The Blueberry Files has published a review of Urban Sugar.
The maple frosting piped on top of the hot donuts quickly started melting and mixing with the bacon jam – which I assumed was just like candied bacon or something. But a few bites revealed that the jam also contained onions, creating a sweet and savory mix. The hot crunchy donuts, cool maple frosting, and salty bacon all mixed together was pretty fantastic.
The Root is reporting on a new collaboration between Masa Miyake and Wolfe Neck Farm and a Q&A about Miyake Diner.
SK: How will the new restaurant differ from the two existing ones? How is the food different from the food at the other restaurants?
WG: Miyake Diner will differ from the existing restaurants in a couple of ways. First the menu. We will be serving items that could be considered Japanese comfort food in many ways. This will consist of curry, doria, pork cutlet, udon, shabu-shabu, okonomiyake etc. Though seemingly simple dishes we will strive to have a menu that is concise yet dynamic in a manner that we will be offering authentic Japanese fare that Portland residents have not had the opportunity to sample in not only our current restaurants but also in Maine.
Frontier Psychiatrist has published an interview with David Levi about his background and his upcoming restaurant Vinland.
FP: So, the burning question: what is the food going to be like?
DL: Wild foods are the ultimate for me. We are biologically wild animals, we evolved to eat wild foods, wild foods are more nutritious, they are more unusual and exciting and varied than anything we can buy, and they connect us in the most fundamental way to our landbase. I’m really interested in fermentation, especially wild fermentation (as in, fermenting without a starter culture, just relying on wild bacteria and yeast), so there will be lots of fermented ingredients and lots of foods that can be stored through the winter. Clearly, I won’t be using any food ingredients I can’t get in Maine. So, no olive oil, no black pepper, no lemon. This is where creativity comes in.
Tuesday — there will be a wine tasting at Rosemont on Congress Street and the 6th Annual Indie Biz awards presentation is taking place.
Wednesday —, it’s the opening day of Harvest on the Harbor, Piccolo is hosting a wine dinner, the Mayor is hosting a public forum on his Healthy and Sustainable Food System initiative, there will be a wine tasting at Rosemont on Brighton, and the Monument Square Farmers Market is taking place in the morning.
Thursday — It’s Food Day 2013, Piccolo will reprising their wine dinner from the prior night, Tandem and Rosemont are collaborating on a tasting event, the El Rayo Cantina is holding a Harvest Dinner, a tasting is taking place at the Bier Cellar, the Great Lost Bear will be showcasing pumpkin beers, and it’s the 2nd day of Harvest on the Harbor.
Friday — both the Cumberland Club and BiBo’s are holding wine dinners, and it’s the 3rd day of Harvest on the Harbor.
Saturday — Rosemont is holding a Harvest Festival at their location on Commercial Street, it’s the 4th day of Harvest on the Harbor, and the Deering Oaks Farmers Market is taking place.
Sunday — American Sommelier is teaching a class on Spanish wines.
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.
The Golden Dish reports that Frederick Eliot has left Spread to lead the kitchen at Petite Jacqueline.
A significant chef’s shuffle occurred this week–namely, that Frederick Eliot–Portland’s Frenchman chef–who dazzled diners from his kitchen at Spread has been whisked away to preside at Petite Jacqueline where he will commandeer the stove in true Gallic fashion.
Last week he also posted his choice for the top 3 restaurants in Portland.
My picks will not be a surprise to many of you. They are Five Fifty-Five, Back Bay Grill and Fore Street. The uber-superb Hugo’s should have been on the list but their menu is strictly prix fixe, without a la carte offerings; that wouldn’t fit into this plan.
The business under construction at 3 Deering Ave is a ethnic market called Tawakal Store. Tawakal is currently located at 646 Congress Street.
The 207 Foodie has published a review of Little Tap House.
Although I’m a little bit late jumping on the bandwagon and their six month anniversary is right around the corner, Little Tap House is worth a try for food that is not at all pretentious, but instead local and fresh. Lovingly prepared, from the honey butter to the exquisite flavor combinations, I’m sure that your mouth will be happy.
The Root has published an overview of Food Day 2013.
The third annual Food Day is almost here and things are revving up! We’ve got one week till the now annual celebration of healthy, affordable, and sustainable food happens on Thursday, October 24. Year-round, Food Day is devoted to mobilizing support for policies that advance healthier diets, promote sustainable and organic agriculture, reduce hunger, reform factory farms, and support fair working conditions for food and farm workers. The special focus of Food Day 2013 will be to encourage children to cook—and to encourage adults who can cook to pass on their skills.
Bols Genever and Thirst Boston have worked with three Portland establishments to organize a Punch Crawl this Monday.
Each bar will be doing a different punch using Bols Genever. Punch Crawl staff will be at each destination to buy your drink for you and giving away Bols/Thirst Boston swag.
Here is the schedule:
It sounds like just the sort of event that will have Neal Dow spinning in his grave.
In the latest entry from Immigrant Kitchens, Lindsay Sterling learns how to make Nicaraguan Pineapple Pork from Jenny Sanchez (read the story, get the recipe and see the photos).
First, to the butcher. Ten minutes of bilingual banter and confusing hand gestures finally resulted in the desired meat cut: a rack of St. Louis style pork ribs that the butcher had run through the saw lengthwise twice, which cut the ribs perpendicularly into thirds. At home Jenny and I cut between the ribs so we ended up with a pile of bite-sized bone-in ribs. This struck me as a brilliant idea. If gnawing on bite-sized bones is what people love about chicken wings, they’re going to get a kick out of this.