USDA & Maine Food

| Posted in Farming

Yesterday’s Portland Daily Sun published a feature article on the federal government’s pilot efforts to promote organic food.

[U.S. Agriculture Deputy Secretary] Merrigan was in Portland to promote more than $19 million in USDA grants that have been awarded to universities to be applied toward organic agriculture research and education. More than $1.3 million of this appropriation was granted to University of Maine and the University of Vermont for an initiative called the “Northern New England Local Bread Wheat Project.”

This project features Portland’s Borealis Breads as one of its partners, with the goal of increasing the supply of locally grown organic wheat.

Coffee Service

| Posted in General News, Reviews

The USM Free Press has published a review comparing and contrasting the coffee at StarEast and Big Sky.

Both the Star East Cafe and Big Sky Bread Company have other things going for them than what they offer for coffee and breakfast. However, first impressions are first impressions, and Star East didn’t cut it by a long shot. It might be a good place if you are interested in trying falafel or okra stew, but it’s no coffee shop. Big Sky Bread Company takes the cake.

While an unrelated article in the Portland Daily Sun commented on the politics of where you get your java in a independent store friendly food town.

Review of Norm's East End Grill

| Posted in Reviews

Portland Bar Guide has published a review of Norm’s East End Grill.

The bar though, is like the really quiet, interesting guy standing behind the loud, drunk popular guy at a party. You know how some bars are stocked like they’re prepping for Prohibition? Norm’s has one of each of all the bottles you could want, but not two. They make feisty creative drinks with their own names, like the East End Margarita ($7), and pour Maine beers out of subtle, central taps at the elbow of the corner bar. The highlight of the whole scene? The tunes.

Review of Norm’s East End Grill

| Posted in Reviews

Portland Bar Guide has published a review of Norm’s East End Grill.

The bar though, is like the really quiet, interesting guy standing behind the loud, drunk popular guy at a party. You know how some bars are stocked like they’re prepping for Prohibition? Norm’s has one of each of all the bottles you could want, but not two. They make feisty creative drinks with their own names, like the East End Margarita ($7), and pour Maine beers out of subtle, central taps at the elbow of the corner bar. The highlight of the whole scene? The tunes.

Events Addendum

| Posted in Events

Here are a few additional events taking place this week that weren’t on the list published earlier today:

  • Tuesday—Flatbread and Rippling Waters Farm are teaming up to raise money for a elementary school garden. Fo every pizza $3 goes to the project.
  • Thursday—The Great Lost Bear weekly showcase is featuring beers from Unibroue.
  • Friday—Devenish Wines is holding a wine tasting at the West End Deli.

For more information on these and other upcoming food happenings in the area, visit the event calendar.

This Week's Events

| Posted in Events

Monday—The weekly Piatto per Tutti cooking class and the Foodie Trivia Contest are taking place this evening. As is the Full Moon Cask Beer Night at Sebago Brewing.
Tuesday—Bar Lola is holding a beer dinner featuring brews from Belgium and France, and there’s a Japanese cooking class taking place at SMCC.
Wednesday—The Monument Square Farmers’ Market takes places in the morning. I the evening, The Salt Exchange is running their weekly wine and canapes event, and Black Tie Bistro is holding a cooking class.
Friday—First Friday Art Walk is taking place. Restaurants tend to be very busy during FFAW so make your reservation early.
Saturday—The Deering Oaks Farmers’ Market takes places in the morning. The Maine Brewer’s Festival has sessions planned for both the afternoon and evening at the Portland Expo.
For more information on these and other upcoming food happenings in the area, visit the event calendar.

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.