This Week’s Events: Wine & Chocolate & Beer, Chilli Challenge, Cheese Making, Joycott and Valentine’s Day

| Posted in Events

Wednesday — RSVP is holding a wine tasting.

Thursday — Sweet Marguerites will be at Whole Foods for a chocolate tasting, and in honor off Valentine’s Day Red Ales will be the focus of the weekly beer showcase at The Great Lost Bear.

Friday — Maria’s Ristorante is having a 4-course wine dinner as a benefit for the Cathedral School.

Saturday — the Winter Farmers Market is taking place, the Public Market House is the subject of a joycott, there will be a wine and chocolate open house at Good Eats Boutique. Bresca, Capt Perry’s Cafe on Long Island and the Sea Glass restaurant are all offering early Valentine’s Day dinners, Wine Wise is teaching a class on French Reds, and Novare Res is teaming up with Sweet Marguerites to offer a set of chocolate and beer pairings.

Saturday — Caitlin Hunter from Appleton Creamery will be teaching a cheese making class at the Public Market House, the beer and chocolate pairings are available for a second day at Novare Res, and the 17th Annual Great Chili and Chowder Challenge is taking place at the Holiday Inn by the Bay.

Valentine’s Day — February 14 is just around the corner. If you’re planning on taking your significant other out for dinner on Valentine’s Day now is the time to call your favorite restaurant for reservations. Valentine’s Day falls on a Monday this year but many restaurants that would usually be closed that night are staying open and several have announced special menus:

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.

Breakfast Review of Bar of Chocolate Cafe

| Posted in Reviews

The Bollard has published a breakfast review of the Bar of Chocolate Cafe.

Bite for bite, our meal easily earned the Bar of Chocolate a place in the top tier of Portland brunch spots. It’s just a matter of time before word of mouth attracts crowds, so I suggest you come early, and often. I, for one, will be back soon to try those huevos rancheros. I feel a frijoles jones coming on.

Video Review of Grace

| Posted in Reviews

NECN has broadcast a review of Grace.

From exacting prep to artful precision plating, the cuisine at Grace reflects a reverence for the pointed arches, stained glass and huge wooden oak pillars—all bathed in candlelight. Wines and various libations match the superiority of the food and service and dining here is, well, divine. It easily earns the Platinum Plate.

Immigrant Kitchens: Azerbaijani Meat with Chestnuts and Sour Plums

| Posted in Cooking

Immigrant Kitchens writes about learning to make Azerbaijani Meat with Chestnuts and Sour Plums from Tarlan and Zemfira Ahmadov (read the recipe and see the photos).

Tarlan and Zemfira spent the morning before I arrived peeling chestnuts together. This strikes me as extremely romantic and charming. If people propose in restaurants, can I ask my spouse on a Valentine’s date through the newspaper? “Wanna peel chestnuts together hon?”

Immigrant Kitchens blogger Lindsay Sterling will be teaching cooking class this Friday in Freeport. Sudanese Okra, Meat, and Potatoes is on the menu.

Trail Gourmet Recipe Contest

| Posted in Events

Portland Trails is holding a recipe contest to “explore the variety of food that can be enjoyed out on the trail”. The deadline for submission is February 22. The first place prize is “a meal for two at one of Portland’s fine restaurants and a guest appearance on CTN5’s ‘Community Kitchens’ television show.”

People are encouraged to submit healthy, delicious recipes for on-the-go food inspired by Portland’s trails and Southern Maine’s farms and gardens.  The recipe should be for a meal-worthy snack that can be carried in a backpack and eaten on a trail. Submissions should include:

  • Recipe
  • Recipe Name (must be named for a trail within the Portland Trail’s network)
  • A brief (1-2 sentence) explanation about why the name was chosen
  • Photograph of the finished dish
  • Category in which the entrant chooses to be judged (professional or amateur)
  • Details about how to store and pack the meal are encouraged

For more information call (207) 775-2411 and ask for Rachael Weyand or email info@trails.org.

Review of District

| Posted in Reviews

District has received 3½ stars from the Taste & Tell review in the Maine Sunday Telegram.

More intriguing than either of the above, baked halloumi ($8) was a fried or broiled rectangle of mild, Middle Eastern cheese (not breaded) set in a shallow earthenware dish with cream mixed with Ouzo and roasted garlic, and topped with fried potatoes that were skinny and crunchy. Slices of chewy bread made the base for a piece of hot cheese and perhaps one of the sour little gherkins.

Profile of Haven’s Candy

| Posted in People, Profiles

The Maine Sunday Telegram has published profiles of Haven’s Candy,

“What I love about Haven’s is that we are 96 years old, and although we have expanded our size and scope, and adopted some technology, we still make candy by hand,” Charles said. “We are sticking to our roots. That’s the soul of the company.”

and its owner Andy Charles,

“I was in my early 40s and thought, if I don’t get busy with this, I’ll wake up in my 70s with regrets,” he said of his decision to purchase the company in 2001. “I had an ‘Aha!’ moment.”

Charles, now 53, said he bought Haven’s because he was impressed with the company’s rich legacy in Portland and reputation for high-quality products.

Review of the Rooms

| Posted in Reviews

Down East’s blog The Golden Dish has posted a combined review of The Corner/Grill/Front Room restaurants.

Harding Smith’s restaurant kingdom is an empire built in fits and starts. Each one comes out of the gate magnificently, spirals to a declivitous edge momentarily — like catching one’s breath — only to return to glorious heights, which is where, more or less, his three establishments have remained.

Reviews of East Ender and Port Bean Cafe

| Posted in Reviews

Wines; Tasted! has published a review of the East Ender,

Anyway, you should go check it out.  They’re obviously new and are still putting art on the walls, and the bar stools are a bit hard to get up to the bar; but those are the only nits I can find to pick.  The wings alone are totaly worth the trip, in my humble opinion.  The beer/wine prices are also a huge draw in their own right.  And the prices are good.  The bill for my friend and I, including multiple courses, beer and wine; came to only about $60.  I’ll be back to eat again soon!

Port Bean Cafe received 3½ stars from the Eat & Run column in today’s Press Herald,

The Turkey Bacon Rave was huge, made with thick slices of bread and piled high with turkey, applewood smoked bacon, jack cheese, tomato, lettuce and bakehouse sauce. This sandwich was so large, I’m not sure I could have eaten a whole one. Luckily, Port Bean has specials where you can order half a sandwich or a small salad with some soup for $7.95.

Super Bowl Wings & Subs

| Posted in General News

The Portland Phoenix offers advice on the menu for your Super Bowl party,

But keep in mind, when it comes to hosting such an event, there are some culinary standards to abide by. First of all, healthy means nothing. It’s not that there isn’t some nutritional value to be found on Super Bowl Sunday, it’s just that it doesn’t matter. Health is a non-issue, so disregard it immediately before contributing to such a party. And, frankly, the messier the dish is to eat, the better.

and recommendations on where to source your Super Bowl eats from.