Bernard Larson, 88

| Posted in People

Bernard Larson, co-owner of Moran’s Market for more 6 decades, passed away on Tuesday at the age of 88.

Bernie began his career at Moran’s Market on outer Forest Avenue in the early 1950s; he and Dorothy purchased the market in 1956. He dedicated his entire life to the market and was well-known by many people in the neighborhood.

When times were tough for families, Bernie was known to extend credit to customers in order for them to make sure their family was fed. He loved his many customers, whom he considered his extended family. Bernie and Dot were well-known for hosting many of the Portland firefighters from across the driveway, to join them for holiday meals.

Lone Pine Expansion

| Posted in Beer

The Press Herald has published an article about Lone Pine Brewing’s expansion.

If head brewer and co-owner Tom Madden is worried about the change, he doesn’t show it – and talks about the expansion with eager optimism.

He has a reason to be confident. If Lone Pine had purchased equipment for a brewery of Sebago’s size, it would have spent months making decisions about how to set up the system and even more time attempting to test it and “do the math” to scale up its five-barrel recipes. But purchasing a working brewery’s equipment has a unique advantage. Its quirks and limitations are known, and its ability to produce excellent beer has already been realized in the hands of Sebago’s brewing and production staff.

2018 Lost Kitchen Reservations

| Posted in Events

After receiving 10,000 reservation phone calls in 24 hours last year, The Lost Kitchen chef/owner Erin French began thinking about a different way to handle the enormous interest in dining at her 40-seat restaurant in Freedom, Maine.

French plans on opening the 2018 reservation book on April 1st and will be announcing the new TLK reservation process March 11th. Stay tuned for details.

48 Beers Project

| Posted in Under Construction

Portland artist Heidi Geist has launched a Kickstarter campaign for her 48 Beers Project. Geist has designed beer labels for Bissell Brothers, Barreled Souls, Boothbay Craft Brewing, Norway Brewing, Cold Harbor, and many others.

For the 48 Beers Project Geist plans visit each of the 48 contiguous US states, and in each state she plans to design a label for a local brewery. She’s raising $6,000 to help with costs to renovate a short school bus into a livable space that will be my art studio. She plans to depart Maine on June 21st.

Portland Wine Week

| Posted in Events

Plans for the inaugural Portland Wine Week (website, facebook, instagram, twitter) have been released. The new week-long summer festival will take place June 18 – 24 at various venues across the city.

Crafted as a boutique experience for wine enthusiasts of all types—from the casual wine lover to the serious oenophile—this week of world class wine, learning experiences, and award-winning food will launch you into summer with style. Activities will include pairing and performance events, incredible wine dinners, tastings, educational classes and seminars, special menus, a passport tour of dozens of local restaurants and their wine lists; and other happenings that feature wine, food, art, and fun.

Nearly 20 events are already on the schedule with more are being added as plans are worked out. They include:

  • Six wine dinners:
    • A Night of Rosé at Sur Lie
    • A Southern Italian white wine and seafood pairing at Scales
    • An evening of natural wines at Piccolo
    • A tour of Burgundy at Lolita
    • A focus on the new release and library wines of Channing Daughters at Hugo’s
    • An exploration of Spanish wines at Chaval
  • A meet and greet with Austrian wine expert Klaus Wittier at Central Provisions
  • A pasta making and wine pairing class at Solo Italiano
  • A champagne brunch at Lolita
  • A wine pairing lunch with Bangs Island Mussels at Scales
  • An historical wine list exhibition and talk from Don Lindgren of Rabelais Books
  • Three wine sails in Casco Bay with presenting sponsor Wine Wise featuring oysters, emerging wines and Italian cooking, as well as a Mediterranean wine walk.

Portland Wine Week will wrap up with a Cabernet Cabaret Gala in collaboration with Circus Maine and food from five acclaimed female chefs (including recent Beard award semifinalists Ilma Lopez and Krista Kern Desjarlais). Proceeds from the gala will benefit Portland’s Preble Street Teen Center.

Follow PWW on your favorite social media platform to stay informed as the event program continues to grow: facebook, instagram, twitter.

Get Involved – If you’re interested in becoming a Portland Wine Week vendor or sponsor contact info@portlandwineweek.me.

Portland Food Map is proud to be a sponsor of Portland Wine Week.

Maine Eats Exhibit

| Posted in Events

A new exhibit called Maine Eats is set to open at the Maine Historical Society on Friday March 2nd.

From iconic lobsters, blueberries, potatoes, apples, and maple syrup, to local favorites like poutine, baked beans, red hot dogs, Italian sandwiches, and Whoopie Pies, Maine’s identity and economy are inextricably linked to food. Now, a food revolution is taking us back to our roots toward the traditional sources, preparation, and pleasures of eating food that have sustained Mainers for millennia.

Using historical and contemporary stories of individual people and communities, Maine Eats: The Food Revolution Starts Here, tells the Maine food story. Throughout the interactive exhibition, visitors are invited to engage their senses and to think deeply about the past, present and future of Maine’s relationship with food.

Alice Feiring to Visit Portland

| Posted in Events

James Beard award-winning author and the ‘godmother’ of the natural wine world, Alice Feiring, will be at Maine & Loire on March 2nd 5:30pm for a reading/signing of her new book The Dirty Guide to Wine.

We are thrilled to announce that journalist and book author Alice Feiring will be here next month to read from and sign copies of her latest book, The Dirty Guide to Wine. An award-winning writer for magazines and newspapers, such as the New York Times, Alice was the sole voice in natural wine writing for almost a decade, and is called everything from “The Patty Smith” to the “Godmother” of the natural wine world. The Feiring Line, her indispensable blog-turned-newsletter is as much a lightning rod of inspiration as it is a valuable resource. Alice is also the author of the books Battle for Wine and Love, Living with Wine, Naked Wine and For the Love of Wine.

As part of the event Maine & Loire will also be pouring several Muscadets from Domaine de l’Ecu, imported by Paul Chartrand.