News Release
Greater Portland Convention & Visitors Bureau
Contact: Angie Helton, Northeast Media Associates
(207) 653-0365 nema@maine.rr.com or
Courtney McMennamin, Public Relations for the
Greater Portland Convention & Visitors Bureau (207) 772-4994 ext. 234
Portland, ME October 2, 2009- The Greater Portland Convention & Visitors Bureau will cap off Harvest on the Harbor, the three-day culinary festival, with “Harvest Uncorked,” the ultimate dance party. “Harvest Uncorked” takes place on Saturday, October 24, at Maine’s newest event center, The Landing at Pine Point in Scarborough, Maine, recently launched by Cityside Events.
The Landing’s vibrant lounge scene and top-tier concerts and events have quickly made it a hotspot addition to the Maine social circuit, making it the perfect setting for the upcoming Harvest Uncorked festivities. Headlining the October 24 evening event will be celebrated chef and culinary artist Carmen Gonzalez from New York City. She will present her award-winning Latin style cooking using Maine seafood and vegetables in her Mussels and Green Mango Salad.
Attendees will get to feast and frolic in style at the ultimate Harvest Dance Party with fine music including piping from expert bagpiper George Pulkkinen, in full regalia, to an elegant jazz trio consisting of a grand piano, bass and sax, to the seven- piece Jim Ciampi Dance Band, offering light standards, swing and contemporary dance favorites.
A sensational harvest dining experience will also be available at "Harvest Uncorked”.
This ultimate dining experience starts with vintage Bordeaux-style blends from the Russian River Valley of California and expands to fine French boutique wines that will satisfy the most discerning palate. Wine selections will be expertly paired by Peter Merriam Vineyards and David Joseph from DaVine Wines.
Native Maine Produce will team up with Chef Margaret McClellan, who is the 2008 Maine Lobster Chef of the Year, to present an array of Maine harvest vegetables from roasted root vegetables, to grilled, marinated and sautéed vegetables. Rounding out the vegetable course will be a chilled gazpacho.
Cheese Maker Jennifer Betancourt from Silvery Moon Creamery will serve a cheese course of her award-winning Rosemary's Waltz (a fresh tart cheese coated in rosemary with a touch of juniper berries) and Tuscan Herbed Curd (parsley, red pepper and garlic give this curd its unique flavor). Savory Maine Coast Focaccia (made from 3 kinds of seaweed - kelp, laver and dulse) and Maine Potato bread (using Aroostook County Yukon Gold potatoes) will come from Borealis Breads and renowned baker/owner Jim Amaral.
Back Bay Grill brings its celebrated reputation to UnCorked! by joining with farmers Rachel and Clint Harris from Harris Farms in Dayton. This joint venture will produce a delectable free range veal dish not to be missed.
Cookbook Author and Chef, Kate Gooding, teams up with Josiah Pierce, the farmer from Pierce Place, to deliver Maine Maple Braised Lamb with Ambercup Squash. The author of Black Fly Stew, Kate Gooding, is sure to be a favorite of the evening with another outstanding native Maine dish.
The seafood course produced by the fishermen and farmers from Maine Aquaculture will be sure to over deliver on your expectations of oysters, mussels, smoked salmon, farm raised sushi grade cod, and salmon pâté.
Finishing off your dining experience for the evening will be two outstanding dessert courses. Gelato Fiasco will present two flavors of their locally made gelato - Chocolate Stout featuring Sebago Brewery's Lake Trout Stout, and Maine Blueberry Sorbetto. Kristin F. Simmons of KAF Cooks in Kennebunkport will prepare Cocktail Cupcakes inspired by the Bar Mixology of Autumn. Cupcakes will be showcased in miniature martini glasses and will include Apple Cider Cakes with Vanilla Cream Frosting, Cranberry Cakes with Orange Zest Buttercream and Lemoncello Cakes with Lemon Glaze.
Harvest on the Harbor promotes Maine as a culinary destination by celebrating great local chefs and wines from Maine and around the world. Last fall, Harvest on the Harbor was named one of the “Top Ten Seafood and Wine Festivals” by Coastal Living magazine and it was attended by more than 3,000 foodies from Maine and around the country.
Sponsors of the event include Down East magazine, Hannaford Supermarkets and WHOM 94.9FM.
About the Greater Portland Convention & Visitors Bureau
The mission of the Greater Portland Convention & Visitors Bureau is to stimulate the economic vitality of Greater Portland by soliciting and servicing conventions, meetings, groups, and visitors and by promoting Greater Portland as a preferred destination.
