Category: Events

A pair of events are taking place next week that team the restaurant industry and two leading art organizations:

• 15th Annual Portland Symphony Wine Dinner
  Chefs from Fore Street, Evo, The Honey Paw, Union and the Haraseeket In are collaborating on a 5-course dinner featuring wines from Spain.Call (207) 773-6128 to reserve a seat.
• Portland Stage Overnight for the Arts
  Featuring a 3-course dinner by Lolita and Maine & Loire, attend a production of  My Name is Asher Lev, special backstage tour, a talk by executive director Anita Stewart and an overnight stay at the Pomegranate Inn. Call (207) 774-0465 for tickets.

The Bangor Daily News has posted a report on the weekly Sunday Crofter and Artisan Market set to open April 10th in East Bayside.

Scores of vendors from across Maine are lining up for the chance to peddle their wares in Portland’s emerging neighborhood of brewers, coffee roasters and artists. So far, the interest is statewide.

Goat milk caramels from Copper Tail Farm in Waldoboro, Herbal Revolution’s mineral and fire tonics, Dulse and Rugosa seaweed body care, Shepherds and Such Homestead beeswax and wool craft and Portland’s Liquid Riot Bottling Company are all on board.

The Portland episode of the new Cooking Channel show Extra Virgin is airing Wednesday night, according a report from the Press Herald.

The series premiered March 2 with an episode about the Grand Canyon. In the Maine episode, titled “The Love Boat in Portland,” Mazar and Corcos take a weekend for themselves and have a romantic dinner aboard a houseboat. The show features seven recipes, including a lobster roll recipe provided by the Portland Lobster Co. and three recipes from The Well at Jordan’s Farm: seared cod with farro, lamb-ricotta meatballs, and wood-grilled pork with roasted new potatoes.

A video crew was in Portland last July recording the sessions that will appear in the show.

Tuesday — Elaine Alden and Thomas Takashi Cooke are holding  a pop-up at Bao Bao for Izakaya Minato, and the Maine Restaurant Association awards banquet is taking place.

Wednesday — there will be an Italian wine tasting at Old Port Wine Merchants.

Friday — the New England Craft Beer Summit is taking place.

Saturday — The Thirsty Pig is hosting a release party for the Real Ones Bissell x Austin collaboration beer, ‘Gasharoo is taking place at Novare Res, and the Winter Farmers’ Market is taking place.

Sunday — Chefs Rob Evans, Josh Potocki, Nate Nadeau and Renee Lohrey are collaborating with Oxbow to hold A Maple Celebration, and the 30th annual Chocolate Lovers’ Fling is taking place.

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.

A pair of critically acclaimed culinary films are scheduled to be screened in Portland in April that you’ll want to make time to see:

City of Gold
“In this richly penetrating documentary odyssey, Pulitzer Prize-winning food critic Jonathan Gold shows us a Los Angeles where ethnic cooking is a kaleidoscopic portal to the mysteries of an unwieldy city and the soul of America. Combing through colorful neighborhoods in his green pickup truck, Gold is sniffing out his next strip-mall discovery—whether Oaxacan grasshopper soup, hand-cut tonkotsu ramen, or a particularly unctuous pad see ew. As piping-hot platters are served up, so are stories of immigrants whose secret family recipes are like sacred offerings pledged for the opportunity to build their American Dream. With eternal curiosity, razor-sharp intellect, and existential longing, Gold is a culinary geographer taking us where no critic has gone before.”
Screening Times: April 24th 7:30, 25th 2:00, 26th 7:30
For more information: www.space538.org
Sponsored by: Rabelais Books

Noma: My Perfect Storm
“Noma: My Perfect Storm is a creative journey into the unique mind of world-famous chef René Redzepi. How did Redzepi manage to revolutionize the entire world of gastronomy, inventing the alphabet and vocabulary that would infuse newfound pedigree to Nordic cuisine and establish a new edible world while radically changing the image of the modern chef? His story has the feel of a classic fairy tale: the ugly duckling transformed into a majestic swan, who now reigns over the realm of modern gourmet cuisine. But beneath the polished surface, cracks appear in the form of old wounds—2013 stands as the worst year in René Redzepi’s career. We follow him as he fights his way back to the top, reinventing Noma and reclaiming the title of best restaurant in the world in 2014 for the fourth time.”
Screening Times: April 15th 6:30, 16th 2:00, 17th 2:00
For more information: www.portlandmuseum.org
Co-presented with: MOFGA

Brewers, malsters and other professionals connected to the brewing industry will be gathering in Portland next week for the New England Craft Brewing Summit. The summit is billed as New England’s conference on the business of craft brewing.

There’s a full day of panel discussions and presentations. A full schedule of speakers is available on www.nebrewsummit.com.

Update: The Press Herald has published an article about the the keynote speaker for the summit.

Thursday — Giovanni Bianchi from the Pio Tosini will be Piccolo for a 5-course dinner featuring his 500-day Proscuitto, Five Fifty-Five is hosting a Petite Jacqueline pop-up dinner, and wine tastings are taking place at Ohno Cafe and the Public Market House.

Friday — Rosemont is holding an Italian wine tasting at their store on Brighton Ave.

Saturday — lines will start forming early for the Maine Beer Company’s bottle release of Dinner, and the Winter Farmers’ Market is taking place.

Sunday — 96 sugar shacks across the state are participating in the annual celebration of Maine Maple Sunday, and it’s the opening day for Sip of Europe (website, facebook, instagram, twitter).

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 — Two Fat Cats will be a “special pie with the math symbol emblazoned on the crust” to celebrate Pi Day (today’s date is 3/14).

Tuesday — The Beard Foundation will release the list of nominees for the 2016 awards; 8 Maine semi-finalists are in the running. The local foods networking breakfast is taking place.

Wednesday — Vinland is holding a Sicilian Wine Dinner.

Thursday — It’s Saint Patrick’s Day.

Friday — The Sinful Kitchen is holding a Filipino Dinner.

Saturday — The Annual Vignola Beer and Cheese Tasting, Bearded Brewfest and the Winter Farmers’ Market is taking place.

Sunday — The USBG is holding their 2nd Annual Tiki Shake Off cocktail competition at Rhum, and Tiqa is teaching a cooking class.

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 — Black Dinah is offering tours of their Westbrook production shop.

Wednesday —  Maine Farmland Trust and Portland Food Co-op are hosting a panel discussion on making “more informed climate-friendly food choices“.

Thursday — Piccolo is holding their 3rd Annual Truffle Social, Sur Lie and American Sommelier are collaborating on an event about Organic, Biodynamic & Sustainable Wines, and The Great Lost Bear is showcasing Allagash Brewing.

Friday — the Bier Cellar is holding an Allagash beer tasting, and there will be a beer and cheese tasting at the Public Market House.

Saturday — the Rwandan Bean Company is holding a launch event, Allagash  is releasing Astrid, Allagash Saison Day is taking place at Oxbow Blending & Bottling, and the Winter Farmers’ Market is taking place.

Sunday — H.O.M.E. is hosting a  restaurant band competition, and the Maine Restaurant Week coffee and dessert pairing event is taking place.

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 — Sur Lie is hosting a Foundation beer dinner.

Tuesday — It’s the official first day of Maine Restaurant Week, and in celebration of their 1st anniversary Otherside Delicatessen is holding a wine/charcuterie tasting.

Wednesday — winemakers Eric Texier and Hervé Villemade will be at Drifter’s Wife.

Thursday — there will be a wine tasting at Aurora Provisions.

Friday — Hero is launching in time for First Friday, and Mast Landing is opening their tasting room in Westbrook at 3pm.

Saturday —Peddleman’s is kicking off their to go service at Union Bagel, Foundation is holding a bottle release of Fading Light (8.5%, dark ale aged with Brettanomyces), and Pine Pitch Press is holding a potluck dinner.

Sunday — Tiqa sommelier Zara Edwards will be teaching a Sparkling Wine and Champagne class.

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.