Cellars at Jasper Hill Cheese and Wine Tasting

Last Friday, I attended a wine and cheese pairing, featuring the Cellars at Jasper Hill and Crush Wine Distributors at Whole Foods Market in Portland. 

Thanks to Shannon and Barbara of Whole Foods for having me, and to Vince from Jasper Hill and Tabitha from Crush for providing a great evening of educational food fun - my favorite kind! 

So obviously all the cheese we had was good, and the story behind the Cellars at Jasper Hill is a great one - supporting local, small farmers, individuals coming together to create resources that benefit the small food producer, and a large corporation creating an 'artisan' product seemingly for no reason other than the love of cheese and community. 

The Cellars at Jasper Hill, in Greensboro, Vermont, age, package, market, and distribute small-batch cheeses from local, small scale dairy farmers. By taking over theses processes, they create cheeses that wouldn't otherwise exist, as cheese aging facilities are very expensive and producing aged cheeses is time consuming. Creating a value-added product also gives dairy farmers additional income. 

Most small cheese makers opt to produce fresh cheese that sells quickly, rather than have so much of their product tied up in the aging process. The Cellars at Jasper Hill give cheese makers the room to create just as much product, and take care of the administrative tasks involved with selling and shipping the cheese to buyers. They sound like cheese angels to me. 

We tried eight cheeses: Weybridge, Harbison, Alpha Toman, Moses Sleeper, Landaff, Cabot Clothbound Cheddar, Bayley Hazen Blue, (and one I'm forgetting, but I'm sure Shannon will fill me in on the details as soon as I hit 'publish') and Willoughby, which is an aged Moses Sleeper.   

My favorites were the Moses Sleeper, a buttery, bloomy-rind cow's milk cheese, the Harbison, a bark-wrapped soft cow's milk cheese that tasted woodsy, and of course, the Cabot Clothbound cheddar. Mmm, nutty. 

The Cabot Clothbound Cheddar, was dreamed up by Cabot Cheese, and is the bread and butter of the Cellars at Jasper Hill. It accounts for 50% of their production, and so is their cash cow (cow... cheese... get it?!?). Cabot dreamed up the old style of aged cheddar, wrapped in muslin cloth, and asked the Cellars at Jasper Hill to take over the aging and post-production processes. They ship it all over the country, giving their smaller cheese a ride to otherwise unreachable markets. Cool all around. 

The wines we sampled were all American, from New York Finger lakes Gewurztraminer and Reisling, to Californian Cabernet and Pinot Noirs. It's always fun to see how the wines change depending on what you're eating, in particular the Vermont Ice Cider. 

The extremely sweet cider was tempered by a nibble of the Bayley Hazen blue, a salty, nutty cheese, without the typical bite of a blue cheese. 

These cheeses and wines are all available at Whole Foods Market in Portland, where you can get chat up the very knowledgable wine staff (I enjoyed a conversation with Colleen after the event about wine) and whomever is at the cheese counter these days (no longer Shannon after she was promoted to lead cheese buyer, sniff).

The holidays are coming up, and perhaps you are hosting out of town guests or having a holiday party. A cheese plate of New England cheeses including Jasper Hill Farms' would certainly impress as an appetizer, dessert, or cocktail pairing (look for our 4th Annual Obscure Holiday Cocktail Tasting in early December!). 

Saigon Restaurant Review

I intended to go to The Loft the other night, to pursue this burger that is served on a donut instead of a bun. I have not given up on my mission, but on this night, the Loft was closed (rat infestation? doesn't phase me), and I was momentarily stymied since I was on foot. 

Faced with the relatively bleak dining options of outer Forest Avenue (Dominos? Takeout?), I was excited to see Saigon, a Vietnamese restaurant I haven't tried. I wrote about the pho at Thanh Thanh 2 during an O-rama, but have yet to make it across the street to the other Vietnamese restaurant in that block. 

Some fairly standard soup, dumplings, and crab rangoon started out our meal. They didn't indicate much about the quality of the food to come—they were fine, but forgettable. 

A. and M. ordered pho, which came accompanied by a giant plate of fresh vegetables and herbs to add to the soup. 

M. fixed his soup and dug in, but A., not having had pho before, was a little slow to start. One of the employees, maybe sensing his hesitation, quickly came over and began fixing the guys' soup for them.

She grandly named each ingredient as she tore it into pieces (shaved celery, sorrel, basil, sliced jalapeños, bean sprouts, and a spicy chili sauce) and added it to their soup. Finishing with instructions to thoroughly mix everything together, she left us to our meal (she pointed at my dish and told me to mix it all together too). 

We were momentarily bewildered, trying to hold in our laughs, but then I thought it was pretty great that she dove in and fixed our food for us. I guess she wanted to make sure we had the dish as it was intended to be served. And A. reported his soup was much better after having been doctored up.

I had beef and shrimp vermicelli, with lots of fresh herbs, crushed peanuts, and fried shallots served over a bed of vermicelli noodles, carrots, and daikon radish pieces. It was a great mix of meat and veggies, that left me feeling full but not weighed down.

This restaurant was very different from the Hooters-esque environment that I was expecting to encounter next door at the Loft. It's bright (a bit too bright!), quiet, and full of fresh, light food. This is the place you go when you need to nurse your hangover, not to earn one in the first place. 

Even though it wasn't my pho, the small slurps I had were better than what I recall of Thanh Thanh 2's. But then again, my past pho wasn't personally prepared for me tableside! 

If you find yourself looking for a good meal in that block, skip the Thai food, and try something a little different at Saigon. 

Birthday at Bandaloop, Kennebunkport

Ed. note: Bandaloop has relocated to a new location in Arundel. 

My 30th birthday! Last year the weather looked like this: 

But this year it rained. Meh. My friends threw me an awesome Bowling Bieber Birthday party, and stenciled my face on a cake with cocoa powder. Too funny. 

See any resemblance? 

On my actual birthday (Wednesday), my boyfriend A. took me out in Kennebunkport and we spent the night at his parent's beach front cottage. Very romantic and cozy, but a little chilly in the three-season camp! But I loved falling asleep to the sounds of the ocean on the beach. 

We went to Bandaloop in downtown Kennebunkport, just off Dock Square, for dinner. We had our first official date at this restaurant - a night of drinks and apps at the bar after a *brief* walk on a pier to see the sunset (brrr again, since it was February!). 

I've been to Bandaloop a few times since and always enjoy its cozy environment, with low light, lots of dark wood, and very high ceilings. The menu focuses on locally sourced, seasonal ingredients, frequently organic, with free-range and organic meats. It feels fancy, but still has reasonable prices for a nice night out. 

Their bar has a nice drink menu - I had an $8 tempranillo, while A. had the pepper infused tequila and ginger beer margarita. They make classic cocktails as well as house versions, and the bar is a lovely place to sit. 

We were seated in a cozy corner with a view of the open kitchen and started with the Bandaloop soup ($4.50), this night a peanut squash coconut spicy bisque. And it was delicious. I wish I could figure out how to make such a creamy, spicy, nuanced soup in my own kitchen - it's all I'd eat. 

A. returned to his favorite starter, the cheese quesadilla ($10). I agree, I was skeptical the first time he suggested we order it. Really? A cheese quesadilla? 

But this one has some extra crispy cheese baked on the outside (genius) and comes with fantastic candied jalapeños, on this night super spicy! 

I opted for a smaller starter as my entree - to save room for dessert! - and tried the Shiitake mushroom, Gorgonzola in cream with greens and a garlic puff pastry twist ($14). 

The preparation was a little rich, and could have used more greens to offset the salty cheese and rich sauce. But I spaced out my meal with bites of A.'s entree to lighten up the overall effect. 

A. had the entree special  of a pepper crusted pork chop, Yukon Gold mashed potatoes, and roasted Swiss chard. Everything was delicious - especially the potatoes, which were both creamy and crispy, thanks to a few slices of roasted potatoes on top. 

We finished with a creme brulee dessert, which our waitress was kind enough to place a candle in. She said she figured it was my birthday - all the present opening gave me away - and I was so happy to be full of good food while celebrating with my sweet boyfriend. 

Kennebunkport doesn't have the food reputation that Portland does - I'd imagine there's a lot of overpriced, mediocre food being served to the wealthy out-of-towners that frequent. But Bandaloop bucks this trend by serving up a solid meal without pretension in a nice environment. 

Canned Goods at the Fair

Last Saturday, I helped to judge the canned goods at the Cumberland Fair. The past three years, Master Food Preserver volunteers have helped award ribbons to the hundreds of canned goods entered into the Fair. 

Canned goods are judged using the judging resources from the National Center for Home Food Preservation, and based on appearance alone - no tasting required! We looked for attractive color, appropriate consistency, correct headspace (a frequent markdown), clean jars, and new lids.

This was the first year I helped, and it was a lot of fun. We enjoyed seeing the staggering variety of jams, jellies, salsa, vegetables, and the stray jars of meat.

The yellow wax beans pictured above was a particularly attractive sample of canned vegetables. The color is vibrant, the pieces all the same size, the vegetable of good quality, and the headspace correct for a low-acid food (1 inch).

This jar of lard was a first place as well - also the first time I've ever seen home canned lard! I don't even know if there is a recommendation for home canning lard, but I assume it's similar to canning meat stock. 

The appearance and headspace (again, 1 inch, but hard to see in this picture) were both great, so I had to award it a blue ribbon, despite it being a rather... unusual entry.  

These identical jars of salsa and spaghetti sauce made us laugh - because they truly were identical in appearance - same consistency, headspace, and as far as I can tell, ingredients. 

We awarded the salsa a blue ribbon and the spaghetti sauce a red ribbon (second place) due to the headspace being a little small for a pressure canned recipe. 

The day before the Cumberland Fair, I was up at the Common Ground Fair demonstrating canning applesauce. I of course checked in on the canned good entries in the Exhibition Hall. While they hadn't been judged yet, another Master Food Preserver volunteer was going to be judging them the next day. 

These whole San Marzano tomatoes were beautifully packed, and I hope earned a blue ribbon. 

I was intrigued by this rose hip nectar. While the wire bale jar isn't recommended for home canning, the syrup was beautiful with whole pieces of fruit floating in it. 

And these pickled garlic scapes with fresh dill and hot peppers were beautiful. I am always drawn to scapes packed curled around inside the jar like this. 

And yes, I got my requisite fried shrimp at the Common Ground Fair. Obviously.

Have you ever considered entering canned goods into the fair? Did you know every entry gets a ribbon and a cash prize? 

If you go for it next year, do me a favor and make sure to clean off your jar first? The judges will thank you for it! 

September Foodie Pen Pals

After enviously reading S.'s Foodie Pen Pal write ups, I decided to take the plunge and sign up. Foodie Pen Pals, created and maintained by Lindsay of The Lean Green Bean, is a swap between blog writers and readers. 

I sent off a package of Maine-themed goodies to Elena in Minnesota, and eagerly awaited my package from Patti in Niagara Falls. Patti lives on the Canadian side of Niagara Falls, but her New York address allows her to swap with U.S. residents. 

Lucky for me, since that meant I was set to receive a box of Canadian goodies. My only worry was that I'd fall in love with a Canadian product that's hard to find in the States! 

Here's my box of Canadian goodies. I first dug into the Cadbury chocolate bars; I know Cadbury makes all sorts of chocolates that aren't available in the states. I sampled a Butterfinger-like crispy bar and a peanut butter filled chocolate bar. So far, so good. 

The other sweets in the box included giant cinnamon and coconut lollipops; blueberry Passion Flakes, a   fruit, and marshmallow filled puffy pastry treat; and my favorite, Imperial Cinnamon Spread. It's like a buttery, cinnamon and sugar spread, that has found it's place on my toast every morning. 

But I was most excited to try the Anchor Bar Wing Sauce. Allegedly the home of the original Buffalo wing, I have always wanted to make it to Buffalo to try Anchor Bar's wings.

And with the start of football season, I have ample opportunity to make wings; it was kismet!

So the following Sunday, I grilled up some wings from Whole Foods - and mixed in a little Franks' Red Hot wing sauce, natch - and enjoyed delicious Anchor Bar-style chicken wings while watching my team win.

And I stil have lots of Canadian treats to look forward to! I'm saving the white bean and ham soup for a hearty lunch and the beef stew and wing sauce mixes for future football Sundays.

Thanks, Patti for the generous package, and if you're interested in becoming a Foodie Pen Pal, visit the The Lean Green Bean.

Bar Snacks at The Grill Room

The Grill Room, one of three "Rooms" owned and operated by Chef Harding Lee Smith, used to be one of my favorite restaurants in Portland. I found its casual environment versatile for many occasions, and the food was always good. 

But after an utterly bizarre service incident in the bar left a bad taste in my mouth, I found myself avoiding the Grill Room, even though I missed my favorite menu items. 

A few weeks ago, after some light Old Port shopping with Original Roomie A., we stopped on upper Exchange Street, hesitating between Sonny's and the Grill Room. Then the thought of some of my old favorites called to me, and I decided I needed to release my years-old grudge. 

So we settled into the bar (only the patio and the bar are open with a limited menu from 3-5pm), ordered happy hour drinks and bar snacks. I selected a Lagunitas IPA and A. had a glass of prosecco, both of which are $3 during happy hour. 

Fried olives intrigued us, but ultimately proved the least favorite of our sampled items. The wedgie salad was great, with a homemade herbed buttermilk dressing, and loads of cheese and bacon. 

But my favorite, the thing I'd missed so much, was the "steak and cheese" appetizer. Beef carpaccio (thinly sliced, raw) is served over a block of breaded and fried goat cheese. An aioli is drizzled over the beef, and it's topped with fried capers and diced red onions. The whole thing is served over a bed of fresh spring mix. 

I love the mix of temperature and texture here - the crunchy fried goat cheese, with the soft raw beef; the cold beef and the warm cheese. 

So while we enjoyed our happy hour, this place will never be one of the restaurants that comes to mind when people ask me where they should eat. I think the entrees are pricy ($19 to $31, ordered a la carte), and there are so many places in town to get consistently good food for less. 

But as with all the Rooms ($3 wine, people!), the happy hour deals are worthwhile, and I'm so glad to have the 'steak and cheese' appetizer back in my life. 

BBF Travels: Peaks Island and Washington D.C.

I visited Peaks Island on Labor Day for the Shipyard Summer Ender Bender, which wasn't so much of a bender, but rather a pedal around the island, a picnic lunch, and a swim from a stone beach. 

I dreamed of renting a beach house for the winter on the island as I laid on the surprisingly comfortable small round stones of the beach and watched the gulls wheel overhead and the boats bob on their moorings in the bay. 

I bought some honey from a delightful honor system stand at a road's end by the ocean. 

On Wednesday, I was in Washington D.C. with some time to kill before traveling back to Maine. I strolled around the Mall, where my sister works, visited the U.S. Botanical Gardens, and walked up and down Capitol Hill. 

In front of Air & Space Museum, while searching for the most obnoxious D.C. souvenir I could find, I found the the Red Hook Lobster Pound truck. 

This food truck is known for it's popularity, but this day at lunch time, it was quiet. They sell lobster and shrimp rolls, whoopie pies and Maine Root sodas. 

It was nice to see a reminder of home, even if all I did was sniff and say, I'd never buy a lobster roll in D.C.! 

Schulte + Herr Breakfast

This little tiny German restaurant on Cumberland Ave. has gotten a lot of love. And for good reason - the coffee is strong, the staff is friendly, and the food is delicious, simple, and filling. 

While there may be many Portland restaurants that also meet that description, this one is unique because it's the only German one in town. 

I've dined at Schulte & Herr many times but was encouraged to wait a while to review it by A. at Portland Food Map. The reason why being that even though the restaurant just celebrated their one year anniversary of opening, it's already been reviewed a whopping 14 times, all of them favorable. 

While racking my brains for somewhere to meet Original Roomie A. for breakfast, I thought of Schulte & Herr for its cozy corner tables, the tendency to linger over shared plates, and of course, their crunchy potato pancakes. 

I usually go for this dish, served with house-cured lox, horseradish sauce, capers, and cornichons for $9. It's fantastic, with the lox thinly sliced and not aggressively brined.

But this morning, I went with the applesauce and sour cream  ($5) alongside, so I could share more plates with A. 

Ordered once at the owner's urging, I knew the pan-fried potato raisin bread served with maple syrup ($5) was a must have. The crunchy bread, softened by maple syrup, tastes like a hearty French toast. 

A. went with the roast, a Sunday special, which this week was a sliced pork tenderloin with mushroom gravy, served with potato dumplings and our choice of a side of roasted beets ($12). 

We were both puzzled by the dumplings' contents - what we determined to be a piece of bread. Our server confirmed that it was a house made crouton and added that it was a German tradition. 

The roast pork was fatty without being gross, tender, and flavorful, accompanied by the rich mushroom gravy. The beets were a good side to this dish, adding a roasted sweetness. 

The portions are right for the price, and you'll leave feeling well-fed for a bargain. Lunch and dinner are available as well, and for the summer they're open Wednesday through Sunday. 

Try Schulte & Herr for something different in Portland - look for the bright green awning on Cumberland Avenue.

BBF Travels: Cape Cod

My first drive on beach ride! 

Putting Up Peaches

The law of unintended consequences, first coined as such by sociologist Robert Merton, is defined as "outcomes that are not the ones intended by purposeful actions." This principle can be seen at work when one unsuspecting woman affirms in an off-handed manner, "Sure, we can leave for the beach a day early," to her dear boyfriend. 

An example of an unanticipated outcome is that she will then have to spend an entire evening canning and freezing 40 pounds of peaches. 

I kind of hated peaches by the time I was nearing the end. 

First up was peach salsa. Made from mostly peaches, but with one red pepper, one onion, spices, and 4 jalapenos. I recommend seeding the jalapenos first, despite the recipe failing to mention the incredible spice levels that will result if you don't. Lesson learned. 

Then I made peach barbecue sauce, which was very similar in composition to the peach salsa, but with more honey and other savory barbecue spices. 

By chopping the peaches very finely, they broke down into a thick sauce after a slow simmer.   

And three quarts of halved peaches in a Bourbon simple syrup, where I wondered, maybe I should make one without booze? Then I thought, is there ever an instant where I'd want booze-free peaches? ...Nope! 

And for the rest of the peaches, I froze them, sliced in a simple syrup. I knew tackling jam after all these other recipes was unwise, so now I'm free to make peach jalapeno jam from frozen peaches later. 

I will say, as Vrylena (who also bought a case of peaches) notes, that peeled peaches are very slippery. So prepare to cover your kitchen in peach juice and therefore at least triple your kitchen's fruit fly population. 

Recipes below!

Peach Salsa
Adapted from Ball Complete Book of Home Preserving

6 cups chopped pitted peeled peaches
1/2 cup white vinegar
1 1/4 cup chopped red onion
4 jalapeno peppers, seeded and finely chopped
1 red bell pepper, seeded and chopped
1/2 cup loosely packed finely chopped cilantro (optional)
2 tbsp honey
1 clove garlic, finely chopped
1 1/2 ground cumin
1 tsp salt

Combine all ingredients in a large stockpot and heat over medium-high heat. Bring to a boil while stirring constantly to avoid scorching. Reduce heat to a gentle boil and heat for 5 minutes more, stirring occasionally.

Ladle hot salsa into hot 8-ounce jars, leaving 1/2-inch headspace. Apply two part canning lids and tighten until fingertip tight. Process in a hot water bath for 15 minutes.

Yield: about 8 8-ounce jars (I got 7 1/2)

Peach Barbecue Sauce
Adapted from Ball Complete Book of Home Preserving

6 cups finely chopped pitted peeled peaches
1 cup seeded and chopped red bell pepper
1 cup finely chopped onion
3 tbsp finely chopped garlic
1 1/4 cups honey
3/4 cup cider vinegar
1 tbsp Worcestershire sauce
2 tsp hot pepper flakes (I substituted in a jalapeno for some of the 1 cup of sweet pepper)
2 tsp dry mustard
2 tsp salt

Combine all ingredients in a large stockpot and heat over medium-high heat. Bring to a boil while stirring constantly to avoid scorching. Reduce heat to a gentle boil and heat until sauce is thickened slightly, stirring occasionally, about 25 minutes more.

Ladle hot sauce into hot 8-ounce jars, leaving 1/2-inch headspace. Apply two part canning lids and tighten until fingertip tight. Process in a hot water bath for 15 minutes.

Yield: about 8 8-ounce jars

Peaches in Spirited Syrup
Adapted from National Center for Home Food Preservation 

For medium simple syrup:
(For other syrup ratios, such as heavy or light, visit NCHFP)

8 1/2 cups water
3 3/4 cups sugar

Combine water and sugar in a large stockpot and bring to a boil.

Peel, pit, and halve peaches, placing the peaches in the prepared syrup as you work. Bring peaches in syrup back to a boil. Pack peaches into quart jars, cavity side down. Add 2 tbsp bourbon, whiskey or rum to quart jars.

Cover peaches with syrup, leaving 1/2" headspace. Remove air bubbles, remeasure headspace and adjust as needed. Apply two part canning lids and tighten until fingertip tight. Process in a hot water bath for 25 minutes.

Makes enough for 3 quarts of peaches and 4 1/2 quarts of peaches frozen in syrup.

Freezing Peaches

From National Center for Home Food Preservation 

Peel, pit, and slice peaches and place into leftover syrup. Fill freezer grade quart bags, being sure not to overpack and leaving room for expansion. Label and date bags and freeze. Use within one year for best quality.

The Peach Haul

I bought a case of peaches. It looks like this: 

...times about 40. 

I've never gotten too into buying peaches when they're in season in Maine, since they're very expensive. I'd imagine peaches aren't too prolific in Maine, since places like Georgia are better known for their peach growing abilities, causing the price to reflect that small supply. 

But at $45 for 25 pounds, I was happy to pick up a case and start dreaming of recipes. So far, I've found peach salsa, peach barbecue sauce, spirited peaches (probably with Bourbon), and peach jam (either also with Bourbon or more Bellini jam). (...Actually, I think I can add Bourbon to all of those recipes.)

I will of course update you with recipes! 

I picked the peaches up out at Maple Springs Farm in Harrison with Vrylena. The peaches are from Connecticut, and after a few days, they are now ripe and taste and smell divine. I'm excited to roll up my sleeves and start canning tonight. 

If you are interested in purchasing your own case of peaches, Mark of the Peaches is going to make another run by the end of the month. Email him at maplespringsfarm@yahoo.com.  

Review-O-Rama: Taco Escobarr Again

...sigh.... I can't, you guys. I just can't. 

I will for your sake though. Here we go.

As part of this month's O-Rama (a series of collaborative reviews on a theme from your team of local food bloggers), we were tasked with revisiting a Portland restaurant we'd didn't like. We're calling it Second Chances.   

My thoughts immediately turned to Taco Escobarr, the taco joint from the Nosh guys, which I gave up on in December of last year after many negative experiences.  Despite the bad food, I initially said I'd continue to go there, for convenience sake (and took a beating in the comments - who knew that'd be the most controversial part of my review?). 

But time told a different tale, one in which I avoided the bar, and actually no one I knew even suggested we go there. I guess the feeling was mutual. 

Friday night dinner after happy hour at the Thirsty Pig was the perfect time to try Taco Escobarr again. Three beers in, I was hungry and thought that would carry me through any small quibbles over the food. 

The meal started out well enough, with a salted margarita and chips and guac. Both good. 

I then had three tacos - one in each kind of shell they offer (from left to right: puffy, soft, and hard), filled with pulled pork, fried fish, and spicy ground beef filling respectively. I got the medium green salsa.

I started with the fish taco, since I knew it was the strongest in the bunch. And it's great - plus I love fish tacos. It was a little overwhelmed by the amount of creme fraiche on top, but that's easily remedied. The fish is perfectly fried, with a great ratio of crust to fish. The picked slaw on top is a nice touch. 

However, a few bites of the puffy pork taco revealed the same problem I had last time - the puffy shells are pre-fried and sit around, becoming soft and sometimes greasy. 

Fresh food lovers, avert your eyes...

Photographic evidence of pre-fried puffy taco shells!!

While I'm just being silly, and it's certainly not a crime to pre-fry taco shells, I do think they would be vastly improved by being fried to order.

The just straight up sad part came when I moved onto the "hard" shell filled with ground beef. There was nothing hard about this taco shell, and instead was doused with orange grease that make it tough and slick.

Poor A. had three hard shell tacos, so his basket of food was swimming in grease. I did not finish my pork or beef tacos, but he slogged through his and then felt greasy and heavy for the rest of the night.

Unfortunately, my second visit to Taco Escobarr just revealed more of the same. Greasy food, over priced compared to Amigo's (yes, I believe Escobarr is comparable to Amigo's), in a loud, neon, fratty environment.

If you're in the mood foor crunchy Tex Mex Taco Tuesday-esque food, go to Amigo's, where at least you know what you're in for. If you want good tacos, with interesting fillings and salsa, head across the bridge into South Portland to Taco Trio.

Post-Camping Lunch Lion's Pride Pub, Brunswick

Ed. note: The Lion's Pride is now Ebenezer's Pub.

This weekend I went camping on Swan Island, off Richmond, Maine, in the Kennebec River. There is a public campsite on the Eastern side of the island, which is owned and managed by the state.

A. and I took his canoe over to the island, loaded with our stuff. We left without much time to plan and pack, but we hit all the basics - sleeping bag, cooler full of beers, and a simple meal for dinner.

My cast iron skillet cooked up all our veggies, grilled our sausages, and browned our pancakes in the  morning. Everything tastest better when cooked over a fire with a water view.

After our long upriver paddle back the next day (and so many eagle sightings that they became commonplace), we loaded up the canoe in what quickly became a soaking rain.

Since it was well after lunch by then, I knew we were in serious need of some restorative brews and a warming cozy pub to drink them in.

When I thought of Lion's Pride Pub, I hoped it was the perfect spot. I've heard much about Lion's Pride, but never thought it a good idea to drive 30 minutes to a bar where most beer served is 7%ABV and up. 

Once inside, we were greeted by their extensive draught beer selection - 35 of them, which rotate daily, and poured out of taps with handles made of beautiful blown glass. 

A. tried the Oxbow Freestyle #7, a wheat saison, which was delicious. I picked the Allagash Victoria, since I hadn't had it since last year when we attended the release party at the historic Victoria Mansion (for which it's named). 

We also tried some pub fare - "Pliny the Burger" (with IPA cheddar, bacon, avocado, and Belgian frites) and some Buffalo wings. 

The burger came split on two plates, with plenty of fries - a nice touch. The patty was nice and juicy, cooked medium rare as requested. The fries and the wings were a little desiccated, either from overcooking or sitting for a while. 

Since we were in at 3pm on a Sunday, I could see where the food was a little off from a bored cook - sometimes the food/service is worse when it's slow, since most (good) servers and cooks hit their stride when they're busy. But since hunger is the best spice, we were in no mood to quibble over small things.    

A second round of beers brought me a La Trappe Dubbel - which tasted like bananas! 

While the beer selection is great for those of you who'd like to try something out of the ordinary, I don't know that the restaurant side delivers. But for a cozy bar with plenty of opportunities to eavesdrop on beer nerds, I'd recommend you stop in.