On March 15th, 2020 Maine celebrated her 200th year of being a state. The Yelp Maine Elite Squad and friends finally had the opportunity to show some love to the 207 at our Belated Bicentennial Birthday Bash at Three of Strong Spirits in Portland! There was rum punch, popcorn, party favors, and – of course! – we sang The Birthday Song too. Maine Needhams brought an impressive selection of the state’s iconic confectionary (including blueberry, espresso, and maple); The Hungry Gains offered up tacos featuring local produce; and, Valley View Orchard Pies served up the official state dessert (blueberry pie!) and the official state snack (the whoopie pie). Check it out!
What a blast! I loved the belated birthday idea! It was so nice to sing happy birthday, sample great local products, and learn the art of distilling. The vibe was festive, fun, and just an all around great celebration. The rum and gin samples were incredible. The distillers were so knowledgeable and informative. I never knew how you could take a simple product like yeast and sugar and turn it into so many variations of rum and gin. The taco bar, forget about it! Tasty and fresh ingredients, served so clean and simply, I ate my weight in the black bean salad! The needhams transported me to my grandma’s kitchen… not too gooey, not too sticky sweet; same can be said for the whoopie pies and blueberry pie too. Just fresh real ingredients. The rum drinks blew my mind; the hibiscus lime punch was the winner for me. This was just an overall blast of a birthday bash! And to walk away with goodie bags?! Please! Felt like royalty walking out! Loved, loved, loved this event.
Desi-Rae S via Yelp
What a wonderful birthday bash full of just the kind of presents I like! Spirits, sweets, and street tacos, all from Maine businesses… I liked the cocktails in the can, but the standout feature of Three of Strong Spirits, however, is undoubtedly the spirits themselves. They’re crafted with care and attention to detail, and the flavors are truly exceptional. Sampling the spirits without mixer was the way to go, and as a bonus I got to chat with one of the co-founders, Dave, and learned a ton about the different spirits they offer! I also thoroughly enjoyed the distillery tour from Graham, who clearly cares about his craft. All of this in a cozy and intimate atmosphere, with a rustic feel that really adds to the experience.
Cindy Y via Yelp
Read the rave reviews from the event to relive the experience!
About Three of Strong Spirits
Our goal is to do things the right way, from start to finish. This starts with how we treat people. Our employees, visitors, and East Bayside neighbors are all a part of the Three of Strong community. We use 100% organic evaporated cane syrup and molasses, yeast, and pure water from Maine’s beautiful Sebago Lake to craft our rums. We’re proud to source our aged rum from a family distillery in Barranquilla, Colombia that makes rum the way we do, without any artificial flavorings or colors.
About Maine Needhams
Mainers like tradition, and Maine Needhams are a tradition with deep roots. From the confectionary kitchen of Seavey’s Sweets in the early 1870’s, to grandma’s kitchen during the 1900’s, to specialty food and gift shops and on-line in the 2000’s, Maine’s Potato Candy has stood the test of time. It’s our mission to preserve, revitalize, and expand that tradition, and we’ve dedicated this page to recording Maine Needham facts and events for future generations. We hope you’ll enjoy this growing collection.
About The Hungry Gains
Alicia Valcaniant has been in the culinary industry for the past 13 years. She realized her love for cooking at a young age, finding her way around the kitchen making dinner for her family whenever she could. After graduating from culinary school, she worked in a variety of establishments including bakeries, country clubs, fine dining, farm to table, and catering kitchens. Her passion for many cuisines, paired with her love of fitness and healthy eating, inspires her cooking today.
About Valley View Orchard Pies
Valley View Orchard Pies is a family owned business nestled in the foothills of Oxford of Maine. Our family has 3 generations working at the bakery, alongside our 25 employees. We purchased the company in August of 2018 from the original owner. We take pride in our homemade preservative free fruit pies, cream pies, whoopie pies and tea cakes.
