Lunch at Woodford F&B

Woodford's F&B, the cute, classic brasserie out at Woodford's Corner, started serving lunch last week on Wednesday, Thursdays, and Fridays. I met up with a friend and caught up with her over several courses of delicious food, reminding me to attempt to make it out to this neighborhood restaurant more often. 

Many of the lunch items are also on the dinner menu, like the burger, steak frites, and salads. New lunch additions include the soup of the day (a butternut squash with curry ($5), unfortunately appropriate for the dreary weather on the day we dined), a few sandwiches, and salads like Cobb salad and a rotating seafood salad. 

The seafood salad was a poached salmon over a spring salad with sauce gribiche. Salmon is not usually my favorite, but this one was cooked perfectly. The fresh salad, full of radishes, peas, and asparagus, with flaky fish and the light, creamy sauce was so good. 

I was surprised by how much I enjoyed it—everything went so well together and perfectly expressed the season. 

I had to try the crab cake sandwich ($15), and while I always prefer a blue crab cake, this one had great flavor, with a crispy exterior on a buttery, soft bun. The jicama slaw with pungent red onion was a nice alternative to coleslaw. 

We even had lunch dessert—I had to make up for not being able to drink at lunch due to working that night. Otherwise, this was a meal (and a day) calling out for a glass of rosé. We enjoyed a vanilla panna cotta with lemon and blueberries ($8), but also eyed the strawberry rhubarb fruit crisp and warm chocolate brownie with caramel sauce and ice cream. 

Really, you should take any excuse you can to go to Woodford F&B. It's affordable, the service is so friendly, and the food is feels fancy yet remains approachable. Now that they offer lunch three days a week, you've got even more opportunity to stop in and enjoy some fine food at F&B.

A Love Letter on Every Plate

Restaurants serving local food is de rigueur these days. Discerning diners look for the list of nearby farms at the bottom of every menu and expect each dish to be carefully crafted to capture the rhythm of the seasons. Lark Hotels’ destinations in particular are known for vibrant restaurant scenes where award-winning chefs use local ingredients to express the personality of their region. We wanted to know which local foods inspire these chefs, so we trekked to four Lark Hotels cities to find out.

BaoBao Dumpling House,  Portland, ME

Servers shuttle blue and white dishes piled with steaming “wrapped treasures” under the watchful eye of a large copper dragon mounted high on the wall above. BaoBao Dumpling House, a 36-seat restaurant, is run by Cara Stadler, a young chef who quickly garnered national attention when she opened her first restaurant, Tao Yuan in Brunswick, Maine, in 2012. In 2014, Stadler was crowned Food & Wine magazine’s Best New Chef in New England and nominated for a James Beard “Rising Chef” Award. That same year, Stadler opened BaoBao, where she serves a small menu of Chinese comfort food: ten kinds of dumplings plus a few salads and larger entrees.

As the food arrives, the restaurant’s black tabletops quickly fill with small plates and dishes: a heaping bowl of peanuts softened in tangy black vinegar (Beijing Black Vinegar Peanuts); shredded red cabbage, pea pods, and carrots, tossed with a tangy dressing and topped with crispy fried shallots and chopped peanuts (Asian Slaw). The dumplings come six to a plate—filled with delightfully simple pork and cabbage, spicy Kung Pao chicken, shrimp, and bacon, or tender hake and burdock root.

Stadler landed in Maine after traveling the world working in high-end restaurants in Paris, Beijing, and Philadelphia. She grew up spending her summers on the Maine coast and wanted to settle down close to her family. Like many Portland chef imports, Stadler was attracted to the fresh produce and seafood available there due to its proximity to the ocean and prime farmland. Between her two restaurants, Stadler takes advantage of seasonal and local produce, working with farmers who grow Asian vegetable varieties especially for her. When asked to name her favorite local food “of the moment,” Stadler rattles off many: fiddleheads, ramps, foraged mushrooms... but ultimately, she says, “It’s kind of endless. There’s a bounty of beautiful food in this state.”

Moxy, Portsmouth, NH

Further down the coast in Portsmouth, New Hampshire, another chef uses the local bounty to create a menu of crowd-pleasing small plates. Co-owner of Moxy, Chef Matt Louis – a native of New Hampshire – embraces the ingredients of the area where he returned after several years working with top chefs in California and New York. Louis strives to craft his American tapas menu using locally-grown and -raised produce and meats, contracting with 20 to 30 different small farmers to source his ingredients. Louis says his mantra in the kitchen is, “If it isn’t naturally indigenous to here, we don’t use it.”

Beyond locally-grown food, Louis even considers the history and culture of the state when crafting new menu items. As a nod to the early English inhabitants of the New Hampshire Seacoast, Louis uses boiled apple cider, reduced to a taffy-like consistency, to add sweetness to dishes and cocktails. He smears it on a plate and tops it with crisp Anadama croutons, sticks of thinly sliced Bosc pear, and chunks of Camembert cheese to create a well-balanced vignette of flavors.

When an entree dubbed “Johnny Cake Community” arrives at the table, diners are directed to place a thin cornmeal pancake (the Johnny cake, a regional specialty) atop a Bibb lettuce leaf,  ll it with sweet, shredded pork and garnish it with the accompanying accouterments (crispy fried onion strands, sweet pickles, and a spicy barbecue sauce). The result is delicious, but as a shared experience, it also reveals why Chef Louis considers this Moxy’s signature dish: it’s made with local ingredients, steeped in history, and meant to be shared over a cozy table. Louis has created a space that celebrates the culinary roots of his home state, playfully elevating tried-and-true New England cuisine to please today’s savvy foodie.

Dune, Nantucket, MA

On the island of Nantucket, a well-known local chef embraces his region’s cuisine with equal fervor, placing fresh seafood at the forefront of his restaurant’s ever-changing menu. At Dune, chef/owner Michael Getter says he changes the menu with the seasons, as diners naturally gravitate towards grilled items, salads, and vinaigrettes in the spring and summer, then onto richer braised and slow-cooked dishes in the cooler months.

Getter opened Dune in the heart of the Nantucket village in 2009. The Culinary Institute of America graduate and New Jersey native fell in love with the Island after graduation, spending his summers cooking and surfing, then heading to Steamboat Springs, Colorado for a season of skiing. He became the executive chef at the seasonal (now shuttered) 21 Federal when he was just 24, which allowed him to do the “seasonal shuffle” for a while longer. The opportunity of American Seasons eventually anchored him to the Island full time.

At Dune, Getter continues to express his love of Nantucket’s farms and surrounding waters. Getter says the beet salad is a customer favorite that’s been on the menu for years. The dish’s description alone — roasted beets with whipped goat cheese, pistachios, herb oil, beet vinaigrette, and aged balsamic — belies the whimsical plating: rounds of pink and white Chioggia beets pop against a backdrop of white cheese, and the green pistachio and herb oil swirl like something from Alice in Wonderland.

Getter uses local and native produce, like cranberries and foraged mushrooms, to highlight and complement carefully cooked meats and seafood. Locally harvested seafood specialties, like Grey Lady oysters and Nantucket Bay scallops make the chef’s job easy when it comes to showing off the Island’s bounty. 

Ninebark, Napa, CA

On the West coast, the chef at Ninebark in Napa finds an endless amount of produce at his disposal for his restaurant’s creative cuisine. Northern California’s mild climate allows for year-round availability of fresh, local produce, so chef Matthew Lightner focuses his energy on less common methods of preparation, like smoking, grilling, and marinating, to show off the flavors of his adopted state’s native cuisine.

Ninebark opened in October 2015 to great acclaim. Fans of Lightner followed his move across the country from New York’s Atera, where he was awarded two Michelin stars during his tenure. A Missouri native, Lightner began his culinary career on the West Coast, and after time spent abroad and in New York, moved back to California primarily for the produce. “I am completely inspired by this region and the wealth of ingredients available all year-round, and my menu reflects this,” he says.
Ninebark’s menu is characterized by an ever-changing selection of carefully constructed dishes, frequently garnished with edible flowers and flourishes of fresh herbs. The highlight is the selection of skewers – a rotating selection of proteins like local trout, mussels, and foie gras, served over a bed of complementing pairings. The foie is smoked and served on a bed of seasonal shelling beans and fermented truffle— an updated take on pork and beans, which, Lightner says, invokes a sense of nostalgia in diners.

Before its opening, the most anticipated feature of Ninebark was the rooftop deck, designed by New York  firm AvroKO. Visitors and locals alike now bask in the expansive views of the Napa Valley from this third-floor terrace. Naturally, the view is best enjoyed with a cocktail in hand, such as a Panache Indochine, made with lemons from Ninebark’s own garden, gin, ginger, makrut lime, and topped with a splash of a California IPA.

Like so many other chefs in Lark Hotels’ destinations, Lightner creates a love letter to his city with every plate he sends out from the kitchen.

This article was published in Lark Hotels' magazine in 2017.

BBF Travels: Asheville, NC Eats

I had the pleasure of traveling to Asheville, North Carolina last week for work. Asheville is surrounded by the Great Smoky Mountains and has a reputation for being a bit of a hippie, artist town, albeit one that is growing and gentrifying à la Portland. 

Two good friends of mine visited last summer, and they reported its food and drink scene is also similar to Portland's. Naturally, after I booked my tickets, I immediately started planning my eating itinerary. 

I flew into Charlotte, about two hours east of the mountains, to spend the weekend with some friends from Maine who have migrated to warmer climes (can't say I blame 'em right about now). The plan was to then rent a car and drive up to Asheville for the week. My bf accompanied me too, working in his own professional development trip. 

In Charlotte, I quickly confirmed my reputation for being singularly minded when it comes to food and suggested dinner at a unique sounding Korean food/Southern BBQ fusion restaurant. But first, my friends wanted to take us out of town a bit to Muddy River Distillery, a rum distillery on the bank of the Catabwa River. 

We signed on for the long tour, an hour and a half, which made me wonder what in the hell there was to discuss for that long in a microdistillery. But the owner Robbie did a great job of filling us in on his backstory, the process, and the rum tasting while keeping us entertained. 

We tried the silver rum; Queen Charlotte, a barrel-aged rum; coconut rum; and spiced rum. The last two were surprisingly delicious, using real ingredients to flavor the rums rather than artificial ones. The rum is only distributed in North Carolina, but is available in all counties, so if you find yourself in the state, you should pick some up (and it's surprisingly affordable for a craft distillery). 

After some cocktails on the porch (not to brag, but it was 80* and sunny in Charlotte last weekend), we headed across town to Seoul Food Meat Company. I'd scoped this place out via the Eater Heatmap, and while my friends apparently never venture over to Charlotte's South End, they obliged my foodie agenda. 

After a wait for a table and some steller people watching (so. many. bros.), we dove into the best Korean-style chicken wings, fatty brisket tacos, ramen mac and cheese, bao buns, pickled deviled eggs, and braised beef ribs. The ribs were our least favorite—we figured later we should have ordered pork spare ribs. Or a million more spicy barbecue and soy garlic chicken wings. 

We drove to Asheville on Monday, where I bided my time in cold conferences rooms until I could sprint outside and soak up the sun. Spring was like 😍  in the mountains, with flowers at every turn, baby green leaves, and temps in the mid-70s every day. 

Asheville allegedly has the most breweries per capita in the country, which, I know a lot of stats regarding "the most" of anything are inflated, but there was seriously, like a brewery on every corner in this town. 

We stopped into Wicked Weed Brewing for happy hour our first night. It's one of the larger breweries in town, with two floors of seating and large patios on each level. They were out of my first choice, Pernicious, the flagship IPA, so I turned to the sour section and enjoyed Marina, a peach apricot sour. 

After our beers, we headed over to Buxton Hall BBQ for a late dinner. This was high on my to-eat list, ever since I'd seen a Bon Appetit video about the making of their famous banana cream pie. 

The pulled pork was delicious, very m-word with tons of flavor, despite the lack of barbecue sauce. I say lack of barbecue, since being in North Carolina meant the two options on the table were a yellow mustard sauce and straight vinegar. I opted to eat my meat naked. Aside from the RC Cola baked beans, the sides weren't particularly noteworthy. 

My cocktail, a Humdrum Paradise was anything but with rum, hibiscus, grenadine, lime and egg white. A's fried chicken sandwich with white barbecue sauce and pimento cheese was delicious, and that much anticipated banana cream pie made an appearance in my dreams that night.

Other highlights included dinner at Cucina 24, a great Italian restaurant. I was out with coworkers, and we tried all the handmade pasta, naturally. Mine was orecchiette with spicy sausage, tomato, and what she said was broccoli raab, but looked more like Brussels sprouts leaves to me. 

We ventured over to the River Arts District another night for beers at Wedge Brewing Co., where the Cajun food truck Root Down was parked. I had a heaping plate of crawfish poutine to soak up some IPA. 

The only meal that was a "miss" was our dinner at Local Provisions. This buzzworthy restaurant was underwhelming, which left me disappointed and with a sense of regret that I didn't maximize my meals better. 

But lunch the next day at the vibrant Chai Pani, which served Indian street food, more than made up for it. The okra fries (on the right) were the sleeper hit, crunchy and with an addictive tang. 

When we hit the road back to the Charlotte airport, we certainly felt like we'd "done" Asheville, and were ready to fly home...mostly to see our cats! But I was loving on the warm spring weather, the friendly company, and the vibrant brewery and restaurant scene. Maine has a lot of things going for it, but spring weather is not one of them (not to beat a dead horse). 

I could have easily kept eating and drinking my way through Asheville. In fact, we've already started floating plans for a family trip back there next spring. Any stir crazy Mainers should consider flying to Asheville for a getaway—it's a short flight to Charlotte, and while a car is nice to have, you don't need one if you stay downtown. 

And Chai Pani owners, if you ever read this, we'd keep you in business should you open a place in Portland, Maine! 💜

BBF Preserves: Blood Orange Shrub

Shrubs, a sweetened, vinegar-based fruit syrup, have been appearing on cocktail lists for a while now, and while I usually like them, they can easily verge on too acidic. Inspired by Food in Jars' Mastery Challenge, I decided to make my own, thinking if I could control the amount of vinegar, I could create the perfect tart and tangy syrup. 

I used Cara Cara and blood oranges sent to me by Limoneira in California—I figured a wintertime citrus shrub would go well with either the bottle of Portland-based Hardshore gin I recently purchased, or else to serve as a nice, non-alcoholic beverage for a weeknight. 

I roughly followed the Food in Jars recipe for blood orange shrub: squeeze juice, mix with an equal amount of sugar and let stand until fully dissolved. I ended up with a cup and a half of orange juice. Then I added a cup white wine vinegar—a little less than equal parts, since I was trying to keep it more on the sweet side than the acidic one. 

I also added the spent orange halves to the sugar and juice mixture. I figured letting them macerate in the sugar would extract any juice or pulp I may have missed. And I was right—the rinds were nearly completely empty when I extracted them a few hours later. I strained the juice before I added the vinegar, opting for a pulp-free shrub. 

I ended up with about three cups of blood orange shrub. The shrub needs to be refrigerated and will last a few months. 

I tried it with some gin, which wasn't anything special. I'm really trying to recreate a cocktail I had in the tasting room that involves pine syrup, tonic, grapefruit bitters, and rosemary. I feel there's room in that recipe for some blood orange shrub. I enjoyed the shrub most as a spritzer—about 4 tablespoons diluted with some sparkling water. 

Blood Orange Shrub

4 blood oranges, washed

1-1/2 cup sugar

1 cup white wine vinegar

Juice oranges, then pour juice into a clean quart container. Add sugar and stir. Let stand until sugar is fully dissolved, stirring occasionally. Strain juice, if desired. Add vinegar and refrigerate.

Evo Kitchen & Bar Review

It's difficult to come to you with seemingly trivial praise for a local restaurant when the news is a parade of awfulness brought about by our new Cheeto-in-Chief. But one cannot maintain this level of anger and anxiety for four years—the risk of burnout is real. While that's not to offer an excuse for checking out if you aren't checked in in the first place, self care is necessary in order to continue to fight against the fear and prejudice espoused by our upper administration. 

So continue to call your representatives, donate your time or money to organizations, and do something kind for a neighbor or friend. But relax for a few minutes, enjoy these pictures of beautiful food, and do something nice for yourself today—ideally something that also supports a local business, since we've got the greatest chance to make a difference in our own communities. 

(Side note: can I just add that writing the above was hard for me? I'm much more comfortable with straightforward food talk or snark. But I need to be honest and part of that is getting used to being uncomfortable. After all, no one promised us that life would be 100% comfortable all the time...from discomfort comes learning. Now back to food!) 

Seared tuna with ginger, scallion, pepper relish and an avocado garlic sauce

So, Evo. For some reason, I had an unfair "meh" feeling about Evo, despite never having set foot in the place. From the outside, it seemed kind of corporate, due to its proximity to the new Hyatt (even though the businesses aren't related) and I've grown tired of the trend of small, expensive plates of food. 

Combined with a few mixed reviews after its opening, Evo hadn't earned a spot on my "must try" list. Just like you, when I do have the money to go out to eat, I don't want to risk it on a place that may deliver mediocre experience, hence my tendency to stick with a rotation of "tried and true" favorites. 

But I ended up really loving Evo, and while the cost of the small plates can add up quickly, I had some solid, delicious food that makes me want to pay the diminutive restaurant a visit again soon.

Brussel sprouts with butternut squash and a tahini shmear

The seating on the first level of Evo is all bar seating, either along the kitchen or the window facing the street. It's great for people watching, whether that's passersby or the kitchen staff—since the kitchen is completely open and about the size of a walk-in closet. The second floor, a lofted space over the kitchen, is obscured from view from both the street and the restaurant below, so if you're seeking more intimate space (or if you're in a larger party and don't want to sit in a row), then request a table upstairs.

The menu is Lebanese, which has become well-represented in Portland recently, between Tiqa, Baharat, and Falafel Underground.

Jerusalem artichoke soup

We started with the tuna, which I probably would have passed over had my dining companion not suggested it. Like...tuna, ginger, scallion, we get it. But there's a reason it's so prolific—it's damn good, and Evo's is no exception. The spicy relish topping and quinoa chips were a nice contrast to the soft tuna.

The cream of sunchoke soup also played around with texture, the pickled sunchoke slices and crunchy crumbs (of what, I forget) topping an impossibly creamy, rich soup. The Brussels sprouts salad's tahini dressing emphasized the nuttiness of the seared vegetables beautifully presented on the ceramic dish.

Another hit was soft gnocchi, tossed with assertively spiced lamb sausage, peppery arugula, garlic, and butternut squash. I wanted to take a deep dive into a bowl of cubed potatoes, chorizo, and a poached egg—a dish that also appears quite at home on the menu at the newly offered Sunday brunch.

Gnocchi with lamb sausage, squash, arugula

Potatoes with chorizo and egg, topped with egg foam 

The scallop dish didn't receive its proper due, since I was quickly becoming very full. But these scallops replace in my heart the one we lost at Ebb & Flow when it closed. At EVO, the perfectly seared scallops are paired with potatoes three ways—in roasted cubes, pureed and in fritters with lemon and dill.

You can see from the portion of the scallops that the "small plates" can actually be rather large, making dinner at Evo one you don't have to worry about coming away hungry from.

Scallops with potato fritters and purée

I managed to make room for a scoop of baklava ice cream, which, while I loved the baklava itself, pieces of it throughout the ice cream made it seem icy rather than smooth and creamy, like you'd expect.

All in all, Evo was a hit. Even if you still see Evo as a special occasion place, stop in for one of their speciality cocktails and sample a dish. I bet it'll win you over, just like it did me.

Note: Evo will be closed to update their ventilation system from January 29th until February 2nd. The existing system had created some complaints about the smell/air quality in the restaurant, so they're upgrading it.

Baklava ice cream

Evo Kitchen & Bar | 443 Fore Street, Portland | (207) 358-7830

Disclosure: I was treated to this meal, but the opinions and words expressed in this post are my own. 

Inauguration Day Bake Sale

Tomorrow, the Inauguration Day of He Who Shall Not Be Mentioned, boxes of assorted cookies from over 15 Portland bakers and chefs will be for sale as a fundraiser for Maine Planned Parenthood. They'll be sold at East End Cupcakes, Little Giant, Aurora Provisions, Tandem Bakery, Sur Lie, and Standard Bakery and will sell out quickly, so if you want one, call to reserve yours or head to one of the participating retailers first thing. 

I spent yesterday afternoon working at East End Cupcakes, helping to decorate these boob sugar cookies—owner Alysia Zoidis wants to remind you to #gramyourmams. Fuel up on Friday for your marching on Saturday. 

Preserving Tomatoes: Salsa, Crushed, and Pureed

Please refer to the National Center for Home Food Preservation for up-to-date canning information and recipes.

I feel like it's customary to start out a post about a large preserving project with something like: "I'm crazy," "OMG, what was I thinking?" or something similar. And I must admit, after processing 40 pounds of tomatoes, I was definitely sick of the endeavor. But it wasn't painful, (too) tedious, or otherwise traumatizing, because this year I used a great shortcutting tool. 

The ears of any home canner who has processed a large quantity tomatoes before are surely perked. Peeling tomatoes is one of my least favorite canning activities (peeling peaches is second), and I much prefer freezing tomatoes to canning them, since you can skip the peeling step. 

But with my new KitchenAid food grinder attachment, preparing tomatoes is so much easier. I processed 20 pounds in about 45 minutes and listened to a podcast while doing so. It's simple, mindless work that saves you hours. 

Now, before you go order one yourself, know that it produces a thin, smooth sauce and that might not be what you're after. If you want whole tomatoes or chunky sauce, you're going to have to work on your tomatoes the old fashioned way. 

But for those looking for a seedless, skinless, smooth sauce this attachment is the way to go. It simply attaches to the PTO of your mixer and pushes tomato quarters through a sieve, in the process separating the seeds, skins, and cores from the flesh. It's like a glorified hands-free food mill.

I also canned some tomatoes whole in water, so I have the option of adding chunks of tomatoes to a dish down the road. But most of my tomato usage is for sauce and soups, so I'm fine with a smooth puree. I ended up with 25 pints of tomato sauce and 2 quarts and 5 pints of whole tomatoes in water. 

I made a batch of my favorite canned salsa, which yielded 15 pints, and I used yet another shortcut: a food processor. It made chopping onions and peppers a snap. I was a little skeptical, but it really works, as long as you pulse your food processor. Any extended processing is going to turn your vegetables into mush. 

I'm nearing the end of my canning agenda for 2016—aside for some applesauce for the freezer and maybe some pressure canned beets, I'm ready to pack in the canner. The shelves are groaning with cases of jars and the freezer is full of frozen fruit. Many years I feel regret that I didn't manage to do more canning, but not this one!

Rum Riots at Liquid Riot

I spent yesterday afternoon at Liquid Riot, with the members of Friends of Evergreen Cemetery, giving a talk to commemorate the 161st anniversary of the Portland Rum Riots. Mayor Neal Dow is buried at Evergreen Cemetery, and the group leads tours covering the history of the rum riots. Rather than rehash some well-worn material, I opted to discuss how the laws formed since the end of Prohibition affect the burgeoning craft distilling industry today. I enjoyed a Hemingway Daiquiri, featuring Liquid Riot's Rhum Blanc, Luxardo, grapefruit and lime juices. 

This afternoon, the Friends of Evergreen Cemetery continue their commemoration with a (dry) talk at the Neal Dow House. Dr. Eileen Eagan, Associate Professor of History in the Department of History and Political Science at the University of Southern Maine, and Portland historian Herb Adams will be speaking about the 2 prominent figures of Maine's temperance movement: Lillian Stevens and Neal Dow. It will also be an opportunity to check out the Dow House, an incredible museum dedicated to one of Portland's most interesting figures. The talk starts at 4pm.

Anthony Bourdain Comes to Portland

Chef, author, and TV personality Anthony Bourdain is coming to Portland, Maine on his "The Hunger" tour this fall, to hold forth on his travels and the food he encounters while filming his show Parts Unknown in what's sure to be an entertaining show. Bourdain has been through Maine before, for an event at Merrill Auditorium with chef Eric Ripert and to film an episode of No Reservations, where he further proves the maxim that it's impossible to say anything about the state of Maine without offending someone.

But that's sort of Bourdain's bit—he has lots of opinions and doesn't hold back. It's pretty amazing that he's been able to remain relevant in his career that has spanned almost 20 years as an author and a TV show host. His popular blend of humor and criticism makes him a knowledgeable insider to the food scene, but one that's not afraid to slaughter any sacred cows. (See that dust-up over his reaction to Street & Co. recapped by Meredith Goad in the Press Herald).

So with a new cookbook in the works (Appetites, due out October 25th), Bourdain is back on tour with his stand-up routine and a Q&A session with the audience. He'll be stopping in Portland October 9th at the Cross Insurance Arena.

Tickets go on sale May 6th at 10am, but readers of the Blueberry Files can access presale tickets with the code HUNGER. And whatever you do, come up with a good question for the man—he reportedly hates "where are you going to eat after this," although, honestly, I want to know.

BBF Travels: Hog Island Oyster Co. Marshall, CA

Two weeks ago, I jetted off to San Francisco to spend a week with my boyfriend, his brother, and his brother's family. It was the perfect antidote to Maine winters, something I've realized that I need after 8 winters in this lovely, but at-times frigid state. Spring (break) fever is real and contagious. Since spring in Maine (or should I say "spring") is lacking to this somewhat-southerner, heading south where there's green grass, sunny days with warm breezes, and loads and loads of flowers helps me retain my sanity until Maine spring fully kicks into gear...in like June. 

We arrived on a Wednesday night, and after generously taking the next day off to entertain us, everyone had to go back to work on Friday, which left A. and I to our own devices. We hopped in the convertible (yesssss) Saab and headed for the coast. My mission: oysters al fresco. 

My friend Tessa had recommended checking out Hog Island Oysters near Point Reyes, where you can have oyster picnics right by the water. As soon as I'd heard even those limited details, I'd put that activity on our agenda. 

The odds were in our favor that day, since while a picnic requires advanced reservation, the oyster "boat" bar was open that day and did not. (Note: if you plan to visit the farm, they have since started a new reservation-only policy for the bar as well.) 

Both the bar and the picnic tables are located on a slice of land between Route 1 and Tomales Bay, where the oysters are grown. You eat and relax next to the oyster processing facilities, where men in Grundens and sea boots toss around giant bags filled with shells, hoisting them, emptying them into a sorter, and at times even whacking the bags with baseball bats. It's definitely a working farm and the workers serve as "edu-tainment" while you're eating. 

The oyster bar serves the Hog Island Sweetwaters on the half shell and broiled, as well as some non-shellfish offerings like charcuterie and some salads. We had a friendly server offer to take our order while we stood at our communal high top table, but you can order at the bar as well. A. and I ordered both the raw and broiled oysters and a charcuterie plate to make it a substantial lunch. Some bottles of IPA from local Drake's Brewing Company rounded out our meal. 

The Hog Island Sweetwaters were instantly my new favorite oyster, offering all of the things you love about oysters and avoiding the flavors that can turn people off of them. They were clean, well-shucked, and incredibly sweet with very little briney or funky seaweed flavors. 

The broiled oysters were amazing as well, slightly larger than those served on the half shell and topped with a BBQ bourbon chipotle butter. They disappeared quickly, all warm and buttery, but we stopped by the oyster window on our way out to order a few dozen to take home with us for a Saturday afternoon grill out. 

The next day, we shared our newfound love of grilled oysters with A.'s family - of course, being hip to all things hedonistic, they were already experts at home-grilled oysters for a crowd. After exhausting our enthusiasm for shucking, we decided to grill up the remainders, recreating the spicy garlic butter ones we'd had the day before. 

Although it may seem more complicated, preparing grilled oysters can be easier than shucking raw ones, at least for those among us who aren't expert shuckers. By heating the oysters for a while, they steam and soften (ok, ok, die) and are much easier to open than when they're alive. Lacking a barbecue grill, we improvised with the broiler and it worked great. Later we moved on to topping the oysters with garlic butter, arugula, and Parmesan cheese, all of which went superbly with local sparkling rosé and ample amounts of sunshine. 

Grilled BBQ Bourbon Chipotle Oysters

Adapted from Hog Island Oyster Co.

One stick unsalted butter, softened to room temp 

1/4 cup brown sugar 

1/4 cup bourbon 

6 cloves finely chopped garlic 

Several chipotle chilies in adobo sauce, chopped

2 dozen raw oysters

To make BBQ bourbon butter:

Combine all ingredients in a bowl, mix well. To save for future use, scrape butter onto wax paper, close wax paper around butter, and shape into a log. Freeze for up to 6 months for best quality.

To make barbecued oysters: 

Preheat oven's broiler or grill to very hot (500*F). Spread oysters on a broiling pan and place in oven (or directly on grill surface) for 5-10 minutes or until several have popped open. The oysters should be very easy to shuck; if not, heat until they are. 

Shuck oysters, leaving meat in cupped half of oyster shell. Add 1-2 tablespoons compound butter and return to heat source. Grill for several more minutes, until butter has melted and is bubbling. 

The NFL's Top 10 Hottest Quarterbacks 2015

Once again, it's time to revive my ranking of the NFL's hottest quarterbacks! You're so excited. There's been many changes in the league since my last list in 2013, some new blood, if you will. Ahem. 

First, some ground rules: I tried to stick to starting quarterbacks, since if we also considered backups, it'd be mayhem. Next, while I tried to judge objectively, you should know I am a hardcore Baltimore Ravens fan, so while it wasn't an issue, I'd have a hard time placing, say Big Ben or the Red Rifle on the list. 

And one big caveat, since I live in Maine and surely have lots of readers who are Pats fans: Tom Brady is not on this list. I cannot abide by his small mouth and his dented chin. Which is too bad, because when he's on the field in his pony ankle socks, he's pretty cute. Anyway, if that bothers you feel free to move along, write your own list with him as number 1, etc.

And with that, away we go:

1. Cam Newton 

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Cammy (as I like to call him) has always been in the top 5 and this year he's rocketed up to numero uno. He's got a beautiful smile, a sense of humor, and looks good in a suit. I'm hoping he goes to the big game this year - he's fun to watch and finally has a good team to support him. 

2. Marcus Mariota

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I actually know very little about Marcus, but mentally added the handsome Hawaiian to my list at the start of his NFL debut. Have you seen pictures of him wearing a lei at the Heisman ceremony? Hello.

3. Ryan Fitzpatrick

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Fear the beard! I love a man with a righteous beard. While Fitzy seemed kind of sad after being booted from the Bills, I hope he finds some success with the Jets. No one wants to see a sad beard. 

4. Aaron Rodgers

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While Rodgers doesn't fall into the "model hot" category, he's got a great personality that bumps him up a few notches. I love his sense of humor - he seems like someone you'd enjoy hanging out with in real life. 

5. Joe Flacco

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Whaaaat? Joe Flacco made the list?? This Baltimore magazine article puts it best: "When exactly did Joe Flacco get hot?" I guess he got a stylist or something. Growing out his hair vastly improved his looks, and obviously, I'm thrilled to welcome Joe to the top 10.

6. Russell Wilson

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Already to number 6 and we're still going strong! I've always loved Russell Wilson - he seems like a nice man. Actually, I know he's nice, since he's from Richmond, VA and my aunt reports he used to work the concession stand for the younger kids' games. So sweet. However, his short haircut kind of makes his head seem a bit pointy. Bring back the curly locks, Russell!

7. Josh Freeman

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Who? Ok, ok, this one is cheating a little bit. Freeman once was the starter for the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, but is now the backup for Andrew Luck. I think he took a few snaps in the last regular season for the Colts. But while Freeman was bouncing around the league (and then even playing for the FXFL for a season), he was quietly getting hotter. Dude lost a lot of weight and got seriously buff. So welcome to the big leagues, Josh!

8. Alex Smith

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The last three spots on the list are dedicated to dudes who aren't hideous. Let's just say there is not a lot of depth in the roster at the position of hot quarterback. Alex Smith is kind of cute - in some pictures he even manages to look like Ryan Gosling and in others, Bradley Cooper. 

 9. Kirk Cousins

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I noticed Kirk Cousins' eyes while watching him play Green Bay the other day. Unfortunately, after that floated in some reference about him trying to trademark a catch phrase. Yup, dude is trying to register his "You like that??" line. Honey, no. Just no. But d-baggery aside, kind of cute.

 10. Matt Ryan

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Ugh, Matt Ryan is not even that cute. I am going to great lengths to avoid including Brady, aren't I? (I even squinted and looked at Jay Cutler. Desperate.) But Matt Ryan has typical football player looks, so he squeaks in at the bottom of the pile. 

Tell me who does it for you in the comments! I won't judge - I've heard it all. 

December Booze Events: Preview of Rhum Tiki Bar

If it's possible, I am the MOST excited about this next Portland Spirits Society event (new to the PSS? It's ladies who love booze - tastings, education, social, fun). 

I've long wanted to throw a tiki party at a Portland bar, and when I heard Jay Loring of Nosh and his business partners were launching a tiki bar, I knew they were the perfect people to talk to. Their new bar is called Rhum, and the chefs are Rebecca and Frank Anderson, who hosted the Hunter's Bend supper club for a while. 

So the tiki party is happening at Bramhall - the perfect underground, speakeasy-esque space to decorate with palm trees, torches, and flowers - on Tuesday, December 1st. The ladies of the Portland Spirits Society will get a private, VIP reception before the tiki party starts, with a tiki rum flight, snacks from the chefs, and a meet-and-greet with the owners and chefs. 

Buy your tickets soon - they're going fast! (I say that a lot, and it's always true, but especially so in this case. The tickets are almost half gone and they went on sale last night. You ladies love tiki!)

Other booze events of interest coming up (godspeed to all of our livers!):

• Friday, November 20th - Liquid Riot's release of their agave spirit (aka tequila, but not legally allowed to call it that), 12pm-close, includes cocktails and Mexican food

• Saturday, December 5th - Holiday rum tasting at Maine Maritime Museum, with yours truly! Rum will be provided by local producers Wiggly Bridge, New England Distilling, and Bartlett Spirits of Maine, tickets are $20/25

• Sunday, December 6th - Repeal Day Ball from Rum Riots, fundraiser for the Portland chapter of the US Bartenders Guild, tickets are $10 and include $2 drink specials, a photo booth, and live music