Portland's Cinque Terre To Host First Annual
"Eco Appetito - Good Eating for a Good Earth" Event
Restaurant's "Maine sustainable food celebration" to benefit
innovative "Food for Thought" program at Ferry Beach Ecology School

Portland, ME - Cinque Terre (www.cinqueterremaine.com) will usher in the first signs of spring on Sunday, March 16th when it holds its First Annual "Eco Appetito - Good Eating for a Good Earth" event at its Portland restaurant, located at 36 Wharf Street. The open house event, expected to draw a capacity crowd, will benefit the "Food for Thought" program, offered at Ferry Beach Ecology School (FBES) in Saco, Maine. The innovative program at the school's coastal campus teaches the value of eating naturally grown and organic food, and how to live and eat sustainably.

Scheduled for 1:00 - 4:00 pm, the festive Eco Appetito event will showcase abundant samples of local Maine food and beverages from dozens of producers. Menu items for the day will include samplings of premium venison, veal and lamb; artisan cheeses and breads from area producers; fresh smoked salmon from Browne Trading Company; and Winterpoint oysters. A variety of specially prepared vegetable and pasta dishes also will be featured, including house-made ravioli filled with fresh vegetables from Laughing Stock Farm; Maine gnocchi with lamb pancetta from Stone Heart Farm; arugula pesto; and white bean and parsnip "soup shots."

Event guests will enjoy hand-crafted beer selections from Portland's Allagash Brewing Company, the debut of Maine Oat & Maple Beer brewed by Peak Organic Brewing Company, wine selections from Wicked Wines of Orrington, and wines from Blacksmiths Winery of South Casco. A silent auction showcasing a wide variety of Maine products and services also will be featured, as well as door prizes.

"We've really been impressed by how quickly so many Maine farmers and food producers came on board for this benefit," noted Lee Skawinski, Co-Owner and Executive Chef of Cinque Terre and its sister restaurant, Vignola, both located in Portland. "Our first Eco Appetito event will be a genuine celebration of sustainable Maine food and first-rate Maine beverages.

"We have such a wide selection of Maine food items to choose from for our event menu," he added. "Our whole team at Cinque Terre is having great fun pulling together some really flavorful menu items for the afternoon. Some of our specific dishes will include venison and white bean bruschetta; delicious all-natural veal served with fresh mushrooms from forager Rick Tibbets, and a variety of Maine artisan cheeses from K Horton Specialty Foods."

The FBES Food for Thought program has educated more than 57,000 students during its nine years of operation. The program has been widely credited throughout the region for everything from raising awareness among youth about healthy gardening and harvesting techniques, to the value of its sustainability workshops and its ecology field trips to Maine's coastal ecosystems.

"It's exciting how word about the Eco Appetito event is spreading, and how much interest folks are showing," said Drew Dumsch, Executive Director and Founder of FBES. "I think that interest level speaks volumes about the importance more people are placing today on sustainable agriculture and healthier dining options. If we see as much enthusiasm from guests at the event as we've seen from participating food growers and producers, we're all in for one memorable afternoon."

DETAILS

Eco Appetito - Good Eating for a Good Earth
Cinque Terre, 36 Wharf Street, Portland
Sunday, March 16th 1:00 - 4:00 pm

$50 per person. All proceeds will benefit the Ferry Beach Ecology School and its "Food for Thought" program.

Local street, lot and garage parking will be available. To purchase tickets or locate additional event information, visit www.fbes.org or call Maggie Daigle at (207) 671-0643.

To learn more about the Ferry Beach Ecology School and its acclaimed programs and offerings, visit www.fbes.org .


SUPPORT FROM AREA BUSINESSES

Eco Appetito Event Sponsors and Supporters include Maine Food & Lifestyle magazine, Slow Food Portland, Aurora Provisions, Allagash Brewing Company, Peak Organic Brewing Company, Good Clean Food Simmer Sauces, Kate's Homemade Butter, Laughing Stock Farm, Rabelais, Browne Trading Company, The Sunrise Guide, Applegate Farm, Fraser Art Studio, Hahn's End Farm, Nezinscot Farm, Stone Heart Farm, Mariner Beverage, Wicked Wines, The Downeaster, Front Burner PR, Harris Farm, K Horton Specialty Foods, Gorham Bike & Ski, Portland Buy Local, Portland Schooner Company, Sunset Acres, Thai Yoga Bodywork, A Soothing Touch Massage, Starbucks, and Quaker Tavern B&B.

Come discover why The New York Times, The Boston Globe, Food Network, Gourmet, and National Geographic Traveler all list Cinque Terre as one of Portland, Maine's "must-dine" experiences. Serving dinner nightly. For reservations, call (207) 347-6154. www.cinqueterremaine.com