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Do Not Poke the Pies

Canning Spaghetti Sauce in a Pressure Canner

My love for fresh, local tomatoes cannot be overstated. But (and I feel I'm making a bit of a canning confession here), I think preserving tomatoes in a way that captures their sweet, in-season taste can be a struggle. Preparing tomatoes for canning is always a process, no matter what method or recipe you use. In years past, I've canned crushed tomatoes ; whole, peeled tomatoes; and basil-garlic tomato sauce , all in a boiling water bath canner. This method requires the addition of bottled lemon juice for safety, which (as much as I've tried to convince myself it doesn't) imparts a tart flavor. So if you're going to go all out - peeling tens of pounds of tomatoes, scooping hot tomatoes through a food mill, lots and lots (and lots) of dripping tomato juice - you'd better be sure that when you're finished, you have jars of something you're excited to use. So this year, I pressure canned spaghetti sauce. The peeling process is still necessar

First Look at Bar Futo in Portland, Maine

Happy 2023! Plenty of new restaurants are opening in Portland, including the latest from the owners of Mr. Tuna and Crispy Gai , with chef Ian Driscoll (Central Provisions, Duckfat, Hugo's) at the helm. Bar Futo features a Japanese-inspired menu with many items grilled over binchotan (charcoal). While there's an extensive selection of sake, we started with some signature cocktails—my husband had the delicious Calpikachu, a rum and chartreuse concoction ($13) with a foam made from a Japanese strawberry soda, while I loved the Sakura sour ($13), a mix of pisco and cherry blossom with an egg white topper. Later in the meal, I had a Mellon Baller ($12), a fresh mix of homemade Midori (a melon liqueur), absinthe, lime, and mint over crushed ice that was also fantastic. The menu is divided into two sections of small plates and skewers, with about 20 items total. We were a group of 5, so we were able to sample a large selection of dishes. First to arrive was the fluke crudo ($16)

First Look at Regards in Portland, Maine

Regards opens tonight—a new restaurant on Congress Street in Portland where Emilitsa was. The chef is Neil Zabriskie, formerly of Little Giant, and co-owned by his wife Kimberly Lund and Cameron Lewin, also formerly of Little Giant. The menu was described to us during the Friday night preview as "L.A.-meets-Maine" and has a strong seafood focus with a big selection of tequila and mezcal. The menu definitely belies the cold temperatures we've had in Maine lately, but still felt hearty enough to enjoy on a January evening. I started off with a delicious Paloma cocktail and a beautiful plate of raw Japanese yellowfin tuna, buttermilk aguachile (chili water), and onions ($18). This dish was one of my favorites, with its rich broth and silky herb oil. I loved the bite of the raw onions too. Next came charred cabbage, anchovy caesar, white kimchi salt ($16) followed closely by a salad of endive, brown butter & soy, bosc pear, sheep gouda, hazelnuts ($18). The bitter ch

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