Harvest On The Harbor Highlights National And Regional Chefs, Authors And More

PORTLAND, Maine - Maine's first Harvest on the Harbor, a food and wine festival presented by the Convention & Visitors Bureau of Greater Portland, kicks off October 23 at Portland's new Ocean Gateway. The three-day event includes TV show tapings, seminars, cooking demonstrations, wine tastings and more. Tickets for individual components of the festival start at $35; complete information is available at www.harvestontheharbor.com.

The event begins Thursday evening, October 23, with the Grand Tasting at the Gateway - a food and wine tasting event showcasing Maine's finest culinary talents with award-winning restaurants Back Bay Grill, Hugo's, Fore Street, The White Barn Inn, and many others serving canap�s from 5 p.m. to 9 p.m. Grand Tasting attendees will also be able to sample wines provided by such well known labels as Francis Ford Coppola, Greg Norman, Clos du Bois, Ravenswood, and Barefoot; as well as Mionetto Prosecco and Mo�t Hennessy wines and champagnes. Imported beers including Stella Artois and Bass will be on hand along with Maine's own Shipyard and Peak Organic. To cap off the night, Sweet Marguerite's will present a signature "Harvest on the Harbor" chocolate, paired with Coffee By Design's limited edition "Harvest on the Harbor" blend.

On Friday, October 24, the Portland Harbor Hotel, the Portland Regency Hotel, and The Eastland Park Hotel will host a wide variety of cooking demonstrations and food and wine seminars throughout the day. These unique and inspiring events include "Smoking Seafood: Rediscovering a Lost Art," "Discovering American Artisanal Cheeses," "Caviar Lunch," "Wine Sense: Understanding, Selecting & Enjoying Wine," "The Joy of Mixology" as well as a Maine Oyster Tasting and a special Caviar Lunch.

"The Chef's Kitchen," a Maine-filmed and -produced syndicated cooking show with an audience of more than 10 million homes, will be taped live in the Chef Demo Tent at the Ocean Gateway in three different time slots on Friday, October 24. The shows will highlight Maine products including Maine lobster and Maine wild blueberries. National celebrity chefs joining the show include James Beard award-winner Jean-Marie Lacroix of Lacroix at The Rittenhouse restaurant, and Tony Clark, renowned personal chef, previously named one of Food and Wine Magazine's Best New Chefs. They will be joined by local luminaries Roger Bintliff, chef/owner of the Sheepscot Harbour Village & Resort, Jonathan Cartwright, Executive Chef at the White Barn Inn, and Rob Evans, Chef/Owner of Hugo's.

A Culinary Marketplace featuring over 100 food artisans, wine vendors, presenters, authors and experts will take place on Saturday, October 25, on the Ocean Gateway's pier from 10 a.m. - 4 p.m. This all-day outdoor marketplace will provide an opportunity to observe cooking demonstrations and sample food and wines while shopping for unique kitchen gadgets, gourmet food products and wine specialty items. Wineries, breweries and spirits will be paired with delectable Maine cheeses, breads, smoked seafood, and much more.

Harvest on the Harbor will conclude with a black-tie event on Saturday, October 25, with a Gala by the Sea at the Inn by the Sea, 40 Bowery Beach Road, Cape Elizabeth. The evening will begin with a raw bar and martini reception followed by a five-course meal with fine wines paired with each course. This unparalleled meal will be prepared by two 2004 James Beard Award-winning guest chefs: New York City's David Pasternack (Esca) and Portland's Sam Hayward (Fore Street) along with the Inn's Executive Chef, Mitchell Kaldrovich. The evening will also include the first-annual presentation of the Maine Culinary Awards for outstanding local accom