Maine Fare, The Celebration Of Maine Food, To Debut In Boothbay, Maine In September

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

June 19, 2008

CONTACTS:
Jim Britt
(207) 775-2126 Ext 120
jim@gbritt.com

Don Lindgren
(207) 774-1044
don@rabelaisbooks.com

Maine Fare, the celebration of Maine food, to debut in Boothbay, Maine in September

BOOTHBAY, Maine -- Maine Fare, the celebration of Maine food, will be held in Boothbay, Maine on September 12, 13 and 14. This unique event inspires foodies, historians, farmers, chefs and others to gather to learn about the past, present, and future of Maine's wonderful food, from farm to table. The setting for this year's gastronomic celebration is the glorious Coastal Maine Botanical Garden, in Boothbay, 132 Botanical Garden Drive. "After several years in Camden, it's exhilarating to be launching the next version of Maine Fare in Boothbay," said Sam Hayward, the festival's founding and directing chef and owner of the award-winning Portland restaurant Fore Street.

Maine Fare will commence with its annual Tasting Dinner honoring The Maine Organic Farmers and Gardeners Association (MOFGA), Friday, September 12. Nearly twenty workshops, panel discussions and presentations will examine Maine's rich food history, throughout the weekend of September 13 and 14.

Highlights of the event include the Maine Fare Marketplace, Saturday and Sunday, all day, where growers, farmers, craftsmen, cooks and others offer samples of their wares to attendees. The marketplace is free with paid admission to Maine Fare events. In addition, Maine Fare presents a series of panels and workshops on Saturday and Sunday at the Coastal Maine Botanical Garden and at special offsite locations. Sample topics include Maine's Lesser-known Seafood; Honey, Bees and Hive Collapse; Extending the Garden Season; Kitchen Gardens; The State of Food Shopping in Maine; Apples and Cider in Maine, and Hunger and Nutrition in Maine.

Culinary classes and workshops, offering techniques and tips from Maine's world-class chefs, are popular activities.

Maine Fare's inaugural Potluck Supper is set for Saturday September 13; guests will be able to meet famed cookbook author Molly O'Neill, and are invited to bring a dish.

Maine Fare board member Nancy Harmon Jenkins said, "Local restaurants, resorts and inns are really excited about the festival. People in the Boothbay and Boothbay Harbor community are rallying around this opportunity, and many are planning to host individual events that weekend."

Maine's celebrated chefs, food makers and food writers, as well as emerging stars, will bring their vision and talent to the celebration, too. A list of participants will be announced and updated ongoing starting in July, on mainefare.org. Tickets to Maine Fare will be released during July.

Hannaford Brothers will be Maine Fare's 2008 leading sponsor. Event partners include Maine Food & Lifestyle Magazine, MOFGA, The Maine Cheese Guild and Slow Food Portland.

About Maine Fare:
Entering its fourth year, Maine Fare is an annual event created to showcase and celebrate Maine's natural culinary resources. Using traditional food event platforms such as chef demonstrations, panel discussions, workshops, tastings, displays and dinners, Maine Fare investigates the history, present and future of Maine's wonderful food, from farm to table. Maine Fare's goal is to communicate the importance of preserving, protecting and sharing Maine's storied culinary history and its rich and developing resources. Maine Fare honors every aspect of the state's gastronomic profile. Contact Maine Fare by emailing info@mainefare.org.

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