No doldrums here

I had the most fun inquiry today. Authur Will Azeperak emailed asking if the Blue Hill Inn has an attic. Turns out he is working on a scifi series, set in Blue Hill! Did you know Kurt Gödel stayed here in 1942? He was unquestionably the greatest logician of the 20th century, says Peter Suber. Suber's article mentions that Gödel walked along Parker Point Road, deep in thought, just as we do today. Gödel proved time travel had definite descriptive mathematical formulas, Azeperak said today. He will somehow be putting all this--and details about the inn--in the next book in his series.

I was on my own for dinner tonight and craving a burger. My favorite burger in town is at the Blue Moose. I bundled up and trudged down to the store to get a local paper and down to the Moose, where I lucked into a booth. But then the waitress broke the news to me: no hamburgers. No hamburgers?! Turns out one of the elementary school basketball teams had come in, hungry for burgers (just like me). So I had to put down the paper and peruse the menu. And then decide between an Asian sounding crepe or scallops with fava beans. I ended up ordering the scallops. And so I settled in to reading the paper, nibbling the perfect french bread, and sipping Spinyback's sauvignon blanc. Mike, who along with his wife, is the propietor, swung by my table. I wasn't alarmed as he often stops by to chat with guests. Tonight, however, he was delivering bad news--the scallop dish, ready to be delivered to my table, had been delivered to the floor. Alas! Did I want to wait for it to be made again or order something else? I stayed with the scallops and read more of the paper and enjoyed the house salad with a really nice vinagrette dressing. Everyone apologized for the delay but I was having a lovely time. And then came the scallops, which were so good--oodles of them broiled perfectly and surrounding peas and potatoes and corn and beans--so delicious. Had I not been forced by the lack of hamburger to venture there, I'd have missed them. Turns out the basketball players were in because they had lost every game but had been such good sports about it, their parents decided they deserved a treat. Their loss was my gain. I'll be back soon.

The Cure for Whatever Ails You

I was T-shirt shopping at Merrill and Hinckley's, the little grocery store so convenient to the inn, with my friend Tracy, who is good natured and easy going about everything but, as it turns out, is very particular about which T-shirt she likes. I pulled out about every T-shirt they had hoping to find one she would wear. This one was not quite her but I loved it--maybe for my brother?--and had to get it. They also have a kid's shirt that says, "I'm a keepah" and has a lobster on it. I had to explain to Tracy that's what a fisherman would say about a lobster that was just the right size, not too large or too small.

The cure for the cold weather? Long underwear! I just got myself some black silk ones and I love them. You know it's Maine when "black silk" is not followed by "lingerie" but "long underwear"!

Last week I went to Castine to hear Bill Haviland speak about the Native American populations in this area. I picked up a map of a canoe route through the center of Deer Isle that was used between 2000 and 3000 years ago. How cool is that?! Bill has a book, Safe Passage to the Sea: An Ancient Canoe Route at Deer Isle, Maine, if you want to know more. I believe it's available through the Island Heritage Trust. And check out the other great things they have at their store--T-shirts with a Jill Hoy painting on them, books with gorgeous covers, a handsome cap.

I saw in the Ellsworth American that "locavore" was declared Word of the Year for 2007 by the New Oxford American Dictionary. The Blue Hill Inn is proud of its locavorism and 2008 will bring an expanded "foodscape" in the back yard and side garden.

Today was a whistling wind day at the inn, with the sign flapping. You hear more people talking about Jamaica. Not me, though. I got my long underwear.

O fickle Maine

Last week I was in a convertible--with the top down (OK, I was bundled up but it was almost 50 degrees and full-on sunshine) and we could see grass everywhere and only a few snow piles hung around. Monday we got another 10 inches of snow, gorgeous powder.

The other day I went cross country skiing in East Blue Hill, and between the sun and the exercise, got down to one layer, in spite of temperatures in the low teens. Winter sports make all this weather so much fun. I'm on the lookout for inner tubes for sledding. I've taken quite a few reservations from folks in Florida--they tell me about the sunshine and the 70s, I tell them about fleece and shoveling. Guests coming in on the weekend were hoping to snowshoe but settled for hiking instead. I got out to Blue Hill Mountain, which was a bit icy (but the views are still great). Barred Island, down on Deer Isle, was more peaceful than ever. I had a yummy breakfast at the Blue Moose--so nice to be served!

I have to update the chowder debate--Molly, of Molly B Designs, had me over for supper the other night, a scrumptious chowder full of fish and scallops. Her secret ingredient? Smoked salmon! She begins by sautéing that with the onions and makes a bit of a roux.

I wanted to share some of my holiday mail with you. That huge fabulous boat I've gone on about more than once? Here she is! The Baldwins, from Texas, sent me this.

A delightful couple, the Engelbrechts, from Germany, sent me this photo, which Lothar took in the mirror of room 8. As I always say, I have the nicest guests!

I've made it easier to leave a comment here on my blog, though I always appreciate readers who take a moment to send me an email.

Happy New Year!

The word for 2008 might be snow. We got about 8 inches yesterday and are expected to get up to 8 more today. Last night, for the New Year’s Eve celebration around town, the clouds moved on and the skies were clear and starry. In a free party given by the Peninsula Pan, we had live music in 11 venues—11!—all within walking distance of downtown. I suffer from a severe case of FMS so events like this are a challenge. “FMS?” you wonder. Fear of missing something! From standing room only at the Congregational Church for Noel Paul Stookey (of Peter, Paul, and Mary fame) to Jay and Bjorn Peterson performing at the library to various steel drum bands at the academy across the street from the inn, I couldn’t be everywhere at once. We also had humor with Joel McGraw (who used to work at my favorite boatyard in Brooklin), a magician at the MERI center (where we also got to check out their aquariums and wish a flounder and some lobsters a happy new year), and radio drama at the town hall.

Cabin fever hasn’t set in yet by any means, but I thought I’d mention a few books I’ve enjoyed lately. For a bit of nonfiction, I highly recommend The Price of Clams, by Lloyd Capen. He presents an intimate look at Deer Isle and the surrounding area from 1930-1943. I would love a book publisher to get a hold of this and print a new edition with more photos and a bigger map and well, just more. You can get a signed copy from Blue Hill Books. (And here's my plug for small, independently owned bookshops: buy from them.)

Linda Greenlaw has added a mystery to her growing list of titles: Slipknot is set in Maine, in “Green Haven” (seems a funny way to spell “Stonington” but you know how authors can be!) and is another must read for Maine lovers.

Joe Coomer's Pocketful of Names charmed me so much I bought it for everyone in my family and they’re still thanking me for it. His book, The Loop, is another favorite of mine. Based on these two, I bought everything he’s written that Nick carries at Blue Hill Books and will savor them throughout the winter. Have you heard of a literature map?
And I know I mentioned the Little Yellow Boatie, by Helen Sylvester in a previous blog but it’s sweet.

Turns out I waited too long to catch that Cadillac Mountain sunrise—much of the Park Loop Road is closed for the winter. I guess I could snowshoe up the mountain, before sunrise, but I’m really not that kind of girl.

I went walking around town this morning, to see if I could show you how much snow we have. I could hear the ice tinkling up to the shore as the tide came in.

Happy Winter!

I do hope, wherever you are, that winter and the holidays find you happy and cozy.

A healthy, peaceful, utterly satisfying 2008 to you all. Here's hoping we see you in Blue Hill in the new year.

All the best,
Sarah

Magic in the air

I drove to Ellsworth last week for a business meeting on a morning when it was only 9 degrees. I had to stop in Surry and take pictures of the sea smoke.

The following day I went to Deer Isle, to Stonington, and had breakfast at the Harbor Cafe—have you tried a grilled muffin? O decandent. It was even a bran muffin, and it was still decadent.

I met with Capt. Bill Baker, my pal from Old Quarry Ocean Adventures. Do you wonder what people like him do in the winter? He works on marketing, tries new recipes (duck hunters rent from him this time of year and often share with him—he even sent me home with some. My friend Karen loves duck and loves to cook so I’m planning a meal with her), and is building a bunk house. He also reminded me what great kayaking we have in this area—I’ve taken it for granted as it’s the only place I’ve ever been kayaking. It was 42 degrees as I drove up to Old Quarry and the snow was mushy underfoot, fickle Maine.

I stopped at the Sleigh Bell Shoppe and Lobster Crate on my drive back, doing a quick U-turn after seeing the “Fresh scallops” sign. While there, I picked up a copy of Little Yellow Boatie, by Helen Sylvester, the sweetest Maine children’s book this year. I also bought A Record of Early American Wall Stencils Found In Blue Hill Maine and Nearby, plus some gift tags designed with them. I also bought some Christmas gifts and a pound of fresh scallops. The resulting chowder was so delicious I couldn’t believe I hadn’t bought gallons more.

Back in Blue Hill, I went on a walk with Julie who likes her off-season job so much, I may not be able to lure her back to waitressing at the inn. We stopped off at Ginger Manna’s Bella Colore, a shop filled with everything from beads to Mexican tin ornaments to funky hair ties and great jewelry and it's less than two blocks from the inn. I bought a few presents—for others not myself!—look how sweetly she wrapped them. I put my name on her mailing list for craft classes this winter. Maybe this is the year I do something with all the glass beads I can’t resist buying.

New York cousin Stephanie goes out almost every night and wondered how often Blue Hill cousins go out. Starting with Friday night, this has been my evening social life: Dinner at Margaret and Barbara’s (see Oct. 22’s blog entry) with Jim and Marcia Schatz, who own the Blue Hill Farm Country Inn, and Ralph Pettie, who the following day was a member of the trio who gave a dramatic/comedic reading of A Christmas Carol at the public library. The gals of Gallery 66 always serve delicious things. This time they introduced me to pappadews and even sent me home with a jar. On Saturday I started at the Blue Hill Public Library’s Christmas party—as I walked in, I could smell wood smoke from the fireplaces on opposite ends of the main hall. Pine boughs graced every surface and provided a backdrop for twinkling lights and plates of goodies. When was the last time someone read aloud to you? I adore it and having these men read the Christmas Carol was truly a treat. That evening I had to decide between a sing-along of Handel’s Messiah at the Blue Hill Congregational Church and Aunt Mae’s Cabaret at the Town Hall. Luckily they and the inn are within a block of one another so I listened to the beginning of the Messiah (and "listened" is the correct verb. I never did well in chorus) and then dashed across the street to catch some of the local talent in the cabaret. On Sunday, I went to Bar Harbor on the early side to avoid the snowstorm. I stayed with my friend BobbieLynn Hutchins, who owns the Café Bluefish and is an amazing cook, as she was hosting a dinner party. I had every intention of seeing the sun rise over Cadillac Mountain but the snowstorm turned into a rain storm and the roads became ice skating rinks. Monday night (are you already a bit exhausted by my social life?!), I said no to playing bridge with friends to go to the Wescott Forge as they were hosting a chamber of commerce business after hours event. Check out contractor John Ruger’s Blue Hill “cover model” house.

Then on Tuesday, I dined at the Barncastle, in front of one of the fireplaces, on a great spinach salad and spelt-crusted pizza with artichoke hearts and feta, before dashing to the George Stevens Academy’s holiday concert. Tonight I’ll sit in front of my own fireplace and wrap some presents.

The other day, cold and crisp, I had to walk down Parker Point Road and take pictures to show you how beautiful it is. Don't forget--we have the Cape House available all year--it could be you strolling along here...

The Big Snow! And Chowder vs. Stew

I'm in the midst of my first snowstorm at the inn. I woke to "little snow, big snow" an adage that suggests if the flakes are small, the piles will be large. This morning the flakes were tiny! I walked through town a few times running errands in a very quiet village. We've been plowed out and James the Plower will be taking very good care of the guests in the Cape House, should any ever get snowed in. And what a treat being snowed in here is--the crackling fireplace, the cozy duvets, the solitude. And if you'd like, we'll put flannel sheets on the bed. We've gotten about 10 inches and it's still coming down.

You know you're in Maine when... On Friday night I drove to the Franklin Street United Methodist Church in Bucksport (which is on the Penobscot River and home to that Penobscot Narrows Bridge I'm so fond of). I had read in the Weekly Packet, the local paper we give to guests at the inn, that the church was holding a lobster stew dinner followed by Mt. View Chamber Singers performing carols in the round. What an absolutely magical evening.


Stew vs. Chowder

You need to know before reading any further that I can’t keep a secret. If you really truly want something to stay a secret, please don’t tell me. See, someone once told me her mother's secret for the best chowder ever, ever.

But do you even know the difference between seafood chowder and seafood stew? (And by seafood I mean haddock or scallop or lobster or clam or various combinations.) You need to know because you can usually find them on the menu in Maine and the smarter you look when you're ordering, the more respect the Mainers'll have for you, and they're so good you must order them.

I'm pretty sure that Linda Greenlaw has a recipe or two in her cookbook but I gave my copy away and haven't gotten a chance to replace it yet. I could wait until I finished all my research on stew vs. chowder before I started talking to you all about it but I'm too impatient for that.

So, stew will have seafood and milk or cream, and that's about it. This recipe sounds like what I feasted on Friday night--oh it was tasty. With a chowder, a person could and should throw in some onions and potatoes. You can get fancy, like this fish chowder recipe, or keep it really simple. In the summer, I like to grill fish along with potatoes that I've washed and then coated pretty heavily in a seasoning mix like Montreal Steak Seasoning and onions that I fold into foil with some olive oil. I make enough for leftovers which I throw into a pot with some stock and milk and yum! Fish chowder. I think pepper is a key ingredient. Brooke Dojny--in her Dishing Up Maine cookbook--adds in fresh thyme.

A few great sounding recipes:
Clam Chowder
Fish Chowder
Shrimp and Scallop Stew

So, the secret. See, I think good things should be shared. But I can't seen to put it out here in black and white. If you want to know how to make the best chowder ever, ever, drop me an email and I'll whisper it to you. Though one secret is to have someone make it for you--I find it always tastes better then.

Check out this article from The New York Times, a piece—Sea Sends Distress Call in One-Note Chowders—on Dick Bridges and a local organization, PERC, which is working hard to “secure a future for our fishing communities.”

Are you shopping for Christmas presents? If so, Catch a Piece of Maine sounds like a fabulous present! Maine lobster from your own trap—and you can pick your lobsterman! I pick this one. He has a handsome boat, too.