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

Summer Magic of Maine

 The magic of summer is in full swing here in the State of Maine. Everything that we love about this wonderful place is running on high octane. The days are long, are gardens are bursting with color, hiking trails are showing wear, sails of boats on distant waters dance on the surface of the bays, sunsets are fabulous, art galleries are filled to brim with great work and farmers markets are already peddling their bounty from the farms. It’s so special. It’s a Maine Thing!

We’ve been out and about reveling in all the energy and splendor from art shows along the coast to solitary bike rides on the carriage roads of Acadia to eating plump, juicy strawberries. Sunday, June 29 we attended the opening of the show Betwixt & Between: Color, Line and Texture at the Courthouse Gallery in Ellsworth. The opening was a real splash, contrasted against the foggy, chilly afternoon along with the Croquet Masters Tournament happenings at Woodlawn Museum Estate, also in town. The Courthouse Gallery is a real Maine treasure. The beauty of the neo-classic Greek Revival building in its stately grandeur on the Ellsworth hillside is a great addition to the greater Hancock County community. And what’s inside! Wow! A terrific show that should not be missed. Curated by Bruce Brown, curator emeritus of the Center for Maine Contemporary Art in Rockport, this extensive show includes work by significant Maine artists, for many of whom this is their Ellsworth debut. The impressive theme of the show is that artists make special use of two primarily essential tools that include color, line or texture. The shows ranges from painting, sculpture or works created on paper. Many of the artists represented in the show are well-known amongst the ranks of Maine artists like Alan Magee, Eric Hopkins, Lois Dodd, Stephen Pace and Jim Kinnealey to name a few. One of my favorites is a series of pastels by Arthur Thompson. If you are in the area don’t miss the lineup at this significant show. Until July 30, 2008. wwwcourthousegallery.com.

 One of the best things about living in Maine is the spirit of egalitarianism. It is reflected everywhere and true Mainers, whether one is born here or a transplant, understands this important sociological aspect to living here. Many of us here in Maine are able to swing between a summer cocktail party at the home of a notable summer person to sitting on the stern of a lobster boat at the Lobster Boat Races. Recently, this quintessentially Maine phenomena was again the order of the day when we attended the opening reception soiree at the newly constructed McDonalds in Ellsworth. Yes, that McDonalds, like Ronald, Micky D’s, etc. After 40 years the old building was succumbed by the wrecking ball back in the spring of this year. Ninety days later, by the last week of June, a new, state of the art McDonalds facility was going full blast. We attended the opening reception, along with a few hundred local people, where we were served delicious tapas created by a local caterer and hobnobbed with people from around town. We took a tour of the impressive food facility where we were introduced to all sorts of amazing gadgets that make the place tick as efficiently as a Swiss clock. As to be expected the food and the preparation methods are corporate. Afterall, they serve billions of somethings. However, the people behind the scenes are hard-working Downeast Maine individuals who have learned all the tricks to the new, fancy equipment that this franchise has been bestowed. The restaurant is decorated in a corporate version of a hipsters café, with neat lighting (fluorescents used on many of the fixtures), edgy seating and a general Starbucks, hipness feel. The outside of the building exudes a retro feel reminiscent of another era. Even the yellow arch has a modern spin on the theme. Classy. The drive thru has two drive thru lanes that can actually scan your plate number so orders are lined up with cars. Pretty nifty, even though there is a Big Brother aspect to it. Not the James Beard experience that we wrote about in a recent blog post, however the new McDonalds in Ellsworth is part of a national trend within the corporation to make the buildings inside & out more architecturally interesting, the menus more healthy and the general feel of the atmosphere more approachable. Kudos to McDonalds for changing with the times. Now if we could only get them to hire the food guru, Michael Pollan . Then, maybe then, they could perhaps receive the coveted James Beard Classic Award like the Bagaduce Café, Brooksville, Maine recently received.
July 4 was a day on the water for us and some friends. In the early afternoon we were off to Hancock in Frenchman Bay to get on board our trusty motor boat. Buzzed around Sorrento Harbor, checked out the new fleet of 3 recently purchased Vanguard 420 sailboats for the summer sailing program and then we headed over to the lee side of Bean Island where the water was as still as glass. We dropped anchor, took in the view and relaxed. Nary a cloud in the sky, we put our feet up on the gunnels and enjoyed the splendid Maine day. The cheap, portable seats that we recently purchased at Reny’s, “a Maine shopping adventure”,  were just the ticket for relaxation bliss. We took a picnic out to the boat in our trusty insulated cooler from Sailorbags, which can be purchased through our online store, www.itsamainething.com. After a few hours in the sun, the bag and all the goodies we brought were still cold inside. The salmon leftovers from the night before and freshly made caprese salad, along with fresh peas from the garden were the perfect alfresco lunch. The salmon was as moist and flavorful as the fillets that came off the grill the night before. Simply a dreamy July 4 afternoon on the water.

 Umami Moment: The taste of deliciousness. Before signing off, our delicious salmon recipe has to be shared with you, dear reader. It’s easy to prepare and so tasty. Don’t let the summer go by without trying this recipe. Share it. It’s selfish to keep something this good to yourself. Also, don’t forget to grab some splendid strawberries. Just eat them straight from the farm, right out of the box!

 Grilled Salmon Fillets

A short lesson on salmon: Unless you are in Alaska during the salmon harvest that goes on from late May until late July, the only fresh salmon to buy at the market is Atlantic Salmon from the Canadian Maritimes. No Chilean. Skip the Scottish and forget about Norwegian. Harvested from the Bay of Fundy in the Gulf of Maine, these prized fish are shipped directly to markets in the US within days of being ocean harvested. Atlantic Salmon from the Maritimes is not only the freshest salmon, but the healthiest. Unlike the Chilean salmon these fish are free of sea lice and disease. High in Omega 3’s, it’s one of the best fishes for you.

3# Fillet or 1 # center cut loin of Atlantic Salmon

Salmon Rub, preferably Paul Prudhommes, although other rubs work as well

Grainy Mustard

Maple Syrup

Orange Juice

Aluminum Foil

 Place the fish on a piece of foil that is longer and wider that the fish. Sprinkle and press the rub firmly into the flesh. Cover the fillet with foil, loosely folding sides and ends together to form a seal. Let set for up to 60 minutes. Heat up grill to medium heat. 

In a small bowl blend mustard, orange juice and maple syrup. No need for measuring. Just enough to make a liquid blend to pour or brush on salmon.

When grill is hot place fillets wrapped in foil on grates. Cook for 10-15 minutes for a large fillet, 5 minutes for loin cut. Slice tidy opening on top of foil. Slowly pour liquid mixture onto fish. Baste every minute or so. Let cook another 5 minutes or until fish is cooked in appearance and glaze sauce is boiling hot. If you need to use a temp probe, flesh should not exceed 150 degrees.

Remove from foil. Place on hot platter. Enjoy fresh grilled salmon.