Blatant Plug, Buy Local, Update #1

Following the frantic goings on of last week, what with new stock arriving daily by UPS or being delivered by the artists; the gallery being turned upside down trying to figure where it all goes, rushing to get out postcards, hang flyers and do an emailing and with a trip to New Haven for Thanksgiving and shooting over 3000 images at the NE Amateur Boxing Finals ( posting thurs/fri ? ) things are coming together, sort of like the calm before the storm!

 3 days left before the official opening of the 2009 Holiday Show and things are going smoothly. Here's  is a look at the gallery as of today.

Now a tip to all you guys out there, two things women love, 1) jewelry... we have it, and

2) chocolate... ditto. In fact on Sunday December 6th from 1 to 4, you can really score big by skipping football (WTBF) and bringing your honey to a Chocolate Tasting, featuring Sweet Marguerites scrumptious chocolates!

Holiday Show Preview page is HERE

Also this weekend

Bradbury Mountain Arts at Mallett Hall, Rte 9, Pownell

The Wine Bar, on Sundaywill have some crafts

If your in Bethel, VT. Becca Van Fleet is opening her new Gallery, 123 Scammel lane

Next weekend

Fraser Art Studio, 81 Congress St.

Photo a Go-Go 10th Anniversary Show, December 11 6-8 with music by King Memphis

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.