

Tuesday — the Local Foods Networking Breakfast is taking place and Allagash is holding a Friendsgiving event.

Wednesday — Old Port Wine Merchants is holding a holiday wine tasting, and the Monument Square Farmers’ Market is taking place.

Thursday — Banded Horn is doing a tap takeover at Evo, Bryan Hinschberger from Bon Vivant Imports will be pouring wines from the Štekar family in Slovenia at Central Provisions and the Public Market House, Aurora Provisions and C Salt Gourmet are holding a Thanksgiving wine tasting.

Friday — Liquid Riot is releasing their Aguardiente de Agave Spirit, and the West End Rosemont is holding a wine tasting.

Saturday — Damian Sansonetti and Ilma Lopez from Piccolo are the featured chefs at a Beard House dinner in NYC, the Brighton Ave Rosemont is holding a wine tasting, Sarah Fioroni author of  A Family Farm in Tuscany will be at The Farm Stand for a book signing, and the Deering Oaks Farmers’ Market is taking place.

Sunday – East Ender is serving a Turducken Bissell Brothers beer dinner, there will be a Dim Sum Brunch at The Honey Paw, and a Beaujolais Nouveau Dinner at Petite Jacqueline.

Thanksgiving
Thanksgiving is just a couple weeks away. If you plan to eat out for Thanksgiving make your reservations now:

  • Brian Boru, Thanksgiving buffet, $23.99 (children under 12 are half priced), noon – 5:30
  • C-Squared, 3-course, $65 per person, 11 – 8.
  • Eve’s at the Garden is serving a buffet, $55 per person, ages 6-12 $24.95 and children under 6 are free.
  • Five Fifty-Five, 4-course dinner for $80 per person, there’s also a 3-course children’s dinner for $35 per person, 1-8.
  • Harraseeket Inn is serving their Thanksgiving Grand Buffet.
  • Saltwater Grille is serving a Thanksgiving buffet, $49.99 per person, $14.99 for children.
  • Sea Glass is serving their Thanksgiving Grand Buffet, $60 per adult, children 5-12 are $22, kids under 5 are free, 12-8.
  • Tempo Dulu, 5 courses, $85 per person.
  • Timber, 4-course dinner, $35 per person, vegetarian options available, 1-8.
  • Twenty Milk Street is serving a Thanksgiving dinner.
  • Union is serving 3-($55) and 5-($79) course Thanksgiving dinners, 12:30 – 8:30.
  • Wayside Food Program is holding their annual Thanksgiving Dinner at the Portland Club, 11-1.
  • Zackery’s is serving a Thanksgiving buffet, $27 per adult, $22 for seniors, children under 10 pay their age.
  • Turkeys are available from Rosemont Market, the Other Side Delicatessen, The Farm Stand, C Salt Gourmet Market, Ten Ten Pié Wolfe’s Neck Farm, Serendipity Acres Farm, Alewive’s Brook Farm and Frith Farm.
  • Prepared Side Dishes can be sourced from Aurora Provisions, the Other Side Delicatessen C Salt Gourmet and Rosemont Market.
  • Pies, Cakes and Desserts are being sold by Standard Baking, Scratch Baking Co., Ten Ten Pié, Portland Patisserie, Two Fat Cats and Tandem Bakery.
  • While making your own dinner plans, please consider making a donation to the Good Shepherd Food Bank to help them fight hunger in Maine.

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.

4½ Star Review of Evo

| Posted in Reviews

The Maine Sunday Telegram has reviewed Evo.

Roasted cauliflower ($8) is a lacy revelation. (Unlikely, yes, but you’ll just have to believe me.) The tiny florets are delicate and moist, with caramelized brown edges and the merest hint of salt. That deep, sesame flavor you taste with each forkful comes from a few drops of tahini sauce drizzled over the plate, and there’s an intense sweetness from a dab of what turns out to be pureed raisins that Ginn uses to balance the dish. We’re bowled over.

Review of The Treehouse

| Posted in Reviews

The Golden Dish has reviewed The Treehouse.

Fast forward to 2015, nothing has changed at the Treehouse, nee The Cafe.  It’s still the same second-floor rabbit warren of rooms that’s it’s always been, with Christmas lights  wrapped around bouquets of dried leaves.  Nor is the menu much different.  Yet, it has a fiercely loyal following who flock to its chambers nightly for  elaborate plates of big portions moderately priced…

Review of Union

| Posted in Reviews

The Portland Phoenix has reviewed Union.

The entrees have similar virtues. You know a fancy restaurant is really exploring comfort food when it has turkey and pot roast on the menu. The later was quite good, with a generous serving of tender meat surrounded by jus soaked root vegetables. A bit of truffle and fresh horseradish animated the rich flavors. A risotto dish was served a great al-dente, with fat slices of grilled pear scattered about. It had some blue cheese, but it was mild enough that it did not overwhelm the nutty flavor of a walnut pesto dolloped in the middle of the dish.

Under Construction: The Purple House

| Posted in Under Construction

IMG_0938-1
Future site of The Purple House in North Yarmouth.

Urban Eye has posted an update on The Purple House, Krista Kern Desjarlais’ new wood-fired bakery and cafe under construction in North Yarmouth.

Desjarlais, who also runs the seasonal Bresca And The Honey Bee At Outlet Beach in New Gloucester, has a destination in the works. Montreal bagels, a denser, chewiery version of New York City bagels, boiled in honey water and baked under wood heat, will be in heavy rotation. Miche and levain breads made with Maine Grains will be another daily offering. Expect a few pastries, but nothing “fragile and fancy.”

Her famed brown butter almond cake and pannacotta (Bresca holdovers) will be house signatures. Homemade ice cream, which she is known for, will also be in the mix.

For additional details read this Press Herald article from August.