50

MAINE | ICONIC FLAVORS

USA TODAY SPECIAL EDITION

Maine Ingredients

Authentic flavors you should try on your next visit

By Allison Tibaldi

LOBSTER IS A MAINE culinary hallmark, but there’s a windfall of flavors to explore when you visit New England’s easternmost state. An abundance of high-integrity ingredients from fertile farms and salty seas emphasize primary materials rather than elaborate technique.

Life in Maine moves at a pace set by wind, weather and tides, as it has for centuries. This throwback quality is evident on the plate, so expect simple, authentic foods that recall yesteryear.

Although Portland is the current gastronomic darling, look on a map for remote wisps of land stretching into the Atlantic. Venture down one and find tastes that USA TODAY’s 10Best suggests to satisfy your every craving. WILD BLUEBERRIES Unlike their cultivated cousins, wild blueberries are not pumped with water, giving them more concentrated flavor. The bountiful summer season usually starts in July and lasts for a few weeks, when dozens of roadside stands pepper the landscape. These luscious lavender-blue beauties are the star of many a cobbler, pie, crumble, buckle and jam jar.

GETTY IMAGES

USA TODAY SPECIAL EDITION

MAINE

| ICONIC FLAVORS

USA TODAY SPECIAL EDITION

RAYE’S MUSTARD The Raye family has been making mustard since 1900, and their commitment to quality has remained constant. The mustard is made in small batches at the Eastport factory using the original stone-ground mill — one of the last remaining in North America. They utilize a cold-grind process, which helps to preserve the taste of the whole seed. Try the Down East Schooner , a yellow mustard that’s a hot dog’s best friend, or go for the zesty kick of Maple Horseradish made with Maine maple syrup. MOXIE America’s first mass-marketed soft drink, Moxie is a carbonated beverage that was originally sold as a nerve tonic back in 1884. Mainers once consumed it by the spoonful; today it’s guzzled by the can or bottle. It contains gentian root, which is used to make cocktail bitters. Some find it has a peppy taste while others think it borders on medicinal. You can purchase Moxie at most convenience stores.

WHOOPIE PIES The sugar fairy has blessed Maine, so leave your diet at the state border. Whoopie pies are beloved in several states, but they’ve been Maine’s official state treat since 2011. This snack isn’t really a pie; it consists of two discs of cakelike cookies sand

wiched around a fluffy marshmallow filling.

RED SNAPPER HOT DOGS Maine summer is short-lived, and many residents celebrate the season with as many barbecues as they can squeeze in. Red snapper hot dogs are a mainstay at these outdoor feasts. The frankfurters get their sassy scarlet hue courtesy of dye and their serious snap thanks to natural casing. They’re a combo of beef and pork, usually served on a traditional top-split New England bun. CRAFT BEER Maine enjoys a reputation as a hops-and-barley powerhouse. In postcard-pretty Blue Hill, DeepWater Brewing Co. — a solar-powered three-barrel microbrewery — offers a frequently rotating lineup with a noticeable lean toward ales. Boothbay Craft Brewery in Boothbay sells its own IPAs, ales, stouts and pilsners. In Liberty, sip on lagers and porters while enjoying barbecue, pizza and more from the patio of Liberty Craft Brewing, where scenic views and live music are as satisfying as the fare.

MAINE TOURISM (3); PAT WELLENBACH/AP; GETTY IMAGES

10Best.com is your source for what’s tops in travel, food and culture, providing inspiration to explore the world around you.

USA TODAY SPECIAL EDITION