Category: Profiles

PBJ in the Press

| Posted in Profiles

The Portland Daily Sun has published a profile of Peanut Butter and Jelly Time, the PB&J sandwich shop and breakfast cereal purveyor located on the second floor of the Public Market House.

The combination of Borealis multi-grain bread, cashew butter and raspberry preserves is the most popular sandwich at Peanut Butter Jelly Time, but everybody has their favorite.

Steve Miner, owner of Peanut Butter Jelly Time, reported logging his 500th customer in only three weeks of operating on the second floor of the Market House in Monument Square.

Press Herald: Chef Kaldrovich, Gus' Gluten Free, Fox Urine

| Posted in Profiles, General News

The Food & Dining section in today’s Press Herald includes profiles of chef Mitchell Kaldrovich from the Sea Glass Restaurant

“I met the real cooks (in Maine), I have to say,” Kaldrovich said in a thick accent that carries traces of Spanish and French, the other two languages he speaks. “Working for hotels in California and Florida, I just met French chefs doing fancy stuff. But there was not a soul cook. Here, there are soul cooks.

and of Pam Wellin from Gus’ Gluten Free Baking Co.

As a busy mom of three boys, Pam Wellin admits she’s doesn’t devote much time to promoting her business. She started Gus’ Gluten Free Baking Co. three years ago in her Falmouth Foreside kitchen as a way to provide her youngest son Gus, who’s now 17 and has had celiac disease his whole life, with treats that don’t contain gluten.

There’s also a Bill Nemitz column on the strange fox urine incident that took place Sunday at a protest by ROC-ME outside The Front Room.

We can only assume that when Portland’s fledgling Restaurant Opportunities Center of Maine holds its first “summit” next month, it will be high on the agenda: “Fox Urine: The Untold Story.”

It happened Sunday night outside The Front Room on Munjoy Hill, where protestors from so-called ROC-ME gathered for the second time in as many months to demonstrate against owner and chef Harding Lee Smith.

Press Herald: Chef Kaldrovich, Gus’ Gluten Free, Fox Urine

| Posted in Profiles, General News

The Food & Dining section in today’s Press Herald includes profiles of chef Mitchell Kaldrovich from the Sea Glass Restaurant

“I met the real cooks (in Maine), I have to say,” Kaldrovich said in a thick accent that carries traces of Spanish and French, the other two languages he speaks. “Working for hotels in California and Florida, I just met French chefs doing fancy stuff. But there was not a soul cook. Here, there are soul cooks.

and of Pam Wellin from Gus’ Gluten Free Baking Co.

As a busy mom of three boys, Pam Wellin admits she’s doesn’t devote much time to promoting her business. She started Gus’ Gluten Free Baking Co. three years ago in her Falmouth Foreside kitchen as a way to provide her youngest son Gus, who’s now 17 and has had celiac disease his whole life, with treats that don’t contain gluten.

There’s also a Bill Nemitz column on the strange fox urine incident that took place Sunday at a protest by ROC-ME outside The Front Room.

We can only assume that when Portland’s fledgling Restaurant Opportunities Center of Maine holds its first “summit” next month, it will be high on the agenda: “Fox Urine: The Untold Story.”

It happened Sunday night outside The Front Room on Munjoy Hill, where protestors from so-called ROC-ME gathered for the second time in as many months to demonstrate against owner and chef Harding Lee Smith.

The Only Constant Is Change So Eat Soup

| Posted in Profiles, Fisheries, General News, Under Construction

The Food & Dining section in today’s Press Herald provides insight on:

  • Bresca’s plans for offering lunch services and expanded menu to include “European and classic American pastries and tarts”
  • the New Orleans-style sandwich shop Po’Boys & Pickles that opened on Forest Ave in late December
  • El Rayo‘s delivery service
  • the plans for Havana South which is under construction on Wharf Street
  • Walter’s under construction bar Gingko Blue
  • the transformation of Bangkok Thai into Boda which “will feature homestyle Thai cooking and Thai street-vendor specialties”
  • and information on a new seafood CSF

There’s also a nice profile of the Kamasouptra soup delivery services in Avery Yale Kamila’s Natural Foodie column this week.

With the snow piling up and the wind howling around the house, who couldn’t use a steaming bowl of soup? Even better if it’s delivered piping hot to your door.

Enter Kamasouptra, the Portland-based vegetarian soup purveyor which makes house calls.

The Meat House

| Posted in Profiles

The Press Herald interviewed Meat House co-owners Jason Parent and Justin Rosberg about their business.

They formed The Meat House at a time when each was ready to have his own business. They wanted a venture in which the hours wouldn’t be at odds with family life.

Meat is clearly the core of their business, but the stores are meant to provide everything needed for a meal.

“The protein is the center of your plate. We wanted to make it so you didn’t have to make another stop,” Parent said.

BiBo's Madd Apple Cafe

| Posted in Profiles

The Portland Phoenix has published a profile of BiBo’s Madd Apple Cafe.

When they took over, they wanted it to be more than a “theater restaurant,” but now says, “after being here for few years, we finally accepted that we’re a theater restaurant and excel at getting people in and upstairs on time,” he says. It means, of course, that a large number of customers all come in at the same time and need to leave before show time — handling the flow is an art form in and of itself.

BiBo’s Madd Apple Cafe

| Posted in Profiles

The Portland Phoenix has published a profile of BiBo’s Madd Apple Cafe.

When they took over, they wanted it to be more than a “theater restaurant,” but now says, “after being here for few years, we finally accepted that we’re a theater restaurant and excel at getting people in and upstairs on time,” he says. It means, of course, that a large number of customers all come in at the same time and need to leave before show time — handling the flow is an art form in and of itself.

December Down East

| Posted in Profiles, Reviews

de200912The new issue of Down East is out. It includes a review of Grace,

Grace is an ambitious restaurant that successfully bestows on its guests the multiple meanings of its name. “The original intention of grace,” says Anne Verrill, “is everything from beauty down to the actual saying of grace at the table.” After a feast or a bite, a cocktail or a bottle, guests will certainly have plenty to be grateful for.

and a survey of Maine chocolatiers which included Portland area favorites Haven’s, Dean’s Sweets, Sweet Marguerites and Len Libby’s.

Ocean Approved Kelp Aquaculture

| Posted in People, Profiles, Uncategorized

Ocean Approved’s kelp farming venture in Casco Bay is the subject of a feature article on the front page of today’s Maine Sunday Telegram. The online article also includes a video segment of co-owner Paul Dobbins demonstrating how OA plants and grows their sugar kelp crop.

This week, Olson and Dobbins plan to install a submerged kelp-growing raft near Little Chebeague Island, where they say it will be out of the way of boat traffic and lobstermen. The state granted the company an experimental three-year lease for nearly an acre of the bay there, and Maine Technology Institute provided a $12,000 grant to help develop the technology.