DaCapo Press sent over an advance copy of Toni Fiore's first cookbook, Totally Vegetarian, to be published in the fall. Fiore, a Portland resident, is the host of Delicious TV's Totally Vegetarian, which is broadcast on public access channels nationwide. Many of the recipes sound absolutely delicious -- Greek Stuffed Cabbage, Kasha Crunch Burgers, and Pumpkin-Bulgur Chili, for example. Here's my goal: Try at least one recipe per week, and report back to you readers, complete with food-porn photos and perhaps even the reviews of some outside taste-testers.

[Cross-posted at Word Up/About Town.]

The Maine Democratic Party still hasn't decided whether or not it will appeal the Secretary of State's decision to allow Independent US senate candidate Herb Hoffman's name to remain on the November ballot, according to spokeswoman Rebecca Pollard.

Reached by phone today, Hoffman -- who says he is "not a single-issue candidate, or even a two-issue candidate" -- expressed his doubt that an appeal would be successful. Hoffman claims that members of the Democratic state committee "do not want my name on the ballot. They percieve me to be a significant candidate with a potentially significant following...i’m very appreciative that they see me that way...My candidacy represents a positive candidacy in the sense that it offers an alternative to voting against one candidate for another." His friends, apparently, liken the Democratic Party's complaint -- which includes charges of forgery on Hoffman's petitions -- to the 2004 swift-boat smears.

Some Democratic party members and supporters of Tom Allen's campaign have been candid about their desire for Hoffman not to run. They cite the potentially close race between Allen and incumbent Republican senator Susan Collins; they're worried that Hoffman will siphon votes away from Allen's liberal base.  

Was food. So I stopped by the Local Sprouts open house suggested by Deirdre yesterday afternoon. Had some "bliss salad" - carrots, mesclun, beets, maple vinaigrette, and some other sliced/diced veggies - and some steamed kale with garlic, roasted chicken with a maple-herb glaze, and potatoes with arugula pesto. It was all very fresh, simple, and elegant.

If those are any indication of what they'll be cooking up when their Community-Supported Kitchen gets going July 16, sign me up! The open house is almost over, but if they've still got food, something tells me they'll stay open a bit later.

Also, the strawberries at Uncle's stand at the farmers' market are really sweet!

What isn't happening tomorrow?

-- From 11 a.m.-1 p.m., the Local Sprouts Community Kitchen will host an open house in its new Public Market House digs.  

-- At 2 p.m., outside of the Kennebunk Water District office, a coalition of water-rights activists will hold a rally and press conference to protest the proposed Nestle contract there.

-- Portland's new (and so-far, successful) White Bikes collective will hold a "next-steps" meeting from 5:30-6:45 at the Dwell Creative office on Fore Street.  

-- The Joint Use Planning Committee that's come under fire for its handling of the Sears Island issue will hold a public meeting at the Hutchinson Center Auditorium in Belfast at 7 p.m.

The truly industrius could conceivably attend all of these...But we'd recommend prioritizing.

Gosh, Kathleen Parker's op-ed in today's PPH [I can't find it on their website, so I'm linking to the syndicated column from another paper] really set me straight. I'm totally just going to chill out about all this gender-equality bullshit. Us women should stop trying to explore gender-equity issues and point out lingering lopsidedness -- it's so tiresome. 

"Sometimes things just are what they are," she reminds us. "And wishful theory is no match for nature's stubborn ambition."

Or for the conservative media machine that paints feminists as overly analytical harpies and would prefer us to just hush up and go burn our bras elsewhere.

PS -- If you think I'm overreacting, check out this anti-feminist vitriol and see if your feathers don't get ruffled too. 

PPS -- Please, no one buy her book.  

The local creative group Port Veritas will release its first poetry anthology (which it hopes will come out quarterly) on the Fourth of July at the North Star.  

From the press release:

"Safe Harbor is a quarterly collection of contemporary poetry, short stories and essays. This first installment is comprised of writers and artists who have appeared on the stage of the Port Veritas Spoken Word Series over the past five years. Poets included have read and been published from Maine to California.

The writers include local poets Jay Davis, Marita O’Neil, Nathan Amadon, Wil Gibson, Gil Helmick, Dan Olney, Sean A.K.A Guala, Wil Antony. Also included are the series founder K Peddlar Bridges and local High School poets Jake Wartell and Lila Kole.

This book also features nationally renowned poets Patricia Smith and Jack McCarthy."      

I was remiss, when I wrote this week about today's Dyke March and after-party, in not mentioning all the great Southern Maine Pride 2008 events taking place on Saturday.

-- The parade starts at noon on Congress Street, and will make its way down to a festival in Deering Oaks Park

-- Said festival -- with music, food, etc. -- will go from 1-5 p.m.

-- Followed by the annual Pier Dance, at the Maine State Pier, from 8 p.m.-1 a.m. 

Happy Pride! 

It was with a smirk, and a bit of schadenfreude, that we read this email from Mike Hein today:

"Dear YES for Marriage Volunteers and Supporters,

It is with a heavy heart and reluctance that I inform you the YES for Marriage referendum effort has been canceled.  The reasons are as simple as this: neither enough funds nor enough volunteer support to continue the effort.

I can only ask for your understanding and forgiveness while we finalize the process of terminating this effort.

All outstanding partially completed petitions can be turned into the League office at 70 Sewall Street, Augusta, ME 04330 without notarization or verification.  Blank petitions can be destroyed at your location without incurring the expense of returning them to our office.

Thank you for helping the YES for Marriage effort.

Sincerely,

Mike Hein, Administrator
Christian Civic League of Maine"

With Portland's Dyke March scheduled for tomorrow, we don't think the timing could be more perfect.

In front of a youngish crowd dressed as lobsters,