Winter Farmers Market

The Portland Daily Sun published a report today about the Winter Farmers Market.

Now, the dozen-plus vendors slated for the winter market are poised to move into the the former St. Dominic’s church, located at 34 Gray St. The building boasts a lower level that can accommodate up to 300 people, and the sanctuary is its own draw, with 60-foot cathedral ceilings and stained glass windows.

If permitting goes as planned, the Portland Winter Market will relaunch Jan. 8 and will continue every Saturday from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. through April 23, when the outdoor Portland Farmer’s Market returns.

Review of Little Seoul

Portland Magazine has published a review of Little Seoul.

Exciting, perfectly located Little Seoul doesn’t just offer one kind of kimchi. To my way of thinking, that would be not-so-deep kimchi. Instead, they offer no fewer than six variations on the 3,000-year-old traditional Korean side dish–each an entirely different explosion to the senses. One of them, the fermented cucumber, is so sneaky, vinegary, and strangely cooling it’s the culinary equivalent of having your office chair spun around halfway by someone surprising you.

This Week’s Events: Cookie Swap, Shrimp Season, First Friday

Wednesday — the Maine Shrimp Season begins today, both Grace (Organic Wines) and Wine Wise (Port) are holding wine education events.

ThursdayThe Great Lost Bear will showcase brews from all of the Smuttynose Brewing, and there will be a wine and cheese tasting at the Public Market House.

Friday — the West End Deli is holding a wine tasting and the First Friday Art Walk is taking place which usually kicks the competition for a table at your favorite restaurant up a notch (more than half on OpenTable are already booked solid for the 7 pm time slot) so make your reservations early.

SaturdayLeRoux Kitchen is holding a wine tasting, the Deering Oaks Farmers Market is taking place.

Sunday — Rabelais is hosting theiri 3rd Annual Cookie Swap at the Quimby Colony, Joanne Chang, author of Flour, A Baker’s Collection of Spectacular Recipes will be on-hand for the swap.

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.

This Week's Events: Cookie Swap, Shrimp Season, First Friday

Wednesday — the Maine Shrimp Season begins today, both Grace (Organic Wines) and Wine Wise (Port) are holding wine education events.
ThursdayThe Great Lost Bear will showcase brews from all of the Smuttynose Brewing, and there will be a wine and cheese tasting at the Public Market House.
Friday — the West End Deli is holding a wine tasting and the First Friday Art Walk is taking place which usually kicks the competition for a table at your favorite restaurant up a notch (more than half on OpenTable are already booked solid for the 7 pm time slot) so make your reservations early.
SaturdayLeRoux Kitchen is holding a wine tasting, the Deering Oaks Farmers Market is taking place.
Sunday — Rabelais is hosting theiri 3rd Annual Cookie Swap at the Quimby Colony, Joanne Chang, author of Flour, A Baker’s Collection of Spectacular Recipes will be on-hand for the swap.
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.

Bar Review of Katahdin

Portland Bar Guide has published a review of Katahdin.

So, you’ve had drink, relaxed and now the aroma of the open kitchen is beckoning you. Try the chilled oysters ($14) from the raw bar or go warm and enjoy the steamed mussels ($12.) How good does a salad with grilled asparagus, baked goat cheese and balsamic sound right now? For dinner, treat yourself to a grilled marinated hanger steak with a tomato corn salad ($22) or the roasted flounder ($20.)

Cupcake Comparsion

Edible Obsessions, The Blueberry Files and Appetite Portland have co-produced a broad survey of cupcake bakers in the Portland area comparing cupcakes from Katie Made, Tulip’s Cupcakery, 158 Pickett Street Cafe, Scratch Baking, Two Fat Cats, Rosemont Market and Cakeface. OF the competition in the fruit cupcake category TBF wrote,

Tulip Cupcakery’s Pumpkin cupcake came in second, with a big pumpkin flavor in a dense, moist cake. The 158 Picket Street Cafe Apple Spice Brown Sugar with Cream Cheese frosting had a mild flavor and was more like a quick bread than a cupcake. It was not my favorite, but Scratch Bakery’s cupcake was a hard act to follow.

Review of Mikes

The Portland Phoenix has published a review of Mike’s.

Two of the best sandwiches were the simplest. The big pile of tender corned beef on the “Fat Mike” tasted of pepper and other spices rather than just salt. The pastrami on the “I Barbarian” is wine-red, tender but not fatty, and more peppery still. Each sandwich came on a marble rye with a smear of fancy mustard.

Vegan Thanksgiving, Box Wine and Brett DeBlieck

The Food & Dining section of today’s Press Herald includes advice on cooking a vegan Thanksgiving dinner.

In recent years, supermarkets have been flooded with processed vegan foods. And while faux meat products such as Tofurky and Celebration Roast can work in a pinch, you’ll satisfy more people at your table when you go the scratch-cooking route.

Also in today’s paper is a declaration by the Appel on Wine column that you can get good wine from a box and a Q+A with sous chef Brett DeBlieck.