The Forecaster is proposing an Iron Chef-style cooking competition to combat the Winter doldrums.

Here in Portland, in February, things can get a little slow. Snow has lost a bit of its charm. Darkness lasts a little too long. Winter has set in… I say we celebrate anther one of Portland’s great attractions, its restaurants, with a cooking contest…We need a place to do it, sponsors to fund it, a moderator to keep the action going, and some judges to make the decisions. Each week during the darkest days of winter, a pair of chefs could face off, until we crown a champion.

Sounds good to me. Just one question, who’d be our Alton Brown?

Monday — Baker Stephen Lanzalotta is teaching a Piatto per Tutti cooking class.
Wednesday — Black Tie Bistro is teaching a cooking class.
Friday — the West End Deli is holding a wine tasting.
Saturday — an onion and garlic jelly making workshop is taking place at Wolf Neck Farm, Leroux Kitchen is holding a wine tasting and the Port Clyde Fresh Catch shrimp CSF is doing their biweekly Portland drop-off.
Sunday — Po’Boys and Pickles is holding their Grand Opening,  Sweet Marguerites will be at the Toby Rosenberg Gallery for a tasting of their gold dusted dark chocolate hearts, Toni Fiore from Delicious TV will host a showing of the movie Big Night at the Museum of Art.
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.

Monday — Baker Stephen Lanzalotta is teaching a Piatto per Tutti cooking class.

Wednesday — Black Tie Bistro is teaching a cooking class.

Friday — the West End Deli is holding a wine tasting.

Saturday — an onion and garlic jelly making workshop is taking place at Wolf Neck Farm, Leroux Kitchen is holding a wine tasting and the Port Clyde Fresh Catch shrimp CSF is doing their biweekly Portland drop-off.

Sunday — Po’Boys and Pickles is holding their Grand Opening,  Sweet Marguerites will be at the Toby Rosenberg Gallery for a tasting of their gold dusted dark chocolate hearts, Toni Fiore from Delicious TV will host a showing of the movie Big Night at the Museum of Art.

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.

A Blog About Beer has published a report on the 2010 Beer and Cheese Festival at Vignola.

Last weekend marked the fourth annual Beer & Cheese party at Vignola restaurant here in Portland’s Old Port. As I mentioned before, this has quickly become one of my favorite annual Maine beer events. You can literally pig out on some of the best cheeses and beers in the world until you feel like you’re going to burst — in the best possible way — for a mere $25.

PortlandTown made a return trip to the Ice Bar with his camera and has published a new set of photos and The Examiner also made a visit,

Hip, happening and hypothermia; all three can be found here at The Ice Bar. The Portland Harbor Hotel is a gracious glacier, hosting an annual magnificent and crystalline fundraiser for many a cool cause. Proceeds benefit The Center for Grieving Children, Share Our Strength, Junior Achievement, and now Haitian help as well.

PortlandTown has published some photos from his Friday night visit to the Ice Bar.

As I walked up to the Portland Harbor Hotel just after eight O’clock the crowd was spilling out of the lobby.  The restaurant dining room was filled with people standing,  drinks in hand and the corridor leading to the food was packed. I unpacked my gear and grabbed a camera and flash then headed to the outside Ice Bar.  Good vibes were apparent everywhere and no one seem to notice the 15 degree weather.

Local restaurants continue (see prior list here) to line-up to help with Haitian relief efforts:

• O’Naturals will be donating 10% of sales on February 5th to Partners in Health
• Chefs Kaldrovich and Matthews from the Sea Glass Restaurant and The Back Bay Grill will be collaborating on a February 11th meal at the Inn by the Sea in Cape Elizabeth.