Category: Events

Bard Coffee barista Maisie DeGoosh is in Kansas City this week competing in the USBC Qualifying Event.

DeGoosh had her time in front of the judges on Thursday and received an overall score of 243.5. She used a natural process Ethiopian coffee to prepare an espresso, a milk-based drink and a signature drink for the  judges.

At the end of today we’ll learn if Maisie is one of the 36 baristas (out of 100 competing) that will be going to the national competition taking Place in Atlanta in April.

Update: Maisie DeGoosh placed 9th overall in the Eastern conference Brewer’s Cup and so will be competing in the nationals in April.

Photo Credit: Sprudge Live

Here’s a video recording of Rabelais Books owner Don Lindgren’s recent talk at Bowdoin College using examples from the Esta Kramer Collection of American Cookery to speak “about what the physical attributes of cookbooks can tell us about our social, cultural, and environmental past”

Monday — bottle release at Allagash for St. Klippenstein, a “Belgian-style stout hopped with Chinook & Northern Brewer hops…aged 3 months in Bourbon barrels”.

Thursday — GMRI is hosting a talk on Plankton & the Future of the Gulf of Maine Ecosystem, and The Great Lost Bear is showcasing beer from Baxter Brewing.

Friday — Stop by Roux & Cyr Gallery during First Friday Art Walk to see an exhibit by painter Dan Graziano of Maine restaurant professionals at work.

Saturday — the Winter Farmers’ Market is taking place.

Sunday — Rosemont is holding their monthly Bean Supper.

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.

The annual Rum Riots series has grown up and now in its third year is rechristened as the New England Cocktail Conference (website, facebook, instagram, twitter). The conference will “bring together the bartending industry, and enthusiasts, from all over New England to celebrate, learn and raise a glass together” this summer, June 2nd through the 5th.

Along with the new name comes an expanded scope and size. Bartenders from Maine, Vermont, Rhode Island, Connecticut, Massachusetts and New Hampshire will be participating in the event and each day classes, dinners and events are themed to focus on a particular type of spirits.

For more information on the NECC and to check out the draft schedule visit newenglandcocktailconference.com.

Tuesday — Vena’s is teaching a bitter’s workshop.

Wednesday — Black Dinah is teaching a chocolate workshop at Whole Foods.

Thursday — The Great Lost Bear is hosting the annual Industrial Park Challenge.

Saturday — the Portland On Tap beer festival is taking place as is the Winter Farmers’ Market.

Sunday — Aurora Provisions is holding a cake decorating class and Tiqa is leading 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.

Organizers have released  the schedule of industry panel discussions taking place at the Chef Summit later this month at Sunday River.

Tuesday — the monthly local foods networking breakfast is taking place, Flatbread is holding a benefit for the Wayside Food Program, the annual Oxbow tap takeover at Pai Men (Oxbowzakya) is taking place, the Portland Spirits Society is holding a women’s Absinthe tasting at Vena’s and The Honey Paw will be serving a collaboration dinner with Anju/The Wallingford.

Wednesday — Woodford Food & Beverage is opening at 5pm.

Thursday — there will be a Two Roads beer tasting at the Bier Cellar , a wine tasting at C Salt, and a wine and cheese tasting at the Public Market House, it’s the opening night of the Ice Bar, a lecture on Fishing the Atlantic in the Age of Sail is taking place at GMRI, and The Great Lost Bear showcasing beer from Foolproof Brewing.

Friday — Maine & Loire will be taking over the bar at Oxbow for the night to preview their new natural wine bar the Drifter’s Wife(instagram, website).

Saturday — Allagash is holding a Wild Beer Round-up (release of Helena, sales of Farm to Face, Cuvee d’industrial, Resurgam, Coolship Red, and Golden Brett), and the Winter Farmers’ Market is taking place.

Sunday — Rosemont is kicking off their monthly Cabin Fever family-style dinner series.

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.

Congratulations to the 6 Maine food producers won awards last night at the 2016 Good Food Awards ceremony:

• Beer – Daymark from Rising Tide Brewing
• Confections – Nutty for You from Bixby & Co. and Maine Mint Truffle from Black Dinah Chocolatiers
• Honey – from Gold Star Honeybees and from Posto Bello Apiaries
• Pantry – Garlic Scape Relish from Turtle Rock Farm

Here’s some background on the Good Food Awards program,

The Good Food Awards were created to redefine ‘good food’ as being tasty, authentic and responsible. We aim to set criteria for entry that are realistic and inclusive of food and drink producers who have demonstrated a commitment to be part of building a tasty, authentic and responsible food system, going far above and beyond the status quo for their industry, while not making them so strict that eligible participants are limited to a small handful of products.

The Abitare Project(website, facebook, twitter, instagram) is putting together a series of performances for their 2016 calendar. Each will be a collaboration between project musicians Tracey Jasas-Hardel and Ben Noyes and a local chef, pairing food, wine and music into single experience. Chefs who are interested in participating in the series can get in touch with them at tracey@theabitareproject.com.