Frenchboro news

Lots of new doings in Frenchboro, a fishng village on Long Island, eight miles off Mt. Desert.

• First things first, the date of this year’s Lobster Festival: Saturday, Aug. 8, 2009. The Maine State Ferry service makes  a special run that day for visitors to take part in the festivities and enjoy a lobster dinner, served 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. All proceeds benefit the Outer Long Island Congregational Church.

• The Frenchboro Bakery: Baked goods (biscotti, whoppie pies, cookies), jams and jellies, and handmade chocolates (truffles! caramels, filled chocolates, English toffee).

• The Offshore Store and More: The basics and then some, including brownies, stews, lobster rolls, sandwiches, homemade pies, live lobsters (cooked at no charge) and more. Also a rental cottage.

Of course, Lunt’s Dockside Deli (a treasure)  is still going strong, and I  highly recommend taking Kim Strauss’s  Morning Lunch Cruise to Frenchboro, departing from Bass Harbor, as a perfect way top sample the island.

How sweet it is

What could be better than a luscious, ripe, local strawberry? How about one hand-dipped in 70-percent dark chocolate? One week only, July 5-11, Dean’sSweets is dipping strawberries daily. Now I don’t know why anyone would want one dipped in white chocolate (there’s an oxymoron for you), but Dean’sSweets also is dipping strawberries in that. Quanities are limited, so if you can’t get there early, it’s best to call to see if there any still available on a given day.

Nibbles and bites along the south coast

Beyond the extremes of the White Barn Inn and the Loco Poco’s, I grazed my way through a couple of other Kennebunk/K’port restaurants (both siblings of the White Barn) and a fish and lobster joint in Wells.

Given that White Barn Inn chef Jonathan Cartwright oversees the empire, I expected both Grissini and Stripers to be excellent, and I wasn’t disappointed. Note: In both cases, they knew I was coming, so take that into consideration.

First stop, Stripers at the Breakwater Inn. Although only a few years old, the dining room and lounge area were renovated for this season. The bar, previously on the street side, was moved to the river side. A wall of windows separates it from a deck, with more seating. On the other side, the back wall is actually a 500-gallon acquarium, which helps set the mood. Fittingly, we watched anglers casting lines in the river as we sipped wine and nibbled on a few choices.

This was only the first or second night of serving a new bar menu, and the place was empty. Service, as would be expected given the lack of crowds, was excellent. We split orders of crabcakes (moist and delicious) and—are you ready—lobster poutine. Yup, you read that right. French fries smothered in lobster sauce and sprinkled with cheese curd from Smiling Hill Farm. And yes, it was as decadent, rich, gooey, and delicious as it sounds. It could have achieved perfection if the fries had been just a bit crispier.

Next, we waddled over to Grissini, but instead of dining upstairs (a gold-toned room anchored by a walk-in stone fireplace and an open kitchen with woodburning overn), we headed down to Grotta, the fireplaced lounge in the basement level. Unlike Stripers, both the restaurant and lounge here were hopping. The lounge was noisy—not the place for a quiet dinner, but then it’s not meant to be.

Grissini specializes in Tuscan cuisine. We split an appetizer order of capesante: pan-seared scallops paired with celeriac puree, cucumber, red onion salad, honey vinaigrette, and mint oil. Wow! That just danced off the tastebuds; fabulous. We also split a small mushroom pizza, which has to be one of the best deals in the K’bunks. This $8 pizza was a meal in itself, a thin, thin, crispy crust topped with sauce, a heavenly fontina, and abundant mushrooms. We ended up taking half of it to go for lunch the next day.

Two days later, we feasted at Fisherman’s Catch, on the Harbor Road, in Wells. I love this place, which gets everything right. A friendly, service oriented staff of high school and college age waitresses obviously enjoy what they do. And so do the customers. We were seated at one of the picnic tables by the windows overlooking the Rachel Carson preserve, an estuary teeming with wildlife. A pair of binoculars was available to use, nice touch. Over head, a roll of paper towels was within easy reach. Much appreciated by the folks chowing on lobster at the neighboring table.

The big hits here are lobster, chowders, lobster rolls, and fried fish. We touched on two: one order of clam chowder and one order of fish and chips. The chowder was rich, thick, creamy, and delicious. The fish and chips were crispy on the outside, moist and tender inside. Doesn’t get much better than that. Well maybe it does. I’ve heard it’s worth coming for dessert alone. Hmmm, maybe next time.

The cheese whiz

I finally made it to The Cheese Iron, the Scarborough specialty shop that caters to cheese aficianados. Trust me, it’s worth going well out of your way for a stop. I know I’ll be returning when I’m anywhere within reasonable (and perhaps unreasonable) striking distance.

My love affair with cheese began when I worked as managing editor for a national trade tab called Gourmet News. I attended the annual artisan cheesemakers conference, a gathering of boutique cheesemakers crafting farmstead cheeses and more from all around the country. One taste of a Maytag bleu or a then rare Shelburne Farms cheddar, and I was hooked.

The Cheese Iron brought all that back and more. It’s a gorgeous shop stocked with rare, hard-to-get, boutique farmstead, and unusual cheeses from around the world.  Vince Maniaci knows his products and is eager to educate his customers. Sampling is a must, as is a visit to the cheese cave, where they ripen young cheeses and store delicate ones.

I purchased two cheeses I’d never previously tasted, an extra-aged mimolette, a raw cow’s milk cheese from France, and a Beemster X.O., a cow’s milk cheese from Holland. Both are hard cheese, orange in color, and so intense, so full of flavor, that only a nibble suffices. I’m eager to return and continue sampling my way through the display case. So many cheeses I’ve yet to know.

Haute dining, good value

No matter what your budget, getting good value for your buck makes a difference. In a town where $40 entrees aren’t unusual, the White Barn Inn, Maine’s only five-star dining room and Relais & Chateau property, provides better R.O.I. then most other options.

The White Barn is most definitely not a budget option, but for those who can afford to drop $95 on a meal or can eek it out for a special occasion, this five-star, five-diamond, fine-dining restaurant delivers far more than it promises for its $95 (add $48 with wine pairings, $85 with reserve wine pairings) price tag, and that equals value.  No, really!

• Ambiance: OK, I hate that word as much as you do, it’s so snooty, but let me tell you, the White Barn has it. Yes it’s a barn, and it retains the structure and roughness of a barn in its siding and beams, but it’s polished with white tableclothes, silver, glass and crystal, candlelight, soft piano music, fine art on the walls, and lovely silver ornamental critters on the tables. Walk in, and your eyes are drawn immediately to the humongous back wall window. Outside, tiers of flowers blossom, an explosion of color that’s front and center.

• Dress: Gentlement must wear jackets. ‘Nuff said. That alone adds an element of class, of refinement, of subdued conversation (really!).

• Service: Waiters/waitresses and assistants in black and white move quickly, efficiently, and professionally around the room. They can answer any question thrown at them, whether about the food, the inn, the area. Water glasses are kept filled; napkins  are folded when diners temporarily leave their chairs; plates are served to all diners simultaneously in a choreographed flourish. No one misses a beat. It’s spot on.

• Food: Classic fare with inspirations. Everything’s familiar, yet it’s not. It’s exciting, but not too so; intriguing, yet satisfying. Did I say delicious? Definitely that, too. Chef Jonathan Cartwright and his team change the menu weekly, but don’t get too carried away. Menu focuses on what’s fresh and seasonal, without being held hostage by local ingredients.

• Value: An amuse-bouche, a pre dessert, a post dessert, a tree of petit fours and chocolates weren’t included in the four-course meal’s description, but were included in the price. They’re daily gifts from the kitchen to diners, little extras that turn a four-course menu into a seven-course one, and a pricey splurge into one with value.

• Hint: Sure, it’s a bit like Cinderella retreating from the ball, but if you sleep across the street at the strictly functional Franciscan Monastery Guest House, you can balance the savings against the splurge.

CalMex in Maine done right

July 2, 2009 by Hilary Nangle

Our plan was dinner at anneka jans,an upscale bistro in downtown Kittery. Foolish me, I thought: rainy, Wednesday night, no prob. Hah. That local gem was packed, with a minimum of a half hour wait for a bar stool, and only the possibility of a cancellation for a table.

Back out into the rain we went, and off to tongue-twister Loco Coco’s Tacos, the li’l takeout that keeps growing. First it added a greenhouse-like bar, and since I was last there, a full-service dining room (nothing fancy, but lots of natural light and bright colors), in addition to a take-out area with seating (again, colorful and cheery).

Locos is another happening Kittery place, with a nearly full lot that almost had us in a panic. We lucked out, in that most folks were getting take out. The lounge still had a few seats as did the dining room. We snagged a tall top and, I kid you not, within 15 minutes of sitting down had our meal.

There’s a reason this place keeps growing and is so busy, or I should say reasons. First, service is fast, friendly, and efficient. Second, the food is not the usual Maine version of Mexican fare–no cheese glopped on brown-sauced food with lackluster salsa.

Let’s face it, you can’t get much farther from Mexico than Maine and remain in the continental United States. No wonder that with only a few exceptions (The Mexican Restaurant in Hancock being another), what passes as Mex-inspired here is usually a far cry from authentic. That’s not the case here. Loco’s serves damn fine Cal-Mex. It’s gorgeous to look at and tastes even better.

“You know the usual story of the Mexican grandmother in the kitchen,” our waitress replied, when I asked her if everything was made from scratch. “Well we’ve got the grandmother, her kids, and her grandkids.” And the proof is in the flavor.

We had a chicken burrito made with marinated char-grilled chicken, rice and beans, jack and cheddar cheese, fresh salsa, lettuce, guacomole, and sour cream; and a Baja-style fish taco: beer battered boneless fish, shreddd cabbage, fresh salsa, avacado sauce, sour cream, and sauce. Our waitress said if we wanted to ramp it up, we could do so at the salsa bar, where four salsas (three medium and one hot; avacado, chipotle, habanero, and one I can’t remember), were available. And trust me, even a couple of the medium-ranked ones had quite a kick.

And the bottom line? Burrito, $7.50; fish taco, $3.75; wine, $5.50. With tip, out of there for about $20. As much as I want to try anneke jans, it’ll be tough not to return here.

Rainy days and Mondays

June 29, 2009 by Hilary Nangle

Brighten up this dismal weather with a stop or two or seven along the The Maine Art Museum Trail.

Why: More than 53,000 works of art, from ancient to contemporary, are displayed at the seven leading art museums; that’s plenty to keep you busy and there have to be a few that are sunny and bright

Where and how much: Oh there’s definitely one within striking distance for a day trip, and most are free or have free hours. But even if you have to shell out a few bucks, it’s worth it to see the works inside.

• Bates College Museum of Art, Lewiston, free admission

• Bowdoin College Museum of Art, Brunswick, free admission

• Colby College Museum of Art, Waterville, free admission

• Farnsworth Art Museum, Rockland, free on Sundays from 10 a.m.- 1 p.m., otherwise $12 adults, !$0 seniors and students 17 and older, free ages 16 and younger.

• Ogunquit Museum of American Art, Ogunquit, $7 adults, $5 seniors, $4 seniors, under 12 free

• Portland Museum of Art, Portland, free 5–9 p.m. Friday evenings, otherwise $10 adults, $8 seniors and students with I. D., $4 youth 6–17, under 6 are free

• University of Maine Museum of Art, Bangor, free admission

Who: On display are works by  the many artists who have summered or worked in Maine. These include Marsden Hartley, John Marin, Rockwell Kent, Louise Nevelson, Fairfield Porter, and Alex Katz. Also displayed are treasures ranging from European masterpieces by Pierre-Auguste Renoir, Edgar Degas, Mary Cassatt, and Pablo Picasso to Greek and Roman sculpture, early American silver and furniture, and contemporary textiles, prints, ceramics, and sculpture.

New director, new exhibits herald OMAA’s new season

June 28, 2009 by Hilary Nangle

Not many museums can boast a view as stunning as the one at the Ogunquit Museum of American Art, nor can many communities boast such renown as a summer art colony. Put the two together, and you get a gem: a small museum with a blockbuster collection numbering about 1,600 pieces of American art. It’s now under the direction of Ron Crusan (who, judging solely by the new website and an interview posted on it, seems to be breathing new life into the museum).

Walk into the museum, and your eyes are first drawn not to the art, but through the rear wall of glass overlooking the cliffs and crashing surf. The view alone captures why so many American icons came here to paint. In addition to the five galleries, be sure to wander the landscaped grounds and gardens, which are studded with sculptures.

The museum reopens for the season July 1 with a strong exhibit schedule.

• The Works of Bernard Langlais (July 1-Aug.30), with 18 works featuring smaller versions of the artist’s fantastic animal sculptures drawn from the museum’s permanent collection, Mrs. Bernard Langlais, and Aucoicsco Galleries (Portland).

• Marsden Hartley: The OMAA Legacy (July 1-Sept. 6), showcasing major works in the museum’s collection and some borrowed drawings from the Bates College Museum of Art.

• The OMAA Permanent Collection: Out of the White Mountains (July 1-Oct. 31) , with 47 works spanning 100 years from artists who painted in New Hampshire’s White Mountains.

• Painting Maine: Maurice Freedman (Sept. 5-Oct. 31), an American modernist who painted in Maine as well as Europe, New York, and Provincetown. Works presented courtesy of Greenhut Galleries (Portland) and private collections.

• Beverly Hallam: A Celebration (Sept. 14-Oct. 3), honoring Hallam for her innovations in the art world, including her experimentation with alternative materials and the early use of acrylic paints.

Be sure to check the schedule for Tuesday Nights at the Museum, a series of lectures and concerts usually (but not always) held on Tuesdays at 7 p.m. And if you’re in a generous mood, mark your calendar for the annual “Almost Labor Day Auction,” Sept. 5, a social season must and the museum’s major fund raiser.

Ways to play in inland Maine

June 26, 2009 by Hilary Nangle

If you think Maine is all about the coast, you need to venture inland and discover the lakes, rivers, woods, and peaks that define the region between Bethel and Millinocket. Not only does this region rival the coast for natural beauty, it’s also wildlife rich. You won’t see a puffin, but you’re chances of spotting a moose are high.

Making that easy is the new Maine Woods Discovery program, a collaborative venture by Alpine resorts Sunday River, Sugarloaf, and Saddleback Maine; the rustic lodges and nature-based programs of the Appalachian Mountain Club and Maine Huts & Trails; and rafting and recreation outfitters Northern Outdoors, and New England Outdoor Center.

These entities have put together seven one- to three-day packages, each combining accommodations with activities and some meals, with rates beginning at $75 per person.  Packages include geo-caching, hiking, biking, paddling, rock-hounding, and craft-making. Read on for details.

• Intro to Geocaching Adventure, 2 days/2 nights
Logdominium accommodations at Northern Outdoors Forks Resort Center on the Kennebec River. Learn the outdoor treasure hut adventure of geocaching with a GPS device. Search for hidden caches on the Northern Outdoors grounds, and do more hunting along the Old Canada Road National Scenic Byway. Complementary Old Canada Road historical audio CD. $108 per adult, $95 per child.

• Outdoor Sporting Heritage, 3 days/3 nights
Stay at the Appalachian Mountain Club’s Little Lyford Lodge and Camps or Medawisla Wilderness Lodge within the 100 Mile Wilderness area of the Appalachian Trail. Complementary use of canoes, kayaks and fly fishing gear. Hike to Gulf Hagas gorge on the West Branch of the Penobscot River. Includes all meals and tickets for the Katahdin Steamship tour on Moosehead Lake. $318 per person.

• Legendary Fly Fishing, 2 days/2 nights
Accommodations at a Saddleback Maine mountain-side condominium. Three-hour fly fishing lesson and use of a canoe to cast a line on the Rangeley region’s famous waterways. One complementary lunch, a Northern Forest Canoe Trailmap of the Rangeley Lakes area, and a copy of “Paddling Through Time: The Story of the Northern Forest Canoe Trail” included. $530 per couple.

• The Valley Below, 3 days/2nights
Accommodations at the Maine Huts & Trails Flagstaff Lake Hut. Pontoon boat tour on the lake to learn about the submerged townships of Flagstaff, Bigelow and Dead River. Explore the lakeside loop trails, or tackle the 4,000-foot peaks of the Bigelow Mountain Range. Includes all meals, the Valley Below brochure, a Northern Forest Canoe Trail map of Flagstaff Lake, and a copy of “Paddling Through Time: The Story of the Northern Forest Canoe Trail.” $265 per person.

• Maine Rocks!, 1 day/1 night
Accommodations at Sunday River’s Grand Summit or Jordan Grand Hotel in Newry. Guided geology tour, talk and digging opportunity at the Bumpus Mine, one of the oldest and most famous mineral mines in the northeast. Includes breakfast. Extend the package with an Androscoggin River trip or ATV tour. $75 per person.

• View From the Top, 1 day/1 night
Make the Sugarloaf Mountain Hotel your base for hiking or mountain biking. Complementary hiking and nature trail maps for the Longfellow Mountain Range. Guided hikes can be arranged. Breakfast and box lunch included. $75 per person.

• Making it By Hand, 3 days/2 nights
The New England Outdoor Center’s Twin Pine Camps in Millinocket is the setting for a series of fall Craft Weekends. Sessions on making art from wood, sculpting with clay, and quarrying and polishing gemstones include instructive lectures, guided trips to learn about and gather raw materials, and hands on crafting. Includes all breakfasts, one lunch, one dinner and use of canoes. $232.50 per person.

No wings necessary to see Paul McCartney

June 26, 2009 by Hilary Nangle

Because, baby you can drive your car aboard the CAT high-speed ferry, then on to Halifax, where McCartney is headlining an outdoor concert on July 11.

The CAT is offering a three-day package including:

• roundtrip vehicle and passenger transportation from Portland to Yarmouth, Nova Scotia

• two nights  with daily breakfast at the Oak Island Resort and Spa (45 minutes from Halifax)

• open admission tickets to the outdoor concert at The Commons, in Halifax, on July 11.(Bring chairs or a blanket)

Price is $541 per person, based on double occupancy.  Fuel surcharges and Port and Security fees are extra.

Note: It’s about a three- to four-hour drive from Yarmouth, where the Cat docks, to Halifax, but you’ll probably want to take longer to see some of the sights en route.

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