Ruth Leadbetter passed away on Friday at the age of 92. Mrs. Leadbetter and her husband founded The Lobster Shack at Two Lights in 1969.

Ruth and Jim opened The Lobster Shack at Two Lights in Cape Elizabeth in 1969. In the early 1970′s they opened The Candle Shack, a gift shop next door to the restaurant. These two businesses became a destination point for visitors and locals alike each summer. In 2009 the family was honored to receive the Maine Family-Owned Business of the Year Award. Ruth and Jim continued to run The Candle Shack until his death in 2010.

For more information on the Leadbetters and The Lobster Shack read the article in Monday’s Press Herald.

For this week’s episode, the Maine Culinary Podcast has published an interview with Tom and Shannon Bard from Zapoteca.

SheWired has published an interview with Kate Squib. (via Edible Obsessions)

What’s your philosophy on food?
Like I said, I grew up in a large family where food was the center of everything. It kept our family close. Food brings people together, so why not make everything — from its preparation to its consumption — an enjoyable experience for everyone to share? And don’t let anyone ever tell you not to play with your food. That’s the best part! Play with your food. Learn what it’s capable of, and what you’re capable of.

The Maine Culinary Podcast has posted an interview with Jeff Landry, chef/owner of The Farmer’s Table.

…we spent quite a bit of time discussing where he sources their food and different challenges that arise seasonally, when trying to keep everything local.

We also spent some time talking about organic, humane and sustainable farming and how that translates to their beer and wine list. The wine list is carefully being re-done and Jeff explains the importance of not only being an organic and sustainable vineyard, but also the importance of biodynamics.

The latest edition of the Maine Culinary Podcast is an interview with Adam Moses and Michael Mastronardi from the White Cap Grille.

The latest episode of the Maine Culinary Podcast features an interview with Harding Lee Smith, chef/owner of The Front/Grill/Corner Room.

The Munjoy Hill News has published an interview with Andrea Lee, a bartender at Sangillo’s, and some of the bar regulars.

Lee said the Tavern formerly was located on India Street, in two different locations. One was part of Miccuci’s Market. It was also a restaurant with 9 booths and a bar with 8 stools. It was open for breakfast and lunch, but not dinner. Debbie Broad was a waitress there. She started when she was 17 and had just been married she said last night at the bar. The current Tavern has no kitchen and so only hot dogs are available. “I wish we did have a kitchen here, but there isn’t enough space for one,” she said wistfully.

Dorothy Larsen, who ran Moran’s Market on Forest Ave with her husband Bernard, has passed away at the age of 80.

Dorothy Larsen and her husband, Bernard, ran Moran’s Market on outer Forest Avenue for most of the 55 years the market, a popular butcher shop and convenience store in the Riverton neighborhood, has operated.

Dorothy Larsen, in fact, was still involved in the store at the age of 80, although the actual running of the store has been turned over to the couple’s children.

See the obituary in today’s paper for a schedule visiting hours and the funeral.

This week’s issue of the Portland Phoenix includes an interview with the creative team behind Food Coma TV.

Based on gustatory adventurer Joe Ricchio’s cult foodie blog Portland Food Coma, Food Coma TV (foodcomatv.tumblr.com) has had a revelatory first season. Centered around Ricchio’s widely entertaining personality and anchored by comic foil Joel Beauchamp, producer Alex Steed, and director of photography Kurt Graser, Food Coma TVhas become a viral sensation in just three months.

Vin et Grub has posted an article about Nicholas Nappi who is the chef at Local 188.

If you’ve ever been into Local 188 on a busy Friday or Saturday night, there’s really no way you could miss Chef Nappi.  He expedites on these evenings, and his voice certainly carries throughout the majority of the dining room and lounge area.  Commanding respect in the kitchen, but also incredibly friendly to his back-of-the-house team, Nicholas understands the importance of a strong relationship between back-of-the-house workers.  Much like Jay, he also agrees with the notion that education in any kitchen is imperative.

Maine Woman has published an interview with Master Beekeeper Erin MacGregor-Forbes from Overland Honey in Portland.

According to MacGregor-Forbes, news about tainted honey products has increased the demand for local honey in Maine, a market that was already strong. A new, all-things-honey store, the Honey Exchange, opened up on Stevens Avenue in Portland this fall to help beekeepers get started in business, and also to educate the public about the local market.

“Most beekeepers don’t have any problem selling their honey,” she says. “In fact there’s more demand than supply right now.”

For their latest episode, the Maine Culinary Podcast interviewed Food Coma TV creators Joe Ricchio and Alex Steed about the first season of their Internet TV show.

Find. Eat. Drink. has published an interview with Don and Samantha Lindgren, owners of Rabelais.

Q. What are your thoughts on the “There’s an App For That” mentality towards technology melding with the book world?
A. Don: We’re not Luddites, we own iPhones and an iPad. I frequently look at electronic books online – mostly from academic sources for early texts. But I think the rush for publishers, the food media and much of the public, to expect an app with every book release is just stupid. I read an interview with the authors of the new Eleven Madison Park cookbook, which I think is a terrific book, but the interviewer lost sight of the great new book in front of herself, and kept asking about the possibility of future apps. It’s like sitting down with Scorsese and asking when the video game is coming out.

Chubby Werewolf has published an interview with Krista Kern Desjarlais about the new lunch service she’s launching at Bresca.

Despite a very busy schedule, Chef Desjarlais graciously agreed to sit down with me in advance of the launch of Bresca Day and answer some questions. Over the course of a very enjoyable hour or so, we discussed Bresca’s roots, the “celebrity chef” culture so pervasive on television these days and the ability of your average toddler to out-demolish even the most crazed high-on-bath-salts lunatic. Somewhere along the way, we also managed to talk about Bresca Day. I can neither confirm nor deny rumors that several minutes of the interview may have been spent by a teary-eyed Yours Truly, begging for a lunchtime version of those braised beef cheeks. But here’s what I can tell you…

According to the interview lunch service at Bresca will 11-2 and will initially be offered on Wednesdays and Thursdays.

The Portland Daily Sun has published a profile of the Bakery on the Hill and its owner Wolf Gonier.

When asked about the inevitable concerns that come with opening a new dining establishment, Gonier smiled and said, “We’re still feeling out our identity, but I am passionately proud of my cakes and pastries. I only use the very best chocolate, butter, cream and supplies. It may sound egotistical, but all I have to do is get the food in their mouths. I just need one chance. We love Portland and want to make everyone feel welcome.”

The Low Down: Head into Bakery on the Hill for freshly brewed coffee and a sample smattering of up to a dozen individually sized desserts, six to eight whole cakes, a dozen bars and/or cupcakes and seasonal offerings, all available daily.