Harbor Fish’s Past & Portland Co-op’s Future

| Posted in Under Construction, Profiles

Today’s Press Herald includes an article about the nearly 50-year old Harbor Fish Market,

Nick Alfiero, one of the three brothers who own Portland’s Harbor Fish Market, says that whenever anybody talks about their 47-year-old family business these days, they always throw out the word “iconic.”

How does that make him feel? Good, right?

“Old,” he said with a wry smile. “Old, to tell you the truth.”

and an article about the Portland Co-op’s plans to open a grocery store.

By early 2015, the Portland Food Co-op intends to open a grocery store in downtown Portland, a district dominated by Whole Foods, Hannaford and Trader Joe’s. The business plan calls for a much smaller store than the ones operated by the large chains, but with a full offering of organic and natural groceries, including beer, wine and prepared foods. The store will emphasize locally grown and produced food.

Craft Distilling in Maine

| Posted in Distilling & Cocktails

Mainebiz has published an article about Maine’s small but growing spirits industry.

Luke Davidson sounds like a man whose head is spinning, a product of learning a lot about business in a little time. When Davidson opened the doors to Maine Craft Distilling in Portland this July, he didn’t expect the large crowds that flocked to his East Bayside business to taste the distillery’s craft batches of rum and vodka. The crowd surge created a number of logistical challenges, and it was all he could do to keep a supply of clean glasses and purchase bags handy.

Bollard: Harding Lee Smith Article #2

| Posted in People

The Bollard has published a 2nd article about chef Harding Lee Smith, owner of The Front Room, The Grill Room, The Corner Room and Boone’s Fish House & Oyster Room.

During the two months since our July issue hit the streets, hardly a day has gone by that I have not encountered someone eager to share their own account of awful behavior by the subjects of that issue’s cover story: Chef Harding Lee Smith and his wife, Darcy.

Harbor Fish Market Cookbook

| Posted in Cooking

harborbookDown East magazine has published an excerpt from the new Harbor Fish Market cookbook. The excerpt includes details on the market’s history, advice on buying and storing fish and a set of recipes.

Nine Custom House Wharf in Portland has been the site of a fish market since sometime in the late 1800s. It became the Harbor Fish Market when the Alfiero family purchased it in 1966, a joint venture between Ben Alfiero Sr., and his older brother John Alfiero. John handed over the reins to Ben in 1975, and through the next few years, Ben’s three sons, Nick, Ben Jr., and Mike, joined in. They worked as a team of three brothers and father until Ben Sr. retired in 2000.

 

This Week’s Events: Omi’s, Hunt & Alpine, Vinland Farm Dinner, Eat Street, Tastemade

| Posted in Events

Monday — the crew from Cooking Chanel TV show Eat Street will be filming Bite into Maine, noon – 3pm in Fort Williams Park.

Tuesday — it’s the opening day at Omi’s Coffee Shop.

Wednesday — author John Holl will be at Gritty’s to sign a copy of his book The American Craft Beer Cookbook, the Makers Market is taking place at the Urban Farm Fermentory in the afternoon and the Monument Square Farmers Market is taking place in the morning.

Thursday — the grand opening of the Portland Hunt & Alpine Club is taking place, online TV show Tastemade will be in town filming a show (Bite into Maine, Eventide and perhaps Portland Lobster Co) about lobster rolls in Portland, Mitch Gerow from East Ender is the featured chef for the weekly Twilight Dinner at Turkey Hill Farm, there will be an Allagash tasting at the Public Market House,  and The Great Lost Bear will be showcasing beer from Notch Brewing.

Friday — Chef David Levi will be serving a Vinland Preview Dinner at Four Seasons Farm in Harborside, Maine, there will be a wine tasting at West End Deli. It’s also the September First Friday Art Walk and a group of food trucks and food carts will be assembling at the Portland Flea For All for the monthly Flea Bites mobile food street festival.

Saturday — there will be wine tastings at Browne Trading and LeRoux Kitchen, and the Deering Oaks Farmers Market 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.

Salvage BBQ Now Open (Updated)

| Posted in Uncategorized

salvage_logoSalvage BBQ & Smokehouse (facebook, twitter, website) is now open for business. Portland’s newest restaurant is located at 919 Congress Street near the intersection of Congress and Saint John Streets. Salvage is being launched by chef/owner Jay Villani and the Local 188/Sonny’s crew.

Villani also is working on launching Ideal Bakery further up Congress Street near Rite Aid.

Update: For more info on the menu at Salvage see this blog post from The Golden Dish.

Boston Globe: Maine Foodie Tours

| Posted in Reviews

A pair of Boston Globe reporters have written about their experience on a Maine Foodie Tours walking trip in Portland.

We were on a culinary walking tour in Portland offered by Maine Foodie Tours. The 2½-hour jaunt through the historic Old Port and along the working waterfront introduced us to some of the city’s best purveyors and took us to its liveliest markets. Along the way we learned a little about the city’s unique and colorful history.

Review of Blue Rooster

| Posted in Reviews

Living, Eating and Aging in Portland Maine has published a review of Blue Rooster.

I never meant to become a regular, it just happened.  It was unexpected and quick.  It literally took one bite from my first Red Eye Breakfast sandwich and I was hooked faster than a drug addict and his first crack experience.  Pork belly, hash browns, “red eye” mayonnaise, fried egg, all on a buttermilk biscuit.  The perfect breakfast sandwich even if they don’t open until 11AM…

Living, Eating and Aging also published reviews earlier this year of Po’Boys and Outliers.