Category: General News

Sweetgrass Winery Fire

| Posted in General News, Maine

The Penobscot Bay Pilot reports that a fire destroyed the Sweetgrass Winery & Distillery building in Union early this morning.

As first to arrive on scene, Union Fire Chief Jesse Thompson encountered a fully-involved structure fire and most of the building was already on the ground, he said. To him, this was an indication that the fire had been burning for a while prior to the 911 calls at approximately 2:05 a.m. Though the structure was referred to as a barn, a winery was in operation inside.

Sweetgrass (website, facebook, instagram) was founded in 2005. Owners Keith and Constance Bodine have also operated a tasting room in Boothby Square in the Old Port since 2014. Sweetgrass produces a wide range of products and are especially well know for their Back River Gin.

LB Kitchen in NY Times

| Posted in General News

The New York Times has published an article about (and the recipe for) The Classy Chip cookie that’s a staple on the menu at LB Kitchen.

Ashton’s cookies, which Ms. Farrington had to adjust only slightly, are now best-sellers at LB. Kitchen in Portland, Maine (co-owned by Ms. Farrington and her wife, Bryna Gootkind). I sampled one on a visit to Maine earlier this summer, and I couldn’t get the snappy texture and butterscotch flavor out of my head. I wrote to ask for the recipe the minute I got back home.

They’re absolute bangers: candy-like and crunchy at the edges from caramelized brown sugar; chewy and dense at the center from a mix of almond and oat flours; and speckled all over with mini chocolate chips.

National Press for Maine

| Posted in General News, Distilling & Cocktails, Wine

Maine is on a roll with press attention with food and dining stories running in Forbes, Architectural Digest, and Imbibe.

An article (not yet online) about fruit-based wines in the latest issue of Imbibe magazine features Eighteen Twenty Wines, RAS and Bluet. “At Maine’s Eighteen Twenty Wines, founder Amanda Denniston’s choice for vinification [rhubarb] is technically a vegetable, but it’s commonly treated as a fruit…Vinified bone dry, Fête, her summer release is akin to a French rosé. Its big, fruity mid-palate is bookended by a light, Provençal hue and the bone-dry yet savory finish of a Bandol rosé.”

Architectural Digest interviewed Megs Senk and George Korsnick about the creation of the space that is home to the Saint George Pizzeria, their new restaurant in the Midcoast town of Warren. “There’s a reason makers are drawn to this part of Maine. It attracts people who want to create things and be part of something—people with that New England pragmatism, even if they aren’t originally from here. It’s a fiercely individualistic place, but also deeply creative. Most of our friends here run small businesses or are artists or musicians. That’s rare in an area this small.”

In anticipation of National Spritz Day (August 1st) Forbes magazine wrote about some aperitifs and handcrafted bitters including Portland’s hometown favorite Handshake. “Traditionally sipped after meals, this digestif also works well for making big, bold spritzes. Rich, layered, and made with intention, Handshake is a modern bitter with old-world soul.”

Portland Schools Summer Meals Program

| Posted in General News

Portland Public Schools have rolled out their Summer Meals program. The program provides free meals to children and teens 18 years old and under. Most of the venues are serving both breakfast and lunch. Information on hours and locations where meals are available can be found on the Portland Public Schools website.

South Portland, Westbrook and communities from all around the state operate similar summer meal programs.

The USDA has a directory of summer meal programs from around the country that list dozens of communities in Maine that offer free meals during the summer.

Sunday Breakfast at the VFW

| Posted in General News

Delicious Musings has published a field report on the monthly Sunday breakfast at the VFW along with some observations on breakfast and a dive into Appalachian biscuits and gravy.

I pushed open the door and stepped into a long hallway lined with faux brown wood paneling—the kind that was really popular in the 1970s. Professor A and I passed the kitchen, where Jessica, an omelet wizard from Bayside American Café, was in her element. At the back of the building, we reached the bar area, which looked exactly like the kind of place where faithful regulars could slide onto a stool and feel right at home. No haze of smoke or Christmas lights here, but the past is present in the form of flags and plaques. Two women took our cash and handed us slips of paper to mark our orders— I went for a veggie omelet, and Professor A chose scrambled eggs with bacon and toast.

The VFW is located in Woodfords Corner next to Veranda Market. Their breakfasts are $10 and are held the first Sunday of every month, 8 – 10 am.