Saturday, October 22, 2011

October Fest

And fest we did! Chef Devin and I attended the 6th annual Foliage, Food, and Wine Festival's Taste of the Peninsula. Chef Devin was in charge of the menu: tastes of butternut squash soup, finished with toasted squash seeds, green apple, and parsley oil; and for lunch, braised short ribs with Four Season Farm celery root and potato mash and a braised local red cabbage slaw. We couldn't stop there, though, because each year, I've made a round or two or three of the festival grounds with a silver tray full of goodies--sometimes pecan mini muffins, apple walnut cake, homemade graham crackers, pillow chocolates... This year Assistant Innkeeper Sebastian made my favorite browned sugar cookies and Chef Devin couldn't resist making pumpkin truffles. I was so popular! The truffles were so well received she is now topping the creme brulee with them for dessert.

We are sad to be closing the restaurant for the season on October 28. Such a first summer! I am amazed at the number of people who say a certain dish or meal is the best they've ever had but I hear it again and again. Chef Devin is magic in the kitchen and the staff in the dining room take care of everything else. If you're able to come see us this week, make a reservation. We are looking very busy as everyone scrambles to get one last visit in. We have two specials to offer you: 1. come for dinner and mention that you read the inn's blog and would like apple crisp on the house. 2. Reserve a room as well as a table and your lodging will be half price (this is good for any night Oct. 24-28. Staying over is a wonderful way to really have a relaxing evening, and then to be pampered with our three-course breakfast in the morning.

The latest issue of Maine magazine just arrived, with a great selection of Maine made gifts. For me, part of Maine's appeal is the combination of gritty--like Stonington's working waterfront, and pretty--like Castine's downtown, of smart with Blue Hill's bookstores and film festival and coloquoy, and art with galleries found down every gravel road and artists sharing wares at farmer's markets and craft sales.
Autumn is an especially inspiring season for artists along the coast.

Are you on all the mailing lists for the area? El EL Frijoles has a great one--and it's the only way to find out about their special meals all winter long. Lucy's Granola is another--Lucy'll send any of her granolas to anyone on your gift list--or to you! The Whale's Rib is closed for the season, too, but will be back in the spring.

From the guestbook (my Italian, French, Chinese and German aren't really good enough to translate some of the comments!): "This is my new favorite inn," Leon from Virginia; "Thank you for such a wonderful stay. Your hospitality was beyond our expectations," from Pennsylvania; "You do a wonderful job of making everything charming and welcoming," from Colorado. If life isn't charming and welcoming where you are, come see us!

Monday, October 3, 2011

the beauty, and deliciousness, of fall

Ah, October! At last leaves are crimsoning up and drifting down.

The Blue Hill Inn is bursting with events this month.

First, Chef Devin Finigan and I invite you to a European wine dinner. Chef Devin has crafted a five-course dinner, with each course inviting diners to visit a different country in Europe.

We'll head to France for oysters and an Domaine Duseigneur Lirac 2010 rosé (The color alone of this rosé will dazzle.),
to Greece for Mediterranean flounder and Assyrtiko Santorini 2008,

to Spain for duck breast confit with peach and pepper sauce paired with Old Hands 2006 Monastrell,

and then on to Italy for peppercorn-crusted tenderloin paired with Riparosso Montepulciano d'Abruzzo Illuminati 2009.

We'll end our European tour with a German apple strudel and Dr F Weins-Prum Estate Riesling, Mosel, 2008.

Information about each wine poured and the pairing will be included. For reservations or more information, call 374-2844. Thursday and Friday, Oct. 6 and 7, 6:30 p.m.
Dinner is $80 per person (dinner, wine, tax, and gratuity included).

Then, we are hosting a reception for George Stevens Academy alumni and friends after a a New Surry Theatre presentation of songs and scenes from their production of Wizard of Oz on Sun., Oct. 9.

Then we move into Foliage, Food, and Wine Festival mode! This year again, we partner with El El Frijoles for two nights of their supper club here at the inn. Maxx from the Blue Hill Wine Shop will be on hand to wax poetic on wine pairings, with Michele from El El Frijoles doing her best to challenge his wine expertise.

We've had a bumper crop of hen of the woods mushrooms
this year. As I type this Chef Devin is creating ravioli with the mushroom, caramelized onions, fresh parsley and toasted walnuts. Again, she makes being vegetarian so much fun! Her soups have been very popular. This week she's making a native fall corn soup with peeky toe crabmeat--the absolute best this area has to offer. She's grilling quail and serving it with a fig demiglaze and polenta--so delicious. Her grilled steak is finished with gorgonzola butter and has farm carrots and crispy kale.

I, always testing the waters on your behalf, had oysters at Arborvine recently. The Hikades do it all right at Arborvine--the setting, the service, the food. Dining there, right around the corner from the inn, is always pleasant.

So many inn guests, as they head out for the day to kayak, hike, shop, and explore, wonder if I get time off. I recently was invited to an island to play pétanque with Tony from the Pilgrim's Inn, among other aficionados. When you're here next, I can steer you to the various courts we have in the area, including the one at the Pilgrim's Inn.

If your fall isn't this much fun, come share with us! But call ahead, our fun events sell out and we're all booked up in the inn certain nights this month.