Blatant Plug, Buy Local

In my other life, when I'm not taking photos, I'm often helping out in my wife's pottery business and our Gallery.  We live in a small Victorian in the Deering section of the city just off Forest Ave on Read Street. A minutes walk from the Starbucks, where I never go for coffee.  Most years we are doing a craft show in Gaithersburg, MD in mid november and then home and back to New Haven for Thanksgiving Dinner at my sister-in-laws house, which leaves little time and less energy to put into the Gallery for the holiday season.  Some years we do a little and some years less.

BUT NOT THIS YEAR!!!  We decided to stay off the road and put our time and energy into "the gallery at Toby Rosenberg Pottery".  Here is what we have come up with. A show of exquisitely hand crafted gifts featuring local artists... Holiday Show Preview  In the last few days several more artists have brought items in that I haven't had time to photograph and I'll get to that this weekend and I'll add to this post early next week with some listings for other local holiday shows.

Rosemont Market /Munjoy Hill /Wine Tasting

         PBC New England Championship Semi Finals

Boxing is Here

Sorry I'm late on this, I know I said Thursday.

If it's Friday this must be, ah... well there's only one item on the Portland Food Map calendar, a wine tasting at Rosemont Market on the hill. 4:30 off I go!

A new law passed in the last legislature requires that wine tastings be somewhat "hidden".  Apparently the mere sight of adults drinking alcoholic beverages can drive young children over to the dark side. This has caused a mini revolt amongst store owners due to the expense (for both the store owner and the state, which with a handful of agents has to re-certify each place wanting to do tastings. It also has caused a significant backlog of locations waiting for same.) The law is expected to be repealed in January when the gutters are sure to be littered with drunken toddlers sipping Mad Dog 20/20 and Ripple.  I myself have been to drunk on beer to have noticed them in the past, but I'll keep an eye out for them now!

For those of you who don't live on Munjoy Hill but live on the peninsula a trip to either of the two Rosemont locations, the other is on Brighton Ave at ( You Guest It ) corner might surprise you with the variety of food, much of it made in their kitchen with lots of local ingredients.

Well bottoms up, and I hope you enjoyed this week in food. I know I did and I'll be looking for more. Portland Food Map has added a couple of late items for this weekend, so check it out.

One more thing, I'd like comments on how these food images from the dinners look on your browsers, Tasty or Not! Thanks and nice meeting some of you today at Rosemont.
Wine provided by Nat Saywell of R. P. Imports,  priced from $7.99 to $19.99
Rosemont Market *Portland...774-8129  *Munjoy Hill... 773-7888  *Yarmouth... 846-1224

Vignola/4th Annual Allagash Beer Dinner

As any of you how have been following me around this week know my taste buds have been getting a real workout! Thursday night was the last of the three major dinners with Vignola hosting their 4th Annual Allagash Beer Dinner.

I'll do a follow up post sometime soon with all three dinner menus. But here is the  cliff notes version of tonights feast.
The Intro... Winter Squash, Steak Tartare, Shrimp & Avocado.

One... Croque Monsier with pork Belly & Allagash Fluxus 09.

Two... A trio of House Made Raviolis & Allagash Black.

Three... Pan Seared Scallop with Cauliflower Puree & Allagash Interlude 09.

Four... Roasted Duck Leg, Vinigash Gastrique & Allagash Gargamel and Allagash Vagabond.

These last two beers were the last of the brew and the dinner patrons were very lucky indeed as these were small batch (500 bottles) and will never be seen much less tasted again!

Finnish... Biscotti, Ciambelline, Pizzelles & Allagash White or Coffee.

Tonights dinner ran the longest and was much more of a party atmosphere with people mixing with each other all over the restaurant. I'd highly recommend putting this on your radar for next year!!!
well the week is almost done with only a wine tasting at Rosemont at their Munjoy Hill location for friday.  There is a book signing at Rabelais (4:00) Barbara Lynch, chef/owner of No. 9 Park, James Beard Award for Best Chef Northeast in 2003 and author of Stir: Mixing it Up in the Italian Tradition, will be at Rabelais for a book signing.

Cinque Terre / Slow Food

Day three of my personal hell week (it's now 2.29 AM) brought me to  Cinque Terre, on Wharf Street, for a "Slow Food's Tuscon Dinner."  Six courses, Five wines! I'm not going to say much about the food, except that I talked to ten of the people at the dinner afterwards and they all raved, giving it a big thumbs up. The whole concept of "Slow Food's" could be another post, but let's say it's a cousin to the 30 Mile Meal idea to eat local, eat fresh, know your food.  Much of the food tonight was grown local and prepared on the premise. The meal was part of a national promotion of  "Slow Food" farm to table movement at 6 to 8 premier restaurants around the country.

I'll post the menu tomorrow, when I'm awake enough not to make any mistakes!  Lots of stuff tomorrow happening all at once, but I plan on being in the kitchen for the Allagash Tasting dinner at Cinque Terre's  sister restaurant Vignola, they have back to back kitchens with an open wall between them.

Bar Lola

Tuesday I visited two more items on the Portland Food Map calendar. The opening party for the Simply Devine Brownies new store, in the Eastland Park Hotel lobby at 4:30 PM.

From there I went to the Wine Dinner at Bar Lola on Munjoy Hill.

Five courses paired with five wines from Portugal!

Chilled Mussels  Escabechie w/ pickled Peppers /  Vino Verde, 2008

Caldo Verde w/Chorizo  & Smoked Paprika / Quinta Do Alqueve 2006

Serano Ham & Cheese Torta w/Puff Pastry & Baby  Greens /
Domingos Touriga Nacional & Syrah, 2006

Herb Crusted Market Fish w saffron Cream / Nieport Twisted Douro, 2006

Nestled on a Bed of Local (Ocean Approved) Seaweed

Caramel Chocolate Rice Pudding / Nieport Ruby Port, NV

Yours truly got to taste little bites along the way and can say it tasted as good as it looked!
Website is here.
100 Congress Street | Portland, Maine 04101 | 207.775.5652 | info@barlola.net


Tomorrow remember the Farmers Market is in Monument Square.  Black Tie Bistro has a cooking class at their Commercial Street Market. Website is here. Info about classes is at the bottom of the page.
And I will be at Cinque Terra on Dana Street in the Old Port for a "Slow Food Dinner.

"Piatti per Tutti" A Place for Everbody

Before I get to todays post, I need to note for you boxing fans that I will get to the  PBC New England Championship Semi Finals later in the week, probably thursday.

Today starts a journey thru the Portland Food Map  calendar section.

I check in there often and noticed that this week is especially busy.

The regular monday food & drink trivia at Bull Feeny's

Simply Divine Brownies store opening in the Eastland on tuesday

The Portland Farmers market on wednesday

Maine mead Works Pub Crawl and Shipyards Prelude party on thursday

3 wine tastings... Falmouth, Portland, Scarboro, on thursday & friday

3 cooking classes, including todays post, "Piatti per Tutti" with chef Stephan Lanzalotta, author of "The Diet Code", at Micucci's; and SMCC Cooking Class and Black Tie Bistro are the other two.

Plus the weeks biggies three dinners

The first is a wine dinner, tuesday at Bar Lola on Munjoy Hill,

The 2nd is the "Slow Food Dinner"  wednesday at Cingue Terra

The 3rd is the 4th Annual Allagash Tasting dinner at Vignola!

MONDAY 2 FRIDAY, 14 items: I thought why not do as many as I can or at least one every day.  So let's get started!

Many of you know Stephan's food locally from his previous adventure, Sofia's Bakery, in the Portland's Old Port.  If you missed it, well I'm sorry for you: You will find this on quote his website

"[your cannoli are] better than Ferrara's!
 Molto Bene! Molto Grazie!"-- Frank Serpico

Now days he can be found working his magic on breads and pastries at Micucci's on India street where he also teaches his cooking classes.

The 1st delectable was Cannelloni ("cannelloni are rolled, simple and straight sided, while manicotti are preshaped tubes, often ridged, and usually with ends on a diagonal--homemade versions are rolled corner to corner along the diagonal. Cannelloni can be stuffed with cheese, meat or vegetables and topped with tomato or cream sauce...")

After we finished eating these we needed a dessert, that's where the brownies came in.

Soft but firm, moist, chocolaty with a mix of milk and dark, flaky topped and caramel colored, lovely with a cup of coffee!

Check back daily to follow my week!

PBC11.07_NEChampionshipQuarterFinals

This past Saturday night saw the Portland Boxing Club come alive with a pack crowd for the Quarter Final round of the Boxing New England Amateur Championships.  A competitive eleven bout card saw plenty of spirited action with several knockdowns to highlight the evening and a Portland Boxing Club fighter take the last fight by a stoppage! Next Saturday the Morrills Corner gym hosts the semi finals starting at 8: PM. Visit the PBC website for info on tickets & directions.  Tel 207-761-0975

For lots more photos go to:  http://www.flickr.com/photos/doda_foto/