See you at Chicken Run!

So it may be a bit gray tomorrow. What else is new? So I'm headed for One Longfellow Square for the FoodFilms showing of Chicken Run. The Aardman animation classic poultry film will be paired with a fried chicken dinner by Josh Potocki of 158 Pickett Street in South Portland. Short chicken-themed films and a question and answer session with the chef are also part of the night. 6pm, at One Longfellow Square.

The dangers of outdoor cooking...

Thanks to Easily Mused for this classic interpersonal food moment.

The One-Straw Revolution

“I was aiming at a pleasant, natural way of farming which results in making the work easier instead of harder. ‘How about not doing this?’ ‘How about not doing that?’—that was my way of thinking.”
Masanobu Fukuoka, in The One-Straw Revolution.

Over on the Good Magazine blog, Peter Smith talks about this classic book and briefly examines this author's individualistic philosophy of farming, extending it into the world of the kitchen. This important book has long been out of print, and sadly unavailable. But now the NYRB Press has brought it back for us, with an introduction by Wendell Berry. Michael Pollan called it, "one of the founding documents of the alternative food movement, and indispensable to anyone hoping to understand the future of food and agriculture."

Out on a Limb: Apple CSA

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From Super Chilly Farm in Palermo Maine - A chance to taste and learn about the rare and interesting apples being grown in Maine, and support their continued cultivation.

Rabelais is very proud to announce the inauguration of the first apple CSA in Maine, to be distributed from our store.

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Starting September 2nd, every other Wednesday and ending November 11th, heirloom and unusual modern apples harvested from four orchards in central Maine will be driven down to Rabelais Books in Portland.

· Each share will include 30-40 varieties of rare, interesting and highly flavored apples over the course of the season with a wide range of uses, appearances, histories and tastes. Each week you will receive a mix of dessert apples (apples meant to be eaten fresh) and culinary apples. We will make sure you have enough of the culinary varieties to cook something with them. Some of the varieties will be organically grown, others conventionally.

· Each bi-weekly delivery of at least 1/4 bushel (approx. 10 #) will be accompanied by a newsletter with descriptions, history, tidbits and lore about each variety, as well as recipes and ideas for how to best use them. The cost for a share is $120.

· Orders will be available to pick up at Rabelais from 11:00 am to 5:00 pm on Wednesdays (9/2, 16, 30, 10/14, 28 & 11/11). Shares will be held at Rabelais until Thursday at 5:00, unless other arrangements are made.

If you are interested you should sign up soon, shares are limited! To sign up send a check to : Out on A Limb CSA, 167 Turner Mill Pond Rd, Palermo Maine, 04354. Include your name, snail mail address, phone and email address with your check, which should be made out to Out on a Limb.

If you have more questions you can email: OUTONALIMBCSA@gmail.com, or call us at the store.

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"Why not go out on a limb? That's where the fruit is."
Mark Twain

Some different views on"local"

Here's a very interesting piece responding to some things Thomas Keller recently said about "local foods". [thanks to the Psst for the link!] Keller makes an argument for using "the best" ingredients even if they come from afar. While I disagree with the definitions Keller uses (why not just admit that it isn't local?), I think he's right in principle. Local does not always mean best quality, and a chef has the right (some might say responsibility) to pursue the best ingredients for his or her cooking. And, frankly, local food producers can sometimes learn something when they see a superior product coming from elsewhere. And then, hopefully, they will redouble their efforts to produce better food right here. Of course we are thrilled when customers far away recognize the quality of our Maine food products and purchase them for use in their states.

What's a fungus to you?

Do you like, bread, beer or wine? Thank a fungus.

Natalie Angier, in today's NYTimes. 

How to get the most from your pig

Here's a great little photo essay on pig butchering from the Guardian. It's interesting how the British butcher watches the Italian butcher, and wonders at how slow it is, but also how little of the pig is wasted.