Peak Organic’s National Reach

The Boston Globe has a report on Peak Organic’s expansion into markets across the country.

Peak products are now available in cities beyond New York; they’re all along the East Coast and in California, reflective of their 29 percent overall growth in 2014. Cadoux credits the expansion to thriving restaurant scenes in Miami, Washington, D.C., San Francisco, and Boston, and a sales staff focused on selling the brew as a good beer for food.

Interview with El Rayo

The Portland Phoenix has published an interview with El Rayo general manager Kate Poze.

LO: What do you tell your wait staff the secret is to excellent service?
KP: Always make eye contact, be attentive, accommodating and personal, know the menu. Control the chaos and be ahead of your tables, ask if they would like another drink before their glass is bone dry, mark their table, and don’t serve them soup without a spoon.

OAD Fresh List

Central Provisions (30), Eventide (32) and Caiola’s (97) have made it on to the Opinionated About Dining Fresh List.

The FRESH List celebrates the 100 best American restaurants that feature; F – Farm-to-Table cuisine; R – Regional American Cuisine; E – Ethnic Cuisine; S – Sustainable Ingredients; served with American-style H – Hospitality.

The list is a response to readers who regularly ask for dining advice about where they can find reasonably priced restaurants that offer an interesting take on American regional and ethnic cooking. It’s the perfect list to use to help plan your summer vacations.

This Week’s Events: Harvest Dinner, Sake Tasting, Vermoth/Bitters Tasting

Monday — Crooners & Cocktails is serving a 7-course Harvest Dinner at Rooted Earth  Farm in Casco.

Wednesday — the Monument Square Farmers’ Market is taking place.

Thursday — there will be a sake and cheese tasting the Public Market House.

Friday — Rosemont on Brighton is holding a vermouth and bitters tasting.

Saturday — the Deering Oaks Farmers’ Market is taking place.

Sunday — MJ’s Wine Bar is celebrating their 2nd anniversary.

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.

Telling Room Reviews

The Press Herald has posted a set of reviews written by kids who participated in The Telling Room summer camp program.

Cassandra Albano and Andrew Miller wrote about The Honey Paw, and Ella Briman and Elinore Kosak wrote about Rosemont Market.

Fifteen students set out across Portland this month visiting art venues, a food market and a popular new restaurant to offer their critiques and hone their skills as writers and reviewers through a summer camp program with The Telling Room.

Old Port Slice Bar Open

The Old Port Slice Bar opened earlier this week. The new pizza shop is located at 420 Fore Street in the space that had been the home of Joe’s NY Pizza before a fire damaged the building in 2013.