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Unusual !hings "aine Restaurants Do

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Gather, in Yarmouth, allows diners to trade garden surplus for meal credit.

The White Barn Inn, in Kennebunkport, offers the limo drivers ofdestination diners a three-course meal, usually served in the wine cellar.

Wine is not included.

The Dolphin Marina and Restaurant, in Harpswell, makes new hires sign a sworn statement not to reveal the house blueberry-muffin recipe.

The Chebeague Island Inn includes complimentary launch service for dinner guests arriving by boat—which means all diners who don’t live there, as

Chebeague really is an island.

Vinland, in Portland, bills itself as “the first restaurant in the world to serve one hundred percent local, organic food.” No olive oil. No citrus.

But most of its wine is imported.

The White Wolf Inn, in Stratton, is decorated with massive (and empty)wasp nests festooned with floral touches.

You can get a lobster delivered by carhop at Cameron’s Lobster House, inBrunswick. Lights on for service! Ask for plenty of napkins and a bib.

You can ponder the deep meaning of the first line of Emily Dickinson’s poem “After Great Pain a Formal Feeling Comes” at LFK, in Portland, where faux-salvage typewriter keys spell it out along the bar.

At Cafe Miranda, in Rockland, customers can order a “Bleu Job.” (Oh, behave. It’sonly arugula, blue cheese, and sweet-potato fries.)

The Riverside Inn, in East Machias, provides binoculars forthose who want to keep an eye on the nesting bald eagles on

the Machias River as they eat.

ZEST MAINE fall 2014

COVER PHOTOGRAPHY BY Gentl and Hyers

CONTENTS : ZEST MAINE fall 2014

Ingredients1 10 Unusual Things Maine Restaurants Do

6 and 32 LET’S TALK ABOUT YOU: Weekends

9 FALL RECIPES: Comfort Me with Cheese, Please,by Kathy Gunst

16 WHAT CHEFS KNOW: All About Alliums, by Christine Burns Rudalevige

21 DRINK: You Put What in My Beer? by Tom Minervino

28 WINE LIST: Curated by Conundrum Wine Bistro

30 SPIRIT LIST: Curated by Bow Street Market

48 DESTINATION: Fryeburg and the Oxford House Inn, by Annemarie Ahearn

86 SOURCES

87 RENDERINGS: Miss Fall,Illustrated by Bella Pilar

88 CHECK, PLEASE: Confessions of a FormerRestaurant Critic, by Nancy Heiser

!eatures33 Three Jars Full: Two Chutneys and a Jam forthe Larder, by Kate McCarty

40 Hot Stu!: Kitchen Gifts from Budget toBountiful

56 Four Maine Enterprises: Beating the Oddsand Making It in Maine, by Michaela Cavallaro

!all !ocus: !arm and !orage66 Two Farms, Two Philosophies: Organic versusConventional at the Farmers’ Market, by Je! Rowe

70 Not Just Fruit and Veg: Standout Farmers’Markets All Over the Map, by Martin Connelly

73 Out of the Woods and onto the Stove: Three Chefs Cook with Foraged Mushrooms

80 LIFE: A Forager’s Notebook: A Memoir ofMushrooming, with Recipes, by Michael Sanders

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FALL RECIPES : ZEST MAINE fall 2014

I never did ask my grandmother why it was she cut up mygrilled-cheese sandwich into triangles. What I remember isthe red-checked tablecloth and that comforting smell oftoasted cheese and how I would drag my finger through thelittle melty bits left on the plate after that last piece had disappeared. While today the white bread is more likely tobe artisanal and the cheese State of Maine Cheddar, thememories are still strong and cheese remains a comfortfood, particularly as the cold weather sets in. With ourthoughts turning to warming raclettes, fondues, and allsorts of cheesy, baked goodness, we asked writer and accomplished cook Kathy Gunst to give us some inspirationwith a few recipes. [—Ed.]

!"#t Me $% C&'e, P()ethree easy recipes to warm the heart,

kitchen, and tummy

WRITTEN BY Kathy Gunst : PHOTOGRAPHY BY Russell French : ILLUSTRATION BY CR Saber

FALL RECIPES : BAKING WITH CHEESE

Tips for Cooking with Cheese1. Hard cheese is far easier to grate when it’s chilled.2. Unless a recipe calls for crumbled goat cheese, inwhich case you want to work with it well-chilled, goatcheese and soft cheese are best used when they areroom temperature and spreadable.3. Using a Microplane to grate cheese results in a fluffypile of cheese. Try one instead of a traditional grater.4. Most cheese rinds are edible, but it’s really a matterof taste whether you want to add them to recipes. Dosave Parmesan rinds to add to the pot of minestrone.5. When adding cheese to a cheese sauce, be sure to doso with the pan off the heat so the cheese meltssmoothly and doesn’t clump. Whisk in a small amountat a time.6. For a velvety smooth fondue, dust cheese with a littlecornstarch as you grate it.

Many of the best flavors of fall are found in this savoryrustic pie: roasted slices of butternut squash, fresh sage,and a sharp, hard cow’s milk cheese (think Gruyère),wrapped inside a buttery, sage-flavored crust. Serve witha mixed green salad, or, for heartier fare, to accompanya roast chicken.

Serves 4

Ingredients1! cups all-purpose flour3 tablespoons chopped fresh sage! teaspoon salt9 tablespoons cold unsalted butter, cut into cubes" cup very cold water1 small butternut squash, about 1! pounds10 unpeeled garlic cloves 2 tablespoons olive oil1 teaspoon kosher salt! teaspoon freshly ground black pepper 1# cups grated hard cow’s milk cheese,* about 5 ounces

*!y cheese choice is Hahn’s End Olde Shiretowne.

DirectionsIn a food processor, combine flour, 2 tablespoons sage,and salt. Add butter and pulse mixture until it resemblescoarse cornmeal, about 15 times. Add only enough coldwater to make dough form a ball and pull away from thesides of the machine. Wrap dough in plastic wrap andshape into a disc. Refrigerate for at least 1! hours orovernight.

Preheat oven to 400 F.

Peel squash, slice it in half lengthwise, remove seeds andstringy filling, and cut into #-inch slices. On a bakingsheet lined with parchment paper, place squash slicesand garlic cloves. Drizzle with oil and sprinkle with saltand pepper. Roast until squash and garlic are tender,about 25 minutes. Remove from oven. Sprinkle with remaining tablespoon of sage and let cool.

In a small bowl, squeeze garlic cloves from their skin andmash into a paste with the back of a spoon.


Remove pastry from refrigerator. On a lightly flouredpiece of parchment paper, roll dough out into a large circle, about 16 inches in diameter. Place dough andparchment paper on a baking sheet. Slather garlic pasteall over pastry. Sprinkle with " cup of grated cheese.

Arrange squash on top of the cheese, leaving a 1!-inchrim around the outside. Sprinkle with all but 2 tablespoonsof remaining cheese. Fold edge of pastry over the squashto make a lip. Sprinkle lip with remaining cheese, gentlypressing it into the pastry.

Bake on the middle rack for 35 to 40 minutes, or untilthe pastry is golden brown and the cheese is bubbling.Serve warm.

!utternut "quash, "age, and #heese Crostata

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Serves 6

Ingredients5 ounces savory whole-grain crackers1 teaspoon salt2 tablespoons chopped fresh thyme 3 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted2 tablespoons oil from sundried tomatoes packed in oil9 ounces chèvre-style goat cheese, at room temperature1 cup crème fraîche 2 large eggs1 teaspoon kosher salt ! teaspoon freshly ground black pepper8 sun-dried tomatoes packed in oil, finely chopped Fresh thyme leaves

DirectionsPreheat oven to 350 F.

In a food processor, grind crackers with salt and 1 teaspoon of thyme. Add butter and oil. Pulse a fewtimes to combine ingredients. Take a 9-inch tart pan witha removable bottom, and press mixture into it.

Bake crust on middle rack for 10 minutes. Cool for 15 minutes.


In a stand mixer fitted with whisk attachment, mix goatcheese and crème fraîche until well combined. Add eggsone at a time, beating after each addition. Add salt, pepper, remaining chopped thyme and sun-driedtomatoes. Whisk mixture for 2 minutes.

Pour filling into crust and place on a baking sheet. Bakeon middle rack until filling is somewhat pu"ed up, goldenbrown, and appears to be firm, about 35 to 40 minutes.

Serve warm or at room temperature, cut into slices. Garnish with fresh thyme leaves.

Maine Cheeses to Try Before You Die1. Hahn End’s nutty alpine-style City of Ships (Phippsburg)

2. York Hill Farm’s caprino, a sharp, hard-aged goatcheese (New Sharon)

3. Turner Farm’s aged goat’s milk cheese laced with seaweed (North Haven Island)

4. Silvery Moon Creamery’s fresh mozzarella and ricotta (Westbrook)

5. Appleton Creamery’s soft and oozing sheep’s milkBreBrie (Appleton)

6. Flying Goat Farm’s Scapegoat, a soft goat cheese layered with organic garlic scapes (Acton)

7. Echo Ridge Organic Cow’s Milk Cheese makes awide variety of cheeses, including brie, Camembert, Coulommiers, and Chaource (Mt. Vernon)

8. Spring Day Creamery makes wonderful cheeses, including Evangeline, an ashed, ripened cow’s milkcheese, and the award-winning Spring Day Blues(Durham)

9. Balfour Farm makes soft, spreadable cow’s milkcheeses like chèvre, called Bevre, in a variety of flavors,including Garlic & Herb (Pittsfield)

10. Five Islands Farm offers a selection of elevenMaine-made cheeses, including Hahn’s End, York HillFarm Goat Cheese, Echo Ridge Cheese, Fuzzy UdderCreamery, and Balfour Farm (Georgetown)

Take a simple cracker crust and fill it with creamy goatcheese, sour cream, fresh thyme, and sun-dried tomatoes, and the result is a wondrous creation somewhere between a cheesecake, a tart, and a quiche.Call it what you want—your family will happily eat it any time of day.

Cheese is a supremely local affair, with Maine’s smallercheese-makers not venturing beyond one or two farmers’ markets and specialty shops. For these recipes,seek out cheese made near you. You can find a locatortool to help at www.mainecheeseguild.org, and somecheese-makers do ship their products. For informationon Maine farmers’ markets, see pages 70–72, and for amore complete list, go to www.mofga.org.

!avory "hèvre "heesecake

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DirectionsIn a medium saucepan, melt butter over moderate heat.When butter foams, stir in thyme, rosemary, and garlic.Cook for 1 minute. Add flour, stir to create a paste, andcook 2 to 3 minutes. Slowly whisk in milk. Whisk in mustardand Worcestershire sauce. Cook until sauce slightlythickens, about 10 minutes. Remove pan from heat, andslowly add Gruyère, mozzarella, and blue cheese. Seasonwith salt and pepper. Keep warm.

In a large pot, bring lightly salted water to boil. Cookpasta until al dente. Drain thoroughly.

Serves 4

Ingredients2 tablespoons unsalted butter2 tablespoons chopped fresh thyme2 tablespoons chopped fresh rosemary1 clove garlic, finely minced3 tablespoons all-purpose flour3 cups whole milk1 teaspoon yellow-mustard powder1 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce4 ounces (about 1 cup) grated Gruyère3 ounces (about ! cup) shredded fresh mozzarella* 2 ounces (about " cup) crumbled soft blue cheese*" teaspoon kosher salt # teaspoon white pepper " pound cavatappi or penne pasta2 ounces (about " cup) hard cow’s milk cheese*, grated2 tablespoons chopped fresh chives

*!y cheese choices: mozzarella from "ourmaline HillFarm, of Greenwood; Dulse from Silvery !oon Creamery,of #estbrook, for the so$ blue; and Hahn’s End City ofShips for the hard grating cheese.

Macaroni and cheese is pure comfort food, particularlyfor kids. This version is for big kids, melding the flavorsof four cheeses with fresh herbs in a creamy sauce. Thedish can be prepared several hours ahead of time andthen baked about an hour before serving. Serve with agreen salad or autumnal cabbage-and-walnut salad, anddon’t forget plenty of crusty bread to soak up the sauce.

In a 10-inch cast-iron skillet, pour pasta and add sauce.Stir to combine. Sprinkle grated hard cow’s milk cheeseover the top. The pan can now be covered and refrigeratedfor several hours before baking.

To bake, preheat oven to 375 F. Place skillet on middlerack and bake until cheese sauce is bubbling, about 25 to 30 minutes. Garnish with chopped chives.Serve warm.

!erbed "acaroni and Quattro#heeses

!

Out of the Woods and onto the Stove:

Three Chefs Cook with Wild Mushrooms

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WILD MUSHROOMS : ZEST MAINE fall 2014

Though mushroom-foraging season doesn’t really get under way inMaine until late June, our reward is that it lingers on even after the frostsarrive, and usually with a good handful of varieties for the picking. Wehave found matsutakes and porcini at the end of October and black trumpets and yellowfoot chanterelles in early November, though both ofthe latter were rather puny and their taste muted.

The other good news is that, as more people head o! into the woods,there are more mushrooms at the farmers’ market, and at merelyshocking rather than obscene prices. Chefs can then let loose their talent, which in turn educates the home cook, encouraging us to usewild mushrooms in our own kitchens.

Still, expensive and daunting ingredients usually discourage people,and so we asked three chefs to each choose a commonly available foraged mushroom and create a simple but stunning appetizer. TimO’Brien of Brunswick’s Trattoria Athena plays a culinary joke with hisForaged Bu!alo “Chicken” Wings, the “chicken” being chicken-of-the-woods mushrooms. Josh Mather at Joshua’s, in Wells, plates up an unusual Chanterelle-Mushroom-and-Spinach Salad, a beautiful combination I had never tasted before. Finally, Christina Seeley atCaiola’s, in Portland, conjured a dish exploding with deep, dark flavors:Black Trumpet, Grilled Eggplant, and Basil Aioli Bruschetta.

We hope these three apps make you think about wild mushrooms—and how you might cook with them—in a whole new way.

PHOTOGRAPHY BYRussell French

WILD MUSHROOMS

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Serves 4

With the exception of tru!es, black trumpets havethe deepest, darkest flavor of the wild-mushroomkingdom. Here, that umami quality is bucked up bythe char on the vegetables and bread. Go west andserve a Zin with this, not a pinot noir, or go way southwith a Cannonau di Sardegna.

IngredientsFor aioli:½ cup fresh basil1 clove garlic, minced3 egg yolks2 tablespoons lemon juice1½ teaspoons Dijon mustard½ cup olive oil½ cup canola oilSalt and pepper

For bruschetta:1 cup balsamic vinegar4 slices eggplant, ¼-inch thick2 slices sweet onion, ¼-inch thickOlive oil4 thick slices country boule bread1 small tomato, diced6 ounces black-trumpet mushrooms1 clove garlic, minced1 ounce Parmesan cheese, shaved

DirectionsFor aioli:In the bowl of a food processor, place basil, garlic,egg yolks, lemon juice, and mustard. Pulse ingredientsuntil well blended.

In a liquid measuring cup, combine oils. Turn onfood processor. Very slowly add oil to the bowl ofthe processor until the sauce becomes thick likemayonnaise. Season with salt and pepper to taste.Refrigerate until ready to use.

For bruschetta:In a small pan over low heat, pour balsamic vinegar.Reduce vinegar to ¼ cup of syrup. Set aside.

Preheat grill to medium-high. Drizzle eggplant andonion slices with oil and sprinkle with salt and pepper. Place vegetables on hot grill. Flip them oncegrill marks have appeared, about 4 to 5 minutes.When both sides have grill marks, take vegetableso% heat and set aside. Once cooled, dice grilled vegetables and combine them in a bowl with dicedtomato.

Grill sliced bread until solid black grill marks are onboth sides. Set aside.

In a sauté pan over medium-high heat, add 2 tablespoons olive oil. Add mushrooms and mincedgarlic. Sauté until mushrooms are soft and garlic islightly toasted. Remove from heat.

Slather each piece of bread with 2 tablespoons aioli.Scatter diced vegetables equally among the bruschetta.Top with equal portions of mushrooms. Sprinklefresh Parmesan over mushrooms. Drizzle with reduced balsamic. Serve immediately.

“I forage with my family, and I thinkit’s important to take a part of myhome life and put it into my cookingat the restaurant. With the black-trumpet grilled bruschetta, it’s thisclassic Mediterranean-cooking-over-an-open-fire-grill taste with thesofter eggplant and dark mushroomall coming together.”

Chef Christina Seeley, Caiola’s, Portland

Black Trumpet, Grilled Eggplant, and Basil Aioli Bruschetta

Opposite, clockwise:

Chef Seeley relaxes between shifts in Caiola’s airy back garden.

The grill brings out the bruschetta’s dark and smoky flavors.

With their earthy scent, black trumpets are, the French say, “the mushroom you smell before you see.”

WILD MUSHROOMS

76

Serves 4

It isn’t very often a chef dares to put cooked wildmushrooms in green salad. Here, Josh Mather hasgiven us a simple, satisfying, and beautiful dish. Atannic red wine would overwhelm its delicacy, so trya chilled Muscadet or pinot grigio for a white, or perhaps a rosé vinho verde.

IngredientsFor mushroom salad:12 ounces chanterelle mushrooms (about 4 cups)3 tablespoons olive oil¾ teaspoon kosher saltFreshly cracked pepper1½ teaspoons fresh thyme, chopped3 tablespoons sherry vinegar8 cups fresh spinach

For red-wine vinaigrette:½ cup red wine 3 tablespoons red-wine vinegar1 tablespoon shallots, minced1 teaspoon garlic, minced1 teaspoon honey1 teaspoon smooth Dijon mustard½ teaspoon whole mustard seed½ cup olive oil2 teaspoons tarragon, finely choppedSalt and pepper to taste

For goat-cheese medallions:8 ounces fresh goat cheese1 cup all-purpose flour for dusting1 egg yolk½ cup half-and-half2 cups fresh breadcrumbs3 tablespoons olive oil

DirectionsFor mushrooms:Tear large mushrooms in half; leave smaller ones whole.

In a large skillet over high heat, pour 1 tablespoonolive oil. Heat oil until it is almost smoking. Place athird of mushrooms in the hot oil. After 2 to 3 minutes,mushrooms will release some liquid and start tobrown. At this point, season mushrooms with

¼ teaspoon salt, a pinch of pepper and ½ teaspoonthyme. Add 1 tablespoon sherry vinegar and allowliquid to evaporate, leaving mushrooms relativelydry. Place mushrooms on paper towels and refrigerate.Repeat process for remaining two batches of mushrooms.

For vinaigrette:In a small saucepan, pour wine and simmer until reduced to 3 tablespoons. In a bowl, whisk reducedwine, red-wine vinegar, shallots, garlic, honey, Dijonmustard, and whole mustard seeds. Slowly whisk inoil. Stir in tarragon. Season with salt and pepper.

For goat-cheese medallions:Divide cheese into four balls and press them intodiscs about a ½-inch thick. Lightly dust discs withflour. Spread breadcrumbs on a plate. In a bowl,beat egg yolk and half-and-half. Dip each dustedmedallion into the egg wash and then press bothsides of each into the breadcrumbs to coat. Refrigerate until ready to use.

Just before assembling salad to serve, pour 3 tablespoons of olive oil in a large sauté pan. Placepan over medium heat. When oil is hot, add goat-cheese medallions. When golden brown on one side (about 2 minutes), flip and cook until secondside is golden brown. Drain hot medallions on paper towels.

Assemble salad:In a large bowl, combine spinach and mushrooms.Toss with half of vinaigrette. Divide dressed saladonto four plates. Place a goat-cheese medallion oneach plate and serve immediately.

!ote: Le"over dressing will keep for a week in therefrigerator.

“Chanterelles are rich and fatty in acertain way, and they can take on alot of flavor. In the salad, reducingthe red wine creates a dressing that coats the leaves, and it’s a bitacid to go with the richness of goatcheese. The chanterelles are abonus, a topper.”

Chef Josh Mather, Joshua’s, WellsChanterelle-Mushroom-and-Spinach Salad with Goat-Cheese Medallions

Opposite, clockwise:

Chef Josh Mather hangs out at Easter Orchard Farm, whose bounty feedsthe restaurant table.

Seared chanterelles, spinach, and tangy goat cheese with a smooth shallotdressing make this salad anything but simple in taste.

Chanterelles and yellowfoot chanterelles, fresh from the woods and readyfor the sauté pan.

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WILD MUSHROOMS

Foraged Bu%alo “Chicken” Wings

Serves 4

Chicken of the woods is known to have exactly thetexture of … well, chicken. Put a plate of these in frontof your kids and watch them disappear. Leave out thehot-sauce bath and the delicately battered wings resemble tempura. Change up the sauce: Lemon aioli,tzatziki, pesto, or bagna càuda, all would be winners.

IngredientsFor blue-cheese dipping sauce:5 ounces creamy blue cheese*Sea salt Ground black pepper½ cup buttermilk1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice1 tablespoon chives, finely chopped

For batter:1 cup rice flour1 tablespoon cornstarch1 tablespoon fresh rosemary, finely chopped1 egg yolk1 cup ice water2 egg whites

For “chicken” wings:Canola oil1 pound fresh chicken-of-the-woods mushrooms½ cup Frank’s RedHot Bu%alo Wings Sauce2 large carrots, julienned2 stalks celery, julienned

*#e use Spring Day Blues, which is creamier than most.

DirectionsFor blue-cheese dipping sauce:Against the side of a bowl, mash cheese with theback of a fork. Stir in healthy pinches of sea salt andfreshly ground black pepper. Add buttermilk, lemonjuice, and chives. Stir until very well combined. Refrigerate until ready to use.

For batter:In a mixing bowl, sift rice flour and cornstarch. Addfinely chopped rosemary. Create a well in the centerof the flour mixture.

In another mixing bowl, whisk egg yolk into coldwater. Slowly whisk liquid into dry ingredients. Donot overstir; some lumps will remain. In a thirdbowl, beat egg whites until sti%. Gently fold theminto batter.

For “chicken” wings:In a high-sided, heavy-bottomed pan, pour approximately 2 inches canola oil and heat to approximately 360 F.

As oil heats up, clean mushrooms with a brush ordamp paper towel. Tear mushrooms into 1-inchstrips to resemble half a chicken wing. Place stripsin batter, turning to coat all sides. Use a slottedspoon to lift mushroom strips, a few at a time, out ofthe batter, allowing excess to drip back into bowl.Carefully place the strips into hot oil. Fry for about2 minutes, turning once, until golden brown. Placeon a rack with a paper towel underneath it to drain.Season with salt immediately. Allow oil to comeback up to 360 F before submerging the next batchof mushrooms.

When all mushrooms are fried, toss them in a mixing bowl with Frank’s RedHot Bu%alo Wings Sauce, making sure to liberally coat eachmushroom strip.

Serve mushroom strips with blue-cheese dippingsauce and carrot and celery crudités.

“Cooking with foraged mushroomskeeps us on our toes because wenever know what’s going to arrive atthe back door. They deliver a wholebunch of flavor without needingmuch work. For the Bu!alo“Chicken” Wings, it’s the texture thatallows us to show people the versatility of mushrooms.”

Chef Tim O’Brien, Trattoria Athena, Brunswick

!

How to Cook and Preserve Wild Mushrooms

Mushrooms contain a lot of water. When you’re cookingthem, don’t crowd the pan. Do them in batches, if necessary.

Some mushrooms, like black trumpet, porcini, and matsutake, dry very well for later use, and others don’t.

Some mushrooms freeze well once they’ve had the watercooked out of them. Sauté chanterelles, sheep’s foot, yellowfoot, and porcini in neutral oil until slightly coloredand freeze in plastic bags.

Never wash a mushroom in water. Use a damp towel orbrush to remove leaf mold and slug leavings.

With very few exceptions—Caesar’s Amanita being amongthem—wild mushrooms should be cooked before eating.

How to cook a mushroom sometimes depends on its age.Older chicken of the woods and matsutakes, for example,should be braised in liquid—a little stock, white wine, shallots, an aromatic such as parsley or thyme, some garlic—to bring out their best qualities. Sheep’s foot andhedgehogs also love braising.

Opposite, left: Chef Tim O’Brien, co-owner of Trattoria Athena, wherehalf of the small-plate menu and wine list is Italian and the other half Greek.

Opposite, right: These foraged Bu!alo “chicken” wings are so meaty intexture that people are often shocked to find out that the “chicken” is chicken-of-the-woods mushrooms torn into thin strips.

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