What’s increasingly making Portland a worldly source of provocative dining and a contender to maintain its foodie-nation status is the diversity of what there is to eat and where to find it whether dining in or dining out.  It comes up in the most ordinary places from vendors at a farmers market to a soup swap in a barn in Yarmouth to a fine meal on Munjoy Hill to a French-bistro inspired dinner in the Old Port. It makes the food lore of the daily meal so delicious.

Crystal Springs Farmers Market

Crystal Springs Farmers Market

While Portland has one of the biggest farmers markets in terms of number of vendors, Brunswick beats the odds with its contribution of buying local because it has market days 3 times a week: On the Green in downtown Brunswick on Tuesdays and Fridays and  on Saturday down the road at Crystal Springs on Pleasant Hill Road.

Brunswick's On the Green market

Brunswick’s On the Green market

For breakfast, Marcy’s Diner is still one of the best for  hale and hearty appetites that want it big and delicious.  And it’s where you still get the best serving of hash browns.

At Marcy's, a plate of eggs with barbecued kielbasa with eggs, grilled English muffin and the best hash browns

At Marcy’s, a plate of eggs with barbecued kielbasa with eggs, grilled English muffin and the best hash browns

To celebrate cookbook author Kathy Gunst’s latest book,”Soup Swap,”  Old Port Magazine managing Editor, Susan Axelrod,  with her photographer husband, Ted Axelrod, had an open house in their barn at Rainbow Farm in Yarmouth.  From simmering soups in crock pots to lots of complimentary  goodies such as tarts, pies and salads, it was the perfect fall day to have wholesomely delicious food.

Lots of different soups to swap and goodies to eat such as Gunst's savory tart, Susan's pumpkin chocolate chip cookies and more at the Soup Swap

Lots of different soups to swap and goodies to eat such as Gunst’s savory tart, Susan’s pumpkin chocolate chip cookies and more at the Soup Swap

My contribution to Soup Swap: carrot soup with star anise and classic chess pie

My contribution to Soup Swap: carrot soup with star anise and classic chess pie

Sometimes all you need is the perfect cut of meat for a fine meal at home.  Here is a pot roast in the making, this time with a chuck roast on the bone, seared and seasoned, ready  for slow-oven  cooking in a covered pot.

Seared and seasoned and ready for braising, this fine cut of beef chuck on the bone was from Curtis Meats in Warren; most butchers offer boneless roasts--this was a great find

Seared and seasoned and ready for braising, this fine cut of beef chuck on the bone was from Curtis Meats in Warren; most butchers offer boneless roasts–this was a great find

Gaining in popularity is the new Petite Jacqueline now in  the Old Port.  The room is an inviting space done in the moderne style and the food is first rate offering French bistro style cooking.

Petite Jacqueline: Clockwise, dining at the bar; dessert tray; steak frites for a dieter without the frites but green beans almondine instead; tables in the dining room

Petite Jacqueline: Clockwise, dining at the bar; dessert tray; steak frites for a dieter without the frites but green beans almondine instead; tables in the dining room

Sunday night at Lolita–or any night really–is a convivial room in which to have a fine dinner from a selection of captivating small plates such as ricotta gnocchi with braised carrots  to the monumental wood-oven roasted porterhouse.

A carved porterhouse (top) the strip portion; the tenderloin (bottom) and a delightful dish of ricotta gnocchi (lower left)

A carved porterhouse (top) the strip portion; the tenderloin (bottom) and a delightful dish of ricotta gnocchi (lower left)