After winding down Spring's spontaneous dinners and our Lobster Sandwich Saturdays , Marie and I set off for my brother's wedding in Maine which was the happiest and most enjoyable wedding I've ever been to. Hurricane Bill wasn't invited, but tried to crash the party. Luckily for everyone, he showed up a few hours too late.
Maine is nice, especially if you like to eat lobster or blueberries. I thought I'd never want to see another lobster again, but it didn't last long. Lot's of lobster rolls very cheap is a good way to rediscover one's appetite.
My favorite lobster roll was at a place called The Galley, just after the bridge heading north outside of Hancock, Maine. No mayo, a little lettuce and a side of kimchee. I know what coleslaw tastes like and it is bathing suit season so no fries, thank you. Kimchee was a perfect friend to my lobster roll lunch. Someone and their mother is Korean at The Galley. I didn't ask how the Koreans made it to Hancock, Maine. A long time ago while traveling in Belize, I spent a bit of time in a town on the Guatemalan border that was home to no more than several thousand people and a dozen or so Chinese, Lebanese and Indian restaurants. Benque, Belize- excellent Lebanese food. Go figure.
The Galley also had the best Blueberry pie that we tasted. Unanimously voted by me and Marie. Their "homemade" pies aren't made in their restaurant, but they are clearly made by someone who cares, or pretends to. Slightly warm. Very delicious.
Turns out there are a lot of other cooks in my family... My cousin Jordan caught the bug (and, by the way, the swine flu... even though he eats sometimes Kosher). I get a lot of emails from people who ask me if I think they should become a cook. I have no idea what anyone should do, but if you spend most of your day doing anything you like, everything could work out for you. Jordan is a perfect example. Smart 12 year old, a little too wise for his own good... Like's to eat. I'll be first in line at his restaurant if he opens one, but i'd probably be more happy to go to his house for dinner- so I could actually hang out with him and his family. Rumour has it that Hanna (the older sister) makes great pies.
The second part of our trip involved a 7 hour drive from Maine to Martha's Vineyard. We were visiting a new old friend named Daniel Eddy. He'll be famous for something someday. He's already famous with us for his particularly easy going nature and disturbingly unshakeable good humor and optimism. He's also a good cook.
He treated us to a sort of traditional back yard trash
can clam bake which is a bit of a misnomer because there were 30 lobsters hidden beneath a couple pounds of clams- that are really steamed between layers of seaweed rather than baked. Steam was created by PBR and the water from the seaweed. Potatoes, corn, seafood sausage, mussels and sweet onions filled in the cracks between lobsters, seaweed and clams. The whole thing cooks until it is done
and then it is poured out onto a big table on the lawn before it is properly attacked.
While dinner was cooking we played 'show us your fake tattoos'. The Blunicorn was pretty good. The dinosaur is wearing a fanny pack.
Marie said it was the best lobster she'd every eaten.
I agree.
Thanks to all for a great time. Hanging out with the team of the Outermost Inn is almost as fun as eating there. Thanks D Eddy, Elena, Maggie, Captain Dan (the Chef), AT and the rest of the crew....
