Working Waterfront reports that the 2011-2012 Maine Shrimp season is being curtailed.
On October 28, regulators with the Atlantic States Marine Fisheries Commission imposed new restrictions for the upcoming shrimping season, including halving the season’s total allowable catch to 2,000 metric tons. Also, the start of the northern shrimp-fishing season was pushed back into early 2012.
The list of photo mini Snap Reviews continues to expand on Flickr. Recent additions include Novare Res and last weekend’s Gothic Halloween Dinner at Hugo’s.
The Press Herald has published a review of Artemisia Cafe.
Artemisia Cafe continues to stand the test of time as one of my favorite lunch spots. I don’t go there nearly enough, but every time I do the food is sensational, and this visit with a friend was no exception.
Today’s paper also includes a preview of this weekend’s Maine Brewers Festival.
The Portland Phoenix has published a review of Schulte & Herr.
S&H gets this balance just right with dish after dish. For example, not only are the potato pancakes made from a pillowy whip, and seared crispy without too much crunch or grease. They are also served with a house-cured salmon that keeps things bright by enhancing the flesh’s natural sweetness with subtle notes of orangey citrus. It is all served with a thin, light sour cream and horseradish sauce, which along with some capers, radish, and cornichon, enhance both fish and potato, and overwhelm neither.
Portland Magazine has published a review of Fez.
Fez offers a striking array of appetizers, beginning with the sautéed shrimp dish Kimroun Sharmoula ($6.95). The Moroccan touch sparkles here, with a light garlic-tomato sauce enhancing the sweet shrimp flavors, keeping each morsel moist and delectable.
The November issue also includes a survey of Portland’s ethnic markets. The article isn’t available online but you should be able to a find a paper copy of Portland Magazine at your local newsstand.
Appetite Portland has the scoop on the new yakitori menu at Pai Men Miyake.
On this first visit, our favorite was the chicken liver — which rivals the stunning preparation at Emilitsa in that “close your eyes and imagine yourself hand fed by a Persian prince” kinda way. All three choices, however, were rich, oily and pungent. The way animal parts and innards should be.
A great addition to solid restaurant that keeps getting better and better. I’m looking forward to trying the beef tongue skewer next.
The latest edition of the Maine Culinary Podcast is now out. In it Dan Bodoff and his co-hosts interview Shannon and Tom Bard, the chef and co-owners of Zapoteca.
The Food & Dining section in today’s Press Herald includes an article about Bresca’s “thoughtful and passionate” wine list,
[Chef Krista Kern Desjarlais’s] attitude combines a strong personal investment in small wine makers; a passion for lesser-known varietals and wine-making regions that produce low-alcohol, food-friendly wines; and a commitment to politely, graciously nudging guests to step outside their comfort zones.
“We aim to have the guest invite us into their experience,” she said. “We want to be more educated about the wine and help people and stand for what we stand for, but not make anyone feel uncomfortable about their wine knowledge.”
and a Q&A about Thanksgiving turkeys with the head of the meat department at Whole Foods. The article includes a helpful buying guide to Maine farms selling locally raised turkeys.
What’s the difference between a hen and a tom turkey, and does one taste better than the other?
A hen is a female bird; a tom is male. How they taste will depend primarily on where and how they were raised. The main difference is size; a tom will be larger than a hen. Designating whether a turkey is a hen or a tom is not required on the label.
The 10 eateries looked up most often in August on Portland Food Map were:
The numbers in parentheses indicates their rank last month
Monday — it’s the release date for a new beer from Allagash. Ghoulschip is “ale aged in oak barrels with pumpkin seeds and molasses”. Sales of the limited 1200 bottle production run start at 8 am.
Wednesday — Wine Wise and the Chadwick Bed & Breakfast are teaming up to teach a Thanksgiving cooking class, and the Monument Square Farmers Market is taking place.
Thursday — Five Season Cooking School is teaching a vegan/macrobiotic cooking class, there will be an Italian wine dinner at Figa, the Great Lost Bear is showcasing beer from Bull Jagger, Anthony Bourdain and Eric Ripert will be giving a presentation at Merrill Auditorium.
Friday — a 4-course VIP brewers dinner is taking place at the Regency, and there will be a wine tasting at the West End Deli.
Saturday — there are two tasting sessions for the Maine Brewers Festival, 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.