Leslie Bridgers

Columnist

Leslie Bridgers is a columnist for the Portland Press Herald, writing about Maine culture, customs and the things we notice and wonder about in our everyday lives. Originally from Connecticut, Leslie came to Maine by way of Bowdoin College and never left. She joined the Portland Press Herald in 2011 as a reporter and spent seven years as the paper’s features editor, overseeing coverage of arts, entertainment and food.

Business, Leslie Bridgers, Maine

Gone from Westbrook news racks, American Journal lives on in influence

by Leslie Bridgers April 2, 2025April 5, 2025

The last issue of the weekly paper, launched in 1968 by legendary newspaperman Harry Foote, was printed in March.

Recipes

Lemony white bean and farro stew is a shoulder season standby

by Ellie Krieger Special To The Washington Post April 2, 2025April 2, 2025

This warm, savory stew simmered in broth with aromatics until the grain’s tender is as warming as a thick woolen sweater.

Recipes

Air fryer pork tenderloin levels up with a smoky brown sugar rub

by Aaron Hutcherson The Washington Post April 2, 2025April 1, 2025

If you are someone who has the energy and desire to cook dinner every night of the week — or most nights, at least — can you please share your secret with me? Many readers and friends assume I’m making delicious home-cooked meals all the time because of my profession. (Just last week, a friend […]

Food

Craft distillers hit hard as tariffs mix with 1930s rules for alcohol

by Shannon Najmabadi, Gaya Gupta The Washington Post April 2, 2025April 1, 2025

Thomas Bard expected a big boost this year, when stores in Saskatchewan and Ontario planned to start selling his distillery’s bourbon. Instead, Canadian provinces yanked U.S. alcohol from their shelves — pitching Bard’s small Kentucky company into the center of a nascent trade war. “It’s a huge deal when you get a new customer base,” […]