Lake Living volume 20, no. 3

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fall 2017 • vol. 20, no. 3

Lemon & Tulips rufus porter cabin in the pines falling for foliage honoring the wood

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editor’s note

There’s nothing like the seasons to remind us that the only constant is change.

Fortunately, we humans are fine with that. (Yeah, right.)

Each year around this time, when the air has that certain bite in the morning and the trees reveal their first hints of color, I find myself humming a Joanie Mitchell song and grousing about my wardrobe. I’m resistant. It’s a microcosmic/macrocosmic moment that has become more poignant and informative with the passage of time. Fall now has a double meaning. While its snap of chill and whiff of decay once gave me a thrill, it now fills me with a deep sense of nostalgia. Or is it longing?

This year has been a bit of a roller coaster ride and I know I’m not the only one who is feeling a little dazed. On more than one occasion I’ve fantasized about making some grand gesture that would deliver me from the relentless barrage of politics and media. The other day it was piqued by a passing cyclist flanked with panniers and postscripted with a sign that read “Pacific to Atlantic.” I thought, “I should do that! Or at least Fryeburg to Eastport.”

And then I thought, is this what happens when you get older? Is this why some middle-aged men suddely find themselves behind the wheel of a red Corvette?

In the lead up to the final analysis, I’ve decide that instead of resisting change by clinging to what was, I’d like to embrace it in a way that will transport me to my intended purpose. The season and I are aligned in a way that could be very interesting. And so, with a not-soheavy-heart, I bid farewell to summer and welcome fall. —Laurie LaMountain Editor & Publisher Laurie LaMountain Staff Writer Leigh Macmillen Hayes Contributing Photographers Leigh Macmillen Hayes, Mick Early Graphic Designer Dianne Lewis Proofreader/Copy Editor Leigh Macmillen Hayes Lake Living is published quarterly by Almanac Graphics, Inc., 625 Rocky Knoll Rd, Denmark, ME 04022 207-452-8005. www.lakelivingmaine. com e-mail: lakeliving@fairpoint.net ©2017.

All rights reserved. Contents of this magazine may not be reproduced in any manner without written consent from the publisher. Annual subscriptions are available by sending check or money order for $20 to the above address.

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fall 2017 • vol. 20, no. 3

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6 the man, the move and

17 a better home

18 completing the

the museum

by leigh macmillen hayes

10 lemon & tulips

by laurie lamountain

12 a cabin in the pines

by laurie lamountain

14 falling for foliage

by leigh macmillen hayes

cover photo by mick early

outdoor kitchen by laurie lamountain

20 honoring the wood

by laurie lamountain

22 for the sake of others

by leigh macmillen hayes

by laurie lamountain

24 the rule of six and sixty

The Place to Shop for the Season Ahead!

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CRAFTWORKS

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the man , the move and the museum by leigh macmillen hayes ufus Porter was an entrepreneur who painted miniature portraits, as well as highly-prized wall murals that are still visible in houses throughout New England. Besides being a traveling folk artist, he was also an inventor, musician, dancer, writer, teacher, and founder of Scientific American magazine.

Circa 1823, Porter began painting murals on plaster walls in clients’ homes.

Martha Cummings, executive director of the Rufus Porter Museum says they were seen as an alternative to using expensive wallpaper.

Because he’d supposedly spent some time in Hawaii and had what she describes as a wacky sense of humor, Porter was known for adding volcanoes and other Hawaiian

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features to his New England landscapes.

Some of his scenes even reflect a childhood spent near Moose Pond in Bridgton.

When Main Street was being reconfigured in 1985, the Mary and Donald Johnson family saved a house near what was to become Shorey Park from demolition because they had been told by a local historian that she remembered seeing murals in the house when she was a child. For $1.00, they purchased the building and had it moved to a North High Street location next to their home. The Johnsons peeled back wallpaper to reveal the murals painted about 1830 by either Rufus Porter or his nephew, Jonathan Poor. Tom Johnson, son of Mary and Donald, and an Advisory Trustee to Maine Preservation and the current Executive Director at Victoria Mansion, recreated part of the mural where plaster had fallen away.

Eventually, the Johnsons sold both houses to folk art collectors Julie and Carl Lindberg. The Lindbergs chose to share their collection with the community and supported the Rufus Porter Museum in its infancy by housing it in the red cape. Founded in 2005, the museum’s mission is to “celebrate the life and times of a remarkably creative American genius who worked throughout Maine, New England and beyond.”

The Board of Trustees recognized a need to expand the campus and through a fund­ raising effort they were able to purchase the 1842 John and Maria Webb House at 121 Main Street in 2011 with the plan of moving the red cape to the property.

Structural repairs were paramount at the Webb House and took several years.

Under the direction of John Mickalowski, Jr., former RPM executive director who had a background in architecture, and with the help of a Bridgton Community Development Block Grant and a Kendal C. and Anna Ham Charitable Foundation Grant, as well as other grants and donations, work was completed on the exterior of the building.

The red cape is a 200-hundred-year-old house that was built by the members of the Congregational Church circa 1789, including Enoch Perley, to serve as the home for Nathan Church, the local minister. The building was originally located on South High Street near First Congregational Church. Augustus Perley acquired the house following Nathan Church’s retirement and in 1840 had it transported by oxen to the foot of Highland Lake, where it housed workers for the Gibbs Woolen Mill. Then, of course, there was the move from the lake up to North High Street.

It’s fourth, and potentially final move, took place a year ago. With great caution, the last move was made after the house had been shored up.

It’s not every day one walks down the street with a house, but that’s exactly what many of us did last November. Central Maine Power and Fairpoint workers walked in front, checking on and occasionally lifting wires along the route. Cole Watson of Watson and Son Building Movers, Inc., slowly drove the truck that pulled the house down the road, while his father Dana walked beside with Eric Wissmann of M&S Builders—both keeping a cautious eye on the operation.

Many of us became sidewalk engineers over the course of that day, something Rufus Porter would have embraced, as we tried to determine the next steps. Main Hill was our main concern. What if . . . some had visions of failing brakes and a mad dash down Main Street to Food City. Others foresaw the mill pond at the bottom of the hill coming into play. Fortunately, the Watsons had it all figured out and this was just another work day for them. They chained Kyle Warren’s truck to the back of the rig before the journey continued—without mishap.

After the house was positioned on its new foundation, it was closed up and spent last winter with no heat, thus allowing it to climatize.

This past spring, Martha says, “The volunteers on our facilities committee worked non-stop preparing the second floor office space in the Webb House, installing two

new entrance doors in the store and Nathan Church House, and fixing the structural support underneath the Church House, while making sure the floor joists were stable.”

With a long project list, everyone on the Board and other volunteers pitched in for there were those physical features to attend to and the exhibits and gift shop to set up.

Enter the museum through the back door of the Webb House . . . and step back in time as you learn more about Rufus Porter. The best way to begin is to sit in the small front parlor and watch a video that tells the story of the man. It’s a story that will continue to evolve as new art work or copies of Scientific American are found.

It is known that Porter would knock on doors and offer his artistic services. In fifteen minutes, using the camera obscura pinhole technique, he could trace a person’s silhouette and dominate features, then use

watercolors to complete the painting.

In the parlor of the Webb House, several portraits painted by Porter decorate the walls, including a portrait of Betsy Long Ellis. Near her is another entitled “Young Lady in the White Ruffled Dress” for her actual name is unknown.

A larger parlor features photographs and models of Porter’s inventions and some of his patents. Models of his inventions, such as the Porter and Bradley Rotary Pump, are on display. The pump was first created to drain the privy without getting down below to do it; Porter would be pleased to know it continues to be useful for pumping stomachs or in open heart surgery.

In the Invention Gallery you’ll also find an area for kids—where they can use a variety of materials to make creations which stay at the museum. There are even some materials provided for take-home inventions.

it is known that porter would knock on doors and offer his artistic services. In fifteen minutes, using the camera obscura pinhole technique, he could trace a person’s silhouette and dominate features, then use watercolors to complete the painting.

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Though Rufus is the inspiration and his story is important to tell, in time Martha foresees that the collection will expand beyond him and include inventions and folk art by others.

After visiting the gift shop featuring the work of local artisans and beyond, step across the new connecting deck to the Church House. Martha notes that for the first time in its history, the house is located on a dry spot. (Those who know the amount of water that flows in the South and North High Street vicinity, especially in the spring, can fully appreciate this.)

The first two rooms currently contain a photo display of the move down Main Street, but Martha sees the exhibits as ever changing. The mural room, however, hasn’t changed much and fortunately didn’t suffer much damage from its most recent journey.

Period furniture has been added to this

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room, creating a feeling of the parlor where Nathan Church once met his congregants.

Originally, the house had an ell, which was left behind in the last move. Though she notes that the ell was important to Bridgton history for the second floor was where parishioners met, based on evidence from the second floor, it has been hypothesized that when the house was previously moved, that section was broken into bedrooms.

“Bringing the ell would have been cost prohibitive,” says Martha, “and it wasn’t going to work with the barn in the back. For the Rufus Porter Museum and our mission, this was an important point.”

In honor of the extension, however, the third and final stage of the museum campus will be construction of an education center with a barn-like exterior, that will mimic some of the former ell-shaped structure. A concept drawing created by RKB Associ-

ates Architects shows that the connector between the Webb House, Church House and new building will have a contemporary flair as it harmoniously blends the old and new, thus calling attention to each building’s unique history.

The new structure will be used for educational programs, temporary exhibits and community space. Once fundraising is completed in a few years and the building constructed, it is there that the John Poor murals and those donated from a house in Lexington, Massachusetts, which are now in storage, will be displayed.

With its new downtown location, museum programs that went on hiatus a year ago in anticipation of the move were resurrected such as the children’s hour in conjunction with Bridgton Public Library, Curious Arts for adults and Mystery History Tour. The season continues to extend from June 1 through October 7, and opens again on December 2 for a holiday open house.

And then . . . the museum will take a long winter’s nap, but that’s OK because we know that it will reopen next year with new displays and exhibits. Martha is keen on changing things up so people continue to return year after year and find new inspiration from Porter and his contemporaries, whether it be as an inventor, dancer, painter, writer, Mainer or New Englander.

A year ago we walked with Porter and now he stands as a guardian on the corner of Main and Church Streets, looking like he’d been there all along. R

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lakelivingmaine .com

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by laurie lamountain

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lexzandria Regan was destined to be her own boss. When she was in middle school, her teacher asked her and her classmates to write about what they wanted to do later on in life. Ali drew a disco ball as a symbol of her intention to own a dance club. She didn’t let go of that idea through four years at the University

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of Maine studying business management with a concentration and degree in Small Business Entrepreneurship. She even did an internship at Port City Music Hall in Portland to learn the ins and outs of running a music venue. After college, she moved to Boston, but found she missed Portland and moved back to take a management position at the Spa at the Regency Hotel. Then, life threw her a curve ball.

Two years ago, an accident landed her in the hospital with a traumatic brain injury that required surgery and a lot of postoperative rehabilitation. Going back to her managerial position at the Regency was out of the question because it involved too many comprehensive tasks for her to handle at the time, so instead she took a job at Harmon’s & Barton’s flower shop in Portland. It was there that she made the decision to open her own flower shop. It turns out, it was a good choice because floral design stimulates creative thinking, and fragrance and color activate memory. Instead of lamenting what the accident cost her, Ali sees it as a catalyst for positive change in her life.

On the 19th of January, she closed on 523 Main Street in Fryeburg. It took her less

than ten minutes to come up with the name Lemon & Tulips: Lemon is her nickname and tulips are her favorite flower. She still has the original draft of the logo, which communicates a love of Scandinavian folk art design that is evident throughout the shop.

When asked “Why Fryeburg?” she is quick to sing the praises of the town where she spent a lot of her formative years.

“Fryeburg is a gem of a town and I feel like more people need to come here and revive it because it has so much potential for shops and small businesses. Already [Lemon & Tulips has] given people a sense of having something fun and different here in Fryeburg.”

Farm-to-table, farmers’ markets and buy local are all movements that drew Ali back to Portland and that she’d like to see more of in Fryeburg, so when she set up shop she connected with others in the area who are similarly engaged. Instead of ordering solely from suppliers, she wanted to supplement with fresh-cut flowers from local people, like Jackie Gardner at Moonset Farm in Porter and Susan Sidwell at Old Stage Farm in Lovell. Even locals who have an abundance of flowers in their backyard gardens have been known to pop in and ask if she’s interested in buying them.

“It really builds the sense of community and supporting each other. I’m big on that because I don’t like the competition type thing. Everyone has their own style and aesthetic. Collaboration fosters creativity.”

Don’t expect a Teleflora experience when you walk into Lemon & Tulips.

Ali is convinced you lose a lot of creative freedom and personalization when merely copying something viewed on a website, so she doesn’t subscribe to floral wire services such as FTD and Teleflora. She also points out that they are expensive, which is why the new generation of floral designers, who are extremely well versed in using social media as a marketing tool, are opting out of wire services. She’s much more about having a conversation with customers and asking them questions that result in an original arrangement the recipient will feel had them in mind.

“I could probably make more money [with floral wire service], but I’d honestly rather make less money to create a unique design that is personalized between the client and the recipient.”

Asked what’s behind her garden-inspired look, she points out that we each have our own, completely uninfluenced sense of style.

“You can set a vase in front of everybody and give ‘em a bunch of flowers and everyone’s design is going to be completely different. The more you work with flowers, the more you start seeing what you like and what methods you like. In my mind, a gardenesque look just always happens—not so modern and compact but loose and airy,” says Ali. She see herself as “consistently inconsistent” and confesses to being obsessed with floral designer Kiana Underwood of Tulipina.

“Her stuff is absolutely amazing. She has that really Dutch-inspired look where she has a lot of clustered flowers together and not a lot of greens.”

Ironically, Ali loves greens and uses them in unusual ways. I asked for an arrangement for a friend’s birthday that would suit her love of violet and amethyst tones and not feel tight or showy. She chose eucalyptus, thistle, amaranthus, green hypericum berries and rattail statice, and wrapped the whole thing up in kraft paper. She pointed out that if my friend wanted to dry the florals in her bouquet that would maintain their shape and color, all she had to do was hang them upside down later on.

Beyond buying flowers from local growers, another way that Ali supports the local economy is by offering items made by local artisans. Susan Sidwell prints from Lovell,

Kini Bands from a former Fryeburg local, Pipa’s Prints from a former Sweden resident, and eco-friendly apparel and housewares from Hills & Trails of Portland are some of the items she stocks, but she plans to build on that base.

In fact, Ali is full of ideas that sometimes keep her up at night. She hit the ground running in January, with Valentine’s Day just around the corner, and admits to her share of trial and error since then. Completely rebranding the store inside and out (it was formerly Papa’s Florals) was met with excitement by many new and existing customers, as well as the inevitable loss of a few Papa’s Florals customers. While she laments losing customers, she’s committed to her brand and excited by the increasingly positive response it is receiving.

“I still have to hold true to my goals and what I really want my aesthetic to be. It’s heartbreaking when you lose people, but at the same time you welcome a lot of people who are truly supportive for the change.

Change is good sometimes.”

She is already making plans for her second year, with the addition of classes, a recycle pop-up shop, and hopefully more time to develop Lemon & Tulip’s online marketing and sales presence. Watch, too, for the release of the Fryeburg Series: a floral connection to Fryeburg’s past.

Thankfully, her family has been hugely involved in Lemon & Tulips. On a day when I had stopped in, her mother was busy washing windows and landscaping. Her folks will also help her paint the exterior of the building this fall. Ali sees this first year as time to create her brand and identify her customer base, all within the context of daily management.

“I’ve had my days where I’d just sit and cry,” she admits. “Running a small business can be exhausting,” but she adds that those days push her to become a kind and supportive business owner.

“I just want a feel-good atmosphere in here. I want to create this oasis that you come in, you smell floral, you’re happy, you feel at ease and I can work with you to make a customized piece.” R Lemon & Tulips is open Tuesday through Friday from 9:00 to 5:00 and Saturdays from 9:00 to 2:00. Order online at shop.lemonandtulips.com lakelivingmaine .com

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A Cabin in the Pines text & photos by laurie lamountain

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ach year, from Memorial Day to Labor Day, the Hall family occupy a little piece of heaven on Hancock Pond in Denmark, Maine. It’s accessed by a long, dirt road that leads down what some might loosely term a driveway, at the end of which stands a quintessential Maine camp. Built in 1961 from an L.C. Andrew kit model, it’s about as basic as you can get and has served their family for nearly sixty years, with only a few repairs.

Back in the day, L.C. Andrew of South Windham, Maine, made it possible for many families to afford a no-frills vacation home that could be made even more affordable if you built it yourself. Kit homes, as they were

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known, are a concept that dates back to 1902 and still exists today. Sears, Roebuck and Company, the largest kit home manufacturer, reported sales of more than 70,000 Sears Catalog Homes in North America between 1908 and 1940. If you know what you’re looking for, you can still spot them along Main Street in most Maine towns.

Just eight years after the advent of Sears kit homes, L.C. Andrew Company realized there were many American homeowners who would jump at the chance to own a vacation home. An early brochure asks, “So you’re planning to build that Home away from Home you’ve always dreamed about?”

It goes on to list the many recreational benefits you’ll derive from it and promises that “when day is done you’ll really appreciate the completely restful atmosphere of indoor leisure with an L.C. Andrew Maine White Cedar Log Cabin.”

It’s probably stating the obvious to say that they could have used a good copyeditor for their brochure, but the sizzle is decidedly there.

Ben and Pete Hall were already grown men when their parents bought the L.C. Andrews kit cabin that they sited on a beautiful spit of land known as Wabu Point on the west shore of Hancock Pond. Their father had a soft spot for Maine from his earlier days as a counselor at Camp O-ATKA in Sebago. In fact, he and their mother honeymooned at the farmhouse at the camp and later retired to the area. The couple eventually met the owner of Camp Wabunaki (no longer in operation) on Hancock Pond through their camp connections and bought the land in Denmark from him in 1959. Further testament to the couple’s deep connection to place is that their father, an Episcopal priest, founded a summer chapel in Naples, St. Peter’s By the Lake.

Ben and Pete had spent their childhood summers at Camp O-AT-KA and shared their parents’ sentiments for Maine. When the time came to hand the Hancock Pond property down, there was absolutely no question about keeping it in the family.

Ben and Faith Hall are the early arrivals and the official camp openers. Ben, who is now in his late 70s and three years younger than Pete, braves May water temperatures to get the pump up and running. It’s a pretty low-tech affair, since the household water supply draws from the pond, but it does require getting wet. Up until the ‘80s, they not only washed dishes and flushed the toilet with water drawn from the pond, but also drank it! These days they get their drinking water from a spigot in Shorey Park and do their laundry at the Squeaky Clean in Bridgton. A Franklin fireplace and a space heater are the only heat sources.

Closing camp is Pete and Nancy’s task.

Faith jokes that they have the easier end of it because the water is still warm when they have to pull the hose from the pond.

Despite the fact that it’s a well-worn tradition, they keep a detailed list of what has to be accomplished on either end.

They also keep a copy of the original brochure that advertised their L.C. Andrew Maine Cedar Log Cabin. Flipping through the brochure, it’s difficult to say whether the Halls’ cabin is a Kezar or a Sebago. The beauty of these log home kits was that you could modify them to suit your preferences.

The brochure explains that “prefabricated sections are supplied in 8-foot multiples.

They are accurately manufactured, ready to bolt together. Complete instructions and diagrams are supplied.”

Their cabin has a 24’x32’ footprint that includes kitchen/living room, two bedrooms and a bath. Never intended for year-round use, there is no insulation between the interior 2x4 framing and vertical knotty pine tongue and groove sheathing. The roof trusses are exposed and the windows are all single-glazed, six-over-sixes that slide open or close with the removal of a wooden peg. It’s your basic cabin in the pines but, in many ways, it’s anything but basic. The walls are covered here and there with keepsakes collected over the years and the screened porch sills are lined with antique glass insulators. A large oval rug their mother hooked over the course of many years covers the living room floor.

They replaced the 60 amp electrical service about ten years ago, only because they could no longer find replacement fuses for the breaker box. Interestingly, there was no electricity at all when the cabin was built and everything had to be cut by hand, proving that all problems are relative.

They’ve also redone the roof from the original Adirondack profile over the porch.

Snow load and weather led to rot where the rooflines intersected, so they solved that problem by framing over it to eliminate the angle. Metal roofing now gives it added protection from Maine winters. They’ve also had to rechink a few logs and replace a few that have rotted. That’s when they found it wasn’t all that easy to find white cedar logs. All things considered, there have been very few repairs and almost no upkeep.

The logs have mellowed to a soft grey and the landscape is largely taken care of by Mother Nature.

Times have definitely changed since Ben and Pete’s parents bought their land and placed a cabin on it, but you wouldn’t know it sitting on the screened porch. Aside from the gentle rustle of the breeze through the white pines, it’s perfectly still. And because of their placement on the point, you wouldn’t know there are houses on either side. Across the pond, you can see a long stretch of sandy beach that is known as Washington Beach for its views of Mt. Washington and which the locals affectionally refer to as St. Lucia’s. No wonder there’s a competition among the grandchildren to see who gets to sleep on the day bed on the porch.

Looking around me and across the pond, I can think of few other places that so capture “the completely restful atmosphere of indoor leisure.” I would certainly high hosey it. R lakelivingmaine .com

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Foliage

Falling

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text & photos by leigh macmillen hayes

View from Bald Pate

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utumn colors paint the landscape with gold, orange, crimson and ruby hues in a seemingly mysterious manner. Ever so slowly, we watch greens give way until the landscape transforms into a tapestry that encourages us to behold its beauty with awe.

Some ascribe the seasonal change to Jack Frost waving his wand. According to Indigenous legend, leaves change in the fall because hunters kill the Great Bear (Ursa Major), and his blood drips from the sky, thus coloring the forest below. Even with our ever-increasing scientific knowledge of how things work, the annual show continues to amaze us with its wonderment.

red maple

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So how does it work?

Remember high school biology, where you learned that green leaves contain an abundance of chlorophyll, the chemical that allows trees to absorb sunlight and transform carbon dioxide and water into starches and sugars through photosynthesis? During spring and summer, a tree takes advantage of the energy gleaned from the sun’s rays and works ‘round the clock to manufacture its own food in order to continue to grow and reproduce. To that end, we think of leaves as food processors.

With the change in daylight hours and temperature, the leaves go on strike. Like

sugar maple

us, the tree prepares for a winter world of dormancy. As the chlorophyll begins to break down, the food that the foliage had been making is stored inside the tree rather than in the leaves.

It turns out that chlorophyll isn’t the only chemical at work. Alongside the green pigment are chemicals called carotenoids (kuh-ROT-in-oidz), which have an orange, yellow and brown hue.

Take a look at Quaking Aspen leaves, and you may see the carotenoids are masked by the greater amount of green coloring for most of their season—and now that its fall, the leaves show off a mix of yellow and green.

red oak

While the carotenoids are always in leaves, some also have anthocyanins (an-thuh-SYEan-inz), which cause reds and purples to appear. Anthocyanin forms when sugar gets trapped in a leaf after the chlorophyll is gone and the leaf is exposed to sunlight.

Fall coloration is pre-determined by species. Just like our human families have different traits, so do the trees. Red Maple leaves offer shades of red or scarlet, Sugar Maple leaves vary from brilliant orange to fiery red to yellow, while Striped Maple, Quaking Aspen and the birches feature only yellow. Ash leaves range from yellow to magenta and American Beech offers up a golden bronze.

Think of it all as nature’s paint store.

The degree of color may also be different from tree to tree or even on one tree. Direct exposure to the sun can turn maple leaves red on one side of a tree while they might be yellow on the shady side.

It isn’t only the beauty above that is to be revered. At eye level the wonder continues. Intermixed into the display are the hobblebush, blueberry and other shrubs that seemingly reflect the canopy.

As the transformation takes place, trees simultaneously develop special cells that create a seal between leaf and twig, thus closing up the connection between the two.

Eventually, the leaves break off and flutter to the ground, where they give us one last

glimpse of color that appear as carpet gems before they dry up, decompose and add nutrients to the soil in preparation for others to grow. On the twig, a leaf scar left behind provides only a memory of what once was.

For the autumnal display to occur, we must have warm sunny days followed by cool nights. As for clouds and rain, too much in the fall means less red (a bright side of last year’s drought). On those types of days it also tends to be warmer at night, thus changing up the process and providing duller colors. Hot, dry summers and falls offer up a brilliant display.

Though we may lament the passing of summer, it’s hard not to fall for the foliage of autumn. R

Fall Foliage Hikes Holt Pond Preserve The trails in this 400-acre preserve are well marked and the path takes you through a mixed forest. A red maple swamp, hemlock grove, the Muddy River, and Holt Pond’s quaking bog are just some of the highlights.

Trailhead Access: Grist Mill Road, Bridgton Difficulty: Easy Bald Pate Mountain This 486-acre preserve offers several trail options, including a two-mile round trip leading through meadows and forest to the 1,000-foot granite summit. Scenic views are enjoyed from the top.

Trailhead Access: Route 107, South Bridgton Difficulty: Moderate

Rumford Whitecap

Pleasant Mountain Four trails lead to the summit of this 2,006-foot mountain. From the summit by the fire tower, enjoy views of the White Mountains and Moose Pond.

Trailhead Access: Ledges Trail, Mountain Road, Denmark; Bald Peak Trail, Mountain Road, Bridgton; Southwest Ridge Trail, West Denmark Road, Denmark; Fire Wardens Trail, Wilton Warren Road, Denmark Difficulty: Moderate/Difficult Mount Tir’em The ledges at the top of the Daniel Brown Trail provide a perfect vantage point to view the lakes and surrounding mountains, including Bear and Pleasant Mountains.

Trailhead Access: Plummer Hill Road, Waterford Difficulty: Moderate Sabattus Mountain Trail A 1.4 mile loop trail leads hikers to the

1,253-foot summit. At the ledges along the summit ridge, views extend from Pleasant Mountain toward Kezar Lake and the White Mountains.

Trailhead Access: Sabattus Mountain Road, Lovell Difficulty: Moderate Raymond Community Forest This 356-acre preserve includes a trail up Pismire Mountain, where the view from the ledges stretches from Crescent Lake below to Rattlesnake Mountain and in the distance, Sebago Lake.

Trailhead Access: Conseca Road, Raymond Difficulty: Moderate Rumford Whitecap A loop trail in the 751-acre Rumford Whitecap Preserve leads to the bald summit of this 2,214-foot mountain, where a stunning 360-degree view awaits.

Trailhead Access: East Andover Road, Rumford Difficulty: Moderate/Difficult lakelivingmaine .com

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Fields on the Saco the 10 th annual

f a r m t o ta b l e d i n n e r

Sunday, October 22

c

barn at merrill farm inn conway, new hampshire

starts at 3:00 pm reservations are required for more information visit

www.usvlt.org/fields-on-the-saco • 603-356-9683

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THE CHEFS

bryant alden • wildcat tavern michael beers • the barn at merrill farm inn jeff fournier • the thompson house eatery liz jackson • libby’s bistro and saalt pub jonathan spak • the oxford house inn teresa stearns • white mountain cider company

THE FARMS

earle family farm mountain heartbeet farm pork hill farm white gates farm

THE PAIRINGS

tamworth distilling tuckerman brewing company sap house meadery

silent auction in partnership with

A Better Home Add these five easy pieces for $30 or less to make your home more eco-friendly.

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1. Pure Homemaker Organic Wool

Dryer Balls save you time and money by reducing drying time by up to 30 to 40% and you can use them

for 2000 loads. All natural and chemical free.

6 pack $10.49

2. One thumb-sized GoPure Pod

filters the equivalent of 2,000 pints of bottled water. How cool is that? $24.95 at gopurepod.com

3. Chemical free E-Cloths remove thick dirt, grease, oil, grime and are proven to remove over

99% of bacteria from all hard surfaces, using just water. Guaranteed for 300 machine washings.

5 pc starter pack $24.99 at ecloth.com

4. Oggi stainless steel countertop compost pail with charcoal filter $29.99 at ogiicorporation.com

5. Made of earth friendly 70% cellulose and 30% cotton, the Swedish Dishcloth absorbs 15 times its weight in water and is machine washable. $6 at scandinavianshoppe.com

lakelivingmaine .com

17

pa r t

2

Completing the Outdoor Kitchen

photo courtesy of genest & gnome landscapes

by laurie lamountain

I

n our spring “At Home” issue, we set the stage for the outdoor kitchen with location and floor plan tips. We pointed out that creating a sound base for your outdoor kitchen was essential to its longterm efficiency and usefulness, especially since the investment is considerable, but now it’s time to cover the fun stuff.

To recap from spring, the outdoor kitchen concept is not a new one. According to Steve Richard of Frost & Flame in Gorham, “an increasing number of homeowners are transforming their backyard areas into a room-unto-itself for cooking, dining, relaxing and entertaining. They are doing so with as much attention to detail and style as they used in their home’s interior.”

Before you rush to join them, you may want to consider your options.

A Built-In or Movable Feast?

Outdoor kitchens can range from small areas with little more than a built-in barbecue grill to large, fully equipped kitchens complete with one or more grills, refrigerator,

18 lakelivingmaine .com

sink, storage cabinets and built-in bar, as well as dining and socializing areas.

There’s a lot to be said for a custom builtin kitchen, one of which is that it’s almost certain to cost you more, but if you use it regularly it will be worth the investment.

Limited winter storage space or a desire for year-round use are two good reasons to opt for a permanent installation. On the flip side, a built-in kitchen may require pulling permits, hiring a contractor and running dedicated utility lines. Additionally, Maine winters will surely necessitate shutting down the water supply and refrigeration seasonally, but the trade-off is you can keep on grilling and won’t have to move stuff into the garage.

As the popularity of outdoor kitchens has grown, so has the range of options.

Built-in grills can run as high as $5,000. A side burner or sear station can add around $500. Granite countertops and custom cabinetry are more durable but will drive the cost even higher. An undercounter re-

frigerator with in-ground power supply will add about $750 and a sink with plumbing and waste lines will add roughly $1,800.

If you’re a pizza lover, you can add a table top or freestanding unit for as little as $300. Other options are DIY brick oven kits or modular oven kits that can cost anywhere from $1,500 to $9,500. A custom-built brick oven could run you as much as $12,000.

Factor in sitework and hardscaping and the tab can really add up, with a high-end outdoor kitchen costing anywhere from $50,000 to $100,000.

Prefabricated modular kitchen islands offer an in-between option that is less costly. In comparison to a custom-built outdoor kitchen, they require little to no design or construction, and arrive complete with facing, countertops and appliances.

There are often a variety of configurations and appliance options to choose from, however, material choices are typically limited to stucco or stone veneer and tile

Countertop Considerations Maine weather is extremely variable and whatever countertop material you choose will have to stand up to it. You want it to be easy to clean and beautiful, but you need it to be durable and weather resistant.

For this reason, it would be wise to avoid manufactured materials because they’re not really designed to withstand the elements. The better choices are granite,

photo courtesy of genest & new england landscapes

or granite countertops. While there is some installation involved (a level surface such as a concrete slab and hook-ups for electricity, water and propane), there is the option to take it with you if you move. Ultimately, what you sacrifice in custom design will be nicely compensated in savings, with the cost of a modular kitchen unit ranging from $2,000 to $10,000.

On the completely portable end of things, there are some truly innovative freestanding grills that run the gamut from ceramic kamado grills/smokers that use hardwood charcoal, wood chips and even pellets, to basic grills on wheels that use either charcoal or bottled propane.

Combining centuries-old technique with twenty-first-century technology, the Saffire kamado pictured below can take foods from a high searing temperature down to slow cooking. It’s Richard’s pick for the best smoker and grill and the one he stocks at Frost & Flame.

No-plumb sinks and rolling coolers make it super easy and fairly inexpensive to add the convenience of an outdoor washing station and a place to keep foods cold, without the hassle of shutting them down during the winter months.

bluestone, concrete or tile, in that order.

Granite is easy to clean, durable, heat resistant, virtually seamless and looks great.

It’s also around $50 to $100 a square foot.

Bluestone is my preferred choice because it’s rugged and understated. It will also cost less at around $40 to $50 a square foot.

John Jaques at Genest Landscape & Masonry Center in Winham points out that it’s worth it to shop around for less expensive remnants. Concrete is another great choice, provided whoever is pouring and installing it knows what they’re doing so it doesn’t crack. It also allows you to create a custom design. Price per square foot ranges from $65 to $135. Porcelain or ceramic tile is probably the most economical option, but make sure to choose one that is rated for outdoor use, and be aware that grout may stain or crack over time. Price per square foot varies.

Pergola, Awning or Umbrella?

Just as a built-in kitchen will cost you more than a prefab or portable one, a permanent sun shelter, such as a pergola, will cost you more than a moveable umbrella. Of course, it’s also more of an architectural feature and therefore serves a dual purpose. An advantage to the less costly umbrella is that you can reposition it to accommodate the seasonal shift of the sun. Retractable awnings are usually custom-made and professionally installed, which makes them a more permanent yet pricier solution.

Portable Heaters An outdoor gas patio heater will only feel like an extravagant add-on until you need it. If a permanent firepit is not in the plan, this final feature will significantly extend your enjoyment of the outdoor kitchen.

The Devil In the Details The last thing you want to do if you’re investing considerable time and expense for a high-end outdoor kitchen is to make design choices that will lead to later regret, so we’ll end with a few tips to help you avoid that fate.

• Since the grill is really the star of the outdoor kitchen, don’t scrimp on it. Spring for an American-made grill with good quality stainless steel components.

• Now that you’ve spent all that money on a quality grill, don’t make the mistake of running an inadequate gas line to it.

Larger capacity grills with high-powered side burners and sear stations need a generous supply of gas to perform optimally. Instead of the standard 1/2” or 3/8” line, opt for a 3/4” gas line. You’ll be glad you did.

• Make sure there’s ample counter space, especially in the busy area right around the grill. Any good cook will tell you that adequate prep space is essential to their process.

• And if stone is your choice of countertop material, avoid choosing a dark color unless there is an overhead structure that will shield it from direct sunlight.

Dark stone absorbs heat quickly, making it a difficult surface to work on when exposed to the sun’s rays.

• Low sun can also be problematic. Be sure to position your grill so that it’s not subject to late day exposure that can impair visibility for the chef.

• Finally, create a design and floor plan that makes provisions for future upgrades or expansion. Not only will this accommodate a limited budget initially, but it will save time and money when you’re ready to upgrade. R lakelivingmaine .com

19

Honoring the Wood d

by laurie lamountain

20 lakelivingmaine .com

M

any years ago, there was a shop along Route 302 in North Conway called 6,000 Salad Bowls. Probably its biggest claim to fame was when the store’s sign appeared in a frame from the movie The Return of the Secaucus 7, but give it a Google and you can still find bowls that were purchased there. I was recently reminded of the long defunct store when I stepped into Bill Gaudreau’s studio in South Hiram, Maine.

There are bowls, lots of bowls, and piles of halved sections of wood that will one day be bowls. It’s only been a little over a year since Bill started making bowls. He’s been friends with Bill Johnson of Apple Acres Farm in Hiram for a while and was at the orchard one day when Johnson was loading up applewood from some of the culled trees. Gaudreau decided to take some of them home and start slabbing them up for bowls. He bought a used lathe online and made 400 bowls in a month’s time so that he could teach himself.

“Bowls make themselves. I found that out. I really don’t make them,” says Bill.

Since then, he’s bought a new lathe and plans on making a lot more bowls. Everyday that he’s not skiing (he’s an instructor at Bretton Woods Ski Resort), he’ll knock out a few bowls.

Apple is not the only wood he uses.

Maple, oak, poplar, birch and cherry are other hardwoods he has turned into bowls.

There’s something about the applewood, though, that especially appeals to me. In fact, it was on a visit to Apple Acres Farm last fall that I first saw one of Bill’s spalted applewood bowls and bought it as a Christmas present for a friend. Truth be told, it wasn’t easy parting with it.

I ask him if it’s difficult to work with spalted wood. Spalting, by the way, is any kind of wood coloration or streaking caused by fungi in a live tree that leads to decay and the eventual death of the tree. Woodworkers of all stripes have long prized spalted wood for its uniquely beautiful grain. Its imperfection is the very thing that attracted me to it.

He picks up a log to show me how he makes a blank. It’s an eight or ten inch length of wood that has been cut apart along the pith on the bandsaw. He runs the outer edges around the bandsaw to roughly shape it and remove most of the bark, and

It’s gotten so he’ll go to throw a log in the woodstove and stop when he realizes he was about to burn what could have been a lovely bowl. then measures from corner-to-corner and with a compass to mark the midpoint of the flat face. A faceplate is screwed on the face of the blank to secure it to the lathe so he can begin shaping it—slowly at first and working up speed until the outside of the bowl is done. He then flips the bowl over and attaches a chuck to the base to secure it to the lathe spindle so he can hollow out the inside of the bowl. After he sands them, he applies a finish of beeswax with lemon oil and food-grade mineral oil. It sounds easier than it is. To make a bowl can take anywhere from half an hour to a day, depending on size, intricacy and the wood itself.

Bill tells me that it’s all experimental for him. He’s had bowls fly by his head and even explode on him.

“Some people like the finer bowls, but I’m not really into that yet. I like something that you can drop and bang around. But I’m playing. I’m still learning.”

I mention that I like the drawing of the woodworking tool on his business card and think it would be great if he were to burn an image of it onto the bottom of his bowls. He currently signs each bowl with a Sharpie. He tells me that the tool is called a brace and he’s not all that great at marketing.

He adds that he’s not doing this for the money. He’s doing it for the love of it. He studied painting in the fine arts division of the now defunct Vesper George School of Art in Boston. He still paints, and makes furniture and rolling pins and paperweights.

For a while, he was making twig furniture and selling it to Neiman Marcus, but he came to the conclusion that he couldn’t

conform to their production demands and stopped. He’s much happier these days to take his working orders from wood. It’s gotten so he’ll go to throw a log in the woodstove and stop when he realizes he was about to burn what could have been a lovely bowl.

Somewhere in the rambling course of our discussion we talk about how Yankee frugality is really not so much about parsimony as it is about honoring usefulness and avoiding waste.

He lives in what was once the infirmary for a summer camp in Liminington, Maine, that he moved to his property and retrofitted for year-round use way before the tiny house concept was hip. Initially, he planned to add on to it but has since determined that he doesn’t need more—it’s enough.

Bill’s attitude is not so much about denial as it is about determining what it essential and what is not. Such was his decision to purchase the new lathe. The old one he’d found online worked fine, but the new one does a much better job of honoring the wood.

He draws the comparison between a VW Bug and a Mercedes Benz. I point out that I drive a thirteen-year-old VW not because I’m frugal but because it’s such a good car.

Ultimately, over the course of a couple of hours on a late August Sunday morning, I walk away with a beautiful spalted applewood bowl, three zucchini from the garden and the sense that I’ve met a kindred being. R You can find bowls by Bill Gaudreau at Apple Acres Farm in Hiram. Be sure to grab a meal, some donuts and apples while you’re there.

lakelivingmaine .com

21

For the Sake of Others by leigh macmillen hayes

“Volunteers are the only human beings on the face of the Earth who reflect this nation’s compassion, unselfish caring, patience, and just plain loving one another.” erma bombeck

V

anny Nelson is a teenager from Massachusetts who spends summers in Lovell. Sarah Lowell Atwood owns Running with Scissors on Main Street in Bridgton. John Cole, doing business as John Cole Architect, splits his work time between Arlington, Massachusetts, and Fryeburg.

Carol Nugent spends the school year driving a bus in Connecticut and tax season working on returns for H&R Block. Kevin Varney is a disabled American Veteran from Harrison.

What do these five people from various backgrounds have in common? They are all volunteers who give freely of their time in order to benefit others.

This past summer, Vanny trained with and served as a docent for the Greater Lovell Land Trust. As such, she helped with the GLLT-sponsored Lovell Recreation Summer Camp nature hikes and co-led a public hike with one of her moms. In addition, Vanny gave of her time to aid the Kezar Lake Watershed Association with a Brook Trout Survey.

Since forever, Sarah has worked on a variety of fundraising events, including Cut-a-Thons for charity, as a youth basketball coach, and a trustee for Harvest Hills Animal Shelter. She is also co-founder of the Bridgton Young Professional’s Group.

John has served as a trustee for the Middlesex County Boys and Girls Club, co-chaired a $100,000 campaign for an elementary school library in the most diverse, least affluent part of Arlington and

Kevin Varney

22 lakelivingmaine .com

served on the town’s building committee.

Most recently, John co-chaired an effort to raise money for Camp Susan Curtis in Stoneham, Maine.

Carol’s summers are spent in the lakes region, where she’s active behind the scenes for Deertrees Theatre and the Bridgton Art Gallery.

Kevin is a member and past president of the Harrison Lions Club and serves as a board member and Director of Emergency Services for the Harrison Food Bank.

Decades ago, his Aunt Ruby started the Harrison Food Pantry. After the organization underwent a change in status to become a non-profit 501(c)3 entity, it reopened in 2016 in her memory. And to that end keeps her motto as its mission: “Nobody Goes Hungry.”

Kevin and ten to fifteen other volunteers are dedicated to making sure the motto is adhered to by working hard on Mondays and Tuesdays to prepare for the Tuesday night food bank. He knows what it’s like to not have any food. Since he can’t work, there was a time when he was on the receiving side of the table. On one of those visits, he learned that the volunteers were short-handed and so he took a leap to the other side and has been helping ever since.

Today, as Director of Emergency Services, he takes his role seriously and is on call 24/7 to fulfill his aunt’s words. Sometimes, he opens the food bank for someone who missed the Tuesday night hours; other times he receives a call either directly from

John Cole

a person in need, someone who knows of a need or the American Red Cross. “We won’t tell them no,” says Kevin. “That’s not our philosophy.”

He recalls a mother of two teenagers whom he recently helped. The family was experiencing a rough time and totally out of food. Brian and Tracy at the Village Tie-Up suggested she contact Kevin. Four boxes of food and some sincere tears rolling down her cheeks later, the mom said, “I didn’t understand how you were going to get me food.”

While Kevin dedicates hours each week to the food bank, he’s quick to recognize the efforts of all who make it work. Because of the efforts of many, 55-75 people in Harrison and Waterford don’t go hungry.

Passion seems to be a common thread among all of these volunteers. They care about a particular cause and embrace the opportunity to advance it in a meaningful way.

John tells me he doesn’t get involved in a cause unless he believes in the mission. “I work with local causes,” he says, “because I can see the direct impact.” John is not on the Camp Susan Curtis Board of Trustees, but while designing the LL Bean Hunting and Fishing Store twelve years ago, he learned about the camp and its mission. He was inspired to help the board broaden its fundraising base and this year he and Jon Deveaux, initiated and co-chaired “An Evening with Maine Authors” at Stone Mountain Arts Center. Their efforts paid off and through a silent auction, dinner and author readings, enough money was raised to allow over a dozen youth to participate in youth development programs at Camp Susan Curtis and year-round.

Carol began volunteering at Deertrees Theater about eight years ago by helping out in the Salt Lick Cafe, and through that she got to know Susan Wallace and Judy Alderman, who had organized the NonExhibiting Member Organization (NEMO) for the Bridgton Art Gallery. She took a brief hiatus from the theater as it underwent a few changes and joined the NEMOs. The first year with the art gallery, she says, “I drove Herb Moulton’s truck in the 4th of July parade, helped set up Art in the Park, worked the clothesline sale, set up and cleaned up receptions, set up and took down the camp show and helped with the auction.”

Though she continues to work as a NEMO, a year after she started helping there she was recruited back to Deertrees.

Her main duty is to arrive early and perform a Fire Watch. “Mostly I make sure all the

Sarah Atwood, Grace Chute, front blue aprons

Vanny Nelson

Carol Nugent

fire exits, lights, and fire extinguishers are in place, the garden hose is hooked up and no one is smoking on the property,” says Carol. “Sometimes I also help with parking and the Salt Lick.”

Both John and Carol speak to the friendships they’ve made through their volunteer activities. Volunteering can also be shared by family members.

“I find volunteer work to be extremely rewarding and have highly encouraged my niece, Grace Chute, to participate when she is available,” says Sarah. “She has helped me prepare and serve dinner at the community center, organize hundreds of donated clothing items for First Congregational Church’s Adopt-a-Child Christmas Program, prepare and serve lunch at The Preble Street Soup Kitchen, and organize donated items at Harvest Hills Animal Shelter. She received an award at school for her volunteer work and often tells me how eye-opening it is . . . I can’t help but agree.”

And then there is the opportunity to try out and develop new skills gained in the process of giving.

It’s certainly been that way for Vanny, who has a keen interest in environmental science and is thinking about pursuing an education in the sciences. “The volunteering I have done this summer has helped me learn a lot about the natural world we live in and how important it is to care for it,” says Vanny. “I have met a lot of great people and have been able to learn a lot from all of them.”

She adds, “Volunteering gives people the chance to be involved in organizations and causes that they care about, and I think that is a great thing. It also gives people a chance to learn more about certain topics and how to better help support them.”

Sometimes while helping, amusing incidents arise.

John had the opportunity to serve as a volunteer interpreter (French/English) for the United States Olympic team at the 1992 Winter Olympics in Albertville, France.

Following college, he’d played and coached hockey in France and Switzerland, thus giving him a command of the language and his official duty at the Olympics was to be on the mountain during events so he could be the liaison should someone get injured. Mostly he found himself as the unofficial “fixer,” arranging restaurant reservations, finding local gyms for athletes to work out at and translating for his team leader and athletes.

One day that job got a wee bit more interesting. The head of the Ski Federation appeared and blocked a driveway with his vehicle. John says the guy was rather pompous, and when his car was towed away and impounded, he was livid. To get the car back would require a lot of money. John was called upon to recruite the local Chef de Mission (COM), aka team manager, and together they met with the local police chief.

First, however, he realized that rather than pay money, they would need to figure out a bribe and he knew just the thing. Olympic pins designed for each discipline are much sought after so he told the Chef de Missions to wear a complete set of pins on his lapel.

At the police station, John made small talk about hockey for a while and then whispered to the COM to finger his lapel pins.

After more small talk in which he explained that the parked car had been an unfortunate mishap and that all in all the Americans were having a good time, he asked the police chief, “Perhaps you’d like a set of pins?”

The COM handed over a dozen pins and

they drove away with the car.

And that just goes to show that you never know where the volunteer path will lead. One thing you might discover after volunteering for even a single event is that you’ve gained as much or more from the opportunity.

“Participating in the food bank makes me feel good about myself because I’m giving rather than receiving,” says Kevin.

“Pay it forward. That’s what it’s all about.”

Sarah feels likewise. “It’s all about giving back to the community. It starts at home.

It is extremely rewarding and at the end of the day seeing someone smile because you have done something for them is priceless.

It doesn’t take money, it takes time.”

John adds, “You get to a certain age and realize it’s time to give back. Find the cause you believe in and go do it. You will be rewarded.”

Vanny looks at it this way, “I think that volunteering helps people become more active in their communities and become more interested in being involved in local matters.

For me, it’s a way to be part of something I enjoy doing while also contributing to the community. I feel like a lot of people my age are more interested in a job that pays, but for me money isn’t the most important thing. I’d rather be doing something that interests me and that gives back to the community because if I don’t enjoy it then for me, it doesn’t really seem worth it.”

Carol sums it up in four words, “I love helping people.”

Whether a one time effort, or a long-term commitment, volunteering provides vital help to those in need, worthwhile causes, and the communities in which we live. But these acts also benefit the volunteer by providing a sense of purpose and mental stimulation.

Along the way new friendships are forged, community connections made, skills learned, social skills developed, careers experienced and fulfillment gained. And it can be fun.

As a volunteer, all you need to bring to the table is a little time, an open mind, a positive attitude and a willingness to jump in where needed. Check out the different organizations in the lakes region, such as food banks, theater groups, museums, libraries, community centers, clubs, animal shelters, youth groups, sports teams, scouts, after-school programs, land trusts, lake associations, or places of worship. Think about your skills and interests and then give it a whirl. Your life will be enriched as you give of your time for the sake of others. R

lakelivingmaine .com 23

The Rule of Six and Sixty by laurie lamountain

U

ntil only recently, I never understood how people could consider it a bother to prepare dinner. Maybe it’s because I’m lucky enough to work from home and don’t have the time constraint of a commute, but I’ve always looked forward to the end of the workday and the ritual of preparing the evening meal. I’m sure it doesn’t hurt that I’m only cooking for two people, neither of whom is a fussy eater.

There have been more than a few times lately, though, when it’s seemed easier to go out for dinner and leave the cooking and cleanup to someone else. The only problem with that is it didn’t take long to feel the bite out of our wallets.

That’s when I decided it might be time for a different approach.

Instead of attempting, and not always succeeding, to create a gourmet meal every night, maybe I needed to simplify? Maybe I needed to leave those time-and-ingredient-consuming meals for someone else to prepare on the occasional night out?

Any cook worth their salt (and pepper) will tell you that more time, effort and ingredients do not always translate to a better meal.

So I’ve loosely adopted a workday rule of six or less ingredients prepared in sixty minutes or under. In an attempt to reduce cleanup, I’ve also tried to adopt a one-pot rule but admit it’s not as easy to stick to as the other two.

I should note that the Rule of Six is loosely adapted to include the addition of herbs and spices in the preparation, so you might want to read the instructions before you begin. You should also feel free to adapt the recipes to your liking. Green olives make a nice addition to the braised chicken thigh recipe and I like to add a grating of fresh nutmeg to the sauce for the cauliflower gratin. A little bit of bacon or pancetta is also nice and toasted walnut pieces or pine nuts are a tasty addition to the bulgur hash.

Should you choose to adopt this method, remember the goal is to make your life easier. If you’re struggling to create a meal that fits this structure, then it’s not working. It shouldn’t be difficult, nor should it result in a boring meal.

Since practice makes perfect, I’ve put together six tried-and-true recipes to get you started. Bon appetit! R as possible. Chicken should be brown and crispy when done in approximately 35 to 40 minutes. Serves 4 with leftovers.

roasted cauliflower gratin

1 large head cauliflower 2 tbsp unsalted butter 2 tbsp flour 1 1/4 c milk 3/4 c shredded sharp cheddar cheese, packed 3 tbsp bread crumbs

easy braised chicken thighs 8

3 1 1

skin-on, bone-in chicken thighs fresh rosemary sprigs roughly chopped cloves of garlic 15-oz can cannellini beans lemon white wine

Arrange chicken thighs in a 9x12 baking dish and season with coarse salt and freshly ground pepper. Place rosemary sprigs on either end and between rows of chicken thighs. Scatter roughly chopped garlic over

24 lakelivingmaine .com

all. Slice the lemon and reserve about a quarter of it to squeeze over the chicken.

Tuck the remaining slices in between the thighs. Pour enough white wine to cover the bottom of the pan and one-third of the thighs. Rub extra virgin olive oil over the tops of the thighs and place them in a preheated 425˚ oven. Add drained and rinsed cannellini beans in the last ten minutes of cooking. Try to push the beans into the broth and away from the chicken as much

Break cauliflower into florets, toss with one tablespoon of oil olive and arrange on a baking sheet to roast at 400˚ for 10 minutes.

Turn the florets and continue to roast for an additional 15 minutes, until tender and slightly browned.

Meanwhile, melt butter in a heavy saucepan over medium heat. Add flour, salt and pepper and whisk together for about one minute to form a thick paste. Slowly add milk a quarter cup at a time, stirring the sauce constantly until thickened. Whisk in the cheddar cheese and stir until melted.

Remove cauliflower from oven and reduce heat to 375˚. Place cauliflower florets in a buttered 8x8 baking dish or 2 qt. gratin and pour sauce evenly over the florets.

Sprinkle bread crumbs over the top and place the gratin in the oven to bake for 20 to 30 minutes, until browned and bubbly.

Serves 2 as a main meal and 4 as a side dish.

chicken with quinoa 1 1 3 3 1/2 1/2

quick ratatouille 1 1 2 2 1 2

onion medium eggplant cloves garlic bell peppers (one red, one green) lb. plum tomatoes small zucchini

Peel and half the onion and, with cut side down, thinly slice. Heat a large wok over medium high heat for about 10 seconds.

Drizzle about 2 tablespoons of olive oil around the sides and heat until almost smoking. Add the onion, stirring occasionally.

Trim the ends of the eggplant and cut in half lengthwise. Cut them lengthwise again into 3 or 4 strips. Cut these across to form generous chunks of eggplant. Add to the onion, along with 2 more tbsp of olive oil and salt and freshly ground pepper.

Lightly crush the garlic cloves with the flat of the knife to loosen and discard the skin. Smash and roughly chop them before adding to the vegetables with 1 tbsp ground coriander and 1 tsp dried Provençal herbs.

Halve and core the peppers. Cut them in thin slices and add to the other vegetables.

Next, halve and cut the plum tomatoes in chunks and stir them into the other vegetables. By now the vegetables should be starting to soften and brown lightly.

Prepare the zucchini by trimming the ends and halving each of them lengthwise. Place them side by side on a cutting board and cut into 3/8” slices. Stir them into the other vegetables and adjust seasoning to taste.

Cover the wok and adjust the heat so that the vegetables don’t scorch. Cook for 8 to 10 minutes more, until vegetables are soft but hold their shape. Chopped, fresh basil

can be stirred in before serving. Serve hot or at room temperature. If there are leftovers, you’ll find they are even better over the next day or two. Serves 4.

cod à la portugaise 1 3 3 1 lb.

1/4 1

medium onion cloves garlic plum tomatoes thick-cut cod fillet c dry, white wine tbsp butter

Peel and chop onion. Heat 2 tbsp olive oil in a large sauté pan over medium heat. Add onion and stir occasionally. Lightly crush the garlic cloves with the flat of the knife to loosen and discard the skin. Smash and roughly chop them before adding to the onions. Halve tomatoes lengthwise and then halve lengthwise again. Cut across to form generous chunks and add to the onion/ garlic mixture. Simmer until the tomatoes begin to soften to the point of thickening the pan liquid. Place the cod fillet on top, drizzle white wine over all and cover. Adjust burner to simmer and cook for 8 minutes or until cod is opaque and breaks apart when gently prodded with a fork.

Carefully remove cod from pan and place on a serving plate. With a slotted spoon, remove the tomato/onion/garlic mixture and place it over the fish.

Add the tbsp of butter to the liquid in the pan and swirl it until it melts. The pan juices should slightly thicken with the addition of the butter. Pour the sauce from the pan over the fish and vegetables and serve with a small handful of chopped fresh parsley over all. Serves 2.

whole chicken breast medium onion cloves garlic plum tomatoes c quinoa, rinsed c chicken stock

Pat chicken breast dry and cut into 1” cubes. Heat 2 tbsp olive oil in a large sauté pan until almost smoking. Add the chicken and sauté until lightly browned on all sides.

Remove from the pan and set aside.

Peel and chop the onion. Add it, and more olive oil if needed, to the heated pan and stir occasionally. Lightly crush the garlic cloves with the flat of the knife to loosen and discard the skin. Smash and roughly chop them before adding to the onions. By now the onions should be slightly softened.

Halve the tomatoes lengthwise and then cut in half lengthwise again. Cut across to form generous chunks and add to the onion/ garlic mixture. Lower heat to gently simmer the mixture for 8 to 10 minutes.

Stir in the quinoa and add the chicken stock. Return the chicken to the pan and stir. Toast 1 tsp of cumin seed and sprinkle it over all. Cover the pan with a tightly fitting lid and simmer for 15 to 20 minutes more or until quinoa has opened and chicken is cooked through.

bulgur hash 2/3 2 1 2 1 1

c bulgur lg peeled potatoes, diced lg onion, minced cloves garlic, minced 1/2 tbsp tamari c grated sharp cheddar

Bring 1 c water to a boil in small saucepan.

Stir in 1/4 tsp of salt and bulgur. Return to a boil and reduce heat to low, cover and simmer for 10 min. Remove from heat and set aside.

Boil potatoes with 1/2 teaspoon salt for about 8 minutes, until barely tender. Drain and save water.

Preheat oven to 400˚. If you’re adding nuts to your hash, you can toast them while the oven preheats, but be sure to watch them carefully.

Melt 4 tbsp butter in cast iron frying pan. Sauté onion and garlic until onion is translucent. Season with 1 tsp each of thyme and basil. Add bulgur and potatoes, stirring to coat with butter. Mix 1/2 c reserved potato water with tamari and pour over hash.

Stir in cheese (and nuts), tamp hash down with the back of a spoon.

Cover and bake for 10 min. Uncover and bake another 10 min. Serve hot. Serves 4 as a main meal and 6 as a side dish.

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