Today’s Press Herald includes a report on the abbreviated 2012 Maine Shrimp season.
Shrimp fishermen have been given a catch limit of 4.4 million pounds for the upcoming season, down from the 13 million pounds they caught last season. The new season will begin Monday and end when the catch limit is reached.
Also in today’s paper is letter to the editor in favor of better pay for chefs.
Instant Portland has published a review of LeRoux Kitchen.
Here’s what the locals know about LeRoux Kitchen: if you need something — anything — for your kitchen, be it a humble whisk or a high-end stockpot you’ve been saving up for years to get, then LeRoux is the place to go. Sure, there’s that place in the Mall, with the catalogs and the fancy name, but — I kid you not — their selection pales when compared to the selection at LeRoux.
Vin et Grub has posted an article about Nicholas Nappi who is the chef at Local 188.
If you’ve ever been into Local 188 on a busy Friday or Saturday night, there’s really no way you could miss Chef Nappi. He expedites on these evenings, and his voice certainly carries throughout the majority of the dining room and lounge area. Commanding respect in the kitchen, but also incredibly friendly to his back-of-the-house team, Nicholas understands the importance of a strong relationship between back-of-the-house workers. Much like Jay, he also agrees with the notion that education in any kitchen is imperative.
Today’s Press Herald includes a report on this year’s scallop harvest.
“The prices these guys are going to get are probably going to be higher than they’ve ever gotten in the history of this fishery,” said Temple, who has been selling scallops for 35 years. The higher price for fishermen means that consumers will pay more in restaurants and food stores.
Sea scallops, which are similar to but bigger than bay scallops, have been harvested along the Maine coast since the late 1800s. At times, scallops have been the state’s second-most valuable seafood, behind lobster.
The Press Herald has published reviews of the Crooked Mile Cafe,
Dare I say it was one of the best sandwiches I’ve ever had? Yep, I’m saying it, and with good reason. First off, the baguette on which it was served was sheer perfection. Crispy yet chewy, it afforded a comfortable home to the dense stack of ham, salami, pepperoni, provolone, lettuce, mayo, oil, vinegar and oregano. (Hold the tomatoes for me, thanks).
and Binga’s Stadium.
I got mine smothered in the Jamaican Jerk sauce, which was absolutely delicious. My friend got the Thai BBQ version, which was equally delicious. She also insisted on getting the fried pickle chips side dish. I’m not as big a fan of them as she is.
I polished off my half order of tenders, though, washing it down with some hard cider. There’s nothing like wings and a good drink for a break from the bustle.
This week’s edition of the What Ales You column suggests a few brewery alternatives to Champagne for ringing in the New Year,
Curieux, an ale with 11 percent alcohol aged in bourbon barrels, is the first Allagash that comes to mind. It’s available year-round, it’s won all sorts of awards, and Allagash sells as much of it as it can make. The cloudy, golden color would be nice for a midnight toast.
Instant Portland has published a review of Cobblestones.
The menu is full of foods you’d find in any sandwich shop from here to Ohio – but the food is clearly crafted with love and care, and that careful attention to the most important thing in food – flavor – is that sets Cobblestones a little apart from the onslaught of salad and sandwich places in this city.
The Press Herald has published a report on efforts to energize the Maine sea urchin fishery.
During the heyday, Maine urchin fishermen harvested more than 40 million pounds of the spiny creatures a year. A move is now under way to jumpstart the industry, which has fallen on hard times and is just a skeleton of its former self.
Both Edible Obsessions and Mister Meatball have posted reports of their Christmas Day feasts.
There is a serious holiday hangover happening in our house right now. For nearly 36 hours straight, we were absolute holiday gluttons. We feasted, opened presents and watched ‘A Christmas Story’ at least 1.5 times. It was a wonderful past few days with The Missus, but we probably could have done without a helping of thirds of the Vinegretas.
Wednesday — Wine Wise is teaching a class on sparkling wines. Both Sonny’s and The Foreside Tavern are hosting viewing parties for the Portland episode of Drinking Made Easy. Several local restaurants and bars are collaborating in a cocktail competition named after a slip of the tongue made by UFF owner Eli Cayer when he was being interviewed for the show.
Thursday — there will be a wine tasting at the Public Market House.
Saturday — the Winter Farmers Market is taking place.
Sunday — Sonny’s is celebrating the New Year with an all you can eat Paella Fest.
New Year’s Eve
Here’s a list of restaurants that will be open on New Year’s Eve. Many in the list are planning special prix fixe dinners and a few will be open with their standard menu. If you know of any other options, post a comment with the details and I’ll add them to the list.
Everyone and their cousin wants to go out on New Year’s Eve so reservations are essential. I’d recommend you call soon before all the good spots get booked up.
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.