This Week’s Events: Wine Dinners, Ice Bar, Maine Shrimp Season, Pie Day, Sea Change Cooking

Tuesday — it’s the start of Maine Shrimp season, and wine dinners are taking place at Bar Lola, Five Fifty-Five and Hugo’s.

Wednesday — Portland’s National Pie Day celebration will be held at the Mayo Street Art Center, and Callabash Cafe in South Portland is hosting a cigar dinner.

Thursday — Aurora Provisions is holding a pie and wine tasting, it’s the first night of the Ice Bar at the Portland Harbor Hotel, and The Great Lost Bear will be showcasing Dogfish Head Brewing, and the Bier Cellar is holding a tasting of beers made with Brettanomyces yeast.

Friday — a culinary immersion feast is taking place at the Museum of African Culture, Zapoteca is hosting the first dinner of their cellar series, there will be a wine tasting at Rosemont, The Honey Exchange is giving a lecture on beekeeping, and it’s the 2nd night of the Ice Bar.

SaturdaySea Change is teaching a cooking class, it’s the last night of the Ice Bar, and the Winter Farmers Market is taking place.

SundayPetite Jacqueline is screening La Delicatesse.

Valentine’s Day — restaurants have started posting their plans for Valentine’s Day. I’ll add to the list as I get them. The first few out of the gate are:

  • Bar Lola, 5-course prix fixe, $55 per person.
  • Hugo’s, 7-course dinner, $80 per person with optional wine pairing at $55.
  • Petite Jacqueline, 3-course dinner, $55 per person with optional menu supplements, wine pairing and champagne flights.

The Chinese Laundry — will be serving up tea and dumplings at Speckled Ax on February 10.

Sonnet — chef Damian Sansonetti is holding a pop-up dinner on February 4, “based off of the recipes of Apicius but modern interpretations and Maine ingredients”.

Chopped Champions — chef Rob Evans is making an encore appearance on the Food Network show Chopped on February 5 at 10 pm.

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.

Katie Made Open House

Katie Made had an Open House Saturday at their new location, 181 Congress Street, and will be open again today.

Open house was so sucessful we decided to do it again tomorrow!! If you weren’t able to come by today stop on over, see our new home, and try some yummy food…open at 9 a.m.! All on donation.

They’re still awaiting a final state inspection approval and in the meantime are operating on a donation basis.

Review of Eventide

The Portland Phoenix has published a review of Eventide.

In addition to oysters, Eventide packs a lot of imagination into a relatively slim menu. Scallops, squid, mussels, clams, lobsters, and a variety of fish are variously cured, pickled, grilled, poached, stewed, or served raw — often kissed with the sharp, clear notes of sour, garlicky, vinegary Asian flavors. Despite the variety it never feels like a jumble, and each dish is its own well-conceived whole.

National Pie Day Celebration

The Portland Pie Council is once again planning an event for National Pie Day on January 23rd at the Mayo Street Arts Center:

  • Everyone is encouraged to bring a pie to enter into the contest. There will be $50 prizes for the sweet and savory pies that win the ranked choice vote.
  • There will be Pietry readings.
  • There will also be a pie-themed dramatic performance “in the same vein as Pace Egging plays of England“.

The celebration begins at 6pm, $5 per person.