MAPLE'S WINS AGAIN!
We are very excited to announce that Maple's had a blowout year at MOFGA's Common Ground Fair! We won the Best Dessert prize (thank you judges and staff!) for the third year, and sold out of gelato by two o'clock on Sunday. As always, the Fair was a great time and we sampled food and checked out crafts by some of Maine's finest. Thank you, MOFGA, and everyone who made it to Unity for a very fun weekend!
BIG BIG NEWS!
It will seem sad until the whole story unfolds, but as of Monday, September 21, we will be closing our retail shop in Portland's Old Port. Our wholesale business has grown SO FAST that we simply can't give the shop the love it deserves, but we would like to thank all of our customers and fellow retailers who made it a happy home for the Gelateria for these past two years. For now, you can get scoops of our gelato at Mornings in Paris on Exchange Street or Whole Foods Market on Somerset Street, or pints at any of our many local retailers (check out our retail page for addresses!).
Of course, this is only part one of the big news, not even the really good stuff. The biggest news yet for Maple's is in the works right now...more in the coming days...!
FAIR TIME
As always, Maple's will be seliing gelato, milkshakes, and sundaes at the Common Ground Fair, September 25-27 in Unity. If you've never been to the Fair, it is a BLAST and there are a ton of crafts, animals, demonstrations...and of course, the best organic food Maine has to offer! More info and directions at MOFGA's website.
This year we will also be doing the Fryeburg Fair from October 4-11. This Fair is BIG and has eight days of agricultural events, so check out the schedule at their website and stop by and say hello when you're there! Oh, and don't tell Maple about the sheepdog trials....she gets really jealous!
THANKS, BOSTON!
We would like to send out a big shout of gratitude to all of our new fans in the Boston area. You have made our first six months distributing to points south a huge success! Maple's handmade, handpacked pints are now available in over a dozen markets from Andover to Framingham to Dorchester, with more stores picking us up weekly. Check us out at most of the regional Whole Foods Markets, as well as at fantastic independant shops like City Feed and Supply in Jamaica Plain and Dave's Fresh Pasta in Somerville. An extra thanks to all of the hardcore Maple's enthusiasts who have emailed and even stopped by our Portland shop to share your excitement with our creations...that's what makes our jobs the best!
IT'S SUMMER IN THE OLD PORT....REALLY....
The pouring rain and sporadic beach weather may lead you to think otherwise, but summer is in full swing at the Gelateria! We are scooping up sunshine in our Fresh Nectarine Sorbetto, Basil-Lemon Gelato, and Strawberry-Rhubarb Gelato. And we're just getting our first berries in this week! Come in, get a cone, and check out all the fantastic locally-owned shops our seaside town has to offer.
WELCOME VIOLET BEA!
We are happy to announce the birth of Violet Beatrice on February 26, 2009. She was making gelato with her mom the day before she was born and is now very happy to fulfill her roles as the Maple's office assistant and kitchen companion. Both Mom and baby are well and Maple and Maggie are slowly accepting the new addition to the family. Thank you to all those who sent their love and support...Violet is very lucky to have such a wonderful community to come into.
SUMMERTIME HOURS AND UPDATE!
As of Memorial Day weekend, our hours at the gelateria on Middle Street will be extended for the summer as follows:
Daily 10am-10pm
After much analysis, we have decided not to reopen the retail operations at our Forest Avenue location. We have gotten used to having the extra space for production as we've extended our wholesale business, and will definitely need it over the summer! We'll miss having an excuse to visit with our friends and neighbors there in Deering, and appreciate your support over the past three summers. Please come see us intown!
HAVE NO FEAR: OUR ORGANIC PEANUTS ARE SAFE!
Many of our customers have been asking about whether or not the organic peanuts that we use in our Peanut Butter gelato have been afftected by the recent Salmonella contamination, and thankfully the answer is no! We get our peanut butter from Once Again Nut Butters, and they have posted the following letter on their website, which you can link to if you'd like more information:
To our valued customers
I am sure that there are some concerns about the recent salmonella outbreak linked to peanut butter. I wanted to give you an update to our status.
Once Again Nut Butter is not in any way associated with the recent salmonella tainted peanut butter manufactured by Peanut Corporation of America in their Blakely Georgia facility.
Once Again Nut Butter does not use any co-packers for any of our nut butters. We purchase the vast majority of our peanuts from New Mexico (Valencia) and Argentina (Runners). We roast and process those nuts in Nunda, NY. All nuts are tested upon receipt and again as finished product prior to release.
Salmonella testing is part of our normal protocol on all finished products and is part of our environmental monitoring program.
We have not been contacted by any local, state or federal agencies concerning the recent salmonella outbreak linked to Peanut Corporation of America.
MAPLE'S GELATERIA NOW PROUDLY SERVES COFFEE BY DESIGN
It's a match made in heaven...locally handcrafted gelato and bakery sweets meet organic, fair-trade, microroasted Portland coffee from our friends at CBD. Take a break from your workday or your holiday shopping (at locally-owned businesses, of course!) and relax with a nice latte or a mug of French Roast. And don't forget to pick up Maple's gift certificates for your friends and loved ones- they make a great gift that gives sweet pleasure all year long!
LOOK OUT BOSTON!
It's been over a year in the making, but Maple's is finally firing up the cow truck and making the move into the Boston market. It all started in the dark days of last winter with our first delivery to the fine folks at Formaggio Kitchen in Cambridge (aka Food Heaven), and since then we have been ramping up to make the leap over the state line (two of them, actually) in a big way. We are adding other markets in Greater Boston to our list of retail outlets, including many of the regional Whole Foods as well as other independant shops. Tell your friends south of the Piscataqua River to check Maple's out!
We are also adding several other outlets in southern Maine and Seacoast New Hampshire, so keep your eyes open for us and let us know if there is a store near you where Maple's would be a welcomed addition.
MAPLE'S WINS "BEST IN SHOW" PRIZE AT THE COMMON GROUND FAIR!
After a beautiful and successful fall weekend up in Unity, we were thrilled and honored to receive both the "Best Dessert" and "Best Food in Show" prizes at the 2008 Common Ground Country Fair. Competition was stiff as some of the best in local, organic food was served up, and we certainly enjoyed ourselves sampling other vendors' wares! Thank you to MOFGA and to the thousands of people who came out to enjoy the fair and support Maple's in their second year! Look for pics on MOFGA's website: www.mofga.org
LINE UP FOR OUR FALL FLAVORS!
We're bringing back some old favorites and trying out some new ones, so stop by the gelateria and taste the harvest bounty, courtesy of Maine's organic farmers! Some up-and-comings include:
Spiced Pumpkin
Lemon-Glazed Gingerbread
Apple Cobbler
Sweet Cinnamon
and our new hit: Sea Salt Caramel-Almond
FALL HOURS at the Gelateria
The leaves are starting to fall and we are open:
Monday-Thursday 11-8
Friday & Saturday 11-10
Sunday 12-6
A NOTE ON OUR NEW PACKAGING
A few months back we made the decision to switch our pint containers from trusted old paperboard to square PET. This was a decision that was a long time coming for us, and much, much thought and concern went into our final choice. Here's a letter we got from a concerned customer, as well as the response we gave her; we hope this helps to explain why we feel good about the choice we made:
Hi,
I'm
in a slight panic so instead of grumbling I decided to write! What
happened to your packaging!!??? Oh my, I was quite distraught at the
sight of your new plastic containers. I won't buy my food in plastic so
I'm now unable to buy any of your pints. I'm curious why you made the
switch from the cardboard containers. I am told it is because the
plastic is recyclable but we have always recylced the cardboard.
Maple's Customer
Hello Maple's Customer-
Thanks for the email! The packaging is something I
labored over for a long, long time before deciding to go with the PET
containers. Normally I'm right on board with you about using plastic,
especially for food, but it turned out to be WAY more complicated a
dilemma. Probably the trickiest one of the business so far.
The
paperboard containers, I always knew, are horrible on every front. For
starters, they are made from wood pulp of uncertain origin which is
bleached using a chlorine-intensive process of which dioxin (one of the
most toxic, carcinogenic substances) is a byproduct. Bad for trees,
rivers, animals, and people. Then they are coated in a petroleum wax,
as are most freezer containers. They are not recyclable... if you've
been putting them into the bin, they are getting picked out and tossed
or the wax on them is gunking up the works at the recycling facility.
They are also very heavy (in comparison) and so require a lot of fuel
to move around. Unbleached pints, which would at least be a bit better,
have been taken off the market. So there is nothing at all good or
eco-friendly about paperboard freezer containers, even though they are
paper-based and seem like a more responsible product.
Of all the
plastic options, PET is the easiest to recycle (of those that can be
frozen), does not leach into our food (which is all frozen by the time
it gets there, so the plastic is never degraded by high heat), and is
extremely light. A case of 1000 PET pints weighs less than a case of
250 of the paperboard pints. If I thought using them was decreasing the
sustainability of our operation or exposing our customers to chemicals,
I would never have made the switch. You are getting exposed to more
dissolved petroleum in one of the paperboard pints than with the
PET....that wax flakes and scrapes off easily, which has always
bothered me.
We looked at corn plastic, too, but some batches
failed a freeze test, I have serious concerns about using a food
product for plastics in the current food economy, and they are not
recyclable in any way. They can theoretically be composted, but only in
commercial composting environments, and the product is still a waste
once used.
I
appreciate hearing from you and it always good to know that folks are
engaged and thinking about the products they're buying. And worrying
about these things that I spend my days muddling over! This, like most
consumer decisions, was very convoluted and complicated and my initial
instincts about plastic were flipped around once I looked closer at the
alternatives. I hope you are at least interested by my decision-making
process here and thanks again for your time and for enjoying our
creations!
Best,
Kristie Green
Owner
Maple's Organics
MAPLE'S and SUNRISE GUIDE host the second PORTLAND GREENDRINKS!
The event was a big hit and we had a blast with treats from Rosemont Market and fantastic beer from Peak Organic. Check out pictures and mark next month's gala on your calendar.
