Our August Wine Dinner

Summer Garden Dinner

Celebrating Penobscot Bay Fishermen

Saturday, August 18

6 p.m.

Summer Gazpacho with Local Peeky Toe Crabmeat

native farm tomatoes, garden herbs, house-cured lemons   

paired with Rioja Crianza Ermita de San Felices, Santiago Ijalba, Spain, 2007

 

Stonington Lobster Crêpe

summer sweet corn emulsion, Four Season Farm carrots, pea shoots    

paired with Xarmant, Arabako Txakolina, Spain, 2011

  

Cod Beignet with Roasted Heirloom Tomato

fried Blue Hill Inn sage, pommes purée, fleur de sel  

paired with Vouvray Sec, Vincent Raimbault, France, 2010

Grilled Stonington Lobster and Blue Hill Blondes Beef

butter-poached lobster, grilled peppered beef tenderloin, truffled frites

paired with Côte de Beaune, Domaine Delagrange Hautes, Burgundy, 2010

       

Warm Blueberry Soufflé

crème fraiche, candied ginger, garden mint sugar

paired with Prosecco Brut, Le Colture ‘Fagher,’ NV

Chef Devin Finigan

$90

(includes food, wine, tax, and service) 

reservations required    207/374-2844    

40 Union Street, Blue Hill    bluehillinn.com 

"The lobster ravioli was incredible"

Yes, Doris, the lobster ravioli is incredible and the citrus buerre blanc almost demands that you lick your plate (you wouldn't be the first to sheepishly admit you glanced around the dining room to make sure no one was looking...) but somehow you have to save room for Chef Devin's chocolate truffle tart.

Farm Potato and Leek Soup, $8 

Summer succotash and parsley oil

Summer Salad, $9

Farm greens, Carding Brook Farm raspberries, local chevre, fried shallots, sweet pecans, and a lemon balsamic vinaigrette

Local Acadia Mussels, $14

Carding Brook Farm basil, shallots, white wine, a touch of cream, and lemon confetti

Little Island Bagaduce Oyster Trio, $16

Two raw on the half shell with prosecco granita, two broiled with garden fennel butter and fleur de sel, and two baked with Four Season Farm garlic scapes and candied bacon

Butter-Poached Lobster Ravioli, $30

House-made pasta, Stonington lobster, garden parsley, and citrus buerre blanc

Frenchman’s Bay Halibut, $27

Roasted Four Season Farm fingerling potatoes, summer salsa, and rainbow chard

Summer Ratatouille, $24

Creamy polenta, first-of-the-season tomato, and squash blossom

New York Angus Center Cut Steak, $27

Garlic mashed potato, salsa verde, and Tuscan kale

Long Island Duck Breast, $27

Turnip puree, strawberry and port wine sauce, and Four Season Farm butter Swiss chard

Warm Peach and Raspberry Crisp, $7

Ginger ice cream and caramel drizzle

Chocolate Truffle Tart, $8

with pine-nut butter, chocolate drizzle, vanilla ice cream

Luscious Meyer Lemon Cheesecake, $8

with Meyer lemon curd, fresh local blueberries

Espresso Affogato, $7  with Bucklyn Coffee, Brooklin, Maine

Decaffeinated or regular espresso, shaved dark chocolate, local vanilla ice cream

Ice Cream, $7 from the Ice Cream lady, Brooklin, Maine

Black Raspberry Blueberry Chocolate

Ginger Vanilla

two scoops, served with fresh berries

I'm sitting at the picnic table in Emerson Park (the wee park right next to the fire station).  Window  of the Sea Wind, Blue Hill's new sculpture, is keeping me company, as are the day lillies and the seagulls.  The breeze keeps any bugs away and the sun warms by back.  In a minute, friends will come by and we will go swimming, in Toddy Pond or in the salt water.  This is summer in Maine.

I watched the local boule club play a tournament at the Boatyard Grill this weekend.  It's a great spot--the restaurant has some interesting food--we tried their lobster BLT and had grilled skewers, which are my favorite.  They even have a nice wine on tap and a rose by the glass.  And open air dining--screened in--in the middle of a boatyard is pretty cool.

You scream, I scream, we all scream for ice cream!   Although the fireworks were postponed due to the weather, Stonington's main street was perfect for a gallery-hopping ice cream stroll on July 4th.  Isalos and the gWatson Gallery are two of my favorites.  At the inn, we keep the Ice Cream Lady stopping by regularly with the luscious vanilla bean, fresh ginger, chocolate velvet and native blueberry, of course.  Chef Devin pairs ice creams with desserts as well as she pairs wine with entrees.  And then, right next door to the inn practically is Black Dinah's ice cream.  I tried the smashed truffle flavor, which is a vanilla base with, well, smashed truffles in it!  Yum, right?  Very fun flavor.

Have you had Chef Devin's sorbets?  My favorite is strawberry prosecco with a candied cumquat garnish--delish! and so beautiful.

General Deliciousness at the Inn

Let's begin with the oysters. Chef Devin is offering them three ways (though she is accommodating to those who want them all raw, all baked, or all broiled): two raw on the half shell with prosecco granita, two baked with Four Season Farm garlic scapes and candied bacon, and two broiled with garden fennel butter and fleur de sel.  Each oyster creates an experience.  My advice is to get your own order.  I'm always sorry when I agree to share.

Chef Devin with radishes from our garden

To start with, on our menu this week

Sweet Corn Soup, $8, saute of shiitake mushrooms and caramelized shallots 

Summer Salad, $9, farm greens, Carding Brook Farm strawberries, local chevre, fried shallots, sweet pecans, lemon balsamic vinaigrette

Local Acadia Mussels, $15, Four Season Farm basil, shallots, white wine, a touch of cream and lemon confetti

Little Island Bagaduce Oyster Trio, $15, two raw on the half shell with prosecco granita, two baked with Four Season Farm garlic scapes and candied bacon, and two broiled with garden fennel butter and fleur de sel

For an entree

Butter-Poached Lobster Ravioli, $30, house-made pasta, Stonington lobster, garden chives, and citrus buerre blanc

Seared Maine Halibut, $26, brown butter farro, Four Season Farm arugula and summer salsa

Summer Corn Risotto, $22, mascarpone, Four Season Farm arugula and truffle oil

Grilled NY Center Cut Steak, $27, chive mashed potatoes, caramelized onion, and herb butter

Grilled Rack of Lamb, $30, pickled red onion, mint-garlic yogurt and chive couscous

Long Island Duck Breast, $26, mascarpone polenta, strawberry rhubarb sauce and farm carrots

For dessert (we also have a lovely selection of after dinner drinks)

One of the Homewood Farm
strawberry fields

Homewood Farm Strawberry Mousse, $7, chocolate whipped cream and chocolate liqueur drizzle

Flourless Dark Chocolate Cake, $8, macadamia nut crust, vanilla ice cream and rose sugar 

Lemon Crème Brûlée, $6, lemon curd and candied lemon

We have some new offerings on our winelist, too, in celebration of summer. 

Our of our
new favorites

The Avinyo Vi D’Agulla, Petillant Blanc, Penedès, Spain 2010, is charming and slightly frizzante, crisp with a lingering finish.  And of course summer means it's time for rosé.  We're offering a Blaufrankisch Rosé, Tinhof, Burgenland, Austria 2011, by the glass so that everyone can enjoy the dry but floral heaven with its hint of summer berries.  My favorite new addition, however, is La Lune, a chenin blanc from Ferme de la Sansonnière, from Loire, France.

We had a great crowd for our first garden dinner.  The fear of inclement weather meant we had to create a garden in the dining room--I'll show you pictures next time.  I can tell you--rosemary and mint springs in wee vases on the tables were wonderful.  We'll have July's garden dinner menu out next week.  If you are interested in coming, reserve now.  We are already half filled.

Roses from our garden.  Chef Devin uses petals
from the pink ones to make rose sugar.

Our guests leave us the sweetest messages:  "The hospitality and meals were excellent," Gary and Barb from Wisconsin.  "What a wonderful entrance into a world of grace and elegance," Michael and Mario from California. "'Wonderful' Is The Minimum Adjective!" David and Rusty from right here in Maine (they happened upon us and the June garden dinner almost by accident)

If your life isn't feeding you in this wonderful way right now, come see us.  But call ahead--2012 is shaping up to be our busiest season yet and we hate it when we have to say no to you. 

 

Garden Dinners at the Blue Hill Inn

Our First Dinner in the Garden
Saturday, June 23
6 p.m.

Stonington Lobster Crudo
jalapeño with bell peppers, lemon oil, pea shoots

paired with Vi D'Agulla Sparkling Muscat, Spain 2010

 

Frenchman's Bay Halibut Pan-Roasted
soffrito, fleur de sel, lemon mousseline
paired with Chateau des Tourtes Sauvignon, France 2010

 

Old Ackley Farm Chicken Ravioli
sweet marsala wine, prosciutto, farm vegetables
paired with Bourgogne Passetoutgrain Burgundy, France 2010

Peppercorn Crusted Blue Hill Blondes Beef 
scallion potato cakes, horseradish cream, gray salt
paired with a cellar offering, Beringer Merlot, California 1994

       

Carding Brook Farm Rhubarb Upside Down Cake
rum caramel, vanilla ice cream, garden mint
paired with Bartlett Raspberry Dessert Wine Spritzer

Chef Devin Finigan

$90 (includes food, wine, tax, and service)
Reservations are required. Please call 207/374-2844 for yours.

                                         

From the guest book:
"Food was fantastic!" --Brad and Marietta
"...wonderful service." --Pat and Dave
"Gorgeous food." --Jean-Pierre

Our menu this week

Local Carrot and Ginger Soup, $8 

Chive chip with parsley oil

Spring Salad, $8

Farm greens, pickled beets, local chevre, fried shallots and lemon balsamic vinaigrette

Little Island Bagaduce Oysters, $15

Three raw on the half shell with prosecco granita and three broiled with garden scallions and candied bacon

Butter-Poached Lobster Ravioli, $30

House-made pasta, Stonington lobster, garden chives, and citrus buerre blanc

"Absolutely scrumptious" --Jane

Seared Maine Halibut, $26

Brown butter red quinoa, pickled farm carrots and sweet lemon

Summer Corn Agnolotti, $22

Housemade pasta, mascarpone, Four Season Farm arugula and truffle oil

Grilled NY Center Cut Steak, $27

Scallion mashed potatoes, summer salsa and duck fat potato fries

Long Island Duck Breast,  $26

Duck confit, Carding Brook Farm rhubarb, turnip puree and farm spinach

Warm Strawberry and Local Rhubarb Crisp, $7

almond and butter crunch with local ginger ice cream

Raspberry Chocolate Mousse, $8

with vanilla tuile, caramel sauce and salted pecans

Lemon Crème Brûlée, $6

with sweet lemon curd and shaved chocolate

New in the restaurant...

Have you been in and tried the new salts Chef Devin has added to our dining experience?

Pictured is salt made from bull's blood ruby red microgreens.  Where are the microgreens grown, you might wonder. Right here at the inn, of course!  You might get carrot salt or fennel salt--so lovely and delicious.

With the Lupine Festival coming up the weekend of June 15, we've all started to eye the beautiful blue, purple, and white patches.  Will they be open enough but not gone by at festival time?  We have a wee batch at the inn.  I think they are right on schedule.  You could make a lupine festival loop--Franconia Notch, NH, has a field of lupine festival, too.  Have you read Barbara Cooney's Miss Rumphius? I hadn't either until a dear friend gave me a copy.  If it's a favorite of yours, perhaps you should buy someone a copy.  Blue Hill Books carries it. (We love Blue Hill Books, too--check out their new website!)

This time of year one bush after another blooms around the inn.  Guests can enjoy morning coffee in the garden, under the apple trees.  Starting in June, we're offering Saturday suppers once a month.  This month, on June 23, you can join us under the leaves and under the stars for one of Chef Devin's masterpiece menus, served family style.

The June menu will feature local beef from the Blue Hill Blondes, along with locally caught halibut and Little Island Bagaduce oysters. Chef Devin will be pairing each of the five courses with a wine from our cellar.  Garden seating limits these dinners to just 30 people.  We're already taking reservations so call us soon.

From the guestbook:  "The Blue Hill Inn is truly great at providing exceptional service in a wonderfully romantic environment," from guests from Boston.  And the food?  "Absolutely scrumptious," Jane wrote.  Need a little romantic scrumptiousness?  Call for a reservation.