James Ledue

| Posted in People

An obituary for James Ledue, a pioneering Portland restauranteur, appeared in today’s paper (via Meredith Goad).

Mr. Ledue, who helped start Portland’s restaurant renaissance with businesses such as The Good Egg, Alberta’s Cafe and Bella Bella, died Oct. 23 after a lengthy illness. He was 57 years old.

Mr. Ledue had a limitless range of interests, from surfing to acting to wine and poetry.

“He crowded in an awful lot,” said his father, Herbert Ledue of Portland. “If he wasn’t at the restaurant, he’d be out surfing or kayaking.

Maine Cranbberries

| Posted in Farming

Today’s Maine Sunday Telegram has an article about the state’s small but growing cranberry crop.

While those efforts have fallen short – in part because of high startup costs of cranberry farming – Maine’s acreage has steadily increased from 40 acres in 1997 to nearly 299 acres today, according to the 2007 U.S. Department of Agriculture census. Maine’s harvest pales next to Wisconsin’s. Wisconsin is the nation’s top cranberry producer with 17,700 acres followed by Massachusetts at 13,000 acres.

Under Construction Update

| Posted in Under Construction

According to the agenda for the upcoming Portland City Council meeting:

The French Press Eatery

| Posted in Under Construction

thefrechpressJames Tranchemontagne, owner of The Frog and Turtle, is opening a new restaurant in Westbrook with his wife and brother. The new business is taking over the space formerly occupied by Freaky Bean on Main Street and will be called The French Press Eatery. They plan on having it open in a few weeks and will be serving “12 different breakfast sandwiches, our donuts, soups, salads, sandwiches and a lot of different coffees”.