For the past seven years, Portland Fire Engine Company has held history and sightseeing tours from inside a vintage red fire engine. The tours are led by local guides and run for 50 minutes. The truck holds up to 13 people, allowing for an intimate ride past Portland’s lighthouses, historical buildings, and cobblestone streets. During the tour, a guide displays old photographs of Portland’s landmarks from the Maine Historical Society.

Washburn-Norlands Living History Center | Livermore

Maine’s oldest living history museum was once home to the Washburns, a prominent political family of the nineteenth century. Located on 445 acres of working farmland, the estate encompasses a Victorian-style mansion, a farmer’s cottage, a meetinghouse, and a one-room schoolhouse. Interpreters who work at the living museum dress in nineteenth-century clothing and encourage visitors to join them as they act out a typical farm day from the early 1800s.

Colonial Pemaquid State Historic Site | New Harbor

Located on the shores of the Pemaquid River, the Colonial Pemaquid State Historic Site includes Fort William Henry, a replica of a 1692 fort of the same name built in 1907 for Colonial Pemaquid’s 300^th anniversary. Visitors can explore the stone fort and climb to the top of its 29-foot bastion, which overlooks a burial ground from the early 1700s, a small village, and a memorial to the Angel Gabriel, a 240-ton ship that brought settlers to New England from England and was wrecked by a storm in 1635.

Olson House | Cushing

Off a dirt road in Cushing sits a nondescript colonial farmhouse that is the setting of several of Andrew Wyeth’s paintings, including his most famous, Christina’s World. The eighteenth-century home once belonged to Christina and Alvaro Olson and is now owned by the Farnsworth Museum and open to the public during the summer months for guided tours. While little furniture remains inside the home, visitors can walk through the weathered building and imagine what it was like when Wyeth was painting there many years ago.

Woodlawn Museum, Gardens + Park | Ellsworth

This Greek Revival home sits on a 180-acre estate built in 1824 by Colonel John Black. Inside the main brick house, also known as the Black House, are original furnishings and possessions, including portraits of three generations of the Black family, sleighs, china, and books. Visitors can tour the house, enjoy afternoon tea in the gardens, play croquet, or walk along the Woodlawn trails, which were first used to exercise the Black family’s horses.

Castle Tucker | Wiscasset

High on a hill in Wiscasset sits Castle Tucker, a Victorian-style a successful sea captain, is now a museum offering a look into Maine life during the turn of the twentieth century. Visitors can walk through the downstairs parlor to view an original rococo-revival furniture set, find an original Empire Crawford stove in the kitchen, and look out on the Sheepscot River and Wiscasset village through two-story-high windows on the upper floor.

Montpelier | Thomaston

General Henry Knox named his mansion after a city in France as a way to honor that country’s support during the Revolutionary War. Montpelier, which is part of the General Henry Knox Museum, is open for the public to explore. Its ten acres of colonial gardens and 19 rooms make up what was once the grandest residence in Thomaston. Docents of the mansion lead tours and teach guests about the life of General Knox and his family, who farmed on the property.

Schooner Lewis R. French | Camden

This nineteenth-century schooner, launched in Christmas Cove in 1871, is the oldest surviving two-masted schooner in the United States and the oldest Maine-built sailing vessel. Passengers looking to board the historic tall ship can choose from one- to six-night charter trips, where they stay in single or double cabins located in what used to be the cargo hold. The ship became a National Historic Landmark in 1992.

The post Historical Tours appeared first on The Maine Mag.

After savoring Pig and Poet chef Sam Talbot’s interpretation of the time-honored Southern classic, I am inclined to wholeheartedly agree. Although he grew up in North Carolina, where fried chicken is practically a religion, his method actually finds roots in the Caribbean and was taught to him at 18 years of age by an elderly Jamaican prep cook he worked with at the time. Her recipe involved buttermilk and coconut milk as well as an array of vibrant herbs and spices used in the brining and marinating process, which gives the meat an incredible depth of flavor while retaining moisture. The batter is thick and crunchy while a sweet, sticky glaze of high-quality Maine maple syrup paired with Talbot’s fiery “Poet” sauce ignites the senses and encourages an unrestrained approach to consuming every last bite.
A Caribbean-inspired, Southern classic such as this is an unlikely indulgence to be found, done this well, in Camden, Maine, but Pig and Poet, housed in the newly renovated Whitehall, is anything but conventional. The hotel, built in 1901, was purchased by Lark Hotels and reopened in the spring of 2015. It is furnished and decorated by Maine-based artists and craftspeople, such as Angela Adams, and was designed to retain the charm of the original inn while incorporating a modern interpretation of Camden’s motto, “Where the mountains meet the sea.” The decor of the restaurant is dominated by reclaimed wood; ample amounts of natural light pour in from expansive, multi-paneled picture windows and reflect off of prints of birch trees that line the walls. Running the length of the ceiling is a network of light fixtures built with piping. Heavy cords of rope lights drape over the bar and give the sense of being in the cabin of an old ship. Furthering this notion is an ample supply of rum and citrus (to prevent scurvy, if one were to become stranded at the bar).

In addition to his role as a restaurateur, Talbot is well known for his appearances on Bravo’s Top Chef and for being the author of The Sweet Life: Diabetes without Boundaries, in which he supplies diabetics like himself with recipes that eliminate compromises when it comes to eating well. His longstanding friendship with the chief inspiration officer for Lark Hotels, Dawn Hagin, led to a meeting with the hotel group’s CEO, Rob Blood. Talbot was presented with several opportunities in various locations, but Camden struck a chord with him, chiefly because of the picturesque harbor. “The ocean is my life,” Talbot tells me. “My food is best when I’m happy, and saltwater makes me very, very happy.”

Talbot worked with Hagin to choose a name for the midcoast venture and settled on Pig and Poet, based on his desire to utilize whole animals for his menus as well as the inn’s historical connection to activist and Pulitzer Prize-winning poet Edna St. Vincent Millay, who was first recognized for her literary talent while speaking at the Whitehall in the early twentieth century. Millay began a poem with the phrase, “My candle burns at both ends.” To me there is no more accurate description of the all-consuming life a chef must live in order to be successful.

In addition to the serenity of the surrounding environment, Talbot also fell in love, as so many cooks do, with the overwhelming availability of outstanding ingredients that have become the benchmark of eating in Maine. As with the fried chicken, he seamlessly integrates the food of his childhood—a perfect example being fresh squid that he marinates in olive oil and cooks a la plancha until its exact moment of peak tenderness. A confit of local vegetables, such as fiddleheads and ramps, is served atop the squid with delicate pesto made predominantly with pistachios. The dish comes with a side of cornbread pudding, which Talbot describes as “out of this world,” and goes on to describe the preparation as, “basically very lightly cooked cornbread with cream that has been scented with thyme. Have serious mercy.”

Maître d’ Jacob Cooper, a transplant from Manhattan by way of France by way of Georgia, is among a small contingent of Talbot’s longtime coworkers and friends who have made the journey to the midcoast with him. Cooper’s gregarious nature is a welcome component in the dining room, and while we are conversing about his “assimilation” into coastal Maine after living in the city, a plate of fish tacos makes its way to my table. “These are Chef’s pride and joy,” he tells me. “He has had them on the menu at all of his restaurants thus far, and each time he tweaks them ever so slightly to ensure they are different and even better than the last.” Tonight’s fish is local haddock, lightly breaded and served with crunchy cabbage, charred tomato salsa, pico de gallo, and a velvety crema made from cotija cheese blended with mayo, yogurt, turmeric, and sour cream.

In addition to the traditional comfort foods, Talbot puts a great amount of emphasis on keeping the flavor profile of his menu bright and vibrant, effectively employing a balance of salt and acidity. For example, his oyster ceviche is tossed with a variety of tropical elements, like coconut milk, jalapeño, cilantro, and pineapple salt, and served with rice crackers. According to Talbot, “You can eat your fill and still feel good going out dancing after dinner.” Although the midcoast’s options are currently somewhat limited with regard to dancing, perhaps the availability of such foods will prompt an influx of clubs in the not-too-distant future.

The beverage focus at Pig and Poet is on the diverse cocktail program, which includes the refreshing, gin-based Brother’s Promise as well the Kerouac Road, which contains citrus, Campari, and rye. But the restaurant also boasts a small, concise wine list. It contains quite a few gems, such as the 2013 Domaine Guillemarine Picpoul de Pinet from the Languedoc, a varietal that is described by many as the “muscadet of the south.” It is stunning when paired with a platter of fresh oysters topped with garlic, oregano, spicy pork, and biscuit crumbs before being roasted until bubbly and golden brown.

When I meet with Talbot, I pose the question of whether he might potentially grow a bit restless with the leisurely pace of Camden after a life that has so far been anything but. His response his simple: “Any time I’m not spending in the kitchen or exploring the amazing local farms is spent paddle boarding and getting a lay of the land,” says Talbot. “There is simply no time to be restless here; there are too many lobsters to be tended to and blueberries to be turned into the ultimate baked crisps and cobblers.”

It sounds like the Pig and Poet are both here to stay.

The post Pig + Poet appeared first on The Maine Mag.

By: Joe Ricchio

Photography: Jane Berger

Friends and Family night at Pig+Poet

As the busy tourist season looms on the horizon, the newly renovated Whitehall Inn in Camden is the home of one the year’s most anticipated restaurant openings, Pig+Poet. Though I began hearing rumblings of a very ambitions project being undertaken by the boutique group, Lark Hotels quite awhile ago, I was finally able to see the (almost) finished product a few days ago at their opening party for friends and family.

The first thing one notices, in addition to the new signage, is the spacious outdoor seating amidst the flower gardens on their well-manicured lawn, situated around a modern-style fire pit that is enticing, even though the weather is quite balmy for May. The lobby is expansive, a collection of rooms dotted with contemporary, brightly colored furnishings that both contrast the classic feel of the inn and seamlessly integrate into the dining room area of Pig+Poet. What I’m told will be a constantly rotating collection of local artwork, including work by Art Collector Maine artists, on the walls is accentuated by thought-provoking network of light fixtures by Inspired Wire Studio, most notably the string of bulbs attached to heavy cords of rope, imparting a feel not unlike the deck of a pirate ship.

The restaurant itself is headed up by Executive Chef Sam Talbot, well-known for both his appearance on season 2 of Bravo’s Top Chef as well as his major contributions in regards to educating the dining public on the art of eating well while living with diabetes, he himself being diabetic. Most of Talbot’s culinary background finds roots in Charlestown and New York City, an interesting contrast to the small, seasonal town of Camden.

With him Talbot brings an experienced crew in both the front and back of the house, which becomes evident upon witnessing the effortless nature of service, even this early on in the game. While the crowd fills up on wine and Pemaquid oysters, the stage is set for the inaugural meal at Pig+Poet.

Talbot gives a brief speech beforehand, expressing his excitement to have landed at the Whitehall Inn while giving a brief synopsis of the first dish we would enjoy upon being seated, clam ceviche. As with each course, the ceviche, accentuated with turmeric and ginger and served atop rice crackers with sautéed bok choy on the side, showcases a very clean and focused flavor profile. Another dish, ramekins of crumbled buttermilk biscuits with fresh lobster meat and honeycomb, serves to establish a solid base, along with cast-iron skillets of thick cornbread, flecked with whole corn kernels.

Dinner is served family-style, and my glass of Gruner Veltliner is refilled often as the procession of dishes unfolds at a relaxed pace. I will admit that I have, in all my years spent in Maine, never seen a whole haddock served in a restaurant, but Talbot combines familiar elements, such as a dusting of crumbled bread crumbs, with a refreshing mix of julienned vegetables nuanced with the flavors of Vietnamese cuisine that allows the flavors of the mild fish to still shine through.

A simple salad of faro, beets, and mint yogurt acts as a palate cleanser of sorts before a heavier course of slowly roasted porchetta with impeccably cooked eggs and Talbot’s own fiery hot sauce (the perfect accompaniment for the remaining cornbread on the table). The texture of the pork is beautiful, with sweet, crispy fat that gets even better when enveloped in rich egg yolk.

Talbot reappears shortly before the dessert courses of both trifle cups and warm crisp, checking in to assure that everyone is having a proper time. Afterwards, we all unwind over a glass of Irish whiskey before I retire to my room, the trappings of which are similar to the rest of the hotel, while retaining it’s rustic charm.

Even more so than opening night, the friends and family party at a restaurant is the epitome of a “practice run,” though in this case the composure exuded by the staff would suggest otherwise. I very much look forward to reserving a table after giving Pig+Poet a bit of time to get settled in and hit their stride, which by the looks of things now shouldn’t take long at all.

52 High Street | Camden | (207) 236-3391 | whitehallmaine.com

The post Pig+Poet appeared first on The Maine Mag.

HARPSWELL, BRUNSWICK, WEST BATH

Harpswell has gorgeous coastal properties that feel undiscovered and hidden along coastal inlets. Brunswick has Bowdoin College and Maine Street, areas that host fine-dining options as well as brewpubs. In the Fort Andross building find local food and antiques at the weekend market. Bath, home to Bath Iron Works, has been called Maine’s “cool little city.” Its downtown is full of galleries and boutique shops.

BOOTHBAY HARBOR, SOUTHPORT, EDGECOMB

In these areas you can find cottage communities on the water, where in the summer kids can run outside barefoot and play safely all day. The area is also attractive to retirees because there are neighborhoods that feel removed and private. Away from the coast are properties with rolling green landscapes.

SOUTH BRISTOL, NEWCASTLE

Those looking to escape the crowds can hide away in South Bristol and Newcastle. Both towns have beautiful, secluded properties on the water that come with fireplaces, barns, and deepwater docks. A nearby attraction is the Pemaquid Point Lighthouse at the entrance of Muscongus Bay.

CAMDEN, ROCKPORT, NORTHPORT

With cultural institutions such as the Strand Theatre, Farnsworth Art Museum, Maine Media Workshops, and Camden International Film Festival, the midcoast has become a center for creativity. Camden Hills State Park has walking trails and nearby is the Camden Snow Bowl, a ski and recreation area for summer and winter activities.

ST. GEORGE

St. George has the villages of Port Clyde and Tenants Harbor, where general stores are gathering spots for locals. Along the coast Adirondack chairs invite passersby to sit and think for a while. Lighthouses dot the coast and the scenery is known for inspiring artists. Find properties that are protected in coves, others with boathouses and cottages that were built close to the sea.

The post Midcoast Real Estate 2015 appeared first on The Maine Mag.