For our final meal of the trip, we tried to go to Fore Street. But since we were on a boat, we weren’t able to get there in time to get on the list. So we went to what was our second choice, but should have been our first choice all along: the wonderful, fabulous, delicious Hugo’s, which had some of the best food on the trip. Plus we had a great time at the bar with the bartender and our dining neighbors. Here is the soft-shell lobster with cauliflower:
After lunch and some low-impact shopping, we went for cocktails. On a boat. Greg got some tickets to the sunset sail for on the schooners in the harbor. I put together a little video about it. I hope you like it!
EDIT: I’m worried y’all might not know what this is a play on, so I’m including my inspiration here:
I’d already been to J’s Oyster on my 2007 trip to Maine with Boo. But this was one I didn’t want Greg to miss. We hit the bar and waited for a big bucket of steamers:
Are you tired of rocky coastlines, deep blue water and sunny skies? No, us neither. Here’s our bike trip around Peaks Island, just off the coast, and still a part of Portland proper:
On today’s agenda is a visit to Peaks Island. And just across the street from the ferry terminal is a Standard Baking Company, owned by Sam Hayward — also the owner of Fore Street, which Boo and I visited during our trip in 2007. The bakery makes both breads and sweets, and on a Friday morning in August, it seems everyone and his mother wants to have one or the other. The line was out the door. Luckily, it moved quickly, and once you’re inside, you get to choose among these delicious items:
There are things to like about Five Fifty-Five in Portland, like dollar-fify-five oysters on Thursdays; welcoming and friendly bartenders; and the blueberry salad, a wonderfully balanced dish with peppery arugula and crunchy pistachios. Then there are things not to like, like long waits from the wine cellar; a heavy hand with French-style sauces; and the suckling pig cracklin’s that come with the “three little pigs” dish, which are so hard and crunchy that Greg thought he was eating glass.
Here’s a look at our hotel. Same one that Boo and I stayed at on our last trip to Maine — and I highly recommend it. A look around — after we pause to admire this view:
Yes. We couldn’t help it. We stopped in Freeport and went to the L.L. Bean Outlets.
Believe it or not, all we walked away with was a pair of sunglasses. More photos after the jump.
Ah! Finally! Some beautiful weather. I ended up getting a touch of sunburn, even! Here’s a look at our glorious boat ride back to the mainland.
Nebo had a couple of bikes we could use to check out the island. The sun was trying its hardest to come out, and by the time we were on our way back from our ride, the sky was nearly clear. Here’s a look at the trip.
Who would have thought that a bakery 12 miles off the coast of Maine would make amazing bagels? Perfect chewy crust, light fluffy inside. And great herbed cream cheese, too. And of course, more of those beautiful flowers adorned the tables.
Weeks before we got to Maine, I had an email from Cousin Theresa: “Some friends of ours are buzzing about Nebo Lodge on North Haven. I’m not sure if that is still in your plans but thought you might want to check it out.” She was pleased when we told her we’d already planned a visit. Then, Jan and Suzanne, some friend’s we met at Rory and Chris’ wedding, also recommended Nebo — and especially the lamb chops, which Jan couldn’t stop raving about. So by the time we sat down for drinks and dinner, we were primed for a good meal indeed — and Nebo did not disappoint. If only it weren’t an 8-hour drive and 1 1/2-hour ferry ride away, we’d be there all the time.
We arrived at Nebo Lodge completely soaked through to our skin. I don’t remember a time when we’ve ever been as wet. Once we got in our room, we had to go directly to the bathroom to peel our clothes off our bodies. We asked the innkeeper if she wouldn’t mind drying my jeans. They were the only pants I brought. So we dried off in the room, reading our books for a bit.
Just as we were about to board our ferry to North Haven Island, rain started coming down in sheets. I didn’t even have a rain jacket of any sort, and went to a shop called Rock Coast Sports, where I found a very waterproof jacket by Columbia Sportswear. Thank goodness. It was a wet ride, with 6 to 8 foot swells and really strong winds. Yikes.
Ready? Come along…
After our lovely day exploring Camden, we went back to Camden for dinner — to one of Jeff and Theresa’s favorite places, Francine. These were the most unusual and delicious mussels I think I’ve ever had.
In Camden Hills State Park, you’ll find an auto road to the top of Mount Battie, which overlooks Penobscot Bay.
Yes, as I mentioned, my friends call me Penny.
Bayview Lobster is a cute little place with a simple seafood menu. Lobster rolls and the like. Perfect for our afternoon pick-me-up.
We spent the day on bikes, exploring Rockport and Camden. We saw some stunning vistas, beautiful Belted Galloway cows and lot of beautiful countryside. Here’s the first leg of our trip:
We really were so lucky to have hit it off so well with cousins Jeff and Theresa. I mean, we kind of knew each other a little through family functions and events, but we’d never hung out for real. The visit was a lot of getting-to-know you questions and answers from both sides. I peppered Jeff with questions about his growing up and the rest of his siblings — there were six all together! — and he told me things I didn’t remember about my Dad. Like the Chileans visiting.
“You have his laugh, you know,” said Jeff one night.
“Oh really?” I asked.
“Nobody ever told you that?”
Nope. They hadn’t. I’m glad Jeff did.
More photos of our fabulous supper, including Theresa’s to-die-for Lobster BLTs, after the jump.
Theresa made a fabulous dinner for us while we were in Maine, and this delicious sandwich was the centerpiece. I found the recipe on the Stonewall Kitchen website.
The recipe, after the jump.
A little shop in Rockland captured our hearts with its great concept and fine products. Theresa told us not to miss Fiore, which sells flavored olive oils and vinegars. I know what you’re thinking. You’re thinking, “I’ve seen basil olive oil on the shelf of my local A&P.” But this, my friends, is way different. These are premium olives oils and vinegars, which you can taste and are them bottled for you right there in the store. We were in heaven.
One must-see attraction on our Maine list was the Farnsworth Museum, which has a collection of Maine artists, including many Wyeths. It was raining pretty hard when we went, so I didn’t take any photos outside — and you’re not allowed to take any inside. So you’ll just have to take my word for it that we went. And afterwards, we wandered a bit around downtown Rockland.
Our motto in Maine is “Oysters Everyday.” Today’s fix comes from a cute little restaurant on the Rockland harbor called The Boathouse.
For our final dinner errand of the day, we’ll stop at Jess’s Market in Rockland for lobstahs. Like this guy:
When we first drove past the Maine State Prison Store in Thomaston, we nearly hit the brakes and made a U-turn. But we were expected at Jeff and Theresa’s for cocktail hour, so we decided to skip it. Lucky for us, while we were running the dinner errands with Theresa, we drove past again. This time, we made a stop.
For supper on Monday night, Theresa had some delicious dishes planned. Lobster BLTs, for one. Corn. And a blueberry salad with arugula and gorgonzola. Killer. She bought all her produce from a terrific farm stand called Beth’s Farm Market. On the Beth’s website, Beth says (and yes, there is a real Beth): “If it is a vegetable that can be grown in Maine and it is in season, you will probably find it at Beth’s Farm Market.” I believe it. Come along for a look. The blueberries were out of this world.
The chef at Primo is Melissa Kelly. We’ve never eaten her food before, but had always meant to when she was cooking a lot closer to us at the restaurant at Old Chatham Sheepherding Company in the Hudson Valley. She left there to opened Primo with pastry chef and co-owner Price Kushner. (Since then, she’s won a James Beard Award for Best Chef, Northeast.) So not only were we looking forward to dinner because Theresa and Jeff were raving, but also because we felt like we were finally getting to do something we’d been wanting to for a very long time. You know how sometimes when you anticipate how good something will be, and then your hopes are dashed once you are in the throws of it? This was absolutely not the case at Primo. Everything was delightful and delicious. We had a ball, too.
Here’s the local halibut with risotto:
Rory and Chris were married on Rory’s family farm in Maine on Aug. 21, 2010. Here’s a look at a few photos from the wedding.
We packed up the car, loaded the bikes and got on the road. Like the dorks that we are, we even had a cooler for drinks and snacks on the road. Thank goodness, because we wouldn’t want to ignore the sage advice of the government in Maine:
There are many funny (cars loaded with bikes and kayaks) and beautiful (waves crashing along a rocky coastline) things to see in Maine, but this sign may have been one of my favorites. We came across it at the first rest stop across the border, where there were only restrooms and a room of vending machines full of chips and sodas. Hence, the warning, I suppose.
After the jump, the SCFmobile, loaded with bikes, but no kayaks, and a few photos of dorks eating their lunch at picnic tables on the side of interstate highways. This is going to be fun, people!
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