Tasting Table: Portland City Guide

tastingtableTasting Table has assembled an eating and drinking guide to Portland.

It might not have the cachet of a New York or Chicago, but Portland, Maine has quietly emerged as one of the country’s most progressive dining cities. Farm-to-table is a given here; chefs in this oceanside town savor access to regionally caught fish as well as sustainably raised meat and local produce. Wrestling for attention is the area’s vibrant drinking scene, which spotlights equally local beers and spirits. And it almost goes without saying, but bears repeating: Portland’s lobster rolls simply cannot be beat.

Highlighted are: Bite into Maine, Central Provisions, Duckfat, Empire, Eventide, Fore Street, Great Lost Bear, Hugo’s, Hunt & Alpine, In’finiti, K. Horton’s, Local 188, Lolita, Novare Res, Portland Lobster Company, Salt Cellar, Slab, Standard Baking, Street & Company, Sweetgrass, Vervacious.

Single Item Store Viability

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.

Saveur: Maine’s Stay on the Landers

Saveur has published a feature about the 2nd generation farmers of the Back to the Land movement in Maine.

As the rest of us get a taste for the benefits of eating local and organic, and small-scale farms start to become more viable, some of the sons and daughters of Maine’s Back to the Landers are staying put—literally on the land where they grew up—and dedicating themselves to small-scale farming with renewed vigor, despite the hardships they witnessed growing up, as many of their parents had to give up farming to make ends meet. “Stay on the Landers,” they sometimes call themselves—these kids, like Ben, who are following through on their parents’ dormant dreams, doing tough, rich work that doesn’t make a lot of money.

Sangillo’s Appeal

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.

Cultivating Community Urban Twilight Dinner

Cultivating Community and Rosemont are teaming up to run an Urban Twilight Dinner this Thursday at the Urban Farm Fermentory in East Bayside.

This Twilight Dinner consists of a tapas-style meal prepared with seasonal ingredients from local farms, by Rosemont Market’s Brad Messier.

While you are here, explore the Fermentory and sample some of the deliciousness being brewed in-house (kombucha or hard cidah, anyone?) and learn more about Cultivating Community’s youth, farming and food programs.

Tickets are $40 per person and are available on BrownPaperTickets.com.

Boston Globe: The Holy Donut

The Boston Globe has written a brief piece about The Holy Donut.

The Holy Donut makes from scratch and hand cuts, shapes, and glazes roughly 3,500 doughnuts a day in about 24 different flavors. The ones we tried were undisputed winners, including their two most popular sellers – a zesty lemon that pops with fresh citrus, and the dark chocolate sea salt, which is glazed hot from the fryer and practically melts in your mouth.

Weft & Warp Crowdfunding

static.squarespace.comWeft & 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.

This Week’s Events: Graze, Sea Glass Dinner, Piccolo at Flanagan’s Table

Tuesday — the Local Foods Networking Breakfast is taking place at Local Sprouts.

Wednesday — Black Tie is catering the next Graze Farm Dinner, and the Monument Square Farmers Market is taking place.

Thursday — there will be a wine and cheese tasting at the Public Market House, and Sea Glass is holding a beer dinner.

Saturday — the Deering Oaks Farmers Market is taking place.

Sunday — Ilma Lopez and Damian Sansonetti from Piccolo will be the featured chefs at this month’s Flanagan’s Table Dinner, and Yelp’s Sunday Funday event is taking place at the Urban Farm Fermentory.

For more information on these and other upcoming food happenings in the area, visit the event calendar.

If you are holding a food event this week that’s not listed above, publicize it by adding it as a comment to this post.