Escape Bar Harbor’s crowds in the Compass Harbor section of Acadia National Park

Hilary Nangle

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September 12, 2011

Escape Bar Harbor’s crowds in the Compass Harbor section of Acadia National Park

Shhhh, now don’t tell too many people about Compass Harbor, a lovely little, relatively unmarked section of Acadia National Park that’s an easy one mile stroll from downtown Bar Harbor, Maine. Whether you’re coming in on a cruise ship and simply want a little quiet time or are intown and trying to escape the shopping/ice cream-eating frenzy, this little ocean-side park provides respite.

With the promise of two or three cruise ships in town yesterday, and not wanting to get back into the car after having just arrived on island, we walked out Main Street (after grabbing two scoops—salt caramel and chocolate wasabi—at MDI Ice Cream, of course) to Compass Harbor. To find it, pass the YMCA fields and keep walking. The sidewalk continues, passing private driveways that lead to oceanfront cottages. The parking area for Compass Harbor is located on the oceanside of Route 3/Main Street, just after the Nannau Woods estate driveway. Look for a small patch of open dirt with perhaps a car or two and a small sign at the back indicating it’s part of the park.

Walk down the woods road or split off onto one of the side paths (all easy) that loop through this pocket part. At low tide, the gravel beach is quite inviting for a dip (for those who want to brave Maine ocean waters). At low tide, it’s also possible to walk out onto the point, a jumble of granite rocks, for expansive views over the Porcupine Islands, Breakwater, and distant mountains. Perfect place for a picnic.

But that’s not all that’s here: Walk the side trails, follow the stone steps, and you’ll discover the ruins of Acadia National Park co-founder George Dorr’s home. Not much to see, other that a bit of foundation, those steps, and brickwork, but an interesting find in the woods. The trails here do connect to the rest of the park via the Schooner Head trail, so you could take that for a bit of exploration, too. Or do as we did, just find a nice rock with a vista and have a Zen moment. Heaven!

New pool, spa, restaurant, and other renovations at Maine’s oceanfront Samoset Resort notch up its luxury status

Hilary Nangle

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August 31, 2011

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New pool, spa, restaurant, and other renovations at Maine’s oceanfront Samoset Resort notch up its luxury status

If you haven’t been to Maine’s Samoset Resort in a while, you’ll be amazed at the changes. I toured the oceanfront resort in Rockport, overlooking Penobscot Bay and adjacent to the Rockland Breakwater, with general manager Connie Russell, who showed off the recent improvements. He has a right to be proud. Many accommodations use the word resort, but few live up to it. The Samoset does.

Among the changes since my last visit:

• a new zero-entry pool: Dive in and savor the views of windjammers sailing by the Breakwater Light and golfers on the course; warm up on a chilly or foggy day in the large hot tub; have lunch at the Splash Pool Bar.

• the Flume Cottage, built on ledges at the ocean’s edge and with a hot tub on its oceanfront deck, plus three other one- and two-bedroom guest cottages clustered near the shorefront and on the golf course, all with spectacular views.

• La Bella Vita Restaurant, the new Mediterranean-themed dining area (replacing Marcel’s) is both casual and chic, it flows both internally and externally, with tables inside overlooking the deck, which in turn overlooks the golf course and ocean. For a special occasion, consider the glass-walled wine room. A daily happy hour features discounted drinks and tapas specials.

• Enoteca Wine Bar &Lounge, flows from the dining room indoors and patio outdoors. Grab a seat at the bar to watch chefs prepare antipasti platters or tend pizzas in the brick oven. (Hint: The Umbria piza, with wild mushrooms, asiago cream, truffle oil, and arugula is scrumptious; $11).

• The Spa at the Samoset, offering facials, massages, body treatments, and salon services as well as a small lounge and outdoor patio area.

• renovated lobby, with new deck (views!) and windowed nook. The main stairway has been moved back to its original location, making the space far more guest friendly.

• updated room decor: One of the best parts of the Samoset is that all the rooms are quite spacious and have at least ocean glimpses if not jaw-dropping views. Updating the decor is ongoing, but if you prefer a more modern look, ask for one of the rooms that’s received a facelift (personally, I prefer the traditional decor).

Other signature Samoset facilities and programs include the oceanfront 18-hole golf course (Not a golfer? The pro shop offers a 45-minute narrated cart tour that covers the resort’s history and highlights signature holes); the health club with indoor pool; lawn equipped with croquet, shuffleboard, volleyball, tetherball, etc; and summer children’s programs.

As always, the best deals are the packages.

Fez, Portland’s new Somalian-Moroccan Restaurant dishes out authentic flavors

Hilary Nangle

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August 18, 2011

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Fez, Portland’s new Somalian-Moroccan Restaurant dishes out authentic flavors

On a lark, I had lunch at Fez, Portland, Maine’s, new Somalian-Moroccan Restaurant on Washington Avenue. Loved it! That’s the short story, now let me tell you the rest of it.

My plan was to eat at Silly’s, one of my favorite cheap-but-damn-good-eats spots, but I landed a parking space in front of Fez. So I took a look in the door, and was quickly welcomed inside. I asked to see a menu, and at first glance, it appeared to be heartier fare, more appropriate for dinner than lunch. Then a woman seated at a table pointed to her falafel salad and said it was really good. Okay, sold.

And how. One taste, and I was planning my return. In a former life, I pursued a graduate degree in Middle Eastern studies, and during that time, I learned what falafel should taste like. This was it. Falafel at its most basic is deep-fried chickpeas, but getting the seasoning and textures right can be a challenge. All too often it’s dry and virtually tasteless. No so Fez’s version, which is served on a salad of greens with tomatoes dressed with an herbed tahini dressing that enhanced the flavors. Hands down, this was the best falafel I’ve had in Maine.

Fez is in the space that previously was occupied by Hamdi. The L-shaped front room is kind of diveish, it’s small, with a no-frills decor: a handful of banquet-style tables and chairs (the small vase of fresh flowers on each is a nice touch), a soda cooler, sink, and open window to the small kitchen. Two more rooms are stocked with specialty grocery items. Out back is a nice, fenced-inn patio area with umbrella-covered tables.

Hinda, one of the owners, sat down and chatted with me for a few minutes. She’s especially outgoing, engaging in easy conversation with strangers. She came to Portland from Somalia about 15 years ago and is now a U.S. citizen. We talked about the famine and lawless situation in her homeland. She still has family there, who she supports and hopes will be able to join her here some day.

Hindi’s a talented—and passionate—self-trained cook (she makes the falafel). She says she serves a what she considers a normal-sized portion: There’s too much food waste in the world. And too many people going hungry. If diners want more, I’ll give them more. She simply doesn’t want to throw good food away. That may be true, but my salad was listed as an appetizer, and it easily sufficed for my lunch. ($6.25, by the way).

Her biz partner, Abraham, (strictly biz, each is married and has a family) is Moroccan and a trained chef. He strode into the restaurant carrying a couple of large bags, while I was eating my salad. “Here, have some bread,” he said, placing a large piece of fresh bread on a plate in front of me. “Usually we make it here,” he said, “but we ran out. This is homemade by someone locally.” I eagerly used it to sop up what was left of the dressing on my plate. Later, I peered through the kitchen window and watched Abraham dance with knives, pans, and fire as he prepared a more elaborate lunch for three other customers

When I return—and I will—I might opt for a special (today’s was tilapia sauteed in garlic, olive oil, cilantro, and lemon sauce, $9.95) or the lamb tagine, tender lamb slow cooked in a saffron sauce served with dolphin potatoes ($12.95) or maybe the hilib ari, pieces of goat meat (on bone) slow cooked with onion and cilantro, served with basmati rice and a banana ($10.95). Kebabs also are on the menu.

While I’ll miss Hamdi, it’s nice to know goat meat hasn’t disappeared from this stretch of Washington Avenue, a pocket of entrepreneurial immigrant-owned few-if-any-frills restaurants delivering tastes of their home countries at wallet-friendly prices.

Fisherman’s Inn Restaurant in Winter Harbor, Maine, shares recipes for Thai-style mussels and finnan haddie

Hilary Nangle

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August 16, 2011

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Fisherman’s Inn Restaurant in Winter Harbor, Maine, shares recipes for Thai-style mussels and finnan haddie

Restaurants come and go in Winter Harbor, Maine, but Carl and Kathy Johnson’s Fisherman’s Inn stood the test of time. Although closed (now, the family operates a hot dog/lobster roll cart on the site), it served fresh and local fare since long before it was the trendy thing to do.

Carl, who trained at the Culinary Institute of America, is the chef, but he’s also the brains behind Grindstone Neck of Maine, located just up the street. That operation produces some of the state’s best smoked seafood (and a divine smoked blue cheese).

It’s no surprise that seafood was the specialty at Fisherman’s Inn, both traditional fare (including finnan haddie, a special, recipe below), or more spicy versions with a South East Asian twist (see Carl’s recipe for spicy Thai-style mussels, below). The latter is thanks to the Johnsons spending many winters volunteering in Thailand. They’re dedicated to getting involved at the grassroots level, cutting out middlemen, and seeing through projects such as bringing fresh water to a village.

Finnan Haddie Fisherman’s Inn

serves 2-4

1 lb. Cold smoked haddock (Grindstone Neck of Maine’s is our favorite)
2 c. 1/2 & 1/2 cream
3 Tbs. Butter
3 Tbs. Flour
shredded sharp cheddar (State of Maine Cheese Co. brand)

Poach haddock in cream for 4 minutes
Remove haddock and save cream
Cook butter and flour together over low heat, without browning, for 2 minutes, to make a roux
Add reserved cream to roux, whip together quickly to avoid lumps.
Bring to simmer and season with salt and white pepper.
Add poached haddock in bite size pieces.
Place in a buttered casserole and top with shredded sharp cheddar
Bake in 450 f oven until browned and bubbly.

Maine Mussels in Yellow Thai Curry, Fisherman’s Inn

serves 2

4 lbs. Maine Mussels, cleaned and debearded
2 oz. Vegetable Oil
4 Tbs. Garlic, chopped
2 Thai Chilis, chopped

Cook mussels in oil/garlic/chili till shells are shiny, ADD:

2+ Tbs. Yellow Thai Curry Paste
6-7 oz. Coconut Milk
2 large Limes, juiced
2 Tbs. Thai Fish sauce
2-3 Tbs. Brown Sugar

Cook mussels in seasoned coconut milk until opened.
Remove mussels from broth, taste broth, adjust seasonings, and reduce till broth coats the shells as desired.
Pour over mussels.
Serve with fresh lime wedges and sliced scallions as garnish.

Notes from a Maine Kitchen celebrates seasonally available Maine ingredients, anchoring recipes with a sense of place

Hilary Nangle

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August 6, 2011

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Notes from a Maine Kitchen celebrates seasonally available Maine ingredients, anchoring recipes with a sense of place

Talk about perfect timing: A review copy of Notes from a Maine Kitchen: Seasonally Inspired Recipes, by Kathy Gunst, arrived in the mail at the same time my local produce stand was brimming with possibilities.

Experiencing Maine is as much about plate as it is about place. The state has developed a national reputation for its farm-to-table fare. Farmers markets, farm stands, and humble honor bars salt the landscape and food festivals—from lobster to blueberries, chowder or bean-hole bean suppers to harvest fairs—pepper events calendars. Gunst understands this. She writes:

“These days Maine is a major culinary destination, and not only because of lobster. While this is not a book about restaurants or chefs, what inspired me to write this book is how the climate of the food world here has changed dramatically. The local, sustainable food movement is alive and strong, making Maine a place where good local food abounds. Be it wild ramps or fiddleheads, amazing cheeses, crusty breads, smoked local salmn, Maine-grown wheat, berries, and so much more.”

She shares recipes for all of those, and so much more. A renowned food writer (author 14 cookbooks, Resident Chef on PBS series Here & Now, recipient of IACP and James Beard nominees), Gunst live in southern Maine and knows Maine food. In this book, she shares her knowledge, providing recipes as well as insights (her essay Hunger in Maine is a must read), stories, facts, and trivia.

It’s the recipes highlighting seasonal Maine foods that snagged my attention. She provides snappy versions of Maine classics, such as a lobster roll, but also encourages cooks to get creative, with preparations such as Latin-style lobster (recipe below).

Chapters cover the months, and as I perused through, a few that caught my eye were: Maine Crab Cakes; Rich Dark-Chocolate Tart with Maine Sea Salt (listed in February…as if I’m going to wait that long to make it!); Fried Eggs in Olive Oil with Fresh Chive Oil Drizzle; Ginger Shortcakes with Local Strawberries and Lemon Cream; Filet of Sole with Slivered Almonds, Capers and Whole Lemon Slices; Cold Cucumber Soup with Mint, Dill, and Lemon (recipe below). And those are drawn only from the January through July chapters.

August is devoted to lobster, including the a lobster and corn chowder and an intriguing (if somewhat intimidating) Angry Lobster (a name likely derived from the preparation). And when fresh corn is abundant, recipes for Maple Breakfast Corn Fritters (recipe below) and Fresh Corn-Cracked, Pepper-Scallion Cornbread are begging. Since I love making potato-leek soup, her version with sharp cheddar cheese and a chive-walnut-cheddar swirl is on my fall must-make list.

Truth is, I’m a cookbook collector. I have way, way too many on my shelves. I usually use them for inspiration, only a handful I keep within reach and actually follow the step-by-step instructions. Gunst’s book, Notes from a Maine Kitchen, will be one of those.

Latin-Style Lobster Salad

As much as I’m a purist when it comes to eating lobster, this salad — flavored with fresh corn, lime, and avocado — is delicious and refreshing served as a summer lunch or light dinner. All the fresh flavors, colors, and textures work well with the lobster meat. Serve with warm biscuits, French bread, or tortillas. The salad can be made, covered, and refrigerated, several hours ahead of time.

Serves 2-4

1 cup cooked lobster meat, cut into small cubes

1 cup fresh raw corn kernels, shucked off the cob of 2 or 3 ears of corn

1/2 ripe (but not overly ripe) avocado, cubed

juice of 1 large lime

1 tablespoon olive oil

salt and freshly ground black pepper

1 dash hot pepper sauce

tender butter lettuce leaves

In a medium-size bowl, gently mix the lobster, corn, avocado, lime juice, oil, salt, pepper, and a dash of hot pepper sauce; season to taste. Scoop the salad in the lettuce leaves and serve with any of the accompaniments listed above.

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Cold Cucumber Soup with Mint, Dill, and Lemon

On a steamy summer day this is ideal cooling food. The soup is whirled in a blender or food processor and can be made in less than fifteen minutes. Chill for several hours (or overnight) and serve with chopped cucumber, dill, mint, and drizzle of lemon oil. Warm pita triangles make a nice accompaniment.

Makes about 4 cups; serves 4 to 6

1.5 pounds cucumbers, peeled, seeded, and chopped

1/4 cup fresh dill

1/4 cup fresh mint

1 cup low-fat milk or buttermilk

1 cup sour cream or low-fat plain yogurt

salt and freshly ground black pepper

1 dash hot pepper sauce

1 tablespoon lemon-flavored olive oil, plus more for garnishing drizzle, or 1 tablespoon olive oil plus 1/2 teaspoon grated lemon zest, optional

For the garnish

1 cup cucumber (peeped, seeded and finely chopped) mixed with 2 tablespoons finely chopped dill and 2 tablespoons finely chopped mint

drizzle of lemon olive oil or olive oil mixed with touch of grated lemon zest, optional

In the container of a food processor or blender, add the cucumbers, dill, mint, milk, and sour cream or yogurt and process until blended, but not totally smooth. Add the salt, pepper, and hot pepper sauce to taste, and drizzle in the olive oil (and lemon zest) if using. Place in a bowl or jar and chill for several hours.

Serve ice cold sprinkled with cucumber-mint-dill garnish m ixture and a drizzle of oil.

(TIP: To seed a cucumber, simply cut it in half lengthwise and use a spoon to scoop out the seeds in the middle)

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Maple Breakfast Corn Fritters

This recipe makes a sweet fritter by adding maple syrup to the batter (and omitting the herbs and scallions) and serving the finished fritters with maple syrup. Either way, you want to use really fresh corn.

Makes about ten small fritters; serves 3 or 4

1/2 cup flour

1 pinch salt

1/2 teaspoon baking powder

1/4 cup milk

1 large egg, slightly beaten

2 tablespoons maple syrup, plus syrup for serving

2 cups fresh corn kernels cut off 2 or 3 cobs

3 tablespoons vegetable oil

warm maple syrup for serving

In a large bowl, sift the flour, salt, and baking powder. Add the milk and whisk until smooth. Beat in the egg and maple syrup and then gently mix in the corn.

In a large skillet, heat the oil over moderately high heat. Drop 2 to 3 tablespoons of batter into the hot oil and cook 2 to 3 minutes on each side, or until golden brown. Serve hot, with a small pitcher of maple syrup on the side.

Dip into Maine’s logging heritage at the Ambajejus Boom House

Hilary Nangle

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July 31, 2011

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Dip into Maine’s logging heritage at the Ambajejus Boom House

If you get a sample of what it really was like during the hey day of Maine’s Great Age of Logging, make plans to visit the Ambajejus Boom House, on Ambajejus Lake, near Millinocket and Baxter State Park.

It’s been more than 40 years since Maine’s last logging drive, more than 40 years since trees felled in the northern forests were cut into four-foot lengths and floated down rivers such as the Kennebec and Penobscot to the lakes below. There, they’d be corralled and chained into boom bags, each holding between 3,500 and 5,000 cords of pulpwood, and towed onward by boat. If it weren’t for Chuck Harris, the Ambajejus Boom House likely would have been lost to history.

Ambajejus Boom House history

Ambajejus Boom House & River Driving Museum ©Hilary Nangle

Sited northwest of Millinocket, where the West Branch of the Penobscot River flows into Ambajejus Lake, this National Historic Register-listed property is the only structure remaining from the West Branch drives. Its heritage as a shelter for river drivers and boom workers dates back to 1835.

“This one was built in 1907 and transported across the ice in three sections,” says Harris, the self-appointed caretaker. It remained in use until the last West Branch log drive in 1971.

Harris is a soft-spoken man who has river water running through his veins. He’s worked in Maine’s woods and rivers since he was 18, first as a deck hand on a tow boat on the Chesuncook Lake drives, later on the Kennebec drives, and then for Great Northern Paper.

When the drives ended, he helped clean the waterways, salvaging lost boom logs and dri-ki or driftwood with foreman Harold Kidney, who lived in the camp adjacent to the boom house. One weekend Harris and Kidney returned to the boom house to find the windows broken. “Vandals had made a mess of the property, so we boarded it up,” Harris says.

Labor of love

Former river driver Chuck Harris on site at the Ambajejus Boom House — Credit former river driver Chuck Harris for saving and restoring the Ambajejus Boom House. ©Hilary Nangle

The boom house remained boarded until Harris began repairing it in the mid- to late-1980s. “I knew it was on the National Historic Register, and I’d had it in the back of my mind for a while to fix it into a museum, so the history wouldn’t be lost,” he says.

He’s since replaced all the windows, painted it, replaced bunks that had been burned, and rebuilt the lakefront log restraining wall. “I spent summer after summer working for nothing, I was never paid for being a watchman, it was a labor of love, but it worked.”

To counter vandalism, Harris stopped locking the door. “Out here in the woods, if someone wants in, they’ll just bust down the door,” he says. “In the last 10 years, nothing’s really been harmed.” Now property owner Brookfield Power sends crews to help with repairs, including most recently leveling the building and rebuilding the porch.

Breathing new life into the Ambajejus Boom House

Artifacts fill the interior of the boom house and river drivng museum — Visitors may tour the boom house interior. ©Hilary Nangle

Harris didn’t simply save the boom house, he also outfitted the shed, kitchen, main room, and upstairs bunkrooms with artifacts. “When I worked around the dams and lakes, I had the opportunity to go into old barns and boom houses and collect old tools,” he says. “I had a little shack, and I kept saving things.”

He went to local libraries and researched the history, enlarged old photos, and created signage explaining the purpose and often heritage of the items on display. And he used his artistic background to make paintings of different boom houses and structures associated with the drives. Visitors who take the time to examine the exhibits and read the explanations leave with a solid understanding of Maine’s log-driving heritage.

Artifacts fill the interior of the boom house and river driving museum

“Lumbering here made Bangor the lumber capitol of the world at one time, it also made Great Northern Paper one of the best papermakers in the world, and this is how it got started, driving logs down the river,” Harris says.

He saved the Ambajejus Boom House to educate a younger generation about what their forefathers did and what the area is all about. He’s dedicated it to the men he worked with who didn’t have a chance to tell their story.

“Many died on the drives. For every man lost working the woods, 10 drowned on the drive,” he says. ” There was no safety equipment back then. A lot of the old timers I worked with couldn’t even swim.”

River drivers and cowboys

Upstairs bunk room in the Ambajejus Boom House

Harris doesn’t guide people through the boom house, but he’s often on site, either working on the house or building a birchbark canoe. He’ll answer questions from those who’ve taken the time to go through the house and read the signage. Sometimes he’ll relate stories from his experiences or passed down from other river men.

“Cowboys are nothing but river drivers on horseback,” Harris says. “When the logs jammed during the drive, sometimes there would be hundreds of cords piled up on rocks. You’d have to get it moving again, then jump back in a boat and get out of the way. If it happened in a gorge, a man would be lowered down with a rope tied around his waist carrying about a six-foot stick with dynamite tied to the end. He’d jam that into the jam, and get hauled out of there before she blew.”

And like cowboys, after a drive, many river men would head to Bangor. “They’d be broke within a month, just like the cowboys off a cattle drive. They’d whooped it up, spent the money, and be back on the drive again.”

Visiting the Maine Boom Houses

Katahdin dwarfs the Ambajejus boom House. Credit: Hilary Nangle — Katahdin dwarfs the Ambajejus boom House. ©Hilary Nangle

Ambajejus Boom House is one of two Maine Boom Houses Harris has restored. The other is the Chesuncook Boom House, which is accessible by road.

There is no admission fee to visit, but Harris is mighty appreciative of those who “slip a dollar or two into the donation box. Every little bit helps,” he says, as there is no fund dedicated to preserving this historic Maine site.

Access to the Ambajejus Boom House is by boat. Experienced paddlers with their own boats can put in at the public landing on Spencer Cove, across from the Big Moose Inn, approximately 8 miles northwest of Millinocket via the Baxter State Park Road; an alternative is to arrange a shuttle and put in at the bridge on Grant Brook Road and paddle downstream to the house, then take-out at the public landing. The trip is not advisable via canoe or kayak on a windy day.

The Big Moose Inn, Cabin & Campground offers a two-hour pontoon boat cruise to the Ambajejus Boom House; call for details. It also offers canoe and kayak rentals.

Guided paddles can be arranged through the New England Outdoor Center. Rates vary with number of paddlers.

A canoe docked in front of the boom house — You can get to the boom house by canoe, but that trip is best left to experienced paddlers as winds can come up suddenly on the lake. ©Hilary Nangle

Miyake’s new restaurant in Portland, Maine, is a perfect backdrop for the master’s cuisine

Hilary Nangle

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July 22, 2011

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Miyake’s new restaurant in Portland, Maine, is a perfect backdrop for the master’s cuisine

Miyake has barely been in its new location in the Portland Harbor Hotel building on Fore Street for a week, but judging from my lunch there earlier this week, Chef Masa Miyake and his staff are already feeling at home. I met two friends (a food writer and a newly minted culinary school grad) there for lunch, and between us, we sampled a small, but representative, selection of the fare, although none of us opted for the tasting menus. Nor did we imbibe from the wine, beer, and sake menu, a new addition with this space (previously, Miyake was BYOB).

Let’s start with the space. It’s chic, sophisticated, sleek, and comfortable, decorated in earthy tones heavy on charcoal and natural woods. The tables are set with stoneware accents and chopsticks rest on small stones. Chairs are supportive and comfortable. Adornments are few; the patterned ceiling adds texture without being obtrusive. It’s a down-to-business decor that tells diners (or at least me) they’re in the right place for a serious food experience, a restaurant that’s in the hands of a professional who values local and natural and understands that simplicity can be complex.

That decor complements the fare. Chef Masa Miyake skillfully blends techniques and flavors gained from his background cooking in New York and Tokyo in Italian and French restaurants when creating his style of Japanese cuisine. The results are unexpected pairings, innovative ideas, shockingly fresh, and unquestionably delicious.

I kept it simple, ordering a luncheon special that came with the daily miso soup, a house salad (mixed greens and vegetables topped with a homemade miso dressing), and the salmon lady ($15). My friends began with the marinated salmon (thinly sliced raw salmon served with capers, mustard vinaigrette and obba; $12), hamayaki (local lobster,crab,and scallop on sushi rice and coated in spicy mayonnaise; $10); and ceviche (Japanese snapper diced and tossed in lemon, lime juice, cilantro, truffle oil and obba, rolled in a soy aper wrap with tobiko and radish sprouts; $18. Presentation on each was superb, with ceramic and stoneware plates that enhanced the artistic assembly of each.

We did a bit of tasting and sharing, so I quickly realized my salmon lady Miyake-style roll was kind of an introductory choice. While I enjoyed it, it didn’t have the finesse or complexity of the ceviche Miyake-style roll. The flavors of the ceviche were as complicated and yet harmonious as the jazz playing softly in the background, they danced over my tastebuds, developing and changing as they touched the varied triggers: sweet, salty, sour, bitter, and umami.

Bottom line: I loved the space and the food, and my palette (which is, honestly, rather unsophisticated, especially when it comes to Japanese fare) got an education. Now I’m saving up so I can splurge on one of the tasting menus ($35 four-course vegetarian; $50 five-course, add$35 for sake pairing, $50 for wine pairing; seven-course $75 or seven-course chi-muuwa-ku $90, add $45 for sake pairing, $65 for wine pairing). I suggest you treat yourself, too.

10 ways to escape the heat in Maine

Hilary Nangle

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July 21, 2011

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We’re looking at a few days of scorching heat, at least by Maine standards. Keep that in mind: It IS worse elsewhere. And many of those other places aren’t rich with nature’s natural coolers: mountains, lakes, ponds, rivers, streams, and miles upon miles of oceanfront. Here’s where to escape the heat in Maine.

1. Hit the beach

Hint: If you’re going to spend the day at one of Maine’s beaches, go early to stake your claim on a patch of sand. It’s easy to find the beaches along Maine’s Southern Coast: From York through Old Orchard, sand beaches line the shore. Beyond that, they’re a bit more elusive but do exist.

Try the Maine State Parks: Crescent Beach, in Cape Elizabeth, Scarborough Beach (a.k.a. Jordan’s), Popham Beach on the Phippsburg Peninsula, Reid on the Georgetown Peninsula, Birch Point in Owls Head (a.k.a. Lucia Beach), Lamoine, and Roque Bluffs, which also has a pond, near Machias.

Town ocean beaches include Pemaquid Beach Park, Laite Beach in Camden, Lincolnville Beach, Sandy Point in Stockton Springs, Mowry Beach in Lubec. There’s Sand Beach (see photo) in Acadia National Park. And then there are the local secrets, the little pocket beaches that niche the coastline, and the private ones that allow day trippers.

2. Whitewater rafting

What better way to stay cool than to spend the day on one of Maine’s dam-controlled whitewater rivers yiii-hah! The Kennebec is the classic trip, the Penobscot flows through some of Maine’s most spectacular scenery near Baxter State Park and Mount Katahdin, and the Dead River is anything but Dead. Try Northern Outdoors for the Kennebec or Dead and New England Outdoor Center for the Penobscot. Another resource is Raft Maine.

3. Jump in a lake

There are so many possibilities I can’t even begin to list them. Begin with the Maine State Parks listings if you want a park with services. If you simply want water, get out your DeLorme (You have one, right? If not, get one). The entire state is mapped in book format, and all waterways and access points are marked.)

4. Go boating

Almost every coastal Maine town with a harbor has at least one sail, fishing, whale/puffin-watching, lighthouse-viewing, lobster-catching excursion boat. And most of its larger lakes have excursion boats (Rangeley Lake, Moosehead Lake, Long Lake). Catch an island-bound ferry. Or can ride along on the Casco Bay Lines Mail Boat out of Portland. Trips can vary from one hour to all day. Even easier, rent a canoe or kayak, motor or rowboat, and explore a pond or lake.

5. View cool art in an air-conditioned museum

Chill with the art at any of the museums along the Maine Art Museum Trail: Bates College Museum of Art (Lewiston), Bowdoin College Museum of Art (Brunswick), Colby College Museum of Art (Waterville), Farnsworth Art Museum (Rockland), Ogunquit Museum of American Art (Ogunquit), Portland Museum of Art (Portland), and University of Maine Museum of Art (Bangor).

6. Go island hopping

Hop a ferry and head to Peaks from Portland; to Eagle Island from either Portland or South Freeport, to Monhegan from Boothbay Harbor, New Harbor, or Port Clyde; to Vinalhaven or North Haven from Rockland.

7. Zip down a mountain

Swing through the trees Tarzan style (well, not quite, it’s more of a controlled zoom) at either Sunday River and Sugarloaf. Both have zipline parks, and the Rivah also has a lift-accessed mountain bike park, with 30 trails covering more than 20 miles of downhill terrain.

8. Explore a garden

Cool breezes, lovely plants, shady groves, and for some, a seaside location. Top picks: Coastal Maine Botanical Gardens, Boothbay; Thuya Garden, Northeast Harbor, and inland, the woodland garden at McLaughlin Garden.

9. Seek refuge by a waterfall

Nothing finer than soaking in a rock pool at the base of a waterfall, and Maine has plenty of them. Easily accessible ones include Small’s Falls, off Route 4 about 12 miles south of Rangeley, and Screw Auger Falls in Grafton Notch State Park. If you’re willing to hike in the heat, there are plenty more. A good bet is Poplar Falls, in Carrabassett Valley, which is off a side trail from the Maine Huts Trail and close to the Poplar Falls Hut.

10. Berries! Lobster! Ice cream!

My solution to the it’s-too-hot-to-cook dog days of summer: Lots of Maine food.

Late July/early August means berry season, and depending upon where you are, possibilities include strawberries, raspberries, blackberries, and blueberries. Farmstands and farmers markets can be found throughout Maine, and there are also plentiful enterprising folks who set up roadside tables and honor bars.

Find a coastal Maine lobster shack, not a fancy one, but a bare-bones one where you can dress down in shorts and even go barefoot.

Top it all off with a Maine-made ice cream. You’ll find stands statewide. Sure, you can get outta-state products here, including those corporate Vermont flavors, but trust me, the local products are far superior, creamier, tastier, and come in even more creative flavors than national companies could even contemplate. If you can’t find a small shop, look for one of the bigger Maine-made ice creams, such as Giffords and Round Top.

IMPORTANT NOTE: Please! If you’re traveling with your dog, DO NOT UNDER ANY CIRCUMSTANCES LEAVE HIM/HER IN YOUR VEHICLE ON A SUMMER DAY, and ESPECIALLY ON A HOT SUMMER DAY. Thank you. Consider this a PSA from my dogs, Bernie and Dooley.

Nibbles and bites in South Portland, Maine: Taco Trio and Scratch Baking Co.

Hilary Nangle

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July 20, 2011

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Psst: Seeking Maine’s best bagels? Hankering for a taste of the Southwest? Mosey over the Casco Bay Bridge to South Portland (SoPo, if you’re feeling trendy), and check out these two spots.

Scratch Baking Co: Bagels! Getting decent bagels in Maine is a challenge (whenever New York friends visit, they know the perfect hostess gift is bagels and whitefish), but this artisan bakery on Willard Square makes the state’s best. Now Scratch’s bagels aren’t typical New York style, they’re chewy and crusty and made from a sourdough starter but oh! my! are they delicious.

Try the sea salt flavor. And while the bagels are why I went, on the advice of a friend, I also purchased their English muffins, which put store-bought ones to shame. And I greedily eyed the croissants and breads and sweets in the case. Next time. My only complaint is that you can’t get the bagels or muffins toasted at the bakery, although the staff will cut them and you can purchase cream cheese. Minor quibble. Note: Go midweek if you can, this place is no secret and it draws crowds on the weekends.

Taco Trio: A friend introduced me to this recently opened Mexican outpost in South Portland’s Knightville section. Judging from reviews I’ve seen posted elsewhere, I don’t think I hit it on a good day. Since the name is Taco Trio and the tacos are priced at $3.50 each or any three for $9, I opted for the trio, ordering the carnitas (seared pork), pescado (battered fish with vegetables en escabeche–slaw, and lime sour cream-mayo), and the day’s special, chicken mole. All came in double soft corn tortillas with onions and cilantro. While the flavors were good, both the pork and the chicken ones were on the dry side. Just add salsa, right? Not so fast.

Taco Trio makes its own salsas and has a salsa bar. Now, every every taco order comes with chips and choice of one salsa, additional salsa are $1 each for a two-ounce portion. That might work for a single taco, but the policy holds for the taco trio. So, while you think you’re getting a bargain, you’re not. If you want to match each taco with an complementary salsa, you have to dish out an additional $2 for two more choices (which brings that $9 order to $11, whereas if you order single tacos, three with salsa are $10.50). My friend wanted a bit of sour cream to calm down the spiciness of her order, and she had to pay $1 for it. That’s just wrong.

A day aboard America’s oldest working schooner: Rockland Parade of Sail and the recipe for Italian Sausage Soup

Hilary Nangle

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July 19, 2011

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A day aboard America’s oldest working schooner: Rockland Parade of Sail and the recipe for Italian Sausage Soup

I had the good fortune to sail aboard American’s oldest active commercial schooner, the Lewis R. French, during the Maine Windjammer Association’s annual Parade of Sail by Rockland Breakwater Lighthouse. At the helm as we sailed out of Camden was the youngest captain in the fleet, Garth Wells

Garth purchased the French in 2003 after having crewed on it for five years. “Its’a nice way to make a living, working for myself,” he says. “It’s very busy during the summer, but this is what I do, and whenever I start to complain, I look around,” he says, gesturing to the waters of Penobscot Bay. He owns the boat with his wife, Jenny Tobin, also a captain, although these days she tends to their young son.

Launched in 1871 in Christmas Cove, Maine, the French has always been home-ported on the Maine Coast. “It was built in South Bristol by French Brothers,” Garth explains, adding that he’s the 14th documented owner of the vessel. The 64-foot long coasting schooner is now a National Historic Landmark. It carried freight along the coast until 1971, then was converted to carry up to 21 passengers, and relaunched in 1973.

Sailing aboard the French is a dream. There is no noisy engine; 3,000 feet of sail do the job (assisted by an able crew and willing passengers, who help raise the sails). While this year there was only a whisper of wind, it was enough to keep the windjammers gently moving. If you’re unable to escape for three- to six-day sail aboard a windjammer, the best location for viewing the annual Parade of Sail is from the Rockland Breakwater. Other possibilities are day-trip sailboats and even the Vinalhaven or North Haven ferries, if you time it right.

One of the highlights of sailing aboard a Maine windjammer is the food. Hearty meals are prepared using the galley woodstove, and on the day I sailed, the captain’s favorite was served: A delicious Italian sausage soup (thick enough to earn the designation stew), accompanied by boat-made rosemary bread, tomato-basil-mozzarella salad, and peanut-butter bars. No one goes hungry on a windjammer.

Here’s the recipe (this is enough to feed a full windjammer, you might want to cut the ingredients proportionately or better yet, make it all and freeze some for later):

The Schooner Lewis R. French’s Italian Sausage Soup

Ingredients

5 lbs sweet or hot (or mix) Italian sausage

12 cloves minced garlic (1/2 cup)

4 large onions

5 cans (28 ox) Italian-style tomatoes

5 cans beef stock (8-10 cups beef boullion)

9 tablespoons fresh parsley

1 cup dry red wine

3-6 teaspoons basil

2 bell peppers, chopped

3 small zucchini, chopped

1 package uncooked bow-tie pasta

grated Parmigian cheese

Directions

• Remove and discard sausage casings and break meat into pieces

• In large soup pot, saute sausage, garlic, and onion in small amount of stock until sausage is browned

• Drain in colander to remove grease, rinse, and return ingredients to stock pot

• Add tomatoes, stock, wine, parsley, and basil

• Simmer for 45 minutes or so, stirring occasionally

• Add zucchini and bell peppers

• Simmer for another 20 minutes or so

• About 30 minutes before serving, stir in the pasta and cook until tender.

• Serve with grated Parmigian cheese