I haven’t been ‘cooking colicchio’ lately due to a lack of cash and a lack of seasonality of ingredients…but i expect to be braising pork belly within the week. Meanwhile i created an edible book for the library’s contest; my choice was Candy Freak. Not a winner but good fun. “Hello Peep. Hello Eyeball.”
We are committed to eating locally and seasonally to the extent our budget allows. It’s simple in summer and a challenge in winter, although the winter market (coordinated by Thirty Acre Farm and Freedom Farm) have made it much easier. When i read about the Belfast Co-ops “eat local challenge” for March, i decided to make an “all Maine” meal; when i scored Sumner Farm eggs at the Portland farmer’s market on Wednesday, i decided to make a souflé (another one of the TC challenge dishes).
An impulse trip to Harbor Fish turned dinner from an all-Maine souflé to a Mostly Maine March Feast. Here we go!
Taste: Damariscotta River Oysters with Allagash Belgian-style Stout. Just fresh, ungarnished oysters served with a glass of stout. We don’t know any beers made with all-Maine ingredients, so decided to serve beer brewed locally.
Starter: Maine crab cakes with red pepper and almond coulis and mixed greens, served with Allagash Triple. The crab cakes were Maine crab, and the (attempted) mayo was made with a Sumner Farm egg, but the only other Maine element in the dish was the cheese on the salad (Ballstown 1791 from Townhouse Farm). The mayo wasn’t great and the crab cakes sort of disintegrated (but still tasted good). Will be trying those again.
Main Course: Cheese souflé: Kate’s Homemade Butter; grated Ballstown 1791 to coat the pan; Sumner Farm eggs; local milk; Katahdin Cheddar; a tablespoon or so of flour for thickening; 1/2 t each of salt and mustard powder for flavour…unknown provence 
Served with the Allagash Grand Cru but actually paired better with the Triple.
Dessert: apple crisp (probably nothing but the butter was from Maine) paired with the Winterport Winery Flying Dutchman (fortified blackberry wine). We ate during the “earth hour” voluntary blackout, a little romance at the table!
Every year we have a Mardi Gras party. We invite practically everyone we know, promising food, live music, and interesting beverages. Usually 40-50 people show up. The menu has evolved from a pot of gumbo to a selection of hot and cold appetizers, two or three hot dishes, and a few desserts (plus a variety of delicious contributions from very generous friends!). While planning this year’s menu, we tried hard to provide a variety of flavors, textures, etc. The other challenge was logistical – kitchen time, pans, serving dishes – i hadn’t thought much about that before.
This is what we served – given that there weren’t any leftovers, i’d say it was a success.
