Coffee from the Rwanda Bean Company is starting to show up on retail shelves in Portland. Founders Mike Mwenedata and Nick Mazuroski buy beans directly from farmers in the Rwandan province of Karora. The Portland-based coffee roaster has pledged to donate 50% of net profits to fund community development projects in Rwanda.
All three coffees from RBC are available at Aurora Provisions: Ikizere medium roast, Ishema Blend, and Ikerekezo blond roast. RBC is holding their official launch party on February 27th.
Tuesday — it’s the opening night for the Drifter’s Wife, and the monthly local foods networking breakfast is taking place.
Wednesday — the James Beard Foundation will release the semifinal list of nominees for this year’s awards, and Old Port Wines is having a South African wine tasting.
Thursday — Elements in Biddeford is holding a Free Pour Latte Art Competition, The Great Lost Bear will showcase beer from Fore River Brewing, and there will be a Rising Tide tap takeover at Ri Ra.
Saturday — The Rosemont Maker series continues with Old Crow Ranch, and the Winter Farmers’ Market is taking place.
Sunday — Home Catering and The Farm Stand are collaborating on a Winter Harvest Dinner, and Tiqa is teaching a cooking class.
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 pair of new businesses have announced their opening plans:
Portland Mash Tun opened their doors last night. The bar and brewpub operates a ½ barrel brewery onsite at 29 Wharf Street. Owner Rick Binet is also a co-owner of the King’s Head Pub.
Mash Tun serves a small menu that includes: a grass fed burger, veggie burger, Parmesan salad, sauteed Brussels sprouts, and a cheese plate.
The Drifter’s Wife (website, facebook, instagram) is scheduled to open on Tuesday at 4pm. The natural wine bar has been built into the front half of Maine & Loire at 63 Washington Ave.
Owners Orenda and Peter Hale are working with their former Wythe hotel colleague, chef Ben Jackson to launch the wine bar. The opening night menu is still in the works but you see a draft on the Drifter’s Wife website.
Ilma Lopez, pastry chef and co-owner of Piccolo, is a finalist for a Golden Bowl award from the Women Chefs and Restaurateurs Organization. The award recognizes “excellence in baking and pastry arts and honoring a woman whose skill in the baking and pastry arts inspires others”.
Annemarie Ahearn, owner of Saltwater Farm in Rockport is a finalist in the Golden Pencil category. The award recognizes “dedication to teaching that is making a difference to the culinary world and honoring a woman who inspires her students to achieve both technically and creatively”.
The Golden Dish has posted a first look report on Rhum.
Rhum is seriously fun. The food is creatively conceived, with highly sophisticated flavors that are lavishly delicious. As a lounge, it’s the tops of tikidom!
Petite Jacqueline is slated to re-open in May. The bistro will be merged with Portland Patisserie and the new business will occupy 46 Market Street. The reconfigured space will include a bar and seat 48 overall. The plan is to serve breakfast, lunch and dinner at the new Petite Jacqueline 7 days a week.
The Beard Foundation will release the list of semi-finalists for this year’s awards program next week. While we wait to find out what Maine chefs and restaurants made the cut, I thought it would be good time to research how the Foundation selects nominees and pick the winners.
Here’s what the process looks like:
October – The Beard Foundation put out an open call for the public to submit their suggestions. In 2014 35,000 entries were received.
End of Year – 250 regional panelists (25 for each of the 10 regions) submit their recommendations.
januaury – the Restaurant and Chefs Awards Committee review submissions from panelists and the public to select the strongest contenders in each category.
Mid-February – The “long list” of semi-final nominees is released.
February/March – regional panelists, former award winners and committee members—about 600 people in all—vote. The top 5 entries in each category are become nominees. Ballots are sent out and votes are tabulated by the independent accounting firm Lutz & Carr.
Mid-March – the “short list” of nominees is released.
March/April – A final ballot is conducted with the same group (panelists, winners, and committee members) to determine the winner in each of the categories.
Early May – the winners are announced at the Beard Awards Gala in Chicago.
There are a total of 21 restaurant and chef awards in 12 categories. Maine chefs and restaurants have been in the running every year for at least the past decade.
For more information visit the Policies and Procedures page on the JBF website.
