Phoenix Reviews Kon Asian Bistro

| Posted in Reviews

The Portland Phoenix has published a review of Kon Asian Bistro.

A lettuce wrap was more successful. The diced chicken had enough heat to work well against the coolness of the leaf, but not so much as to overwhelm the fresh basil. A tom yam soup was marred by a slightly bitter aftertaste. A shrimp tempura roll, ordered as an appetizer (but served with the entrées) was a bit overwhelmed by the glop of the creamy lobster sauce that topped it. The big shrimp were nice but the tempura got oily as it cooled.

Farmers Out in the Cold

| Posted in Farming

An article in the Food & Dining section of today’s Press Herald explores Portland’s lack of an indoor winter farmers’ market.

First Brunswick and Bath and now Falmouth and Cumberland have charged ahead and found suitable sheltered venues to allow their farmers markets to operate through the coldest months and give residents easy access to Maine-grown eats. In contrast, Portland is now entering its third season of an every-other-week subscription winter market that takes place outside, no matter the weather.

I wonder if the Public Market House could provide some room?

Public Market House Set to Expand

| Posted in General News, Events

pmh
According to an article in today’s Press Herald, the Public Market House’s 2nd floor renovation and expansion is near completion. An public open house is scheduled for Friday, and soon after the first 3 businesses to be located on the second floor hope to open: Market House Coffee, Peanut Butter and Jelly Time, and Pie in the Sky Pizza.

The space is open and inviting, comfortable and eclectic. Months of work have produced refinished wood floors and a brightly lit area overlooking Monument Square. Local artwork hangs on the red-brick walls.

“It’s sort of the fruition of what we want to be as a public market,” said Kris Horton, president of Market Vendors. “We see the market as a community meeting place.”

Photo added to post on December 6, 2009.

Freedom from Want

| Posted in General News

Today’s Portland Daily Sun has a report on a recent recreation of Rockwell’s 1943 painting Freedom from Want that was staged at the Blaine House. Members of the Maine food community modeled for the shot.

The table holds fruits and vegetables, cheese, bread, wine and milk, a reminder that Maine is capable of feeding itself. The challenge is, as it always has been, distribution, a matter of logistics, economics and political will. Feeding someone is a sacrament. Whether it’s with expensive ingredients or ramen noodles, it is still an elemental act of love. Although the most public praise goes to the chefs and food artisans, there are countless people-seen and unseen who work to feed us here in Portland…

Review of Shima

| Posted in Reviews

The USM Free Press has published a review of Shima.

Shima offers delicious food at a great price, a feat that has not been executed as well in this town since Portland food legend Harding Lee Smith opened The Front Room.  If you’re looking to get a solid dose of excellent food and a healthy bit of culture, don’t miss it.

Digging Clams & Harvesting Shrimp

| Posted in Fisheries

The Maine at Work article in today’s Press Herald tags along with Tim Downs as he digs clams in Scarborough.

“It’s important to keep the hole clean, so you can see where the clams are at,” Downs said.

Once he had a hole dug, he began digging up mud more strategically, looking for air holes the clams had made, and placing two of his four tines on either side of the hole so as to not pierce the clam. Then he’d flip a chunk of mud over, and more often than not, find clams.

“We’ll get this one next year,” said Downs, holding a clam that looked less than 2 inches long, which means the state deems it too small to keep.

Today’s newspaper also includes an article on the 2009-2010 Maine Shrimp Season.

Northern shrimp are believed to be so plentiful in the Gulf of Maine that regulators have declared a full six-month fishing season for a second straight year. And, unlike last year, fishermen and dealers are hopeful that there will be enough of a market to make money on the small pink crustaceans.

Digging Clams & Harvesting Shrimp

| Posted in Fisheries

The Maine at Work article in today’s Press Herald tags along with Tim Downs as he digs clams in Scarborough.

“It’s important to keep the hole clean, so you can see where the clams are at,” Downs said.

Once he had a hole dug, he began digging up mud more strategically, looking for air holes the clams had made, and placing two of his four tines on either side of the hole so as to not pierce the clam. Then he’d flip a chunk of mud over, and more often than not, find clams.

“We’ll get this one next year,” said Downs, holding a clam that looked less than 2 inches long, which means the state deems it too small to keep.

Today’s newspaper also includes an article on the 2009-2010 Maine Shrimp Season.

Northern shrimp are believed to be so plentiful in the Gulf of Maine that regulators have declared a full six-month fishing season for a second straight year. And, unlike last year, fishermen and dealers are hopeful that there will be enough of a market to make money on the small pink crustaceans.

This Week's Events

| Posted in Events

Monday—The weekly Piatto per Tutti cooking class and Foodie Trivia Contest are taking place tonight.
Tuesday—is the start of Maine Shrimp Season.
Wednesday—Black Tie Bistro is holding a cooking class.
Friday—First Friday Art Walk is taking place, and there will be an art exhibit and information session at the Meg Perry Center  by the co-owners of Local Sprouts.  West End Grocery is holding their monthly wine tasting.
Saturday—A wine tasting is taking place at Leroux Kitchen.
Sunday—culinary superstar David Chang from Momofuku will be at Rabelais for a book signing. Sweet Marguerites will be at an opening at the Toby Rosenberg Gallery for a chocolate tasting.
For more information on these and other upcoming food happenings in the area, visit the event calendar.