It’s a Maine Thing - Hezzy’s Sidewalk Talk

Hello friends! I know…it’s been awhile. I wasn’t ignoring you dear readers. September has been my month to regroup and get recharge my batteries. August got away from me with the Maine Grind being so insanely busy…remember that it rained all August? The summer people had to go somewhere so they parked themselves and their families at our popular café and coffee bar in downtown Ellsworth. Some of those days we were so busy that I was convinced that every tourist who came to Maine landed in our place. When you own and operate a place like ours being busy means that the owner picks up the slack. I figured that I personally took 300 bags of trash to the dumpster during those busy weeks. My arms are strong and buff once again as a result of hauling gallons of milk up the stairs from our storage coolers located on the floor below. And dishes! Let’s just say that the dishwasher was filled the moment it was emptied. The good thing is that we served about 800 people a day and nobody got sick and died. With the summer crush now history I have time to engage in my personal interests again. So it’s back to my artwork, boating on Frenchman Bay, hiking the trails of Acadia, traveling the back roads of inland Maine and keeping you in touch with the Maine experience through my blog. Glad to be back!

New Product Goodies
Klean Kanteen Reusable Water Bottles: Take Back the Tap! For those of you who were interested in Klean Kanteen stainless, reusable water bottles, we just got a new shipment in at the Maine Grind. Or we can ship directly to you. Lots of neat colors. Take Back the Tap! Drink tap water out of these reusable stainless water bottles. Forget about bottled water! It’s a rip….Did you know that consumer studies have concluded that bottled water is no cleaner, safer or healthier than water that comes from the faucet in your home? Most bottled water is not spring water, but in fact comes from municipal water sources. In fact, the feds require rigorous safety standards and monitoring of our municipal water supplies for our protection. Add on the staggering numbers of plastic water bottles that end up in landfills compounded with the energy use to get bottled water to the consumer and you’ll see why Klean Kanteen is such a great alternative.

Grill Lid Openers: Summer might be over, but outside grilling goes year round. Try the Grill Char to hold the cover of your barbeque grill in place at any opening you desire. With the holidays coming these make the best gifts! $16 and this handy gizmo holds your barbeque grill lid open at varying heights. We ship! info@itsamainething.com

Musings: September is such a bittersweet month here in Maine. Without a doubt it is the best time of year, but all of us up here know that old man winter is preparing for his grand entrance. However, we ignore the signs of what is to come and regale in the splendor, light and smells of the wonderful month of September in Maine. The clear, clean air comes from the north creating clear skies. The sun is still warm making the days comfortable, still resembling summer. The leaves on the trees begin to show signs of early fall by loosing their summer green turning into muddled greens with hints of brown, but hanging on for dear life onto the tree limbs. Sailboats still cruise along the coastline, but the numbers that we are used to seeing during the summer months is dwindling. Hiking is at its best without having to share the experience with pesky insects and zillions of tourists. The skies are alive with migrating birds. Goldenrod, asters and ever-lasting line the roadsides. Our favorite, the ash tree is weighted down with the striking red berries ablaze in its annual splendor. The juicy, plump rose hips are waiting for their first frost. Sightings of the season’s first pumpkins are in the farmer’s markets. The melons from the garden smell so sweet and taste so wonderful on our lips. Sunflowers make all of our rooms so alive with energy. Cat tails are everywhere and the red berries of late fall are just beginning to show on wayside bushes. And the wood piles in people’s dooryards is the reminder of what lies ahead. How we love September!

Stuff to do! Have some time off? Looking for some action? Try these events on for size….

Camden International Film Festival, Camden…Sept. 25 - 28
Alex Katz and Friends, Farnsworth Museum, Rockland…through October 26
Chamber Music All Stars, Rockport Opera House, Rockport…October 12
Music Revue of American History through the eyes of Irving Berlin, Merrill Auditorium, Portland…October 2
Secrets of a Soccer Mom, Public Theater, Lewiston….October 24-Nov. 9
True West, Belfast Maskers, Belfast…October 9 - 19
Dennis Pinnette, Center for Contemporary Art, Sept 25- Dec 20
Masterpieces of American Folk Art, Colby College Museum of Art, Waterville…through October 19
Ogunquit Museum of Art, Dorothy Eisner and Eric Moore paintings, Ogunquit…through October 31
Owls Head Transportation Museum, Foreign Auto Festival and Antique Airplane Show, Owls Head….October 12
Acadia’s Oktoberfest and International Food Festival, Southwest Harbor…October 11
Capital Steps, Grand Theater, Ellsworth…November 9
Harvest on the Harbor, Portland…October 23 -25
Foliage, Food & Wine Festival, Blue Hill….October 16-19

Fair Season: Common Ground Fair. September 19-21….. With September comes loads of great activities that are so about Maine. As festival season in Maine starts to fade away, the best is saved for last with Fair Season. Maine with its strong agricultural roots has preserved the culture by celebrating its heritage with country, agricultural fairs that are held throughout the state. Ranging in activities from pie eating contests to horse-pulling contests to country music performances to pumpkin weigh-ins, these fairs offer something for everybody. If you have lots of time on your hands, need to gain some weight and want to really soak up some authentic Maine agrarian culture there is a fair every day of the month in September. For traditional agricultural venues our favorites are the Farmington Fair, September 14-20, Cumberland Fair, September 21-27 and the Freyburg Fair, September 28- October 5. These are all classic country fairs with rides, animals, great junk food and demonstrations of every sort. If the traditional fair venue isn’t your thing, then you will find the perfect balance at the Common Ground Fair in Unity September 19-21. This celebration of rural life, hipster style, is our favorite of the September fairs. The fairgrounds in Unity are easy to reach from anywhere in the state making this well-attended fair one of Maine’s highlights of the fall season. Organized and hosted by the Maine Organic Farmers and Gardeners Association (MOFGA), this fair showcases organic foods grown in Maine, exceptional crafts created by Maine artisans, as well as livestock and bird exhibits. The Children’s area hosts a kids Veggie Garden parade along with a craft area where children can be entertained. Showcasing alternative energy, LEED certified builders. And the sound of music is everywhere. The food vendors offer up delicious offerings….fair style. You can’t get a cup of coffee on the fair grounds so don’t forget to grab a cup at the off-site stand as you walk in. After all these years why they still sanction coffee is beyond me. Here’s where a little change can go a long way. Go have fun at this wonderful event. You’ll bump into people that you haven’t seen in years! It’s a blast!

Until next time…Celebrate Maine! Realize the Spirit!

Oh, August in Maine
Oh how we love August in Maine in all  its splendor. It’s what we wait for all year and it is the state of mind that our summer visitor friends pine for. Every August a different theme unfolds, much of it dependent on the weather. This year is no different. After six weeks of little precipitation and glorious days back in June & July we are in the midst of one of those relentless low-pressure systems where coastal fog, cloudy days, rain, thunderstorms and generally crummy weather are the order of the day. Dampness has become the theme. The gardens that so desperately needed the rain two weeks ago are now wet patches where summer blossoms are holding on for dear life. As time has unfolded, the wet conditions are not putting smiles on many faces. Especially the blueberry harvesters and producers who are ready to get into full swing in Downeast Maine. Some of our friends who are in the blueberry industry have indicated that the crop that was looking so promising two weeks ago might be compromised by too much rain and general wetness. By our next posting the harvest will be in full swing so we’ll have a better read on this year’s harvest.

Our regular recent bike rides, boating adventures and general comings and goings are revealing the subtle changes in the Maine landscape that becomes visible as August unfolds. Black berries and raspberries are in abundance ready to be picked and eaten. Black flies have been history for awhile and the mosquitoes are clearing out. The crickets are singing their characteristic chirps late in the afternoon. Starlings are swooping through the yard with all their accuracy and energy. What were once baby loons just back in June on the wilderness pond we visit for swimming, are now maturing and becoming fuller in size. Queen Anne’s lace is accenting fields and gardens against a backdrop of lovely wild grasses. The tall, gangly purple loosestrife that grows in roadside wet areas and gardens is in full bloom. Yarrow, cat tails and goldenrod are reminders that September will be here sooner than we want to believe. The curly dock in its dry state is a rich brown along Maine’s back roads. The sun has radically changed its angle having made us move our Adirondack chair to another section of the yard to get the full benefit of afternoon sun. Gardens that have not been tended are overgrown with weeds. The milkweed and fire weed is in its full regalia, with lupines from June now fully revealing their brown pods. Beach peas are beautifully plump, with sea lavender showing its lovely purple flowers nestled in along coastal rocks. Apple trees are showing early signs of the fall harvest that lies ahead and my friends in Aroostook County say the potato fields are overflowing with an abundance of this heritage vegetable. The wild Maine blueberry fields in the Downeast area are awash in the rich blue that will soon be harvested. August! It’s a Maine Thing!

 Maine Boats, Harbor & Homes Boat Show: These guys are a class act. The publishers of this popular Maine magazine put on a great boat and Maine lifestyle show on the docks in Rockland August 8,9 10. Whether you are looking at a new Hinckley Picnic boat, seeking out Alan Claude’s Signature Series Lighthouse Prints or interested in Kennebec Kitchens latest design ideas, you will not be disappointed. Along with the Common Ground Fair , Frenchboro Lobster Festival and the American Folk Festival , this waterside show is on our list of Maine’s best. 

Blueberry Harvest: The Invisible Work Force
With August comes the harvest from broccoli to potatoes to wild Maine blueberries. A trademark site along back roads and thruways in Hancock and Washington Counties are open areas with low-bush blueberry bushes that have large boulders plopped in the fields, calling cards from the last ice age 10,000 years ago. Within the week these areas will be filled with human shapes bent over, swaying back and forth, with a short-handled rake in hand laboring in the August sun working on the crews that hand-harvest the annual blueberry harvest. Those delicious berries represent a significant economic engine here on the coast with the harvest having a huge impact on the local economy. Which ever way the harvest goes it means serious money in many people’s pockets and not just among Mainers. Back in the day when we worked on a crew it was Mainer’s and transients who came to work the fields. Adults, children, families and friends all were a part of this annual tradition. Like many things in our country, changes have come about within the blueberry industry since we last worked in the fields 15 years ago. Most Downeast Maine young people work in other industries such as restaurants, which have changed the face of much of the harvesting crew. Although lots of adult Mainers still participate in the ritual, many of the crews have been augmented by migrant workers who are considered the “invisible work force”. This segment of the blueberry industry is the growing number of people who are part of the burgeoning migrant community. In Downeast communities trucks, vans and cars registered in Texas, Florida and the Carolinas have just begun to arrive back in town. Each of those vehicles represents a family or group of migrant workers who annually work hard in Maine’s fields. This year around 12,000 migrant workers and their families are expected to be here in Maine harvesting everything from broccoli to blueberries. Many of them are undocumented, but the harsh reality is that many of the major Maine food, wreath and niche manufacturing companies would be out of business without the migrant workers. Blueberry company managers, wreath factory makers and large farm owners throughout the State have indicated that migrant workers and the state’s support towards them, are vital to their businesses. In 2004 Governor John Baldacchi signed an order that prohibits state agencies, including law enforcement, from asking individuals about their immigration status unless it is relevant to an ongoing investigation. Essentially it is a “don’t ask, don’t tell” policy. It works. The State of Maine funded Maine Migrant Health Program , which is set up Columbia Falls during the blueberry harvest is a nationally recognized program that oversees the health of migrant workers. It serves as a control center to help and oversee the health of migrant workers, undocumented or not, but in actuality serves as a de facto center for the migrant community where the workers connect with each other, the processors and the state.  It was begun in 1991. the agency sets up mobile units throughout the state during harvesting time in a number of areas . In 2007 the program treated close to 1500 migrant workers. With the current national discussion about the illegal immigrant issue being so controversial the State of Maine and the businesses that benefit from migrant workers have been very cautious with statements regarding this sensitive subject. Lou Dobbs and his cronies would have a field day up here. Thank God they don’t know where Maine even is!

Museums….Hit the Trail: Maine Folk Art Trail
Maine is filled with wonderful examples of folk art. Whether or not it is a fish decoy, quilt, painted furniture, model ships, scrimshaw or early American portraits, historically there has always been a percentage of the population that has created art and crafts here in Maine that is known as Folk Art. The cold weather, lack of money or simply an availability of materials has always been the impetus behind the creation of folk art items. Historically these objects oftentimes were quirky hand-made items made by people without formal, academic training. Many of the items in the Maine Folk Art Trail are particular to occupations in Maine such as seafaring, lumbering, farming and fishing which strongly influenced their design and creation. This summer 11 Maine museums will open their collections of more than 500 objects, most of which has never been exhibited publicly. Each of the collections are accompanied by a book and pocket-sized guide that includes the works that are highlighted on the Maine Folk Art Trail. The museums are in York to Searsport and Waterville to Bridgton where each museum will be showing different objects because their respective collections vary so greatly. All of the exhibits on this gem of a show, the Maine Folk Art Trail, offer a window into the past and gives the public an appreciation for everyday talents of generations gone by. The exhibit’s collection is curated by Charlie Burden who was inspired by the success of another statewide project in 2006 where 25 galleries and museums worked collaboratively to create the Maine Print Project . All Mainers can be proud of the wonderful collection of work exhibited along the Maine Folk Art Trail. The exhibits will be on display through the summer, some into the late fall, with a wrap-up folk-art symposium Sept. 28 at Bates College .

Outside Escapades: Popham Beach Takes a Turn
Most of us who live here in Maine are attracted to the state’s natural beauty, but also to the unpredictable nature of the landscape. The seasons change. The tides ebb and flow. River levels rise and fall. Geologic landmarks alter. For people visiting Popham Beach they will experience first hand Mother Nature’s fickle ways. This spring the Morse River, which runs through Popham Beach State Park, eroded a popular sandbar which has created a breach, with the river now flowing eastward along the beach rather than turning southwards. The sandbar, a grassy lump of sand and rock, can still be accessed by foot, but care and close supervision of children now requires much more attention than in season’s past. Not only has the popular Fox Island been affected, but dramatic change has occurred on the western side of Popham Beach. At high tide the beach is almost half the size that it once was. Low tide offers plenty of beach space, but incoming tides quickly change the shape of the area. Back in the day we remember a number f times when this occurred, 1964 and 1972 in particular. Geologists familiar with Popham Beach suggest that this is a natural occurrance that happens every ten to fifteen years. All of us in Maine who are astute observers of natural events know that our natural environs are always going through change. In time it is quite likely that the Morse River will again change course, reforming the Fox Island sandbar back to its position earlier this spring. Afterall, it’s a Maine thing!   
New Products: Sea Bag of Maine Wine Bag
Every post we tell you about a new product that we sell in our online shop or at the Maine Grind , our popular coffee bar and café in Ellsworth. The current must-have is the Wine Bag made from recycled sails from Sea Bags of Maine. They recently were profiled in InStyle Magazine where the bags were chosen as the must-have wedding present of the moment. As a result of the article we have received a number of orders for the bags, yet still have plenty in stock. They are a great deal at $29. Check out our online store or stop by the Maine Grind in downtown Ellsworth. We love their practical and hip look. They are made right here in Maine from recycled sails. How cool is that! 

Recipe Round-Up
Since August is a time for barbeques, visiting your favorite lobster in the raw places and being out & about we thought that we’d present a few of our favorite cooking tips to use now or as the season closes in.

Our Favorite Commercial Barbeque Sauce: Homemade sauce is hard to beat, but time is not always on our side to whip a batch up before a barbeque. The one we grab off the shelf is Jim Beam Barbeque Sauce. The bold spiciness, smoky flavor and thick consistency make this our pick. And yes, there is Jim Beam Bourbon in the sauce. Lick it up, baby!

Martini Time: We won’t get into what makes a martini so remarkable in this post, but how one garnishes the end result can be the deal breaker aside from the chilled glass, of course. Our picks for the best olives and onions are Tipsy Olives and Onions by Canadian purveyors, Sable and Rosenfeld. Both of the olives and onions are vermouth spiked with pimentos stuffed into the olives. Let’s just say there are no olives or onions that compare to these. They’re good enough to eat right out of the jar. A former husband that we know of used to chow them from the jar when he didn’t like what his wife had made for dinner. That was before he drank his two nightly perfect martinis. We won’t tell you what happened next. Available at specialty food stores. 

Drop Biscuits, Maine Style
Many establishments here in Maine still serve white flour, biscuits that are tossed into plastic bread baskets. Most of the time the end result is a marginal, never memorable dry, dull biscuit. However, our family recipe for biscuits, that were served at many Grange dinners in the Belgrade Lakes, takes the lead for the best biscuits. Biscuit makers all have their theories, but it’s the buttermilk and the choice of leaveners that are the trick. We go for both baking soda and powder. You will always get great results. And please, don’t bother to try to make these with whole wheat flour. It’s not worth it. C’mon, go make ‘em. Dough:
2 cups King Arthur unbleached flour
1 TBL Calumet or Clabber Girl baking powder
1 tsp sugar
½ tsp salt
½ tsp baking soda
4 TBL unsalted butter, cold, cut into small cubes
1 ½ cups low fat buttermilk 

Turn oven to 500 degrees. Generously spray 9 inch round or rectangle cake pan with non-stick cooking spray. Set aside.

Place all dry ingredients in a food processor. Pulse six times. Spread butter over dry mixture. Pulse 8 to 10 times until texture looks like pie crust or corn meal.

Transfer mixture to stainless bowl. Add buttermilk. Using a rubber spatula stir until the dough looks wet and lumpy.

Take a greased ¼ measuring cup, scoop up dough to level of cup, and drop onto a floured baking sheet. It will look like an irregular lumpl. Lightly dust each biscuit with flour.

Sprinkle hands with flour, gently picking up dough, shaping into a ball. Carefully form the shape and place biscuits in a round or square baking pan, starting around the perimeter, working towards the center. All the biscuits will fit snuggly.

Brush the biscuits with melted butter. Don’t flatten. Bake 5 minutes at 500 degrees, the reduce temps to 450. About 15 minutes later the biscuits will be a golden brown. Keep in pan for only 2 minutes. Remove from pan, placing upside down on a cooling rack. Turn them right side up.

Serve with butter. You’ll never have a better biscuit.

We ran this recipe last winter, but recently a number of our readers have requested that we run it again. It’s easy to make, is a great summer dish for the family and tastes even better the second day. Umami at it’s best!

Takes 30 minutes to prepare. 20 minutes to bake. For a vegetarian version pass on the pork and double up on the black beans.

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Janwillem Van de Wetering, a Dutch born writer who penned a popular detective series, died on July 4, 2008 in Ellsworth at the age of 77.

A resident of Surry for over 30 years, Mr. Van de Wetering was a well-respected and loved member of the local community in Hancock County. He and his wife moved to Maine in 1975 to pursue interests Zen Buddhism at local Zen community. Eventually the community floundered, but he and his wife, Juanita, stayed on being full-time Maine residents where they both became happily enmeshed in coastal Maine. For many summers he cruised up and down the Maine coast in his lobster boat, enjoying the pleasure of the water.

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Grill Char

We are always looking for unusual, yet practical things for home, outdoor pursuits or as gifts. Recently we came across the Grill Char, a handy Maine made item that holds up your grill cover when you don’t need all that heat under the hood.

It’s cleverly designed as a fish, a char in particular. The fins are placed where the grill hood rests. The body is made of oak and the fins are aluminum. Simply place the lip of the Grill Char along the rim of the grill, lower the hood down onto the fins, opening the hood where you want it. Voila! Never overheat that steak again! You can purchase it online through our shop or stop in the Maine Grind in downtown Ellsworth. Plenty in stock!

Wise- Acre’s Frosteas

In a previous blog post we told you about Maine resident  Jim Picariello’s company, Wise- Acre, that produces Frostbites and Frosteas, the frozen treats that are taking everyone by storm. Our hats go off to them as Wise-Acre recently won the Most Innovative New Product Award at the natural food industry’s annual Natural Products Expo.

You have got to try these delicious frozen desserts. Made in Maine, using only quality ingredients these gluten-free and fat free treats are the most refreshing desserts around. They are made from organic brewed teas and are sweetened only with honey or maple syrup. Their newest flavor, Fresh Ginger and Lime, is to die for. If you don’t see them in your local grocery freezer, ask for it. Looking to invest in an innovative Maine company? Wise-Acre’s potential for growth is phenomenal. Look them up if you are looking for opportunities to expand your portfolio. Jim Picariello and his gang are going full guns.

Through early September the Portland Museum of Art is presenting an exhibition of photographs of icon Georgia O’Keefe, who is considered to be one of the most important American artists of the 20th century.

Entitled “Georgia O’Keefe and the Camera: The Art of Identity” this engaging exhibit pairs 18 of her prolific paintings with 60 photographs that were taken of her over the course of her life until her death at 98 in 1987. The photographs were taken by celebrated photographers like her husband, Alfred Stieglitz, Ansel Adams, Eliot Porter and Irving Penn, to name a few. As a painter she was known for her sensuous imagery of the Southwest and her daring use of bold color.

Her artistic career evolved and matured during an age when being a celebrity carried prestige and respect in America and O’Keefe knew how to brand, market and cultivate her image by allowing herself to be photographed throughout her entire life. Early in her career when she lived in New York, Alfred Stieglitz, her husband, captured her young image through the camera’s lense and she continued to play the yielding subject to many professional photographers throughout her life.

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Electricity flowing to Maine customers is made up of the following resources:
25 % natural gas; 22.5 % nuclear power; 17.5% hydroelectric power; 12 % coal; 4 % oil; 3.5% municipal solid waste;10.5% biomass and 5 % from other sources.

Time to shift away from fossil fuels and break away from Maine’s dependence. What about solar, hydro and wind?

Summer Daze in Maine

The dog daze of summer are upon us. With little or no rain over the past six weeks the gardens are challenged at best.

Mother nature took care of us last winter by bestowing copious amounts of precipitation in the form of snow, which is great for the water table, but we could use some drops from the sky as a summer reprieve. The gardens are too dry and local ponds are looking a bit too low.

With the wild Maine blueberry harvest just around the corner rain is needed to plump up the berries and to help the harvest along. Farmer’s markets are in full swing, but talk of little rain is a common topic among the growers, but nonetheless the fresh greens sure are tasty.

And the lovely fragrance from our garden’s fresh cut lilies fills our rooms and provides one of summer’s great pleasures.

It’s a Maine thing! Festival season is soon upon us with lobster festivals, blueberry festivals, craft fairs, music festivals, church fairs and library book sales. Some of our favorites are the Frenchboro and Winter Harbor Lobster Festivals, Machias Blueberry Festival, Bay Chamber Concerts in Rockport and the American Folk Festival in Bangor.

The local, home-grown events tug at our heartstrings, however, the organized, well-publicized affairs always offer an abundance of well-known celebrities showing off their talents. It’s always worth taking a day for these adventures as the summer festivals are a great place to connect with what Maine is all about. For a well-rounded listing of state-wide events over the next month the current Downeast Magazine includes a directory of many of these events. Check local listings for smaller venue events.

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Our next blog will offer the interesting story about Jim Picariello’s organic tea treats, Frost Teas and Frostbites . These terrific slushy, frozen treats will refresh your palate on any hot, summer day. You can pick them up in most co-ops and natural food stores, as well as Whole Foods.

Tune in for next week’s blog and we’ll tell you all about this neat Maine company and their delicious products.

Ever wonder about that unusual looking tower in Portland that you can see from many vantage points in the eastern section of the city? My memories of going there on a family outing as kid only dredge up our afternoon bickering with my brother, so the historic significance of the place never sunk in as much as my mother tried.

After 35 years of living in Maine we recently set out to learn out more about this unusually distinctive piece of architecture and its history. Moody’s Tower is a wood-shingled, octagonal structure that is 85 feet tall which was recently repainted and today is surrounded by one, two and three story multi-family homes, obscuring most of its stately presence unless you are in the neighborhood.

Moody’s Tower was built in 1807 and housed the Portland Observatory and is the last standing signal tower (lighthouse) on the East coast. In the early 19th century Portland was a bustling coastal settlement with 4,000 people, with most of the settlement close to the harbor in the lower section of the city, today commonly known as the Commercial Street and Waterfront Area. Portland had deep waterfront, with easy access and a protected harbor, however the low-lying area did not offer opportunities for merchants to view their incoming ships carrying their goods.

A guy named Moody proposed to the Portland merchants that he build a tower on Munjoy Hill and finance it by selling shares or services reporting incoming ships. The concept was a tremendous success so Moody created the drawings and supervised the entire construction project.

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