The Art Of Fine Dining

For those of you who haven't heard about the Kennebunkport Festival, your missing out on a really "Good" & fun event.  The "Good" is Taste Of The Nation Maine's - Share Our Strength/No Kid Hungry program, which since 2006 has mobilized thousands of volunteers and raised over a quarter million dollars for anti-hunger programs across the state. The fun part comes from a dozen or so foodie events, over six nights,  in the Kennebunkport  area. Starting with An Intimate Evening at the White Barn Inn and ending with Bubbles, Brunch & Jazz at the Nonantum. But the heart of this festival is really the 13 intimate and elegant dinners prepared in private homes by some of the areas best chefs. This is where Portlandtown comes in as I was happy to be in the kitchen for two of these dinners on Tuesday & Wednesday evening.

Chef David Ross,  of Local 50,  in Kennebunk, stands behind a built to order La Cornue stove, the first French stove imported to the US, in the kitchen of Nicki Bongiorno, on the ocean in Kennebunkport.

Mike Farrell of Old Vines Bar & Tapas Restaurant, in Kennebunkport, provided the  wine pairings for   evening.

Tilly struts her stuff!

Gnocchi with Wild Mushrooms / Dierberg Pinot Noir 2006

Local Scallops, parsnips, fennel, grapefruit, shellfish reduction / Graff Family Vineyards Viognier 2007

Pineland Farm Beef Tenderloin, Blackrock farm vegetables, horesradish potatoes / 2006 Keenan Cabernet Sauvignon

Artwork by Tollef Runquist

Chocolate Custard, expresso foam, cherries, pistachio crisp / Vinedo de los Vientos "alcone" Tannat NV

Local 50 / Kennebunk

Old Vines Bar & Tapas / Kennebunk

 La Cornue Stoves

Tollef Runquist Artwork

This year's Kennebunkport Festival is Produced & Promoted by Maine Magazine in cooperation with the Kennebunkport Festival Committee.

A larger group of photos from this event is posted on flickr