What’s the perfect gift for… the foodie on your list? The relative or friend who is currently a Mainer in exile, longing for a taste of their home state? The person who has everything? Yourself?
It’s not too late to order the gift of Maine Food & Lifestyle magazine, a gift that will continue giving all year long with great recipes, local chef profiles, in-depth articles, and stunning photography.
Give the gift of Maine’s original food magazine, and make someone smile this holiday season. We’ll send the recipient a gift letter stating this gift is from you. Subscribe today for yourself or someone special on your holiday list!
Happy Holidays to you and those you love!
Melanie Hyatt & Jim Bazin
There are several noteworthy food events going on around the state this week. For example, did you know that it’s Maine Beer Week? Or that there is a Maine Harvest Festival happening this weekend in Bangor?
Saltwater Farm in Lincolnville is offering a Pig Butchering Workshop this weekend with Master Butcher Craig Linke, as well as ongoing classes and dinners. Check their calendar!
We know a lot of our readers are serious foodies, and many of you enjoy the challenge of entering cooking contests. Why not try your hand at one of these?
And if you’re looking to ease into the holiday spirit this year, there are several fairs and events beginning to happen all over the state!
We all know Maine is increasingly famous for its locally sourced, creative cuisine, but did you know Maine also makes a very large contribution to the healthy snacks category?
In the new issue of Maine Food & Lifestyle magazine, we explore healthy Maine made snacks in our column, “From the Pantry.” There are a handful of some of our favorites represented, and they are sure to satisfy both your taste buds and your grumbling stomach.
Some healthy Maine-made snacks!
We share and highlight the following:
Apple Acres Farm
Maine’s Pantry
Grandy Oats
Lucy’s Granola
Buck’s Nuts
Little Lad’s
Portland Fruit and Nut Co.
PJ Snacks
Healthy snacking!
We’re excited to report that the new issue of Maine Food & Lifestyle magazine prints this week! Issue 13 will be available soon! On the cover, we tease you with our lobster dinners at Cod End in Tenants Harbor.
As always, we offer recipes galore from several Maine destinations. Engaging feature articles complete with gorgeous photography await your every turn of the page.
In this issue: Travel Channel Andrew Zimmern’s Maine Connection, including his favorite Maine restaurants and recipes; Old Vines Wine Bar in Kennebunk, and The Stolen Menu Café and The Union Grill/Bluff Pub in York; Amalfi On the Water and Rustica Cucina Italiana, both well-established Rockland restaurants; two new eateries: Scott Yakovenko’s Slipway in Thomaston and Lynn Archer’s Archer’s on the Pier in Rockland, and much, much more!
Certified Master Gardener Maryann Blaisdell shares her love of gardening in her debut column. Editorial Assistant Chelsea Sonksen offers a tribute to Rock City Coffee and explores the Magic of a Full Moon Supper at Saltwater Farm.
Come sample some more of the good life in Maine. Subscribe or give the gift of good taste to those you love!
Last Thursday I made my first visit of the season to the Rockland Farmers’ Market, and I have to say, it just keeps getting better every year. While I was comforted to see all my favorite local farms and businesses represented, I was also delighted by newcomer Jessica Shepard. Her new business, the Uproot Pie Co., offers freshly topped pizza pies and flatbreads from her mobile wood fired oven.
image by Jim Bazin © 2011
Last Thursday at the Market, Uproot had the following pizza offerings:
Appleton Creamery Mozzarella
Dandelion Spring Farm Spinach, Ricotta, Roasted Garlic, and a wee bit of bacon
Caramelized Sweet Curried Onion with Fresh Dandelion Spring Farm Arugula
4 Cheese (Fontina, Romano, Mozzarella, and Gorgonzola)
Cheese
Guini Ridge Farm Sausage
image by Jim Bazin © 2011
I had the Caramelized Sweet Curried Onion with Fresh Dandelion Spring Farm Arugula and it was absolutely scrumptious! The publisher tried the Spinach, Ricotta, Roasted Garlic, and Bacon and was equally impressed. We’re looking forward to our next visit!
This recipe comes to us courtesy of Terra Optima Farm in Appleton. Their farm produces pasture raised pork, grass fed beef, chicken, and eggs, and their animals do not receive any unnecessary antibiotics or hormones. With a diet that consists of high quality grain and natural forage, Terra Optima animals move about freely outdoors all year.
image: joelens.blogspot.com
BBQ Pork Kabobs
Terra Optima Farm, Appleton
1 Tablespoon fennel seeds
1 Tablespoon black peppercorns
1 Tablespoon minced garlic
1 Tablespoon chopped onion
½ teaspoon salt
½ cup orange juice
2 Tablespoons olive oil
1 pound Terra Optima pork kabobs
Combine all spices, add juice and olive oil. Put meat in marinade in a plastic zip top bag and set aside to marinate for as long as time permits. Thread onto skewers and grill over a hot grill until done.
Elegant and impressive, this pastry-wrapped cheese hors d’oeuvre is actually a breeze to put together with purchased frozen puff pastry. You can make it using any 6-inch cheese with a rind, such as the lovely Maine-made Eleanor Buttercup (love that name!), a cow’s milk cheese from Hahn’s End in Phippsburg.
image: savoryreviews.com
Continue reading “Pastry-Wrapped Brie with Sage and Blueberry Vinegar” »
No matter how you fix it, Maine lobster is just plain good. These days my favorite is grilled. Maybe that is because my husband does all the work! Keep in mind that the lobster has to be killed before it is grilled, and if that’s not your thing, ask that it be done for you when the lobster is purchased.
Remove body and claws from lobster. Crack the claws and with a sharp knife, slit the belly of the tail through the middle. This allows the juices to seep into the shell and makes it very easy to remove the meat when the lobster is cooked.
Mix together softened butter and a selection of aromatic herbs such as herbes de Provence, basil, rosemary, tarragon.
Place each tail and lobster claw on a sheet of aluminum foil and generously dot with the butter mixture. Top with lemon slices. Seal the foil tightly and place on heated grill for 20 minutes, turning once.
To serve, unwrap the lobster and place with its juices on a large platter surrounded by corn on the cob and roasted potatoes and prepare to have your dinner companions moan with satisfaction.
This Mother’s Day, treat mom to something very special. On Sunday, May 8, join Savage Oakes Vineyard and Winery in conjunction with Sweetgrass Farm Winery and Distillery as they team up with Maine chocolatiers to offer you the best pairings of Maine wines, spirits, and chocolates.
image: urbanspoon.com Continue reading “Mother’s Day Wine and Chocolate Extravaganza” »
I consider this to be the best bread that there is. It gives the family a quick breakfast and is great year round.
Easter Bread
Brenda Erickson, Kitchen Memories: Recipe Paintings With a Taste of Art
Combine (a):
2 cakes yeast
½ cup lukewarm water
Combine (b):
1½ cups oatmeal
½ cup sugar
1 Tablespoon salt
½ cup shortening
½ cup raisins
3 cups scalded milk
7 to 7½ cups sifted flour
2 beaten eggs
½ cup sugar
3 Tablespoons cinnamon
Soften yeast in warm water (a).
Pour milk over (b) combined oatmeal, sugar, salt, shortening, and raisins which have been placed together in large bowl. Cool to lukewarm. Beat in half the flour, yeast, and eggs. Add remaining flour to make soft dough. Knead until smooth and elastic. Place in greased bowl, cover, and rise until double, about two hours. Punch down, cover, and rise again.
Divide dough into three parts; round each into a ball. Roll with rolling pin into rectangle. Combine cinnamon and ½ cup sugar. Sprinkle evenly over each rectangle. Roll up to form a loaf. Place in lightly greased bread pans with seam down. Cover and rise until double.
Bake 350° for 40-50 minutes.
Cooking hint: To keep milk form curdling when boiling, add a pinch of baking soda.
One of our renewed commitments here at Maine Food & Lifestyle magazine has been taking care of our health. This includes regular exercise and conscious eating habits. Looking for good alternatives to soda, we serendipitously received a phone call followed by samples in the mail of Green Bee All Natural Soda called Lemon Sting. A four-pack later, and we are hooked.
Lemon Sting is handcrafted with carbonated water, Maine honey, natural lemon juice, and rosemary. That’s it. No sugar. No high fructose corn syrup. No junk. We have to say it is ultimately refreshing, light, and delicious!
Inventor and founder of Green Bee Soda, Christopher Kinkade, was thinking about the declining bee populations and the serious consequences of colony collapse disorder when he had an “Aha” moment. Why don’t more products use honey instead of sugar as a sweetener? Honey’s amazing health benefits include vitamins, antioxidants, and enzymes, making it a natural choice.
Handcrafted and bottled in Brunswick, Maine, Green Bee is the first soda company ever to exclusively source its sweeteners from local, sustainable resources. It can be purchased in local natural food stores, fine restaurants, leading supermarkets, and gourmet shops. Check Green Bee’s website for a listing of where to buy Green Bee near you. We are fortunate that Good Tern Natural Foods in Rockland carries it!
It’s not to late to order that last minute gift for the person on your list who has everything. Give them the gift of Maine Food & Lifestyle magazine, a gift that will continue giving all year long with great recipes, local chef profiles, in-depth articles, and stunning photography.
Happy Holidays!
Give the gift of Maine’s only food magazine, and make someone smile this holiday season. We’ll include a gift letter stating this gift is from you, along with the recipient’s copy of the current issue to start them on their way.
Happy Holidays to you, your family, and your friends!
Melanie Hyatt & Jim Bazin
Sailed Around the World, and Recycled in Maine! Maine Food & Lifestyle magazine editor Melanie Hyatt doesn’t go anywhere without her new Sea Bag.
Issue Number 11 of Maine Food & Lifestyle pays homage to one of Maine’s finest coffee roasters, Rockland’s own Rock City Coffee. In preparing an article for this issue, we had the pleasure of working with Rock City’s owner and Master Coffee Roaster Patrick Reilley. Patrick brought his extensive knowledge and expertise in coffee roasting to Rockland, establishing Rockland’s now famous coffee roasting operation.
Patrick helped us organize and describe our coffees in a special coffee cupping we did at Rock City Coffee Roasters for this issue. This will always be a special memory to us, as it was not long after that Patrick lost his long struggle with cancer. Our sincerest condolences go out to his wife and business partner Suzanne Ward, their family, and many friends.
In our new issue, the article entitled “The Science of Coffee Cupping, ” we took a lesson from Rock City Roaster’s Yvonne Smith as she shared her knowledge, talents, and techniques with us. Yvonne had been hired by Patrick at Rock City back in 1998, and in 2005 she became his assistant roaster. Now Yvonne is an award-winning roaster in her own right.
L to R: Patrick Reilley, Yvonne Smith, Melanie Hyatt, Eric Hopkins
How do you prepare for a cupping and go about analyzing different samples? What are the variables to consider when evaluating different coffees? Just what is “slurping?” And is there such a thing as “bad coffee?” All this and more we answer for you in the new issue.
And as an added note, our From the Pantry column in this issue gives you a sampling of some of our favorite Maine roasted beans.
Get perky! Wake up and smell the coffee…and subscribe today!
We are lucky to live in an area saturated with great places to buy bread. There’s Standard Baking Company, stating the obvious. We have Miccuci’s making their own breads not to mention (yummy) pizza, and if you’re in my neck of the woods over the bridge, Scratch Baking Co. Many choices…I love the bagels at Scratch. But if you’re like me and buy more than you consume, you need ideas for leftovers. Well, I’ve come to rescue you from the depths of Moldy Bread Syndrome (it’s a serious problem, no known cure until now).
A savory option:
Continue reading “Daily Breads: Panzanella and Pecan Toffee Bread Pudding” »
Have you ever pondered the mysteries of how cheese is made? Do you like to make your own foods from scratch? Got a little time on your hands this winter and want to learn a new skill? Appleton Creamery is announcing a series of cheesemaking workshops to be held this winter at the farm in Appleton. 
Continue reading “Appleton Creamery Cheesemaking Workshops” »
I’ve got Gamay on my mind.
With Halloween officially over, I can start to mention Thanksgiving without feeling queasy. You know what I’m talking about, right? Walking into the store in June and going by the “seasonal” aisle with all the Halloween flare on all the shelves. I don’t want to be that guy.
Thanksgiving is my favorite holiday. Surprise? How can you not love a holiday that’s main focus is food and wine? I don’t know about you, but it’s the one day I don’t feel bad about opening a bottle around 10:30 in the morning; when I’m immersed in cooking, to de-glaze the pan of course (not to mention it helps when you have family around for the long haul).
Continue reading “Thanksgiving Wine Suggestions” »
On October 29, more than 40 local farms, restaurants, and culinary partners are teaming up to dish out the best treats, ever. Participating restaurants include Primo, Francine Bistro, Lily Bistro, and many more. Ingredients will include fish from the Port Clyde Fisherman’s Co-op, cheeses from Appleton Creamery, mushrooms from Oyster Creek Mushrooms, and fresh vegetables from Peacemeal Farm among others.
For $25, all of which supports NRCM’s work to protect Maine’s environment (and $10 of which is tax-deductible), you can savor an autumn evening with neighbors who love Maine’s environment and enjoy live music, Maine art, yummy local foods, and a cash bar featuring Maine wines, beers, gin, rum, and vodka. What better way to celebrate Maine’s bounty?
If you have questions, please contact Joyce Gracie at (207) 430-0128.
Participating farms and restaurants include:
| After the Fall Farm Montville |
Jess’s Market Rockland |
| Angelina’s Bakery Knox |
Lily Bistro Rockland |
| Appleton Creamery Appleton |
Maine-ly Poultry Warren |
| Atlantic Baking Company Rockland |
Market Basket Rockport |
| Belfast Co-op Belfast |
Meadowsweet Farm Swansville |
| Brae Maple Farm Union |
Monroe Cheese Studio Monroe |
| Brevetto/Sage Market Camden |
Mystique Chevre Waldoboro |
| Broken Acres Farm Jefferson |
Oyster Creek Mushroom Farm Damariscotta |
| Cellardoor Winery Lincolnville |
Paolina’s Way Camden |
| Cold River Vodka Freeport |
Peacemeal Farm Dixmont |
| Dandelion Spring Farm Washington |
Port Clyde Fisherman’s Co-op Rockland |
| Darby’s Restaurant Belfast |
Primo Rockland |
| Ephemere Camden |
Ravenswood Farm Union |
| Francine Bistro Camden |
Rolling Acres Farm Monroe |
| Good Tern Co-op Rockland |
Smith’s Log Smokehouse Monroe |
| Gratitude Food Waldo |
Spear Farm & Greenhouse Warren |
| Guini Ridge Farm Union |
Sweet Henry’s Belfast |
| Home Kitchen Café Rockland |
Sweets and Meats Rockland |
| Hubbard Brook Farm Unity |
Terra Optima Appleton |
| In Good Company Rockland |
Three Tides Belfast |
|
Whitefoot Farm Jefferson |
Gifford’s Ice Cream from Skowhegan, Maine made the news big time with a recent first-place showing in the World Dairy Expo contest in Wisconsin. By earning a perfect score, Gifford’s earned the bragging rights to having the “World’s Best Chocolate Ice Cream.”
Please, tell us Mainers something we don’t already know…
Read more about this in the Maine Sunday Telegram and in the Bangor Daily News.
Heron Hill Winery welcomes new Winemaker, October 15, 2009:
One of Long Island’s brightest shining stars is coming to the Finger Lakes. Heron Hill Winery is excited to announce the arrival of their new Winemaker, Bernard Cannac. Bernard is a renowned Winemaker, recently of Castello di Borghese. Continue reading “Heron Hill Winery Announces New Winemaker” »
