Category: General News

The Press Herald reports that Ed and Molly Foley have sold their bakery to longtime friend and colleague Andrea Swanson.

So instead of dropping their aprons and walking away, the Foleys are doing their best to reassure customers that nothing will change at Foley’s Bakery. Swanson is an old friend who worked with Ed Foley 20 years ago at the legendary Port Bakehouse on Saint John Street, and she knows all of his recipes “inside and out.”

The Foley’s had founded their bakery in the late 90’s and sold it once before in 2002 to spend time with their children.

Dana Cowin, Editor of Food & Wine, was is in Portland Friday and Saturday, posting photos and commentary on Instagram of the places she visited. She stopped by:

• Vena’s Fizz House (photo)
• Slab (photo 1, photo 2)
• Empire (photo)
• Vinland (photo 1, photo 2, photo 3)
• The Holy Donut (photo)

See this post for information on where she visited in 2012.

An article in the Wall Street Journal about the Westin Harborview Hotel in Portland reports that strong food/drink sales at the Top of the East and other part of the hotel for a big role in its financial success.

New Castle President Gerry Chase is projecting revenue this year from the bar at $1.2 million, which would be more than double what it was before the renovation. April brought sales of $130,000, compared with previous years when that month had revenue of $15,000 or less, he says.

The bar’s success is one reason the hotel’s food-and-beverage revenue accounts for nearly half the property’s overall revenue, Mr. Chase says.

The latest issue of Portland Magazine includes an article on Portland’s food trucks and carts.

Mentioned in the article are: Mark’s, Little Jamaica, Taco Trio, Small Axe, Urban Sugar, CN Shawarma, El Corazon, Wicked Good, Fishin’ Ships, Mainely Meatballs, Love Cupcakes.

The Huffington Post has interviewed Valerie Sandes, co-owner of the Urban Sugar food truck,

How did you choose donuts? How did you decide what donuts to make?
I grew up on these little bite-sized donuts at the race tracks (motorsport tracks in SoCal) my dad brought me to every weekend for his 1/4 midget racing addiction. They were just the traditional sugar donuts but I was instantly hooked from the first melt in my mouth bite. I was a donut lover from that point on, cakes, yeasties, round or square I don’t care…I love ’em all! I decided to go with the cake variety for the truck because that is what made the most sense logistically with the self imposed space restriction of the vehicle.

 

In the wake of the high profile bankruptcy of the Crumb cupcake chain in NYC, the Press Herald takes a look at the risks and opportunities associated with running a business focused on a single product type.

“I quit my job, opened a jerky store and people told me I was out of my mind,” DiBenedetto recalled in a phone interview from his business in North Conway, N.H.

But his North Conway House of Jerky store did so well that, five weeks ago, he and some business partners opened a new shop on Exchange Street called the Old Port House of Jerky.

The Bangor Daily News reports that an appeal hearing date has been set for Sangillo’s.

The owner of Sangillo’s Tavern will get a chance to argue why he shouldn’t lose his liquor license in an appeal hearing scheduled Sept. 11 in Council Chambers at City Hall.

The bar at 18 Hampshire St. lost its license after a 5-4 city council vote April 7. It has remained open while owner Dana Sangillo appealed the decision to the state Bureau of Alcoholic Beverages & Lottery Operations.

Weft & Warp (website, twitter, instagram) has kicked-off a campaign on the Foodie Crowd Funding site. Owner Erik Desjarlais is hoping to raise $17,000 to help expand his business.

I’m launching this campaign to push the business forward. I work efficiently enough with the tools I have, but it is not enough to keep up with the orders. I’m looking to move out of my tiny 8×10 workshop (I’m not kidding- I have stacks of leather and fabric climbing up the walls, and my kitchen is now my main workspace) in to a larger space in the area, and create a few jobs.

To learn more or to contribute to the campaign visit the Weft & Warp page.

Social Social has posted a list of “7 dining options Portland seriously needs“.

Below, you’ll find the chasms in the Portland food scene that, if filled, would go a long way to solidifying Portland’s national reputation as the dark horse food mecca of America.

But just before we begin, if you’re wondering why this post is here in the social section, I can explain. I want to harness the very power of the Internet (AKA social media) to help make Portland a foodier paradise. Hopefully this little list will get the discussion going, leading to some real, tangible and delicious changes here in Portland, Maine.

The list is assembled for Social Social by guest blogger, Bret Willis, the author of Drunch.it.

The Bon Appétit article about Maine is now online, expanded to include some additional destinations as well as recommended Maine beers and recipes from restaurants.

The Blueberry Files has posted a report on the new Hilltop Superette which just opened on Monday.