Hiding away in Hamlin Marina

I have been waiting for a place like this for a while. A long while. Any desires to sit near the water, watch boats, and have a meal outdoors in the sunset took a drive to the coast in the past. Bar Harbor, Belfast, Castine. Not anymore. Now, it is no more than a stone throw away. 

A few months ago McLaughlin Seafood opened a restaurant in the Hamlin Marina (formerly the Dana Grill), a quaint place with a beautiful views of the marina, no traffic (besides quiet boat traffic) in eye and hear sight, and a perfect view of the sunset, the river and the boats. The restaurant has a larger new patio area that will be covered with glass windows in the future, and a new deck that is currently built on top of the patio. Nothing better than having a pumpkin ale, sitting outdoors at the end of September and enjoying another day of Indian summer.  Friday nights even with live music.





McLaughlin Seafood a the Marina, 108A Marina Rd, Hampden, ME, 207-990 1111

Almost Vegan Stuffed Ancho Chiles

Today, a large basket of home-grown fresh ancho chiles appeared at work from a mystery gardener. I happily took a few home, and used them to make a loosely inspired type of chili relenos: stuffed, some type of cheese and baked. From yesterday, I had leftover farro french lentils slow-cooked with tomatoes, hot chiles, broth, cumin and some taco powder. I baked the chili on a small bed of roasted red pepper soup (Trader Joes), and with sheep's milk feta on top (Daiya chedder would have been nice, too). I baked them for 45min at 425h uncovered in the toaster oven (30min would probably have been fine). Delicious!!

Late Summer Farmers Market

Today, the weather is bright and sunny, the temperatures are starting to come down and I actually had to wear a jacket biking to the farmers market. It won’t be long and I have to bundle up. The produce was bright, tomatoes, hot peppers, goat cheeses, organic beef and endless kid cuteness.

Chanterelle and Red Kuri Squash Risotto

It is the time of the year again when the mild mushroom start to grow plentiful. Rain and still warm temperatures make the mushroom pop up everywhere in the forest. Chanterelles and porcini are my favorite wild mushroom, and chanterelles are a delicacy when they are fresh. Last week I have been lucky to find some and besides simply sauteing them risotto is my favorite way to cook wild mushroom. This recipe also adds the first red kuri squash of the fall 2011 season.

 

Red Kuri Squash and Chanterelle Risotto (makes 2 servings):

• 1/2 cup Arborio rice, washed and rinsed
• 1 ts butter
• 1 ts olive oil
• 1/2 sweet white onion, finely minced
• 2 garlic cloves, finely minced
• 1/4 cup of sliced, washed leeks (ca. 1/3 of a long stalk)
• good splash of dry white wine
• ca. 150g red kuri squash, peeled and diced
• ca. 200g cleaned and sliced chanterelles
• 1 1/2 cup of vegetable stock
• 2 TB fresh grated Parmesan cheese
• 1 TB (vegan) sour cream

Heat the butter and olive oil in a heavy sauce pan on medium-high heat. Add onion and sweat until translucent. Then add the garlic and the leeks and saute for ca 1 min. Add the washed rice and stir and toast for 30 seconds. Add the white wine, stir gentle and wait until the wine is evaporated. Add the kuri squash and chanterelles. Turn down the heat to medium-low, and start laddling in 1/4-1/2 cup of heated vegetable stock to the risotto. Cook the risotto gently on low heat until the liquid is evaporated (4-5 min). Once the stock is cooked off, add another 1/2 cup of stock. Repeat until the rice is soft and cooked (about 20 min). Add the parmesan cheese and gently stir in. Serve!

Big’ n’ Tasty--- Vegan Lasagna

Big and tasty…… that reminds me of a burger, a big juicy burger. But this dish is really the opposite: a vegan lasagna. However, it is big and tasty in flavors, texture and satisfaction I am not missing any cheese or meat. Vegan lasagna often includes a layer made of tofu and spinach, but this combination can be quite bland in taste. I added several things to make sure this does not happen: some garlic, bouillon, grated nutmeg, and white wine, and a tablespoon of mint pesto and vegan sour cream.

Vegan Lasagna: (Makes 4 large servings)

Spinach Tofu layer:

• 1 tsp. olive oil
• 1 medium onion, chopped
• 3 cloves garlic, minced
• a bundle of fresh spinach  (or a bag of baby spinach)
• 2 TB chardonnay (or white wine)
• 1/2 ts bouillon (powder or cube)
• fresh grated nutmeg
• 1 package of light tofu, drained in press
• 1 TB vegan sour cream
• 1 TB mint pistachio pesto (or handful of fresh mint, and a TB of extra-virgin olive oil)
• 2 TB nutritional yeast
• slat and pepper to taste

LASAGNA

• 1 jar of marinara sauce (home-made or Giada’s Vegetabale Marinara at Target is my favorite)
• 2/3 of a package of at lasagna noodles (boil or no-boil will work)
• some cured kalamata olives
• a fresh tomato, sliced
• 0ptional: vegan cheese like Daiya

Directions

To make Spinach filling: Preheat oven to 375°F. Heat oil in skillet over medium-high heat. Sauté onions and garlic in oil 4 minutes. Chop spinach and add to pan, together with bouillon, pepper, nutmeg and white wine, and cook 5 minutes, or until all liquid is evaporated. Drain and transfer spinach mixture to the bowl of food processor. Add drained tofu, vegan sour cream, nutritional yeast, pesto and purée until the mixture is thick and smooth. Season with salt and pepper, if desired.

Spread one-quarter of the marinara sauce on bottom of small, long baking dish. Cover with one-third of the (cooked or uncooked, works with both) noodles (break them up so that they fit width-wise), then add 1/3 of spinach filling, and ladle on another layer of sauce. Repeat twice. Finish with final layer of marinara sauce, some fresh sliced tomato, kalamata olives and vegan mozzarella.

Cover lasagna with foil, and bake 30 minutes first. Then uncover, and bake 15 to 20 minutes more, or until noodles are tender and topping is melted. Remove from oven, and let stand 10 minutes before serving. Bon appetite!

 

Fall superpowers.

My elderberry shrub is really a friendly plant. It is growing taller and taller (twice as tall as me?) but when the berries ripen it bends down like a UK commoner would bow meeting his Queen. The branches get so heavy from the weight of the ripening berries that it bends all the way down to the ground, and it is time for the annual elderberry harvest. I snip off the berries with scissors, and wash then gently. I remove all the berries and cook then in a large pot filled with water barely covering the berries. Once the pot comes to a boil, I simmer the berries for 10min, and after that let it cool to room temperature for a few hours.
I pour the berries and (black) juice into a large sieve that has a large bowl underneath and capture the juice. Then I smash the berries for the last bit of tasty juice residue and discard them on the compost pile. The juice stores well for a few days in the fridge, and just needs a bit of sweetener.

Why elderberry juice? “Black elderberry has been used medicinally for hundreds of years.” (wikipedia) They are definitely a local superfood, similar to blueberries. Who needs goji berries? 

 

Fall is approaching

There is no denying it, fall is around the corner. We moved on to tomatoes, crisp apples and the first pumpkins at the farmers market. In a while there will only be all kinds of pumpkins and mostly root vegetables. Cheese production will be closed until next year. But then, there are also local melons, yellow and red watermelons, honeydew melons, and all the hot peppers are ready. It is my favorite time of the year at the farmers market.
 

Summer Squash and Sweet Corn Soup

It is slowly soup time again, even hot soup if it is not too hot outside, but a light soup with ingredients of the current season: plenty of summer squash and fresh local sweet corn at its peak. I found this recipe from Love & Olive Oil on Pinterest today, and it did pin my interest (summer squash and sweet corn soup?!) so I made it for dinner tonight. It is lovely! And summery light.

(Makes about 4-5 servings)

• 2 large yellow summer squash
• 1 ear fresh sweet corn
• 1 white onion
• 2 large garlic cloves
• 1 fresh red hot chile
• 1/2 olive oil
• 1 teaspoon ground cumin
• 2 1/2 cups boiling water
• 1 ts vegetable bouillon

Half the summer squash and then cut it crosswise into 1/2-inch-thick slices. Remove the hulls from the corn and with a knife cut the kernels from the cob. Reserve the cob. Chop the white onion and mince the garlic. Mince the chile.

In a 5-quart heavy pot heat the oil and add the onion, garlic and chile. Stir and saute for 1-2 min. Now add the corn and summer squash and cook for another 2 min on medium heat. Add the water, the bouillon and the cob, and simmer the mixture until squash is tender, about 15-20 minutes, with the lid on. Discard the cob.

Using an immersion blender puree the mixture in the pot (otherwise wait until the soup is cooled and puree in food processor, but only when cooled!!). Season the soup with salt and pepper if needed. Serve soup and garnish with cilantro, sour cream and a drizzle of olive oil.

 

(Source)

Local freshwater fish with a side of good friends

My friends A. and R. with their daughters V. and A. were in town (or let’s say in the state) and had rented a cottage at Damariscotta lake for a week. The weather was gorgeous for most of the time, allowing for paddling to the little sun deck in the lake with the canoe or getting canoe service by V., hanging out, catching up and getting a serious tan on the side. Lovely day! 


R. had manage to catch some fish in the lake, and so there was dinner. A perch and a bass, carefully prepared and simply steamed by being wrapped in aluminum foil on the BBQ. With it came potatoes wrapped in foil and cooked in the camp fire with a charcoal crust and soft on the inside, sweet corn and steak. The setting could not be better: a lake view and sunset.
 

Of hikes, food and art

The other day, I put on my new keens and headed out for a hike to Acadia National Park. It was a hot day, and the airy Keens were just the ticket.

After the hike it was time for some food. This time I headed to Southwest Harbor, which is also located on Mount Desert Island, but it is a smaller community, nevertheless with similarly good food and some shopping like Bar Harbor. Signs at the light poles all over the island announced the SW Harbor Art Fair, so SW Harbor it was. To grab some food, I went to the Sawyer market, which is an old fashioned market with hardwood floors and top notch food, a cheese bar and large wine collection. The store’s back area serves as the produce department in the summer, and is housed under a tent.

After some cherries and a slice of pizza from Little Notch Bakery, right next to Sawyer market, it was time for art. Local artists exhibited their work and there were quite a few pieces I liked (but could not afford and so only photographed). (The photo to the right is from the Bar Harbor Art show, on the same day).

After some hiking, food AND art it was time to testdrive the Keens during some clam digging in the low tide. Summers in Maine are just great. Messy, muddy Keens, not so much.

Home-made Storage Magic

I was green with envy when I saw Gina’s new storage containers on her blog. I had seen the chalk ‘thing’’ on glasses and coffee mugs before and just shrugged, but on storage jar? Genius. The World Market website has the jars for sale online, but I have a large number of almost exactly the same storage glasses already (from Ikea), just without the very handy chalkboard.

I scratched my head.

Investing in a new set of storage jars? No. Then I realized that you can actually buy chalkboard paint! Genius II. I scoured Lowes, and they have their own Valspar brand chalkboard paint, but there are also other brands out there.

 

Paint and brush in hand, I just needed, well, chalk. Today, it seems like you have to get it at a teachers’ specialty store because everyone else has crayons and dry-erase, but, alas there is always the artist’s store with chalk colors.

The project was easy: paint the jar, and keep on writing.

It’s a wrap!

My staycation is slowly coming to an end (sad face), and today’s excursion was more shopping centered. Which better place to head to for some nice shopping and good eats than Ellsworth? (Beats the 2h trip to Portland). This time I was also planning to check out the newly opened sandwich/wrap place 86 this! It is located right smack in the middle between Rooster Brothers and Cleonice, two of my Ellsworth favorites.

   

I arrived a bit late and barely made it in time to get food since the store closes at 4:30pm. But the chef was gracious enough to still make me a wrap. I chose the Beet Knick with a spinach wrap. The store is cute, with light yellow colors, wooden tables and chairs and several hanging plants. Fortunately, in preparation for the farmers market, I had cash on me, since currently they don’t take credit cards. Curious and hungry, I walked out of the store with a large, bulky wrap. In green. 

After my first bite, I about died and went to heaven. This is the best wrap I ever had! Perfectly cooked beets with a garlicky dill yogurt dressing, crunchy walnuts, some feta, and lots of baby spinach, basically a salad in a wrap. After eating the entire wrap (and wondering if I was featuring a red stained beet chin) I was a happy camper . Sorry, Cleonice, unfortunately we won’t rendezvous today. You got some serious competition.




86 This!    2 State St    Ellsworth, ME 04605     (207) 610-1777   (open 6am-4:30pm)

Sushi…… NOW!

Lately, on my bike ride home I have picked up sushi at Sushi Now, the cute little sushi bar that opened last Fall in Orono. It is nestled between a barbershop and the big pizza place on the parking lot next to Verve, and it is easy to overlook it. But then as an old Californian, sushi is the No 1 food next to sandwiches when hungry, and this is the first sushi bar in Orono.

The bar looks small from the outside, but inside it has a cool, elegant decor with earthy tones and black steel tables and stools.

Sushi Now offers a large selection of sushi, maki, miso soup, and salads. Even an Orono roll is on the menu. It is white, with cream cheese and white tuna. I assume someone designed this signature roll in the winter…. Sushi Now does not serve alcohol, but you can bring your own wine, beer or sake.

Currently, they offer a “buy 2/get 3 rolls“ deal. Well, I am still sticking with.. the California roll.

High Noon

Staycation continued, with another trip to Acadia. I threw my bike in the back of my car and headed to the coast.



Since I had a late start the kale smoothie did not hold me over anymore at 3pm, and a Trenton bridge lobster came before biking this time.



I headed to Eagle lake to bike to Jordan Pond again. Since it is currently high noon of the tourist season instead of eating popovers and drinking coffee in style and on a bench with umbrella and table I sat on the lawn with an ice cream. 



Yes, napping after a hilly bike ride sounded about right.
 


I biked back to Eagle lake and took the long route along the lake instead of heading straight back to the parking lot. Clouds come in from the ocean and it became significantly cooler, chilly even if dressed only in an exercise tanktop.



Back in Bar Harbor, I found the brandnew bakery, the Little Notch Bakery, a cute store with a large community table and free wi-fi, pizza, sandwiches and pastries. Nice!




Dinner was at a beautiful gem that I just recently discovered: the Lompoc Cafe. It is off the main shopping roads, quieter, with a bocce lane, large trees, outdoor seating and with about the best and freshest local fare I have found so far in Bar Harbor.