Plan Ahead: Frenchboro Lobster Festival

Yeah, I know, this is the weekend of Rockland’s big Lobster Festival wingding, with  music, parades, vendors, entertainment and crowds. If you crave something far simpler, plan ahead. Saturday, Aug. 9 [2009 date is Saturday, Aug. 8], is the 45th annual Frenchboro Lobster Festival.

Frenchoboro, located in Blue Hill Bay, is the real deal when it comes to authentic fishing communities. It supports a year-round population of about 70, including more than 20 of elementary-school age or younger.

Wear your hiking shoes, pack water and light snacks, and come for the day via a special run of the Maine State Ferry from Bass Harbor (passengers only). Bass Harbor is on the quiet side of Mount Desert Island, near Southwest Harbor. The ferry departs Bass Harbor at 9 a.m. and departs Frenchboro, located in Blue Hill Bay, at 3:30 p.m. That leaves plenty of time to hike the island’s trails, visit its musuem, and of course, chow down at the lobster picnic, served between 11 a.m. and 2 p.m., rain or shine.

Besides lobster, there will be chicken salad, hot dogs, cole slaw, homemade pies (oh yeah!), potato chips and soft drinks. Tickets are $20, ferry ride is $5; proceeds benefit the Outer Long Island Congregational Church. If you have your own boat, you can anchor or moor it in Lunt Harbor.

Don’t miss this opp to sample the freshest lobster you’ll ever taste served with a dose of authentic Maine. And if you can’t make it, the next best thing is lunch cruise to Frenchboro, aboard the R.L. Gott, with Kim Strauss of Island Cruises.

By the way, if you want to do a little background reading about Frenchboro before visiting, pick up a copy of Hauling by Hand: The Life & Times of a Maine Island, by eighth-generation islander Dean Lunt.

Fire in Northeast Harbor

Downtown Northeast Harbor suffered a devastating fire in the wee hours of the morning. According to the The Ellsworth American, it destroyed three downtown buildings, starting in the Coloniel’s Deli and spreading to the Wingspread Gallery and Joy building. It also damaged the Kimball Shop Boutique.

Back in the Saddle

So to speak (after five days without Internet access), and with a new office assistant. First, a report on this year’s Grand Lake Stream Folk Arts Festival. In a word: Fabulous. In more words: A nice group of talented artisans, including a few new faces (and the absence of some old ones: Here’s hoping Hawk, the furniture-maker and walking-stick carver feels better soon; he was truly missed). Also some new musicians this year, including the worth-the-price-of-admission UMM Ukelele Club–fun!

Mark Tiptree brought a new group of musician friends, and both he and Jim Gallant have new CDs that should be out soon. Watch for them. Mark’s also putting together a New Orleans Jazz Festival, with concerts in Portland, Yarmouth and Bowdoinham. He’s bringing in some big guns, so watch for it in August. I’ll post more when I get details.

We cut out early on Sunday for a marathon trip to Halifax, N.S., to pick up a puppy (actually two, one for us and another for a New Hampshire family). With torrential rains in NS and construction elsewhere, it took us 12 hours to arrive home. If you’re considering traveling across the border with a pet, you must have documentation showing that it’s up to date on shots. Other than that, it’s a breeze. Actually traveling, though, requires frequent stops.

The highlight: Dinner at Just Barb’s, in Stockton Springs. I ordered inside, and we settled with the pups at an outdoor picnic table. The waitress delivered our takeout order of fish and chips right to the table. Now, if you’ve never stopped at Just Barb’s, on Route 1, it’s worth it. The two of us didn’t finish a single order ($7.99) and that comes with free seconds. Wow. Nice fresh fish; good crispy fries. It’s a sad little building, but don’t let that deter you.

So my new assistant, Dooley, is now sleeping at my feet (and why not, he was up most of the night). His official title is Chief Paper Shredder. Look for him, along with his big bro Bernie to report on pet-friendly travel.

Quebec City fave

You know this is the 400th anniversary of Quebec City, right? You know that the city is pulling out all the stops, with a mind-boggling schedule of special events and entertainment. Hey, there’s even a one-time-only exhibit of works from the Louvre visiting the Musee National des Beaux-Arts du Quebec. If you’re going, here’s a spot to include in your schedule.

The tony shops of Le Petit Champlain get all the attention, but for my money, Marché du Vieux Port (sorry, site’s not in English, but yo’ll get the idea), a European-style marketplace hugging the waterfront on the edge of the Old City, is the real deal. More than 60 farmers and fishermen, along with producers of condiments, meat products, cheeses, wines, baked goods, lotions and other locally made goods sell their wares. It’s a delicious find, a treat for the senses, a tease to the waistline and a wonderful source for taste-full souvenirs.

Fine food and fresh produce are the market’s big lures, but the market hums year round. No matter the season, vendors offer samples and when time allows, most are willing to chat about their products. Although French is the native tongue, many speak enough English to get the key points across.

It’s the perfect spot to plan a picnic or to stock up the car for the long ride home. Happy munching.

Chocolates! A Maine island! Maine island made chocolates!

While I’m on the topic of great finds in remote places (see Grand Lake Stream, below), let me introduce you to Kate and Steve Shaffer’s Black Dinah Chocolatiers. You can find these luscious truffles at the Stonington Farmers Market, held at the Community Center on Friday mornings (hint: this is a fabulous farmers market and one of the busiest in the state, so it’s wise to be there when it opens at 10 a.m.).

Better yet, go to Isle au Haut to visit the Black Dinah Cafe in person. Take the mailboat from Stonington, get off “downtown” (as opposed to the park, if you’re on that boat), then walk just shy of a mile to the shop/cafe. Besides the chocolates, there are muffins and other pastries for breakfast and two lunch choices:  biscuits with cheddar cheese, tomatoes, red onions and herbs or a schmmolie, a soft sandwich style bread stuffed with feta, artichokes, roasted red peppers and kalamata olives. Kate makes everything from scratch, using local and mostly organic ingredients. If by some weird chance you’ve schlepped your laptop over to the island, there’s even free Wifi here.

But about those hand-crafted truffles. They come in a lucky 13 varities, in milk chocolate, dark chocolate and caramels. Kate’s degree in English lit shows in the dark chocolate truffle “Gonne, Maude,” named for Yeats’ unrequited love.

Given that you’re on Isle au Haut, home to a remote section of Acadia National Park, go ahead, chow down. Then hike. If you time your boat trips, you can arrive intown, then walk or hike your way down to Duck Harbor boat ramp for the late afternoon boat. But don’t miss it. Besides the park’s five lean-to campsites, which require advance reservations, there only one inn on the island, the Inn at Isle au Haut, and that too requires advance notice (It’s pricey, but includes all meals and pick-up at the dock).

Grand times in Grand Lake Stream

Most people go to Grand Lake Stream to fish. Some go relax. I go to shop. That’s not easy in a sleepy fishing town that boasts just one tiny general store.

Grand Lake Stream gives meaning to the punchline of the old Maine joke, “ya cahn’t get theyah from heah.” Located two hours east of Bangor, Maine, and less than one hour from New Brunswick, Canada, it’s a remote lake-dotted region where logging and sportsfishing are the economic mainstays.

Once a year, however, during the last full weekend in July, Grand Lake Stream’s population of 127 swells, when more than 5,000 visitors arrive for the Grand Lake Stream Folk Arts Festival. They’re attracted by the family-friendly atmosphere and wallet-friendly prices.

The festival comprises about 50 vendors, a music tent, a snack tent and an education tent, as well as exhibits highlighting quilts and the region’s canoe-building heritage. It’s all spread out on the grassy ballfield in the center of town. Children have room to run, dogs space to roll. Crowding is not a problem in this neck of the woods.

This is one of my all-time favorite Maine events–it’s just a wicked good time. For one thing, the music is great and nonstop. A highlight is jazz/blues trumpet player Mark Tiptree, who grew up spending summers here but now plays in New York. Yeah, he’s good. So is Jim Gallant, whose guitar fingerwork alone is worth the price of admission, never mind his deep voice. The Black Sox Band and others keep feet tapping and kids dancing.

Potters, quilters, woodworkers, clothing makers, painters, sculptors, furniture makers, metal workers, basket makers, weavers, jewelers, glass artisans, leather crafters, doll makers, and on and on display, sell and often demonstrate their crafts. Food’s mighty fine, too–if Vinny is selling his smoked salmon kebobs, splurge. And if it gets too hot, you can always jump in a lake.

The Grand Lake Stream Guides Association hosts a lakeside chicken barbeque on Friday night, a lobster feed on Saturday night; both come with all the trimmings, including homemade pies. Saturday night there’s also usually a contra dance in the school basement. And the Sunday morning music jam keeps the circle unbroken among area–and visiting–musicians: Anyone can join in, heck bring a set of spoons!

Lodging at this late date is probably hard to snag right in Grand Lake Stream village, but Calais and Eastport are easy commutes to the festival. Gates open 10 a.m. and close at 5 p.m., both Saturday and Sunday. Admission is $5 for one day or $8 for the weekend.

Steuben Gems

First, let’s get the pronunciation right, it’s stewBEN. Next, let’s nail down its location: It straddles Route 1, wedged between Gouldsboro (Schoodic Peninsula) to the south and Milbridge to the north. Now, here’s why it’s worth noodling off Route 1 to find it.

Previously I posted about the Painted Pepper Farm, a family-owned organic farm raising Nigerian goats and making amazine yogurts, ice creams/gelattos, jams and other delicious products. That’s one reason.

Here’s another: Wildflour Bakery. It’s on the Village Rd., which loops off Route 1 on the ocean side. It’s only open 8 a.m. to noon on Saturdays. It may open another day, but that’s not planned. Auto mechanic-turned baker Rich Chevalier turns out creative breads, muffins, English muffins and–you know I’m a chocolate-chip-cookie-aholic right?–some of the BEST chocolate-pecan cookies I’ve tasted. Of course, I did manage to get them right out of the oven, so they were all goey and melty.

Also on the Village Rd. is The Shaw Place Antiques, in the barn of the town’s second-oldest home. It’s filled with not only bona fide antiques, but also Jan Whelan’s hand-knitted sweaters, all made from magnificent yarns. Her ancestors were 15th-century British wool merchants, so she figures it runs in the family. Jan also know the region’s deep history, and delights in sharing it. Check out the guest register: Shoppers have included Robert Redford and Tom Selleck. Oh, by the way, these sweaters aren’t inexpensive.

Veer off the Village Rd. onto the Rogers Point Road to find the first of two woodworkers worth a visit. Arthur Smith is master of chainsaw carving. He’s a gifted folk artist who looks at tree, and instead of seeing firewood, sees an animal, perhaps an eagle or great blue heron or wolf. His wife, Marie, paints his works in realistic colors, and she also weaves baskets reflecting her Native American heritage.

Return to Route 1 and head down Pigeon Hill Rd. to find Ray Carbone, who is to fine woodworking as Arthur is to folk craft. He also crafts stone and bronze sculptures and birdbaths. Beautiful work.

Hungry? Country Charm is just down the road a piece. Doesn’t look like much from the outside, but the inside has, well, country charm. At least in the first dining room; the others are purely functional. The food is classic Down East family fare: inexpensive, big portions and damn good fish ‘n chips and chowders.

Walk it off in the Petit Manan section of the Maine Coastal Islands National Wildlife Refuge, at the end of the road. It’s renowned for birdwatching, but it’s simply a beautiful spot to take a walk, and from the tip, on a clear day there are fine views of Petit Manan Light.

Maine Treasures: Oakland House & Shore Oaks

Previously, I blogged about the Rusticator Restaurant here. Now let me tell you about the resort itself. The property has been in Jim Littlefield’s family for eight generations. A king’s grant to his ancestors in 1765, it sprawls over 50 acres edging Eggemoggin Reach, in Brooksville. It’s a magical setting, the type often portrayed in post cards; the kind that fuels dreams and spurs memories.

Oakland House refers to the resort and its 15 rustic cottages; Shore Oaks is the Arts & Crafts-style, shorefront B&B, which is where we stayed. Families favor the cottages, and many return year after year, generation upon generation. Any why not? It’s the kind of place where you can reconnect, because you’re disconnected from phone, TV, even Wifi. Instead, swim, sail, paddle, play lawn games, chase fireflies, hike, build fairy houses in the gardens or simply chill. Rates include daily breakfast and dinner in the Rusticator, or if you’re here on Thursday night, the shorefront lobster bake is a tradition.

Shore Oaks, built in 1907, is quieter, secluded at the edge of the property, with a wrap-around porch on the water’s edge and a dock complete with gazebo stretching out into the blue. Look to the left, and there’s that soaring pray-as-you-go bridge to Deer Isle; to the right, Pumpkin Island and its lighthouse backed by the Camden Hills. In front, windjammers often sail by.

Inside, it’s decorated in period style, with an emphasis on comfort; it’s not at all stuffy. Gab with other guests in front of the fire or play a game of cards. Guest rooms, for the most part, are spacious, some large enough to qualify as suites, two have wood-burning fireplaces. Most have private baths, but these tend toward old fashioned, and some are tiny. Breakfast is included; add dinner for an additional $30 per day.

No, Oakland House and Shore Oaks aren’t for everybody. If you must be electronically entertained, it’s not for you. But if you like to hike, boat and chill with family, you won’t find a better place.

UPDATE: Sad to report, Oakland House/Shore Oaks has closed.

One potato, two potato

Honest, I’ve never been one who covets potato chips. Sure, if they’re served with a sandwich, I’ll usually chow a few, but I never order them, never purchase a bag at the corner market.

Until a few days ago, when I spotted a bag of Fox Family Potato Chips in a country market in Sedgewick. The silver bag promised “Potato chips that taste the way Mother Nature intended.” Yes, the word potato stood out in red. Underneath, it said: “Prepared by hand to ensure the very best quality.” And then there were the ingredients: potatoes, corn oil, canola oil, salt. That’s it.

If that weren’t clear enough, it also listed what it didn’t contain: no transfat, no cholesterol, no preservatives, no artificial flavors, no artificial colors. They’re made in Maine using Maine potatoes from the Fox Family farm, in Mapleton (that’s just west of Presque Isle, in Aroostook County).

I was intrigued enough to drop 99 cents on a two-ounce bag. I tasted one, and then another, and before I knew it, the bag was history. Oh man are these good. You can actually taste the potato. They’re not oversalted, not greasy. They’re crunchy, flavorful, delicious. And I want more. Now.

Look for the silver bag with red lettering . Besides plain, they come in salt & pepper and BBQ flavor (not the usual BBQ, but with a cayenne-fueled firey kick). If you can’t find them, order online.

And here’s a parting thought: Nibble on them while sipping Cold River Vodka, also made in Maine from Maine-grown potatoes.

Rusticating at The Rusticator

As I noted previously, this year the Oakland House, in Brooksville, has embarked on a relationship with Richard Hansen, of Cleonice, in Ellsworth, to operate its Rusticator Restaurant. The slogan is from the place and of the time, and while that sounds vague, it springs to life on the menu, which features familiar foods from local sources in contemporary renditions.

We dined there Saturday and Sunday nights, and it’s obviously a win-win situation. Guests at The Oakland House cottages have dinner included; guests at the Shore Oaks Inn can opt for a dinner plan. If you’re not staying here, don’t despair. The Rusticator is open to the public, too. And judging from the crowd in the dining room, the public is discovering it.

First the setting: The dining rooms are located in The Homestead, a building that dates from 1865. Separate dining rooms are allocated to young families, letting those without young ones dine in a quieter space. That dining room overlooks the inn’s gardens, and during dinner, a sprinkler on the roof provides background water music. It’s really quite delightful.

Guests arriving early for the 7:30 p.m. seating relax on the screened-in porch, enjoying drinks and complementary hors d’oeuvres, before being shown to their tables. Appetizers include the restaurant’s signature Maine Coast in a Box ($11), a sampling of tiny lobster and fried clam rolls. On Saturday, I had the house-cured duck prosciutto and lamb braciola with dried figs ($9), served with crackers; absolutely delicious, and the four-bite size was enough for a taste. My husband had the Blue Hill Bay Mussels, served a white wine with tarragon and Raye’s Stone Mustard; again, nice blend of flavors. my dad had the poached Overlook Farm free-range egg with Four Season Farm spinach, smokey bacon and cider-sage vinaigrette ($7); he loved it.

Next came a basket of foccacia and bread sticks, along with a salad of baby lettuces that for my tastes were slightly under dressed.

Entree choices ($22 to $33) included fresh-picked lobster succotash, roasted dayboat bluefish filet (with Nervous Nellie’s Hot & Sweet Pepper glaze), The Farro of Egypt, Maine (a risotto made with farro from Webb’s Farm and Ann Bossi’s chevre along with local seasonal vegetables and herbs; available vegan). We each chose the roasted hook and line caught halibut, served with Castine Clipper Ship chutney, Maine shrimp kedgeree and grilled zucchini. The halibut was perhaps the best I’ve tasted; a large thick portion that was cooked perfectly throughout, nice and moist without losing the toothsome texture of this fish.

Choosing a dessert was tricky. Possibilities included choclate eclairs, raspberry-blackberry buckle, fig bread pudding, stawberry shortcake, lavender Overlook Farm custardand a lemon mousse in a cookie cup with blueberry sauce. We were all quite full, but I choose the lavender custard. Oh. My! It’s to die for–thick, rich, creamy; so good that I ordered it again the next night.

Sunday night, I began with Rebekah’s crab fancy, kind of a crab fondue served with homemade crackers. This would be easy to split with someone, as it’s very rich. Tom ordered the Napoleon of roasted Four Season Farm gold and red beets and sweet onions, with walnuts and Great Hill blue cheese; it was a work of art in presentation (and flavor).

For the entree, I chose the grilled sirloin lamb chops, paired with kitchen garden mint, tomato and cucumber relish fingerling potatoes, and grilled Artesian Farm zucchini and squash.   Tom had the pan-seared sashimi grade yellowfin tuna, served with a blue cheese Indian pudding and grilled fennel. Again, it was all delicious, and the portions were quite generous.

The Rusticator offers two seatings, one at 5:15, the other at 7:30. Another option is The Coop, a back-of-the-house shared table.