Monday — the final list of nominees for this year’s James Beard Awards are scheduled to be announced. Check back later today for details on which semi-finalists from Maine made the short list.

Tuesday — Local Sprouts is hosting their monthly local foods networking breakfast, and the Urban Farm Fermentory is teaching a workshop on how to plan an herb garden.

Wednesday — The 7th annual Gala for Gary is taking place, and Wine Wise is leading an French Reds wine walk.

Thursday — there will be a wine and cheese tasting at the Public Market House, and The Great Lost Bear is showcasing beer from Harpoon Brewery.

Friday — there will be a wine tasting at Rosemont on Brighton.

Saturday —there will be a gelato tasting at Rosemont on Brighton and the Winter Farmers Market is taking place at the Irish Heritage Center.

Sunday — it’s Maine Maple Sunday, and BiBo’s Madd Apple Cafe is holding a Wine Brunch (menu).

Taste of the Nation — tickets are now on sale for this year’s Taste of the Nation fundraiser to fight hunger in Maine.

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.

Monday — Dobra is holding Japanese Tea tasting.

Tuesday — Vin et Grub is hosting a dinner club.

Wednesday — The annual PSO Wine Dinner & Auction is taking place, Bunker Brewing is holding a launch party for their newest beer, and Wine Wise is leading an French Whites wine walk.

Thursday — The Salt Exchange is hosting an Ides of March bourbon dinner and The Great Lost Bear is holding their annual Stout Bout.

Saturday — Brian Boru is opening at 6 am for an Saint Patrick’s Day breakfast, and the Winter Farmers Market is taking place at the Irish Heritage Center.

Sunday — the Urban Farm Fermentory will beaching a shitake mushroom growing workshop.

All Month — Starting on Thursday and running throughout the month of March, Grace, Miyake, Pai Men Miyake and the Foreside Tavern in Falmouth will make a donation to fight hunger in Maine for every 3- or 7-course meal you order. “The idea that there are children in our state the are hungry is simply unacceptable to us. When we learned that each dollar raised connects a child with ten meals we knew we could make an impact right here in our own community.” said Anne Verrill, owner of Grace & The Foreside Tavern.

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.

Today’s Press Herald and Portland Daily Sun contain reports on this year’s Incredible Breakfast Cook-off.

The Good Table competed to successfully defend its title, having taken people’s choice the past two years with its Crème Brulee French Toast.  First and second runners-up were Sea Dog and Bintliff’s Restaurant, Oqunquit.

Monday — Maine Restaurant Week continues through Saturday; see the MRW’s website for a full list of participating restaurants.

Wednesday — Wine Wise is leadingan Italian Reds wine walk.

Friday — the Incredible Breakfast Cook-off is taking place at Sea Dog Brewing in South Portland.

Saturday — the Winter Farmers Market is taking place at the Irish Heritage Center.

Sunday — Dobra is holding Japanese Tea tasting.

All Month — Starting on Thursday and running throughout the month of March, Grace, Miyake, Pai Men Miyake and the Foreside Tavern in Falmouth will make a donation to fight hunger in Maine for every 3- or 7-course meal you order. “The idea that there are children in our state the are hungry is simply unacceptable to us. When we learned that each dollar raised connects a child with ten meals we knew we could make an impact right here in our own community.” said Anne Verrill, owner of Grace & The Foreside Tavern.

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.

Food Coma TV and talented photographer Zack Bowen are hosting an exhibit tonight for First Friday of images that Bowen captured during the first season of FCTV. The exhibit is taking place at Might & Main (28 Maple Street, Suite 202).

For more information see the event listing on Facebook.

Today’s Press Herald includes a report out on last night’s cocktail and dessert competition,

Asked what he was looking for in a winner, [John] Myers said, “It’s that X factor.”

“I want something that’s going to stand out, something that I don’t know exactly what they made it of, something that I wish I had come up with, you know,” Myers said. “And something that I want two or three of.”

a 4 star review of the Museum Cafe,

My sandwich tasted entirely original. Served cold on dark bread with fresh greens, it included moist flanks of freshly prepared chicken with a creamy, zesty sauce. It came with a few chips on the side, and was entirely satisfying.

a bar review of the 15 Exchange Grille,

Under a sign that reads, “think different,” the full bar is displayed with some choice liquor bottles placed on cubed shelves. That’s where I spotted a bottle of Crown Royal and opted for a Crown and ginger that cost $8. After a few sips, I determined that was pricey, considering there was more ginger ale in the glass than whisky.

and this week’s What Ales You column.

The Portland Phoenix has published a report on a local food forum being organized by Local Sprouts.

Attendees, whether they are farmers, business owners, lawyers, accountants, schools, emergency-food service organizations, or people with technical, marketing, or writing skills, can meet and discuss ways to share resources and collaborate.

The gatherings led to a desire for a larger food discussion, presently called the Portland Community Food Forum: Creating a Healthy and Resilient Food System. It’s tentatively scheduled to be held on Thursday, April 19, at the Woodfords Congregational Church in Portland, Fertig says.

Wednesday — to kick-off Maine Restaurant Week the organizers have planned a cocktail and pastry competition at the Portland Harbor Hotel. Also taking place that night are a 4-course rabbit and Austrian wine dinner at Grace, a kimchi workshop at the Urban Farm Fermentory, and Pilot Beer Night at Sebago Brewing.

Thursday — the opening day of Maine Restaurant Week which runs March 1-10; see the MRW’s website for a full list of participating restaurants. As part of MRW the culinary team from Cinque Terre and Vignola will be offering a multi-course tasting menu at the Danforth Inn. Also on Thursday, The Great Lost Bear will be showcasing beer from Redhook Brewery.

Friday — there will be a wine tasting at the West End Deli and a bourbon tasting at The Salt Exchange, and the tasting menu at the Danforth Inn will be available for a second night. First Friday Art Walk is taking place and MRW week continues so restaurants will be packed so be sure to make your reservations soon.

Saturday — the Peaks Island Gastro Society is holding their March Dinner (6 courses including Pinot Noir braised Montana Antelope and a Terrine of Maine Goose & Oregon Truffles), there will be a sake tasting at LeRoux Kitchen, Wine Wise is holding a wine walk in the Old Port, it’s the final night of the tasting menu at the Danforth Inn, and the Winter Farmers Market is taking place at the Irish Heritage Center.

Sunday — Maine Restaurant Week continues.

All Month — Starting on Thursday and running throughout the month of March, Grace, Miyake, Pai Men Miyake and the Foreside Tavern in Falmouth will make a donation to fight hunger in Maine for every 3- or 7-course meal you order. “The idea that there are children in our state the are hungry is simply unacceptable to us. When we learned that each dollar raised connects a child with ten meals we knew we could make an impact right here in our own community.” said Anne Verrill, owner of Grace & The Foreside Tavern.

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.

Tuesday — the James Beard Foundation is scheduled to release the semifinalists for this year’s awards competition, Local Sprouts is hosting a local foods networking breakfast, and a Mardi Gras dinner is taking place at The Salt Exchange.

Thursday — Browne Trading and the Public Market House are holding a wine tastings.

Saturday — the Winter Farmers Market is taking place at the Irish Heritage Center.

Sunday — Dobra is teaching a Pu’er Tea class, Hugo’s is holding a 7-course tasting dinner, the 2012 CSA Fair is taking place, and Midnight in Paris is on the schedule for movie night at Petite Jacqueline.

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.

Valentine’s Day — it’s one of the busiest restaurant days of the year. There are ample options to choose from in the list below or you can try one of the suggestions assembled by Portland-area bloggers last week.

• Bar Lola, $45, 5-course dinner with optional wine pairings
• BiBo’s Madd Apple Cafe, $40 3-course dinner
• Bresca, 5-course Paris 2066 Dinner, $65 per person, $100 per person with wine pairings
• Cinque Terre, 5-course on February 13 and 14, $59.95
• East Ender, 3-courses $40 with the option of wine pairings for $18
• El Rayo Cantina, is putting together a special Valentine’s Day menu
• Five Fifty-Five, your choice of $75 or $100 5-course meals in the restaurant or a 3-course $55 dinner in the lounge
• Gelato Fiasco, Valentine-themed red, pink, white, and chocolate flavors
• Geno’s Rock Club will be the venue for the Local Muscle Valentine’s Day Film Festival
  
• Novare Res, Sweet Marguerites chocolates paired with beer from the Novare Res menu, February 10-14
• Petite Jacqueline, $65 4-course dinner with optional wine pairings
• Sea Glass, 4-course dinner $62
• Sea Grass Bistro, 4-course $65
• Sebago Brewing, is offering a special Valentine’s Day menu
• Sonny’s is hosting the launch party for Bunker Brewing
• The Inn on Peaks Island, 3-course dinner, $55 includes a champagne toast
• The Frog & Turtle, $45 3-course
• The Salt Exchange has posted their Valentine’s Day menu
• Vignola, 4-course, $39.95
• Wine Wise, Wine & Chocolate Pairings, $35
• Zackery’s, serving a special Valentine’s Day menu
• Zapoteca, $40 with optional pairings for $20, served February 10-14

Wednesday — a lecture entitled “What’s Eating Maine: An Excursion into the Local Food System” is taking place at USM.

Thursday — the Brighton Ave Rosemont is hosting Cortijo Winery for a wine tasting.

Saturday — the the Winter Farmers Market is being held.

Sunday — Miyake is holding a 9-course wine dinner, and Ratatouille is on the schedule for movie night at Petite Jacqueline.

James Beard Awards — the James Beard Foundation is scheduled to release the list of semi-finalists for this year’s JBF Awards on February 21. The final list of nominees will be out March 19 and the winners will be announced May 4.

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.

Bayside Bowl won this year’s WMPG Cajun Cookin’ Challenge. The Great Lost Bear came in 2nd place and Silly’s came in 3rd.

Monday — there will be an Italian Wine Seminar co-hosted by Caiola’s and Devenish Wines.

Tuesday — the 17th Annual Cajun Cooking Challenge is taking place, the organizers of Green Drinks are hosting a Green Dinner at The Salt Exchange and the UFF is teaching a mushroom growing workshop.

Wednesday — a wine tasting is taking place at Old Port Wine Merchants. LeRoux Kitchen, in cooperation with chef Skawinski from Cinque, is holding an Italian cooking demonstration.

Thursday — Browne Trading is hosting a Port and Chocolate tasting, an Italian wine dinner is taking place at Vignola, and the Public Market House will be the site of a UFF cider and kombucha tasting.

Friday — it’s the first day of a chocolate and beer menu at Novare Res, and there will be a wine tasting at Aurora Provisions.

Saturday — Chef Jeff Kingman will be preparing the February Peaks Island Gastro Society dinner, the UFF is teaching an apple tree pruning workshop, LeRoux is holding a sweet and savory crepe cooking demo, and the the Winter Farmers Market is being held.

Sunday — Man and a Woman is on the schedule for movie night at Petite Jacqueline, Dobra is teaching a Black Tea Workshop, and the 18th Annual Chilli and Chowder Challenge is taking place.

Valentine’s Day — Valentine’s Day is fast approaching. Here are the V Day options I’ve heard of so far. Post a comment with info for others that I should add to the list.

• Bar Lola, $45, 5-course dinner with optional wine pairings
• BiBo’s Madd Apple Cafe, $40 3-course dinner
• Bresca, 5-course Paris 2066 Dinner, $65 per person, $100 per person with wine pairings
• Cinque Terre, 5-course on February 13 and 14, $59.95
• East Ender, 3-courses $40 with the option of wine pairings for $18
• El Rayo Cantina, is putting together a special Valentine’s Day menu
• Five Fifty-Five, your choice of $75 or $100 5-course meals in the restaurant or a 3-course $55 dinner in the lounge
• Gelato Fiasco, Valentine-themed red, pink, white, and chocolate flavors
• Geno’s Rock Club will be the venue for the Local Muscle Valentine’s Day Film Festival
  
• Novare Res, Sweet Marguerites chocolates paired with beer from the Novare Res menu, February 10-14
• Peaks Island Gastro Society, $100 6-course prix fixe with wine pairings on Saturday February 11
• Petite Jacqueline, $65 4-course dinner with optional wine pairings
• Sea Glass, 4-course dinner $62
• Sea Grass Bistro, 4-course $65
• Sebago Brewing, is offering a special Valentine’s Day menu
• The Inn on Peaks Island, 3-course dinner, $55 includes a champagne toast
• The Frog & Turtle, $45 3-course
• The Salt Exchange has posted their Valentine’s Day menu
• Vignola, 4-course, $39.95
• Wine Wise, Wine & Chocolate Pairings, $35
• Zackery’s, serving a special Valentine’s Day menu
• Zapoteca, $40 with optional pairings for $20, served February 10-14

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.

Tuesday — Chef David Levi is teaching a cooking class. The class will teach how to “create and craft delicious and nourishing dishes using exclusively organic, local, and sometimes wild ingredients.”

Wednesday — Pai Men Miyake and Rosemont are co-hosting a wine dinner featuring Hillinger wines from Austria, and David Levi is holding a second (sold out) session of his cooking class.

Thursday — The Great Lost Bear is featuring Gritty’s at their weekly brewery showcase, and Rosemont is holding a wine tasting.

Friday — Coffee by Design is holding a pair of coffee cuppings, and there will be a wine tasting at the West End Deli.

Saturday — a Bakery Pop-up Shop is taking place at Akari, sales at the pop-up shop will benefit the Good Shepherd Food Bank. There will be a wine tasting LeRoux Kitchen, Wine Wise is leading a Cabernet wine walk in the Old Port, and the Winter Farmers Market is being held.

Sunday — La Vie en Rose is on the schedule for movie night at Petite Jacqueline, and Maine food historian Sandy Oliver will be speaking at the Freeport Historical Society about the history of chocolate in American cooking.

Valentine’s Day — memories of New Year’s Eve are just fading and it’s already time to start making plans for Valentine’s Day. Here are the first few V Day options I’ve heard of. Post a comment with info for others that I should add to the list.

• Bar Lola, $45, 5-course dinner with optional wine pairings
• Bresca, 5-course Paris 2066 Dinner, $65 per person, $100 per person with wine pairings
• Cinque Terre, 5-course on February 13 and 14, $59.95
  
• Peaks Island Gastro Society, $100 6-course prix fixe with wine pairings on Saturday February 11
• Petite Jacqueline, $65 4-course dinner with optional wine pairings
• The Salt Exchange has posted their Valentine’s Day menu
• Vignola, 4-course, $39.95

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.

Altadonna

The Bangor Daily News has published a report on Bard’s monthly barista TNT latte art competition.

Once a month or so, they come. Some rookies, some veterans. All seeking the four weeks of bragging rights in the Portland coffee community that come from a Thursday Night Throwdown title.

On the final Thursday of most months, Bard Coffee hosts a raucous playoff style competition to see who can whip up the best art in a head of latte foam.

Bard has also posted a set of photos from the January competition.

Monday — the Portland Pie Council is hosting the 3rd Annual Portland Pie and Art Gala in celebration of National Pie Day. The Pie Council has also just issued the Official Portland Pie Council 2012 Cookbook. Erin Lynch, kitchen manager at Rosemont, and Ned Swain from Devenish Wines will be on Good Day Maine (Chanel 13 WGME) to talk about National Pie Day.

Wednesday — Wine Wise the Chadwick Bed & Breakfast are collaborating on a Pork and Pinot Noir wine dinner.

Thursday — it’s the first night of the Ice Bar at the Portland Harbor Hotel, Bard is hosting the monthly latte art competition, the Urban Farm Fermentory is teaching a Kombucha workshop, there will be wine tastings the Public Market House and at Browne Trading and the 13th Annual Brewpub Cup is taking place at The Great Lost Bear.

Friday — farmers from around the state will be convening in Freeport for the annual Maine Farmers Market Convention, there will be a wine tasting at Rosemont on Brighton, and it’s the second night of the Ice Bar at the Portland Harbor Hotel.

Saturday — the Winter Farmers Market is being held, the Maine Farmers Market Convention continues in Freeport, and it’s the last night of the Ice Bar at the Portland Harbor Hotel

Sunday — Julie and Julia is on the schedule for movie night at Petite Jacqueline and the Urban Farm Fermentory is teaching a kimchi workshop.

Vinland Cooking Classes — Chef David Levi will be offering a pair of classes that focus on “cooking and preparing food as an expression of place and season in Maine”. The classes are taking place January 31 and February 1. More information is available on the Vinland website.

Valentine’s Day — memories of New Year’s Eve are just fading and it’s already time to start making plans for Valentine’s Day. Here are the first few V Day options I’ve heard of. Post a comment with if there re any others I should add to the list.

• Bar Lola, $45, 5-course dinner with optional wine pairings
• Peaks Island Gastro Society, $100 6-course prix fixe with wine pairings on Saturday February 11
• Petite Jacqueline, $65 4-course dinner with optional wine pairings
• The Salt Exchange has posted their Valentine’s Day menu

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.