Author: PFM

Employees Defend Harding

| Posted in General News

According to an article in today’s Press Herald, a group of 22 current and former employees at Harding Lee Smith restaurants have written a letter in his defense. See the article for the full text of the letter.

Bob Murphy, a bartender at The Front Room, said he came up with the idea for the letter in support of Smith because he wanted the public to know that he and other employees feel Smith has treated them fairly.

Murphy said he worries that publicity about the lawsuit could hurt business at Smith’s restaurants, thus affecting employees, who earn much of their income through tips.

This Week's Events

| Posted in Events

Few as they are, here is a list of events taking place this week:
Tuesday — The 69th Annual Maine Agricultural Trades Show is taking place Tuesday through Thursday at the Augusta Civic Center.
Wednesday — RSVP is holding a wine tasting.
Saturday — the Scarborough Wine Outlet is holding a wine tasting.
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

| Posted in Events

Few as they are, here is a list of events taking place this week:

Tuesday — The 69th Annual Maine Agricultural Trades Show is taking place Tuesday through Thursday at the Augusta Civic Center.

Wednesday — RSVP is holding a wine tasting.

Saturday — the Scarborough Wine Outlet is holding a wine tasting.

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.

Imbibe: America's Emerging Beer Mecca's

| Posted in Beer

The January/February issue of Imbibe magazine list Reno, Austin, Atlanta, Minneapolis-St Paul and Portland as their Fab 5 of America’s emerging beer mecca’s. Portland beer blogger Luke Livingston from Blog About Beer is quoted in the article which calls out Allagash, Geary’s, Gritty’s, Maine Beer Co, Sebago, Shipyard, Downeast Everage, RSVP, Great Lost Bear, Novare Res, and Three Dollar Deweys as evidence of Portland’s beer meccaness. The article isn’t available online but you can pick-up a copy of the magazine at Longfellow Books.

Imbibe: America’s Emerging Beer Mecca’s

| Posted in Beer

The January/February issue of Imbibe magazine list Reno, Austin, Atlanta, Minneapolis-St Paul and Portland as their Fab 5 of America’s emerging beer mecca’s. Portland beer blogger Luke Livingston from Blog About Beer is quoted in the article which calls out Allagash, Geary’s, Gritty’s, Maine Beer Co, Sebago, Shipyard, Downeast Everage, RSVP, Great Lost Bear, Novare Res, and Three Dollar Deweys as evidence of Portland’s beer meccaness. The article isn’t available online but you can pick-up a copy of the magazine at Longfellow Books.

Down East: Is Maine Screwing Up its Wine Industry?

| Posted in Wine

Down East has published an in-depth look at the convoluted and complex set of laws governing wine sales, production and shipping as well as wine tastings in the state.

Yet even such codified situations seem to have exceptions. Winterport Winery, for instance, had a liquor license for three years by virtue of maintaining a restaurant next door (separate door, separate corporation) where it conducted wine pairings with meals and cooking classes. Owner Michael Anderson was surprised, therefore, when he was told that he would not be able to renew his license in 2009.

“Mike, we’ve got a problem,” a state liquor inspector told him. “I want you to become a brewery.”

“You what?”