Latte Art Competition & Overland Apiaries

| Posted in Events, People, Profiles

Tuesday’s Portland Daily Sun includes a profile of Master Beekkeeper Erin Forbes and her business Overland Apiaries,

Last year, the honey that Erin collected from hives in six towns amounted to 6,000 pounds. That’s three tons. This year the hundred hives she now has under management are likely to yield 10,000 pounds. Before Scott began dabbling in beekeeping, Erin rarely used honey. A junky plastic bear from Hannaford languished in the depths of her kitchen cabinets. Now it’s white sugar that languishes there.

and an article about the TNT monthly latte art competition which is taking place at Bard Coffee this week on Thursday night.

With Bard, [Bob] Garver and co-owner Jeremy Pelkey are trying to change Portland’s perception of their daily dose of joe, and thinks that fostering a strong community of baristas will do much for the scene as a whole. “Many in this industry think coffee is an art form, a culinary experience as opposed to just ‘filling up’,” said Garver.

“I believe people are catching onto that now,” he added.

Review of Po'Boys & Pickles

| Posted in Reviews

Portland Eats has published a review of Po’Boys & Pickles.

In short, real thought has gone into making Po’Boys & Pickles feel like a true New Orleans po’ boy shop here in Portland.  Will you find better po’ boys in New Orleans? Of course.  But, the sandwiches at PB&P would not be out of place at many neighborhood shops in the Crescent City.  Enjoying a cold beer, a cup of gumbo, and an oyster po’ boy here is as close as I’ll get to New Orleans before I next visit my favorite city.

Review of Po’Boys & Pickles

| Posted in Reviews

Portland Eats has published a review of Po’Boys & Pickles.

In short, real thought has gone into making Po’Boys & Pickles feel like a true New Orleans po’ boy shop here in Portland.  Will you find better po’ boys in New Orleans? Of course.  But, the sandwiches at PB&P would not be out of place at many neighborhood shops in the Crescent City.  Enjoying a cold beer, a cup of gumbo, and an oyster po’ boy here is as close as I’ll get to New Orleans before I next visit my favorite city.

Review of El Rayo

| Posted in Reviews

Travels with Hilary has published a review of El Rayo.

…The soup was good, not stellar, but good. I would have liked more punch–not heat, but punch; it veered toward bland. The fish taco was very good, but frankly, I think the Baja-style fish taco served at Loco Poco’s Tacos, in Kittery, is better (and I won’t even begin to compare it to The Mexican Restaurant in Hancock, which is the real deal). Star of the meal was the refresco. But I quibble, for Mexican-fare in Portland, it sets a new standard. Would I return, hell yes.

James Beard Finalists Announced

| Posted in Events

This morning the James Beard Foundation announced the final list of nominees for this year’s awards competition.
It is a disappointing run for Portland this year. While Portland had 3 semifinalists (Sam Hayward from Fore Street for Outstanding Chef, Fore Street for Outstanding Restaurant, and Krista Kern Desjarlais for Best Chef Northeast) none were included in the final list of nominees.
Congratulations to Clark Frasier and Mark Gaier from Arrows in Ogunquit who were nominated in the Best Chef Northeast category.
The award winners will be announced on May 3, 2010 at Avery Fisher Hall in New York City.

Maine at Weiners & Portland Food Coma

| Posted in People, Profiles

Today’s Press Herald includes a profile of Joe Ricchio and his blog Portland Food Coma,

On a recent afternoon, Ricchio was enjoying lunch at Pizza Villa, reveling in it almost. Days earlier, he had survived an intense three-day kitchen lockdown to create “Buddha Jumps Over The Wall,” a Chinese meal that involves whole chicken and duck, abalone, quail eggs, bamboo leaves, dueling stocks and a shark’s fin. It was his 31st birthday and the occasion called for unbridled decadence.

and reporter Ray Routhier spent the day working at Wieners learning about what it takes to run the Commercial Street food cart.

I would not have thought there was any engineering involved in preparing a hot dog.

But I realized quickly – as I tried to sell franks from a cart called Wieners on Commercial Street last week – that there definitely is. The spatial relationship between the dog, the bun, the onions, the relish, the ketchup and the mustard is a delicate thing that cannot be trifled with.

My problem was, I trifled.

I would not have thought there was any engineering involved in preparing a hot dog.

click image to enlarge

Ray Routhier tries to get the squiggle of mustard to look just so as he works the hot dog stand of Jess Cady-Giguere in Portland.

John Ewing/Staff Photographer

click image to enlarge

Jess Cady-Giguere demonstrates her method for assembling a hot dog and condiments at her cart, Wieners, in Portland.

John Ewing/Staff Photographer

ABOUT THIS SERIES
MAINE AT WORK takes an interactive look at iconic, visible or just plain interesting jobs done by folks in Maine. Reporter Ray Routhier shadows a worker or workers, reports what he sees and tries his hand at some of the job’s duties.
IF YOU’D LIKE to suggest a job to be explored in this feature, e-mail rrouthier@pressherald.com or call 791-6454.
THIS WEEK’S JOB

TITLE: Hot dog seller and owner of Wieners, a cart at the corner of Dana and Commercial streets on Portland’s waterfront.
WORKER: Jess Cady-Giguere, 27, of Portland.
HOURS: Roughly 10 a.m. to 3 p.m., at least five days a week.
DUTIES: Towing the cart, buying supplies, preparing the cart, and cooking, selling and presenting hot dogs, sausages and chili.
SURPRISING FACTS: Cady-Giguere sometimes has to work in the rain just to make sure people know she’s still in business and to keep her spot. Also, putting a hot dog in a bun, with condiments, is surprisingly hard to do without touching them directly with your hands.
PERKS: Being outside on the waterfront on beautiful days and being able to take your dog to work.

But I realized quickly – as I tried to sell franks from a cart called Wieners on Commercial Street last week – that there definitely is. The spatial relationship between the dog, the bun, the onions, the relish, the ketchup and the mustard is a delicate thing that cannot be trifled with.
My problem was, I trifled.

Maine at Weiners & Portland Food Coma

| Posted in People, Profiles

Today’s Press Herald includes a profile of Joe Ricchio and his blog Portland Food Coma,

On a recent afternoon, Ricchio was enjoying lunch at Pizza Villa, reveling in it almost. Days earlier, he had survived an intense three-day kitchen lockdown to create “Buddha Jumps Over The Wall,” a Chinese meal that involves whole chicken and duck, abalone, quail eggs, bamboo leaves, dueling stocks and a shark’s fin. It was his 31st birthday and the occasion called for unbridled decadence.

and reporter Ray Routhier spent the day working at Wieners learning about what it takes to run the Commercial Street food cart.

I would not have thought there was any engineering involved in preparing a hot dog.

But I realized quickly – as I tried to sell franks from a cart called Wieners on Commercial Street last week – that there definitely is. The spatial relationship between the dog, the bun, the onions, the relish, the ketchup and the mustard is a delicate thing that cannot be trifled with.

My problem was, I trifled.

I would not have thought there was any engineering involved in preparing a hot dog.

click image to enlarge

Ray Routhier tries to get the squiggle of mustard to look just so as he works the hot dog stand of Jess Cady-Giguere in Portland.

John Ewing/Staff Photographer

click image to enlarge

Jess Cady-Giguere demonstrates her method for assembling a hot dog and condiments at her cart, Wieners, in Portland.

John Ewing/Staff Photographer

ABOUT THIS SERIES

MAINE AT WORK takes an interactive look at iconic, visible or just plain interesting jobs done by folks in Maine. Reporter Ray Routhier shadows a worker or workers, reports what he sees and tries his hand at some of the job’s duties.

IF YOU’D LIKE to suggest a job to be explored in this feature, e-mail rrouthier@pressherald.com or call 791-6454.

THIS WEEK’S JOB

TITLE: Hot dog seller and owner of Wieners, a cart at the corner of Dana and Commercial streets on Portland’s waterfront.

WORKER: Jess Cady-Giguere, 27, of Portland.

HOURS: Roughly 10 a.m. to 3 p.m., at least five days a week.

DUTIES: Towing the cart, buying supplies, preparing the cart, and cooking, selling and presenting hot dogs, sausages and chili.

SURPRISING FACTS: Cady-Giguere sometimes has to work in the rain just to make sure people know she’s still in business and to keep her spot. Also, putting a hot dog in a bun, with condiments, is surprisingly hard to do without touching them directly with your hands.

PERKS: Being outside on the waterfront on beautiful days and being able to take your dog to work.

But I realized quickly – as I tried to sell franks from a cart called Wieners on Commercial Street last week – that there definitely is. The spatial relationship between the dog, the bun, the onions, the relish, the ketchup and the mustard is a delicate thing that cannot be trifled with.

My problem was, I trifled.

This Week's Events

| Posted in Events

Monday — the James Beard Foundation will announce the finalists for this year’s awards, check back later this morning for all the details; Stephen Lanzalotta is teaching a Piatto per Tutti cooking class.
Wednesday — Black Tie Bistro is teaching a cooking class.
Thursday — Browne Trading and Black Cherry Provisions are both holding wine tastings, The Cheese Iron is teaching a charcuterie class, Kitchen & Cook is teaching a Japanese cooking class, the Sea Glass Restaurant is holding a beer dinner and Bard Coffee is running a latte art competition.
Friday — the 6th Annual Celesoiree is scheduled to take place.
Saturday — the indoor Winter Farmers’ Market is taking place, Scarborough Wine Outlet is holding a wine tasting and SMCC is running their 6th Annual International Food Festival.
Sunday — maple syrup producers across the state will be open for Maine Maple Sunday. Visit the Get Real Get Maine site for all the details.
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.

This Week’s Events

| Posted in Events

Monday — the James Beard Foundation will announce the finalists for this year’s awards, check back later this morning for all the details; Stephen Lanzalotta is teaching a Piatto per Tutti cooking class.

Wednesday — Black Tie Bistro is teaching a cooking class.

Thursday — Browne Trading and Black Cherry Provisions are both holding wine tastings, The Cheese Iron is teaching a charcuterie class, Kitchen & Cook is teaching a Japanese cooking class, the Sea Glass Restaurant is holding a beer dinner and Bard Coffee is running a latte art competition.

Friday — the 6th Annual Celesoiree is scheduled to take place.

Saturday — the indoor Winter Farmers’ Market is taking place, Scarborough Wine Outlet is holding a wine tasting and SMCC is running their 6th Annual International Food Festival.

Sunday — maple syrup producers across the state will be open for Maine Maple Sunday. Visit the Get Real Get Maine site for all the details.

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.