Maine

The Wrap: Ugly Duckling wins Incredible Breakfast Cook-Off as Maine Restaurant Week launches

Published

2 years ago

March 1, 2023

The Wrap: Ugly Duckling wins Incredible Breakfast Cook-Off as Maine Restaurant Week launches

Ilma Lopez passes out plates at The Unbelievable Breakfast Prepare dinner-Off at Sea Canine Brewing in South Portland on Tuesday. Lopez, who took first prize, was representing her new West Finish bakeshop and luncheonette, Ugly Duckling. Brianna Soukup/Workers Photographer

Ugly Duckling, the West Finish’s brand-new bakeshop and luncheonette, took high honors in The Unbelievable Breakfast Prepare dinner-Off Tuesday.

About 200 folks braved the snow to attend the occasion at Sea Canine Brewing Firm in South Portland, based on occasion organizer Gillian Britt. The cook-off additionally serves because the kickoff to Maine Restaurant Week, now working in its fifteenth 12 months from March 1-12.

A dozen space cooks ready their entries for the competition, which was judged by the group. Chef Ilma Lopez, co-owner of Ugly Duckling, beat out opponents together with her crème brûlée trocaderos, house-made brioche pastries crammed with vanilla custard and topped with caramel and maple glaze.

The primary-runner up prize went to Chef Isaac Aldrich of Bowdoin Eating Companies for his Maine Crab Benedict that includes Maine rock crab meat, eggs, hollandaise, buttermilk biscuits, peppadew peppers and roasted heirloom tomatoes. Aldrich received the annual occasion in 2020 and 2016.

Second-runner up went to a different cook-off veteran, Chef Avery Richter of the Black Tie Firm caterers. Richter ready breakfast empanadas with native sausage, eggs, spinach, smoked cheddar, pickled onions and maple chipotle sauce.

The breakfast cook-off was held for the primary time since 2020, because the pandemic had induced it to be canceled for the final two years. Proceeds go to profit Preble Road, and Britt estimated the occasion raised $6,000.

“The cooks actually do take it critically and work arduous to give you inventive dishes. And all people is happy to be there to profit Preble Road,” Britt stated. “The power is all the time actually good, and it’s a enjoyable occasion due to that.”

SOMETHING EERIE IN OLD PORT

A brand new Hulu collection on paranormal exercise contains an episode that includes some spooky stuff at Andy’s Previous Port Pub on Business Road.

“Repossessed,” a Hulu collection on paranormal exercise, will function an episode on a pool desk at Andy’s Previous Port Pub that co-owner John Lowell says “will make noises as if anyone’s enjoying when there’s no person within the room.” Shawn Patrick Ouellette/Workers Photographer

The present, “Repossessed,” is hosted by paranormal investigator Moe Sargi and focuses on seemingly haunted objects across the nation. A workforce from the present visited Andy’s a few 12 months in the past to research a pool desk within the pub’s again room.

“The desk has been right here for some time, and it’ll make noises as if anyone’s enjoying when there’s no person within the room,” stated pub co-owner John Lowell, who purchased Andy’s together with his spouse, Tanya, in 2020. “You’ll hear pool balls clacking when there are not any balls within the desk. You’ll hear the coin-drop mechanism function when no person’s enjoying.”

Lowell stated workers and even clients from native strolling excursions have witnessed these unusual incidents. Whereas Repossessed targeted on the pool desk, Lowell stated the pub’s safety cameras have captured different hard-to-explain occurrences, like a 7-pound ketchup container all of a sudden flying off its shelf, or a espresso cup that flipped within the air spontaneously earlier than smashing on the ground.

Maine-based paranormal skilled Chris Sanders had made the present’s producers conscious of Andy’s pool desk, Lowell stated, and in addition makes an look within the episode.

The primary season of Repossessed contains eight episodes. Andy’s Previous Port Pub is featured in episode 4, together with another places round New England.

SOUL FOOD PARADISE TO EXPAND

Soul Meals Paradise proprietor Martin Beavers plans to open a second location this summer season, this one on Preble Road.

Beavers just lately signed a five-year lease on a 2,800-square-foot house at 24 Preble St. The situation beforehand hosted Arcadia earlier than its transfer to Congress Road.

Beavers opened Soul Meals Paradise within the Maine Mall meals courtroom within the fall of 2021. He intends to develop the menu on the new location and provide some elevated variations of soul meals classics, as nicely providing distinctive codecs like meals served in cornbread bowls. The Preble Road location additionally could have a liquor license, and Beavers stated he’s growing a line of daiquiri-style drinks.

Beavers hopes to be up and working on the new web site by the top of Could or someday in June. The Maine Mall location of the Soul Meals Paradise will keep open till its lease expires in 2024, he stated.

“We would like this to be a spot the place you wish to take an image,” Beavers stated. “We wish to make it colourful and enjoyable, family-style. That’s what soul meals is all about.”

PUNCH LOVES SACRED PROFANE

Biddeford’s Sacred Profane Brewing made Punch journal’s listing of the nation’s finest craft beer breweries for 2023.

Sacred Profane was certainly one of 10 breweries on the Punch listing – launched Feb. 21 – and the one location in New England. Punch compiles its roundup with enter from brewers, beer writers and patrons across the nation.

Titled “The Who’s Who of Beer Cool,” the Punch story cites Sacred Profane’s co-founders Michael Fava and Brienne Allan’s “unmatched dedication to Czech-style lagers. Each are preceded by their reputations for making wonderful beer and eschewing fads.”

Sacred Profane opened final 12 months, and sells two sorts of Czech-style lagers, pale and darkish.

“I feel beer had an enormous maximalism section, and I really like seeing of us pull it again and simply give attention to high quality,” the writeup continues, quoting Brooklyn-based brew scribe Ash Croce. “I really like that (Sacred Profane) is dedicated to those conventional lagers and simply perfecting them.”

FORBES GIVES CLIFF HOUSE FOUR STARS

Cliff Home Maine in Cape Neddick just lately earned 4 stars from the Forbes Journey Information for the primary time.

“Located on 70 acres atop majestic Bald Head Cliff, Cliff Home Maine provides a dreamy, cozy respite overlooking the Atlantic,” the Forbes assessment states. “Opened in 1872 as a resort and farm, the peaceable retreat has attracted a few of New England’s high brass to its spectacular shores. … A latest renovation has given this historic resort new life, but it surely nonetheless makes probably the most of its spectacular location.”

Owned by hoteliers Marc Dugas and Peter Anastos, the property underwent main renovations about six years in the past. The Cliff Home has 226 rooms overlooking the ocean, a spa and wellness heart, and two eating places, The Tiller and Nubb’s Lobster Shack.

“Whereas seafood is definitely the star at The Tiller,” the Forbes reviewer wrote, “land-based dishes like hanger steak with Bradbury Mountain blue cheese butter or a mushroom-packed plate of gnocchi shine vivid, too.”

The one different Maine property to be acknowledged by Forbes in 2023 is The White Barn Inn in Kennebunkport, which acquired a five-star ranking.

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Maine

Man dies in propane tank explosion in northern Maine

Published

5 hours ago

January 18, 2025

Press Room

Man dies in propane tank explosion in northern Maine

A man died in an explosion at his home in Molunkus, Maine, Friday afternoon, fire officials said.

Kerry Holmes, 66, is believed to have died in a propane torch incident about 3 p.m. on Aroostock Road, the Maine Fire Marshal’s Office said.

The explosion took place after a propane torch Holmes was using to thaw a commercial truck’s frozen water tank went out, leading to the build-up of propane gas around the tank, officials said. It’s believed a second torch ignited the explosion.

First responders pronounced Holmes dead at the scene, officials said. The investigation was ongoing as of Friday night.

Molunkus is a small town about an hour north of Bangor.

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Maine

Opinion: A clear solution to Maine’s youth hockey challenges

Published

13 hours ago

January 18, 2025

Press Room

Opinion: A clear solution to Maine’s youth hockey challenges

A recent article about the decline of youth hockey participation in Maine raised important concerns, but also overlooked key dynamics and solutions that could help the sport thrive (“Maine youth ice hockey is losing players. No one is sure how to stop it,” Jan. 10).

As the president of Midcoast Youth Hockey – Junior Polar Bears, I see a very different picture in our region. Our program experienced 146% growth last season and is approaching another 25% growth this season. These numbers paint a clear picture. The issue is not a lack of interest in hockey — it’s a lack of available ice time and modern facilities to meet growing demand.

Youth hockey programs across Maine are thriving when they have the resources and ice time to do so. The challenge isn’t that kids aren’t interested in hockey or that families can’t afford the sport — it’s that many families are forced to make difficult decisions because ice time is scarce and facilities are outdated.

In our region, competition for ice time is fierce. Every single arena is operating at or near capacity, juggling youth hockey, high school teams, clinics, camps and college programs. When rinks close or fail to modernize, the ripple effect forces players and families to drive 30 to 60 minutes — often in the early morning or late at night — to find practice and game slots. This is not sustainable. As I always say, “The only thing that could negatively impact demand for ice time is a lack of ice time.”

The article’s focus on high school hockey teams consolidating misses a larger reality. Many players are shifting to club hockey because it offers more ice time, better coaching and higher levels of competition. This is not about cost. Families are investing more in hockey because it brings their kids joy and growth opportunities. What’s needed is a solution to make hockey accessible and sustainable for all levels of play — not just those who can afford to travel to other regions.

The closing of several rinks over the past decade, while concerning, doesn’t signal a lack of interest in hockey. It highlights the need for better-designed facilities that can meet demand and operate sustainably. Single-sheet rinks are no longer viable — they lack the capacity to host tournaments or generate the revenue needed for long-term operations.

A dual-surface facility, strategically located in Brunswick, would be a game-changer for the Midcoast region. It would not only meet the growing demand for ice time but also provide an economic boost to the community. Dual-surface facilities have the capacity to host regional tournaments, clinics and recreational leagues, generating $1.4 million to $2.2 million annually in economic activity. This model has been proven successful in other parts of the country, where public-private partnerships have enabled towns to build and operate financially viable arenas.

A new dual-surface facility in Brunswick wouldn’t just serve youth hockey. It would also support middle and high school teams, adult recreation leagues, figure skating and adaptive skating programs. Programs like adaptive skating, especially for veterans with disabilities, honor Brunswick’s military heritage while making skating more inclusive.

This type of investment solves two problems at once. It ensures local players have access to sufficient ice time, reducing the need for long drives, and it helps prevent the consolidation of high school teams by supporting feeder programs. The numbers don’t lie — when kids have the chance to play, participation grows.

We need to stop thinking about hockey as a sport in decline and start addressing the real barriers to growth: limited ice time and outdated facilities. Rather than pulling back on investment in rinks, we need to move forward with smarter, community-driven solutions. A dual-surface arena in Brunswick is one such solution, and it’s time for government and business leaders to work together to make it happen.

The article noted a lack of a “plan to build hockey back up.” Here’s the plan: Build the infrastructure, and the players will come. Hockey isn’t fading — it’s waiting for the ice.

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Maine

Maine Mariners smothered in 6-1 loss to Cincinnati

Published

21 hours ago

January 18, 2025

Press Room

Maine Mariners smothered in 6-1 loss to Cincinnati

Chas Sharpe and Tristan Ashbrook both scored twice, and the Cincinnati Cyclones broke open a close game with four goals in the final 11 minutes as they earned a 6-1 ECHL win Friday night against the Maine Mariners in Cincinnati.

Sharpe got the go-ahead goal at 13:57 of the second.

Chase Zieky scored a power-play goal on Maine’s only shot in the second period. Cincinnati outshot the Mariners, 27-10.

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