16 minute read
The Foodie’s Guide to Planet Maine
get out you Blackberry–this year’s going to be Incredible!
by Judith gaines
Maine is blessed with a cornucopia of tasty events throughout the year. At some, the food is the starring attraction; at others, it’s an appealing sidebar. The events range from basic to gourmet, bucolic to urbane, serious to wacko, and take place all over the state–in farm fields and mountainy dells, on city streets, along the seacoast. Even the state’s remotest islands get into the act. All celebrate the special flavors of Maine, and invite the public to join in. Author’s favorites
across the Year– Your
hel t om t F; cgc B – Your itkowski (illustration); ro ert witkowski (composite photo); david’s creative cuisine; Social calendar for februarY 24 WMPG’s Fat tuesday Party & Cajun Cook-oFF Join the crowd as part of a live broadcast and Cajun Cookoff as part of radio station WMPG’s Fat Tuesday celebration at USM’s Woodbury Campus Center, open to the public. Sample free gumbo, jambalaya and more from noon-3 p.m. Cuisine as a soCial imperative: Clockwise: WMPG ‘s Annual Cajun Cookin’ Challenge at USM’s Woodbury Campus Center, 10 a.m. to 7 p.m. every Fat Tuesday; bistro filet with brandy and pepper jus by Chef David Turin of David’s Creative Cuisine in Monument Square, Portland; selection of Maine Organic Farmers and Gardeners Association peppers; spicy beef toasts with a smoked tomato confit consisting of beef tenderloin steak, served on slices of toasted baguette topped with a smoked tomato confit, cured olives and chive batons (chives sliced about 3/4-inch long), coated with Cajun spices and then seared to medium rare by Chef Michael Salmon at a cooking class at Hartstone Inn, Camden. culinarY extravaganzaS ert w and vote for the best Cajun creation. Participating restaurants include Bayou Kitchen, Great Lost Bear, Beale Street BBQ, B r o and Gritty McDuff’s. www.wmpg.org or 780-4151 t: F rom top le F clockwise MarCh 1-10 restaurantWeekMe* Smart diners will adore this first-ever 3-course, pre-fixe menu offered at dazzling rates to welcome the coming spring. Includes Hugo’s, the Back Bay Grill, Bar Lola, The Front Room, Eve’s, Cinque Terre, Vignola, Bresca, and The Grill Room. It’s gourmet thrills for just $20.99, $30.99 or $40.99 per person,
depending on the restaurant. www.restaurantweekme.com
MarCh 6-7 deSSert tHeater The Waterville Opera House, 93 Main Street, offers “A Gilligan’s Island Theme Performance,” plus a dessert buffet with tarts and cakes created by a local chef. 873-7000
MarCh 13-15 roCkland ChoColate MarCh* A walk from inn-to-inn, with chocolate samples in each inn’s kitchen, a tasting that pairs wines with chocolate, chocolate-making demonstrations, and creative meals featuring new ways to use chocolate, such as chocolate pasta and chocolate breakfast entrees. Hot chocolate massages will be available! Dare to walk the walk, which in part suports the Make-A-Wish Foundation. www.historicinnsofrockland.com/specials/chocolate.html
MarCh 13-15 tHe WHite barn inn and Spa viSiting cHef Guest chef Steven Titman, from the Summer Lodge in Evershot Dorset, UK, drops in at The White Barn Inn and Spa to delight guests with his legendary dishes from the UK. To reserve a table, contact 967-2321 or innkeeper@whitebarninn.com.
MarcH 22 Maine MaPle sunday* Maple syrup farms invite us to join in an annual rite of spring: turning maple sap into syrup. Many sugarhouses offer tastings, with syrup on pancakes or ice cream, along with farm tours and sleigh or wagon rides. Go to www.getrealmaine.com/visit/ maine_maple_sunday.html.
MarcH 22 eat the heat Chili Cook-oFF and FireFiGhters’ raCe Chili aficionados at Sunday River compete for the title of Best Chili Cook. www.bethelmaine.com, 824-3000
MarCh 30 portland SYMpHonY Wine cHallenge and auCtion* At Freeport’s Harraseeket Inn, some of Maine’s most celebrated chefs–including Fore Street’s Sam Hayward, Jonathan Cartwright of The White Barn Inn, Steve Corry of 555 Congress Street, Mitchell Kaldrovich of the Inn by the Sea, Gallit Sammon of the Harraseeket Inn, and In Good Company’s Melody Wolfertz–each prepare a dish for a multi-course meal with Australian wine pairings to benefit Portland Symphony. events@ portlandsymphony.com, or 773-6128, ext. 309
MarcH or april isle au haut Food throW doWns* Some of Maine’s most imaginative food contests are “throw downs” on this scenic island. Locals pick a category or ingredient and invite all to create a dish. They’re still laughing about the time entrants were challenged to cook with Spam. First place was shared by Diana Santospago, who created Spam and Guacamole Rollups with Pineapple Jalapeno Chutney; and Kate Gerteis, who made Spam and Gruyère Doughnuts. Santospago says she’s heard rumblings “about a mac-and-cheese throw down sometime this spring. But the dish has to be made using boxed mac and cheese.” The public is welcome to create, taste, and vote on all entries. Contact Santospago, the Inn at Isle Au Haut, 335-5141.
april 1 Maine reStaurant and lodging expo Firms that purvey all things delicious to hospitality-based businesses strut their stuff from booths at Cumberland County Civic Center in Portland from 10 a.m.-4 p.m. Insider tip: Each member of the Maine Restaurant Association and Maine Innkeepers Association receives two complimentary passes. Contact Rebecca Dill at 623-2175 or events@mainerestaurant.com.
aPril 5 ChoColate lovers’ FlinG More than 20 chefs and candy makers from York and Cumsweet Days of february cHocolaTe fesTivals
Eating free chocolate is one way to beat cabin fever! There are chocolate festivals in Fairfield (February 14), Greenville (February 15), and, probably the biggest, The Chocolate Extravaganza in Kennebunk (February 1). There, local businesses compete to create imaginative chocolate goodies. Past creations have included chocolate nachos and a chocolate kiss bustier. There’s always a large chocolate sculpture. Call 985-9999.
various Times across the year cookinG, bakinG, anD cHeese-MakinG classes*
Many of Maine’s chefs and food purveyors offer cooking classes in their restaurants, at farms that supply them, or at inns or education centers where they work. Here are just a few: At THE HARTSTONE INN in Camden, Chef Michael Salmon teaches the essentials of fine cooking once a month from January through May and October through December. On April 25-26, he‘ll be joined by Kate Shaffer, of BLACK DINAH CHOCOLATES, for a course in chocolate-making. Weekend cooking getaways include a gourmet candlelit dinner for two and two nights’ lodging, with breakfasts and the cooking class. See www.hartstoneinn.com/class_schedule.htm or phone 800-788-4723. At GRAND VIEW FARM in Greene each Saturday from May through September, Chef Lee Skawinski of Portland’s CINQUE TERRE and VIGNOLA restaurants offers cooking classes, along with lunch, wine, and a garden tour. Visit www.cinqueterremaine.com or phone 347-6154. At the PAIRINGS FOOD AND WINE EDUCATION CENTER in Winterport, resident chef Laurie Turner and guest chefs offer a range of cooking classes for home cooks, with advice about wine pairings. The Center also has wine dinners every second Saturday of the month. www.pairingsinmaine.com or 223-0990 At the ROBINHOOD FREE MEETINGHOUSE RESTAURANT in Georgetown, Chef Michael Gagné invites the public to an unusual cooking party. You select a menu, bring 8 or more friends, and everyone helps prepare the meal with his guidance. www.robinhood-meetinghouse.com, 371-2188 Chef Audrey Patterson offers basic cooking classes for adults and CULINARY CAPERS FOR KIDS from May to September on a 150-acre blueberry farm overlooking Passamaquoddy Bay in Perry. www.blueberrypointchefs.com, or 853-4629 Others offering interesting cooking classes include: STONE TURTLE BAKING AND COOKING SCHOOL (baking with a wood-fired oven) in Lyman, 324-7558; THE PENOBSCOT SCHOOL (international cooking) in Rockland, 594-1067; A COOK’S EMPORIUM (European cuisine) in Bath, 433-1402; The APPLETON CREAMERY (cheese-making) in Appleton, www.appletoncreamery.com; THE CHEESE IRON (cheese education and tastings) in Scarborough, www.thecheeseiron.com, 883-4057; and STONEWALL KITCHEN, in York and at satellite stores, 879-2409.
May through october sails and tails*
Husband and wife team Scott Reischmann and Michelle Thresher offer a classic combo: a two-hour Casco Bay cruise in an historic wooden windjammer and a gourmet lobster bake on Cow Island. Lunch features local and organic ingredients whenever possible: Maine cheeses and crackers, clam chowder, fresh spinach salad, steamed lobster, Maine mussels with garlic and white wine, corn on the cob, rosemary roasted potatoes, and brownies for dessert. $105 per person. Best time is in July or August. Longer schooner adventures are available. www.portlandschooner.com, 766-2500
Throughout the year Throughout the year recepTions aTrecepTions aT rabelais*rabelais*
With more than 9,000 books about food and wine in its collection, Rabelais, in Portland, has become the state’s premier culinary bookstore. It has a lively schedule of receptions and signings for authors of books on the culinary scene (often scheduled just a week or two in advance), as well as demonstrations, tastings, exhibitions, and book-club meetings. It’s also a place to check on events planned by Slow Food Portland. Go to www.rabelais.com or call 774-1044 for dates and times.
late june, early july sTrawberry fesTivals
“God could have made a better berry,” said Samuel Clemens, “but He didn’t.” Savor the succulent strawberry in shortcakes, cheesecakes, pancakes, chocolate-covered berries, and more at one of several festivals around the state. Among them: South Berwick (June 27), Rangeley (July 9), Garland, Sangerville, Wiscasset, and Locke Mills and more. Visit www.southberwickstrawberryfestival.com or local chambers of commerce.
May through november farMers’ MarkeTs*
These markets at their best are like weekly block parties, with farmers, bakers, cheese makers, meat producers, and flower vendors offering their specialties in an atmosphere that’s festive and informative. To find one near you, visit www.getrealmaine.com/buy/farmers_markets.html.
berland counties create chocolate treats for this annual Portland event at the Holiday Inn By The Bay, 1 to 4 p.m., to benefit the Sexual Assault Response Services of Southern Maine. For tickets, visit www.chocolateloversfling.org, 1-800-313-9900.
april 19 GrazinG For Portland’s strinG Quartet* Fore Street chef Sam Hayward, who also plays the double bass, creates a special grazing menu to benefit the 40th Anniversary of Portland’s String Quartet. At the Woodford’s Congregational Church, 202 Woodford Street, Portland, 774-8243.
aPril 24-26 annual FisherMan’s Festival* Honors the fishing industry that has given foodies so much in Maine. Events include a traditional fish fry and church supper, fish chowder contest, codfish relay race, timed lobster-trap-hauling and dory-bailing competitions, a bubble-gum blowing contest, the naming of Miss Shrimp Princess, tall-tale contests, and a race in which children run across a string of floating lobster crates. www.boothbayharbor.com
MaY Fiddlehead Festival* This popular foodie gathering celebrates fiddleheads fixed many different ways, traditional and exotic (think: fiddlehead ice cream), plus other edible signs of spring–peas, ramps, rhubarb and the like. Sponsored by Slow Food Portland, www.slowfoodportland.org.
june 3-7 arts in the inns* An event that “pairs palates and palettes,” organizers say. Chefs create meals inspired by art on display at restaurants and inns in Kennebunkport including the White Barn Inn and Spa. Includes a twilight soiree at St. Ann’s Rectory, dinners with the artists in private homes, and many arty tastings. www.artsintheinns.com
june 5 kitChen FilMinG on the laWn Twelve international chefs touch down at The White Barn Inn and Spa to create magic confections on the Inn’s lawn in a telecast event. Includes 3 shows with 4 segments each, with everything open to the public. 967-2321 or innkeeper@whitebarninn.com
june 7 old port feStival Maine’s biggest one-day festival features entertainment on more than 10 stages, a parade, and lots of fair food in Portland’s historic Old Port. 772-6828
june 8 WindjaMMer Cookbook GaM* This event, which is kind of like a tailgate party at sea, highlights the cooking that’s a hallmark of windjammer cruises. About a dozen historic windjammers gather in the Camden area for an evening of food and festivities. Guests receive a complimentary copy of the new cookbook Windjammer Cooking: Great Recipes from Maine’s Windjammer Fleet. Then participants take off on cruises lasting three to six days. Meals at sea feature recipes from the cookbook. www.sailmainecoast.com, 374-2993
Mid-june sCent dinner at natalie’s* Rising culinary star Lawrence Klang, chef de cuisine at Natalie’s Restaurant at the Camden Harbour Inn, teams up with Chandler Burr, perfume critic for the New York Times, for an unusual meal accentuating the aromas of the dishes. www.camdenharbourinn.com, 800-236-4266
june 20-21 Maine sWedish Colony’s MidsoMMar Celebration Traditional Swedish food, art, gifts, music, and dance at the New Sweden Historic Society on Station Road in New Sweden. www.geocities.com/maineswedishcolony or 896-5874
JUNE 25-27 GREEK FOOD FESTIVAL Enjoy lamb souvlaki, dolmades, mousaka, spanakopita, baklava, and other traditional Greek food, plus music and dancing, at Holy Trinity Greek Orthodox Church, 133 Pleasant Street, Portland, 774-0281.
JUNE 25-28 LA KERMESSE FRANCO-AMERICAINE FESTIVAL Celebrate Franco-Americaine culture with traditional cuisine from pork pie and poutine to crêpes, a parade, and live entertainment at West Street Field. www.biddefordsacochamber.org, or lakermessefestival.com, 282-1567
JUNE 25-29 ACADIAN FESTIVAL A Great Acadian Bed Race and Party du Main Street, Madawaska, with authentic Acadian fare. www.acadianfestival.com, or 728-7000
JUNE 26–28 THE WORLDʼS LARGEST HUMAN LOBSTER* 2,250 volunteers dressed in red and yellow outfits create a 200-foot crustacean with moving claws contained by a giant rubber band. This Boothbay event features lobster rolls, lobster dinners, and chefs preparing their favorite lobster specialties. Contact Dianne Ward, 633-2159.
JUNE 28 SHARE OUR STRENGTHʼS TASTE OF THE NATION* Sample creations from some of the hottest chefs and mixologists in Maine and the U.S. at a sit-down meal by the sea. Proceeds support efforts to eliminate childhood hunger. Maine coast location to be announced. www.strength.org
JULY 10-12 GREEK HERITAGE FESTIVAL Sample traditional Greek dishes at St. Demetrios Greek Orthodox Church, 186 Bradley Street, Saco, 284-5651.
JULY 17-19 44TH ANNUAL YARMOUTH CLAM FESTIVAL* This crowd-pleasing sizzlefest includes clam-shucking contests, cooking demonstrations, and the chance to mingle neck-deep in whole fried clams in crumbs, fried clam strips in batter, steamed clams, clam cakes, clams on the half shell with tapenade, clam fritters, pasta with clams, and more. Contact the Yarmouth Chamber of Commerce at 846-3984 or www.clamfestival.com/home.php.
JULY 19 FISHERMENʼS DAY It’s like going back in time: rowboat races, a codfish relay, and fried fish on Stonington’s Fish Pier. www.deerislemaine.com, or 348-6124
JULY 22-25 J. AND E. RIGGIN CULINARY CAMPS Food writer and sailing maven Anne Mahle offers this combination sailing and landlubbing camp for children ages 6 and up and their families. Campers learn to cook in a windjammer kitchen, bake bread and pies at sea, and visit an artisanal cheese maker and an organic farmer. Everyone sleeps on the boat. Sept. 14-19, adults only. www.mainewindjammer.com, 800-869-0604.
JULY 29-AUGUST 2 MAINE LOBSTER FESTIVAL* More than 20,000 pounds of lobster–steamed in “the world’s largest cooker”–were served here last year in Rockland’s Harbor Park. Waterfront activities, maritime displays, arts and crafts, visits to Navy and Coast Guard ships, harbor cruises, live entertainment, a parade, races including a lobster-crate race and diaper derby, cooking contests, and coronation of Maine’s 2009 Sea Goddess. Enjoy a lobster dinner under a big tent with a view of the Penobscot River. www.mainelobsterfestival.com or 596-0376
You are what you eat
Become one with the lobster and part of history by participating in Boothbay’s “World Largest Human Lobster” event.
AUGUST 4 MERRYSPRINGʼS ANNUAL KITCHEN TOUR* Visit eight uniquely designed kitchens, some in historic landmark and artists’ homes, in Camden, Rockport, and Lincolnville, with eclectic refreshments prepared by local chefs and growers. Sponsored by Merryspring, a nonprofit, privately owned 66-acre park and education center in Camden and Rockport. www.merryspring.org
AUGUST 14-16 ST. PETERSʼ ITALIAN STREET FESTIVAL This event honors the Italian heritage of this Portland parish with homemade pizza, meatball and sausage sandwiches, cannoli and more, plus a bazaar, road races, and a greased pole climb. Location is St. Peter’s Church, 72 Federal Street, Portland, 773-0748.
AUGUST 16 HARVEST DINNER Cinque Terre and Vignola plan a Harvest Dinner at the restaurants’ Grand View Farm in Greene, with tours, onsite dining prepared from ingredients grown here, and fine wines. www.cinqueterremaine.com or 347-6154
SEPTEMBER OOSOOLA FUN DAY The state’s oldest frog-jumping contest is spiced with a community BBQ. www.norridgewockareachamber.com
SEPTEMBER 12-14 MAINE SALMON FESTIVAL* Eastport honors the salmon fishing industry of years past as well as today’s Atlantic salmon aquaculture business. It features a salmon BBQ, seafood chowders, crab rolls, and a wine tent, plus an antiques fair, sailboat race, and a motorcycle rally. The Salmon Festival happens concurrently with a Pirate Festival and includes Paint Eastport Day, when you can watch artists literally painting the town. 853-4644
SEPTEMBER 17-20 LOBSTER COLLEGE Learn everything there is to know about Homarus Americanus. Includes lectures about lobster fishing and lore, a boat tour of Boothbay Harbor, 2 lobster dinners and lunches, 3 nights’ lodging at Kenniston Hill Inn. www.kennistonhillinn.com, 633-2159 or 800-992-2915
MID-SEPTEMBER (PROBABLY SEPT. 18–20) MAINE FAIR* Drawing together chefs, farmers, fishermen, artisanal food producers, food writers, and journalists for a spate of dinners, grazing events, panel discussions, and more. www.mainefair.com or www.eatmainefoods.org
SEPTEMBER 18 -20 BETHEL HARVEST FEST Celebrate farming, forestry, and area recreation, with a chowder cook-off, apple pie contest, harvest food, crafts, hiking, biking, and canoeing events. www.bethelmaine. com, 824-2282
SEPTEMBER 19 MT. DESERT ISLAND GARLIC FESTIVAL Chef Frank Pendola of Nostrano restaurant roasts a whole pig, low and slow, for an all-you-can-eat meal celebrating the pungent little bulb in an event that raises funds for local nonprofit organizations. Farmers share garlic-growing secrets. Smugglers Den Campground, Southwest Harbor, 11 a.m.-5 p.m., www.nostrano.com, 288-0269
SEPTEMBER 4-6 WINDJAMMER WEEKEND Historic windjammers, anchored near Camden’s Public Landing, create a festive backdrop. A Chowdah Challenge: Local restaurants offer samples of their chowders and, in a blind tasting, participants pick the winner. A treasure hunt, crate races, the popular build-a-boat race, a dog show, and fireworks are all part of the fun. 236-4404
SEPTEMBER 10-12 LEWISTON/AUBURN GREEK FESTIVAL Enjoy Greek foods, music, dancing, history and culture, a bazaar, and games at Holy Trinity, Greek Orthodox Church, 155 Hogan Road, Lewiston, 783-6795. SEPTEMBER 19-20 WELLS ANNUAL CHILIFEST
Bar Harbor Club September 11-18
Held at the Wells Harbor Community
Park, featuring chili and salsa cookoffs sanctioned by the Maine State International Chili Society, crafts, live bands, vendors, and more. www.wellschilifest. com, 646-2451
SEPTEMBER 20 GREAT WESTERN MAINE CHILI COOK-OFF, WATERFORD Starts at noon in Waterford’s Town Square, with a onefun-mile run for children, or 5K for more serious runners. Chili sampling after the race offers varieties with sometimes unusual ingredients, judged by the crowd and a panel of taste testers. www.mainelakeschamber.com, 647-3472
SEPTEMBER 11-18 BAR HARBOR FOOD & WINE CLASSIC This upscale celebration of “food, wine, and song” at the posh seaside Bar Harbor Club features an array of food and wine tastings and a dinner from ingredients grown within 100 miles. Luminaries include Wine Spectator
award winner Michele Duval, executive director of New England Wine Festivals. www.barharborfoodandwineclassic.com
SEPTEMBER 25-27 COMMON GROUND COUNTRY FAIR* This top Maine country fair, honors rural life in all its dimensions, with lots of organic food and food products, gardening demonstrations, livestock herding, and more.
(Continued on page 90)
