Caiola’s

Glorious Cast-iron: the most useful pan to have in your kitchen

October 14, 2015 / / Discoveries, Recipes

Cast-iron has always been in my arsenal of cookware with a few sizes at the ready in pots and pans.  But over the years my collection has grown from two cast-iron pans to a large collection in all sizes for many different uses.

Classics in cast-iron cookery: roast chicken, cornbread, chops and potatoes

Classics in cast-iron cookery: roast chicken, cornbread, chops and potatoes

I’ve learned that what makes cast-iron skillets so integral is the sturdiness of the pan and the heat that it conducts so evenly for such dishes as cornbread, producing the inimitable outer crust, or for skillet pies.  Drape pastry dough into a skillet and fill with apples, sugar and a few knobs of butter and it’s all you need for a great pie baked in cast-iron.

Read more…

The time is now for compelling Sunday Brunches, indoor farmers’ markets, fabulous autumn skies, fall menus and winter wardrobes

October 5, 2015 / / Discoveries, Restaurants, Travel

October brought in the first fall weekend that seemed like classic autumn in Maine: puffy cumulus clouds hanging from  bright blue skies; the farmers’ markets in full swing with squash, apples, Brussels sprouts and vibrant root vegetables looking as luscious as ever. Even what we eat and where we go to have it takes on the hues of seasonal change.  I made my first meatloaf since last year.  Sweaters were unpacked, socks covered ankles, jackets donned and a wool blazer worn in the evening. Even a stroll through Portland’s Saturday farmer’s market made me think I should have worn gloves since the brisk winds made the 48 degree temperature feel much colder.

Clockwise: cows grazing on pasture at Bisson's Farm and butcher shop, Topsham; farmer's market at Brunswick-Topsham Land Trust

Clockwise: cows grazing on pasture at Bisson’s Farm and butcher shop, Topsham; farmer’s market at Brunswick-Topsham Land Trust

Read more…

Brunch that gratifies: new, novel and/or noteworthy

September 21, 2015 / / Restaurants, Uncategorized

French toast made with corn bread?  A new twist on eggs Benedict as though an old faithful really needs twisting and shaking? Sometimes it’s the tried and true that is the most satisfying.  Then, again, when you experience a dish that’s truly novel  that’s cause for culinary celebration, too.

I made the happy error of mixing up my brunch dates thinking that yesterday—Sunday—was the date for a brunch I was invited to.  I looked up the email invitation and saw that it was for next Sunday.

Piccolo's charmingly rustic dining room

Piccolo’s  dining bar and  wine rack

But I was all psyched for brunch without a destination.  Though my favorite spots like Caiola’s or Sur-Lie beckoned  I decided to go to someplace I’d not been to in a while.

Read more…

Weekend brunch, Portland: Are you still standing on line to get in?

September 14, 2015 / / Restaurants

From the divine dining annals of  Middle Street (Eventide, Duckfat, East Ender,  et al) to the proprietors on the four corners of Longfellow Square,  the legion of brunch buckaroos waiting on line to get into Portland’s trendiest eateries has spiraled to new highs.  All that craving rush for variations on eggs Benedict or the latest take on tater tots define this culinary madness.

The hot spots, Local 188, Eventide, East Ender and Duckfat

The hot spots, Local 188, Eventide, East Ender and Duckfat

Read more…

The blue plate special: another Sunday brunch winner at Caiola’s

August 3, 2015 / / Discoveries, Restaurants

At 8:55 AM on Sunday morning 10 of us were waiting to get into Caiola’s for brunch.  The popular West End eatery was running late, opening 5 minutes past its 9:00 AM appointed hour.  Yes, I’ve written about Caiola’s brunch prowess many times and here I am again.   Yes, other Portland restaurants have distinctive brunch menus beyond the usual eggs Benedict. And I should venture forth.

Read more…

Sunday brunch carries on vividly at many Portland restaurants–but there’s one that’s a real standout!

July 20, 2015 / / Restaurants

The finest culinary minds take the art of cooking to new levels even when the dialectic of simple versus grand is a basic conundrum.   But consider another possibility in our flavor domain: weird—or deliciously weird. It’s one thing to spiral high over an incredibly flavorful dish when the sum of its ingredients are unique. But then there’s the far-out mother of invention taking hold and you, as a diner, encounter something so completely different. These revelations don’t often occur at brunch, the superciliousness of a meal that occurs mostly on Sundays.  The progression of mimosas and bloody’s, all kinds of eggs Benedict and omelets,  pancakes and French toast or just plain old bagels and “lox” (as it’s still known in Manhattan circles) are often mundane and predictable even if comfort-food good.

An old favorite, The Hot Brown

An old Caiola’s favorite, The Hot Brown

Read more…

Newer Posts