Saturday, July 18, 2009
Maine Mead Works
Posted at 8:04:00 PM by Laura W. Petix.
JK's Scrumpy Hard Cider
lob crepe
dean = same crepe as last time w swiss instead of goat
oldest of all fermented beverages
soupy soup red tom pep
shrimp cox
mead RULES! honey smell is intoXicating
The Merry Table has best beverage selection ever
beekeeping
alluring complexity
origin of term honeymoon; newlyweds consumed for 1 month (moon cycle)!
Meadery
Desert of Maine! I gave my little Desert of Maine pocket photobook (Kodachrome prints) to the owner's son and he really liked it. He looked at the whole thing and commented on all the pictures. He tried to give us a free desert tour in return but I asked if I could just take 4 Maine candies. He said "Take as much as you want!" Desert of Maine's motto (posted in front): "You'll be glad." Ha!! We were. Dean originally thought I was silly for wanting to go back to the Desert of Maine just to give them the photobook, but I knew they'd like it after they enjoyed my old postcards so much last year. And I have a billion of those souvenir photobooks from different spots (found them this spring when I was looking for pictures for the party), and I knew the Desert of Maine guys would appreciate having theirs back a lot more than I would miss it. I think it's from the 1940s.
Posted at 5:26:00 PM by Laura W. Petix.
"Linda Bean's Perfect Maine" (I read an article about it in Down East magazine) lobster roll: New England-style roll, buttered & toasted but not that thoroughly... roll didn't really contribute anything. Inside of roll spread with mayo. No mayo on lobster, and no lettuce. Instead, lobster has a special herb salt mixture which was interesting and good, but not as good as a classic lobster roll at its best. Fresh tasting lobster... mild and sweet. Did not elicit any moans. Good try at being different, but they need to pay more attention to the roll itself. Roll comes in a choice of white or whole wheat.
Posted at 3:01:00 PM by Laura W. Petix.
Meanwhile, check this out: my short dry cappuccino from Coffee By Design. Nice. Short = ♥!
Running List of Maine Things
Posted at 2:35:00 PM by Laura W. Petix.
bear (at airport)
Italians (sandwiches)
blueberry pop
little pine cone
giant mobile FRIES FRIES FRIES (& onion rings and cold drinks) trailer driving down highway
Amato's between British store and Mangy Moose!?
BEAN everywhere!
cranberry and blueberry soap
short cappuccinos from Coffee by Design
Desert of Maine!
Fishy smell :-)
First stop: Amato's, for a veggie Italian! There was a sign advertising super-cheap lobster rolls, so Dean told me to get one and try it (even though I was planning to rate the new Linda Bean's Perfect Maine kind in Freeport later). Super-friendly and enthusiastic Amato's guy: "You're gonna like it!" Meanwhile Dean got his veggie Italian (natch!) and we bought a Capt'n Eli's Blueberry Pop (brewed in Portland!) which tasted like grape, but was really good.
Posted at 2:08:00 PM by Laura W. Petix.
Amato's lobster roll came on a soft Amato's Italian sandwich roll, not a hot dog roll, and the roll was cold, not buttered and grilled. Shredded iceburg lettuce on the bottom, then lobster salad with lots of mayo, plus salt and pepper. Tastes like a really good version of a Subway seafood sandwich. It was tasty for what it was, but didn't taste like a real lobster roll. I ate the lobster but threw away most of the roll so I wouldn't be too full for another one later. We had a picnic in the parking lot on a stone wall under pine trees. Nice temp... overcast but warm and not breezy. Fun. :-)
Dean's veggie Italian was great. Good veggies and simple, tasty salt-pepper-oil seasoning. Dean wants to come to Maine just to get Amato's!
Friday, July 17, 2009
Last-minute plans: we're going to Sunny Maine tomorrow! You know what that means. One clue: it's red (sort of) and claw-y with stalked eyes and five pairs of legs.
Posted at 6:50:00 PM by Laura W. Petix.
Thursday, July 16, 2009
Posted at 4:17:00 PM by Laura W. Petix.
Aaaah! The first time I got Suder raspberries they were somewhat too sour, but this week they're perfect! After I took this picture, I ate one to try them out, and then wolfed about 1/4 of the container on the spot!
So: the blueberry saga! On Tuesday, I went to Draghi Farm Market (via the Arrigoni Bridge = ♥) to check for Rusczyk blueberries. The berries they had didn't have the little slip of paper saying they were Rusczyk's, but I bought a pint anyway, assuming the Rusczyk berries just weren't available yet.
However! Later that day, Susie e-mailed me and told me that SHE had gone to Draghi's that same morning (!!!) and she, unlike me, actually asked about the Rusczyk berries. (I wanted to, but I have no idea how to pronounce Rusczyk.) And, TRAGEDY!!!! According to the woman behind the counter, Mr. Ryzckzi has RETIRED! Also, she'd heard that none of his children wanted to continue the blueberry business. Aaaahhh!!
However. The blueberries they did have for sale are actual DRAGHI blueberries. (Susie, you are my hero for asking about and relaying all this!) We didn't even know there was such as thing as Draghi blueberries! And, Susie urged me to seek some out, as they are tart. (Little did she know that I had a pint in my possession, although I hadn't eaten any yet.)
So, here's my report: Draghi blueberries are GOOD. They aren't as tart as Suder blueberries (yes, Suder berries are that tart) but they are quite pleasantly tart and I APPROVE. Right now I have Suder vs. Draghi going on in my refrigerator, and I love both.
So it isn't a tragedy after all, even though we both miss the little slips of paper. However, at Suder's today I learned of a possible REAL tragedy! There was a big article from The Hartford Courant posted, all about a TOMATO BLIGHT: "The state and most of New England are teetering on the edge of losing every tomato plant to a fungus that is flourishing in the wet weather the region has endured for weeks, state experts said Thursday." !!!!! Next to the article were some printed out photos of afflicted tomato plants, I think from the Suder farm! :-( :-( I asked Suder how their tomatoes are doing, and he said, "So-so." Terrible!!!!!!! What's summer without gorging on fresh local tomatoes??? I don't even eat tomatoes the rest of the year because they're so pathetic in comparison. EVIL rain.
[Edit, P.S.: I got Gs' garden-style broccoli at Suder's because they didn't have any corn today, and it was so good! I haven't had that kind of broccoli (not in a head, but little bunches cut off the stalk as they grow, then allowed to produce more) in years. Fresh, local, in season everything RULES.]
Posted at 12:54:00 AM by Laura W. Petix.
OK, I am behind on posting. Saved a draft with notes yesterday, but haven't properly written it yet.
Tuesday Topics:
berries (full report to follow)
Cheshire bike trail / Maaaa pal reunion soft head pet pet pet
sheep facial recognition <--that's great
peacock beak in eye courting thing
hounding seemed really short and easy!
Cat Stats: Total Distance - 7.14; Average Speed - 11.7; Max Speed - 16.1; Total Time - 36'32.
P.S. Did someone STEAL two of my Buell knives?? Because I can't find them!
Wednesday, July 15, 2009
!!! I txt'ed Susie (she was at the concert) to ask if Bob was on stage, and she wrote back! I was downstairs watching the bizarre new John From Cincinnatti episode (#6), so I just got the reply now... She said he just finished at 10:35 pm with "All Along the Watchtower," which was the exact time we heard it stop! And she added, "He was really loud!!!" Hahahahahahaha...!! He sure was!
Posted at 11:46:00 PM by Laura W. Petix.
!!!? I think I can hear the Bob concert at Rock Cats Stadium from inside my HOUSE. Is that possible? It's about 4 miles away. I wonder if Bob is on stage right now? Dean says he told the band to "Play f'in loud!" [he made me add: "reference to what Bob said in the '66 tour"] and that's why we can hear it now. I can't make out what the song is, though...
Posted at 10:06:00 PM by Laura W. Petix.
Tuesday, July 14, 2009
Well, a chain saw and wood chipper are good alarm clocks, I guess. :-/
Posted at 9:43:00 AM by Laura W. Petix.
Monday, July 13, 2009
I'm going to try to keep track of how many containers of Suder blueberries I buy this summer. They're half the size of those containers of berries they sell most places (a half pint?). So far, I've bought five, since Thursday. I know for sure because I got two today and gave back three empty boxes to Suder so he can use them over.
Posted at 7:43:00 PM by Laura W. Petix.
I'm going to try to stop at Draghi next time time I go to the library (Arrigoni Bridge!) and see if they have Rusczyk berries for a true Best Berry comparison, though. (And so I can get Dean some So. Glastonbury berries and wolf all the extra-tart Suder berries myself!) I haven't been to Draghi yet this year; I've been cheating on it and going to Berruti's Harvest House instead, since it's closer to central Glastonbury. Must visit library soon to pick up my Time Out Chicago Eating & Drinking interlibrary loan book.
Wow, that's great! Dean found an article about the plane we heard calling Mayday yesterday. It crashed at a Rochester, Massachusets cranberry bog and all four people aboard escaped with minor injuries.
Posted at 11:56:00 AM by Laura W. Petix.
Three photos from today:
Posted at 1:00:00 AM by Laura W. Petix.
1) Glastonbury, as we flew over on the way to Jaffrey. We often fly right near/over this area when landing at and taking off from Brainard. You can see the open-air shopping circle (with Smith & Hawken in its center, Starbucks, Max Amore, etc.) on the right, and part of Main Street on the left, with the Connecticut River snaking off in the background.
B) Mt. Monadnock, which is right next to the Jaffrey, New Hampshire airport we fly into to visit Kimball Farm. Mt. Monadnock is 3,165 feet high and you can see it from really far away, as it's "nearly 1,000 feet higher than any mountain peak within 30 miles and rises 2,000 feet above the surrounding landscape." According to Wikipedia, it has "long been known as one of the most frequently climbed mountains in the world." There were tons of climbers on top (in the bald part) today! We could see them when we circled, after our premium Kimball Farm feast.
3) Hartford (in the background) and Brainard airport (in the foreground) as we came in to land. You can see the tower (and Tango's hangar!) in the lower right, near the edge of runway 2/20 (which runs just off the edge of the photo). The runway that goes across the photo is one that is rarely used, and we've only landed on that one a couple of times. That's the Connecticut River again, at the very front edge.
P.S. I tried that seaweed wine ("pale green, aromas of citrus, passion fruit, and savory seaweed") at Thai Angel and I liked it!
Posted at 12:25:00 AM by Laura W. Petix.
"I want it to be tomorrow so I can go to Best Buy!"
Posted at 12:18:00 AM by Laura W. Petix.
Uhhhhh, yeah. Our Netflix copy of John From Cincinnati disc 2 is all messed up, and the whole series is on sale for $14.99 at BB! Yes, moke.
Sunday, July 12, 2009
On the way to Jaffrey, we were in the air between Westover and Worcester near the Quabbin reservoir and Dean heard a plane call Mayday on the emergency frequency (we always tune into that channel when we're not actively talking to someone on another frequency). We were listening to music on XM at the same time (Don't Stop 'til You Get Enough!) so I didn't hear it at first (the XM is louder for me and makes it really hard for me to hear the radio), but then Dean turned off the XM and we heard the Boston controller trying to get more information. A couple of different airliners (they also monitor the emergency frequency) called in saying what they thought the guy had announced his tail number as, and that he'd said he was going down over the water. The plane in trouble came back on and confirmed his tail number, but when the controller tried to ask him where he was, all he could say was "Unable." (He had too much on his hands just trying to control the plane.) The controller wished him a sincere, "Good luck, man," and we didn't hear any more from the pilot, although one airliner said they heard his ELT (Emergency Locator Transmitter) go off but then disappear (it's activated when you crash, and sends out a signal). The controller asked the planes who had heard him on the radio to announce where they were, so they could try to triangulate where he had crashed, and about a dozen different airliners called in from various locations in New York and New England. Later we looked up the tail number, and it was a Cessna based out of New Hampshire. I wonder what happened??? I haven't been able to find any news about it yet. Poor guy. :-(
Posted at 5:04:00 PM by Laura W. Petix.
