It has been a tough year for mushrooms, but at last weeks class we discovered a whole ravine full of tons of different kinds of edible boletes. I’m hoping our luck continues as we have been getting a bit more rain. This is my favorite time of the year to forage. The air is crisp and wonderful. We will take a 1.5-2 hr foraging walk, and then will discuss our findings and how to prepare them over a foraged picnic. $50/PP, includes lunch, and kiddos attend for free, but must be able to hang tight on the walk.

This is a new idea I’m very excited about. Every month, we will have a themed evening in which the entire food and drink menu will be inspired by a place, or concept, or ingredient we love. Texas Forever Baby!!!! This month’s one night only menu takeover brought to you by Friday Night Lights - a show that I fell in love with despite all odds. Expect frito pie, a lot of queso, a salsa bar, Shiner Bock, very large glasses of chardonnay a la Tami Taylor, Saracen Shandys…. No need for reservations on menu takeover nights, come and get the whole menu, or just one drink. You choose. Bonus points for costumes and character development.

Family Dinners are back!!! I am so excited for this dinner!!! Here at the Vine seafood and sherry are two of our most favorite mediums to play with, and they really do play so well together. When I had the opportunity to host the area representative of Gonzales Byass - one of the most historic Sherry houses in existence, I jumped on it. I knew I wanted to do an entire dinner focused on the amazing diversity and versatility found within the world of sherry and sherry based cocktails. But then, what was I going to cook to pair with all this delicious sherry? Enter Tom Santaguida. Tom Santaguida is our resident lobsterman, artist and philosopher - a regular who has become a good friend of all us. Many of you perhaps already know him. I asked him if he would be interested in supplying all the seafood for this dinner, and he said yes, but then expressed his worry that he would not be able to give me enough different types of seafood to work with. He then proceeded to rattle off a list of 14 different types of seafood that he could likely catch. I’d say that’ll be sufficient! This is going to be a night to remember, a lovely bridge between the dog days of summer and the colder weather ahead. Very limited seating, so do not wait to call. $45/person does not include the cost of drinks or gratuity. I structure the dinners that way to allow the patron some more flexibility in how they want to imbibe. That being said, I will have a few different suggested pairings with each course. We will likely have 3 or 4 courses, served family style. Call the Vine at 207-721-3000 to sign up!

I am so excited about this class, the first in a series of preservation and fermentation classes Sean will be rolling out in the next few months!!

Chef Sean Doherty earned a Grande Diploma from the renowned Cordon Bleu program in 2004. Having worked with great chefs such as Larry Matthews Jr. at Back Bay Grill, and Melissa Kelly at Primo. Sean was tapped by Harding Lee Smith to be the opening chef of two of his successful restaurants: The Corner Room, and The Oyster Room at Boones Fish House shortly after. Sean has spent the last 10+ years learning the oldways and traditions of food preservation, which includes, fermentation, foraging, baking, and brewing; with a strong focus on Asian pathways (koji, miso, soy sauce, garum, and vinegars.) He now resides in Brunswick with his wife, two daughters, and countless culinary experiments.

Just in time for the fall harvest! Come and learn about one of the worlds oldest and most popular foods - PICKLES! Get hands on experience on how to safely make them in your own kitchen. The workshop begins with an introductory talk while tasting an assortment of pickled foods.
Topics we will cover and/or discuss...to include snacks and a delicious lunch * Different types of pickles (quick or 'refrigerator' pickles, lacto fermented, vinegar brined shelf stable) * Sanitation practices (cleanliness, ph testing, storage) * Importance of seasonality * Creativity and applications * Choosing the proper vessel * And lots more! This workshop is a hands-on learning experience and will be a fun, safe community building exercise in which each participant will bring home their own jar of hand crafted pickles.

$75/PP, prepaid, includes lunch! Call the Vine at 207-721-3000 to Sign Up!

The Foraging Classes are getting more and more popular, so I’m gonna keep on doing them. I will hold two in September to ensure that there is room for all. Last class sold out! I am adding a Saturday date for those that have not been able to make the Sunday dates. It has been a tough year for mushrooms, but at last weeks class we discovered a whole ravine full of tons of different kinds of edible boletes. I’m hoping our luck continues as we have been getting a bit more rain. We will take a 1.5-2 hr foraging walk, and then will discuss our findings and how to prepare them over a foraged picnic. $50/PP, includes lunch, and kiddos attend for free, but must be able to hang tight on the walk.

Oooh la la, chanterelles and trumpets should be out in force by this time, as well as all manner of edible boletes, reishis, chicken of the woods, lobsters, hopefully many mushrooms. Although we will look at lots of plants in this class also, mushrooms will likely take center stage. We will take a 1.5 hour walk at a TBD location within 20 min of Brunswick, and will then reconvene at the Vine to eat a delicious foraged lunch together and discuss our findings. $50/PP includes lunch, and kids attend free. A perfect way to spend Sunday morning with your family. Call the Vine with questions, and to sign up!

Come join Justin from National Distributors as we explore the wines of Kermit Lynch. Kermit Lynch was one of the first importers I learned to look for many years ago as I was beginning to get serious about wine. I am happy to say, the wines he selects truly stand the test of time. They have integrity, are varietally correct, have a good story, and are produced sustainably and ethically… We’ll select 5 wine that exemplify those characteristics. Come taste with us!

Our foraging classes have been a major success, and so much fun! By the time this class rolls around, chanterelles and black trumpet mushrooms should be out in full force, as well as a bunch of other edible and medicinal mushrooms. Lowbush blueberries, and lots of other goodies should be around as well. We will take a 1.5 hour walk at a TBD location within 20 min of Brunswick, and will then reconvene at the Vine to eat a delicious foraged lunch together and discuss our findings. $50/PP includes lunch, and kids attend free. A perfect way to spend Sunday morning with your family.

Rosé Rosé Rosé!!! We are in the thick of summer, finally. In this tasting we will be exploring the world of Rosé; starting with a blanc de noir that is essentially white, and ending with a rosé that is so dark, its pretty much a red. There is sure to be a rosé for everyone at this tasting, come taste through the rainbow with me! As always, FREE!!!

Come hang at the Tom Settlemire Community Garden under the full moon and enjoy cocktails created by moi, delicious bites, while listening to live music. All while raising money for the Brunswick-Topsham Land Trust. More details and tickets can be found on BTLT’s website: www.btlt.org

If you’ve been in to the Vine, you know, I love everything vintage. Our vintage clothing popups have been going well, but the element that has been missing for me is the styling component. Just like cooking, just like cocktail construction, just like any art form, if you know the rules, the ratios, and the ingredients, you too can create something beautiful.

So, I am reinventing Vestments. I’ll curate a collection of beautiful vintage clothing for you to peruse, with a drink in your hand, and I’ll help you create cohesive outfits using those pieces. Come hang, try on fun garments, and maybe learn a thing or two to complement your personal style.

Think: pisco sours, margaritas, whiskey sours, gin fizzes, daiquiris - they all are related, and once you understand the basic ratios, you can make them all, and then make your own interpretations of these classics. Come learn, have some drinks, and eat some snacks. All for $40!!! Call the Vine at 207-721-3000 to sign up.

Finally, another cocktail class! We will learn how to preserve the bounty of summer flavor in syrups and infusions, and will then create some tasty drinks with our ingredients. Anyone who drinks at the vine knows how much I love my botanical syrups and infusions. Come learn how to do the same thing at home. $40/PP includes light snacks, drinks, and a bunch of information.

Our first foraging class was a total success, over sold out, and so fun! So I’m going to do one a month until the snow falls. Mushrooms will be starting to pop by this class, so we’ll be on the lookout for them, as well as other delicious edible flowers, greens, fruit and roots. We will meet for an approximately one hour long walk in the woods, and will then reconvene at the Vine to eat a delicious foraged luncheon while learning how to cook what we found. The class will last approximately 3 hours, and includes lunch for $65/per person. Call the Vine at 207-721-3000 to sign up, and the last class sold out quickly.

Whats that you say? Another wine tasting so soon? Yes. We’ve really been enjoying our wine tastings, and apparently so have you, so we are going to try and do one every other week. I’ll update soon with more info on the wine lineup as soon as we decide.

We are so sorry that we missed May, but Vestments is back and better than ever. Every second Sunday of the month the Vine will be taken over by 4 vintage clothing vendors, including myself. Bar is always open, and pretty soon, so will the porch! Come hang, peruse the clothing, have a drink and a snack.

This month Taylor and I will be joined by Northwoods Vintage who has some AMAZING (check out his instagram page) vintage menswear. Taylor and I will cover the bases for the ladies. All the summer dresses you’ll ever want…

5 Wines, all under $18 - plus -10% Discount on 6 bottles or more = an amazing opportunity to stock on some amazing value wines specially selected by me for optimum summer consumption. This is a very Francophile tasting, 5 lovely wines from all over France and Corsica - Gamay, Aligoté, Mondeuse, Niellucciu, Jaquere, Altesse - all uncommon but delicious grapes. come taste!!!! These are guaranteed to be wines you’ll want to drink all summer.

A gin and tonic is one of the most simple drinks to make, and consequently also very fun to manipulate. Come taste the different styles of gin you can choose from, and learn how to make your own infusions and syrups to customize this classic summer beverage. Our classes are fun, informal, but also very informative. $40/PP includes drinks and snacks. Call 207-721-3000 to reserve your spot!

The fifth edition of Vestments is upon us, and we are going to explore the fashion of the Kentucky Derby! Think big hats, floral dresses, seersucker, and other such things! We’ll have an extensive collection of vintage hats, and some really great vintage staples as well… If you’ve never been to one of our clothing popups, they are a lot of fun, and feature a rotating cast of vendors. Bar is open, and we are serving food as well! Some get a drink and browse all of the beautiful clothing that we have found for you!

Wow Wow Wow!!! I love Illahe Vineyards, and they will be here pouring their wines on Thurs, April 25! Their wines are pure and alive, and really friggen delicious. Minimalist winemaking, sustainable practices, horsepowered harvesting and mowing. All the good things, pure Willamette Valley deliciousness. We’ll have a really fun line up including a Gruner Veltliner, some bubbles, Tempranillo rosé, and of course, Pinot Noir… Come taste, and as always, free!

I taste more wine in the month of April than at any other time of year. Why? Because this is the month in which most of my distributors are having their industry only shows. We have the opportunity to taste new vintages, and new wines. Come check out some of my favorite new finds, the wines that gave me pause, and made me smile. Always free!!!

I’m bringing my cocktail classes on the road! On Wednesday March 13, I head to Sammy’s Deluxe in Rockland to teach a classic and improvised stirred cocktail class. We will be covering stirred classics such as the Martini, Manhattan, Negroni, Old Fashioned, as well as Classic Riffs such as the Boulevardier, Toronto, Old Pal etc… Then I’ll let ya loose to improvise under my supervision using my extensive amaro and vermouth collection. So, if you are feeling as stir crazy as I am, head north for the evening, take the class, and stay at Sammy’s for dinner. Or, if you live in the Rockland area, and haven’t made it down to my classes yet, here is your chance, I’m coming to you!! As always, $40 gets you in, gets you drinks and snacks, and I promise, you’ll leave happier and more wise. To Sign up, call Vessel and Vine at 207-721-3000

Vestments Volume 3 is Booked! For our March Edition of Vestments - Vessel And Vine’s monthly vintage clothing popup sale, we will be welcoming sprig, and the more colorful wardrobe that comes along with it. Come stock up on some fun duds for your spring vacation. Or, just will Spring to come early by changing what you wear - which is what I do. If nothing else, it helps your brain feel warmer… Taylor and I will be joined by two vendors, to be announced soon! We are changing the hours of this monthly event to 1PM-6PM, to allow y’all more time to shop. And, of course, we’ll have delicious cocktail and food specials. What is better than being able to shop with a drink in hand?!

THE DAY BEFORE VALENTINES DAY, I will be teaching another class: Amaro Y Amore - reinventing classic love cocktails through the context of amari. Bring your love, or just bring your love of yourself. This one is guaranteed to sell out, so do call early if you want to hold a spot. As always, $40/PP includes drinks, snacks, and knowledge.

Our first vintage clothing pop up sale was a smashing success, so they will now be a monthly event! We will have four vendors again, including two new guests. (Check them out on Instagram: @guruvintage, and @jareddesimio) There will be vintage clothing, upcycled vintage, vintage fabric, napkins and tea towels, vintage aprons. SO MUCH GREAT STUFF! And… delicious snacks and brunchy cocktails available for purchase. Last month’s was poppin’, so get here early for the best selection.