This Week’s Events: Kacher, Belgian Beer, Caviar, and 10th Anniversary Dinners

Tuesday — the Bar Lola is holding a Spanish/Portuguese wine dinner.

Wednesday — the Monument Square Farmers Market is taking place, there will be wine tastings at Old Port Wine Merchants and RSVP, and Wine Wise are holding wine class on Syrah/Shiraz.

Thursday — Sea Glass restaurant is hosting a Belgian Beer Dinner, and The Great Lost Bear will be showcasing beers from Sierra Nevada Brewing Co.

FridayRobert Kacher, a luminary of the wine world, will be a special guest at Havana South for a wine dinner and there will be a Spanish wine tasting at the East End Rosemont.

Saturday — Linda Greelaw will be a special guest at the 6th Annual Caviar Dinner, Vignola is serving a Spanish tasting menu, the Deering Oaks Farmers Market is taking place, and wine tastings are taking place at Black Cherry Provisions and Rosemont on Brighton and there will be an olive oil tasting at Rosemont earlier in the day.

SundaySlow Food Portland is having a potluck dinner at Local Sprouts and Hugo’s is celebrating their 10th anniversary with a special 8-course tasting menu. If the $150 price tag is giving you pause but you’d still like to eat at Hugo’s this week then go Tuesday through Saturday for their two-for-one tasting menu. Also, Steve Corry will be appearing on the Thanksgiving episode of the Cooking Channel tv show Food(ography).

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.

Brewer's Fest, Gateless Trader Joe's, Maine Farmers

The Maine Sunday Telegram includes a report on the 17th Annual Maine Brewers Festival,

The festival draws beer drinkers and beer makers from around the state. Ticket-buyers get a glass and tickets for up to 12 four-ounce tastes from brewers such as Shipyard, Allagash, Sheepscot and Geary’s.

and on the lack of a gate between the Bayside Trail which runs adjacent to Trader Joe’s.

Peter Quesada, whose Fore River Co. owns the land on Marginal Way, said his company “made a business judgment” to put up the fence between the trail and the store. He declined to say what that business judgment was based on.

Yesterday’s paper reported on the potential impact that a growth in farming can have on the state’s economy.

Seven panelists at an annual economic development forum told about 45 people in Maine business and government that agricultural development is key to a bright economic future. They also emphasized that more people are starting farms in Maine.

From 2002 to 2007, the number of farms jumped by nearly 1,000, to 8,136, according to the National Agricultural Statistics Service.

Brewer’s Fest, Gateless Trader Joe’s, Maine Farmers

The Maine Sunday Telegram includes a report on the 17th Annual Maine Brewers Festival,

The festival draws beer drinkers and beer makers from around the state. Ticket-buyers get a glass and tickets for up to 12 four-ounce tastes from brewers such as Shipyard, Allagash, Sheepscot and Geary’s.

and on the lack of a gate between the Bayside Trail which runs adjacent to Trader Joe’s.

Peter Quesada, whose Fore River Co. owns the land on Marginal Way, said his company “made a business judgment” to put up the fence between the trail and the store. He declined to say what that business judgment was based on.

Yesterday’s paper reported on the potential impact that a growth in farming can have on the state’s economy.

Seven panelists at an annual economic development forum told about 45 people in Maine business and government that agricultural development is key to a bright economic future. They also emphasized that more people are starting farms in Maine.

From 2002 to 2007, the number of farms jumped by nearly 1,000, to 8,136, according to the National Agricultural Statistics Service.

Review of Local 188

The Bowdoin Orient has published a review of Local 188.

Can’t get into Fore Street? For a dinner in Portland, Local 188 offers a delicious and fun meal that takes you slightly off the beaten path. You might almost forget that you are in a city smaller than many colleges.

Local 188’s food is great and it’s atmosphere is even better. So, listen to me (and my mom) and check it out.

Fun, Fearless and Discreet in Portland

Boston food blogger Fun and Fearless in Beantown was recently in Portland and has posted articles on Nosh, Sebago Brewing, Dean’s Sweets and The Salt Exchange.
Another out of town blogger, the Discreet Hedonist, has posted photo/haiku combos for Bintliff’s, Beal’s, Novare Res, Duckfat, Otto, Coffee by Design, Local 188 and The Great Lost Bear.

Counting Calories

According to a report from the Press Herald, Anthony’s is now posting calorie counts on its menu as part of the city’s Smart Meals for ME program.

Along with the calorie counts on its traditional menu, Anthony’s has added a Lighter Side menu. It offers smaller portions, new sandwiches and wraps, and lighter versions of its traditional dishes, such as wheat pasta with mushroom bolognese (322 calories) and chicken cacciatore (580 calories).

Review of Steve and Renee's Diner

Steve and Renee’s Diner received 4 stars from the Eat & Run review in today’s Press Herald.

As many diners do, you can order breakfast all day at Steve and Renee’s. I decided on a short stack (two slices) of French toast for $2.89 and a cinnamon bun for $1.39. I told my waitress that I thought I was ordering too much bread (and, as it turned out, I did), but it was all good – especially the cinnamon bun, which was served to me warm.

Also in today’s paper is an article about Linda Greenlaw’s season fishing for swordfish and a overview on the beercentric events taking place in and around Portland this weekend.