Erika Joyce on Research Tour

Erika Joyce, author of Vin et Grub, and the creator of Cloak & Dagger supper club and The Chinese Laundry pop-up, has announced that she’ll be leaving Portland for an extended research trip in Europe and Asia.

And now, it’s all changing.  The next step in my journey is to find the roots of my obsession.  To understand it and live it.  That’s why I’m moving on.  I’m hoping on a flight and making my way to Europe to see how and where food is produced.  I’m going to farm and pickle, and jam, and stage, and find the roots to make this picture slightly more vivid.  Sweden, Greece, Denmark, Italy, France.  And an extended stay in Vietnam.  I need to see my passion elsewhere in the world.

She’ll be running just one more Cloak & Dagger dinner and should have an update on the status of The Chinese Laundry “soon”.

Tending the Firebox

Speckled Ax owner Matt Bolinder has authored an article entitle Tending the Firebox for Roast Magazine.

“But why roast with wood?” I’m frequently asked…the drum roasters being used by many roasters today do not look or operate very differently from those used in production 150 years ago. Indeed, many of us prefer old machinery. Quality drum roasters with a century of service on them are not liabilities, but precious commodities. So while roasting with wood may not be “simple,” in a field with a larger than normal percentage of professional Luddites, preferring pour-over to push-button drip and manual paddles to super automatics, roasting with wood in the 21st century is not as anachronistic as it might seem.

People’s Best New Chef: Taylor and Wiley

Congratulations to chefs Andrew Taylor and Michael Wiley who have one the Food & Wine People’s Best New Chef contest for New England.

See this article from the Press Herald for additional info.

“I think it’s fantastic,” Taylor said. “We had such stiff competition – wonderful chefs in the region – and we’re pretty psyched to come out on top in the region. It really speaks volumes about all the people that supported us.”

New England Distilling Interview

Eat Maine has published an interview with Ned Wight and Tim Fisher from New England Distilling.

“I love smelling it in the glass,” he says. “One of my favorite things about drinking spirits is the empty glass. I keep coming back to the glass and sniff it and see what’s happening in there. It changes a lot, it keeps on going—even after the liquid is out, it keeps on going.”

Bartender Interview: Alison Hartford

Dispatch has published an interview with Alison Hartford who tends bar at The Grill Room.

What’s your favorite drink to make? “It’s made with Hendricks gin, St. Germain, muddled lime and rosemary, and blood orange puree, topped with soda water. I like making mojitos, too. I tend to not get a lot of specialty cocktail orders, so I’m all about providing good service.”

Interview with Erik Desjarlais

Bourbon. Portland. Beer. Politics. has published an interview with former chef Erik Desjarlais about his business Weft & Warp Seamster. Desjarlais has also launched a line of lotion and beard soap.

How have they been received?
Great. Some of my customers are Top Chef guys. The James Beard list just came out and it was cool to see that most of my customers were on that list, a lot of high profile folks. I think they also like the fact that I used to be a chef so I know what is needed. I am not just cutting these things from patterns. If the chef has a particular need, I can do it.