Third Lobster in Maine: Lunch on the way to the airport

We left Christmas Cove with a heavy heart and full of plans to come back next year for a couple of weeks during the summer. Our spirits were lifted by one last lobster before we were back to reality. We stopped in lovely Wiscasset. We had noticed when passing a couple of times the day before that there was one lobster shack that had a very long queue of people waiting to order. It was the same when we got there. As we had flights and coaches to catch we decided to go to another shack just across the street directly on the water. We were not disappointed - the lobster was fantastic!!! We devoured it as if it was our last meal ever.

 

http://www.hollyeats.com/Spragues.htm

 Before:

After:

Second Lobster in Maine - Wedding Dinner (and Cake)

The dinner at my friend's wedding was probably the best wedding dinner I've been part of. Nothing of the top, just simple, relaxed (we were all wearing huge bibs to protect from lobster splatter) and so enjoyable! There was a buffet with roast beef, fantastic potato salad, corn on the cob, mixed salad. But the highlight was clearly the lobster!

The lobster was steamed this time on a big metal plate over a fire just in front of the wedding venue. The plate was first covered in seaweed, the lobsters placed on the seaweed (it was a bit odd to watch them twitch and move but I have to admit, I was more excited about eating them than I felt sorry for them...), then they were covered in seaweed and some water was added.

Finally some white clams in little nets were placed on top and the whole thing covered with a cloth to keep the steam in.

This was definitely my favorite lobster of the weekend!

Dessert was unbelievable too! The bride recently started patisserie school in New York and made her own wedding cake:

First Lobster in Maine - Lunch

When in Maine eat lobster! I very much had the intention to as many as I possibly could during my two day stay.
I went to Pemaquid Coop right by Pemaquid Harbor overlooking the water with two friends. It was a glorious day, the sun shining, the sky blue and with amazing views. We felt so happy and relaxed!

We had lobster rolls and whole lobster and everything was so delicious, I still dream of it!

If you are ever in Maine, which I highly recommend you must come here for lunch!
www.pemaquidlobstercoop.com

Breakfast in Christmas Cove, Maine

I spent last weekend in Christmas Cove, a tiny village by the water in South Bristol, Maine. A friend of mine celebrated her wedding there. With some help from my jet lag I got up very early the first day and went for breakfast at the closest diner: Harborside Cafe. It was the perfect start to my day! I was greeted in such a friendly upbeat way by mother and son team who run the place, immediately offered tea of coffee and enjoyed delicious cheese omelette with bacon and English muffins.

http://www.urbanspoon.com/r/207/1053493/restaurant/Maine/Harborside-Grocery-Grill-South-Bristol

(The place is too small for its website.)

Pickled cucumbers

A friend mine recently gave me a glass of home made pickled cucumbers. They were so good I had to have the recipe. I've made them a few times since and they're a huge hit! I eat them with everything: ham or cheese toast, burgers, cottage cheese...

Unfortunately I don't know which book the recipe is from, I just have a photocopy of the page:

 1) Slice cucumbers and onions into thin slices, layer adding sea salt to every layer. Cover and leave for a few hours. Drain liquid and rinse cucumbers.

2) Bring vinegar to the boil along with sugar, mustard seeds, clove, turmeric and salt. The recipe says to use malt vinegar. I can never find it in Swiss supermarkets so I use a mixture of apple vinegar and white wine vinegar instead.

3) Add the cucumbers and onions to the vinegar mixture.

4) Sterilise pickle jars in boiling water.

5) Put cucumbers into jars using a slotted spoon. Bring the rest of the liquid back to the boil and let it reduce a bit. Add it to the jars.

Et voilà, enjoy!

Market in Budapest

One of our road trip stops was Budapest. I went to a great market in Pest with a local friend.

 

Wonderful pickled things!

  

 We bought amazing Mangalica meat - woolly pig.

Trout, once again...

 During our road trip we stayed with friends in the Austrian countryside. While there my Dad caught some trout.

We floured it lightly and fried it with lots of sage.

And then ate it with potatoes and melted butter. The sage was beautifully crisp. Delicious!!!