Planning ahead: Foodie Alert

If you want to snag tickets and lodging for Portland’s Harvest on the Harbor event, Oct. 23-25, you better act quickly.

This new event, celebrating the farm-to-table movement, focuses on food and wine, with more than 100 experts featured in scheduled events including tastings, demonstrations, a marketplace, talks, book signings, and meals.

Chefs attending range from local luminaries such as James Beard Best Chef in the Northeast winner Sam Hayward (truly, the dean of the Maine food movement) to from-away stars such as James Peterson, a three-time winner of the Beard Cookbook of the Year award. On the final night, Hayward teams with another Beard Best Chef winner, David Pasternak, and the Inn by the Sea’s Mitchell Kaldrovich for the gala dinner.

The schedule highlights some of Maine’s top suppliers and producers: Joel Frantzman, from Sullivan Harbor Smokehouse; Vince Maniaci, of The Cheese Iron; Rod Browne Mitchell, from Browne Trading Co.; along with others ranging from oyster farmer to wine makers. Really, this should be a delicious event: if I were going to be in town, I’d be there.

One more note: If you’re interested in all things related to food in Portland, let me recommend Portland Food Map and Portland Psst: reviews, gossip, events, chatter.

Morning in Maine

While I’m on the windjammer theme, let me tell you about my recent sail aboard A Morning in Maine, a 55-foot ketch based in Rockland.

Capt. Bob Pratt aboard Morning in Maine

Capt. Bob Pratt is a marine biologist and Master Maine Guide, which means not only can he sail the waters of Penobscot Bay, he also can explain everything there is to know about the marine life and coastal landscape. A former teacher at both the University of Maine and Maine Maritime Academy, he also possesses the ability to explain things gently.

Sightings of seals are common, porpoises are frequent, whales are rare. We cruised by Rockland’s Breakwater Light. We saw lobster boats hauling traps, Owl’s Head Light winking at us in the fog, and the Nathaniel Bowditch raise its sails and the Victory Chimes sail by under full sail. We watched the fog roll in and Vinalhaven and North Haven islands disappear into the fog; and we saw the state ferries plying the waters to those elusive islands.

Bob is accompanied on board by a first mate and his yellow lab, Poco. And dogs who meet Poco on the dock and are well behaved, are allowed on board for the sail—nice to know, especially if you’re traveling with a pooch. A two-hour sail is a wonderful way to explore Rockland Harbor, where it spills into Penobscot Bay, and it’s a nice intro to sailing aboard a windjammer. If you like it, consider a multi-day sail on one of the Maine Windjammer Association vessels.

And now, September into early October, is the ideal time to sail the Maine Coast. The breezes are more reliable than in summer, the color is beginning to fringe the trees, the bugs are gone, and even on a foggy day (despite my Hurricane Hannah-induced experience, these are rare in September), there are few activities that rival it. As I sit here on a spectacular September morning, I’m dreaming of that sail and mentally planning another.

Victory Chimes two views

One from the air, early on a bright sunny day; and one from the sea, taken later that afternoon, as the fog rolled in. In any case, September through early October is a grand time for a windjammer vacation.

Taken from a biplane.

Taken from aboard Morning in Maine, in Rockland Harbor

My Maine air show

No, not THAT air show. Yesterday, I flew up, up and away in a 1933, Waco UBF2 biplane from the Owl’s Head Transportation Museum, in Owl’s Head, Maine. Wowser! In my travel adventures, this even outranked riding an ostrich(which I did in Curacao, and which I wouldn’t recommend). I won my 10-minute ride in a raffle—the museum doesn’t sell rides, but it does offer then in auctions and raffles.

Wearing goggles and ear protectors that reduced the noise (all that we lacked were red scarves), and strapped into the open-air cockpit with my seatmate Victor, we bumped down the grassy runway, and then wheeeee! up we went, soaring above the St. George Peninsula, with views back to the Camden Hills and out over island-studded Penobscot Bay. I spotted the three-masted Victory Chimes, the largest in Maine’s windjammer fleet (it’s depicted on the Maine quarter, with Pemaquid light in the backdrop), under full sail, and I even spied a friend’s home in Spruce Head (Hi Kathy, I waved, honest).

While not everyone can take to the skies from the museum, it is possible to ride around the grounds on a Model T and take in all the exhibits; it’s a fabulous collection. Currently on view are some of the 60 rare autos from the Seal Cove Auto Museum, on Mount Desert Island, that will be auctioned, without reserve, on Sept. 26 & 27 to endow that museum. And if you happen to go to MDI, you can ride in a bi-plane from the airport in Trenton with Acadia Air Tours.

Back on the ground, I checked out the planes, automobiles, motorcycles, engines and whatnot on view at the museum, but even now, I’m still grinning and thinking: Curse, you Red Baron!

(thanks to Lorie Juliano for the photo of me in the plane).

Lincolnville wine and dine

I sipped and nibbled my way through Lincolnville the other evening, beginning at the Cellardoor Winery for wine and cheese. Cellardoor is actually Maine’s oldest vineyard–not winery, Bartlett Maine Estate, a producer of fruit wines, holds that distinction.

Tucked in the folds of the rolling hills, just inland of Lincolnville Beach, Cellardoor occupies a farmhouse and barn overlooking six acres of grapes. Inside the barn, the retail shop offers free tastings, and you can pick up cheeses and other munchies for an impromptu picnic. on the back deck.

On the night I visited, owners Bettina Doulton and John Tynan were offering tastings not only of their wines, but also of Maine’s Hahn’s End cheeses paired against cheeses “from away.” Hahn’s End stood up to the test. As for the wines, Cellardoor produces about 18. I tasted a couple of different whites, including the chardonnay and a barrel tasting made easy by a way-cool in-barn silo siphon.

Cellardoor also has a demonstration kitchen, and it plans to open a cafe. Plan ahead and visit on Oct. 18, 2008, during Cellardoor’s second annual Romp & Stomp Harvest Festival. By the way, Cellardoor is just one stop on the new Maine Wine Trail.

From the winery, it was onto The Youngtown Inn, where chef Manuel Mercier draws on his Parisian heritage and European training to create sophisticated French-inspired fare served in a country-elegant setting. My surf and turf paired a lobster tail with filet, both butter soft and delicious. Both the mashed potatoes and the butter served with the roll were enhanced with truffle flavoring–just a tad, but enough to make a difference. Service was excellent. Now this was a group function, so the menu was limited, but the chef’s ability to put out perfectly cooked, tender, and moist lobster paired with equally tender and juicy filet for a group numbering close to 60 was impressive.

From there, we went to Cellardoor Winery’s Rockport shop for a dessert wine sampling paired with after-dinner sweets. Now one thing to note: Even if you’re not a fan of wines, this shop (and the one at the winery) has some of the most creative gifts I’ve seen anywhere. There’s one very savvy buyer here, who has a keen eye for distinctive, fun and useful items. I could easily do all my holiday shopping here.

Shameless promotion

This blog began as an effort to keep readers of my three books—Maine, Coastal Maine, and Acadia National Park—updated as well as provide a quick look-see at places I’ve visited. Recently, Coastal Living’s Travel Editor linked to it, and yesterday so did Budget Travel, from a Maine Q&A.

Eeek! I’ve been outed. For the faithful who’ve been reading all along, not to worry, it won’t go to my head. For you new readers, welcome

And drop a line. Let me know whether you agree or disagree, share your favorites in Maine, and dish on your food finds.

As previously noted, I’m on the road in Rockland today, and either later today or sometime tomorrow, I’ll give you updates on all that as well as notes from my visits yesterday to the Cellardoor Vineyard (Lincolnville and Rockport) and The Youngtown Inn, in Lincolnville. I’ll also update comments then.

Thanks, and happy travels armchair or otherwise!

Sweet, sweet Samoset

I live so close to the Samoset, that I rarely visit, but here I am in Rockland, for a conference and now I understand why people love this place.

The view out my window is green golf course (Pebble Beach East?), blue ocean, white windjammer sails, and distant islands.

A short walk (unfortunately for now, through a construction site for what will be the new vanishing edge pool), and I’m at the Rockland Breakwater. At the end of this granite pier is the Rockland Lighthouse. It’s a fine vantage point for watching the windjammers sailing in Penobscot Bay.

And if the weather should change (Hannah, stay away), there’s a full indoor health club with pool. Nice. And as of next spring, there will be a full-service spa, too. And the restaurants will be updated and changed. I had dinner at Marcel’s last night, a fine meal, if a bit rich. It will benefit from a lightening of the menu, and the planned switch to a more contemporary decor and addition of a patio.

Of course, there’s all the region offers, too. Tomorrow, I’m off to the Maine Lighthouse Museum, the Farnsworth Museum of American Art, and the Owl’s Head Transportation Museum in the morning, then I’ll be on board Morning in Maine, one of those windjammers in the afternoon. Ahhh, sweet September in Maine.

Saddleback Surprise: Cook new honcho

The announcement just landed in my inbox. Warren Cook, the former prez and co-owner at Sugarlaof who resigned from the mice lab after allegations of resume enhancements, is taking over the reigns at Saddleback. He replaces GM Tom McCallister, who’s been in the position for 31 years.

Cook is well respected in western Maine, where’s he’s big booster of local causes. He’s known for telling it like it is. When Sugarloaf celebrated its 50th anniversary, at the big bash, he announced: “I sold this area to the two biggest a**&()#@ in the ski industry,” referring to Pres Smith of SKI, then Les Otten of ASC. And he’s considered my most to be an all-around good guy. He really had no reason to embellish his resume, and why he did so remains a mystery.

Saddleback is getting a strong leader in Cook. Another step forward for the ski area, one that still remains quite a sleeper. (hint: great choice for value-conscious or budget-minded skiers and riders)

Portland’s best “junk food” lunch

A slice of Stephen Lanzalotta’s pizza (fresh, wholesome, delicious) from Miccuci’s Market paired with a $5 shake (actually $4 and made with ice cream from local Smiling Hill Farm) and Belgian fries (double fried in duck fat, of course), both from Duckfat, which is just around the corner. Now get a good foodie read at Rabelais Books, across from Duckfat, and take it all to the prom or waterfront. Doesn’t get much better than that.

Ahhh, September

It’s quiet, and it’s perfect. Sun-warmed days, cool nights, few bugs, no crowds. And here’s a tip: This week and next are sleepers in Maine. Summer’s vacationing families have left, the leaf peepers have yet to arrive, and pretty much everything is still open. Which means, it’s not only a good time to visit, but also a good time to look for internet specials on inn and hotel web sites.