Tequila & Mezcal at Zapoteca

| Posted in Distilling & Cocktails

Dispatch magazine sat down with Zapoteca co-owner Tom Bard to learn more about tequila, mezcal and the restaurant’s extensive selection of both liquors.

Tom with his business partner Sergio Ramos have gone to great lengths to take the tequila and mezcal program at Zapoteca above and beyond any in the area. In fact, Sergio holds the title of Level One Mezcalier, one of only four in the United States to hold this prestigious accolade. Tom explains that Sergio is instrumental in sourcing their products. The two have even started the process of getting their own mezcal from Mexico to distribute in Maine and New Hampshire.

Review of Spread

| Posted in Reviews

The Bollard has published a bar review of Spread.

My first impression of Spread came via their website, which claims the restaurant is founded on “a simple idea … [p]roviding a bustling, cozy, inviting eating space with great energy built around beautiful art and ambiance.” This makes it sound like Spread is a small, intimate place, not the sort of establishment one would expect in the sprawling area it occupies at 100 Commercial St. Surprisingly, they manage to live up to those claims.

Fluid Farms

| Posted in Farming

The Bangor Daily News has published an article and video interview with the founders of Fluid Farms.

The nascent two-man company has in two summers outgrown a 500-square-foot greenhouse attached to the craft-brewing Urban Farm Fermentory in Portland’s Bayside neighborhood, which co-founder and fisheries biologist Tyler Gaudet called a “backyard-scale” operation. Now, Fluid Farms is beginning to clear a site in North Yarmouth for a 25,000-square-foot version, a building they believe will be Maine’s first commercial-scale aquaponics facility.

Fluid Farms is running a Kickstarter campaign to fund their new aquaponics greenhouse.

This Week’s Events: Blind Tasting, Phoenix Readership Poll, Vegan Lecture, Lobsterman Lecture

| Posted in Events

Monday — a group of wine professionals and serious wine enthusiasts are organizing a blind tasting.

Wednesday — the winners of the Phoenix’s Best of Portland readership poll will be announced a Port City Music Hall.

Thursday — wine tastings are taking place at Rosemont, RSVP, and the Public Market House, Great Lost Bear is showcasing Black Bear Microbrew, Easter Seal’s Toast of the Coast fundraiser is being held at the Ocean Gateway Terminal, Dave Conrardy will speak about “healing powers of raw vegan living” at Roost, Curt Brown, Lobsterman and Research Technician, will be giving a lecture at GMRI.

Saturday — the Winter Farmers Market is taking place.

Sunday — Petite Jacqueline is screening the movie How to Steal a Million for movie night.

Brewing for a Cause — Sebago is offering the opportunity for you to become a brewer for a day. Proceeds will benefit the Sebago Trek Across Maine Team.

Otto Fundraiser Series — Otto is running a weekly fundraiser series where a portion of the night’s proceeds will be donated to the selected non-profit for the week. The April 16 event will benefit the Portland Ballet. See their website for a full calendar.

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.

Burger Franchise Moving Into Old Port

| Posted in General News

According to an article in the Press Herald, the b.good burger franchise is moving into the old Walter’s space at 15 Exchange Street,

The new restaurant, located at 15 Exchange St., is expected to open in June and will serve fast food-style burgers and fries made with local ingredients – or, as the chain’s motto puts it, “food made by people, not factories.”

Local Brew TV

| Posted in Beer

Local Brew is a web-based TV show hosted by Matt Delamater. According to the show’s site:

Each episode features a different brewery where we learn the story behind the brew. Matt takes us behind the scenes to discover who the brewers are, how their beer is made, and what drives them to create some of the best beer in the country!

Episode 1 is a trip to Baxter Brewing in Lewiston, and episode 2 features Maine Brewing Company and includes a trip on the Brew Bus and a visit to Novare Res.