Leftover Wine

The blogosphere will soon be awash in articles providing advice on what to do with leftover turkey. The Portland Daily Sun has taken a different tack. An article in Tuesday’s paper polled a number of local experts on what to do with leftover wine.

Erin Lynch, the kitchen manager at Rosemont Market and Bakery, recommends using leftover wine to poach pears or dried fruit.

“Add a vanilla bean and some sugar to make a delicious wine sauce,” she suggested. “We use red wine in our pasta sauce and red wine is also what turns an ordinary beef stew into Boeuf Bourguignon.”

IIK: Bulgarian Bean Soup & Spanikopita

Lindsey Sterling has published another ethnic cooking adventures on her blog Inside Immigrant Kitchens. This time she’s cooking with Svetla Popova to make Bulgarian Bean Soup & Spanikopita.

As I cook with immigrants, a certain worldly wisdom always pops out in conversation. Here is my favorite from Svetla Popova, who moved here from Bulgaria twenty-one years ago. She says, “I’ll always take a fake smile over an honest growl.”

IIK: Bulgarian Bean Soup & Spanikopita

Lindsey Sterling has published another ethnic cooking adventures on her blog Inside Immigrant Kitchens. This time she’s cooking with Svetla Popova to make Bulgarian Bean Soup & Spanikopita.

As I cook with immigrants, a certain worldly wisdom always pops out in conversation. Here is my favorite from Svetla Popova, who moved here from Bulgaria twenty-one years ago. She says, “I’ll always take a fake smile over an honest growl.”

Portland Pig Roasts

This week’s Food & Dining section features an article on pig roasts. David Mallari, Portland’s Pig Kahuna, was interviewed for the story.

Mallari credits the sluggish economy for the extra work. People are looking for less expensive, more informal alternatives to higher-end catering, which can run $65 to $100 per person compared with an average of $20 to $25 for a pig roast.

Plus, the pig is the star – you might even say the life – of the party.

IIK: Cambodian Bahn Chow

Lindsey Sterling has published another ethnic cooking adventures on her blog Inside Immigrant Kitchens. This time she’s cooking with Sopheap Im from Cambodia to make Bahn Chow.

The preparation I’ll take home with me is bahn chow, which I just tried making for a couple friends. The word is: thumbs up. Delicious. Said one: “I love the fresh mint, basil and cucumber. — Ooo! And I just got a little kick from the sauce!”

The article also explains that we’ll all be able to try Cambodian cuisine starting in October because that’s when Im plans on opening the Three Monkey’s world Cafe on Cumberland.

Maine Apple Guide

Today’s Press Herald includes a detailed guide to nearly 40 apple varieties grown in Maine with brief tasting notes and some suggestions on which farms are growing them.
Also in today’s paper is an interview with raw food chef Lisa Marie Lindenschmidt and an article on how lobster is now showing up in discount stores.

Maine lobster has long been associated with white tablecloths and candlelight, but a South Portland-based dealer is putting its lobster where the customers are: in discount wholesale clubs and supermarket take-out aisles.

Student Survival Guide

This week’s edition of the Portland Phoenix includes a Student Survival Guide for returning college students with recommendations on non-alcoholic beverages for the under 21 set, late night eats and a look at where to find pizza in Portland. The guide also has some advice on stoveless dorm cooking that details a recipe from Five-Fifty-Five co-owners Steve and Michelle Corry on making mac n’ cheese.

IIK: Chancho Frito and Vigoron

Lindsey Sterling has published another ethnic cooking adventures on her blog Inside Immigrant Kitchens. This time she’s cooking with Jenny Sanchez from Nicaragua to make Chancho Frito and Vigoron.

She calls it chancho frito and vigoron. It’s Nicaraguan party food. “Vigoron eat with your fingers,” Jenny Sanchez, my Nicaraguan-American neighbor coaches me. We’re in her kitchen three blocks from L.L. Bean. “No fork o no espoon.” Okay, I think, you eat it with your fingers. I get it. “If you a scared,” she looks at me seriously, “I get you a fork.”

The rewards are big for fearlessness.