Category: General News

Today’s Portland Daily Sun has a report on a recent recreation of Rockwell’s 1943 painting Freedom from Want that was staged at the Blaine House. Members of the Maine food community modeled for the shot.

The table holds fruits and vegetables, cheese, bread, wine and milk, a reminder that Maine is capable of feeding itself. The challenge is, as it always has been, distribution, a matter of logistics, economics and political will. Feeding someone is a sacrament. Whether it’s with expensive ingredients or ramen noodles, it is still an elemental act of love. Although the most public praise goes to the chefs and food artisans, there are countless people-seen and unseen who work to feed us here in Portland…

Portland Food Coma has posted a list (with photos) of past staff meals he’s enjoyed while working at Miyake.

Katayaki Soba (crispy fried noodles with shrimp, scallops, and bacon) / Takoyaki (deep fried balls of octopus garnished with kewpie mayo, nori, bonito, and togarashi).

Interesting side fact: Takoyaki street hawker stalls are all run by the Yakuza in Japan.

The Press Herald has published an editorial extolling virtues of local farms operating year round.

The demand for locally grown produce distributed at year-round farm-stands, farmers markets and community-supported agriculture share systems provide enough income to support the greenhouse building and heating bills that extend the growing season.

The interest in local food is good for both the farmers and their customers.

An article in Wednesday’s Portland Daily Sun reports on the upcoming arrival of the season’s Beaujolais Nouveau and the release of a new cranberry mead from Maine Mead Works.

Pine State Beverage Company has scheduled its first delivery of the 2009 Nouveau for 6 a.m. on Thursday (Nov. 19).
It will arrive at Rosemont Market & Bakery on Brighton Avenue in Portland where owner John Naylor and his staff will greet the new vintage of Georges Duboeuf Nouveau Beaujolais. They’ll be joined by the newest release from the boys from Maine Mead Works, a cranberry mead that comes on the eve of their one-year anniversary. It’s an old meets new meets older meets newer kind of thing.

There’s a group on Facebook that’s gathering memories of what Portland was like in the 60’s, 70’s and 80’s. There are ongoing discussions on a variety of topics such as the origins Old Port Festival and recollections of the Good Day Market. Also on the site is a long list of businesses that were around at the time, including a number of restaurants. (via Portland Daily Sun)

The Natural Foodie column in today’s Press Herald takes a look at where to find gluten-free eats in the Portland area.

“When I first came back to Portland, I started cold calling restaurants asking if they’d be able to put something together for me,” said McDonnell.

The response varied considerably between eateries, with some offering a number of options and others asking, “What’s gluten-free?”

“Now people are really, really good about it,” McDonnell said. “Even compared to two years ago.”

The Portland Daily Sun has published an article on the growing number of food vendors who are breaking into the wholesale market.

The restaurant-driven path may tempt some producers to go directly into wholesale, but it could be that successful retailing is a good foundation for wholesaling.

At Maples, for example, management reports that of their last 10 outlet deals, only two came from company outreach. The other eight called the company.

Even Whole Foods, the giant retailer that is a Holy Grail for many seeking to take their local, organic products to a larger market, recruited Maple’s.

The Portland Daily Sun has published an article on the growing number of food vendors who are breaking into the wholesale market.

The restaurant-driven path may tempt some producers to go directly into wholesale, but it could be that successful retailing is a good foundation for wholesaling.

At Maples, for example, management reports that of their last 10 outlet deals, only two came from company outreach. The other eight called the company.

Even Whole Foods, the giant retailer that is a Holy Grail for many seeking to take their local, organic products to a larger market, recruited Maple’s.