Quintessential Maine

Lobster Rolls and Blueberry Cake

bdiamondm — Tue, 30 Aug 2011 16:01:47 +0000

A guest never forgets the host who has treated him/her kindly.

In the true Maine tradition, I recently invited an old friend from out of town (Augusta and Pemaquid) for lunch. Knowing how much we both love Maine and good food, I served lobster rolls from Bayley’s in Pine Point, “melt-in-your-mouth” Blueberry Cake from Marjorie Standish’s Cooking Down East recipe, homemade pickles, and chips.

In our wonderful conversation, I discovered that my friend Barb’s husband lived next door to Marjorie Standish growing up! What a sweet bit of information and a lovely “Maine” visit. Recipe to follow.

“Melt-in-your-mouth Blueberry Cake”

2 eggs, separated
1 cup sugar
1/4 tsp salt
1/2 cup shortening
1 1/2 cups sifted flour
1 tsp baking powder
1/3 cup milk
1 1/2 cups fresh blueberries

Beat egg whites until stiff. Add about 1/4 cup of the sugar to keep them stiff.

Cream shortening, add salt and vanilla to this. Add remaining sugar gradually. Add unbeaten egg yolks and beat until light and creamy. Add sifted dry ingredients alternatively with the milk. Fold in beaten whites. Fold in the fresh blueberries. (Take a bit of the flour called for in recipe and gently shake berries in it so they won’t settle.)

Turn into a greased 8×8″ pan. Sprinkle top of batter lightly with granulated sugar. Bake at 350 degrees for 50-60 minues. Serves 8.

Biddeford Pool, Summer 2011

bdiamondm — Mon, 29 Aug 2011 00:52:12 +0000

Click to view slideshow.

Coastal Maine Botanical Gardens

bdiamondm — Mon, 29 Aug 2011 00:39:19 +0000

Click to view slideshow.

Capturing Time

bdiamondm — Sun, 28 Aug 2011 00:49:28 +0000

After a long hiatus, I’m back to share my new adventures and all things Maine: photography, antiques, recipes, events, and my new small business selling herbs and vintage tableware: Freda’s Table.

I’ve always loved taking pictures. Time stands still and a moment gets captured. I’ve found myself taking lots of pictures this beautiful Maine summer–favorite places, people, flowers, food, the ocean, events big and small. It always feels like magic to me. So, I’ll be sharing more photos with you here on the blog. I hope they nurture you as much as they do me. Let’s start with Coastal Maine Botanical Gardens and Biddeford Pool.

Opa!

bdiamondm — Mon, 12 Jul 2010 01:14:08 +0000

“To cook is to insist that every hunger is a potential occasion…” -Jonah Lehrer

The yearly occasion of the Greek festival fulfills many hungers. The catching up and reconnecting with old friends; the yearning to hear Greek music and the Greek language that I was brought up in, beautifully spoken by women who lovingly remember my mother and grandmother; the taste of foods so familiar that if I close my eyes, I could be five again sitting at my grandmother’s table eating koulourakia (Greek cookies) and drinking milky tea. Most of all, I love sharing the experience with the wonderful people I have in my life. I love sharing my Greekness.

Our favorite ritual after eating is getting the fabulous Greek coffee. Greek coffee is a rich blend of twice boiled thick espresso and sugar. I vividly remember the ritual when guests would come to visit my grandparents. Coffee is poured slowly from a copper pot. Nothing is rushed.

As my friends and I sip and enjoy the deep flavor, we talk, laugh, and savor every moment. What we are really eagerly awaiting is the mystical reading of the coffee cups. My aunt tells us not to let the priest see what we are doing! He absolutely would disapprove of such sorcery!

The process goes like this: Just when you get to the almost-bottom of the dense coffee, it’s time to swirl the grounds in your cup and turn your cup over in its saucer. We wait for the moment when all the bubbles and drips congeal. It takes about three minutes. We are not patient! We want to hear about adventures and beautiful outstretched arms to the heavens and trips and meandering rivers and luscious trees and favorite people and Chinese symbology and mosaics and good wishes from the past and wonderfully bright futures. Pure joy!

Stay tuned for more posts on the Greek festival.

Freda’s Kitchen (and her tea towels)

bdiamondm — Mon, 12 Apr 2010 00:27:42 +0000

Return with me now to those thrilling days of yesteryear. Simple quiet days of having a cup of tea or a coffee in a warm kitchen, talking with a friend. I used to love it when my mother’s friends would stop in to visit my mother. Sometimes they’d complain, often they would gossip and laugh and tell very funny jokes. They would also talk endlessly about food—its preparation, its taste, its color, who made it, who made the best version of it, on and on. I remember at my mother’s wake, her dear friend Velma said, “Stopping by Freda’s for a tuna sandwich felt like a three course gourmet meal.” It wasn’t just that she was a spectacular cook… it was that she was warm and inviting and funny. And I loved her friends.

So today, I love kitchens. I love all the things that go in kitchens. Everything from kitchen utensils to pretty serving plates to glass tumblers and butter dishes. Coming across these tea towels today has jarred my memory… 1968 was my freshman year in college. I so miss that kitchen and her food. I remember when I came home from college, it felt like I’d been a million miles away.

I found these particular tea towels at a wonderful yard sale in Biddeford. I love their color, kitsch, art, and whimsy. My mother had tea towels just like these in her kitchen.

Since I have a WIDE VARIETY of tea towels that I would love to share, I’m selling these tea towels among others. These three are my favorites. Email me at bdiamondm[at]gmail.com for more information. $15 each.

Peace and Plenty to All

Some of my favorite quotes on “Love Day”

bdiamondm — Mon, 15 Feb 2010 01:01:56 +0000

“As you go the way of life, you will see a great chasm. Jump. It is not as wide as you think.” -Joseph Campbell

“The aim of life is to live, and to live means to be aware, joyously, drunkenly, serenely, divinely aware.” -Henry Miller

“Inside you there’s an artist you don’t know about… say yes quickly, if you know, if you’ve known it from the beginning of the universe.” -Rumi

“Big-heartedness is the most essential virtue on the spiritual journey.” -Matthew Fox

“The rhythm of my heart is the birth and death of all that is alive.” -Thich Nhat Hanh

“Life shrinks or expands in proportion to one’s courage.” -Anaïs Nin

“Now join your hands, and with your hands your hearts.”-Shakespeare

Image from The Confessions of a Bakeaholic

Super Bowl Sunday Antiquing

bdiamondm — Mon, 08 Feb 2010 16:55:39 +0000

My cheerleader in chief, 20-something, writer, antique-lover, and all-around great person–my niece, Alexis–is home for the weekend. One of our very favorite places to forage for wonderful things is Arundel Antiques on Route 1 in Arundel, Maine.

This place is a treasure trove! The people are lovely, and the finds are always reasonably priced. Even today, Super Bowl Sunday, there were lots of folks walking the aisles looking for the next big Antiques Roadshow find.

It’s always fun to notice what different people are drawn to. Lex loves anything Fire King with it shiny gloss finish. I am a “dish queen!” I’m constantly on the lookout for interesting dishes, large and small, to use with my vintage candlesticks in creating my beautiful pedestal plates. They always get ooohs and ahhhs when I show them to people. Yesterday, I had some on loan to St. Andre’s Health Care for their annual Valentine’s Chocolate Fair fundraiser. They were gorgeous, filled with truffles, cupcakes, and beautifully decorated cakes. Show stoppers!

I also saw one of my favorite antiquing people, Gigi, for the second time in three days. She has an extraordinary eye for design with vintage finds. It’s always fun to run into someone who speaks your language, and I got to introduce her to Lex. We reminisced about a now long-gone favorite place we all loved called Country Consignments in Buxton. It was such a treat to go there and feel the history of well-loved objects. One favorite is a beautiful floral hooked rug that belonged to the owner’s mother, Joanne.

Here are a few photos from the rest of our day!

Lex fell in love with these blue glass bamboo bookends. Not vintage, but still fabulous.

A great Pyrex mixing bowl set

The Perfect Little Tree

bdiamondm — Mon, 28 Dec 2009 01:11:37 +0000

And now for the perfect Christmas tree. In Alfred, I stopped at this little Christmas tree stand that was closed. I always remember this stand… It’s a Christmas tree stand in the winter and a fruit stand in the summer, and it’s right in the center of town. I noticed there was a little box (for cash) and a sign that said, “On your honor. All remaining trees $5.” How very Maine!

Here she is… In all her simplicity and beauty, adorned with my grandmother’s vintage ornaments. These are the same ornaments my mother, grandmother, and I hung on the Christmas tree when I was a little girl. I see them every time I look at old pictures and reminisce. And now I get to share them with my niece and nephew. Hopefully, they’ll share them with their children someday.

Shaker Christmas

bdiamondm — Mon, 28 Dec 2009 00:53:30 +0000

My quest for the perfect Christmas tree led me to Alfred, Maine on one of the coldest days of the year. It was four days before Christmas, and I hadn’t found a tree yet. I always like going by this Shaker barn in Alfred (below). To me, it has always seemed like the epitome of beauty and simplicity.

“‘Tis the gift to be simple, ’tis the gift to be free;
‘Tis the gift to come down where we ought to be;
And when we find ourselves in the place just right,
‘Twill be in the valley of love and delight.”
-”Simple Gifts” (c.1875), Shaker song

And on one of my mantels at home, I can hear my little vintage carolers singing this Shaker tune.