The Portland Daily Sun reports that Local Sprouts co-founder Jonah Fertig is leaving the restaurant to help other organizations become cooperatives.
Jonah Fertig, who co-founded Local Sprouts seven years ago, is moving on from the food cooperative to plant new seeds. “I am leaving … to now help other people start cooperatives and community projects in the Maine food system,” he said on Facebook at the beginning of the month. “I’m sad to leave and excited to start a new journey in life.”
The Bier Cellar has posted an interview with Peter Bissell.
Tell us about The Substance and where it came from. The name comes from an experience in the Nevada desert on a road trip we took in 2009. A story for another time, perhaps. The beer has been a work in progress for almost as long as we’ve been planning the brewery. It’s everything we love about beer – soft, bursting with flavor, crushable, and most importantly, possessing a flavor profile that’s distinct and unique.
The Bier Cellar has also announced that they’ll have Bissell Brothers beer The Substance for sale in cans starting on Wednesday.
Here are a pair of new items for the Under Construction List:
Joseph Esposito passed away Friday at the age of 84. Among his many business interests, Esposito also founded Esposito’s Restaurant (now Espo’s Trattoria) in 1976.
The Portside Picnic food truck is for sale on eBay. The asking price is $49,900 or best offer.
Chefs Niko Regas from Emilitsa and Jack Smith from East Ender along with Rising Tide Brewing will be participating in the 2014 Lamb Jam.
This year’s Lamb Jam is scheduled for Sunday April 13 at the Royal Sonesta Hotel in Boston.
Monday — Oscar’s New American is holding a Portuguese Wine Dinner.
Wednesday — The Maine Brew Bus has organized a progressive beer dinner featuring Rising Tide Brewing, and Black Tie is teaching a cooking class.
Thursday — The Great Lost Bear will be featuring beer from the Maine Beer Company.
Friday — Maine Restaurant Week’s series of special events kick-off with the Incredible Breakfast Cook-off.
Saturday — It’s the first official day of Maine Restaurant Week, there will be a wine tasting at LeRoux Kitchen and the Winter Farmers Market is taking place at the Urban Farm Fermentory on Anderson Street.
Sunday — The MRW Bowl Big Tournament 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 Siano’s Pizzeria.
This is the quintessential Italian-American comfort food dining establishment that’s both a pizzeria made in wood-fired brick ovens and a full restaurant menu serving gutsy, well-made fare. The veal cutlet Parmigiana is one of the best in the Portland area, rich with sauce, cheese and buttery tender veal. Other dishes excel too, like their homemade ravioli and creative pasta dishes, chicken cacciatore and an array of very good pizza made with their homemade red sauce and pizza dough.
The Maine Legislature is exploring how to expand the number of state restaurant inspectors, according to a report from the Press Herald.
According to the state Office of Policy and Legal Analysis, 96 establishments have no inspection recorded in the state database and another 1,414 establishments have gone more than two years without being inspected.
[Representative Peter] Stuckey called that backlog “unacceptable.”
Several Meat House locations in Maine and NH have closed, according to a report in the Bangor Daily News.
Customers seeking choice cuts of meat, gourmet foods and unique wines are now being greeted by a darkened store and icy sidewalk at the Meat House at 450 Payne Road.
A letter on the front door says the 6-year-old store is closed for remodeling. But an investor lawsuit and the closure of other stores in Maine and New Hampshire suggest the 11-year-old company is facing more than appearance problems.