James Beard Awards Semifinalists Announced

| Posted in General News

The James Beard Foundation has announced the semifinalist for this year’s awards competition. Portland has three entries on the list:

  • Sam Hayward from Fore Street for Outstanding Chef
  • Fore Street for Outstanding Restaurant
  • Krista Kern Desjarlais from Bresca for Best Chef in the North East. The Press Herald checked in with Krista for her reaction: “I just went online and looked not even an hour ago, and almost had the baby right there,” she said, still a little breathless with the news. “It’s incredibly cool, and a total surprise.”

Several other Maine chefs are also semifinalist in the Best Chef North East category:

  • Clark Frasier and Mark Gaier from Arrows in Ogunquit
  • Brian Hill from Francine Bistro in Camden
  • Penelle Chase, Phoebe Chase, Megan Chase and Ted Lafage from Chase’s Daily in Belfast

Final nominees for the 2010 awards will be announced March 22nd, and the winners will be announced on May 3, 2010 at Avery Fisher Hall in New York City.

Review of Po'Boys & Pickles

| Posted in Reviews

Po’Boys & Pickles has received 4½ stars from the Eat and Run review in today’s Press Herald.

Our favorite choice was the Louisiana gumbo, a flavorful mix of chicken, tender Maine shrimp, small slices of Andouille sausage, rice and just enough seasonings to clear your sinuses without being too much. It’s spicy enough for folks who like their gumbo hot, but not so spicy that it should scare away the timid.

Review of Po’Boys & Pickles

| Posted in Reviews

Po’Boys & Pickles has received 4½ stars from the Eat and Run review in today’s Press Herald.

Our favorite choice was the Louisiana gumbo, a flavorful mix of chicken, tender Maine shrimp, small slices of Andouille sausage, rice and just enough seasonings to clear your sinuses without being too much. It’s spicy enough for folks who like their gumbo hot, but not so spicy that it should scare away the timid.

Review of Peanut Butter and Jelly Time

| Posted in Reviews

Broke 207 has published a cheap eats alert and review of Peanut Butter and Jelly Time.

oh, and the bread! i got organic crunchy peanut butter and raspberry jelly on aroostook wheat. liberally applied, diagonally sliced, comfort food perfection. i got the sexy sandwich above, bottled water, and baked cheetos for a little over $5. apparently, if you’re extra snacky or want to share, you can even get 2 for $5.

Two Bid Farewell

| Posted in General News

Two members of the Portland food community are moving on to new horizons. Anna Maria Tocci who, together with Kim Anderson founded the North Star Music Cafe, is retiring from the business to pursue a career as a “breath work facilitator”. Also in transition is Jennifer Betancourt, founder of the Silvery Moon Creamery, who according to a post on Edible Obsessions, has “quietly walked away from the cheesevat that she manned for the past seven years”.
Both women have had a significant impact on the Portland food scene and I’m sure they’ll be missed.

Chili & Chowder Challenge Results

| Posted in General News, Events

Today’s Portland Daily Sun includes a report on the 16th Annual Chili & Chowder Challenge that took place over the weekend. According to the article, Fire & Ice, Fish & Chop House at the Marriott Hotel took home both the People’s Choice and Judge’s Choice for Chill, Gilbert’s was the judge’s preference for chowder but the attendees preferred the chowder from Free Range Fish and Lobster. The article in the Sun focuses on the family back story behind Free Range’s lobster stew recipe.

Geoff Denley said his family had a hand in inventing the doughnut. More recently, the Denleys and business partner Joe Ray introduced a family recipe for a lobster stew that wowed crowds at the 16th annual Great Chili and Chowder Challenge in Portland.

Also in the Wednesday Sun is an article about the business challenges being faced by the owner of the Back Cove Deli on Ocean Ave.

Two weeks ago, Chris Dougherty’s financing fell through and the Back Cove deli owner was back at square one.

Chili & Chowder Challenge Results

| Posted in General News, Events

Today’s Portland Daily Sun includes a report on the 16th Annual Chili & Chowder Challenge that took place over the weekend. According to the article, Fire & Ice, Fish & Chop House at the Marriott Hotel took home both the People’s Choice and Judge’s Choice for Chill, Gilbert’s was the judge’s preference for chowder but the attendees preferred the chowder from Free Range Fish and Lobster. The article in the Sun focuses on the family back story behind Free Range’s lobster stew recipe.

Geoff Denley said his family had a hand in inventing the doughnut. More recently, the Denleys and business partner Joe Ray introduced a family recipe for a lobster stew that wowed crowds at the 16th annual Great Chili and Chowder Challenge in Portland.

Also in the Wednesday Sun is an article about the business challenges being faced by the owner of the Back Cove Deli on Ocean Ave.

Two weeks ago, Chris Dougherty’s financing fell through and the Back Cove deli owner was back at square one.

PPH: Kombucha & Herbal Tea

| Posted in Cooking

The Food & Dining section in today’s Press Herald examines two alternative types of tea.
Meredith Goad interviewed Chris Hallweaver from the Maine Kombucha Co. who gave her a starter to take home,

Floating near the top was the scoby. Floating near the bottom were little pieces of something. On bottles of Hallweaver’s tea, there’s a note that helpfully explains that these little bits of intestinal goodness are supposed to be there. Yes, you’re supposed to swallow them.

And Avery Yale Kamila talked with Sarah Richards owner of Homegrown Herb & Tea about her ayurvedic herbal tea.

“This is high season for me,” Richards said on a recent morning before she opened the shop. “This is when people are sick or trying to avoid being sick.”

PPH: Kombucha & Herbal Tea

| Posted in Cooking

The Food & Dining section in today’s Press Herald examines two alternative types of tea.

Meredith Goad interviewed Chris Hallweaver from the Maine Kombucha Co. who gave her a starter to take home,

Floating near the top was the scoby. Floating near the bottom were little pieces of something. On bottles of Hallweaver’s tea, there’s a note that helpfully explains that these little bits of intestinal goodness are supposed to be there. Yes, you’re supposed to swallow them.

And Avery Yale Kamila talked with Sarah Richards owner of Homegrown Herb & Tea about her ayurvedic herbal tea.

“This is high season for me,” Richards said on a recent morning before she opened the shop. “This is when people are sick or trying to avoid being sick.”

A Tie at the Cajun Cookin' Challenge

| Posted in General News

Tuesday’s Portland Daily Sun includes a report on the unprecedented outcome of the recent Cajun Cookin’ Challenge: a tie between Silly’s and Bayou Kitchen. The owners of the two establishments are pondering a second cook-off to determine the winner.

Silander said he wants to offer a challenge to Silly’s for a friendly cookoff to settle the matter.

“It’s a really busy month for me next month, but I’ll think about doing a callout and see if Silly’s wants to do something as far as a challenge goes. What I would try to do would be sell tickets, have say 25 or 30 people, five judges, maybe somebody from Louisiana … and all the proceeds would go to the Katrina Fund,” he said.