Rabelais - Portland's Cookbook Destination!

(Nothing happening on the referral front - we will interrupt the following post should breaking news occur!)
(We are soooo wanting storks to fly)

Food and Wine magazine has paid a HUGE compliment to my hometown of Portland, Maine. What a thrill to read about a cookbook store that is on their list of three new quirky shops. The other two are in Paris (France, not Maine!) and Brussels (Ford wants to visit here badly). According to writer Jen Murphy, these bookstores offer serious home cooks more than recipes.

Rabelais in Portland, ME: Rabelais is owned by Samantha Hoyt Lindgren and Don Lindgren, a husband and wife team. Samantha once worked in magazine publishing in New York City. She left that life to study the Pastry Arts at the Institute for Culinary Education, followed by work as a pastry chef. Don has long been an antiquarian book dealer. They’ve combined their passion into a great food bookstore located at 86 Middle St.

Can anyone name the foodie pictured at the left, standing in the middle? If you guessed Andrew Zimmern, you guessed right. Zimmern is an internationally recognized chef, food writer and star of the TV show, Bizarre Foods. He too has discovered Rabelais.

Also included, since I can't seem to stop bragging about my home, is a review of their store from Maine Home & Design. With all this hoopla, I guess this means I have a new place to stop in and explore the next time I get home to Maine! Of course, any reason requiring a trip home to Maine is a good thing!

How about you all? Any favorite places in your area that you love to go and look for cookbooks and such? If so, please share, you just never know when Ford and I might find ourselves in your corner of the world!
ac