Maine Calling: Farming in Maine

Wednesday’s episode of Maine Calling on MPBN focuses on what it takes to be successful at farming in Maine and what resources are available to get started.

Maine is bucking a national trend – as farms and farmland shrink in other states, the number of new farms in Maine has been on the rise for more than a decade. What does it take to be a small farmer in Maine?  Where can new farmers turn to get help? We’ll learn what it takes to till the land and make a living as a farmer in Maine.

Sam Hayward will appear on the show today on a segment about the novel Sweetbitter,

We’ll hear from the author about her life as a waitress at an upscale restaurant in NYC, how much of the book is based on her own experiences, and we’ll be joined by a Maine restaurateur and by a Maine writer to get their take on food, restaurants and writing.

Caiola’s

The Urban Eye met with Damian Sansonetti and Ilma Lopez to learn more about their recent purchase of Caiola’s and plans for the West End restaurant.

The couple has ideas for wine dinners, to work in more local produce and feng shui the space, but that is all down the road. For now the biggest change is an Italian ice cream maker in the back and new energy coursing through the sage and terra cotta building, which they now own.

Under Construction: Rossobianco

As part of thee lead-up to the opening of his new Bramhall Square restaurant/natural wine bar, David Levi is holding a Rossobianco (website, facebook, instagram) pop-up at Vinland on July 19th. Diners will get the chance to preview the menu with a 4-course and 3 wine pairing meal for $50.

Maine native  Scott London has been hired as the chef de cuisine. You can bio for him and a menu for the restaurant on the Rossobianco website.

Tickets for the pop-up are available online.

Observations on Caiola’s

The Golden Dish has posted some thoughts and observations on the transition in ownership at Caiola’s and the small impact he’s starting to see on the menu.

When the old is reborn, this or that tweaked, or a  favorite menu item disappears, it’s absolute heresy to old regulars.  But all things change eventually, and it’s exciting to think what such a talented chef as Sansonetti will do in his new kitchen.

Flying Fox Juice Bar Opened Today

flyingfoxjuice_logoFly Fox Juice Bar (instagram, facebook) opened their doors today at 98 Washington Ave. Owner Birch Hincks is serving fresh juices and smoothies as well as iced teas and nitro 44 North Coffee.

Hincks’ vision is to run “a fresh juice and smoothie bar, using a range of local and non-local ingredients. Our focus is to provide products that are delicious, healthy and accessible. Most of our juices and smoothies [will be] more heavily vegetable based, aiming to reduce the amount of sugar content. Our set menu [will be] small, allowing for more space to create rotating seasonally influenced items.”

Flying Fox is open 7:30 – 2.

Summer Visiting Guides: Zagat, Bloomberg, Washingtonian, Saveur

Summer is here and along with the influx of visitors to Portland is a flurry of articles about where to eat, stay, shop and visit:

  • Zagat has posted their list of the Hottest Restaurants in Portland along with video interviews with Rob Evans, Sam Hayward and Andrew Volk. On the list are: Blue Rooster, Central Provisions, Duckfat, Eventide, Fore Street, Lolita, Outliers, Piccolo, Slab, The Holy Donut, Timber, Vinland
  • Bloomberg has posted an article highlighting Maine’s Best New Hotels.
  • Washingtonian magazine has assembled a guide to visiting Maine that highlights a number of shops and restaurants in Portland.
  • Saveur has published a travel piece about visiting Funky Bows in Lyman which it calls “the must-visit brewery tour that’s really a backyard party in disguise”

This Week’s Events: Pulse Benefit, UFF Dinner, Bastille Day, Twilight Dinner

TuesdayDavid’s Opus Ten is serving a 7-couse dinner to benefit the victims of the mass shooting at the Pulse night club.

WednesdayBlack Tie is holding a farm dinner in New Gloucester, Novare Res will be showcasing beer from Jolly Pumpkin Artisan Ales, and the Monument Square Farmers’ Market is taking place.

ThursdayVinland is serving a 5-course UFF dinner, Petite Jacqueline is holding a Bastille Day dinner, and there will be a wine tasting at Anania’s.

Friday — there will be a beer and cheese tasting at the Public Market House and a wine tasting at the West End Rosemont.

Saturday —the Saturday Farmers’ Market will take place in Deering Oaks.

SundayAustin Miller and Hana Tamaki from Mami are the featured chefs for Cultivating Community’s Twilight Dinner, and the weekly Crofters & Artisan Market is taking place.

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.