Winter Weekend in Maine

Our grandson, Colin, would be spending his winter school vacation in Southern California with his father, stepmother and baby brother, Pierce.  This seemed like a great opportunity for a romantic weekend with Gerry and so I planned a special Christmas gift to both of us for a weekend in Freeport, Maine, February 18-21. Freeport is within a 2-1/2 hour drive from our house and the shopping is fun at LLBean. I chose the Brewster House B&B because their rooms looked cozy and the breakfasts looked delicious.  And it was within walking distance to the downtown.

We had a wonderful time and would certainly go back. So why I am writing this on our Dinner with the Canellis blog? Because we had some terrific food and visited some wonderful places and I wanted to remember it all again.

Daughter, Beth and her husband, Rob, recommended the Azure Cafe in Freeport and it did not disappoint. It was a short walk from our B&B and the weather was fine all weekend - a bit brisk at times and some snow on the lawns. I had the Maine Seafood Cakes - tender crab, salmon and shrimp cakes with spicy carrot and parsnip ribbons topped with coriander cream and the Filet Tartufo, a grilled filet topped with Applewood-smoked Maine sea salt and local Crimini and oyster mushrooms with black truffles, Gorgonzola, crispy fried shallots and roast garlic smashed potatoes. Gerry had the Antipasto d'Azzuro - Provolone, Genoa, Sopressata, Proscuitto, fresh Mozzarella, vine-ripened tomatoes, fresh basil, roasted local tomatoes and Italian olives served with a black truffle mustard.  It was all absolutely delightful. He also enjoyed fresh Maine seafood risotto with haddock, shrimp, calamari and Maine lobster in a creamy risotto with fresh local tomatoes and fresh basil.  Gerry chose a wine from Piedmont, Italy, the 2007 Colle dei Venti Barbaresco.  It was an absolutely wonderful meal and we remembered to save our cork for our collection.

Our first breakfast at the Brewster House was as amazing as the last - three mornings of juice, French press coffee, a fruit course, and egg dish and a sweet breakfast entree.  Blueberry and Cheese Stuffed French Toast, Sauteed Vegetable Fritatta, White Chocolate Cherry Scones, Bananas Foster Croissant French Toast, Baked Eggs.  Everything was absolutely delicious and served with lots of hospitality, conversation, and in this case, sunshine at our table for two by the window.  We really could have gone the entire day without eating again. Well, except for a stop at the sweet plate in the front hall. On the way up to bed each night at the Brewster House we always stopped by the domed cake plate for a cookie or bar of some kind.  On the last day I learned that Ruth makes all of the baked goods that I at first suspected came from a bakery - they were that good.  Oatmeal cookies, gluten-free meringues.  All yummy.

After shopping on Sunday morning and afternoon we were simply exhausted.  We rested our legs at Petrillo's, on Depot Street, a small place next to the rail tracks in what looks like it might have been a train depot.  We shared one of the best small antipasto plates ever and enjoyed some brew.  I quickly learned that I really like Allagash White Ale from nearby Portland. We rested our legs some more at the Nordica Theater and took in a late afternoon movie before heading off to Canelli's Italian Restaurant in Yarmouth.

Why Canelli's, you ask?  Well, Ken and Ellie ("Canelli") had a restaurant in Medfield, MA for many years. When a Groupon offer came in my email box I didn't know this, of course.  I just figured it would be a fun dinner for Gerry who immediately recognized Ken from his many work lunches at Canelli's. We shared a wonderful plate of steamed mussels in a Marinara sauce and a bottle of Chianti. I had the Scallops Angelina - dry sea scallops sauteed with fresh mushrooms and spinach in a light cream sauce, served over homemade fettucine and it was delicious. Gerry had broiled dry scallops with butter, white wine, a light crumb topping served with potatoes and a vegetable. 

Monday we met our friend and financial advisor, Jay Flower, at the Old Port Sea Grill on Commercial Street for lunch in Portland and had light lunches of salads and a lobster roll so that we could have some kind of appetite for Duckfat fries later in the afternoon. And so it was, with 2000 calories later (what would Duckfat Hand Cut Belgian fries be like without another Allagash White and some Horseradish Mayo on the side?) tucked under our belts, we took in another movie at the Nicklelodeon Theater on Temple Street and some more shopping filled out the afternoon. We ended our day sharing some scallops wrapped in bacon and a cocktail at the Jameson Tavern just blocks from our bed and breakfast in Freeport and ordered a hamburger and fries to share and take away while we watched television in the comfort of our cozy room  with gas fireplace - armed with our small bottle of scotch and Grand Marnier. Of course, we stopped at the cookie plate near the front hall. 

We sadly packed up and left Scott and Ruth's lovely inn on Tuesday morning.  We detoured to Kennebunk Beach where Gerry found two heart-shaped stones within minutes.  I found the third before racing back to the car in the 35 degree sunshine.  (See photo above.) Another detour to the Stonewall Kitchen and Cafe in York (just some small tasting bites around the shop) before landing in Portsmouth, NH and some more  shopping at Attrezzi and  LeRoux Kitchen. Lunch at The Library Restaurant on State Street was a perfect ending to a perfect trip with outstanding ambience and service.

Appreciation: Whoopie Pies

Our Volunteer's Appreciation Tea is on February 10, 2012 and eighteen library staff and trustees are making sweet treats to share with all of our invited volunteers. The only rule is that the recipe must be from a book that is in the Minuteman Library Network's collection (or adapted from one.)

My daughter, Beth, is a wicked-authentic Whoopie Pie lover.  In other words, Whoopies must be chocolate and must have a marshmallow filling as far as Beth is concerned.  I love her traditional nature!

True to form, I'm going rogue instead. Here are four recipes I am trying from one of the library's cookbooks, Whoopie Pies: Thirty Recipes for Treats for Every Occasion.

Click on the links below or the recipe listing to the right.
Snickerdoodle Whoopie Pies
Oatmeal and  Raisin Whoopie Pies
Gingerbread Whoopie Pies
Banana Maple Cream Whoopie Pies

Update:  So, okay, Beth.  There might be a reason to stick with the traditional here! Gerry's favorite was the Oatmeal and Raisin Whoopie Pies.  The pie was a bit cookie-like and it was almost like an ice-cream filled oatmeal cookie with a nice touch of orange peel. These pies also looked the best.  The Gingerbread were not gingery enough (although there was candied ginger in the filling) and they were very dry. The Snickerdoodle were soft and closest to traditional whoopie-pie consistency but the filling was sweet and the overall taste too much.  The Banana Maple Cream were a bit dry and the cream filling made me nervous due to its consistency. The crushed pecan edging was very nice, though.

Overall?  I won't go to this much trouble again! But we had 19 plates of treats for our volunteers who absolutely loved our efforts. Grapefruit macarons, carrot cake, Queen Anne's cake, bars, cookies and Challah with honey.

Gingerbread Whoopie Pies

1-1/2 c. flour
1-1/2 tsp. baking soda
2 tsp. ground ginger
5 T butter, softened
generous 1/3 c. vegetable shortening
scant 1/2 c. dark brown sugar
2 T molasses
1 large egg, beaten
generous 1/3 c. milk

Ginger Cream Filling: Place 1 cup full-fat cream cheese, 1 c. confectionary sugar, 4 T heavy cream in a bowl and beat with an electric mixer and beat until smooth.  Stir in 2 pieces of finely chopped preserved ginger.

Sift together the flour, baking soda, ginger and salt.  Place the butter, vegetable shortening and sugar in a large bowl and beat with an electric mixer until pale and fluffy.  Beat in the molasses and egg followed by half of the flour mixture and then the milk. Follow with the rest of the flour mixture and mix until fully incorporated.

Make 20 cakes either in a prepared whoopie pie pan, muffin tin, or mounded on prepared cookie sheets. Bake in a preheated (350 degree) oven 11-13 minutes until risen and just firm. Cool for 5 min, transfer to a cooling rack and let cool.  Freeze on parchment paper on a cookie sheet in a freezer before storing in ziploc bags until ready to fill.

Oatmeal and Raisin Whoopie Pies

Generous 1-3/4 c. flour
2 tsp. baking powder
large pinch of salt
1 tsp. apple pie spice
1/2 c. butter, softened
3/4 c. light brown sugar
1 large egg, beaten
2/3 c. milk
1 cup rolled oats
1/3 c. raisins

Orange Buttercream Filling:  Beat 1/2 c. unsalted butter, softened and the juice and finely grated rind from 1 orange with an electric mixer for 2-3 minutes until pale and creamy.  Gradually beat in 1-3/4 cups confectionary sugar and continue for 2-3 minutes until the cream is light and fluffy.

Sift together flour, baking powder, salt and apple pie spice.  Beat the butter and sugar in a large bowl and beat with an electric mixer until pale and fluffy.  Beat in the egg and follow by 1/2 the flour mixture and then the milk.  Add the rest of the flour mixture and mix until thoroughly incorporated.  Stir in the rolled oats and raisins.

Make 24 cakes either in a prepared whoopie pie pan, muffin tin, or mounded on prepared cookie sheets. Bake in a preheated (350 degree) oven 10-12 minutes until risen and just firm. Cool for 5 min, transfer to a cooling rack and let cool.  Freeze on parchment paper on a cookie sheet in a freezer before storing in ziploc bags until ready to fill.

Banana Maple Cream Whoopie Pies

Generous 1-3/4 c. flour
1 tsp. baking soda
large pinch of salt
1/2 c. butter, softened
3/4 c. light brown sugar
1 large egg, beaten
generous 1/3 c. buttermilk
1 large banana, peeled and mashed
3/4 c. finely chopped pecans

Maple Cream Filling:  Place 1-1/4 c. heavy cream and 3 T maple syrup in a bowl and whip together until holding firm peaks.

Sift together the flour, baking soda and salt.  Place the butter and sugar in a large bowl and beat with an electric mixer until pale and fluffy.   Beat in the egg followed by half of the flour mixture and then the buttermilk.  Stir in the rest of the flour and mix until thoroughly incorporated.  Stir in the mashed banana.

Make 24 cakes either in a prepared whoopie pie pan, muffin tin, or mounded on prepared cookie sheets. Bake in a preheated (350 degree) oven 10-12 minutes until risen and just firm. Cool for 5 min, transfer to a cooling rack and let cool.  Freeze on parchment paper on a cookie sheet in a freezer before storing in ziploc bags until ready to fill.

Roll the edges of each whoopie pie in the nuts.

Snickerdoodle Whoopie Pies

Generous 1-3/4 c. flour
1 tsp baking soda
large pinch of salt
2 tsp ground cinnamon
1/2 cup butter, softened
3/4 cup plus 2 T sugar
1 large egg, beaten
1 tsp vanilla extract
2/3 c. buttermilk

Coffee filling:  Beat 1/2 c. unsalted butter, softened, scant 1/2 c. cream cheese, 1 T strong cold black coffee together until well-blended. Gradually beat in 2-1/2 c. confectioner's sugar.

Sift together the flour, baking soda, salt and 1 tsp. cinnamon.  Place the butter and 3/4 c. sugar in a large bowl and beat with an electric mixer until pale and fluffy. Beat in the egg and vanilla followed by half of the flour mixture and then the buttermilk. Stir in the rest of the flour mixture and mix until thoroughly incorporated.

Make 30 cakes either in a prepared whoopie pie pan, muffin tin, or mounded on prepared cookie sheets. Mix the rest of the cinnamon with 2 T sugar and sprinkle over the batter.  Bake in a preheated (350 degree) oven 10-12 minutes until risen and just firm. Cool for 5 min, transfer to a cooling rack and let cool.  Freeze on parchment paper on a cookie sheet in a freezer before storing in ziploc bags until ready to fill.

Fiesta Sweet Potato Soup

When my friend, Annetta Milhon of Grandview, Nebraska posted this soup recipe on her Facebook Super Bowl Sunday morning, I needly only to read that it included sweet potatoes, black beans and cilantro and knew I needed to make this soup.  I served it with salsa verde (fresh in the produce section), chopped cilantro and blue corn chips.  It's adapted from the recipe that Annetta posted (Country Woman Magazine - December2011/January 2012.)

(1) 14 ounce package of Al Fresca Chipotle Chorizo chicken sausage, sliced in half and then 1/2 inch chunks

2 medium sweet potatoes, peeled and cubed

1 large onion, chopped

1 yellow pepper, diced

1 T olive oil

2 tsp. fresh ground cumin (the fresher the spice the better)

2 cans of chicken broth

(1) 10 oz. can Rotel Diced Tomatoes with Lime Juice and Cilantro

(1) 14 oz. can Del Monte Petite Cut Tomatoes - Zesty Jalapeno 

(2) cans black beans, rinsed and drained

2 T. chopped fresh cilantro for each bowl

Add sausage to olive oil in soup pot and then potatoes, onion, pepper.  Cook until onion is translucent. Add cumin and stir.

Add chicken broth and tomatoes and cook 10 min. until potatoes are tender.  Add beans.

Serve with garnishes (sour cream, sliced scallions and avocado can be used in addition to salva, chips and cilantro.)