One of my favorite children’s novels is “James and the Giant Peach”, written in 1961 by British author Roald Dahl. There have been several different illustrated versions of the book over the years, plus a
My friend Barrett Gray, owner of Boyce’s Motel in Stonington, runs the Healthy Island Project’s lunchbox program for senior citizens down here on the island. Every week, individuals get a wellness check-in telephone call from
Looking for recipes that use the zucchini explosion in your garden? Zucchini Yogurt Muffins, warm from the oven, make a delicious summer breakfast. The delicate, moist interior flecked with green and oozing with slightly melted
These days, my refrigerator shelves are overloaded with jars and small bowls of ingredients waiting for someone to eat them: extra-ripe raspberries, pulled chicken breast, roasted tomatoes, wild blueberry fruit sauce, and grilled summer veggies.
This season there are more families since World War II who are enjoying the benefits of their own “victory garden.” Back then, Americans were urged to “plant in every patch of available soil”. In doing
An advertisement for Matlaw’s stuffed clams in Down East magazine caught my eye: America’s Favorite Stuffed Clam! GREAT ON THE GRILL. A quick search revealed that Matlaw’s, a Glouster, Massachusetts seafood company has been creating
Saturday night supper and a staple at grange hall meals, baked beans have been enjoyed by generations of Mainers. The mighty bean, indigenous to the Western Hemisphere, actually migrated to Europe before returning in intoxicating
The slow, cool spring produced a bumper crop of rhubarb for many folks. Although usually eaten as a “fruit”, botanically speaking rhubarb is vegetable. An invaluable homestead plant in Maine, this tart tasting member of
Who doesn’t love a fresh chocolate chip cookie hot from the oven? America’s favorite hand-held confection is credited to Ruth Graves Wakefield, owner of the Toll House Inn in Whitman, Massachusetts. In 1938 Ruth made
Ron Fortier from Ellsworth recently wrote to me, “With the present stay-at-home situation, I have been delegated as chief cook. I’m rapidly running out of comfort food ideas. Please, if you have any fresh ideas,
The long stretch of keeping to home has given me the opportunity to catch up on some necessary spring-cleaning projects. Clothes have been sorted, books dusted and windows washed. One fruitful endeavor was tackling the
I keep a close eye on my pantry inventory these days; sorting root-cellared apples for sauce, peeling and freezing garlic, and roasting the butternut squash with soft spots. The urge for this annual routine of
The discovery of a new dish does more for the happiness of the human race than the discovery of a star.” ― Jean Anthelme Brillat-Savarin, French Gastronome & lawyer (1755- 1826) My friend Susan Wells brought
What is your go-to dish for a special supper or festive potluck meal? A recent student query had me pause to reflect for several moments. My family enjoys eating a wide variety of foods, fruits,
The cabbage, whose name is a derivation of the French word “caboche”, a colloquial term for head, was introduced to the Americas in 1541-42 by Jacques Cartier on his third voyage to Canada. Although the
Last week was Arts Week at Deer Isle – Stonington High School, and the theme was a celebration of Maine’s bicentennial. Once part of Massachusetts, Maine became independent—very independent—in March of 1820. For the entire week,
On a recent foodie trip to Portland we enjoyed three delicious and innovatively different meals. No peeling vegetables, no chopping garlic, no mixing, baking, cooking, and no washing dishes. It was pure luxury. We dined
Every year in January we have an artistic project here on Deer Isle known as Fun-A-Day. The premise is simple: participants pick a project like take a photograph, paint a series of pictures, create a
The year 2020 is big for Maine, as we’ll be celebrating our 200th birthday year as an independent state (no longer part of Massachusetts!) Even though we know the indigenous peoples of Maine have been
At a recent Deer Isle pot-luck supper, I enjoyed the most delicious stuffed mushroom caps. They were golden, bite-sized morsels, perfectly cooked, with a nice and buttery, garlicy and clam flavor. And so easy to
We’re enjoying the Thanksgiving holiday in Ithaca, New York, visiting with our daughter Emily and son-in-law Kent. It’s a break from the clan tradition of feasting at my mother’s family homestead in Norway, Maine. No
Looking for something new, exciting and festive for your family’s Thanksgiving dinner? How about chutney? A spiced fruit condiment whose origin food historians have traced back to 500 BC in India, chutneys were an early
Makes 18 muffins
