AppetitePortland

Portland’s Winter Culinary Wonders

Jan 28

Posted by dawn in Breakfast & Brunch, Informal Dining, Snacks & Street Food | 5 Comments

Coming from a decade in San Francisco and a few years in the mid-South (where three inches of snow meant TOTAL shut-down), I’m enthralled by living in hearty Maine.

Little Seoul's hearty and delicious Udon soup.

Bar banter abounds with tales of snow boarding and ice fishing. Portland Harbor Hotel’s ice bar sells out in mere hours. Winter is not just embraced – it’s celebrated.

I know, I know – we’re still in the honeymoon phase with months to go. Luckily, our fair city provides loads of culinary wonders to comfort us through the cold.

Below are some of my favorites. What are yours – and why?

The Seafood Udon Soup at Little Seoul. Out-of-this-world kelp broth steams my pores as I plunge the depths of a great big bowl for hearty chucks of salmon, scallops, Maine shrimp, fresh veggies and thick, meaty noodles. This newish Korean restaurant is doing MANY things right (I’ll publish a full review soon), but this stellar Udon deserves a separate spotlight.

Karmasouptra’s Borscht. Lunch-time lines snake through the Public Market this time of year, but the little soup purveyor’s frothy bowls are well worth it. I’m partial to the tangy, beety Borscht – crowned with a dollop of sour cream. Karmasouptra’s vegetarian version isn’t shy with the cabbage, which adds a bitter bite that’s right down my alley.

A Vietnamese Coffee at Bard. When the temp drops, I set aside my usual French press – and even my large latte – and go straight for the calorie-laden condensed milk and dark espresso of Bard’s Vietnamese. Creamy, sweet, rich and hot. ‘Nuff said.

Sitting Fireside at Flatbread. While I’m usually more of an Otto gal, I find myself drawn to Flatbread’s wood-fired ovens this time of year. Nothing beats sitting near the arched earthen doors watching flames crisp up a disc of milled wheat laden with homemade maple fennel sausage, sun-dried tomatoes, caramelized onions, mushrooms, cheese and herbs. Yum. (That’s right – I said yum).

Ginger Manhattan at Havana South. Ginger-infused whiskey brings a flush to my cheeks as warming waves envelope my body. Sweet vermouth adds a touch of lightness and enables a second round. Heartier souls than I might enjoy The Scorned Woman. Its chile-enflamed (“infused” is too tame a title) vodka will set your hair on fire.

Baked Beans and Brown Bread at the Front Room. Something about the thick and crusty dark bread and hot, hearty beans just seems, well – right – for wintertime brunch. Topped with an oozing, basted egg, the dish delivers solace when the winds howl off Casco Bay.

Tags: Bard Coffee, Flatbread, Front Room, Havana South, Karmasouptra, Little Seoul, Portland winter food

Portland Burgers Round 1: Diners and Sandwich Shops

Jan 17

Posted by dawn in Informal Dining, Snacks & Street Food | 5 Comments

Miss Portland Diner is one of those classic places that serves up exactly what you’d expect – nostalgia and comfort food.

Burger from Miss Portland Diner

In spades.

When I crave meatloaf and gravy, an Irish benedict, or a slice of pie, I mosey over to the historic Worcester Lunch Car on Marginal Way. I’ve always enjoyed my hearty, homemade meals at Miss Portland – to the point of developing a soft spot for the peculiar, open-faced haddock reuben (huge hunk of lightly breaded fish, classic thousand island dressing, a craven covering of melted cheese).

The food isn’t great. But it is good – and plentiful.

So, I felt I was on solid footing choosing Miss Portland as my “diner destination” in round one of a food blogger series on burgers (click here for details and links to other reviews).

Unfortunately, the burgers seem to be the least homemade thing on the Miss Portland menu. Here are my impressions:

The Meat:
Billed as sirloin, the meat patty was high quality if a tad overcooked for my medium-rare order. Forgoing cheese (in order to really taste the cow), I found there just wasn’t much to taste. Simply seasoned with salt and pepper, it offered nothing to either complain or rave about. I doubt it was hand-rolled in the kitchen with bread crumbs and spices.

The Fixins:
One fridge-flavored, color-sapped tomato and two leaves of romaine added nothing, so I soon pulled them off.

The Bun:
A standard burger bun, it was a step above most grocery store fare, but essentially boring white bread. Full of air and, again, kinda tasteless. When I ditched it and snagged one of my meatloaf munching companion’s fresh, warm dinner rolls – it was as if night had turned into day. A slightly larger version of the dinner roll would elevate this burger into “pretty good” territory.

The Sides:
Miss Portland’s 1/3 pound sirloin burgers cost $6.50 and come with a pickle and a choice of chips or cole slaw. An upgrade to French fries costs $.75. After a quick glance at the recently frozen crinkle-cut numbers a table over – I stuck with the chips.

The Bottom Line: Go to Miss Portland – get that haddock reuben, the chicken pie, a hot turkey dinner – or whatever is on special. If you need a hunk of beef, I can highly recommend the meatloaf. Just don’t bother with the burgers.

Tags: burgers in Maine, Miss Portland Diner, Portland casual food, Portland ME burgers

Go Get Gorgeous

Dec 31

Posted by dawn in Snacks & Street Food, Stores & Purveyors | 3 Comments

Sure it’s Maine in (almost) January, but my iPhone tells me the temps are topping 40 today and 50 tomorrow. It’s a regular heat wave!

The logo alone tells you its great!

My advice? Get thee to the newly opened Gorgeous Gelato (434 Fore Street) and celebrate this balmy bliss with a creamy cold mound of sheer joy. I stopped in yesterday and tasted my way through half a dozen flavors (the proprietor will happily hand you mini spoonfuls to try) and each one was better than the next.

Wicked, wicked good. Or, more appropriately, “Molto, molto buona.” With recipes hauled from their homeland, the husband and wife team are crafting the real deal here.

I nibbled a lush Panna Cotta, a nutty Pistachio and a few Italian favorites (A chocolate chip-ish Stracciatella and a fruitcake-like Bosco) before narrowing my choices. A rich, eggy Almond tempted me with it’s marzapan-like vigor, but I settled on the sensational Cinnamon.

Not too sweet or potent — but certainly not subtle — the flavor was far from the “red hot” style of so many American ice creams. Instead, it was pure spice.

My only mistake was pairing it with the classic Chocolate. Wonderfully dark and fierce, the intense cocoa strangled the softer tones of the cinnamon. I should have known better!

Made daily on site, Gorgeous’ gelato is whip-soft, fresh and concentrated.

If you question it’s old-world authenticity, simply chat with the owner awhile. His charming accent (and firm opinions on espresso) will remove any doubt.

Tags: authentic gelato, gorgeous gelato, Italian-style gelato in Maine, Portland Maine gelato

Tasting the Holiday Spirit(s) – Round 2

Dec 14

Posted by dawn in Bar Scene | 8 Comments

On Friday, Kate, A., Uke, Adam and I gathered at our house to once again sample and rate arcane holiday cocktails. Buried with work as of late, I panicked in the planning, got a little lazy with my research, then simply punted – relying almost exclusively on that boozer’s buddy of a website – www.thespir.it.

The neon green Grinch

As a result, this year’s selections were still odd, but less classic, and mostly better than last year’s – spiking our consumption and decibel levels.

I officially apologize to my neighbors.

Uke again challenged herself to pair each drink with an aged treat, and the results were spectacular. Cheese makes everything better, no?

First up – The Grinch:
The name seduced, but alas, this neon martini proved a disappointment. Most of us didn’t hate it outright (although Kate emitted a loud “blech” and left hers practically untouched). For me, it improved (slightly) upon subsequent sips. Adam hit the nail on the head, dubbing it “the Gatorade of cocktails” – green, tart, chemically, and – just like any sports drink – unnecessary.

Fixin’s:
3 oz Vodka
1 oz Midori Melon Liqueur
1 oz Cointreau Orange Liqueur
1 oz Sour Mix

Preparation: Combine all ingredients in a cocktail shaker with ice cubes. Shake well, strain into a martini glass, and serve.

Pairing: Leonora, a creamy Spanish goat cheese, balanced the tartness and made it drinkable.

Bottom line: Unless you like bright, puckery “girlie” drinks – don’t bother.

Next – The Ultimate Holiday:
Citrusy and smoky with a bitter bite, The Ultimate Holiday was a massive improvement over The Grinch. An alcoholic twin to grapefruit juice, the cloudy, pinkish concoction was flat-out marvelous. While concurring with me on it’s obvious merits, Adam questioned the “Christmasyness” of the bourbon-based tipple – asserting that it was more appropriate for a Jamaican beach. He had a point. Perhaps the word “holiday” in the title was intended as the broader British definition, meaning “vacation.” Ah, well. . .

Fixin’s:
2 oz Orange Juice
1 ½ oz Bourbon
½ oz Lime Juice
1 splash Grenadine Syrup
1 splash Ginger Ale

Preparation: Pour over rocks. Stir.

Pairing: Upland’s Pleasant Ridge Reserve, a raw aged cow’s milk from Wisconsin. A “best in show” winner at this year’s American Cheese Society conference (it also won in 2001 and 2005), the carmelly saltiness of the hard cheese called the bourbon to the forefront.

Bottom Line: I could have slurped glass after glass into the wee hours.

A. stirs honey into red wine to make Mulsum.

Then – Mulsum:
As his contribution to the evening, A. stuck to the “old and traditional” aspect of things and shared Mulsum, a wine and honey blend imbibed in Roman times. He poured glasses of Casillero del Diablo Carmenere alone first, urging us to taste. Then, we stirred in locally harvested honey – slowly adding spoonfuls. The glistening golden goo tamed the tannins and transformed the wine into a celebration.

Fixin’s:
Bottle of any bold red wine
Kick-ass local honey

Pairing: A nutty Dutch Farmstead cheese proved the perfect foil for the honeyed wine — and also the honey alone. We poured honey on chunks and devoured the whole hunk. Uke knocked this one out of the park!

Bottom line: Adding honey to the wine felt like a holiday ritual. Lovely – and very tasty.

Finally – Spanish Reindeer:
Using Kate’s homemade eggnog as a base, this creamy delight was my second favorite of the night. One shot each of Crème de Cacao and Frangelico morphed the toddie into pure dessert. Uke aptly called it “Nutella in a glass.” With a boozy twist, that is. Lucky me – Kate parked the leftover nog in my fridge and I’m sipping another reindeer as I write. Sweet!

Fixin’s:
1 oz Dark Crème de Cacao
1 oz Frangelico Hazelnut Liqueur
Eggnog

Preparation: Blend (or shake with ice) and pour into an old-fashioned glass. Sprinkle with cinnamon or nutmeg.

Pairing: A Colston Basset Stilton from England was the opposite kind of creamy. Sweet and spice meets pungent earthiness. Nice.

Bottom line: A great way to end!!!!

Tags: drinks for the holidays, holiday cocktails

Cupcake Coterie

Nov 24

Posted by dawn in Informal Dining, Snacks & Street Food, Stores & Purveyors | 3 Comments

Cupcakes were neatly tucked into the “childhood” section of my memory – wedged between fingerpainting and falling off the monkey bars. I hadn’t eaten one – by choice at least – in 35 years.

Then Uke called. Cupcake throwdown. Her house.

Cupcakes await our taste testing.

Baffled by a national “gourmet cupcake” craze (as well as Portland’s own, growing mini-psychosis), I accepted her invitation out of curiosity and the desire to reacquaint myself with the tiny, seductive pastries.

Cupcakes are spreading into America’s urban areas – and waistlines – at an alarming rate. Google “cupcake craze” and you’ll see what I mean. Portland is no exception. From the “farm to table” cupcakes of Tulips Cupcakery to the vegan offerings of Cakeface – cupcakes have arrived in Maine.

Big time.

So. . . there we were last Saturday night. Kate (from The Blueberry Files) and I huddled with Uke in her kitchen. Cupcakes covered one entire counter.

Here’s what happened:

The Mission: Try 12 cupcakes from 7 local bakeries. In one hour. Can you say “sugar rush”?

Approach: We devoured cupcakes from both established and newly sprouted bakeries – from classically baked to vegan/gluten free.

Contestants: Scratch, Rosemont, Tulips Cupcakery, Cakeface, Katie Made Bakery, Two Fat Cats, and One Fifty Ate.

Method: To achieve parity, we grouped them into four taste categories: Vanilla, Chocolate, Spiced Fruit and Vegan/Gluten-Free

Vanilla Grouping – Tulips’ Madagasgar Vanilla Bean vs. Katie Made’s Vanilla.
This one wasn’t even close. Tulips’ cake was moist and pliant. Frosting rich and creamy with an intense vanilla wallop. Delightful. Katie Made’s was dry and borderline stale. Topped with a pasty, plastic frosting reminiscent of playdough, I had trouble choking it down. Don’t mean to be harsh, but it was bad. I have to think it wasn’t exactly fresh. At least I hope not. It did look pretty though – lots of sprinkles on top. And, my cohorts swore it tasted better with coffee. But, let’s be honest – what doesn’t?

Aftermath of the cupcake coterie.

Chocolate Grouping – Two Fat Cats’ Chocolate vs. Rosemont’s Guinness Chocolate vs. Scratch’s Black Forest Chocolate.
Two Fat Cats’ cupcake – chocolate with white icing – was the embodiment of that childhood memory. Super-sweet frosting – more sugar than fat. Cake full of air like a Ho Ho. Not bad. But, alas, not my style and (lightbulb!) probably the reason cupcakes haven’t crossed my lips in decades. Rosemont’s was the flip side. Not like a cupcake at all. Compressed. Heavy. Slightly bitter from the beer and dark chocolate bits. Frosting more a thick glaze. Good, but nothing to rave about.

Scratch’s on the other hand – OMG. Fluffy, rich, dense, moist. Melt-in-your-mouth buttercream frosting in perfect proportion to the cake. Fruit filling tasted of cherry – not sugar. A masterpiece.

Spiced Fruit Grouping – Tulips’ Pumpkin vs. Scratch’s Banana Cream Pie vs. One Fifty-Ate’s Apple Spice with Brown Sugar Cream Cheese Frosting.
Tulips’ pumpkin was – again – solid. Flavorful, not too sweet. An even grain to the cake – not too many “air holes.” Maybe a tad undercooked. Methinks the baker’s fresh, Maine ingredients – cage-free eggs, natural butters, local dairy, unbleached flour – showed through. Quite a treat.

One Fifty Ate’s spiced apple surprised me. Flat, with a mere schmear of frosting – I wasn’t expecting much. Instead, I got a lovely mouthful of apple bread with cream cheese. It just barely qualified as a cupcake, though. Too subtle. Too spongy.

Scratch’s (ahem) took the cake for the second time, however. Pure velvety banana essence. Light cream flavor in the frosting. Wonderful.

Vegan/Gluten-Free Grouping (all from Cakeface) – Mocha Chip Mocha vs. Spiced Chocolate. Hazelnut Maple vs. Hazelnut Mocha.
Okay, yes, we segregated these. It was a texture issue. Can you blame us? We also wanted to be fair. Made from ingredients such as white rice, quinoa, buckwheat, xanthan gum, soy milk, fake butter and ground flax (subbing for eggs) we were dealing with apples and oranges, people.

To my astonishment, I really liked two of these – Hazelnut Maple and Spiced Chocolate. The maple one was intense – the most fragrant cupcake of the night, by far. It’s aroma filled the room the moment Uke pulled it from the bag. Spiced chocolate offered shaved chocolate overtones and a wave of cinnamon with each bite. The two mocha ones just didn’t work for me, though. Somehow the cakes were too flaky, the frosting too sandy. Strange.

All-in-all, the evening succeeded in re-opening my eyes to the world of cupcakes. And reinforcing why Scratch simply kicks ass.

Blogger’s Note: I titled this post “coterie” ‘cuz I just adore one of its definitions (“a group of prairie dogs occupying a communal burrow”), which soooo describes how it felt in Uke’s warm kitchen shoveling cupcakes into my piehole.

Tags: Cakeface, Gourmet cupcakes, Maine cupcakes, Portland Maine Bakeries, Rosemont Market, Scratch Bakery, Tulips Cupcakery, Two Fat Cats

Thai-o-rama Round-Up

Nov 23

Posted by dawn in Uncategorized | 1 Comment

Okay, so I spoke too soon last week. THIS is the official end of Thai-o-rama. A round up of my Portland Thai favorites in a handful of categories. Check out other blogger “best of” choices here, here, and here.

Weird and wonderful flashing-eyed lobster at Viet Bangkok.

Best Pad Thai: Chiang Mai Two delivered the goods with nicely cooked noodles, succulent shrimp, snappy bean sprouts, a balanced peanut/tamarind sauce, and a juicy lime wedge. Runner-up: Veranda Thai Cuisine’s version was fragrant and peanutty with shiny, slurp-worthy noodles. Disclaimer: You must order Veranda’s Pad Thai at heat level 2 or higher or risk receiving a blanched pile of bland.

Best Curry: Vientiane. The little market surprised me with its exceptionally well-balanced red chicken curry. Thick with coconut milk and flecked with red pepper, it oozed a spicy richness that somehow deftly avoided a cloying heaviness so common to the Americanized version of this dish.

Best Spring Rolls: Sadly, Sala Thai won in this category by default. Fridge-flavored lettuce runs amok in Portland’s Thai restaurants. Sala’s were crisply fresh and the accompanying sauce – while a bit too heavy on the chopped nuts – added a pleasant zing

Best Soup: Hands down – Boda’s bitter melon soup stuffed with minced pork. Oily and aromatic with sesame overtones in a savory broth, the soup provoked my tastebuds like little I’ve tried before or since. It awoke areas of my tongue I didn’t know existed! A remarkable balance of flavors, it played the role of appetizer to a “T” – kicking my hunger into overdrive. And it killed with a crisp martini.

Best Atmosphere: Kitsch queen that I am, this category was tough one for me. I considered the authentic market vibe of Vientiane, the porn palace swank of Kon, and the “kooky cousin” charm of Masuma’s service at Sengchai Thai. But, in the end, the freaky lobster at Viet Bangkok Thai won out. Three feet long with flashing eyes that blink while you eat – what’s not to love?!

Best Deal: Pom’s Thai Taste for its “build your own soup” menu. My advice? Medium noodles. Five spice broth. Crispy duck. Prepared medium spicy. At $8.95 (lunch size) and $12.95 (a massive dinner size), it’s a filling, hearty steal. And, with a heat level that turns your cheeks rosy and sinuses clear – it’s a flavorful way to warm up in winter.

Best “I Never Expected to Like It” Dish: Chaing Mai Two’s beef salad took me completely off guard. A heaping pile of perfectly oiled freshness spilled over the plate with loads with greens, basil, mint, cilantro and tender strips of red pepper beef. Simply killer.

Best Overall. I said it in the review, and I’ll say it again – putting Boda in the same category as the rest of Portland’s Thai restaurants is like equating grandma’s from-scratch Sicilian with greasy-good college town pizza. It’s unfair . . .but whacha gonna do?

In my book? Boda is the best.

The End of Thai-o-rama

Nov 16

Posted by dawn in Informal Dining | 1 Comment

Almost a year. 13 restaurants. Lots of bad Pad Thai. Jumped the shark long ago. It’s finally over.

These muddled thoughts swam through my brain as I slogged out to outer Forest Avenue. My destination? The final stop in the Thai-o-rama campaign: Sengchai Thai.

Sengchai Thai's Panaeng Curry

Weighed down by 9 hours driving from 2 days of Irish pub debauchery in Nova Scotia, I expected to slump in my seat and force conversation with the rest of the blogging crew.

Instead, I found Portland’s (New England’s?) most enthusiastic waitress. She lifted my spirits and (warning – corny ahead!) made me appreciate the joy of living. Her somewhat forced litany of anecdotes and stories peppered the evening with a large dose of weird, slightly inappropriate and off-topic. I loved it. Jillian captured it nicely here.

The food? Better than some but certainly no Boda.

I ordered Tom Khar Gai and Panaeng Curry and found them both passable if unremarkable. Nice flavors but little to write home about. The soup was as thin as Lindsay Lohan’s excuses and the curry hardly registered as such. Medium spicy is tame here, folks.

Nibbles around the table told me that others ordered better. Uke’s Drunken Noodle offered the tangy punch that makes me appreciate cold beer (even watery Singha). Kate’s Larb Gai got all fresh and lemongrassy on my ass. A’s Pad Thai proved to be one of the better ones in town – complete with citrus! Jenner’s mind appeared to be underwhelmed by her Crab Rangoon – so I passed.

I left feeling cozy and satisfied, but I think that was mostly due to the company and the odd, bubbly service. The food was pretty good. Servicable Thai.

All and all – not a bad way to end.

Blogger’s Note: This post is the final (yay!) in a series of Thai restaurant reviews being conducted — and posted on the same day — by a group of Portland bloggers and writers. For other reviews, check out Portland Food Map.

Tags: Maine Thai food, Portland Maine Thai restaurant

A Guy and His Wok

Nov 2

Posted by dawn in Informal Dining, Snacks & Street Food | No Comments

When you descend into the bowels of an office building for a meal, expectations hardly soar. But what I found in the florescent glow of One City Center’s basement pleasantly lifted my spirits.

Wok Thai made to order at Siam Orchid

I popped off the escalator, strolled to the back corner and low and behold: no heat lamps. No scary buffet. Just a friendly guy and his wok.

Flipped over flames with crisp snap peas, my Fresh Ginger Chicken at Siam Orchid was (can you believe it?) fresh. Pleasantly spiced (at heat level 3) and plentiful, it was nicely cooked and easy goin’ down. Frankly – better than I expected and much better than your average mall fare.

The spring rolls on the other hand suffered from flavor-sapped fridge lettuce, cardboard carrots, soulless onions and not much else. Perky and peppery, an accompanying sweet and sour sauce shifted them from sad to palatable. With eight to an order, you can sure fill up on ‘em if need be. Not bad for $4.50, but not sure its a good idea. . .

A second trip confirmed the first. A Thai basil shrimp tossed with light oil in the wok – very tasty. A pre-made crab rangoon fried to a crisp and stuffed with gooey, crab-flavored paste – not so much.

If you’re downtown, in a rush and want a Thai fix – Siam Orchid fits the bill. Take your cash (no plastic allowed), and take my advice – skip the apps and order something hot from the wok.

Blogger’s Note: This post is the twelfth (just one more — I swear!) in a series of Thai restaurant reviews being conducted — and posted on the same day — by a group of Portland bloggers and writers. For other reviews, check out Portland Food Map.

Tags: One City Center food court, Portland Thai, Siam Orchid

Now that’s Amore!

Oct 27

Posted by dawn in Fine Dining, Informal Dining | 1 Comment

Long, hectic days with high maintenance clients (you know who you are) drain my spirit and cripple my cooking abilities. Even boiling pasta seems a chore.

Those evenings, I lift my weary eyes from my computer and whine to Adam, “Let’s go to Ribollita.”

Always crowded with happy patrons, I’m amazed by how little buzz Ribollita garners.

Folks who wax poetic about the far reaches of Middle Street would rather blather on about Duck Fat next door. And who can blame them, really. I’ve done so myself!

Yet another lousy iPhone photo. Ribollita's gnocchi in the foreground -- osso bucco in the background.

I usually opt for the Roasted Chicken Puttenesca. The snickering 10-year old in me adores that “puttenesca” translates to “whore’s spaghetti.” Pasta of ill repute? Gotta love it.

In Ribollita’s version, housemade pappardelle ribbons are anything but sticky – yet they stick to the ribs like a Sicilian classic should. Fall-off-the-bone chicken, loads of garlic, capers, and kalamatas dance together in the artisanal red sauce and create a party. Each time, I struggle to suppress the “abbondanza!” bubbling up in my vocal chords.

Monday night, however, I strayed from the norm and ordered two things I had yet to try – the steamed mussels and the pan-seared gnocchi. Adam choose the veal osso bucco.

Steamed Mussels
An admitted mussel nut like me can be hard to please. I want ideal consistency and a creative, aromatic broth. Ribollita’s were shaky on the first part, solid on the second. Too chewy, small and slightly gritty, the mussels themselves were underwhelming. I ate a few, then grabbed the crusty Italian bread and turned my full attention to the broth. Pistachio butter cranked up the richness in this delicious, thoroughly original brew. Chunks of pistachio, a smidge of garlic and a healthy dash of salt tamed the butter’s sweetness. It took a while to regain my senses and shun the loaf. Nothing worse than filling up on bread – even if it is dipped in heavenly bouillon!

Pan-Seared Gnocchi
Gnocchi usually isn’t my bag. Mushy potato balls? Never understood the appeal. But the “pan-seared” part has always tempted and I finally gave Ribollita’s gnocchi a whirl. Smart move. Searing transformed the goopy texture – sealing the orbs in a crisp jacket of lightly fried flavor. Tossed with salty prosciutto and crisp pea pods, and topped with parmesan, the result was a super-hearty pile of perfection.

Veal Osso Bucco
This Milanese stew encapsulates what’s grand about Ribollita – simple dishes, wonderfully cooked, lovingly made. Osso bucco requires more patience than flair. It’s an amalgamation of veal shanks, mirepoix (carrots, onions, celery), red wine, stock, herbs (rosemary, thyme, and bay leaf, perhaps?) and hours simmering in low heat. Adam dug into the massive mound and pronounced it “exactly right – robust, braised to tenderness and unpretentious.” (Yes, he really said that.) Surprising me, he also raved on and on about the accompanying polenta until I finally scooped up a spoonful. Creamy, yet dense, and spiced with herbs, it slurped up the veal “gravy” – spawning a splendid savory pudding.

Now that’s amore!

Tags: Italian in Portland ME, Portland Gnocchi, Portland Maine Italian restaurant, Ribollita

Food Lovers

Oct 24

Posted by dawn in Uncategorized | 4 Comments

Food is elemental. Tastes are subjective. Opinions abound. Discussion of food can spark debates as spirited as those on religion and politics. I pronounce a sauce too spicy. Another deems it just right. I find an atmosphere charming. Another finds it weird.

Our enjoyment of food and drink — and the environments in which we partake — is personal.

All forms of culinary expression are welcome in my life — and on my blog. Express delight at my insights. Or, disagree with me profoundly. Share your own experiences.

We all have appetites. We all have palates. I respect that.

So — please join the conversation.

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