October 22 marked day two of the five-day culinary extravaganza, Harvest on the Harbor, with The Stage Dinner at Merrill Auditorium. Guests sipped on Ménage a Trois Prosecco in the lobby before taking their seats on stage in the shadow of the world-renowned Kotzschmar Organ.
Approximately 100 guests were treated to music from the Thornton Academy Jazz Band while they dined on six courses prepared by chefs from Lolita, Isa Bistro, Café Miranda, Union at The Press Hotel, Zapoteca and Azure Café.
Some of the highlights included “As You Wish” (we LOVE “The Princess Bride” reference), a wood-roasted Francesca Farm buttercup squash with local greens, fig, coconut secret spice sauce, chicken cracklin’, shredded cuke, lemon and Headacre Farm Cilantro; and the grilled octopus with cous cous. The cous cous had a delightful citrusy flavor to it, and paired well with the octopus, which was perfectly cooked and seasoned, delighting everyone at our table, which included celebrity chef Elliott Farmer from The Food Network. Dessert was a maple almond buttercream cake with fresh banana, maple bourbon crème brulee and balsamic toffee almonds, which was exquisite. The crème brulee had just the right amount of crispness on top, and the maple and banana flavors worked well together.
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Grilled Octopus with Cous Cous
Sommelier Erica Archer of Wine Wise Events was on hand to describe each wine she chose to accompany the six courses, and answer any questions attendees had about wines. Coffee by Design brewed a special Harvest on the Harbor blend just for the festival, which we spied several guests sipping with dessert.
The Good Shepherd Food Bank is the nonprofit beneficiary of Harvest on the Harbor and Courtney Kennedy spoke on behalf of the organization about how the funds being raised would help support their mission of reducing childhood hunger in Maine from one in four children, to none.
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Vanessa Hill of PortlandOldPort.com and Chef Elliott Farmer of The Food Network
Harvest on the Harbor organizers singled out two guests for special recognition, one woman from New York for being the very first person to buy her ticket for the event, and a gentleman from Texas for traveling the farthest to attend.
Harvest on the Harbor continues through Sunday, October 25. Check their events page to purchase tickets.