Eats goes to New England
We came from San Francisco to Brunswick, Maine. Folks assembled came from Monroe, Maine; Providence, Rhode Island; Seattle, Washington; Beacon, New York; Bar Harbor, Maine; Columbus, Ohio; Portland, Maine, Brookline, Massachusetts, London, England; and Grundisburgh Woodbridge Suffolk England. All are connected to our hosts, Katy and Bill, and have been part of this gathering over the years. Katy was our neighbor on Harrison Street in Newton for many years.
Eric and Katy
“Marc, Carol, Brian, Eric and Alison,” Katy said, “meet Ethan and Sally, Chloe, Kareim, and Suha, Michael and Felicity, Conner, Elisa, and William, Dan and Jill, Susan and Andy, Peggy and Marie, Donna and finally, Phoebe.” Eric and Alison live nearby in Monroe, Maine and attend this Thanksgiving celebration annually, so they know folks, the rest of us haven’t been for years so we’ll get to know them over the afternoon and evening.
It all began on Madison Avenue in Newton Massachusetts somewhere in the early 1990’s and continued when Katy moved to Maine in the mid ‘90s.
As with all good gatherings, the kitchen is the hub. Everybody is involved at one time or another, cooking, assembling, serving, carving and of course, eating. A spread of appetizers occupies the breakfast area: cheeses, liver pate, dilly beans, bread and butter pickles, breads and crackers. Grazing was happening.
Category Archives: on food
Eats goes to Boston
…on the way to Thanksgiving in Maine
Since son Brian moved to Southern France six years ago, we’ve met in Europe for our family get-togethers – except for son Eric’s 40th birthday in 2004, celebrated in New Hampshire and Maine. This year, it was great to get reacquainted with Boston friends and spend Thanksgiving with friends and family in Maine.
Millennium Bostonian Hotel
We touched down in Boston about six o’clock Friday and checked into the Millennium Bostonian Hotel, tired and hungry. If you’ve lived in Boston, you don’t return to Boston without dinner at Legal Seafood. We didn’t even take the time to unpack before walking through Faneuil Hall Marketplace to State Street and across the “Big Dig” park. It was plenty cold for us Californians – about 25 degrees – but we were comfortable in our saved Boston overcoats… until we turned the corner onto State Street and the wicked wind cut through our woolens like a serving spoon through soufflé. The lights of Legal warmed our soul and a few steps later; the blast of warmth from the vestibule took care of our bodies – quickly followed by a Macallan and Manhattan, which provide their own kind of heat.
Legal Seafood
some fine steamed clams
Sooner than expected, we were escorted from the bar, through the busy and cheerful dining room to our table. We ordered the quintessential Legal Seafood antipasto: cup o’ chowdahbucket o’ steamers and , to be dipped in broth and/or melted butter before dropping the morsel in to one’s mouth, open like a baby bird’s, to receive it. Yum. That’s livin’.
Crab Cake for Carol
As entrees I had the Scrod and Carol a big ol’ Crab Cake. What a lovely welcome to New England.
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SLOW FOOD NATION
“Slow Food Nation will bring together thousands of people: most will eat, drink and talk, a few will sing and dance, some will argue, and many will reflect, laugh out loud and learn. The legacy of these few days in San Francisco is that the conversations begun here will bloom into projects, changes, new passions and careers. Let’s work together to expand this moment of celebration, to build on the foundation of the broader food movement, and to create a food system for all Americans that is healthy, socially just, affordable and delicious.” From the Welcome, Slow Food Nation Program
FLASHBACK
In the summer of 2001, not yet aware of Slow Food, my wife and I made a road trip from son Brian’s house in Tifton, Georgia, just north of the Florida border, to son Eric’s house in Monroe, on the mid-coast of Maine. Our goal was to avoid interstates and to avoid fast food. We failed. Here’s what I said in my journal:
“When you get to the outskirts of Greenville, SC however, it’s Strip City; six lanes of it out US29 stretching for miles toward Spartanburg. We passed legions of McDonalds/Burger King/IHOP/Waffle House looking for a diner or some such place with real food, but finally relented and had “breakfast” at Burger King… sausage biscuits, hash nuggets (whatever they’re called) & coffee. The strip narrowed to four lanes and became almost unstriplike, but then, over the next hill, it got strippy again, getting ready for Spartanburg.”
Eats on the Cheese Road
Québec, Ontario, Michigan, Illinois, Indiana, Ohio, West Virginia, Ohio, Indiana and Illinois on the way to the grand Festival of Cheese in Chicago. Much of the trip was in quest of eating miles and the food was what was there when the driving stopped, although we hoped for the best. The best (aside from the festival itself); we were able to choose — St. Elmo’s in Indianapolis, Aja Steak House in Chicago, and my sister’s home cookin’. The worst; we just had to eat something: Wendy’s in Logan, Ohio. We just stumbled onto the Palace Grill in Chicago’s North Loop — by far the best value. The yawning middle of quality included novel destinations — Hooters, Harry Caray’s — and restaurants on an agenda in Lancaster (see also Ohio Eats).
In mid-June, Eric, cheesemaker at Monroe Cheese Studio, and number one son, emailed to say he was driving the Maine Cheese Guild‘s entries to the American Cheese Festival in Chicago at the end of July. He wondered if I wanted to come and help drive. I’m a sucker for a road trip and had nothing pressing on my plate, so I said, “Why not?” The fact that my wife Carol hates road trips and I hadn’t been on one since ought-four made the decision easy.
It turned out that the best way to make a connection was for me to fly from San Francisco to Montreal where Eric would pick me up and we’d be off across southern Canada to points west. Come with me for a plethora of food experiences, warts and all.
Wednesday Breakfast
Air Canada Flyover, USA
Air Canada is nice. I was able to pre-purchase my meal with my ticket. Of three choices offered, I chose an ‘Egg macmuffin’ sort of thing that came with a generous bag — not packet — of cashews. Am I giving ratings in this treatise? I think not.
Wednesday Dinner
Bud’s Place Brockville, Ontario
We checked into a Day’s Inn (free wi-fi was the clincher) and went to dinner down the road toward the St. Lawrence River at Bud’s Place. We walked into a big, dark barn of a place with a big center bar, occupied by only a few people. It did not look promising, but the bartender suggested the roof terrace where we enjoyed the service of Katy, our smiling, enthusiastic waitress, and a decent view of rooftops falling away toward the river. The menu was straight from Fred’s Frozen Foods (I know, my brother used to work for Fred’s), but nicely prepared and cheerfully served by the wonderful Katy. I had the Cajun Catfish and Eric, the Steak Sandwich.
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Eats on the Cheese Road (continued)
Québec, Ontario, Michigan, Illinois, Indiana, Ohio, West Virginia, Ohio, Indiana and Illinois on the way to the grand Festival of Cheese in Chicago. Much of the trip was in quest of eating miles and the food was what was there when the driving stopped, although we hoped for the best. The best (aside from the festival itself); we were able to choose — St. Elmo’s in Indianapolis, Aja Steak House in Chicago, and my sister’s home cookin’. The worst — when we just had to eat something: Wendy’s in Logan, Ohio. We just stumbled onto the Palace Grill in Chicago’s North Loop — by far the best value. The yawning middle of quality included novel destinations — Hooters, Harry Caray’s — and restaurants on an agenda in Lancaster (see also Ohio Eats).
Here we continue the trip as we cross the Ohio River bound for Lancaster.
Monday Lunch
Wendy’s
Logan, Ohio
Bob Evans
Lancaster, Ohio
The plan was to drive for a while and then stop for some sort of breakfast. We got through Fairmont and then got on Route 50 bound for Clarksburg and Parkersburg. The road was big and empty and beautiful as it rolled through the short and tall hills of West Virginia. I had always felt West Virginia more rugged than beautiful, but I hadn’t been on this road. What we saw of Clarksburg had no attractive food options, nor did Parkersburg.
Once we crossed into Ohio, more of nothing continued. We drove straight through to Wendy’s in Logan for a pre-lunch; Junior Bacon Cheese Burger, “made fresh for you.” NO, it was not, cold in the middle.
With no other attractive options, we settled for the familiar, Bob Evans in Lancaster for lunch. We were served by the cute and perky Michaela, and learned that she had just turned 18. “I’m an adult now,” she said. “Is she coming on to me?” I dreamed. I had my usual Fried Mush and Sausage Gravy. Eric ordered the Big Breakfast of eggs, home fries, and sausage with an order of Biscuits with Sausage Gravy on the side. Big food. Continue reading
Cheese Road
Inside the American Cheese Society Festival of Cheese
In mid-June, Eric, cheesemaker at Monroe Cheese Studio and number one son, emailed to say he was driving the Maine Cheese Guild‘s entries to the American Cheese Festival in Chicago at the end of July. If I wanted to come and help drive, my lodging and some food would be covered. I’m a sucker for a road trip and had nothing pressing on my plate, so I said, “Why not?” The fact that my wife Carol hates road trips and I hadn’t been on one since ought-four made the decision easy.
But to do this trip, I’d have to fly red-eye to Boston to hook up with Eric, then drive 16 hours to Chicago. Not attractive. Looking outside the U.S. box I found that I could fly 6:30am to 5pm to Montreal and have Eric pick me up there. That makes a shorter trip to Chicago and no red-eye. Now my juices were flowing with anticipation. Who knew what age 70 would bring.
The American Cheese Society Conference and Competition Awards. All I knew was that last year it was in Vermont and Eric won third prize for his Thistle Blue Cheese.
How big is it? Research told me that last year 1,209 cheeses and dairy products were entered involving 181 producers from 30 states and 3 Canadian provinces. It took 30 judges to determine the prizes. Wow. Eric sent me a form to volunteer for work setting up the Festival in exchange for a free apron and a ticket to the evening Festival tasting (worth $85). Who could pass that up? Continue reading
Vancouver Eats 2
Son Brian traveled from France to present a paper in Vancouver, June 21 to 27, Saturday to Friday. We had often talked about seeing Vancouver sometime. What a perfect opportunity. We went. We ate.
Orientation: Downtown Vancouver is a peninsula between Vancouver Harbour to the north and False Creek to the south. Stanley Park occupies the west end. Brian stayed in his convention hotel, the Westin Bayshore (W) at the west end of Georgia Street — Vancouver’s main drag — Carol and I stayed in the Sandman Hotel (S) at the east end of Georgia. Westin = resort hotel, Sandman = Canadian chain hotel, catering to European tour groups. We hung at the Weston and slept at Sandman.
Here, I recount a walking tour and our last few days of dining in Vancouver. As with most of our unfamiliar big city experiences, there were highs and there were lows; the highs were very high, the lows were merely ordinary. This installment takes us Tuesday through Friday.
Tuesday Breakfast
Rosie’s on Robson
Even though Moxie’s is a good value, for a change o’ pace, we breakfasted at Rosie’s on Robson, a few blocks from Sandman. Pretty good. We shared the BIG BREAKFAST. Carol took the bacon, eggs and toast; I took the potatoes, sausage and beans. Perfecto.
Our BIG BUS ticket expired, so Carol picked a “loop walk” out of our guidebook. It took us down the Granville Mall — a quasi-pedestrian street that just now is having a subway built down its center.
Vancouver Eats 1
Son Brian traveled from France to present a paper in Vancouver, June 21 to 27, Saturday to Friday. Carol and I had often talked about seeing Vancouver sometime. What a perfect opportunity. We went. We ate.
Orientation: Downtown Vancouver is a peninsula between Vancouver Harbour to the north and False Creek to the south. Stanley Park occupies the west end. Brian stayed in his convention hotel, the Westin Bayshore at the west end of Georgia Street — Vancouver’s main drag — Carol and I stayed in the Sandman Hotel at the east end of Georgia. Westin = resort hotel, Sandman = Canadian chain hotel, catering to European tour groups. We hung at the Weston and slept at Sandman.
Welcome to Vancouver
Here, I recount our dining scene in Vancouver. As with most of our unfamiliar big city experiences, there were highs, there were lows; the highs were very high, the lows were merely ordinary. This installment takes us through Monday. Continue reading
Waste Wise Farm Tour, Part One
Jepson Prairie Organics
This tour will take us to the Jepson Prairie Organics facility just outside of Dixon CA (southwest of Davis) where food waste from San Francisco and plant waste from Dixon and Vacaville is composted. Following that, we will visit Eatwell Farm, situated between Winters and Davis, one of the places Jepson Prairie Organics’ compost is used.
Friday June 13 at 8:30, step right up and sign in please. We met in front of the Ferry Building and were obliged to check in and sign an accident/injury waiver for the trip. Closed toed shoes were required; sun hats, sunglasses, sun screen and water were strongly advised, as we were anticipating a sunny day and nearly 100 degrees where we’re going.
On the way to Jepson Prairie Organics, Julie Cummins, the Director of Education for CUESA explained the Waste Wise Initiative at the Ferry Plaza Farmers Market.
The program has been wildly successful since it’s start on Earth Day, in April. Having a captive audience, she also stressed the need for volunteers for that program, and acknowledged the sponsorship of, among others, Coach 21, the bus upon which we were riding.
Off the bus, we found a beautiful day, not totally hot and with a light breeze, but gnats. We were told that normal days are hot and very windy, but the wind keeps the gnats away.
Greenhouse Farms Tour Part Two
Here we embark on the afternoon portion of our tour, as described by the announcement in CUESA Newsletter.
Enjoy the bus ride through the scenic and fertile Capay Valley, home to numerous small family farms. A representative from Capay Valley Grown will narrate along the way and will tell us about how the farms in this valley work together to market their crops.Our final destination will be Orangewood Farm in Rumsey. Mother-and-daughter team Jackie and Bonny Scott run this nursery that utilizes a greenhouse to grow organic plant starts for home gardeners, including 67 varieties of tomatoes. The Scotts also have citrus and pecan trees, and are working to restore the hills on their property by planting native grasses. Each participant will receive a nursery plant to take home.
Upon leaving the Bruins’ farm, we turned north onto Route 16 and picked up Paul Muller of Full Belly Farm to narrate our trip through the Capay Valley. (Pronounced Kay-Pay) This small, very fertile valley, fed by Cache Creek, does not lend itself to huge industrial agriculture that you’ll find in the Central Valley, and so has attracted small farms, ranging from 20 to 150 acres. In addition to his work at Full Belly, Paul Muller is one of the leaders of a movement to create a Capay Valley Grown brand.
Our destination is Orangewood Farm, where Jackie Scott cultivates oranges and grapefruits and her daughter Bonny has a plant nursery growing over 100 kinds of plant starts. They harvest pecans that grow wild on their property, as well. Continue reading
eats for one 