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July 30, 2010

National Cheesecake Day

Mark your calendar and remember it again next year, for today is National Cheesecake Day! It is one of the tastiest days to celebrate!

From plain to topped with fruit to chocolate crusted and everything in between, cheesecake can be served up many different ways. Anyway you slice it cheesecake is a favorite among dessert lovers. In fact according to TLC’s “How Stuff Works,” cheesecake is among the top 5 most popular desserts in the United States. We believe it’s because it tastes so good!

Decadent Chocolate Raspberry Cheescake

Continue reading “National Cheesecake Day” »

July 28, 2010

Barbara Ernst Prey Soliloquy Exhibit

This exhibit at Blue Water Fine Arts Gallery in Port Clyde, going on now through August 15, showcases the virtuoistic hand and delicate sensibilities of internationally recognized artist Barbara Ernst Prey who has painted powerful, vibrant views of her surroundings for three decades. On display are 30 poignant watercolors, Soliloquies, unspoken reflections on island life as a microcosm of sustainability: islands telling a story of sustainable life.

Net Menderimage: Netmender, Watercolor, 22″ x 30″ courtesy of Barbara Ernst Prey

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July 23, 2010

Chambord Cheesecake Martini

Ok, I don’t know too many people who don’t appreciate the amazing deliciousness of cheesecake. And with National Cheesecake Day coming up soon on July 30, here’s one sweet and simple recipe for you to “get your cheesecake on.”

Barbara

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July 15, 2010

Farmers Fare Teams with Bay Chamber Concerts

Farmers Fare and Bay Chamber Concerts collaborate Thursday evenings this summer!

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Farmers Fare has a great treat for Bay Chamber Thursday evening concert
goers!

If you attend the Thursday evening Bay Chamber Concerts at the Rockport
Opera House please consider going to Farmers Fare prior to the concert for
a light evening dinner in their airy Cafe or on the outside deck, weather
permitting. They will be serving up soups and salads, charcuterie and cheese
plates, wine, beer and soft beverages and also coffee and desserts made
in-house from delicious local and/organic ingredients where possible.

You may then leave your car at Farmers Fare and take advantage of the FREE
shuttle to the Opera House which leaves in time for the 7PM pre-concert
lecture and then the 8PM concert. After the concert you take the FREE
shuttle back to pick up your car at Farmers Fare. This collaboration runs
through the final Bay Chamber Thursday Concert on August 26th.

The Farmers Fare Cafe will remain open until 8PM each Thursday and of
course anyone is welcome whether they are attending the Bay Chamber Concert
or not.

No more worries about parking in downtown Rockport on Thursday evenings!!

July 14, 2010

Global Honeybee Crisis Film Comes to Maine

“Queen of the Sun” is a film about the recent global honeybee crisis, an issue which our readers may be interested in. Below is a synopsis of the film.

Adobe Photoshop PDF

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July 13, 2010

Evangeline’s of Portland Shares Their Strength

Chef Erik Desjarlais of Portland’s Evangeline has planned an event called Discover the Tastes of France that celebrates all things French to benefit Share our Strength Maine and help fight childhood hunger in our state.

Evangeline

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July 10, 2010

Primo’s Newest Addition- An Antipasti Bar

Food lovers, listen up. This past week, Primo opened their new Antipasti Bar, and, trust me, it’s an addition you don’t want to miss. Six days a week (every day but Tuesday), one of Primo’s chefs will be behind the counter preparing dishes right in front of you. And Monday evenings, head chef Melissa Kelly will be the one behind the counter.

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Photo above: patrons enjoying Primo restaurant’s new antipasti bar, courtesy of Chelsea Sonksen

Don’t worry, from the counter you can still order anything off Primo’s menu, but there is an additional menu as well—a menu that boasts a variety of specialized meats and cheeses, Primo wood-fired pizzas, various vegetable and antipasti plates, dessert dishes, a Piatti del Giorno (‘Dish of the day’), and more. As always, you can enjoy $1 oysters on Sunday and Thursday evenings.

On the back of the new Antipasti room, Primo has also added a new deck with chairs and a few tables. With these warm summer nights that we have been having lately, it may be the perfect time to go enjoy a glass of wine or one of Primo’s specialty beers or cocktails on the back porch.

Primo doesn’t take reservations for the new room, so you no longer have to plan your dinner weeks in advance. The next night that you are looking for some delicious food and a great atmosphere, head over to Primo and check out the new Antipasti Bar.

This post was written by Chelsea Sonksen, a junior at Colby College who is interning with Maine Food & Lifestyle magazine this summer.

July 8, 2010

Lynn Archer Rocks 207 (Again!)

Lynn Archer, chef and owner of the Brass Compass Café in Rockland, does it again! First she beat Food Network Chef Superstar Bobby Flay with her classic “King of Lobster Clubs” in last summer’s Throwdown. Then she made an amazing recipe for “Lobster Stew” on 207. She’s back again tonight, sharing an easy Maine summer meal called “Penobscot Pasta” with 207’s Rob Caldwell.

lynnwithking-5146Rockland, Maine’s “Queen of Clubs” Lynn Archer, with her famous “King of Lobster Clubs.” (photo by Jim Bazin)

Lynn is all about letting the “Maine ingredients” speak for themselves in her dishes. Simplicity with just enough flavors added to enhance rather than mask favorite seafood like Maine lobster, shrimp, scallops, clams, and mussels is what Lynn Archer is all about.

The Brass Compass and Lynn Archer were featured in our 2009 #2 issue of Maine Food & Lifestyle Magazine. Don’t miss Lynn on tonight’s edition of 207!

July 7, 2010

Double Header: Bay Chamber Concerts and Shepherd’s Pie

What a double header…opening night of the 50th anniversary of Bay Chamber Concerts and a dinner out at the spanking new Shepherd’s Pie.

shepherd's pie

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July 3, 2010

Making Tea American Style

Iced tea has become an American tradition. To my knowledge, no other country prefers to drink their tea iced like the United States does. Most people don’t think they are having a tea party when they are drinking this thirst quenching beverage, but they are!

Iced Tea The World in Your Teacup

image courtesy of Lauren Rubinstein

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July 2, 2010

Basil Burgers with Goat Cheese

Lauren Rubinstein, photographer of the beautiful images featured in the book The World in Your Teacup by Lisa Boalt Richardson, provided this delicious recipe. A great new 4th of July taste tradition!

burger from The World in Your Teacup

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June 27, 2010

Björn Runquist Summer Painting Workshops

Björn Runquist, featured artist in the 2009 #2 issue of Maine Food & Lifestyle Magazine’s Food of Art story, will be holding painting workshops in his summer home on Clark Island! Take an opportunity to learn something new or hone your artistic skills. Meet a genuinely nice person and talented artist!

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BJÖRN RUNQUIST PAINTING WORKSHOPS in St. George, Maine (LIMITED TO 6 STUDENTS)

Björn Runquist will host two painting workshops this summer at his home/studio, a 5 day, July 18-23, 2010 and a 3 day, August 22-25, 2010, in Clark Island, on the St. George peninsula. The workshop will be an introduction to the basics of plein-air painting, focusing on the dynamics of building a painting and the techniques of alla prima painting as well as employing the same techniques to paint from digital photos. Particular emphasis will be on capturing light and its use as a compositional element. The workshop is open to all levels.

Workshop #1 (5 Days) Monday – Friday, JULY 19-23, 2010
Workshop #2 (3 Days) WORKSHOP FULL (waiting list available) Monday-Wednesday August 23-25, 2010

For more information and to register, go to bjornrunquist.com

“I was featured in the Fall 2009 issue of Maine Food and Lifestyle magazine (mainefoodandlifestyle.com). It’s a nice informal piece about me, my work, my love for painting and for cooking!”- from Björn’s website.

June 18, 2010

Friendship Sloop Society Celebrates 50th Annual Homecoming and Regatta

July 2010 will be the 50th Annual Homecoming and Regatta of the Friendship Sloop Society, and their 15th year racing in Rockland. Typically there are about 25 Sloops in Rockland for the regatta, but this year the group is attempting to have 50 Sloops join them on beautiful Penobscot Bay!

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image courtesy of Friendship Sloop Society

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June 15, 2010

Taste of the Nation

I remember being in elementary school and listening to Feed the World. Most of my favorite singers of the time were involved in that production in some way (I’m dating myself here). But I was lucky, because I was 11 years old and got to enjoy that song as nothing more. Just a song. But to the nearly 17 million children who live in a household that struggles to make food an important part of their lives, that song hits home. One in 5 American children will go to bed tonight hungry.

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June 11, 2010

Historic Inns of Rockland: Lobster 101

Historic Inns of Rockland combine lobster hauling with lobster eating and lobster hats, all wrapped around a “lobsterishious” getaway to luxury Midcoast Maine inns.

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image: While a chickadee may be the official bird of Maine, the lobster has to be the official mascot. Photo shows lobster caught on Captain Jack’s Lobster Adventure. Photo by PJ Walter.

Continue reading “Historic Inns of Rockland: Lobster 101″ »

May 19, 2010

Roving Rockland

If you live in Maine’s MidCoast, you already know how fortunate you are. If not, you’ll get a peek into what makes it so special. Maine Food & Lifestyle Issue Number 11 shares the love for this vital city by the sea with a stroll down Rockland’s Main Street to make a few stops.

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Pick up some uber-fresh seafood at Jess’s Market; rove up the street a bit for some Sweets & Meats, a chic foodie haven; a few hundred feet more will take you to Rockland’s own Rock City Coffee Roasters to recharge you for an in-depth tour of Rockland’s Four Historic Inns. It’ll be a stroll to remember! Order your copy today!

May 18, 2010

Maine Food & Lifestyle’s New Issue!

We are pleased to debut the new issue of Maine Food & Lifestyle magazine, which is already at some retail locations as of today. On the cover is a blue lobster we discovered hanging out in a tank at Jess’s Market in Rockland. He’s rare… only 1 in 2 million lobsters are blue!

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In this issue, we take a stroll down Main Street in Rockland to visit Jess’s Market, Rock City Coffee Roasters, Sweets & Meats Market, and Rockland’s Four Historic Inns. See what’s going on at Rockport’s Farmers Fare, the Cheese Iron in Scarborough, and what’s good to eat in Damariscotta.

Learn more about Maine scallops, read our new columns “Locavore’s Kitchen” and “Wine ‘n Dine,” and meet artist Tina Ingraham and her love and appreciation for food and art. Sizzle up a steak, forage for fiddleheads, indulge in comfort foods, and find some amazing recipes for Maine turkey and local tempeh.

Issue #11 shares more of the Maine we all love: the people, their stories, their connection to the land, and their favorite recipes. Get your copy today!

May 8, 2010

Mother’s Day Mama Mimosa

Take your traditional Mimosa recipe and add a delicate splash of an orange liquer topped with crushed raspberry ice – this Mimosa is not called the “Mama Mimosa” for nothing!
 mimosa

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May 6, 2010

One Mainer’s Adventures in Costa Rica

When you sign on for an exotic trip, you have a good idea that there will be a deviation from the norm. Some of these detours may take you out of your comfort zone, and that’s when the fun begins. Call me an optimist, but when the going gets tough, that’s when I hope to learn something about myself. DSC01656DSC01657
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May 5, 2010

Cinco de Mayo Fiesta Recipes

You don’t have to go out to celebrate. Instead stay at home, invite some friends and have your own fiesta with chef Jose Garces’ recipes for margaritas with fresh pineapple, poblano rajas with caramelized onions, and cremini mushrooms and adobo marinated skirt steak tacos.mexican-food

Mexican food image courtesy of mexicanvationtravels.com