USA Today Travel

The USA Today Travel site recently posted their recommendations for outdoor dining in Portland. El Rayo, DiMillo’s, Eve’s, David’s and Havana South made their list of “Restaurants With Patios” in Portland.

Many visitors to Portland, Maine, search for the perfect lobster or seafood meal, but this bustling waterfront city has more to offer than lobster rolls and steamed clams. On almost any corner, you can find something different, from small bakeries to international flavors. In the summer months, many Portland restaurants add outdoor seating, allowing guests to enjoy the sunshine and activity of the city while they eat their meals.

See the PFM Outdoor Dining List for some other options.

O-Rama: The Ideal Burger

Our group survey of Portland area burgers is drawing to a close for now. The first three months were reviews of the burgers on tap at local diners, fine dining restaurants, and pubs. This month the tables are turned and the food bloggers are dishing up their own recipes for you to try and taste at home.

Chubby WerewolfBurger with Bacon, Cheese and Mushrooms on a Brioche Bun

When it comes to your burger blend, don’t be afraid to experiment. Want a fattier burger? Try using short rib in lieu of the brisket or the chuck. Looking to hit a grand slam in the flavor department? Consider using oxtail in your blend. With a half-dozen or so cuts of meat to choose from, the possible combinations number in the thousands. And there are very few “wrong” combinations. read the full article

Edible ObsessionsMozzarella Stuffed Burger

…I have also dreamed about sitting with the Missus and enjoying a seemingly endless plate of Foie Bon Bons at Bresca (This was a few days before we were going to celebrate New Years there). There was also the dream I had of cooking in an unfamiliar kitchen in an Italian country home (Damn you Lidia Bastianich for invading my dreams!). But, I cannot recall ever dreaming about a hamburger. Ever.read the full article

From AwayThe From Away Burger

Beginning to organize your thoughts on a perfect hamburger can be more difficult than you’d think. We decided to immediately forgo more “exotic” burger toppings. While delicious, they’re not always accessible; a great burger should (hopefully) come together based on ingredients you already have in your fridge. We tend to keep things a little more classic, preferring lettuce and tomato to foie gras and black truffles. When the hamburger craving hits, it’s the meat and cheese that immediately spring to mind.read the full article

The Blueberry FilesHomemade Burger

But here is my attempt on the eve of a great late spring Sunday Funday in Portland. I sourced good ingredients: Seaside cheddar (described by the cheese guy at Whole Foods as the perfect burger cheddar), a mix of ground sirloin (Whole Foods) and local ground beef (Farmers’ Market), maple dry rub bacon (Whole Foods), and Claussen pickles.read the full article

Vrai-lean-uhGrass-fed Beef with Caramelized Onions and Goat Cheese

I also used my favorite burger toppings, which is sort of where I shine. Some of my fellow burger bloggers are purists. I am not. When I make burgers at home, I have them with caramelized onions and goat cheese on sourdough bread. I know, you have your tomato and your lettuce and your ketchup, but you can pry my little ball of meat with onions and chevre stuffed between two hunks of bread out of my cold, dead hands.read the full article

While this is the end of the burger series, it isn’t the end to our group reviews. Tune in next month when we’ll start a new set of Summer themed reviews. If you’re still hungry for more burger reviews then keep reading Portland’s food blogs and you won’t be disappointed. Just last week The Blueberry Files posted a short review of the burger at District, Chubby Werewolf has his ongoing Burgerwatch series, and there will be others. May is National Burger Month and the weather is looking good so get out there and grill.

Scratch Cupcake Review

Cupcakes! Cupcakes! Cupcakes! has posted a review of the banana cream cupcake at Scratch Baking.

This cupcake was definitely amazing and in contention for the best cupcake in the Portland area. The frosting wasn’t so much frosting as it was a whipped cream cloud placed on top of the cupcake. It tasted exactly like homemade whipped cream that my mom makes every year at Christmas. In the middle of the cupcake there was pudding, which made the cake portion even more moist than it already was and added another delicious dimension to the cupcake. There were also little pieces of banana within the pudding and on top of the frosting.

Otto TV

The Press Herald is reporting that a film crew from The Cooking Chanel will be in town tomorrow to record a segment of Pizza Out of the Box at Otto’s.

A film crew will be shooting a segment for a show called “Pizza Out of the Box” that will air in August. Shooting starts at 7:30 a.m. and is expected to last until 1 p.m. The segment will feature Otto’s signature mashed potato, bacon and scallion pizza, which has become a customer favorite.

This Week’s Events: JBF Awards, Rabelais Book Sale, Daddy Daughter Tea Day

Monday — The James Beard Awards ceremony is taking place at Lincoln Center. Krista Kern Desjarlais is a nominee for Best Chef: Northeast.

Tuesday — Bar Lola is holding a Loire Wine Dinner.

Wednesday — Both Old Port Wine Merchants and RSVP are holding wine tastings, Black Tie Bistro is teaching a cooking class, and the Monument Square Farmers Market is taking place.

Thursday — LerRoux will host a Banana Split Trifle baking demonstration, there will be a wine and cheese tasting at the Public Market House, and The Great Lost Bear is featuring beer from Harpoon Brewery.

Saturday — the first day of the Rabelais book sale ($1, $3, $5 or 40% off, exclusive of their rare book inventory), Dobra Tea is participating in the National Daddy Daughter Tea Day, Wine Wise is teaching a class on Cabernets from Napa, the Deering Oaks Farmers Market is taking place.

Sunday — the book sale at Rabelais continues.

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.

4½ Stars for Bar Lola

Bar Lola received 4½ stars from the review in today’s Maine Sunday Telegram.

Outstanding food prepared in different- size portions and courses to mix and match according to the diner’s whim. Top quality ingredients, well-conceived combinations and meticulous preparation make every dish a delight. Opened five years ago by Guy and Stella Hernandez (Guy is chef), Bar Lola is an intimate space with skilled service in the Munjoy Hill neighborhood outside of the city center.

Food Freedom

The cover story in this week’s Portland Phoenix reports on the struggle of local Maine farmers to break free from federal and state food rules that were written for industrial agriculture.

“From farm to table” isn’t just a meaningless foodie slogan anymore. It’s the rallying cry for the smallest of small-scale farming operations in Maine, which are fighting against what they consider to be burdensome state and federal regulations. In the process, they’re laying the groundwork for a nationwide “food sovereignty” movement, aimed at restoring the direct relationship between food producers and consumers, while reducing government interference in local food systems.

Another Review of Deux Cochon

The Golden Dish has published a review of Deux Cochon.

Perhaps this is all practice for Chef Adam’s aim to open up a real barbecue joint one day with all the proper accoutrements on site. Maybe then we can celebrate.
For now you can have a nice smoky tasting, saucy spiked sandwich, or a side of  eggs pickled in beet juice or some hip-hugging rib-sticking biscuit and sausage gravy served in an accidental multi-purpose eatery not for the faint of heart.