Taste Maine's rich culinary heritage on this Portland sustainable food tour
Jan 17, 2020 鈥 5 min read
Learning where Maine restaurants' cooking ingredients come from is part of the fun when eating out in Portland 漏 Lily Girma / 老澳门六合彩开奖记录
Two years ago, Bon App茅tit named Portland, Maine its . If you aren't familiar with the Pine Tree State's biggest city, you might be surprised that, with a population of just 67,000, Portland is home to more than 400 restaurants. But it鈥檚 not just the number of dining options that distinguishes Portland鈥檚 gastronomy scene 鈥 it鈥檚 also the sustainability.
Few had examined the connection between Maine鈥檚 food system, its deep commitment to conservation, and the city鈥檚 passion for tracing ingredients to the source until Sarah and Bryce Hach created walking tours in 2017.
The couple met in graduate school and relocated to the greater Portland area after living in nine different states. With careers spanning public policy, economic development, and education, plus a strong mutual love of food, they quickly realized the story of Maine鈥檚 unique culinary scene was one worth telling.
鈥淲e saw that there were so many rich food narratives coming out of the Maine food system,鈥 says Bryce Hach .
That鈥檚 the focus of their Land, Sea to Fork tour, during which participants stroll Portland鈥檚 historic streets and experience the city鈥檚 best sustainably sourced restaurants, all while learning about the meaningful journey Maine鈥檚 food takes on its way to your plate.
On the tour, you learn how Maine鈥檚 large, diverse landscapes 鈥 from the nutrient-rich Gulf of Maine and 5,300 miles of coastline to a vast network of inland farms close to the city. You鈥檒l also hear about the solid community of entrepreneurs who are passionate about the state鈥檚 outdoor heritage. And you鈥檒l learn how people and places have created a strong food culture that is farm-and-sea-to-fork.
Along the way, participants sample seven dishes from a classic Maine lobster roll to creative plates from local or immigrant chefs using homegrown Maine foods. On each tour, a pamphlet is distributed with a list of the restaurants, plus the Maine farms and fisheries supplying them.
While the tour is something best experienced first-hand, here are four qualities of Portland cuisine you'll discover 鈥 leaving you with plenty of food for thought about the meals you enjoy at home and away.
Creativity meets blue collar resourcefulness
The walk kicks off at the aptly-named in the heart of Portland. It鈥檚 easy to see why they chose the tagline 鈥渁ltogether local鈥 for a menu that celebrates ingredients sourced from local farmers, fishermen, foragers, and craft brewers.
Maine鈥檚 magical union (pun intended) between its land and sea harvesters shines in the first dish you鈥檒l try. This bowl of chowder starts out familiar with clams from the Gulf of Maine and homegrown potatoes, then takes a turn towards the unexpected when those cornerstone ingredients are soaked in a coconut milk based soup inspired by the chef鈥檚 travels to Asia.
At , you鈥檒l see the inner workings of a fishing wharf on Portland Pier, and hear about Maine鈥檚 sustainable lobster fishing regulations 鈥 from size limits to licensing and in-trap feeding methods. You鈥檒l appreciate the resourcefulness that went into the lobster rolls you鈥檒l taste afterwards on a seafront deck, with fresh lobster caught right in Casco Bay.
Honoring Portland鈥檚 rich immigrant community
The Greater Portland area is home to a large immigrant community from India, the Philippines, England, and Canada, including refugees from Somalia, Iraq, and the Congo. You鈥檒l glimpse how this has enriched the city鈥檚 food scene, which Food for Thought compares to being like a journey around the world.
鈥淲hile immigrants represent only 4 percent of our population, over 25 percent of Portland鈥檚 restaurants are owned by immigrants,鈥 Hach explains. Chefs whipping up fusion dishes inspired from their native homes, yet sourced from and showcasing Maine鈥檚 homegrown ingredients, have created a one-of-a-kind culinary community that鈥檚 the envy of other American foodie hubs.
At , stories emerge while you sample Genoa-born Chef Paolo Laboa鈥檚 Mandilli al Vero Pesto Genovese 鈥 an authentic Genovese basil pesto sauce made using Maine-grown basil and a 30-year family recipe, on melt in your mouth handkerchief pasta, made daily on site.
Olivia鈥檚 Garden supplies the fresh basil 鈥 a state-of-the-art greenhouse in New Gloucester that uses 15 species of predatory insects in lieu of pesticides. The basil goes from farm to Solo鈥檚 kitchen in under two hours. Other examples on this sustainable food walk include Japanese and Mediterranean cuisines.
Exploring Maine鈥檚 seasonal produce
Beyond meeting Portland鈥檚 celebrated chefs, Food for Thought teaches the importance of understanding a destination鈥檚 landscape and its key crops.
Maine鈥檚 farms, for instance, are less than 100-acres in size and smaller compared to those in the rest of the country, which translates into high quality, artisanal type of produce. Its outdoors, including its northern location, also play a role in attracting farmers and in limiting the growing season due to the harsh weather.
鈥淵oung farmers are coming into Maine 25 times faster than the national average,鈥 Hach adds, 鈥渓ured by the water, the land, the rich local culture, and demand for authenticity.鈥
Seasonal Maine crops you鈥檒l taste include wild blueberries 鈥 a native bush that grows wild in Maine鈥檚 forests 鈥 potatoes, and beets. You鈥檒l sample these at , fusing contemporary Mediterranean dishes using Maine鈥檚 seasonal ingredients.
Voting beyond the booth
Aside from delving into Maine鈥檚 food system and showing off the way it unites growers and chefs, and celebrates diversity, Sarah and Bryce鈥檚 tour mission is simple: to create change one fork full at a time, by getting you to think about the origins of the food on your plate and the trip it took to get there.
Fun fact: the average American meal travels over 1,500 miles to get on a plate.
Discussions get lively on the tour, as participants share their experiences with sustainable food, and attempt to define buzzwords such as 鈥渓ocally sourced,鈥 鈥渟ustainable,鈥 and 鈥渢raceable.鈥
鈥淲e don鈥檛 just vote when we are at the voting booth,鈥 Hach explains. 鈥淲e vote through the everyday decisions we make. Nowhere are these decisions more magnified or intimate than what we鈥檙e going to be putting in our bodies.鈥
From learning about sourcing food with less chemicals, pesticides, and additives, to contributing to a system that conserves nature and water, and supports local farmers while reducing emissions, this isn鈥檛 your average walking food tour. But that鈥檚 exactly why you鈥檇 sign up.
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