What We Read:

Being pregnant with morning sickness (which should be more accurately named morning-noon-and-night-sickness), one seeks peace, quiet, and something to escape into—why not a good book? Author Taylor Jenkins Reid hooked me with Malibu Rising and The Seven Husbands of Evelyn Hugo, but Daisy Jones & The Six is a different kind of read (and my favorite by far). Written as a documentary script, this story is told through the retelling of events from each Fleetwood Mac-inspired character, making the band’s journey feel palpable. Daisy Jones & The Six is jam-packed with drama, love stories, comedic relief, and all things rock-n-roll, including an entire collection of lyrics from the songs mentioned throughout the story. When you get to the last page, don’t be sad! The novel is coming to life on Amazon Prime as a limited series in March.

—Caili Elwell, digital strategist

What We Drank:

While I don’t have anything personal against the concept of Dry January, I think most self-indulgences are okay in moderation. This month, I was thrilled to find out that Three of Strong—Portland’s only rum distillery and one of my favorite places to hit up for always-friendly service, on-tap cocktails, and $5 bottomless bowls of popcorn—launched a canned version of their in-house draft Maine Mojito. The ready-to-drink 4-packs are made with mint, lime, and Brightwater Silver Rum, are available throughout the state and at Three of Strong’s East Bayside taproom, which means you might as well grab a growler of Hibiscus-Lime Rum Punch or a bottle of small-batch spirits to take home while you’re in town.

—Becca Abramson, editorial assistant

What We Ate:

One of my New Year’s resolutions is that in 2023 I won’t go out to eat more than once per week. Not that I was eating out that often before—I just tend to view eating out more as a last resort when I didn’t feel like cooking, as opposed to a special occasion (scarcity theory and whatnot, right?). Earlier this month I decided to use my one meal of the week to check out Trudy Bird’s Ølbar, a Scandinavian-inspired restaurant that recently opened in North Yarmouth. From the wrought iron taps at the bar to the small-plates menu filled with mouthwatering bites like charred cabbage garnished with pork belly and a cider glaze, the atmosphere and design had me hooked. Plus, Toots Ice Cream’s newer location is just down the road, so it’s easy to stop by and wash down your hearty meal with ice cream.

—Hadley Gibson, associate editor

Where We Went:

Last month, I bought tickets to a concert in Boston with a big, popular band in a big, modern venue. I paid $15 for a Bud Light and stood at the edge of the massive group of people, my view partially obscured by a beam in the middle of the room. I thought longingly back to the show I had caught in Portland only a few days prior—Butcher Brown at Sun Tiki Studios—and while I tried to enjoy the Boston show, it was impossible not to compare the two back-to-back experiences. 

I’d never heard of Butcher Brown, a jazz-funk fusion band, before getting tickets, but after some Spotify reconnaissance I decided their show would be a fun way to spend a Friday night. The band was amazing, the live performance has stuck with me as one of the best I’ve seen, and the quality of the venue played an enormous role in that. I’ve gone to a few shows at Sun Tiki since being introduced to the space, but this show was what solidified the venue as my personal favorite. Tucked next to a dive bar alongside Forest Avenue, the repurposed tanning salon doesn’t look like much from the outside, but inside it’s a great little venue with an affordable selection of drinks, a stage you can see from anywhere in the room, an almost comical number of bathrooms, and, most importantly, an incredible sound system and light setup that makes you forget how small the space actually is once the show starts. It’s a real hidden gem. 

—Olivia Ryder, production manager

What We Watched:

Apparently one of my New Year’s resolutions is to watch more TV. In November I wrote here about how I don’t watch enough, but that I had managed to get addicted to The White Lotus. Well, another show has entered my consciousness—and made it a lot harder to finish the 800-page Don DeLillo novel I’ve been reading since Christmas. Fleishman is in Trouble, on Hulu, is an adaptation of a best-selling novel by author Taffy Brodesser-Akner, who also wrote the majority of the show’s episodes. I really am more of a book person, so if a book I read and liked gets turned into a show, I’m much more likely to check it out (Sally Rooney’s Normal People and Conversations with Friends are good examples. I also recently saw that an adaptation of Adam White’s drama The Midcoast is currently in the works at Hulu. Eee!) I tore through Fleishman the novel—Brodesser-Akner also happens to be a magazine writer and is now a staff writer at the New York Times, so I especially appreciated her allusions to the journalist life. And the plotline itself is compelling, with a mysterious beginning (much like White Lotus) that you spend the rest of the season desperate to solve. A quick rundown: Recently divorced doctor, Manhattanite, and 41-year-old Toby Fleishman dives into the world of app dating when his ex, Rachel, suddenly disappears, leaving him in charge of their two children. I won’t reveal much more. But everyone I know is watching this show right now and for good reason.

—Rachel Hurn, editor

Read More:

• 
  Claiming Space at the Table
• 
  How to Go Antiquing Like a Mainer
• 
  Four Young Writers to Watch in the Pine Tree State
• 
  Milkweed Man
• 
  A Stitch in Time

The post Editor’s Picks: January 2023 appeared first on The Maine Mag.

What We Ate:

Once November rolls around, and it starts getting dark at 3:30 p.m. (no joke), all I want to do is binge watch horrible TV while cuddled under a weighted blanket with a cup of hot cocoa. This weekend, I made a conscious effort to do something that would make me happy—and what sparks more joy than a classic diner experience? Now that the summer crowds have petered out and the regulars have begun dining again, I made my inaugural visit down to Palace Diner in Biddeford. Despite the hour-and-a-half long wait for one of the dining car’s coveted few seats (Palace Diner is the oldest diner in Maine and operates in one of two Pollard diner cars left in the U.S.), I can certainly say I made the right choice. The monstrous fried chicken sandwich—complete with mustardy cabbage slaw, jalapeños, and a colossal swipe of mayo—was a crispy, juicy delight that I can’t stop thinking about. Don’t sleep on the buttermilk flapjacks or the corned beef hash, and be sure to bring some cash (the diner is cash-only)!

—Becca Abramson, editorial assistant

Where We Went:

My partner and I recently started attending pro-wrestling events held by Limitless Wrestling in Yarmouth. It was something we had joked about for years, a passing curiosity, but after discovering the existence of these monthly performances held in a neighboring town, we knew we had to check it out.

I was hooked instantly. From the flamboyant costumes, the storylines, the level of audience participation, and the impressive physical displays, there was no doubt I’d be returning again and again (dragging as many of my friends along as I could). In the first ten minutes, I watched a man hoist someone twice his size over his head and throw them out of the ring. I booed along with the crowd when the referee broke up a particularly intense grapple. I marveled at the synchronized backflips performed during a three versus three tag team match. It was the first sporting event I’d ever attended where I wasn’t constantly glancing at my phone.

If you’ve ever had the slightest curiosity about the world of pro-wrestling, or if you’re just looking for a unique way to spend your Saturday night, catching a show with Limitless is the way to go. It’s a blast. There’s a cash bar and hot pizza. Even if you don’t find yourself in regular attendance, it will absolutely make for an entertaining story.

—Olivia Ryder, production manager

What We Watched:

For someone who loves culture—from novels to modern art to @fuckjerry Instagram reels that accurately describe the wonder and horror of being alive—I don’t watch enough TV. No, truly. I once had an editor tell me my homework was to watch more episodes of, well, everything. This is the golden age of television, after all. But I think my favorite thing about our current relationship with the boob tube is that even if I choose to follow only a handful of shows a year, they’re sure to be quite good. Enter The White Lotus. In my knitting circle (did I mention I’m 80?), my friends talk about what they’re watching, and if their comments are interesting enough, I’ll check out an episode, maybe two, and then decide I’d rather be sleeping. With Mike White’s satirical comedy, I was hooked immediately. Even my husband, who almost exclusively watches opera and film noir (we’re 80!), watched with me. This month we’ve been slowly peeling back the layers of season 2, which for those of you who also need to watch more TV, is set in Sicily instead of Hawaii and follows a mostly new cast of characters (though thank god Jennifer Coolidge is back). I have several episodes to go—I was that kid who savored their Halloween candy until it expired—but I’m already enthralled by the sharp social commentary, the characters’ despicable behavior, and the blossoming mysteries.

—Rachel Hurn, editor

In early November, my boyfriend and I went to the premier of Teton Gravity Research’s newest film, Magic Hour, at the State Theater in Portland. We met working in a ski town out west, so going to an event like this usually makes us both super nostalgic and a little homesick for the mountain ranges we used to hike and ski regularly. Most ski films are the same: incredible athletes head to (often but not always) off-the-grid locations with jaw dropping terrain—typically accessed via helicopter—and ski as hard as they can. It’s addictive to watch, and this film was no exception. Switching between shots taken from the air to go-pro clips that made me feel as though I was the one skiing pillow lines out in the powder, I couldn’t look away. With a fun mixture of story lines and locations, Magic Hour kept me enthralled, and the near constant cheering from the crowd serves as a testament to Maine’s enthusiastic ski community. All I can say is, I can’t wait for temps to drop and snow to fall, because I’m itching to get on the snow as soon as possible!

—Hadley Gibson, associate editor

What We Cooked:

During the winter months, I love to cook. I find it both relaxing, stimulating, and it can feel indulgent while saving money. I’m fortunate that my father is the owner/head chef of Mé Lon Togo, a West African fusion restaurant in Rockland. If I were to recommend one dish for the month of November, it would be his Boeuf Bourguignon. It’s so good that one customer returned three nights in a row! This stew is hearty, only requires basic chopping and sautéing skills (and patience…), and the ingredients are relatively inexpensive with a lavish tasting result. Fortunately, you do not need to travel all the way to Rockland to try it––though I highly recommend it––because Chef Jordan has agreed to share his recipe!

Since wine is essential to this dish, it’s important to pick the right one. Because my father isn’t always around to help me select the perfect bottle, the next best alternative is popping into his favorite natural wine shop/bar, Maine & Loire on Washington Avenue in Portland. It’s a family-owned shop that sources organic, natural wines from around the world and hosts regular classes and free tastings. I was able to walk in and find exactly what I was looking for despite not knowing much about wine, thanks to the help of the friendly and knowledgeable staff. For this recipe, my father recommends a red that is full of body but has the brightness and fruitiness of a younger wine; something juicy with notes of berry. A sturdy Dutch oven is a kitchen essential that my father recommends for the cooking enthusiast (and this dish). When the cast iron is hot, it maintains its temperature well and evenly cooks the contents. You can prepare a variety of dishes and use it on the stovetop or in the oven. He often uses the Le Creuset 5.5-quart Dutch oven he purchased nearly 2 decades ago at Rooster Brother, a kitchen shop in Ellsworth that is the ultimate store for cooks.

Ingredients:

3 lbs beef shoulder
4-ounce package of pancetta, cubed
Carrots, peeled and chopped into 1-inch pieces
2 cups fingerling potatoes
2-3 shallots, diced
6 cloves of garlic, minced
6 oz. button mushrooms
Bay leaves
Fresh thyme, rosemary, and sage, bundled
1 tsp. black pepper
1 tsp. sea salt, plus more to taste
½ bottle (about 3 cups) of red wine
3 cups beef stock
Olive oil

Steps:

1. Preheat oven to 375 degrees
2. Prepare ingredients: chop vegetables and cut beef shoulder into cubes.
3. Place a 5 or 6-quart coated Dutch oven on the stove top. Add a generous splash of good-quality olive oil and turn the burner to medium-high. Once the pan is hot, add the beef and pancetta.
4. Once browned on the outside, remove the meat and reduce the heat to medium.
5. Add shallots and minced garlic, and lightly brown.
6. Add browned beef and pancetta back into the pot along with carrots, mushrooms, and potatoes. Add bay leaves, herb bundle, black pepper, and sea salt.
7. Then, add wine and beef stock and stir the ingredients. Be sure to scrape the flavorful bits from the bottom of the pan.
8. Cover the pot and add to a 375-degree oven for 4-5 hours, checking occasionally. Stir occasionally and adjust seasonings to taste. The beef and vegetables should be cooked through and fork-tender, and the broth should be slightly thick and savory with a slight tang from the red wine once the dish is done. Bon appétit!

—Olivia Benissan, social media coordinator

Read More:

• 
  Claiming Space at the Table
• 
  How to Go Antiquing Like a Mainer
• 
  Four Young Writers to Watch in the Pine Tree State
• 
  Milkweed Man
• 
  A Stitch in Time

The post Editor’s Picks: November 2022 appeared first on The Maine Mag.