johnnyd

I had to stare at that for a minute until I recognized the Portuguese Bacalhau.

I hate it when that happens.

Absolutely... nay, a mandatory requirement! Good point on the dollar-status. Wait to buy camera batteries until you get here.

For some of the many astonishing eGullet photos of MiniBar dining, Click Here. These by our own docsconz.

It's a slice of B&M's Famous Brown Bread! Amazing how many corners of the planet it seems to turn up!

Yarmouth Clam Festival Update: It appears the Clam Fest attendance exceeded the ~150,000 people from last year, probably because Wheel Of Fortune brought their bus in for auditions. So that and the good weather caused a greater than expected participation. Next year I'll network better. Today's price for 1 pint of fried clams (strips & bellies) is $11.99 at Portland Lobster Company, 180 Commercial Street in the Old Port. Add house-made slaw and fries: $18.99.

Now that's a comprehensive list! Thanks kpzachary! I bet that was a wild time on-island. The only thing I can contribute to that list from personal experience is the quality and courtesy of Souza's Seafood, 23 Trotter's Lane (508-228-9140). It's been some years now but when on our annual week-long visits we stopped by there every day for something and it was always a joy.

Damn, those are awesome...

How about Tamarind?Fascinating perspective Mr. Morse. I share your multi-cultural culinary curiosity. Once you leave the US of A, it's like eating for the first time and there is an endless parade of dishes to check out and try. Those shops are an impossibility stateside - lucky bastard! Having once been active along the fringe of the alternative music scene, I recall a lot of fast food combinations. Amsterdam looks like a heaven for that stuff. Blog on

...and when you do, don't hesitate to contribute to The Best Lobster Roll topic! It's time that sucker was bumped back up!

I am paying five bucks or more for a dozen local farm-fresh eggs. They are just so worth it. A lot of spanish cooking includes a simple fried egg on top of dishes like potato and chourizo, or saltcod and potato. I recently embellished some leftover jamaican rice n' peas with a handful of sauteed carrot, onion and celery and linguica, then topped with a fried egg. Both these dishes can be a breakfast, lunch or dinner - but that's just me. Also, try Greek Lemon Soup. Chicken stock with leftover rice, oregano, lots of lemon juice and a couple egg yolks slowly stirred in. Then whip up the eggwhites for chili rellenos or other light-battered foods. I make portuguese Caldo Verde in the autumn and winter. Occasionally I'll poach an egg and put it right in the middle of the Caldo, then have fun breaking it and swirling the yolk around the soup. Eggs - they're not just for breakfast anymore.

... which is Enoteca di Vino 39 Court St in Plymouth.Portland is doable in a day. It's a 90-100 minute drive. There is Portsmouth on the way too. But in Massachussets, I once drove along the coast from Marblehead to Rockport, through Beverley, Manchester and Gloucester. Saw some beautiful New England coastline, a crazy castle that the guy who invented remote control radio built in the 1920s, and many, many places I wish we could have stopped to eat. The trick is to cut inland to the interstate for a short return trip. Depending on time, you can pick and choose among many options. You can't deny the magic of Cape Cod though.

Welcome to New England Charlie. Pity you can't stay longer. Biz casual (to me, anyway) is jacket & no tie, all else is up to you. The Cape is served by one major road and yes, that gets quite slow in August - worse on weekends. I recommend a really early start. There are some very nice areas along the coast north of Boston that show a lot of local color, should you be faced with an alternative. Can't help you on Boston eateries, but I'm sure others will weigh in.

Local 188 - Plans to open August 1st according to Jay, the owner - the new location is in a busy part of town. No idea how it's going to be... especially open barely two weeks. Blue Spoon - Has a small following. A couple doors up from Front Room Barbara's - Barbara's Kitchen, 388 Cottage Rd SoPo has closed. David's of Portland took it over and I've heard nothing about it. It is a VERY small space, six or so tables. The only other Barbara's (or "Barb's) is a b'fast and pizza corner place in SoPo. also very small - not known for culinary greatness. Snow Squall - Went up for sale 7/18/07 on a local commercial realty site. I don't think they are open. Boring anyway, I heard. Bibo's Madd Apple Cafe - I had an excellent lunch here three years ago. Excellent service, reasonably priced, simple creations using fresh ingredients. Just off the beaten path at 23 Forest Ave, off Congress. Great Lost Bear - Vast selection of beers and barfood. Busy, hip place with an outdoor patio. Not a food destination but a Portland institution. Walter's Cafe - is probably the best food on the list and right, smack downtown in the Old Port. Great food, nice ambiance. ** I just got off the phone w/Ginny and she said there can be a server in their upstairs alcove August 11th if you would like to call and reserve: 207.871.9258 - I'd say we have a winner! Boone's - closed (Soon to be incorporated by the Comedy Connection/Porthole behemoth) Newick's - closed (Soon to be new home of Beale Street BBQ)

Duck Fat is open 11:00a to 8p. I'll see what else would be nice this week when I'm downtown.

Stuck my nose into the construction mayhem that used to be Chicky's Fine Diner today and had a chat with it's new occupant, James Tranchemontagne, chef/owner of Portland's Café Uffa. James plans to open The Frog & Turtle in this space around Labor Day. It will be an English pub-style place with burgers, bangers & mash, shepherd's pie and the like. It is possible there will be live music on occasion. James has had great reviews while running Uffa so I'd assume The Frog & Turtle will be just as dependable.

Geez, Ron - you're making me wanna screw up something now!

No one gets more nostalgic for their favorite junk food than an American lad living abroad, so when I saw Kellogs-anything in the local supermercado in Portugal I went wild. I dragged my mother over to the shelf and convinced her to buy the way over-priced box of sugary treats only to find it full of bugs when we got home. We looked at the expiration date and it was a year or so past. That probably did a lot to ignite the culinary critic in me as I imagined a covert operation of grandiose magnitude selling and shipping bogus american foods all over the world. Check the dates, expats!

This is awesome! Okay, I can only contribute that there is a quantity of liquid under the mistake... which looks to me like graham cracker-based, but I know next to nothing about baking.

Well, neither can I! Unfortunately, they will have to wait until next year. When I arrived in Yarmouth on Friday, the traffic was backed-up. Parking was expensive close to the midway and I didn't bring cash! So I inched along to a free, shuttle-served parking area and waited and waited. Eventually I gave up. I didn't realize how spoiled I was when I helped a friend in the arts & craft concession area a couple years ago and got a parking pass. This is one clam festival that needs some smart planning next time. If I find locally shot photos I'll post a link.

One of the most comprehensive and fascinating reports The eGullet Society has posted was The Alinea Project which became so extensive it occupies a forum all it's own. Subforums include: - Inside The Alinea Food Lab - Alinea Serviceware - Alinea Kitchen Design - Alinea - The Business Plan

Wow. That's why we live here. Thank you, Peter!

The third weekend in July marks another Yarmouth Clam Festival just ten or so miles up the highway from Portland. It's in it's 42nd year and is a classic New England community gathering and a great excuse to eat clams cooked every possible way. [see eG calender event listing here] I am on my way up this afternoon to snap, and eat a few clams! I'll report back in a jiffy.

eGullet member TimH is a chef at Enoteca di Vino, 39 Court St in Plymouth (Center?). We had a few spirited discussions about the use of Maine Shrimp on his menu last winter. I found some reviews from the local yellowpages you can check out. He hasn't been around lately so he's probably busy! Let us know how it turns out!

There is also an intimate patio/garden in the back that looks beautiful. I've yet to eat there but those who have say the meals get a shot of magic back there.This review in the Portland Phoenix is a year old but paints a nice picture of Bar Lola, 100 Congress St. - Changes since include Christian Kryger's departure for new projects, Josh Potocki's focus is now entirely on OneFiftyAte, 158 Benjamin W Pickett St, South Portland, 207-799-8998 (saw him at a wedding this weekend and shot the breeze), and Guy & Stella have welcomed eG member erikd for a night or two in the kitchen so he can keep his chops honed. For a great setting, consider Saltwater Grille on the other side of the river where the largish deck overlooks a marina and the city of Portland. The food is satisfactory, (see website for details) but the venue is worth the trip. Perhaps it will be the balm everybody needs?