SoPo Eats

| Posted in Reviews, Profiles, Farming

There have been some new additions to the dining scene in South Portland:

  • Cambridge Coffee Bar and Bakehouse is just across the bridge on Broadway where the Freaky Bean used to be located. It’s owned by Vicki Cambridge who explained to Mainebiz that she, “learned to cook from her grandmother, says she has ‘gained a baking reputation in the community, and having a shop of my own was a logical next step.’ “
  • A new Vietnamese restaurant called Pho Hanoi is giving SoPo pho-fans a way to satisfy their cravings without having to leave their hometown. Where is Jenner’s Mind writes that the pho “certainly rivals the pho at both Thanh Thanh and Saigon”
  • Willard Scoops opened last year and is getting praise for “raises the bar for gourmet ice cream in the Portland area”. Portland Eats writes that he especially “like how some of the ice creams at Willard Scoops use salt to good effect, such as in the chocolate sea salt ice cream and the salt caramel and salt caramel nut ice creams”
  • There’s even someone who’s started raising hops in South Portland.

Immigrant Kitchens: Congolese Bean and Rice

| Posted in Cooking

Lindsay Sterling has published the details of another ethnic cooking adventure on her blog Immigrant Kitchens. This time around she’s learning how to make Congolese Bean and Rice (intro, photos, recipe) from Constance Kabaziga of Kinshasa, Congo.

I met Constance Kabaziga at the checkout at Mittapheap world market. She was buying frozen cassava root and dried beans, and I really wanted to know what she was going to do them. “You look like a good cook,” I ventured. She smiled, laughing, but couldn’t return any English. A bilingual young man walked in. I hid my nerves and asked him to translate: “Would she ever teach me how to cook?” Three days later I was in Constance’s small apartment kitchen, watching her slice red onion and green peppers…

Maine Lobstering & the Lobster Roll

| Posted in General News, Fisheries

The Boston Globe has published an article on how lobstermen in Maine and elsewhere in New England are experimenting with alternative ways to market their catch.

In Maine, there are 5,800 commercial lobstermen, many of whom are trying new marketing ideas. “Some go roadside and sell locally,’’ says Patrice McCarron, executive director of the 1,200-member Maine Lobstermen’s Association in Kennebunk. “There are people on Craigslist. Some sell on the Internet.’’

And in a state-by-state round-up of the 50 fattiest foods in the nation, Health magazine selected the lobster roll to represent Maine’s contribution. The funny thing is that rather than pick the roll from Red’s or Haraseeket Lunch & Lobster or Portland Lobster Company to base their dietary evaluation on, they reported the fat levels of lobster rolls from D’Angelo’s and Pap Gino’s.

Maine Lobstering & the Lobster Roll

| Posted in General News, Fisheries

The Boston Globe has published an article on how lobstermen in Maine and elsewhere in New England are experimenting with alternative ways to market their catch.

In Maine, there are 5,800 commercial lobstermen, many of whom are trying new marketing ideas. “Some go roadside and sell locally,’’ says Patrice McCarron, executive director of the 1,200-member Maine Lobstermen’s Association in Kennebunk. “There are people on Craigslist. Some sell on the Internet.’’

And in a state-by-state round-up of the 50 fattiest foods in the nation, Health magazine selected the lobster roll to represent Maine’s contribution. The funny thing is that rather than pick the roll from Red’s or Haraseeket Lunch & Lobster or Portland Lobster Company to base their dietary evaluation on, they reported the fat levels of lobster rolls from D’Angelo’s and Pap Gino’s.

Cliff Island Store and Locavorian Island Eating

| Posted in Profiles, Cooking

The new issue of Working Waterfront includes a profile of Pearls Seaside Market and Cafe which is run by Steve and Johanna Corman on Cliff Island in Casco Bay.

Johanna prefers to work the cafe. While neither she nor Steve had formal restaurant experience, Johanna grew up on Apple Acres Farm in South Hiram, where she ran the gift shop and created gourmet apple products that were eventually picked up by Dean & Deluca. In the morning she bakes goods like cinnamon rolls and egg sandwiches-without a stove. “We don’t have the right ventilation system for an oven, so I do it all on a griddle!” she says. Other highlights on her menu are homemade pizza (the feta and spinach pie was delicious) and the B.L.L.T, a classic bacon, lettuce, lobster and tomato sandwich.

The newspaper also features an examination of the intersection between locavorism and island living by food historian Sandy Oliver.

slanders, and everyone else, used to be so much better at producing food for themselves, especially vegetables, milk and eggs. Pigs, cows and chickens dotted our landscape, as well as the occasional beef critter. In this, we were hardly different from mainlanders. Some of this urge is creeping back, at least here on Islesboro, and a fine looking steer moored to a spike graces the yard of a neighbor about a mile away. We hear about chicks being hatched and, despite last year’s disastrous gardening seasoning, a few new gardens have been created and fenced in.

German 4th of July

| Posted in General News

Tuesday’s Portland Daily Sun highlights the German roots of many popular 4th of July picnic foods.

Oh, the Germanity. Hamburgers and Frankfurters, those Fourth of July grill favorites, are reminders of the roots of classic American picnic food. Sausages, cold cuts, cole slaw and potato salad are as likely to be found on a table in Deutschland as they are in Downeast. Without German brewers like Joseph Schlitz, Frederick Pabst, Adolph Coors, Eberhard Anheuser and Adolphus Busch to create the beer establishment, we might have neither cheap beer nor the microbrew revolution. Ach du lieber!

Taste of the Nation

| Posted in Events

The Press Herald has published a report on yesterday’s Taste of the Nation event.

The Lily Bistro joined 26 other restaurants from across the state to participate in the fifth annual Share Our Strength’s Taste of the Nation event.

Nearly all the proceeds raised at the event, which was held under a tent on a deck next to the city’s Ocean Gateway terminal, will benefit organizations in Maine that serve children from poverty-stricken families.

AAA Magazine

| Posted in Reviews

The current issue of Northern New England Journey includes an article about the dining scene in Portland. The article draws special attention to Bresca, Caiola’s, Duckfat, Emilitsa, Fore Street, Hugo’s, Miyake and Paciarino.

[Chef Sam] Hayward attributes the vibrant food scene to what he calls “a perfect convergence” of three elements. First, Portland chefs are using an eye-opening variety of Maine products. Second, farmers, fishermen, and foragers are supplying those chefs with outstanding ingredients. Instead of ordering standard cuts of meat and seafood from national provisioners, chefs buy animals from local sources and use every part they can. This means familiar dishes share menu space with such items as beef heart, monkfish liver, and cod cheeks. Third, Portland’s diners have embraced the new dishes.

This Week's Events

| Posted in Events

Monday — the Monday Farmers Market is taking place in Monument Square.
Wednesday — the midweek Farmers Market is taking place in Monument Square, there’s a wine tasting at Old Port Wine Merchants, a tequila tasting at The Salt Exchange and a Wine Wise class at The Wine Bar.
Thursday — there will be a wine tastings at Aurora Provisions and Black Tie Bistro and a tequila tasting at El Rayo.
Friday — A combination of First Friday Art Walk and the start to the holiday weekend will make for some very busy restaurants so make your reservations early, Wine Wise is teaching a  class at DiMillo’s and there’s a wine tasting at the West End Deli.
Saturday — the weekend Farmers Market is taking place in Deering Oaks Park and LeRoux Kitchen is holding a wine tasting.
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.