Fresh & Delicious
SUMMER
SALADS
Meet the M AI NE RS M AK IN G
M IS O
Host a
SEAFOOD BOIL
Take a HIKE
to the BEACH
Best RESTAURANTS YOUR TOP PICKS FOR 2021
2021
Plus...
5 FUN THINGS $5.95
June/July 2021
TO CHECK OUT IN EACH REGION
CONTENTS
JUNE/ JULY 2021
FEATURES 35
BEST RESTAURANTS
Your 2021 picks for the best local eateries are revealed! Find favorite restaurants in five different Maine regions, along with a look back at an iconic Bangor grill, five great things to check out in each region and more!
50
FERMENTING A REVOLUTION
The miso makers of Maine
IN EVERY ISSUE 08
WHAT’S HAPPENING
Local events & our monthly Pop Quiz
12
OBSESSIONS
50
THE MISO MAKERS OF MAINE
16
HOW TO HOST A SEAFOOD BOIL
What we can’t get enough of this month
30
PERSONAL FINANCE
Planning ahead for retirement
54
WOODS & WATERS
On the prowl for Maine’s big cats
THE VIEW FROM HERE
Make yourself happy today
WE’VE GOT SUMMER COVERED FROM FRONT TO BACK Flip this issue for a list of Maine events and happenings!
PHOTOS: (TOP) COURTESY CHIP DILLON/BLUE HORSE PHOTOGRAPHY; (BOTTOM) ©THE OUTDOOR KIDS/ADOBE STOCK
56
ARTS & CULTURE 10 BRINGING MAINE’S INVENTORS TO LIGHT Earl Smith talks about his new book “Downeast Genius”
FOOD & DRINK 14
IN SEASON NOW
Summer is salad season
16 FROM MAINE TO LOUISIANA How to host a seafood boil
HEALTH & FITNESS 20
HIKE ME
Discover trails leading to the beach
HOME & FAMILY 26 CREATE AN ABSTRACT HERRINGBONE PAINTING Make simple, trendy decor
28 NATURE’S SUMMER SCHOOL Everyday learning opportunities in your own backyard
www.bangormetro.com BANGOR METRO / 3
Summer FUN & GOOD EATS EDITOR’S NOTE
IT WAS PROBABLY a year ago when I first saw it: an ad online for “retro” designs of popular coolers. By “retro,” the brand meant the technicolor combinations of the 1980s — the time of my childhood. Whoever targeted those ads to me had me pegged perfectly. But did I need one? Did I really need a second cooler in a different style? This was the hemming and hawing of indecision that I fought last summer. I didn’t buy one then. When the ads came back this spring, there was no hesitation. Sunny — that’s what I have named my garish yellow, pink and mint colored picnic-style cooler — will be joining us
on many adventures this summer. From the shores of Pushaw Lake to the beaches of southern Maine, I can’t wait to get out with my family. There’s so much to see, do and experience. As we approached this issue of Bangor Metro, our annual Food Issue, that’s what we wanted to focus on: all the things that Maine has to offer. We hope you’ll check out the annual Restaurant Awards (pages 35-48) and also enjoy our regional suggestions for things to do paired with them. That way, when you head afield for something to eat, you can do something special too. If you are looking for more things
to do, see Aislinn Sarnacki’s Hike ME column focusing on trails that lead to beaches (page 20). Plus, closer to home, we have guides to everyday learning for kids this summer (page 28) and hosting your own seafood boil (page 16). If you’re like me and planning lots of summer picnics, check out my column on summer salads (page 14). I can’t wait to whip up some to pack in Sunny this summer on our adventures. And, finally, when you’ve read all through this issue of Bangor Metro, don’t forget to flip it over and check out our special section, Experience Maine. It’s filled with even more great ideas.
SARAH WALKER CARON, EDITOR
www.bangormetro.com P.O. Box 1329 Bangor, Maine 04402-1329 Phone: 207.990.8000
PUBLISHER
Richard J. Warren
EDITOR
Sarah Walker Caron scaron@bangordailynews.com
SALES MANAGER
Laurie Cates
lcates@bangordailynews.com
ART DIRECTOR
Amy Allen
aallen@bangordailynews.com
SUBSCRIPTION & PROMOTIONS MANAGER
Fred Stewart
fstewart@bangordailynews.com
STAFF WRITER
Julia Bayly jbayly@bangordailynews.com
STAFF WRITER
Rosemary Lausier rlausier@bangordailynews.com
STAFF WRITER
Aislinn Sarnacki asarnacki@bangordailynews.com
STAFF WRITER
Sam Schipani sschipani@bangordailynews.com
CONTRIBUTING WRITERS & PHOTOGRAPHERS Jodi Hersey, Hilary Nangle, Paula Brewer, Bob Duchesne, Meg Haskell, Emily Morrison, Kaylie Reese, Richard Shaw, Katie Smith www.bangormetro.com BANGOR METRO / 5
6 / BANGOR METRO June/July 2021
MEET OUR CONTRIBUTORS
SWIM, BIKE OR RUN: Bangor Metro Magazine. June/July 2021, Vol. 17, No. 5. Copyright © Bangor Publishing Company. Bangor Metro is published 10 times annually by Bangor Publishing Company. All rights reserved. This magazine may not be reproduced in whole or part in any form without the written permission of the Publisher. Bangor Metro is mailed at standard rates from Portland, Maine. Opinions expressed in either the editorial or advertisements do not represent the opinions of the staff or publisher of Bangor Metro magazine. Advertisers and event sponsors or their agents are responsible for copyrights and accuracy of all material they submit. Bangor Metro magazine to the best of its ability ensures the acuracy of information printed in the publication. Inquiries and suggestions are welcome and encouraged. Letters to the editor, story suggestions, and other reader input will be subject to Bangor Metro’s unrestricted right to edit and publish in the magazine both in print and online. Editorial: Queries should be sent to Sarah Walker Caron at scaron@bangordailynews.com. Advertising: For advertising questions, please call the Sales Director Todd Johnston at 207-990-8129. Subscriptions/Address Change: The one year subscription cost is $15.95. Address changes: to ensure delivery, subscribers must notify the magazine of address changes one month in advance of the cover date. Please contact Fred Stewart at 207-990-8075. Accounts Payable/Receivable: For information about your account please contact Todd Johnston at 207-990-8129.
COVER DESIGN: Amy Allen
Which would you CHOOSE for a BEAUTIFUL SUMMER DAY?
“
Swim! I was born under a water sign (Cancer) and absolutely love the water.” — SARAH WALKER CARON, EDITOR
“I hate doing all of those things (although I do love sitting in a floatie on the water, so swimming is alright). Instead, I enjoy taking a nice stroll with our dog Reesie or hiking with friends. Drinking a nice glass of wine or beer on the back deck is also a favorite early summer pastime of mine as well.” — ROSEMARY LAUSIER, STAFF WRITER “Bike. Downhill all the way.” — BOB DUCHESNE, COLUMNIST
ORIGINAL IMAGE: ©DENISKARPENKOV/ADOBE STOCK
“I run everyday so it would be necessary to switch it up a little bit and go for a swim. Probably a lot cooler too!” — EMILY MORRISON, COLUMNIST “If I didn’t have the fear of God struck into me by crazy drivers every time I biked in Bangor, I’d say ‘bike,’ but as it stands, I’ll run.” — SAM SCHIPANI, STAFF WRITER “People who know me will understand why I pick bicycling. Spending time exploring on two wheels is one of my favorite ways to spend a day in Maine. Paved roads, gravel, trails or any combination of the three. There are plenty of great routes in Maine and I have a bike to match most of them. Plus, it's impossible to be melancholy on a bike.” — JULIA BAYLY, STAFF WRITER
www.bangormetro.com BANGOR METRO / 7
WHAT’S HAPPENING
SUMMER IN MAINE!
JUNE & JULY THE STORY BEHIND THE STORY
BANGOR PUBLIC LIBRARY
Tim Caverly spent 32 years as a Maine Park Ranger in the North Maine Woods. In this presentation he takes the audience along the Allagash River Waterway and draws upon his more than three decades of interactions with characters he met on and off the river. Through slides and storytelling Caverly will touch on the remote area’s logging history, Native American archaeology and wildlife. To attend via Zoom, register by going to www.bangorpubliclibrary.org and login information will be forwarded to you a day or two before the event. This event will also be broadcast on Bangor Public Library’s YouTube Channel and Facebook Live page as alternative ways to attend. The presentation begins at 6:30 p.m.
JUNE 11 A TRIBUTE TO JOHN PRINE — THE SETH WARNER TRIO BANGOR ARTS EXCHANGE Portland based musician Seth Warner and his band present “Prine Time: A Celebration of John Prine” live at the Bangor Arts Exchange ballroom. This evening of music features selections drawn from Prine’s decades long career in addition to selections by artists directly inspired by Prine. Advance, general admission tickets are $21 and
day of the show for $25. Tickets for BAE members are $18. Doors open at 7 p.m. with the performance starting at 8 p.m. Information and tickets are available online at www.bangorartsexchange.org.
JUNE 18 DIGITAL MASTERWORKS V WINDS & BRASS SPECTACULAR BANGOR SYMPHONY ORCHESTRA The Bangor Symphony Orchestra’s winds and brass sections are center stage for this season finale featuring works by Adolphus Hailstork, Ludwig van Beethoven, Charles Gounod, Kathryn Bostic and Kurt Weill. This is the first time in more than a year and a half that the BSO winds and brass have shared the stage. It will be available for online viewing for 30 days beginning June 18. For tickets, visit www.bangorsymphony.org.
JULY 10 WICKED MUDDY MAINER MCGINN ROAD, ORRINGTON The Wicked Muddy Mainer is a 4.5 mile, 24 obstacle course race. Race with a team or solo by jumping, crawling, swimming and slogging your way to the finish line. Heats of 100 participants start leaving every 10 minutes starting at 8 a.m. Ticket and course information is at www.thewickedmuddymainer.com.
LOOKING FOR MORE GREAT EVENTS TO ENJOY?
CHECK OUT THE ATTACHED EXPERIENCE MAINE SUMMER EVENT GUIDE!
Find answers below.
Answers to this month’s Pop Quiz: Question 1: B; Q2: A; Q3: A; Q4: C; Q5: C. 8 / BANGOR METRO June/July 2021
PHOTO: ©LESZEKGLASNER/ADOBE STOCK
JUNE 9 AN ALLAGASH HAUNTING — THE STORY OF EMILE CAMILE:
Let’s see what you know about some of Vacationland’s wackier attractions!
www.bangormetro.com BANGOR METRO / 9
ARTS & CULTURE
Bringing Maine’s
INVENTORS TO LIGHT EARL SMITH ON HIS NEW BOOK, “DOWNEAST GENIUS”
W
BY KAYLIE REESE
PHOTO: TKTK
hile conducting research for another book he was working on, Maine writer and historian Earl Smith, 82, stumbled across several stories about inventions thought up by Mainers, and it sparked his curiosity. That curiosity blossomed, transforming into the recently published book “Downeast Genius: From Earmuffs to Motor Cars, Mainer Inventors Who Changed the World.” The book includes more than 50 stories of ingenuity from Maine inventors spanning from the Industrial Revolution through the digital era. “Downeast Genius” is a fantastic collage of Maine history and inventions that any trivia buff would love to dive into. Smith’s clear and direct writing style, as well as his flair for including interesting tidbits of history and side stories, makes this book a pure joy to read. “Downeast Genius” was published through Islandport Press.
Q: WHAT INSPIRED YOU TO WRITE THIS BOOK? The most recent nonfiction book I wrote was a history of Waterville, “Water Village.” In that book there are a couple of inventors. That sort of made me curious about Maine inventors. When I started to look into it, I found it rather impressive how Maine was engaged in the Industrial Revolution. So it took off from there. Q: HOW DID YOU CHOOSE WHICH INVENTORS TO INCLUDE? The Industrial Revolution brought about an awful lot of inventions. And, of course, Maine early in the Industrial Revolution was a big state, in the sense that there was a lot going on here, in terms of industry and of course in terms of the outdoors with farming and fishing. So I tried to pick things that had a more lasting impact. I mean, you’d be astonished by the number of Maine inventors that there are, so I sort of tried to limit it to people who made things that were lasting and worldwide and scope. Q: WOULD YOU CONSIDER YOURSELF AN INVENTOR? A tinkerer, maybe, but not an inventor. I make do. My wife will tell you my garage is full of junk. Q: DO YOU THINK MAINE’S WAY OF LIFE HAD AN IMPACT ON THE INVENTORS? There is something about the place that inspires people to tinker and make do. To
them it was about getting by, making things they can’t buy — especially during that period when they couldn’t buy anything so they made everything. I think that inspired many people to invent things. Q: WHEN YOU WERE RESEARCHING THE INVENTORS, DID YOU NOTICE THAT THEY SHARED PERSONALITY TRAITS OR ANYTHING LIKE THAT? I guess a lot of them were people who were more the thinking type and not the gregarious types. There weren’t many who were showmen and show-women. They were mostly people who kept to themselves, I think. Q: WERE THERE ANY INVENTORS WHO YOU SEE AS HAVING A LASTING IMPACT, EVEN TODAY? Oh, of course. Bangor native Charles Peddle, who invented the computer chip. While he wasn’t the only person engaged in making computer chips and PCs, he was considered the father of them, the guy that really got a start on it. When it comes to worldwide impact, it would be pretty hard to beat Peddle’s computer chip. I’d also have to mention Charles Best, who helped develop insulin. He was only 22 years old at the time. He was a student at the University of Toronto and worked with Frederick Banting, who was credited with inventing insulin, which he did. But when Banting was awarded the Nobel Prize, he said he had to share it with his student who had done a lot of the work, Charles Best. The Nobel committee said, “No, you can’t.
We don’t give it to students.” But Banting insisted. Talk about impact. The development of insulin saves millions of lives. Q: IF YOU COULD MEET ANY OF THE INVENTORS YOU WROTE ABOUT, WHO WOULD IT BE AND WHY? Hiram Maxim, who stands out. He was a piece of work. He was already a rich man by the time he invented the machine gun. He had already invented tons of things, mostly electronic. I would want to know for sure what his true motivation was for inventing it. The story goes that he thought if there was a machine gun, it would put an end to wars because it was so devastating. I wonder if that’s really true. His whole family was quite interesting. His father was an inventor, too. Q: IN YOUR BOOK, YOU INCLUDE A LOT OF INTERESTING TIDBITS OF MAINE HISTORY AS SIDE STORIES. WHAT DID YOU DECIDE TO INCLUDE THEM? Sometimes you come across such interesting information when doing research that’s too good to leave out, even if they’re not directly related. Q: WHAT IMPACT DO YOU HOPE YOUR BOOK LEAVES WITH READERS? I hope it will improve the appreciation of the talent that Mainers can offer. Maine has sort of a funny personality, in terms of reflecting on itself. We tend to think of ourselves sometimes as second rate, when we should be more proud of where we come from and what we’ve contributed and what we still contribute. www.bangormetro.com BANGOR METRO / 11
OBSESSIONS
OBSESSIONS WHAT WE CAN’T GET ENOUGH OF THIS MONTH.
SIP
WEEZER’S “OK HUMAN”
WHY DO WE LOVE IT? Orono Brewing Company’s new mixed-culture ales and Saisons, which they call Everlasting Farm, are perfect for summer porch sipping. They come in a variety of flavors based on what is available in season. The peach and plum flavor, which is made from sour cherries and quince sourced from OBC’s brewmaster’s orchard and aged in barrels for 12 months, is as crisp as biting into a fresh piece of fruit. My favorite so far, though, has been the lilac and strawberry, featuring locally foraged lilac blossoms and strawberries aged in oak barrels for eight months. It tastes like a summer romp through a meadow. The flavors are only available in limited quantities, so get them while you can.
WHY DO WE LOVE IT? As a 90’s teen, I’ve been a Weezer fan from the jump. Not to date myself any further, but I had the Blue Album on tape. The band just released their 14th studio album earlier this year and I’m just as big a fan as ever. “OK Human” (an obvious wink to Radiohead’s 1997 “OK Computer” — and if you haven’t heard Weezer cover “Paranoid Android,” go do that right now) is a pandemic-inspired album, complete with references to Zoom, Audible, staring at screens and our collective new-found social awkwardness. With all the silliness and irony we’ve come to expect from the band. I’ve seen Weezer twice in concert — and was planning on a third time last summer, but then, you know. So those quarantine nods seem extra on point. The band is backed by a 38-piece orchestra and the whole tone is a little more “slow and sad” (listen, you’ll get it) but still lots of fun. The entire album is great, but those first three songs in particular are outstanding and blend seemlessly together. They’ve been stuck in my head for the past month and will likely remain there until I get to see Weezer in concert again.
—SAM SCHIPANI
—AMY ALLEN
TUNE IN “SMARTLESS” PODCAST WHY DO WE LOVE IT? I mean, what’s not to love about Jason Bateman, Sean Hayes and Will Arnett? The three actors host the podcast “SmartLess,” a pandemic project that’s become a pretty big hit, chatting with a new “mystery” guest each week (everyone from George Clooney to Kamala Harris to Paul McCartney to Megan Rapinoe). I’ve never really been interested in podcasts, but working from home with only the dog to talk to now that the kids are finally back in school full time changes a person. I’ve always been a huge fan of “Arrested Development” and “Will & Grace,” so this seemed like a good fit for me. It’s funny and sweet and the three of them play incredibly well off of each other. It really feels like a conversation with friends. —AMY ALLEN 12 / BANGOR METRO June/July 2021
PHOTOS: ©ANASTASIIA MALINICH, ©FOTOTOCAM, ©ROMAN MOTIZOV/ADOBE STOCK
LISTEN
ORONO BREWING COMPANY’S EVERLASTING FARM BREWS
Now serving Penobscot and Piscataquis counties, along with townships located in Southern Aroostook County
READ Every month, many new books cross my desk. I purchase even more. These are a few that I particularly enjoyed and recommend. “MARVELOUS MANHATTAN” BY REGGIE NADELSON — Growing up in New York, Manhattan was where we went — to show openings, concerts and more. I never imagined leaving that behind, until I did. This book takes me back to some of the restaurants, bars and shops that make it special — and it got me remembering the places that make it special to me that weren’t in the book. If you love New York, you’ll enjoy the beautiful writing and glorious reminiscing in this fun book. (NONFICTION)
“THE NATURE OF WITCHES” BY RACHEL GRIFFIN — For centuries, witches have maintained the climate, ushering in the seasons. Witches are born into their power, and it peaks yearly in the month of their birth. But climate is becoming erratic, and they aren’t able to control it anymore. But Clara could, if she could embrace her magic. She’s an Everwitch whose power isn’t tied to the seasons. But she knows how dangerous her power can be. New in June, this tale of magic, love, control and confidence is an enrapturing story. I was drawn in from the first page and held on tight until the last. (YOUNG ADULT FICTION) —SARAH WALKER CARON
www.bangormetro.com BANGOR METRO / 13
inSALAD season now SEASON FOOD & DRINK
SUMMER IS SALAD SEASON BY SARAH WALKER CARON
WHEN THE TEMPERATURES warm and the obligations come to a pause in June, the world seems like it’s wide open to us. There’s time for trips to Hermon Pond and Pushaw Lake, for bike rides to nearby parks and for picnics in the grass. And there’s time to spend at our garden plots, cultivating the produce we’ll eat this summer and as far into the fall and winter as we can. That time always feels like such a blessing. This summer, after a year where we didn’t travel, see family in person or eat out, feels especially exciting. We’re all vaccinated and so is our extended family. That means so many things. We can do more, go farther, see more people and finally — finally! — hug my parents again. It also means that we’ll be packing as many adventures into our days as possible. And when it comes to eating on those adventures, I can’t wait to pack some delightful, homemade salads to take along for the ride.
Cool salads, sometimes topped with warm foods, are a summer favorite. They travel well and are filling but light — a good combination. Plus, there are so many ways to enjoy a good salad. Forget the boring tossed salads that fast food restaurants want to sell you for $1 — these fabulous salads are way better. Which one will you try first?
FARMERS MARKET PANZANELLA SALAD Serves: 6-8
INGREDIENTS 1 loaf French bread, torn into bite-size pieces (about 6 cups) 2 tbsp olive oil 2 cups halved cherry and/or grape tomatoes 1 red bell pepper, diced 2 carrots, peeled and diced 1 cucumber, peeled and diced ½ cup sliced fresh basil 1⁄3 cup diced red onion 2 ears corn, steamed
Vinaigrette: ¼ cup olive oil 3 tbsp red wine vinegar ½ tsp dijon mustard 1 tsp honey salt and pepper, to taste
14 / BANGOR METRO June/July 2021
INSTRUCTIONS Preheat the oven to 375 degrees and arrange the bread pieces on a baking sheet. Drizzle with olive oil and toss well to coat. Bake for 4-6 minutes, until hot and just beginning to brown. Remove from the oven and cool. In a large mixing bowl, toss together the tomatoes, red bell pepper, carrots, cucumber, basil and red onion. Cut the kernels from the corn cobs, and add kernels to the mixture, tossing well to combine. Discard the cobs. Stir the cooled bread pieces into the mixture. Whisk together the vinaigrette ingredients and pour over the bread mixture. Toss well to combine. Let sit for five minutes and then stir again. Enjoy.
CHICKEN SOUVLAKI SALAD Serves: 4
INGREDIENTS Marinated Chicken: 1 lb boneless skinless chicken 2 tbsp freshly squeezed lemon juice 1½ tbsp extra virgin olive oil 1 clove garlic, minced 1 tsp dried oregano ½ tsp kosher salt ½ tsp black pepper
Salad: 1 package romaine hearts, torn into bite-size pieces 1 cup halved grape tomatoes 1 cup diced cucumber ¼ cup pitted kalamata olives ½ cup crumbled feta cheese
Vinaigrette: 1 shallot, peeled and minced 1 lemon, zested and juiced 1 tsp dijon mustard 1 tbsp honey ¼ extra virgin olive oil salt and pepper, to taste
INSTRUCTIONS Place the chicken in a resealable bag. In a small bowl, whisk together the lemon juice, olive oil, garlic, oregano, kosher salt and black pepper until well combined. Pour over the chicken, seal the bag and marinate for at least 3 hours. Preheat the oven to 375 degrees with a grill pan in the oven. Once hot, add the chicken and cook, turning once, for 20-25 minutes, until cooked through. Remove from the oven carefully. Meanwhile, assemble the salad by layering the ingredients in four bowls. Cut the chicken into slices and divide evenly among the bowls. In a small bowl, whisk together the vinaigrette ingredients. Drizzle over the salads. Serve immediately.
LEMONY STEAK AND VEGGIE CHOPPED SALAD WITH RAMEN Serves: 2 (large portions) or 4 (smaller portions)
INGREDIENTS 1 cucumber, thinly sliced and quartered 1 green pepper, diced 1 cup grape or cherry tomatoes, halved 1 shallot, chopped 1 ear corn, cooked 1⁄3 lb steak, cooked and thinly sliced 1 lemon, juiced 1 tbsp olive oil salt and pepper, to taste 1.8 oz package ramen noodles, prepared (noodles only)
INSTRUCTIONS In a large bowl, add the cucumber, green peppers, tomatoes and shallot. Cut the kernels from the corn cob and add to the bowl (discard cob). Stir well to combine. Drizzle with lemon juice and olive oil. Season with salt and pepper. Toss to combine. Add the steak slices and cooked ramen noodles and toss again. Let sit for five minutes, then toss again. Serve immediately or chill until ready to enjoy.
SARAH WALKER CARON is the editor of Bangor Metro Magazine and the author of five cookbooks including the “Easy Frugal Cookbook,” released in July. Her book “Classic Diners of Maine” is available where books are sold. Signed copies are available at The Briar Patch in Bangor.
www.bangormetro.com BANGOR METRO / 15
FOOD & DRINK
From MAINE
to LOUISIANA HOW TO HOST A SEAFOOD BOIL BY SAM SCHIPANI
16 / BANGOR METRO June/July 2021
P
erhaps the original “one-pot” meal, seafood boils are a great way to feed a crowd while celebrating the local bounty of delicious crustaceans and crops. Different regions of the country have their own versions of seafood boils, but no matter your preference, making your own at home is a seafood-loving crowd-pleaser. Different areas have different seafood boil traditions. A New England seafood boil is fairly simple, “spiced” only with salty seawater and consisting of whatever comes out of the docks that day. In contrast, a Cajun seafood boil, like you might enjoy in Louisiana, is a spicy affair. “[Seafood boils] are a celebration of seasonal foods,” said Rob Dumas, food science innovation coordinator at the University of Maine, who grew up in Louisiana. “In the spring, crawfish are bountiful. Crawfish boils are almost more about the sense of community and celebration and people getting together. There’s nothing like a seafood boil to bring people together for hours to enjoy great food and enjoy being together.” Dumas said that in the South, hosting a seafood boil can also be a show of hospitality. “It’s not cheap to put on a seafood boil,” Dumas said. “There’s quite a lot of money that goes into that pot.”
You can of course make any seafood boil that you want, or combine the elements that you like, but as with any food-based cultural event, knowing the heritage is a great place to start. Dumas said to think of a seafood boil like a summertime Thanksgiving. “It goes back to cultural events being centered around harvest,” Dumas said. “The Thanksgiving menu is what’s seasonally available in New England in November. Seafood is no different. There are times of the year when different products from the sea are harvested either because they taste best at that time or are accessible at that time.” STEP 1: GET YOUR SEAFOOD Fresh seafood is the most important element of a successful seafood boil. “In any seafood boil the most important concept is to use the ingredients that are most fresh and available in your region,” said Kara van Emmerik, Sous Chef and Instructor in the Culinary Arts program at Eastern Maine Community College. “In Maine, for example, the essentials include lobster, steamer clams, mussels and occasionally Jonah crab legs.” Kelly Corson, co-owner of the Travelin Lobster in Town Hill, said that at her restaurant, seafood boils will consist of whatever her husband, Paul, who is a lobsterman, brings in from the ocean that day. “Sometimes depending on the season, if he does get some Maine stone crabs, he’ll bring those in and we’ll give the option to be able to throw those in well,” Corson said. “Basically, it’s whatever he gets his hands on that day. People love it.” If you don’t have that option, van Emmerik said to buy the freshest, most available regional seafoods available to you. “I also try [to] make a point to buy from the fishermen and retailers who are local to me,” van Emmerik said. “It’s the perfect opportunity to support our hard working fishermen and small businesses.” www.bangormetro.com BANGOR METRO / 17
FOOD & DRINK STEP 2: GET YOUR MIX-INS Fresh, regional vegetables are also important for your seafood boil. Other additions can add flavor and nuance to the pot. “Here, we tend to always include corn and potatoes because not only are they delicious, but they are easily accessible and abundant crops in our region,” van Emmerik said. “If you would like, a smoky sausage like andouille or kielbasa can be a welcome addition to a seafood boil, though this is more common in Southern seafood boils.” You might want to add some spices and herbs. Van Emmerik said that Maine seafood boils usually use only halved lemons and fresh parsley or thyme, if they use anything at all. “In Maine, we want to taste the seafood without it being masked with strong spices [but] you can be as bold or as simple as you’d like,” van Emmerik said. “Add different citrus, add some more adventurous whole spices or herbs. The possibilities are endless, but to me, the star of the show should always be our fresh ocean resources and the other flavors should be supporting characters.” Down South, seafood boils are all about the spices. “That seasoning is typically done with a blend of peppers — cayenne, black pepper, white pepper — [and] you’re going to have a lot of salt [and] some sort of vinegar,” Dumas said. “Some people buy premade seasoning mixings for it. A lot of folks will put in lemons, garlic and onions to create court-bouillon, an acidic highly flavored cooking liquid.” STEP 3: GET YOUR EQUIPMENT Because of the scale of a seafood boil, it will require some special equipment — namely, a large pot and an appropriate burner. Dumas said a great seafood boil is always going to have a propane burner, a pot with a
strainer, as well as a hose and several coolers. Corson said that she uses a turkey fryer as a pot for her seafood boils, while van Emmerik said she prefers a heavy bottomed stock pot with a cover. No matter what you use to heat your boil, make sure you can do it outside. “If you do a seafood boil inside, your whole house will smell of seafood for days and you will create a sauna of steam,” van Emmerik said. “I use the gas burner on the side of my grill, and it works great. I have also done this over a fire on the beach, which is the most Maine experience you can have.” Depending on how many people you are cooking for, you might even want multiple pots or do multiple batches. “Sometimes your boil pot isn’t big enough to do just one,” Dumas said. “Once you have that flavored court-bouillon, you can get spicier and more flavorful batches. Typically those second or third batches get to where I’m sweating when I’m eating.” STEP 4: HEAT YOUR WATER Once you have your equipment ready, it is time to fill your pot with water and whatever spices or aromatics you want to use. You can use water with a generous helping of store bought sea salt, but Dumas said that local seawater will add an extra flair to your seafood boil — specifically, a sense of merroir, a taste of the local ocean similar to how wine from different regions have terroir. “It also contains more than just salt, like little organic things that give distinct and unique flavor,” Dumas said. Also, seafood “boil” is something of a misnomer. You want to heat the water to more of a simmer than a boil — Dumas said that between 186 and 188 degrees Fahrenheit is an ideal water temperature. “In Maine, we tend to use less water and create more of a steam than a boil,” van Emmerik said. “This is to more gently cook the delicate seafoods like clams and mussels so as not to make them rubbery by boiling them. This also preserves the natural flavor and brine from the lobster and other seafood.” STEP 5: ADD YOUR INGREDIENTS When it comes to adding the various elements into the water for a seafood boil, timing is key.
18 / BANGOR METRO June/July 2021
“Then there’s the kind of critical thinking step of like, ‘What am I going to put in my boil and how do I layer it in sequentially so everything is ready at the end?’” Dumas said. When everything is said and done, Dumas said that the seafood boil will take between 10 and 15 minutes to cook. Start with the potatoes, as they will take the longest to cook. After a few minutes, toss in the lobsters, which will take about 10 minutes to cook. After five minutes, toss in the corn, steamed clams and mussels. Finally, in the last few minutes add the fast-cooking shrimp and crawfish, as well as the smoked sausage if you are using it. STEP 6: ENJOY Use the stainer to lift the cooked seafood out of the broth. You can present the seafood boil on a large platter or in a presentation pot — or you can take a more informal route. “My favorite way to eat seafood boils is by lining a table outside with newspapers or a plastic tablecloth and piling the seafood and other ingredients generously on the table,” van Emmerik said. “You can then gather around the table with family and friends and pick seafood until you’re full. This also keeps the mess outside and out of your house.” Dumas said that at a Southern seafood boil, there will also be several loaves of crusty French bread, extra seasoning for spice lovers and cold beer to wash it all down. For a Maine seafood boil, along with the proper tools for picking the meat out of the lobsters, Corson said she will serve the seafood with a side of butter, crackers and maybe a bowl for broth to rinse the steamed clams, which she said can be “a little gritty.” She also suggests ending the meal with a slice of homemade blueberry pie. Once you have the basics down of a seafood boil, you can add your own unique flair to make it your own. For his part, Dumas said that he would like to have a boil using Maine’s produce and seafood, but Cajun spices and sausage. “I would like to try really seasoning up that liquid, adding the lobsters in [and] cooking them,” Dumas said. “I may have to embark on that journey.”
HIKE ME
Hike to the
BEACH TRAILS LEADING TO SAND AND SHELLS STORY & PHOTOS BY AISLINN SARNACKI
A COOL, SALTY BREEZE permeates the forest long before the hiker spies the first glimmer of water through the trees. Beside the well-trodden trail, an empty crab shell sits atop a soft bed of pine needles, another clue of what lies ahead. Perhaps the shell was dropped by a gull, or maybe a fleet-footed mink. So many animals feast on the ocean’s bounty. The shade of evergreens quickly disappears as the trail meets the edge of a field, filled with dancing wildflowers and sunlight. Ripe raspberries dot thorny bushes. Bumblebees lazily fly from fireweed to goldenrod. Beyond, waves crash upon a cobblestone beach. Smoothed and rounded by the ocean, the stones covering the beach come in countless colors and patterns. There are speckled granite cobbles of pink, white, gray and black, rocks that glitter with mica, and smooth stones of turquoise and pea green. Here and there, a piece of twisted
20 / BANGOR METRO June/July 2021
driftwood, bleached by the sun, offers a natural seat for the hiker to sit, rest and take it all in. Each hike has its own special highlights, be it a mountaintop, scenic overlook, waterfall or mysterious cave. In Maine, which has a coastline that spans 3,478 miles (longer than the coast of California), this highlight is often an ocean beach. Some are covered with cobblestones, while others are a mixture of shells, seaweed and barnacle-encrusted rocks. A few are sandy. The state also features trails that visit freshwater beaches, where the water is usually quite a bit warmer for swimming. And who doesn’t enjoy a dip after a long hike in the summertime? To get you started, here are a few beach hikes with trails of varying difficulty and plenty of gorgeous scenery. Just remember, once you arrive at the beach, slow down. Take a break. Look at some colorful, sparkly rocks and dig your toes into the sand.
BOOT HEAD PRESERVE
IN LUBEC
EASY TO MODERATE The 700-acre Boot Head Preserve is home to cobblestone beaches that are filled with waverounded stones of countless hues and patterns. With 2 miles of hiking trails, the property also features massive ocean cliffs, mossy forestland and a boardwalk that explores an upland peat bog. When exploring the property, keep an eye out for spruce grouse, a chicken-like bird that’s often spotted in the forest. Along the shore, bald eagles, common eiders and black guillemots are often spotted, according to Maine Coast Heritage Trust, which owns and maintains the preserve. Another tip: Wild raspberries and a meadow filled with wildflowers can be found near the beach on Boot Cove. While exploring the preserve, be sure to stay on established trails. Along the coast, this is especially important to prevent erosion. Dogs are permitted but
must be under control at all times. Camping and fires are not permitted. Access is free, year round. For more information, visit mcht.org or call 207-259-5040. DIRECTIONS: From the intersection of Route 1 and Route 189 in Whiting, turn onto Route 189 (County Road) and drive 5.7 miles. Turn right onto Route 191 and drive 2.8 miles, then turn left onto Boot Cove Road. Drive 2 miles and you’ll find parking lots on both sides of the road. Both are for the preserve. The trailhead is located at the smaller parking area, which is on the south side of the road. Or, if driving from Lubec, take South Lubec Road toward Quoddy Head State Park and bear right in 2.7 miles onto Boot Cove Road. Travel 3.9 miles to the parking areas.
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HEALTH & FITNESS
HIKE ME
BLACK MOUNTAIN CLIFFS TRAIL
IN FRANKLIN
MODERATE TO STRENUOUS The Black Mountain Cliffs Trail climbs the west side of Black Mountain, which rises 1,049 feet above sea level between two scenic bodies of water — Donnell Pond and Tunk Lake — in eastern Maine. The 3-mile loop hike visits the mountain’s west peak as well as Schoodic Beach, a long sandy beach on scenic, crystal clear Donnell Pond. You can lengthen the Black Mountain Cliffs hike and reach a wide open view by taking the Black Mountain Summit Trail from the mountain’s west peak to its bald east peak. This side trip is about 1 mile long (2 miles out and back), making for a hike that is about 5 miles total. The mountain and beach are located within the stateowned Donnell Pond Public Reserved Land unit, which is home to several other hiking trails, as well as campsites. Rising up beside Black Mountain is Schoodic Mountain, which is another popular hike and can be combined with a trip to the beach as well. 22 / BANGOR METRO June/July 2021
If looking for a much easier trek, try the wide, smooth Schoodic Beach Trail, which is just 0.5 mile long and spans from the parking lot to the beach. This trail is a part of the Black Mountain Cliffs loop hike. Dogs are permitted on the trails and on the beach, though they must be kept on leash at all times at the campsites. Access is free. For more information, call 207941-4412 or visit maine.gov/donnellpond. DIRECTIONS: From Route 1 in Sullivan, turn onto Route 183 (across from the Town Landing Road). Drive 4.3 miles, then turn left onto the gravel Schoodic Beach Road. Drive 0.3 mile, then veer left at the fork to stay on Schoodic Beach Road. Drive 1.9 mile to the Schoodic Beach Parking Lot at the end of the road. Start your hike at the far end of the parking area on the wide trail that leads to Schoodic Beach. A short distance down the trail, you’ll cross a bridge and see the Black Mountain Cliffs Trail on your right, marked with blue blazes. Take that trail to start the loop hike.
HEALTH & FITNESS
HIKE ME
SEARS ISLAND
IN SEARSPORT
EASY TO MODERATE At 936 acres, Sears Island is one of the largest undeveloped islands on the Eastern Seaboard. About 6 miles of hiking trails thread throughout the island, as well as a 2-mile gravel road and 1.5-mile paved road. In addition, at low tide, visitors can walk along the shore, traversing about 5 miles of beaches made up of a mixture of sand, mud flats, rocks and shells. The island’s cultural history dates back thousands of years ago, when the indigenous people of Maine regularly camped on the island to hunt and fish. They called the island “Wassumkeag,” a word that described its bright sands. A conservation easement was placed on nearly two thirds of the island — 601 acres — in 2009. Friends of Sears Island accepted responsibility for stewardship of the property, in partnership with
Maine Coast Heritage Trust and help from the Belfast Bay Watershed Coalition. The island is connected to mainland Searsport by a causeway, making it easily accessible for visitors year round. Access is free. Dogs are permitted. There are plastic bags and a bin for dog waste at the gate at the end of the causeway. For more information, visit friendsofsearsisland.org or call 855-430-2882. DIRECTIONS: From the heart of downtown Searsport, drive about 2 miles northeast on Route 1, then turn right onto Sears Island Road. Drive about 1 mile to the causeway that leads to Sears Island. Park on the causeway. (Note the parking restrictions close to the gate.) Just beyond the gate is a kiosk displaying an island map.
AISLINN SARNACKI is a staff writer for Bangor Metro and the editor of Act Out, a section of the Bangor Daily News. An expert on the Maine outdoors, she is author of the guidebooks “Dog-Friendly Hikes in Maine,” “Maine Hikes Off the Beaten Path” and “Family Friendly Hikes in Maine.” Follow her adventures at bangordailynews.com/act-out.
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HOME & FAMILY
Abstract
HERRINGBONE
PAINTING
TRENDY DECOR FOR PAINTERS OF ALL SKILL LEVELS STORY & PHOTOS BY KATIE SMITH
IF YOU’VE ALWAYS wanted to paint, but never thought you could make anything worth hanging on your wall, this project will make you feel very accomplished. Abstract paintings are on-trend right now, and it’s easy to create one right in the comfort of your own home with just a few supplies. The good news is this Abstract Herringbone Painting isn’t meant to be perfect. The little imperfections on the lines that create the herringbone pattern actually look better if they aren’t symmetrical. Grab a few things you probably already have around your house and let’s get started.
DIRECTIONS & TIPS 1. Find the center of your canvas and add a piece of painters tape going all the way down. 2. Squirt some paint onto a paper plate. This makes it easy to dip your sponge into the paint. 3. Dip the short side of your sponge into the paint and let any excess drip off. 4. Starting on the top right side of where your painter's tape line is, make your first 45 degree diagonal line. Make sure it touches the painter's tape a bit. This is what gives it a crisp line. 5. Continue going all the way down the right side, keeping lines about an inch apart. Remember, it doesn’t have to be exact. This is what gives your painting character. 6. Repeat your 45 degree lines going down the left side. 7. Begin your second section by measuring about 6” from the center of your first line and add painter’s tape all the way down to the right. This is a preference thing; you may want more or less space between your sections. 8. Repeat steps 4-6 making another row of herringbone. 9. Measure 6” to the left of your first painters tape line and place another strip of painter’s tape to make another herringbone pattern (repeat steps 4-6). 10. Continue adding herringbone lines on either side until your canvas is full. It’s okay if your pattern gets cut off. 11. Frame your work or hang it up as is (canvases can often be hung with the frame resting on a nail). You can also paint designs in a few different sizes for a statement wall. 26 / BANGOR METRO June/July 2021
WHAT YOU’LL NEED: • Acrylic paint • Canvas or paper in the size of your choice • Painter’s tape • Measuring tape • Sponge • Paper plate
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HOME & FAMILY
Nature’s
SUMMER SCHOOL
EVERYDAY LEARNING OPPORTUNITIES IN YOUR OWN BACKYARD STORY & PHOTOS BY JODI HERSEY
28 / BANGOR METRO June/July 2021
“MOM, QUICK, COME LOOK what I found!” are the words I’ve so often heard from my kids as we begin our own sort of magical school bus adventure in the backyard. The Magic School Bus TV series, which was popular in the 90s and early 2000s, followed a fictitious elementary school teacher and her students who’d hop on a yellow bus to go on magical field trips. However, my twin eight-year-old boys have shown me, time and again, they don’t need magic to experience a wondrous journey in the great outdoors. My kids are natural explorers. There’s no better classroom than Mother Nature. They love to be outside looking at insects, reptiles or wandering along the nature trails in Maine where they always seem to find a memento or two to remember their adventure. “That’s the neat thing about being out in nature. It’s always a different experience depending on the weather, the time of day or the season. It’s always changing,” David Lamon, the manager of the Fields Pond Audubon Center in Holden, said. “You don’t have to be an expert. You just have to be curious.” I’ve seen firsthand how inquisitive kids can be. They hear, see, feel and smell all the wonders that exist just outside their back
door that some of us adults overlook. In a small stream of water that runs between our home and my neighbor’s property, my boys have witnessed the entire lifecycle of frogs as they go from eggs to tadpoles, then to froglets and finally into frogs. “I see two, no, three frogs today,” my son Donnie announced on one day outside. “No look over here, there’s another one right there,” his brother Frankie pointed out. Their excitement over the biology unfolding before their very eyes could hardly be contained as they shared their discovery with other neighborhood playmates, who then returned to their own homes to go frog hunting. “It doesn’t take much for kids to get engaged and hooked,” Lamon said. My kids have also found toads, several snakes and a painted turtle in our yard. However, if you are like me and reptiles give you the willies, there are plenty of other learning opportunities that don’t involve things that hop, slither or crawl. That’s why I contacted Lamon at the Fields Pond Audubon Center where there is an Explorers Club for children and their families that meets every week ($12/ family for members; $15/family for nonmembers). I was looking for some helpful
REALTORS
(Opposite) Frogs are easy to find and fun to catch. (Below) Donnie's first snake. (This page, clockwise from above) A painted turtle. Frankie discovers a big toad. And the family finds painted rocks along Hermon's nature trails.
ways to redirect my boys’ attention away from all the critters so they could see the other wonders in nature. “Some of my favorite activities are ones that lead to a teachable moment,” Lamon said. “An easy thing for a parent to do is get paint strips from a paint store. You might have some lying around or you can use construction paper and cut them into squares until you have a dozen colors. Then tell the kids, ‘We are going to go hike this trail today and I want you to match each of these paint chips with something in nature.’ By doing that, they are going to discover other neat things.” Exploring the Bangor City Forest, Chick Hill in Clifton or walking the trails at the Fields Pond Audubon Center can be a great and inexpensive adventure. We’ve enjoyed many of these outings and often return home with pinecones, acorns, bird feathers or some beautifully painted rocks made by volunteers from the Bangor Rocks, Brewer Rocks or Hermon Rocks communities. It’s simply amazing these volunteer groups spend their precious time decorating rocks and planting them in various locations in an effort to spread joy and bring smiles to people’s faces. “Another thing to do with kids is take a piece of cardboard and cut it to look like a picture frame. Tell them it’s their camera
and have them take three pictures that are zoomed in really close and three really far away pictures. Then I look through their picture frame so they can show me what they were paying attention to,” Lamon said. “It’s just a vehicle to get them to look more closely at what’s around them.” Textbooks, notepads and technology are not required to explore, see new things and learn all year round, although they could be beneficial when trying to identify different things you find outdoors. “Obviously we have more insects in the summer and there will be more butterfly species around. Kids like differentiating between a monarch butterfly and a checkerspot. With that, they can use an app called iNaturalist. If you snap a picture of something and put it on iNaturalist, it will do the identification for you or someone on iNaturalist will do it for you,” Lamon said. “Also, if you have a bird feeder at home, kids can keep a journal, draw pictures or categorize the different birds that show up at your feeder.” So grab some bug spray, sun block and lots of water, and head outdoors to enjoy, participate and learn from the magical adventure that exists in your own backyard.
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PERSONAL FINANCE
PLANNING
AHEAD WHEN IT COMES TO YOUR RETIREMENT INCOME, THE TIME TO LOOK AT IT IS BEFORE YOU RETIRE BY JULIA BAYLY
WHAT WILL YOUR RETIREMENT look like financially? That’s a good question to ask. Knowing ahead of time how much money you will have to fund your retirement years plays a big part in planning your retirement. It can also give you some time to adjust your current financial situation if needed. Start by getting an up-to-date handle on your retirement financial picture funding your retirement. Gather balance information on employee-funded retirement accounts or pensions as well as Individual Retirement Accounts and other savings. Do you have property to sell when you retire such as downsizing from your family home? That’s also something to consider. You’ll also want to monitor your anticipated Social Security benefits. “To qualify for social security benefits, you earn credits throughout your work history,” said Zach Means, CEO of Means Wealth Management, a financial advising firm in Bangor. “Which is why it is important to periodically review your statement to ensure the earnings record is accurate.” Keep any relevant account information — where they are located, account numbers and passwords — in a safe and accessible location. This will make it easier for you to check on them as you get closer to retirement to see how they are doing.
30 / BANGOR METRO June/July 2021
If you sign up for online services, including the Social Security Administration’s portal, you can take advantage of digital tools that help you estimate your funds at the age you are thinking of retiring. The amount of Social Security benefits, for instance, that you receive will increase with the age you retire. But some people prefer to retire sooner. “We generally give the advice to wait on claiming Social Security if you can afford to,” Means said. “It’s important to consult with a qualified financial advisor before making the decision to claim or defer benefits.” There can be tax implications when it comes to your retirement income and talking to a financial planner or accountant now can help avoid some unpleasant surprises later. Social Security and retirement income like traditional 401(k)s or IRA, for example, may be subject to income tax once you start receiving them. The federal and state regulations covering what retirement income can and can’t be taxed are pretty complicated, Means said. He recommends not waiting until retirement to talk to a financial advisor or accountant to create a strategy for your retirement income most advantageous to you in terms of taxes. Once you have a general idea of what your financial situation will look like after retirement, it’s a good idea to start thinking about a budget for those
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PERSONAL FINANCE
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years. Ideally that budget should allow you to maintain your current lifestyle once you are no longer working. Means stressed the importance of living within that budget so you don’t exhaust your retirement funds or go deeply into debt to fund your retirement. One of the things that can eat into the best planned retirement budget out there are costs associated with long term health care. Gambling you are not going to need some sort of medical assistance or residential care in your later years is a risk when it comes to your finances, according to Means. It’s estimated that almost 50 percent of people will need long term care at some point in their life, Means said. In Maine, the cost of a private room at a nursing home is around $350 a day. That works out to $127,000 a year. Medicare covers up to 100 days of skilled nursing care per illness, but there are a number of requirements that must be met before the nursing home stay will be covered. Medicaid — known as Mainecare in Maine — on the other hand, does cover long term care in a nursing facility. Your eligibility for Medicaid benefits is tied to your level of income. To supplement Medicare and Medicaid benefits, you may want to think about purchasing long term care insurance. This kind of insurance generally covers the expenses of care not covered by Medicare or Medicaid. Long term care insurance policies are available from a number of insurance providers and it’s a good idea to shop around getting quotes for the best premiums and policies for you. “There is no golden rule for long-term care savings,” Means said. “Long-term care planning is part of an overall financial plan and should be considered earlier in life, not later.” It all really comes down to planning, Means said. “For those that do have a financial plan, we start to see them fall into trouble when they start making financial decisions outside of that plan,” Means said. “Someone may be spending too much too fast and draining their savings, or they may be too conservative and may be missing out on the opportunity to take more vacations or buy that dream property.” Everyone, Means said, wants to feel secure and confident they can afford to retire. And that is why it’s important to know ahead of time what your financial future will look like and make any adjustments now to secure it.
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BEST RESTAURANTS 2021
EVERYONE LOVED
Pilots Grill BY ROSEMARY LAUSIER
THE FIRST TIME I stepped into Pilots Grill was in May 2002 for my dad’s surprise birthday party. Eight years old at the time, I remember standing in the entryway, desperately wanting to go into the glamorous dining area with the giant floor to ceiling curtains. To my disappointment, we were taken into a room to the left, never to go into the area that looked like something out of a Disney movie. My sadness quickly faded away when my mom ordered me the best, and I still consider it the best 19 years later, Shirley Temple drink. The sweet, bubbly, tangy red drink was the tastiest beverage ever. It was in a league of its own, and so was Pilots Grill. Pilots Grill started as the Pickwick Cafe in the 1930s on lower Hammond Street in downtown Bangor, according to Bangor’s honorary historian, Richard Shaw. In 1940, the Zoidis brothers — Peter, Paul and Ernest — opened Pilots Grill restaurant, located just beyond the intersection of Hammond Street and Odlin Road. The restaurant served as the favorite hangout spot for personnel from the Dow Air Force base, although it was forced to move twice — in 1945 and 1956 — due to runway expansions. It would be later passed down to Paul’s son, Bill Zoidis. “Truly New England, Pilots features truly New England menus,” according to a 1960 brochure on the eatery. At the time, their famed specialty was the Pilots Greek salad,
however, others will remember other highly regarded specialties such as the baked stuffed lobster, finnan haddie and Salisbury steak. The restaurant was made up of different rooms — the Rococo Room, the Executive Room, the Skyview Room (the room with the giant curtains), the Knotty Pine Room, Camelot Room and the Wishing Well and Gift Shop — that were used for regular dining or event spaces. Some rooms did change their function over the years as the gift shop later changed into Feta’s, the small bar and pizza cafe. My dad’s surprise party was held in what used to be the gift shop and Feta’s. “People really dined at Pilots Grill. From the cloth napkins and tablecloths, to the chandeliers in the Skyview Room, to the servers’ well-pressed uniforms, it was class all the way,” Shaw said. The restaurant drew in celebrities like Stephen King and, reportedly, Joan Crawford, Maine politicians and tourists from all around. While the restaurant was held in high regard for its food, it was also in part due to the warm hospitality of Bill Zoidis. “He was part of our glue. He raised his family here and contributed to the community and the state without any medals or pats on the back,” Former Gov. John Baldacci said of Bill Zoidis following his death in 2016 to the Bangor Daily News. “He was a terrific individual. He set a high standard.”
Pilots was a place where our grandparents — people from a whole other generation, many no longer with us — would dine and socialize. It was, simply put, iconic. “I miss being treated in a special way by owners Bill and [his daughter] Paulette Zoidis, and enjoying that indefinible aroma when I walked through the door. History was everywhere, especially on the walls, where original Jim Power aircraft paintings were displayed,” Shaw said. And although the eatery is no longer around — it closed on Dec. 31, 2002 when Bill Zoidis retired — there is a small, and yummy, piece of it left over: Pilots Grill Cheese Spread. There is no other cheese like it around. The famed cheese spread is made of cheddar, cream cheese and cottage cheese, finely chopped pimentos, onions and green pepper, and Tabasco, Worcestershire and garlic. You can find it at Leadbetter’s, Hannaford and other local markets near the fancy cheeses. Looking back, I wish I was able to spend more time at Pilots Grill. I did eventually get to go inside that dining room with the big curtains a few months after I first laid eyes on it. I got a Shirley Temple too. It was the last time we dined there before it closed its doors. “You’ll love dining at Pilots Grill,” the 1960 brochure read. We sure did.
FIVE GREAT THINGS ABOUT BANGOR KENDUSKEAG STREAM TRAIL The Kenduskeag Stream Trail is a 2-mile (one way) walking path that starts in Gomez Park where the stream meets the Penobscot River and takes you along the banks of the stream. The path includes signs to lead the way as well as photos with historical facts about the stream. It’s an easy to moderate trek, free and allows access to your furry friends. For more information, visit mainetrailfinder.com/trails/ trail/kenduskeag-stream-trail.
ICONIC SITES If you’ve never been to Bangor — or if you have and just want to take a fun drive around — visiting the city’s iconic spots is a great way to spend your time. Visit Stephen King’s house on Broadway (or join a SK Tours of Maine), the Paul Bunyon statue outside the Cross Insurance Center, or the Thomas Hill Standpipe. ...CONTINUED ON PAGE 41
BY ROSEMARY LAUSIER
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40 / BANGOR METRO June/July 2021
BEST RESTAURANTS 2021
For Love,
AND FOR TIMBER BY SAM SCHIPANI
GOING OUT TO EAT has always been one of my favorite ways to celebrate life’s accomplishments and milestones. My partner, Alex, and I bonded over our love of sharing delicious food early on in our relationship. The pandemic put a damper on our dining adventures though. We’d go all-out for home cooked dinners, but date nights just weren’t the same. When our anniversary rolled around in January 2021, we knew we had to properly celebrate all we had survived in 2020. Pandemic notwithstanding, it was our first full year living together and we still managed to like (even, I daresay, love) each other. We decided our best bet would be the geodesic, self-quarantined “igloos” set up outside Timber in Bangor. I’m a sucker for everything farm-to-table, so I have always been more into restaurants with rustic, even outdoorsy vibes. If you had told me years ago that I would cherish a restobar in the bottom floor of a hotel, I would have thought you were lying. Despite its location in the middle of a particularly industrial stretch of the city, though, Timber is styled like a cozy lodge, with plaid lounge chairs, warm wood paneling, a roaring central fireplace and decorations like a buffalo plaid jacket and boots hanging on the wall. It’s a little kitschy, and screams “Maine,” but it’s balanced out with modern accents, sweeping ceilings, a chic (and stocked) bar and — of course — the food.
Timber takes on the task of elevating comfort food handily, and without pretension. The menu centers around local ingredients, but always with a textural twist or flavorful surprise that keeps your palette curious. Alex and I always order a big bowl of Blue Hill Bay mussels with braised leeks and crumbled goat cheese. We lap up every drop of the grainy mustard broth with crusty ciabatta (sometimes, we make puppy eyes at the waiter to get some extra pieces). You could (and we have) make a meal out of just these and a glass of white wine, but you’d be missing out. My mouth waters just thinking about the porcini-rubbed tenderloin with heavenly whipped potatoes or the butternut squash ravioli with sage brown butter, pistachios, cranberries, local chevre and balsamic pearls that burst in your mouth. For lunch, the Timber Burger with bourbon-bacon jam, caramelized onions and smoked cheddar is a masterpiece — and, for my money, the best burger in town. Top it off with some of the tastiest, most creative house cocktails around. There’s something for every season — a bubbly gin cocktail with elderflower liqueur and housemade berry shrub for a warm day, a Old Fashioned with smoked maple bourbon and black walnut bitters to beat the winter chill, or any of the “farm-to-shaker” cocktails for whatever the evening may bring.
FIVE GREAT THINGS ABOUT BANGOR BANGOR FARMERS MARKET The Bangor Farmers Market is held every Sunday across from the Bangor Public Library in Abbott Square. A variety of vendors sell their freshest items from seasonal vegetables and meats to baked goods, flowers and soaps. Buy your food for the week and a grab cookie and go to the nearby Norumbega Park and have a snack. Visit bangorfarmersmarket.org for more information.
I wasn’t expecting much from the igloos, though. The pop-up structures seemed like more of a novelty, and I was just happy to be eating out at all. Somehow, though, the restaurant was able to bring that same coziness into these plastic domes, with plaid blankets, twinkle lights and space heaters designed to look like miniature fireplaces (which was much appreciated in the middle of January). As always, we ended the meal with dessert. Ok, we got a few desserts — we were celebrating after all. The dessert martinis (s’mores for him, espresso for me) and chocolate lava cake with cherry bourbon gelato and tangy, sour cherry sauce were fun indulgences, but our favorite is always the creme brulee trio, with its perfect balance of creamy and crispy, cool and burnt sweetness. I’ll be happy when Alex and I can celebrate our next anniversary dining in the cozy indoors at Timber, but part of me will miss the igloos. Sure, the view of the parking lot wasn’t exactly scenic, but Alex and I didn’t care. Sitting inside our twinkling igloo, sipping sparkling gin and sharing spoonfuls of creme brulee, we were able to pause, step back from the chaos of the pandemic and reflect on the beauty of the little life we had built together, in that little world that Timber built for us.
...CONTINUED FROM PAGE 36
GO SHOPPING AND LUNCH DOWNTOWN
UNIVERSITY OF MAINE’S ZILLMAN ART MUSEUM
Downtown Bangor has a variety of shops and local eateries perfect for an afternoon out. Start the day with a little shopping and some lunch (plenty of restaurants offer outdoor dining) and end with a walk along the Bangor waterfront. Just keep in mind to have your mask on hand as it is required to enter all indoor businesses. For more information, visit downtownbangor.com
The Zillman Art Museum, located in downtown Bangor, is a hidden gem. The museum features historic and contemporary art from the University of Maine art collection and is free of charge. Due to COVID-19 restrictions, visiting the museum is currently by appointment-only and seven visitors are allowed in the facility at a time. For more information, visit zam.umaine.edu. www.bangormetro.com BANGOR METRO / 41
best 2021
RESTAURANTS
greater
BANGOR
AND THE WINNERS FOR GREATER BANGOR ARE ... BEST BAKERY
BEST BREAKFAST
BEST ICE CREAM
GOSSELIN'S BAKERY
DYSART'S RESTAURANT & TRUCK STOP
JIMMIE'S ICE CREAM & GRILL
530 COLDBROOK RD, HERMON DYSARTS.COM
409 N MAIN ST #1, BREWER
500 S MAIN ST, BREWER,
BEST BAR MASON’S BREWING CO. 15 HARDY ST, BREWER MASONSBREWINGCOMPANY.COM
BEST BURGER MASON’S BREWING CO. 15 HARDY ST, BREWER MASONSBREWINGCOMPANY.COM
BEST DATE NIGHT RESTAURANT MASON’S BREWING CO.
BEST CHINESE
MASON’S BREWING CO.
BEST PLACE TO TAKE
492 WILSON ST, BREWER
MASON’S BREWING CO.
BEST COCKTAIL MASON’S BREWING CO. 15 HARDY ST, BREWER MASONSBREWINGCOMPANY.COM
BEST CRAFT BREWERY MASON’S BREWING CO.
BEST TAKE-OUT HARVEST MOON DELI LOCATIONS IN ORONO, BREWER AND NEWPORT HARVESTMOONDELI.COM
TIED!
AND JIMMIE'S ICE CREAM & GRILL 409 N MAIN ST #1, BREWER
42 / BANGOR METRO June/July 2021
557 WILSON ST, BREWER LASPALAPASMEXICAN RESTAURANT.COM
NOODLES & COMPANY
OUT-OF-TOWNERS
MASON’S BREWING CO.
LAS PALAPAS
BEST OVERALL EXPERIENCE
BEST OUTDOOR
SEATING
BEST MEXICAN
15 HARDY ST, BREWER MASONSBREWINGCOMPANY.COM
BEST FAMILY-FRIENDLY EATERY PAT’S PIZZA - ORONO 11 MILL ST, ORONO PATSPIZZAORONO.COM
15 HARDY ST, BREWER MASONSBREWINGCOMPANY.COM
BEST PIZZA PAT’S PIZZA - ORONO 11 MILL ST, ORONO PATSPIZZAORONO.COM
BEST SANDWICH HARVEST MOON DELI LOCATIONS IN ORONO, BREWER AND NEWPORT HARVESTMOONDELI.COM
BEST SEAFOOD EAGLE’S NEST RESTAURANT 1016 N MAIN ST, BREWER
FIVE GREAT THINGS ABOUT GREATER BANGOR
BY SARAH WALKER CARON
HIRUNDO WILDLIFE REFUGE
PUSHAW LAKE
Located in Old Town, Hirundo Wildlife Refuge encompasses more than 2,400 acres of habitat for wildlife. It’s open to the public with miles of walking trails, programs for kids and adults and — my favorite part — kayaks and canoes for borrowing. Last summer, my kids and I went multiple times for walks and paddles. And I discovered that I love canoes but sit-on kayaks not so much. Donations are encouraged, but not required.
Clear, clean and cool, a swim in Pushaw Lake on a hot summer’s day is such a treat. When we first moved to Maine, we often went to the lake via a public area in Glenburn, but that’s only open to residents now. Fortunately, Gould’s Landing in Orono is an excellent option for access. If you go, be sure to get a parking pass from Orono first (you can print off a temporary one from the town website). Plus, if you have a kayak, paddleboard or canoe, this is also an excellent spot to push off from. And bring a picnic! There’s a wonderful grassy area to spread out in — as well as nearby trails for a short tromp through the woods.
CHICK HILL Across Maine there are so many wonderful spots for walks and hikes. And locally, that’s true too. Among local favorites is Chick Hill in Clifton, a small mountain hike to a rocky ledge with amazing views. I love to take a book along so that I can sit and read at the top. Officially called Peaked Mountain on maps, Chick Hill is about 1.3 miles from the parking area to the top.
ECOTAT GARDENS AND ARBORETUM With dozens of gardens and about a mile and a half of intersecting trails, I am so excited to visit Ecotat Gardens and Arboretum
in Hermon this summer. This nonprofit public garden is home to a wide variety of plants including trees and perennials, and as a result, it attracts all sorts of insects, birds and wild animals. Plus, in years past, it’s also hosted events in the summertime including live concerts. Those have been on hold during the pandemic, but who knows what might happen this summer.
BREWER RIVERWALK A nice stroll along the river? Sign me up. The Brewer Riverwalk winds from Hardy Street to Penobscot Street in a relaxed, pretty area with gardens, plantings and more. It’s totally paved, making it an easy spot for strolling with young children as well. Plus, at one end, you have Mason’s Brewing Company — a perfect spot for a lunch outdoors or a cold brew.
www.bangormetro.com BANGOR METRO / 43
FIVE GREAT THINGS TO DO DOWN EAST BY HILARY NANGLE
STARRY STARRY NIGHT
TIME TRAVEL
View stars above and glow-in-the-dark phytoplankton shining below on a 2.5-hour night paddle with Castine Kayak in waters ideal for bioluminescent organisms. Open to experienced paddlers ages 10 and older. Call 207-8663506 or visit www.castinekayak.com.
The Seal Cove Auto Museum brings the Brass Era to life, telling stories through its world-class car collection. This year, Engines of Change: A Suffrage Centennial focuses on female adventurers, inventors, race car drivers, and activists. For more info, call 207-244-9242 or visit sealcoveautomuseum.org/exhibits.
FANTASY ISLAND Interactive scenes and whimsical sculptures created from the flotsam and jetsam of everyday life fill the fields and woods of Nervous Nellie’s in Deer Isle, sculptor Peter Beerits “natural history museum of the imagination.” Nellieville’s interactive creations range from a western town to King Arthur’s forest. Visit www.nervousnellies.com.
ISLAND ESCAPE During Island Cruises 3.5-hour cruise from Bass Harbor to Frenchboro island, the captain explains the region’s history, identifies birds and sea critters, and explains lobster fishing. On island, order lunch at Lunt’s Lobster, and explore the village. Call 207-244-5785 or bassharborcruises.com.
44 / BANGOR METRO June/July 2021
DOWN EAST DOUBLEHEADER The passenger ferry Quoddy Dam makes it easy to visit both Lubec and Eastport in a day, including time to shop, eat and sightsee. Enjoy dreamy island views along with sea birds, seals and perhaps even whales while toing-andfroing Passamaquoddy Bay. Call 207-546-2927 or visit downeastwindjammer.com.
best down 2021
RESTAURANTS
EAST
AND THE WINNERS FOR DOWN EAST ARE ... BEST BAKERY
BEST COCKTAIL
BEST MEXICAN
HELEN'S RESTAURANT
PROVENDER KITCHEN + BAR
86 THIS!
55 DOWNEAST HWY, ELLSWORTH HELENSELLSWORTH.COM
112 MAIN ST, ELLSWORTH WWW.EATPROVENDER.COM
125 MAIN ST, ELLSWORTH WWW.86THISMAINE.COM
A SLICE OF EDEN
BEST COFFEE SHOP
BEST OVERALL
59 COTTAGE ST, BAR HARBOR ASLICEOFEDENME.COM
FLEXIT CAFE & BAKERY
TIED!
AND
192 MAIN ST, ELLSWORTH FLEXITCAFE.COM
BEST BAR FINN’S IRISH PUB
BEST CRAFT BREWERY
156 MAIN ST, ELLSWORTH FACEBOOK.COM/FINNSIRISHPUB
FOGTOWN BREWING COMPANY
BEST DATE NIGHT RESTAURANT PROVENDER KITCHEN + BAR 112 MAIN ST, ELLSWORTH WWW.EATPROVENDER.COM
25 PINE ST, ELLSWORTH 33 COTTAGE ST, BAR HARBOR FOGTOWNBREWING.COM
BEST FAMILYFRIENDLY EATERY DRAGONFIRE
BEST BREAKFAST
248 STATE ST, ELLSWORTH DRAGONFIREPIZZA.ME
SYLVIA’S CAFE 248 STATE ST, ELLSWORTH SYLVIASCAFE.NET
BEST ICE CREAM MORTON'S MOO
BEST BURGER
9 SCHOOL ST, ELLSWORTH MORTONSMOO.COM
PROVENDER KITCHEN + BAR 112 MAIN ST, ELLSWORTH WWW.EATPROVENDER.COM
EXPERIENCE
PROVENDER KITCHEN + BAR 112 MAIN ST, ELLSWORTH WWW.EATPROVENDER.COM
BEST PIZZA DRAGONFIRE 248 STATE ST, ELLSWORTH DRAGONFIREPIZZA.ME
BEST SANDWICH 86 THIS! 125 MAIN ST, ELLSWORTH WWW.86THISMAINE.COM
BEST SEAFOOD
TIED!
JORDAN'S SNACK BAR 200 DOWNEAST HIGHWAY, ELLSWORTH JORDANSSNACKBAR.COM AND
UNION RIVER LOBSTER POT
BEST INTERNATIONAL MANNY’S GREEK GRILL
8 SOUTH ST, ELLSWORTH WWW.LOBSTERPOT.COM
248 STATE ST, ELLSWORTH
www.bangormetro.com BANGOR METRO / 45
best 2021
RESTAURANTS
MIDCOAST
AND THE WINNERS FOR THE MIDCOAST ARE ... BEST BAKERY
BEST BREAKFAST
BEST CRAFT BREWERY
RALPH’S CAFE
RALPH’S CAFE
BELFAST BAY BREWING
12 PURPLE HEART HWY, BROOKS FACEBOOK.COM/EATATRALPHS
12 PURPLE HEART HWY, BROOKS FACEBOOK.COM/EATATRALPHS
BELFAST, MAINE WWW.BELFASTBAYBREWING.COM
BEST BAR
BEST BURGER
BEST FOOD TRUCK
ROLLIE’S
ROLLIE’S
WASSES HOT DOGS
37 MAIN ST, BELFAST ROLLIESMAINE.COM
37 MAIN ST, BELFAST ROLLIESMAINE.COM
RENY'S PLAZA, BELFAST
BEST ICE CREAM
BEST DATE NIGHT RESTAURANT
BEST COCKTAIL DELVINO’S
STONE FOX FARM CREAMERY
DELVINO’S
52 MAIN ST, BELFAST DELVINOS.COM
398 EAST MAIN ST, SEARSPORT STONEFOXFARMCREAMERY.COM
52 MAIN ST, BELFAST DELVINOS.COM
BEST OVERALL
BEST COFFEE SHOP BEST OUTDOOR
SEATING
TIED!
DOCKSIDE FAMILY RESTAURANT 30 MAIN ST, BELFAST AND
4 MITCHELL ST, BELFAST YOUNGSLOBSTERPOUND.WEBS.COM
AND
YOUNG’S LOBSTER POUND 4 MITCHELL ST, BELFAST YOUNGSLOBSTERPOUND.WEBS.COM
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52 MAIN ST, BELFAST DELVINOS.COM
BEST FAMILYFRIENDLY EATERY BELL THE CAT
OUT-OF-TOWNERS
DELVINO’S
15 BELMONT AVE, BELFAST BELLTHECATINC.COM
YOUNG’S LOBSTER POUND
BEST PLACE TO TAKE
EXPERIENCE
BELL THE CAT
DOCKSIDE FAMILY RESTAURANT AND
RALPH’S CAFE
BEST SANDWICH 3WAY TIE!
BELL THE CAT 15 BELMONT AVE, BELFAST BELLTHECATINC.COM
BEST SEAFOOD
TIED!
ANGLER'S 215 EAST MAIN ST, SEARSPORT ANGLERSSEAFOODRESTAURANT.COM
BEST PIZZA
AND
ALEXIA’S PIZZA
YOUNG’S LOBSTER POUND
93 MAIN ST, BELFAST
4 MITCHELL ST, BELFAST YOUNGSLOBSTERPOUND.WEBS.COM
FIVE GREAT THINGS ABOUT THE MIDCOAST BY MEG HASKELL
THE VILLAGE OF BAYSIDE
This ridiculously charming oceanfront community features a warren of tiny roads lined with diminutive Victorian cottages. There’s a grassy park and playground, a public swimming wharf, a teensy historical society. You’ll want to live here.
THE BELFAST HARBOR WALK
From Steamboat Landing Park, amble past bustling harborside businesses, through the magnificent Front Street Shipyard and across the footbridge over the Passagassawakeag River. Bonus points for correctly pronouncing “Passagassawakeag.”
THE PENOBSCOT MARINE MUSEUM
This underappreciated museum tells many stories, from Searsport’s history as the birthplace of sea captains to its role in the China Trade. Model ships, oil paintings, a trove of historic photographs, a collection of regional watercraft and a terrific museum shop make this a must-do stop.
ANTIQUING IN SEARSPORT
From discriminating collectors to casual bargain-seekers, Searsport has an antiques venue for everyone. Explore high-end shops like The Pumpkin Patch and Gaul’s Antiques, but don’t pass up the sprawling Searsport Flea Market or the Treasures & Trash Barn.
FORT KNOX AND THE PENOBSCOT NARROWS OBSERVATORY
Established in 1844, this wellpreserved fort is a marvel of engineering and stonecraft, with a killer view across the Penobscot River to the town of Bucksport. While you’re there, blow your mind with a 420-foot elevator ride to the observatory at the top of the Penobscot Narrows Bridge. You’re welcome.
www.bangormetro.com BANGOR METRO / 47
best northern 2021
RESTAURANTS
MAINE
AND THE WINNERS FOR NORTHERN MAINE ARE ... BEST BAKERY
BEST BURGER
BEST PIZZA
SADIE’S BAKERY
THE BUS
PAT’S PIZZA
5 WATER ST, HOULTON
100 MILITARY ST, HOULTON
9 NORTH ST, PRESQUE ISLE PATSPIZZAPI.COM
BEST BAR
BEST CHINESE
DOWNUNDER SPORTS PUB
TASTE OF CHINA
282 NORTH ST, HOULTON
127 MILITARY ST, HOULTON
TIED! BEST SANDWICH SADIE’S BAKERY 5 WATER ST, HOULTON AND
BEST DATE NIGHT RESTAURANT
BEST FAMILY-FRIENDLY EATERY
THE SANDWICH SHOP
THE VAULT RESTAURANT
THE RUSTY CRAB
222 MAIN ST, PRESQUE ISLE
64 MAIN ST, HOULTON THEVAULTRESTAURANT.NET
86 BENJAMIN ST, MARS HILL
BEST PLACE TO TAKE
OUT-OF-TOWNERS THE RUSTY CRAB
86 BENJAMIN ST, MARS HILL
BEST BREAKFAST SADIE’S BAKERY 5 WATER ST, HOULTON
BEST CRAFT BREWERY NORTHERN MAINE BREWING COMPANY 22 MAIN ST, CARIBOU NORTHERNMAINEBREWING COMPANY.COM
48 / BANGOR METRO June/July 2021
BEST POUTINE BEST ICE CREAM HOULTON FARMS DAIRY LOCATIONS IN HOULTON, PRESQUE ISLE & CARIBOU HOULTONFARMSDAIRY.COM
BEST OVERALL
EXPERIENCE
THE RUSTY CRAB 86 BENJAMIN ST, MARS HILL
TIED!
BIG RICK'S BURGERS & WINGS 280 MAIN ST, MADAWASKA AND
MISTY MEADOWS ORGANIC FARM 1164 MAIN STREET, GRAND ISLE MISTYMEADOWSORGANICFARM.NET
NORTHERN MAINE EATS
FIVE GREAT THINGS ABOUT NORTHERN MAINE BY PAULA BREWER
PATTEN LUMBERMEN’S MUSEUM On picturesque Rt. 11 in Patten, this ninebuilding museum pays homage to Maine’s lumbering history. Kids and adults will enjoy seeing tools and machinery from all eras of logging.
HAYSTACK MOUNTAIN Head 10 miles west of Presque Isle to Castle Hill for a short climb up 1,142-foot-high Haystack Mountain. It’s a moderate trail and the breathtaking view is well worth the effort.
HOULTON FARMS DAIRY It isn’t summer in Aroostook County without a Maine-made ice cream treat from this popular local dairy. Jump in line at a Houlton Farms’ dairy bar in Houlton, Presque Isle or Caribou.
AROOSTOOK NATIONAL WILDLIFE REFUGE This refuge in Limestone is open from sunrise to sunset year round. Visitors can spot birds and wildlife, hike 13 miles of trails, canoe or kayak, and scout out great photo opportunities.
FOUR CORNERS PARK Four Corners Park in Madawaska is a motorcyclist’s destination, the northeast point on the national Four Corners tour. It boasts a 12-foot granite monument, info center, dedicated paving stones and more.
Your ad could be on this page. Advertise in Bangor Metro’s monthly Food & Drink section.
Call 990-8000.
www.bangormetro.com BANGOR METRO / 49
FEATURE
Mika Repenning preparing miso. (Below) Equipment used to make miso at go-en fermented foods in Whitefield and the final product. PHOTOS COURTESY CHIP DILLON/ BLUE HORSE PHOTOGRAPHY
50 / BANGOR METRO June/July 2021
Fermenting a REVOLUTION THE MISO MAKERS OF MAINE
M
iso is a fermented paste made from soybeans that serves as a staple of Japanese cuisine. With the rise of the foodie movement as well as health food advocates, the demand for miso has been on the rise in Maine. One company has brought the time-honored process to the Pine Tree State, while some restaurants and other culinary experimenters have started dabbling in miso-making as well. Mika and Nicholas Repenning started go-en fermented foods in Whitefield in 2015. The couple met volunteering in Japan, where Mika is from, through the Worldwide Opportunities on Organic Farms (WWOOF) program in 2009. They had originally planned to live together in Japan, but their plans were derailed by the catastrophic earthquake, tsunami and Fukushima nuclear power plant explosion in 2011. Instead, the couple moved to Maine in 2011, where Nicholas had family and had lived before volunteering in Japan. Mika liked Maine, but she was craving the flavors that made her feel at home — particularly miso. “I couldn’t find authentic Japanese miso around,” Mika Repenning said. “It’s
BY SAM SCHIPANI
different from miso from the supermarket.” The Repennings had some miso-making experience when they were working in Japan, so they decided to start making their own. The process of making miso starts with growing the koji fungus, which is also used to make soy sauce, sake and mirin. “That’s a process similar to growing mushrooms where we’re actually growing a culture on rice,” Nicholas Repenning explained. “When you’re talking Japanese flavor it comes from koji pretty much.” The koji spores — which the Repennings order from a place in Japan that has been growing koji for centuries — are then added to the steamed grains. The whole process only takes a few days, but it is intensive. “Initially, the koji needs to be kept warm [but] after it starts to grow it starts producing its own heat, and then it’s a process of keeping it cool so it doesn’t kill itself,” Nicholas Repenning explained. “We start with a big bundle of steamed grain, and then after about 24 hours or so that gets split up into wooden trays so I can disperse the mass into [smaller] amounts. Trays are stacked and that stacking order changes, check them every
four to six hours. There’s one day a week I don’t sleep when we’re making koji.” The equipment was somewhat difficult to acquire in Maine as well. When they started, the Repennings had to mostly make their own equipment, but they were able to piggyback off of some existing businesses in the state, like the now-closed Kittery brewery Blue Current that used to make sake. “They showed me how they grow koji, they showed me how they do it at scale,” Nicholas Repenning said. “UMaine Orono actually created their steamer. I had the university duplicate those at a different size for me.” Unlike traditional miso trays, which are made of red cedar, the Repenning made theirs out of white cedar, which was more readily available. “White cedar here is a really spiritual tree and using that wood kind of connects us to this place as well,” Nicholas Repenning said. “Its ability to maintain moisture and to have moisture come in and out of it without rotting is pretty essential because we are growing culture in these trays. We’re creating the perfect environment to grow mold so I need to be careful that I’m growing the mold that I want.”
www.bangormetro.com BANGOR METRO / 51
FEATURE Then, the koji-fied grains are added to cooked soybeans and left to ferment. They leave the barrel for a year at room temperature — which Nicholas Repenning says raises the eyebrows of some food safety professionals at the state level — and then harvest the miso. STARTING GO-EN The Repennings made miso for a few years for themselves, their friends and their community. Then, they saw an opportunity. They started selling their product at the local farmers market but soon demand was outpacing their homemade supply. Aside from Mainers who have visited Japan and seek out its unique flavors and foods — of which Nicholas Repenning said there are, in his experience, “more than you would think” — fermented foods like miso are popular in the health and macrobiotic communities. “A lot of people’s doctors have told them they need to eat fermented foods, [so they] see our sign at the farmers market and say, ‘My doctor said I need to eat that, what is that?’” Nicholas Repenning said. “Once people figured out who we were, it wasn’t really hard to sell the product.” There are other miso makers in the Northeast, but the Repennings saw an opening in Maine.
“The commercially available stuff that you can get in packs are pasteurized,” Nicholas Repenning said. “Ours is not pasteurized [and] fits in the market you would see at a natural food store. The difference is a lot of those companies were looking to create a health food and we went for something that was more of an authentic Japanese taste. We can focus a little more on the intricacies of it.” In 2015, they founded go-en fermented foods to spread the joy of artisan-made miso beyond their family and community. There are some challenges to making miso stateside, though, especially from a food safety perspective, despite the fact that miso has been healthily eaten for centuries abroad. “I work in a gray area a little bit,” Nicholas Repenning said. “The food safety understanding of fermented products is complicated across the board federally as well as within the state. We’re working with living foods, and as long as these foods stay alive, they’re going to be safe, but we need to explain that to people. It doesn’t fit within the paradigm of food safety.” Nicholas Repenning said that he has become something of an expert in food safety, taking a variety of classes and workshops to make his product as Food and Drug Administration-friendly as possible. “A decade ago I didn’t even think I’d be doing this,” Nicholas Repenning said. “I’m a glass blower. Now I’m super nerdy about fermentation in general.” Plus, he said that Maine’s food safety professionals have been willing to work with him throughout the process. “The Department of Agriculture in Maine has been really supportive and they really want to see people survive at what they’re doing because that’s what Maine is,” Nicholas Repenning said. “I wouldn’t want to live anywhere else in New England.” However, there are other factors about Maine that make the miso-making process challenging, like the environment and availability of raw materials for miso.
“We get our soybeans from New England but specifically in Maine, it’s not particularly the climate for that bean,” Nicholas Repenning said. “We have a few varieties that we grow ourselves for small batches. There are people growing rice in Maine but the scale of production isn’t big enough or cost effective enough for us to maintain.” The Repennings want to expand because they even have demand from out of state at this point, but there are things to consider, like need for staff. “When you scale up anything you lose pieces,” Nicholas Repenning said. “We want to do that without sacrificing the quality. If we were going to scale this up to a sustainable level it would involve bringing more people into the operation.” OTHER MISO MAKERS Currently, the Reppenings have the Maine miso-making scene pretty much dominated, but there are other people in the food space who have been experimenting with homemade miso. Mike Wiley, chef and partner at Big Tree Hospitality, which owns Eventide Oyster Co., the Honey Paw and Hugo’s in Portland, said that he has experimented with house-made miso at some of his restaurants. He made miso for a collaborative dinner Hugo’s did with the restaurant Izakaya Minato. “We made a special miso for that dinner, but it’s something that we’re not set up to do nose to tail,” Wiley said. “It’s one-offs and we make some and we use it for a special. We’ve always been really excited at the prospect of trying to make everything from scratch, aside from Heinz 57 ketchup — don’t mess with ketchup.” Wiley said that the process of making miso is challenging and might not be suitable for restaurants to do themselves. “It’s a finicky process and cleanliness is absolutely paramount,” Wiley said. “I think it would be akin to like sourcing our own dairy, pasteurizing your own cream in order to make your own ice cream that you’re serving at your restaurant for dessert. It’s an impractical way to arrive at a product that you can buy and is totally delicious.” Wiley said that maintaining the right moisture is probably the most challenging element. “You want to cook the soy beans so that they’re just cooked,” he explained. “You don’t want them blown up. If there’s too
much moisture in the system you end up inviting lactic fermentation [and] it’s going to go from sour to soured to spoiled to rotten and poisonous.” Wiley sees the potential for miso in the Maine food scene, though. “I love it,” Wiley said. “The miso world is as deep as the European cheese world. There’s so much out there. To build it into what we’re doing day to day, that would be step one to approaching the bubble.” He thinks that foodies should experiment with miso if they are interested. “It’s not as scary as it might sound,” Wiley said. “I would encourage people who are a little curious to do a little searching around, get some koji spores [and] give it a whirl. Our first whack at it I wasn’t totally blown away but the more we’ve done it the more we’ve learned. Families in Japan will make their own batch of miso every year. Not everyone in Japan is an expert and they’re doing it.” The Repennings also see potential for miso to expand in Maine. “I think that right now that market is expanding quickly and I think we’ll see a lot more stuff coming up in the realm of fermented foods [in general, as well as] Japanese ferments and seasoning,” Nicholas Repenning said. The Repennings have also hosted workshops to try to expand the miso making in Maine. They have not hosted any in the last year due to the pandemic but are hoping to get back on teaching people to make it themselves. “We really feel like other people should make their own miso and other fermented food in general,” Nicholas Repenning said. “Normally we just make miso with people and they take it home and they open it up a year later. It leaves them in this dark area where they have to figure it out. We want to make more community events; traditionally that’s how it would have been done.” Beyond teaching people about the incredible health and flavor properties of miso, the experience of making it together celebrates the ethos of miso itself. “Making miso together with people in the community is very good to really express what miso is,” Mika Repenning said. “It’s like a community, all different kinds of bacteria in the microorganism. Each person has their own microbiome and [with] homemade miso, your own microbes go into it and make a really wellbalanced community.” www.bangormetro.com BANGOR METRO / 53
WOODS & WATERS
The BigCats OF MAINE
THIS MAINE WILD CAT MADE THE BEST BIRTHDAY PRESENT OF ALL… UNTIL NEXT YEAR
THIS IS A TRUE STORY. My wife had only one request for her birthday this year, and that was to see a Canada lynx. Sandi had never seen one, whereas I had encountered two over the last decade. She decided it was her turn, and it was my task to get one. Outwardly, I smiled. Inwardly, I groaned. A Canada lynx is not something you can just order online. Even if you could, giftwrapping it would be a painful challenge. Besides, they’re scarce. They’re also elusive. The lynx is similar to a bobcat in size and appearance. It often looks a little bigger, because its longer rear legs give it a taller look. Both cats have black ear tufts, but the lynx tufts are longer. Even though the bobcat is named after its bobbed tail, the lynx tail STORY & PHOTOS BY BOB DUCHESNE is actually shorter, and its tail tip is completely black. The lynx also has huge, fur-covered paws that support its weight in deep snow as it pursues its favorite food. Snowshoe hares make up about 75 percent of its diet. The Canada lynx is federally listed as a threatened species. It is listed as a species of special concern in Maine. Nobody really knew what their status was until the Maine Department of Inland Fisheries and Wildlife began to study them in 1999. Before A CANADA LYNX 1967, they could be hunted and trapped in Maine, and there IS NOT SOMETHING YOU CAN was even a bounty on them. The lynx is widespread across Canada. Their range JUST ORDER ONLINE. EVEN IF barely dips below the border. Until recently, Maine was the only New England state known to have a breeding YOU COULD, GIFT-WRAPPING population, mostly in the northwestern corner of the IT WOULD BE A PAINFUL state. Evidence indicates a few have now moved back into their former range in New Hampshire and Vermont, CHALLENGE. BESIDES, THEY’RE after being extirpated in the mid-1950s.
SCARCE. THEY’RE ALSO ELUSIVE.
There probably aren’t more than a thousand lynx in Maine. They hunt mostly at night, in areas of inaccessibly deep snow. The notion that I could produce one as a birthday present was far-fetched indeed. Still, I had one thing going for me. We were going to be in lynx country often during the early months of 2021. Sandi and I are volunteers for the Maine Bird Atlas project — a five year study to map where all of Maine’s birds are. Biologists at Inland Fisheries and Wildlife repeat the study every few decades, using comparisons of the data to signal grand changes in Maine’s habitat and environment. The entire state is divided into blocks that are three miles long and wide. Because few volunteers feel comfortable in remote areas of the north woods, we assigned ourselves the task of walking miles of logging roads above Millinocket, Greenville and Jackman.
That is how we came to be on a logging road just south of Chamberlain Lake and the Allagash River headwaters. The bird atlas requires a minimum of three hours surveying a block in the first half of winter, and a revisit in the second half. I was in the area much of January, and took note of where I was seeing the most snowshoe hare tracks. Occasionally, I would see paw prints the size of a human hand, almost certainly made by a ghost cat. When we returned in March, I remembered one road that seemed particularly promising. I saved it for a Sunday, when I knew there was little likelihood of logging operations and truck traffic. It should not have been this easy. Three miles down a side road, on the way to our first walk of the day, we rounded a corner and immediately noticed something large
and tawny high in a spruce. My first thought was porcupine, promptly followed by the realization that it was too big. A cat! The morning temperature was only 10 degrees. It’s likely the cat climbed to a safe place for a nap and the warming rays of early sun. Safety is important to an animal that can fall victim to the larger coyote, or even the smaller fisher. Since the cat was treed, we were free to walk right up to it, and it didn’t seem to mind that much anyway. We doublechecked the clues, confirming it wasn’t a bobcat. For 10 minutes, the lynx watched us watch him, interspersed with a few brief catnaps — him, not us. That evening, we celebrated a near impossible birthday wish granted. Sandi was elated and I was relieved, at least until she said, “You know what I have never seen in Maine? A pine marten.”
BOB DUCHESNE is a local radio personality, Maine guide, and columnist. He lives on Pushaw Lake with his wife, Sandi.
www.bangormetro.com BANGOR METRO / 55
Z
THE VIEW FROM HERE
MAKE YOURSELF
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Happy Today z
BY EMILY MORRISON
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home a picture he drew in school of me in a cowgirl hat with an empty wine bottle in the background (the one that prompted my three year sober living streak), but there was a long line and I was wearing a mask. It’s hard to tell long, riveting stories at the checkout in a mask. Before I could form a reply she said, “Don’t you know where you are? You’re in Swan Vegas baby!” Now, I don’t know if you have ever been out to Swan Lake country, but it’s no Sunset Strip. It’s pretty, quaint, quiet and charming, but Caesar’s Palace it is not. I said, “Wow! I’ve never heard that before. Really? Did I miss the strip?” “Oh, that’s all there is to do here. Sit out by the lake’n smoke and drink. That’s why it’s Swan Vegas baby!” This is when it occurred to me there must really be something wrong with me. To my left was a case of CBD products and to the right racks on racks of alcohol. Behind the young cashier, she couldn’t be more than 20, cigarettes of every kind — short, long, tall, thin, minty, camel, Caribbean, French — were packed in like books at a library, and here I was killing myself running four miles on the road everyday, eating salads and feeling bad because I had two bags of cookies in my cart. How come I couldn’t be like the rest of the free world and uncork a bit? Why shouldn’t I buy a tincture for my tea or something fizzy for my red solo cup? Did I really have to be so damn healthy all the time (present rashes excluded)? As I drove back to the camp I realized that being happy without smokes, booze or their herbal equivalents feels right to me. If I can be sober and itchy and live in a cottage with no dishwasher, washing machine or internet, then I can be happy anywhere.
PHOTO: ©KIEFERPIX/ADOBE STOCK
AS FATHER’S DAY fast approaches I remember where I was a year ago at this time, preparing to fete my husband while living in my in-laws camp on Swan Lake with our three children. Picture a two bedroom cottage, a clothes line full of wet bathing suits, a few teenagers and a never-ending food run to Swan Lake Grocery to buy more chips, chicken nuggets and bottled water and you’ve got it about right. I called my folks to wish Dad a happy Father’s Day and ended up venting to Mom about my terrible fate: bug bites everywhere, some sort of caterpillar rash going on and a raging yeast infection (sorry guys — welcome to womanhood). Anddd, today was supposed to be all about my husband. “How can I whip up something spectacular when I’m itching myself to death and beyond tired?” I asked Mom. For someone who lives with chronic health issues, Mom is the sweetest, kindest, funniest person I know. She’s good people. Anyway, she told me, “Just make yourself happy today.” So, with Mom’s motto in mind, I picked myself up and went into town to buy the ingredients for a surf and turf dinner and Monistat — a real recipe for joy. As I walked through the aisles, I pondered whether I should get white wine to go with the scallops. I’d been off the sauce for three years, and I feared, given my predicament, I’d guzzle the rest of the bottle while sautéing the surf. Better not. Instead, I picked up every kind of seafood I could think of, a nice steak and my anti-fungal products and wheeled my purchases up front. The girl at the register asked, “Do you want any smokes or booze before you go?” There it was again, the thought of instant happiness. I wanted to tell her that I didn’t want either. That cigarette smoke gives me a headache (though some say that’s the buzz) and then launch into that riveting story of how my son brought
EMILY MORRISON is a high school English teacher, freelance writer and editor from coastal Maine. She is living happily-ever-after with her handsome husband, three beautiful children and two beloved dogs. And a cat.