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June/July 2019
CONTENTS
JUNE/JULY 2019
FEATURES 44 AN ARGUMENT FOR OUTDOOR PLAY Summer is the time for kids to learn by roaming
46 VACATIONLAND IN THE MID-20TH CENTURY Take a trip down the memory lane that is Route 1
55
WHEN IS IT TOO HOT?
How hot is too hot to play outside
58 LOG ROLLING & AX THROWING Meet Timber Tina and some real Maine lumberjacks
64
GET OUT: THE FOOD EDITION
46
TAKE A VINTAGE ROAD TRIP
64 GET OUT: THE FOOD EDITION Eat your way around Maine this summer at these great spots
IN EVERY ISSUE WHAT’S HAPPENING
Local news & sightings
16
OBSESSIONS
What we can’t get enough of this month
72
THE VIEW FROM HERE
Feeling the love for summer
ON THE COVER Discover the joys of living in Staycationland. Illustration by George Danby
2 / BANGOR METRO June/July 2019
PHOTOS: (TOP) JULIA BAYLY; (BOTTOM) COURTESY OF RICHARD SHAW
08
ARTS & ENTERTAINMENT
FOOD & DRINK
HEALTH & FITNESS
22
30
14
Three recipes to take advantage of all those fresh finds at the farmers’ market
AUTHOR SPOTLIGHT
Author Denis Dauphinee pieces together the story of Geraldine Largay, who disappeared off the Appalachian Trail in 2013
26
IN SEASON NOW
STRAWBERRIES OF SUMMER
DIY froyo with fresh summer berries
28
SUMMER SAUTÉ
HIKE ME
Take advantage of living in Vacationland and hit one of these hiking hotspots on your next vacation
36
PROTECT YOUR SKIN
What to know about sunscreen and beyond this summer
PHOTOS: (CLOCKWISE FROM TOP LEFT) COURTESY OF DENIS DAUPHINEE; SARAH WALKER CARON; AISLINN SARNACKI; BOB DUCHESNE; AMY ALLEN
A tasty recipe for summer veggies
HOW TO
OUTSIDE
40
70
CRAFTING WITH KIDS
Stem “summer slide” with these fun projects and keep little brains challenged during vacation
WOODS & WATERS
Our intrepid columnist put camp meals to the test
www.bangormetro.com BANGOR METRO / 3
EDITOR’S NOTE
Staycationland SUMMER IN
ON ONE OF THE FIRST semi-nice days of spring, my kids and I stopped at the community garden in Bangor to check on our raised beds. It was too early to plant and the supplies hadn’t yet been delivered to supplement the soil with nutrient-rich compost. I’d even said that we weren’t there to work on the boxes. But as I looked at the abandoned carcasses of plants forgotten from the previous bed renters, I couldn’t help myself. I started pulling the plants, one by one, until it was mostly soil remaining. I felt drawn to make those boxes more ready for the growth to come. Ahh, touching the dirt, pulling the plants … it all felt so good. I could practically imagine the seeds sprouting already. By the time you read this, our gardens — yours and ours — will hopefully be lush. Maybe even some of the plants will have things ready to harvest. I cannot wait.
LATE SPRING AND SUMMER ARE SEASONS OF GROWTH AND FREEDOM, WARMTH AND POSSIBILITIES. Summer, in particular, is my favorite. I love the feeling of endlessness that comes with those days in June and early July, just after school has released. Growth and possibilities are things echoing in other areas of my life this year too. My son, Will, is about to graduate from middle school and head to high school where new challenges await him. He’s been fortunate to have been taught by some really passionate teachers who’ve brought math, science, French and English alive for him. I wonder what the future might bring for him. But right now I am thinking more of the possibilities of this summer — a time when I will encourage my kids to go outside and play; to hang out with friends and ride bikes; to explore the world around them. And together, we’ll explore too — new trails (see Aislinn Sarnacki’s suggestions on page 30), new parts of Maine, new places. Todd Nelson’s essay on the importance of outdoor play to kids (page 44) really struck a chord with me when I first read it. I am a big proponent of low-tech childhoods and learning to live with boredom (which ultimately can spawn such creativity), so when he writes “Kids need real wild things and experiences, as well as information,” I am there with an enthusiastic head nod. This summer will be one of learning and stretching and trying new things for my kids. But it will also be one of exploring and venturing out — and tending to our garden too. After all, that’s what these precious days of summer are made for, aren’t they?
SARAH WALKER CARON, EDITOR
Connect With Us Online bangormetro.com facebook.com/BangorMetro @BangorMetro bangormetro talkback@bangormetro.com
www.bangormetro.com P.O. Box 1329 Bangor, Maine 04402-1329 Phone: 207.990.8000
PUBLISHER
Richard J. Warren
EDITOR
Sarah Walker Caron scaron@bangordailynews.com
ART DIRECTOR
Amy Allen
aallen@bangordailynews.com
SUBSCRIPTION & PROMOTIONS MANAGER
Fred Stewart
fstewart@bangordailynews.com
STAFF WRITER
Julia Bayly jbayly@bangordailynews.com
STAFF WRITER
Abigail Curtis acurtis@bangordailynews.com
STAFF WRITER
Rosemary Lausier rlausier@bangordailynews.com
STAFF WRITER
Aislinn Sarnacki asarnacki@bangordailynews.com
CONTRIBUTING WRITERS & PHOTOGRAPHERS Sarah Cottrell, Bob Duchesne, Natalie Feulner, Jen Hazard, Emily Morrison, Todd Nelson, Richard Shaw, Katie Smith www.bangormetro.com BANGOR METRO / 5
MEET OUR CONTRIBUTORS
WHAT’S YOUR FAVORITE Bangor Metro Magazine. June/July 2019, Vol. 15, No. 5. Copyright © Bangor Publishing Company. Bangor Metro is published 10 times annually by Bangor Publishing Company. All rights reserved. This magazine may not be reproduced in whole or part in any form without the written permission of the Publisher. Bangor Metro is mailed at standard rates from Portland, Maine. Opinions expressed in either the editorial or advertisements do not represent the opinions of the staff or publisher of Bangor Metro magazine. Advertisers and event sponsors or their agents are responsible for copyrights and accuracy of all material they submit. Bangor Metro magazine to the best of its ability ensures the acuracy of information printed in the publication. Inquiries and suggestions are welcome and encouraged. Letters to the editor, story suggestions, and other reader input will be subject to Bangor Metro’s unrestricted right to edit and publish in the magazine both in print and online. Editorial: Queries should be sent to Sarah Walker Caron at scaron@bangordailynews.com. Advertising: For advertising questions, please call the Sales Director Todd Johnston at 207-990-8129. Subscriptions/Address Change: The one year subscription cost is $15.95. Address changes: to ensure delivery, subscribers must notify the magazine of address changes one month in advance of the cover date. Please contact Fred Stewart at 207-990-8075.
SUMMER BOOK? “
I recently finished reading ‘Garlic and Sapphires’ by Ruth Reichl, a beloved food writer and former restaurant critic at the New York Times. The book is a fun, engaging read, as she goes through great lengths to disguise herself from restaurant staff. And I loved how each chapter ended with a review of some of New York’s best-known dining spots.” — JEN HAZARD, CONTRIBUTOR
Accounts Payable/Receivable: For information about your account please contact Todd Johnston at 207-990-8129.
COVER ILLUSTRATION: George Danby
“I love Sarah Jio’s well-researched novels steeped in history. My very favorite is ‘The Violets of March,’ which tells the story of a down on her luck writer who finds connection and inspiration while visiting her aunt on Bainbridge Island. It’s lovely and sweet and thought-provoking.”
“One of all-time favorites was ‘Cider House Rules’ by John Irving. Coincidentally, it’s set in Maine.”
— SARAH WALKER CARON, EDITOR
“I read Stephen King’s ‘On Writing’ every summer. No one inspires me more than a guy whose first novel (‘Carrie’) was rejected 30 times before it got published.”
— BOB DUCHESNE, COLUMNIST
— EMILY MORRISON, COLUMNIST
“Easy: ‘Bruno, Chief of Police’ by Martin Walker. The French gendarme lives in St. Denis France…the fictional town set in the Perigord region. Each book immerses me in the French countryside, history, and gastronomie of Southeastern France. Counting the days until the next book in the series is released this June.’ — TODD NELSON, CONTRIBUTOR
www.bangormetro.com BANGOR METRO / 7
WHAT’S HAPPENING
JUNE/JULY Join local and regional artists and artisans for an evening celebrating creativity throughout downtown Bangor at the Downtown Bangor First Friday Artwalk. The artwalk, presented by the Downtown Bangor Arts Collaborative, aims to bring the community together through art. 5-8pm. Free.
SATURDAY, JUNE 15 BANGOR FRIENDS OF THE LIBRARY BOOKSALE
Stock up for summertime reading at the annual Friends of the Library Booksale to benefit the Bangor Public Library. Donated books of all genres are available for sale at the Bangor Elks Club on 108 Odlin Road from 9am to 3pm.
8 / BANGOR METRO June/July 2019
SATURDAY, JULY 15 FAIRY FUN DAY
Calling all fairies and fairy enthusiasts! Fairy Fun Day returns to Downtown Bangor for a second year. Maine illustrator Hazel Mitchell and Maine author Liza Gardner Walsh will be hosting a special storytime. Plus crafts, book signing, a scavenger hunt, fairy snacks and more. See The Briar Patch’s Facebook page for more details (facebook.com/ briarpatchbooks). Free to attend, and books will be available for purchase.
FRIDAY, JUNE 21 SUMMER SOLSTICE GARDEN PARTY AND MEMBER SOCIAL
Meet members of the Downtown Bangor community and Downtown Bangor Partnership members during a garden party in celebration of the Summer Solstice hosted by Downtown Bangor
Beautiful and the Downtown Bangor Partnership. Light refreshments and outdoor games plus tour the 140 AdoptA-Gardens throughout the city and view the 2019 wheat paste murals. 5-7pm. Free.
SATURDAY, JUNE 22 MAINE WHOOPIE PIE FESTIVAL IN DOVERFOXCROFT
For one day only, folks descend on Dover-Foxcroft to sample a wide variety of creative flavor combinations of the iconic whoopie pie at the Maine Whoopie Pie Festival. Festival attendees have the opportunity to sample the whoopie pie in a wide variety of creative flavor combinations and vote for their favorites 10-4pm Admission: $5; Free for children 12 and under
PHOTO: BDN FILE
FRIDAY, JUNE 7 DOWNTOWN BANGOR FIRST FRIDAY ARTWALK
JUNE 21 Summer Solstice Garden Party
SATURDAY, JUNE 22 BANGOR PRIDE FESTIVAL & PARADE
The crowning event of Pride week in Bangor (that’s June 16-June 23), the Bangor Pride Festival & Parade begins with a march through the streets. Gather 11:00 to 11:45am at the Sea Dog to join in the march. All are welcome. This year's parade will be held on Saturday, June 22nd, 2019 from 12:00pm to 1:00pm along Main Street in Bangor. The Bangor Pride Festival in West Market and Pickering Squares immediately follows the Pride Parade.This year's event will include the musical stylings of two fantastic local bands: Great North Woods and the Rotating Taps. Free.
www.bangormetro.com BANGOR METRO / 9
10 / BANGOR METRO June/July 2019
WHAT’S HAPPENING JULY 1-31 FIND WALDO IN DOWNTOWN BANGOR
The annual Find Waldo Local scavenger hunt returns to Downtown Bangor for the month of July. Hosted by The Briar Patch, 27 Central St., visit to pick up a Waldo stamp card and then visit local businesses to find Waldo hidden inside to get each location stamped. Enter the card for prizes. This is good for kids and families. Free.
FRIDAY, JULY 5 DOWNTOWN BANGOR FIRST FRIDAY ARTWALK
Join local and regional artists and artisans for an evening celebrating creativity throughout downtown Bangor at the Downtown Bangor First Friday Artwalk, 5-8 pm, on July 5. The artwalk, presented by the Downtown Bangor Arts Collaborative, aims to bring the community together through art. Free.
SATURDAY, JULY 13 DOWNTOWN BANGOR SIDEWALK ART FESTIVAL
Head to Downtown Bangor for a sidewalk art festival featuring a curated, juried art show, demonstrations, living drawing and more. There will also be open studios during the festival. 9am-4pm. Free.
JULY 18-28 SHAKESPEARE UNDER THE STARS
Each summer, Ten Bucks Theatre brings the stage outdoors for their annual Shakespeare Under the Stars production. This year, they will be staging Richard III directed by Dan Hanchrow. So pack up your chairs and picnic and enjoy! The show will be staged at Indian Trail Park in Brewer from July 18 - July 21 and at Orono Public Library from July 25 - July 28. For information and ticket prices visit www.facebook.com/TenBucksTheatre.
STILL STUMPED?
JULY 19-21 BUCKSPORT BAY FESTIVAL
The 22nd Annual Bucksport Bay Festival, organized by the Bucksport Bay Area Chamber of Commerce, returns for a threeday event on the Bucksport Waterfront and Main Street. There will be fireworks, dinghy races, food vendors, local craftsmen, and a full slate of local musicians on the Town Dock Stage with featured performances by Motor Booty Affair and more. For more information: bucksportbaychamber.com/ bucksport-bay-festival.html
TUESDAY, JULY 31 4RD ANNUAL HARRY POTTER BIRTHDAY CELEBRATION
It started with the launch of Harry Potter and The Cursed Child in 2016 and has grown into a beloved annual event in Downtown Bangor. Vendors, entertainment, wizardry fun and more take over Central Street in Downtown Bangor for one evening every July. Wear your house colors and join the fun. Free.
Here are the answers to last month’s Pop Quiz.
Visit our Bangor Metro Facebook page to play online!
www.bangormetro.com BANGOR METRO / 11
WHAT’S HAPPENING
1
HERE’S A LOOK AT JUST A FEW SPECIAL EVENTS FROM THE PAST MONTH... 2
1: EqualityMaine’s celebrated at its 35th anniversary Gala recently. 2: Governor Janet Mills welcomed the Lombardi Trophy and Maine’s own Derek Rivers, defensive end for the New England Patriots, at the State House in Augusta. 3: Families gathered at the third annual Fill That Shed Fundraiser, a benefit for the Waldo County Woodshed at Lake St. George Brewing Company in Liberty.
SHARE YOUR EVENT PHOTOS! 12 / BANGOR METRO June/July 2019
Email your photos and captions to
talkback@bangormetro.com
PHOTOS: (1-5) JEFF KIRLIN / THE THING OF THE MOMENT; (6) COURTESY OF THE BRIAR PATCH
3
STAYCATIONLAND!
4
It’s vacation time in Vacationland! Visit our Facebook page to play online for your chance to win a FREE one-year subscription!
4-5: The 24th annual Hike for the Homeless, a benefit for the Bangor Area Homeless Shelter, took place recently. Hundreds gathered to walk and raise awareness. 6: Maine children’s author Chris Van Dusen read to a packed crowd at The Briar Patch during Kid Central Festival, an annual celebration of kids and fun in downtown Bangor.
5
6
FIND ANSWERS TO LAST MONTH’S POP QUIZ ON PAGE 11!
Visit our Bangor Metro Facebook page to play online! www.bangormetro.com BANGOR METRO / 13
ARTS & CULTURE
AUTHOR SPOTLIGHT
AUTHOR SPOTLIGHT:
DENIS DAUPHINEE THE LAST DAYS OF GERALDINE LARGAY
SHE WAS ALONE, though that wasn’t originally the plan. Her hiking companion had had an emergency that called her home early from their adventure. She was hiking the Appalachian Trail in remote western Maine, a difficult stretch. But everything seemed to be going okay … until she vanished without a trace. Geraldine Largay, known as Inchworm on the trail, made national headlines when she disappeared in July 2013. The Maine Warden Service launched a massive search for her that continued for days, then weeks, then months. For more than a year, they followed leads. Then in October 2015, her remains were found, startlingly close to the trail. Maine author Denis Dauphinee is now giving voice to the last days of Largay’s life. His newest book, “When You Find My Body: The Disappearance of Geraldine Largay on the Appalachian Trail,” will be released on June 1 by Down East Books. 14 / BANGOR METRO June/July 2019
PHOTO: (TOP) RYAN TANG PHOTO LLC/ADOBE STOCK
BY SARAH WALKER CARON
The book, Dauphinee hopes, will help make sense of what happened while giving readers a chance to draw their own conclusions. “I hope that readers don’t judge Gerry so harshly — it can happen to a lot of people. I hope they respect her will to try. I hope they learn a few valuable lessons that if they get turned around in the woods, they can use them,” Dauphinee said. Dauphinee is an experienced backcountry guide, mountaineer, fly-fisherman and photographer. He’s assisted in search and rescue operations as well. He also works in medicine, assisting in surgery three to four days a week, for between six and eight months a year. And for about a year and a half, he dug into who Largay was, what she experienced and what might
have happened when she lost her way. “In the first two weeks of my investigative research, I realized what a lovely person she was and that there were some lessons beyond the obvious lessons to be learned from her story that might help other people in the future,” Dauphinee said. “The people I met along the way in the first few weeks were so engaging and were so passionate about her and her story.” From trail logs to official reports, Dauphinee used many channels to pull together the information and write this story. “I reached out to the family first and then to the [Maine Warden Service] and, using the Freedom of Access Act, I got not just the warden’s reports but the forensics report,” Dauphinee said.
And in the forensics report, he was looking for something specific: Were Largay’s ligaments intact? “That would tell me she didn’t sprain an ankle or hurt a knee … she could walk out on her own,” Dauphinee explained. Both Dauphinee’s medical experience and his wilderness experience came in handy in his research. “It helped a great deal — I could recognize that Gerry had some back problems and some issues with being afraid of the dark … I could tell that Gerry really faced some of her fears [on the trail],” Dauphinee said. Largay wasn’t carrying heavy loads — her husband was driving between points and meeting her — so the load weight wasn’t really an issue. Still, Dauphinee believes “she was on the edge of a ketotic state.” www.bangormetro.com BANGOR METRO / 15
ARTS & CULTURE
AUTHOR SPOTLIGHT
“[Stressors] can really affect you physiologically and physically in a heartbeat,” Dauphinee said. “I just know that she went from being this slow, but capable, vibrant hiker to being (probably within a couple of hours) afraid and … physiologically starting to feel the effects and I don’t think it took her very long to feel weak in a deconditioned state. And I think that contributed to things. She didn’t know what to do.” How exactly could that have happened? Dauphinee said that her physical state contributed to her decision making — she made mistakes, forgot basic principles. “When people get lost in the woods, lost person behavior is very interesting. Oftentimes people start to hurry. It’s part of their anxiety,” Dauphinee said. Dauphinee reached out to another person who’d become famously lost in the Maine woods to learn more about what that is like.
Donn Fendler at age 12 was separated from his family on Mount Katahdin while camping in the Maine woods. He’s known for surviving alone for nine days and wrote a memoir of the experience called “Lost on a Mountain in Maine.” Dauphinee asked Fendler for his thoughts on Largay’s disappearance, and met with him at his home in Newport. “He made me tea and we had cookies and sat on his porch and we had a wonderful time,” Dauphinee recalled of his interview with Fendler in October 2016, just days before Fendler’s unexpected death. Fendler described the aches, pains and mental challenges that came with being lost. “You know, I had hallucinations, and I don’t mean once I started to starve, but right away. I had them on the second day. To this day I don’t know if they were dreams or not,” Fendler told Dauphinee. Whatever happened during Largay’s
Author Denis Dauphinee.
16 / BANGOR METRO June/July 2019
final days, many came together to help Dauphinee make sense of her life. Hikers who’d met Largay along the trail helped paint a picture of her last days. Longtime friends shared emails they’d received and information about who she was. “It was remarkable how her best friends from school wanted to talk about her. There were only a few people out of dozens who didn’t want to talk about it. They were just profoundly affected,” Dauphinee said. Her family chose not to be interviewed, though they were supportive of the project. What Dauphinee aimed not to do though was to pepper the text with his own conclusions. He wants the reader to draw their own. And he wants Largay to be remembered — not for what happened, per se, but for what others can learn from her story. “Instead of Gerry being a statistic, [I want her to] be part of Maine lore and be helpful [to future hikers],” Dauphinee said.
www.bangormetro.com BANGOR METRO / 17
ARTS & CULTURE
OBSESSIONS
OBSESSIONS WHAT WE CAN’T GET ENOUGH OF THIS MONTH.
GO USE
FERNALD’S NECK PRESERVE LINCOLNVILLE
MAINE GAZETTEER
—ABIGAIL CURTIS
18 / BANGOR METRO June/July 2019
WHY DO WE LOVE IT? I’m obsessed with my dog-eared copy of the Maine Gazetteer! Every year, my children and I highlight a bucket-list of places in Maine to visit that we’ve never been to before. Our goal is to visit every single beach and campsite before our copy falls completely apart. Summer in Maine is a magical experience, especially with kids, because we get to explore the natural wonder of our own backyard through fresh eyes. —SARAH COTTRELL PHOTOS: (GAZETTEER) COURTESY OF DELORME; (FERNALD’S NECK) AISLINN SARNACKI; (TOP) © LUKÁŠ ZEMAN/ADOBE STOCK; (BOOKS) ©BILLIONPHOTOS.COM/ADOBE STOCK
WHY DO WE LOVE IT? When summer finally comes, and the fickle springtime weather shifts to heat and sunshine, it’s time to go jump in a lake. In Maine, it seems that almost any lake will do, but I love getting in my car and heading south to Megunticook Lake. The road to Fernald’s Neck Preserve in Lincolnville is long and winding, with “no trespassing” signs on both sides. But don’t give up. At the end of the road is a small parking area and a sign that shows you are at a nature preserve maintained by the Coastal Mountains Land Trust [just a note — no dogs are allowed]. There are different trails, but on hot days I like to take the White Trail, which is short and travels through a fragrant milkweed field. In just a few minutes, you’re at the lake, cool and blue, where you can sun yourself on a rock or float dreamily while gazing up at a sky pierced by tall pine trees. It’s a perfect place to cap a summer day on the coast of Maine.
READ So many books cross my desk at Bangor Metro, and I purchase even more. Every month, I select a few that catch my attention to highlight in this space. “GHOST BOYS,” BY JEWELL PARKER RHODES — History, socio-economic barriers and modern issues are masterfully woven together in this novel about a 12-year-old boy, Jerome, shot by a police officer who mistakes his toy gun for the real thing. At once devastating and eye-opening, the story is told from the point of view of Jerome, both before and after death. I cried both times I read it — and it’s made me think about what I can do to change the world we live in. (MIDDLE GRADE)
“SALT, FAT, ACID, HEAT,” BY SAMIN NOSRAT — Yes, this was released in 2017. Yes, I wrote about how much I love the Netflix show based on it last month. But this cookbook is a must-own for anyone who loves cooking. It’s a pain-staking ode to good food and the techniques that make it. My cookbook club chose “Salt, Fat, Acid, Heat” for our first meeting, and it exceeded expectations. In fact, we couldn’t help but talk a little more about how wonderful a book this was at our next meeting. This exploration of the simple elements of good cooking that elevate food is a keeper. (COOKING) “A CATALOGUE OF SMALL PAINS” BY MEGHAN L. DOWLING — Maine author Meghan L. Dowling’s first novel is a series of vignettes and stories about three generations of women in a family. In delicate and vivid prose, it tells their heartbreak, pain and humanity. This is the book to take to the beach or read at bedtime this summer, with all its beautifully written moments that reveal relationships, secrets and dangers. (FICTION) —SARAH WALKER CARON
www.bangormetro.com BANGOR METRO / 19
FOOD & DRINK
OBSESSIONS
OBSESSIONS WHAT WE CAN’T GET ENOUGH OF THIS MONTH.
TREAT PEANUT BUTTER TARTS TEA & TARTS, STATE STREET IN DOWNTOWN BANGOR WHY DO WE LOVE IT? If there’s something with peanut butter on a menu, I’m there. I love the sweet, nutty spread in so many forms. But the newest form I’ve fallen for is the Peanut Butter Tarts at Tea & Tarts in Downtown Bangor. The delicate, buttery, sweet tart shells hold creamy, flavorful peanut butter filling. Chocolate shavings on top round out the perfection of this lovely confection. If you haven’t tried Tea & Tarts yet, now’s the time. At $2.99 for one or two for $5, these sweet treats are a lovely bargain too. —SARAH WALKER CARON
ICE CREAM
WHY DO WE LOVE IT? Going home to Presque Isle to visit family each summer is a tradition my whole family looks forward to — and a stop at Houlton Farms is a big part of why. Scooping ice cream is practically a rite of passage for County alum, and having spent a summer working at the take-out window on Main Street, I can tell you there’s really no wrong thing to order. You can go crazy and get a Shake-A-Sundae — a milkshake topped with a whole ice cream sundae. Or go lighter with a Lemon Freeze — a tasty slurry of lemon sherbet and Houlton Farms own lemonade. (Obsession side note: Do not leave The County without picking up as many quarts of Houlton Farms Lemonade are possible. It’s the perfect summer beverage — not too tart, not too sweet. It’s summer perfection — and a great mixer for grown-up cocktails.) But my all-time favorite is the Awful Awful — a treat so nice it’s named twice, and was an actual prize for a local soccer camp when I was growing up. The Awful Awful is a milk shake made with Houlton Farms’ super delicious soft serve ice cream, topped with either a scoop of hard ice cream or a swirl of soft serve. Sweet and refreshing — it’s everything that summer in The County should be. —AMY ALLEN
20 / BANGOR METRO June/July 2019
PHOTOS: (FOOD TRUCKS) SARAH WALKER CARON; (OTHERS) ©RICKA_KINAMOTO, ©JIRI HERA, ©JOBIPRO/ADOBE STOCK
AWFUL AWFUL HOULTON FARMS DAIRY BAR IN PRESQUE ISLE
LOCAL EATS
LUNCH FOOD TRUCKS! BANGOR WATERFRONT WHY DO WE LOVE IT? Every year, the food trucks return to the Bangor Waterfront in May and we’re thrilled. By June, we’re there several times each week. We love the variety of foods available and the quality. But rather than wax poetic, we thought we’d just show you what we love. —BANGOR METRO STAFF
Your ad could be on this page. Advertise in Bangor Metro’s Food & Drink section. Call 990-8000.
www.bangormetro.com BANGOR METRO / 21
FOOD & DRINK
in season now
SO MANY THINGS
STORY & PHOTOS BY SARAH WALKER CARON
WHEN MY CHILDREN were very little — an infant and a toddler — I started taking them to the farmers market. We’d buy bunches of Swiss chard with its waxy leaves and experiment with different kinds of squash and tomatoes. I’d pick up clams from the fish vendor and the most magical fresh mozzarella, pesto and semolina bread from a vendor who knew that a little sample would convince hungry shoppers every time. These days, with a teen and a tween, we still go to the farmers market together. And we’re still always looking for produce we haven’t tried before. But a lifetime of eating fresh and local has instilled a love of familiar favorites too. Beet greens (and beets), berries, Swiss chard, zucchini for stuffing. These are a few of our favorite things. And at the Orono Farmers Market on Saturdays, our trip includes a stop by Bich Nga’s Far East Cuisine stand for lunch provisions (when she has the corn salad, I always buy two), Smith’s Log Smokehouse for smoked salmon, Plymouth Pond Farm & Bakery for bagels and croissants. Between the produce, eggs, meat and chicken, plus the value-added goods, we try not to set foot in a grocery store at all during summer months except, maybe, for a gallon of milk or staples like flour and sugar. Instead, we load into the car each weekend and head to the farmers market with my rad market basket and dreams of crepes from the Yum Bus. When the shopping is done and the crepes have been consumed, we head home to unload before heading to our garden. Our community garden plot is a place where we’ve cultivated some of those favorites — tomatoes and greens, beets and carrots, peppers. Tending to it is part of the fabric of our summers. And as a mother of a child soon to start high school, I am increasingly aware of how precious our time together shopping at the farmers market and tending our garden is. Rather than focusing on one dish for this month’s In Season Now, I wanted to give you a selection of beloved dishes. These are the recipes we love to make when the farmers markets are brimming with produce and gardens are bountiful. Share them with someone you love. 22 / BANGOR METRO June/July 2019
FARMERS MARKET VEGGIE FRIED RICE Serves 4
INGREDIENTS 2 tbsp olive oil 3 shallots, peeled and rough chopped 2 parsnips, small diced (about ¼-inch) 1 bunch radishes, small diced (about ¼-inch) 1 clove garlic, peeled and minced 3-4 cups chopped fresh spinach 1 tsp sesame oil 1 cup dry rice, prepared ¼ cup soy sauce Salt and pepper, to taste
INSTRUCTIONS In a large skillet or wok, heat the olive oil. Add the shallots, parsnips and radishes. Cook, stirring frequently, until golden and softened, about 8-10 minutes. Add the garlic to the skillet and stir to combine. Add the spinach and toss well. Cook until just wilted, about 4-5 minutes. Push the veggies to one side of the skillet, leaving half of the skillet exposed. Add the sesame oil to the exposed part of the skillet and top with the rice. Stir continuously until the sesame oil is evenly distributed through the rice. Then, stir together with the vegetable mixture. Continue cooking for 2-3 minutes. Remove the skillet from the burner and pour in the soy sauce. Toss well to combine. Taste, and season with salt, pepper and additional soy sauce to desired flavor. If desired, this can be served with a poached or fried egg on top.
FOOD & DRINK
IN SEASON NOW
GREEK SALAD PITA Serves 4-6
INGREDIENTS 1 cucumber, peeled and diced 1 red bell pepper, diced 1 green bell pepper, diced 1 ear corn, steamed, kernels removed and cob discarded ½ cup quartered kalamata olives ½ cup crumbled feta cheese juice of 1 lemon salt and pepper, to taste 4-6 pitas, halved
INSTRUCTIONS Combine all ingredients in a large mixing bowl. Stir well. Let sit for 10 minutes. Then taste and season, as desired. Spoon into pita bread halves to serve.
DILL QUICK PICKLES Yields 1 quart jar
INGREDIENTS 1 cucumber, thinly sliced (about 2½-3 cups of slices) 2 cloves garlic, crushed 2 tbsp chopped fresh dill ½ tsp mustard seed 1/ 3 cup white wine vinegar 1/ 3 cup water 1 tsp kosher salt
INSTRUCTIONS Add the cucumber slices, garlic, dill and mustard seed to a bowl or quart-size canning jar. In a small saucepan, heat the white wine vinegar, water and salt to a boil. Pour over the cucumbers, and seal. Shake to combine. Let the cucumbers sit, shaking occasionally, for at least 45 minutes. Enjoy.
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STRAWBERRY RHUBARB UPSIDE DOWN CAKE Serves 8
INGREDIENTS ¼ cup unsalted butter, melted 1½ cups sugar, divided 1 cup quartered strawberries 1 cup chopped fresh rhubarb 2 cups all-purpose flour 2 tsp baking powder 2 tsp baking soda 2 large eggs 1 cup milk ½ cup grapeseed oil or olive oil 1 tsp vanilla extract
INSTRUCTIONS Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Pour the melted butter into a 9x13-inch glass baking dish. Sprinkle with ½ cup sugar. Add the strawberries and rhubarb, sprinkling them all over the pan to evenly distribute them.
DO YOU HAVE A FAVORITE SUMMER RECIPE? DROP ME A LINE AT SCARON@ BANGORDAILY NEWS.COM
In a large mixing bowl, sift together the flour, sugar, baking powder and baking soda. Add the eggs, milk, oil and vanilla. Stir vigorously to combine, about 2 minutes (until smooth). Pour the batter into the pan, evenly distributing it over the fruit. Bake for 40-50 minutes, until a cake tester inserted in the center of the cake comes out cleanly. Enjoy hot from the oven or cool, if desired. Cut into squares to serve.
SARAH WALKER CARON is the editor of Bangor Metro magazine. Her newest cookbook, “One-Pot Pastas” was released by Rockridge Press on Jan. 15. She’s also the author of “The Super Easy 5-Ingredient Cookbook” and the popular food blog, Sarah’s Cucina Bella (www.sarahscucinabella.com).
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FOOD & DRINK
STRAWBERRIES
of
SUMMER MAKE YOUR OWN FROYO WITH THIS SIMPLE RECIPE BY JEN HAZARD
STRAWBERRY SEASON is fleeting in Maine. During a few short weeks in June and July, the cheery red summer fruit is available for picking at local farms. I like to pick them in abundance, filling up at least a dozen pints until the berries nearly topple over the sides. While I make good use of fresh strawberries in my morning cereal, jams and all variety of baked goods, I often set aside a few pints to freeze. The frozen berries are especially good in this tangy and remarkably easy frozen yogurt. Simply blend the strawberries with whole milk yogurt, fresh lemon juice and honey in a food processor or blender for a bright, refreshing summer dessert.
SIMPLE STRAWBERRY FROZEN YOGURT Serves 3-4
INGREDIENTS 2 cups of frozen strawberries 1/4 cup of plain whole milk yogurt 2 Tablespoons of honey 1/2 Tablespoon of lemon juice Fresh strawberries for garnish (optional)
INSTRUCTIONS Place the frozen strawberries in a food processor, followed by yogurt, honey, and lemon juice. Turn the food processor on high and blend for 2-3 minutes until the mixture becomes creamy. If you prefer a sweeter frozen yogurt, add an extra tablespoon of honey. Serve the frozen yogurt in ice cream bowls and garnish with a fresh strawberry. Leftovers can be stored in an airtight container in the freezer.
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FOOD & DRINK
Summer
SAUTÉ SUMMER SQUASH ZUCCHINI SAUTÉ BY ROSEMARY LAUSIER
GROWING UP, MY FAMILY would spend our entire summers down at our camp. We would go to local outdoor markets and get the freshest vegetables: carrots, broccoli, string beans and snap peas for our meals. But my two favorites have to be summer squash and zucchini. My mom never made anything too fancy like zucchini bread. Instead, she would make this sautéed dish combining these two vegetables with onions, mushrooms and cheese. What makes it better is that my mom made up the recipe herself and never wrote it down as a guide. This side dish has remained one of my favorites, and I consider it to be a staple of any Lausier family summer meal. Having it takes me back to those warm, sunny days at the camp. It has wonderful flavors and textures, and includes wine and cheese in the recipe. What’s not to love?
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SUMMER SQUASH ZUCCHINI SAUTÉ Serves 4
INGREDIENTS 1-2 Tbsp olive oil 2-3 cloves garlic 1 onion sliced 16 oz sliced mushrooms 3-4 small summer squash and/or zucchini sliced thin ¼ cup white wine Shredded cheddar cheese
INSTRUCTIONS In a large skillet, heat the olive oil. Add the garlic and onion and sauté until soft. Add mushrooms to the skillet and cook until they release their liquid.
PHOTOS: (BACKGROUND) ©OKSANKA8306/ADOBE STOCK; (COOKING) ROSEMARY LAUSIER
Add summer squash and/or zucchini and wine to the skillet. Cover and cook until vegetables are tender. Turn off heat, add the cheese and cover until the cheese melts. Serve and enjoy!
Note: This recipe can easily be adapted depending on number of guests.
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HIKE ME
HIKING
HOTSPOTS HIKING HOTSPOTS TO CHECK OUT THIS SUMMER STORY & PHOTOS BY AISLINN SARNACKI
PEOPLE FROM AROUND THE WORLD lace up their hiking boots in Maine each summer to explore the state’s mossy forests, granite mountaintops and rocky shores. With public trails scattered throughout the state, the opportunities for adventure are seemingly limitless. But some outdoor destinations, in particular, see more foot traffic than others, and for good reason. Certain areas of Maine are hiking hotspots, places where you can easily plan out several days of wilderness walking. In these locations, you can find family-friendly treks to waterfalls and remote ponds, and you can also tackle more challenging climbs over rugged terrain to bald peaks and abandoned fire towers. When the weather in Maine is idyllic, these places can get a bit crowded as tourists travel by plane, cruise ship and camper to check them out — but don’t let that stop you from enjoying these locations for yourself. A little insider knowledge and extra planning can help you embrace these beautiful and popular hiking destinations with success.
A hiking trail, marked with blue blazes, leads along the ridge of Acadia Mountain to several open views of Somes Sound and the nearby Flying Mountain and St. Sauveur Mountain.
Gorge Path leads up the east side of Cadillac Mountain. (Below) Acadia Mountain Trail includes several section of granite steps and leads to the summit of Acadia Mountain at 681 feet above sea level on Mount Desert Island.
ACADIA NATIONAL PARK Home to more than 120 miles of intersecting trails, the Mount Desert Island portion of Acadia National Park is a hiker’s paradise, attracting millions of people from around the world each year. While the park can be very crowded during the summer, there are a few things you can do to make this less frustrating and enjoy this Maine gem for yourself. First of all, consider planning your hikes for early in the morning (most vacationers tend to sleep in) or late in the afternoon (with a headlamp, just in case the sun sets). Weekdays are also usually quieter than weekends. Also, instead of heading to the most popular spots — Cadillac Mountain, Sand Beach and Thunder Hole — consider some of the less-traveled trails, such as the trails on Mansell, Norumbega and Beech mountains. And instead of driving and attempting to park in the crowded parking lots, hop on the Island Explorer bus to travel throughout the park for free. Dogs are permitted in Acadia but must be leashed (no longer than 6 feet) at all times, and some of the trails — such as the Precipice and Beehive trails — are too steep for dogs. Also, consider purchasing a detailed park trail map to carry with you, and remember that all visitors must purchase a park pass, which is $30 per vehicle and $15 per person (if you take a bus) for a 7-day pass, and $55 for an annual pass. Maps and passes are available at Acadia visitor centers located throughout the island and online. For more information about Acadia National Park, visit nps.gov/acad or call 207-288-3338.
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HEALTH & FITNESS
HIKE ME
THE MOOSEHEAD REGION The mountainous region surrounding Moosehead Lake is scattered with scenic trails, from the easy paths of Lily Bay State Park to the more challenging and remote hikes up Big Spencer and Big Moose mountains. The region even has some especially historic treks, including an easy walk into a B-52 crash site on Elephant Mountain and a steep climb up Mount Kineo, a site prized by the region’s indigenous people for its rhyolite rock, used to make tools. In the middle of all these hikes, on the shore of Moosehead Lake, lies the town of Greenville, where you’ll find restaurants, shops and an outfitter for any last-minute hiking gear. The region is abundant in hotels, motels, rental homes and campgrounds. It’s also a great place for water sports, boasting the largest lake in the state. Moosehead Lake covers more than 74,000 acres. If you’re feeling especially ambitious, you can try to complete the Moosehead Pinnacle Pursuit, a challenge to hike six specific mountains in the area. The area is also home to vast network of trails and wilderness lodges owned by the Appalachian Mountain Club, another great opportunity for adventure. For more information, visit destinationmooseheadlake.com or call 207-695-2702.
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Moosehead Lake and Mount Kineo Golf Course are seen from about halfway up the Indian Trail, which leads to the summit of Mount Kineo.
A ladder and rope help hikers scale a steep section of the 1.5-mile Eagle Rock Trail.
A hike towards Mt. Kineo on the Carriage Trail.
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HEALTH & FITNESS
HIKE ME In the distance, hikers stand on top of The Owl, which rises about 3,700 feet above sea level in Baxter State Park. (Below) Hikers trek along the Doubletop Mountain Trail between Doubletop Mountain’s North Peak and South Peak.
BAXTER STATE PARK Home to more than 200 miles of hiking trails, Baxter State Park is home to pristine ponds, waterfalls and some of the state’s largest mountains, including Maine’s highest peak, Baxter Peak of Katahdin. The park also features a number of campgrounds, cabins and remote lean-tos, and nearby, in the town of Millinocket, there are additional lodging options. While most people endeavor to climb Katahdin, there are many other great hikes in the park that will undoubtedly be less crowded. Doubletop Mountain, for example, has two bald peaks, as its name implies, and is nearly as difficult as Katahdin. Some easier mountains (though still challenging) include South Turner, Sentinel and The Owl. The Traveler Loop in the north end of the park is another popular trek. While many of the hikes in the park are long, steep and rugged, there are a few easier treks, such as the hike to Little and Big Niagara Falls, the Blueberry Ledges Trail and the walk in to Sandy Stream Pond, a prime moose-watching location. Regardless of what trails you choose, any trip to explore the wilderness of Baxter takes some research and planning ahead. Campgrounds within the park often fill up quickly, and certain day use parking areas can also fill up, especially for Katahdin. For more information and to make reservations, visit baxterstatepark.org or call park headquarters at 207-723-9616.
AISLINN SARNACKI is a staff writer for Bangor Metro and the Outdoors and Homestead sections of the Bangor Daily News. An expert on the Maine outdoors, she is author of the guidebooks “Maine Hikes Off the Beaten Path” and “Family Friendly Hikes in Maine.” Follow her adventures on her blog, actoutwithaislinn.bangordailynews.com.
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HEALTH & FITNESS
PROTECT
YOUR SKIN
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WHAT YOU SHOULD KNOW ABOUT SUNSCREEN THIS SUMMER BY NATALIE FEULNER
SUMMER IS HERE and with it more time spent outside digging in the garden, exploring Maine’s rocky coasts or hiking high mountain peaks. It is time to soak up the sun, breathe the fresh air and put winter’s woes aside. But are you and your family ready? The Centers for Disease Control recently listed Maine as one of the top 10 states reporting new cases of melanomas to the skin and according to the Maine Cancer Foundation, there are more than 400 new cases of melanoma projected per year statewide, with even higher rates along the coast. In Hancock County in 2015, for example, 114 cases were reported while in Somerset County there were only 55 cases reported. While cancer impacts people of ages, ethnicities, races and genders, it does not always do so equally. Skin cancer, in particular, is more common in males than females. It affects 25 of every 100,000 Caucasian individuals versus 1 of every 100,000 African-American individuals. It also is more commonly found as people age with the highest rate of skin cancer being found in patients ages 75-85, according to the CDC.
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PHOTO: ©MONKEY BUSINESS/ADOBE STOCK
HEALTH & FITNESS
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REALTORS
So what does that mean for you and your family? Number one, while making summer plans, don’t forget to include sun safety measures alongside the homemade Popsicle molds you’ve been saving to try all winter or the splash pad playdates to come. Need some ideas? Here are five ways you can stay sun-safe this summer. THINK BEYOND THE WHITE STUFF Sun safety is more than sunscreen. Seek shade, especially between the hours of 10 a.m. and 4 p.m. Purchase a large sun umbrella or three-walled sunshade if you’re planning on spending time at the lake or beach. Consider purchasing rash guards — long or short sleeve swim shirts — for children (or even yourself) and don’t forget a wide-brimmed hat and UV-blocking sunglasses for everyone in the family. ROAD TRIP? PACK SNACKS AND A HAT A study published in the Journal of the American Academy of Dermatology showed that almost 53 percent of skin cancers in the U.S. are found on the left — or driver’s side — of the body. Susan T. Butler, co-author of the study argues the increase may be from the UV exposure that occurs while driving a car. Butler’s team found more than 82 percent of skin cancer on patients’ heads or necks, so consider foregoing the convertible, keeping the left arm out of the window, or at least wear a hat and apply sunscreen to exposed areas such as the face, neck, scalp and ears. A SHOT GLASS OF SUNSCREEN The Skin Cancer Foundation has long recommended using a sunscreen with an SPF of 15 or higher as a daily precaution. However, if you’re out and about, it should be an even higher SPF and more than just one dime-sized application. In fact, the American Academy of Dermatology recommends 1 ounce (or almost a full shot glass) every two hours, more often if swimming or sweating.
KNOW YOUR ACRONYMS SPF. UVA. UVB. All of the numbers and acronyms associated with sunscreen can get confusing. So here are the basics — sunlight consists of two types of rays — UVA which can pass through window glass and prematurely age the skin and UVB rays, blocked by window glass but the primary cause of sunburn. UVA-blocking ingredients include avobenzone, ecamsule, oxybenzone, titanium dioxide and zinc oxide. SPF, on the other hand, stands for “sun blocking factor.” While playing in direct sunlight, dermatologists recommend an SPF of at least 30 which blocks upward of 97 percent of the sun’s UVB rays. And while higher-SPF sunscreens may block slightly more, they don’t last any longer and still need to be reapplied every two hours. So, choose any sunscreen you know you’ll use over and over, just make sure it offers broad-spectrum (UVA/UVB) protection and is at least SPF 30. SCHEDULE AN ANNUAL EXAM With more than 1 million cases diagnosed annually nationwide, the most common type of skin cancer is known as basal cell carcinoma or BCC. This type of skin cancer rarely spreads and as such, is unlikely to be fatal. Melanoma, however, is less common, but when advanced is more likely to spread throughout the body and cause death. Fortunately, self-exams and regular visits to a specialist may be able to help. At least once a month perform a full body selfexam, making sure to check the “nooks and crannies” — behind the knees, underarms, the scalp — as well as the more obvious areas. If you spot anything suspicious, see a doctor. Also, consider booking an annual exam with a dermatologist. According to a study in the Journal of the National Cancer Institute, skin self-exams had the potential to decrease melanoma mortality by up to 63 percent, and melanomas found by physicians tend to be found at an earlier stage and more easily cured than those found by patients.
Your listing could be on this page. Sell it faster. Advertise in Bangor Metro’s Home section. Call 990-8000.
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HOW-TO
CRAFTING WITH KIDS
STEMMING SUMMER SLIDE TAKE ON THESE FUN CHALLENGES TO KEEP YOUNG MINDS FROM TURNNIG TO MUSH THIS SUMMER STORY & PHOTOS BY AMY ALLEN
GIVEN THE OPPORTUNITY, I fear my kids would do nothing but stare at screens and watch mindless YouTube videos all summer long. To fight the glowing allure of the screens, general boredom and summer slide (that tendency to forget what you learned in the previous school year), we came up with a checklist last summer that limited screen time, encouraged some fun reading and writing activities, a few household chores, and STEM challenges. (See page 43 to steal this summer planner and make it your own.) If you’re not familiar with STEM challenges, just ask your school-aged kids. STEM (or STEAM) stands for Science, Technology, Engineering, (Art) and Math. The idea is to get kids thinking like scientists and have some fun in the process. Using common household items and crafting supplies, kids have to work out solutions to simple problems and then test their creations. 40 / BANGOR METRO June/July 2019
My kids love a surprise, so each week TIP: (or semi-weekly depending on our There’s no right or summer schedules) I put out a closed wrong when it comes to shoebox with the supplies and the materials or project ideas. STEM challenge instructions hidden Use whatever you have inside. When we had a free hour that around (like materials in your week, they would open the challenge recycling bin or old craft boxes and get to work. Sometime we supplies) and tailor challenges made it a family challenge, pitting to your kids interests and ages. girls versus boys; sometimes we sent The idea is to let creativity and the boxes to Camp Grandma and ingenuity take the lead. Grandpa and they got into the fun. STEM challenges are really just stepped up craft projects that require a little more strategy and thinking. Here are few ideas to get you started this summer vacation — and you can find lots more online and by asking your teacher friends.
LEGO MAN LAUNCHER DIRECTIONS: Design a catapult or slingshot device to launch a plastic figurine using only the items provided. Whoever can build the best launcher and fling their Lego man the furthest is the winner!
MATERIALS: • 1 paper cup • 1 Lego man (or army man) • 1 plastic spoon • 6 popsicle sticks • 2 rubber bands • Tape and a hot glue gun
TOWER CHALLENGES DIRECTIONS: Who can build the tallest tower? There are tons of materials to make this challenge happen — mix and match to make multiple challenges. Build a tower of mini-marshmallows and toothpicks one week, then try to construct a tower of spaghetti and playdough another time. The objective regardless of the materials: Construct the tallest tower and make sure it’s sturdy enough to stay standing for 1 minute! And once you get the hang of towers, take construction to the next level and build a bridge.
MATERIALS: Ideas for Sticks:
TIP: Add another layer to the challenge and make a tower that can hold something on top of it like a weight or a ball.
Ideas for Connectors:
• Toothpicks
• Mini-marshmallows
• Spaghetti
• Jelly beans
• Pipe cleaners
• Play dough
• Rolled up newspaper
• Skittles
• Straws
• Gum drops
• Popsicle sticks
• Apple slices
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HOW-TO
CRAFTING WITH KIDS
EGG DROP CHALLENGE DIRECTIONS: Using only the items listed below, create a cushioned container that will protect a raw egg from breaking or cracking when dropped from various heights.
MATERIALS: • 1 raw egg per team • Tape and a hot glue gun • String • Scissors • Paper towel tube • 10 straws • 1 piece of felt material • 6 cotton balls • Cardboard beverage carrier
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TIP: A great spot to test your egg drop creations is from the top of a playground. Just be sure not to leave behind a mess!
SUMMER CHECKLIST WRITING BLACKOUT BINGO
READING CHECKLIST
Describe the
Read in Bed
BEST DAY EVER!
Read a True Story (Nonfiction) Read Outdoors
You’re digging in the yard and find a trapdoor. Tell the rest of the story...
What would it be like to go to space?
WRITE ABOUT OUR
Write a
Read in a Fort Read with a Flashlight Read a Mystery
Write a poem about nature
Family SUPERHERO history STORY
Write and illustrate a
Write about something you’ve for the perfect never done but would really like family meal to try
Read about Science Read in the Car Read a Historical Book
graphic novel
Read a Book Recommended By Someone Else
TO DO
Write a recipe
Week
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STEM Challenge Clean Your Room Help with Dinner
Family Game Night!
SCREEN TIME MONDAY-FRIDAY: WEEKEND:
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FEATURE
AN ARGUMENT for
OUTDOOR PLAY
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SUMMER IS A TIME FOR LEARNING BY ROAMING
PHOTOS: ©QITENG T/ ADOBE STOCK
BY TODD NELSON
“WHY DON’T YOU GO OUTSIDE AND PLAY!” In my generation, this was the stereotypical rant of the parent who wanted some peace and quiet. So, my neighborhood tribe played in the woods. Just across Merriam Street, past the abandoned car graveyard, were mysterious paths through white pine groves, streams and ponds with frogs and pickerel, and the lore we invented for our redoubts and rambles. But it wasn’t play: it was serious exploration, time for ingenuity with sticks and stones, time and space, quiet. Time to observe and, most importantly, to be unobserved. In the woods, we suburban kids could decant our school and family activities and roles — and stretch. Apparently, there was more going on in our outside play than even we woodland Orcs knew. Recent commentaries suggest that contemporary American society is in danger of losing some of the critical benefits of time spent in natural surroundings. Schools are also picking up on recent articles about the loss of rapport with the world outside, what author Richard Louv (“Last Child in the Woods”) called “nature deficit disorder.” It’s the alienation of kids from pine woods experiences. In Maine, we tend to take at face value the beauty, wonder and learning to be had on a stroll by the shore or a walk in the woods, or just a lazy afternoon flopping around on the front lawn. E.O. Wilson, the Harvard biologist, says that we are all still huntergatherers, “and there is something in us, which we do not fully understand, that needs an occasional immersion in nature.” Louv questions the leave-no-child-inside movement in schools and its test-centric focus on learning. “When we challenge schools to incorporate place-based learning in the natural world,” he writes in Orion Magazine, “we will help students realize that school isn’t supposed to be a polite form of incarceration, but a portal to the wider world.” Kids need real wild things and experiences, as well as information. We who live on the shore of the mighty Penobscot River take awe and wonder at nature for granted. Physical benefits of playing outside and breathing fresh air? Preaching to the choir! But I was struck
by this data: “Studies of students in California and nationwide show that schools that use outdoor classrooms and other forms of experiential education produce significant student gains in social studies, science, language arts, and math. “And the benefits go beyond test scores. According to a range of studies, children in outdoor-education settings show increases in self-esteem, problem-solving, and motivation to learn … Research also shows a positive correlation between the length of children’s attention spans and direct experience in nature,” writes Louv. Sitting at a keyboard playing a simulation game is not direct experience — regardless of what it is simulating. I like the role model of Jane Goodall for kids. She is, of course, the founder of “Roots and Shoots,” and the kind of inspired naturalist who bridges science and play. Her path in life is a great model, since her inquiry and powers of observation began as a young child in the family chicken coop, and led to defying the received wisdom of her professors at Cambridge University, followed by her famous field study in Gambia. Nature was her greatest teacher, in the guise of chimpanzees whom she dared to name and socialize with. But her arc of nature studies began in that backyard chicken coop, waiting to see exactly where an egg comes from. Her mother was panicked. They searched high and low. Where was Jane? But her mother had the good sense to listen to Jane’s entire, passionate description of her discovery without overwhelming the child naturalist with her personal alarm. If you say, “Go outside and play,” you have to expect “interesting” consequences. There’s a field of study, a field of endeavor, a conservation trust field outside of town, a field of dreams, a big woods — with kids and their pocket magnifying glasses examining rare butterflies and wildflowers. Perhaps we’re on the verge of fields where such quantum leaps of inquiry and imagination take place that mere test score increases seem paltry measures of learning. Todd R. Nelson is a retired school principal. He lives in Penobscot.
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FEATURE
VACATIONLAND
in the
MID-20TH CENTURY REMEMBERING COASTAL ROUTE 1 STORY & PHOTOS COURTESY OF RICHARD SHAW
WHEN I WAS A CHILD, I heard that if someone straightened out Maine’s craggy coastline, it would stretch nearly 3,500 miles. By 1960, at age 8, I realized the only number that really mattered was 144, the distance from Bangor to Old Orchard Beach, a favorite family destination best reached by coastal U.S. Route 1. In those days, the route was a grab bag of lobster shacks, a Freeport “desert,” tidy white churches and a state prison. The annual ritual began around 1958 when Dad came home one day and asked, “Who wants to spend the weekend in Old Orchard?” Apparently, he and Mom fell in love with the town’s seven miles of white sand beach and glittery wooden pier before they fell for each other around 1940. So they knew OOB in its heyday when Glenn Miller and Frank Sinatra performed to sold-out crowds and a Coney Islandclass roller coaster rumbled long into the night.
(Above) The famous Old Orchard Beach pier and attractions, circa 1955. (Below) Colonial Gables Tourist Court in 1950. COURTESY PENOBSCOT MARINE MUSEUM
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FEATURE
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(1) Heading south on Main Street in Winterport in 1942. (2) No Maine vacation is complete without a stop at Perry’s Nut House, seen here in 1955. (3) Lincolnville Beach and Lobster Pound Restaurant on U.S. Route 1, circa 1960.
(4) Downtown Rockland in 1952. (5) Moody’s Diner In Waldoboro, a Route 1 landmark, circa 1960.
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PHOTOS: TKTK
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Getting to Old Orchard was half the fun. At the crack of dawn, my parents, two siblings and I would pack our suitcases and pile into the station wagon, only to spend one night — always a Saturday — in that York County burgh. A summer road trip in the late 1950s involved hearing the wind blow through open car windows (no air conditioning), and jotting down the names of roadside landmarks to keep our young minds occupied. Around 9 a.m., we always seemed to catch our first glimpse of Penobscot Bay, an inlet of the Atlantic Ocean’s Gulf of Maine, at the junction of U.S. Routes 1A and 1 in Stockton Springs. A half hour later, we passed Perry’s Nuthouse in East Belfast, then headed across the old Armistice Bridge before Dad nosed the orange Plymouth up the steep hill and onto Belfast’s main street. Before noon, when we always stopped for a picnic at Brunswick’s aromatic Bowdoin Pines area, we had passed Rockland’s fish plants, Thomaston’s Gen. Henry Knox mansion and the Maine State Prison, Moody’s Diner in Waldoboro and the abandoned schooners, the Hesper and Luther Little, in Wiscasset. Still to come was a glimpse of the latest ship being built at Bath Iron Works and the Fat Boy Drive-In across from the Brunswick Naval Air Station.
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FEATURE
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(6) Pile Bridge over the Sheepscot River in Wiscasset in 1940. (7) Carlton Bridge and Bath Iron Works, seen here in a 1955 postcard.
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(8) Brunswick Naval Air Station on the old Route 1, circa 1955. (9) Freeport Town Square in 1950. (At left and below) A brochure for the Desert of Maine and the Big Freeport Indian — two famous Route 1 attractions in Freeport.
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(10) The Humpty Dumpty Potato Chip plant on U.S. Route 1 in South Portland, circa 1958. (At Right) A B&M Baked Beans Ad. Spotting the factory on a roadtrip means you’ve made it all the way to Portland.
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After lunch, we hit Freeport’s concrete divided highway before passing through Portland’s city limits, where Mom always claimed she could smell beans cooking in the B&M factory. We passed Baxter Boulevard’s fine homes and the Baxter School for the Deaf, stopped for hot potato chip samples at Humpty Dumpty’s South Portland plant, then breathed the salt air of Scarborough’s marshes. Old Orchard Beach was only minutes away. By 1:30 p.m., we were back in paradise, cruising through Pine Point and past OOB’s beachfront cabins, motels and diners. Always, Quebec French innkeepers, who flocked to the town every summer, would line the road, soliciting our business with signs proclaiming, “Bienvenue! Stay with us!!” John Bishop, a Quebecois with a big belly and a shock of gray hair, always found accommodations for us in his Bel Mer Cabins. I think we were like family to him. Our cabin reeked of leaky propane and its floors shook when a train passed by, but this was our special home for the next 30 hours.
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Long sandy beaches, bustling amusement parks and vacationing couples losing their libidos seemed foreign to my family and me, having grown up in eastern Maine where things were different. This was a strange land waiting to be explored. My family’s memories could have filled a magazine, and I’m sure mine might someday merit a book. There was the day we three Shaw children took a mule cart into the coal mines, part of the town’s amusement district that included a fun house called Noah’s Ark. When the mule stopped and wouldn’t move, we slapped it on the rump to get it going. To the SPCA, I offer my sincere, if belated, apologies. Old Orchard’s glorious food, all of its artery-clogging junk, was so tempting in those pre-statin days. The french fries were swimming in grease, and the cheese on (Above) Noah’s Ark Attraction in Old Orchard Beach in 1955. the ubiquitous pizzas always smelled like (Middle) A multipanel postcard, circa 1950. (Bottom) Richard Shaw’s mother Frances Duran with friend Roland Fowler in 1938 in Old Orchard Beach. someone had hurled onto the dough, but eat it we did. And we returned for more. Some memories are much darker. There was the afternoon in August 1962 that Dad’s transistor radio brought home distressing news that spread like wildfire across the sprawling beach. Marilyn Monroe had been found in her Brentwood apartment, dead at 36. Even at age 10, I remember thinking that the joy had been sucked out of our night at the town’s amusement park. A shining star had just left the building. Sunday found us returning to a much quieter downtown for breakfast, followed by one last stroll on the beach before bidding Old Orchard goodbye. It was strange how different U.S. Route 1 looked in reverse after we had left paradise. But we always had next year’s return ROUTE 1 HAS trip to look forward to. Old Orchard Beach CHANGED, TOO, NOT SO today is a different place, with condominiums MUCH THE MAIN HIGHWAY juxtaposed with the AS A WAY TO GET FROM TOWN old tourist attractions. Route 1 has changed, TO TOWN. MOODY’S DINER AND too, not so much THE DESERT OF MAINE STILL DRAW the main highway as a way to get VISITORS, BUT I WONDER IF THEY from town to town. KNOW WHAT THEY MISSED IN Moody’s Diner and the Desert of Maine THOSE SIMPLER DAYS WHEN still draw visitors, but I wonder if they know GETTING THERE WAS what they missed in those HALF THE FUN. simpler days when getting there was half the fun. 52 / BANGOR METRO June/July 2019
PHOTOS: TKTK
FEATURE
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PHOTO: ©ROBERT KNESCHKE/ ADOBE STOCK
FEATURE
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When is it
TOO HOT? HOW HOT IS TOO HOT FOR YOUR KIDS TO PLAY OUTSIDE? BY KATIE SMITH
SUMMER IS HERE. Children want to run around and play. Many look forward to time outdoors enjoying the beautiful weather while it lasts. But it’s important to know that children can get very hot very quickly and need help to stay hydrated — or know when it’s too hot to play outside. Especially when my children were young, it seemed like they weren’t even aware of the temperature at all. They could keep going and going if I didn’t make them stop for a drink, a dip in the pool or a quick hose down. Bangor Metro talked with doctors who educated us on when it’s too hot for our kids to be outside in the summer months, what we can do to protect them before going out in the warm weather and signs to look for in our kids if we think they might be getting overheated. ACTIVITY LEVEL MATTERS How active are your kids? That will help determine when is too hot for them to play outside. “If they are running around in direct sunlight, a lot of kids will overheat in minutes even in the high 80s,” said Gina Posner, a pediatrician at MemorialCare Orange Coast Medical Center in Fountain Valley, Calif. It also matters how they are being active. If it’s 100 degrees and they are swimming, playing with water toys and in the shade, going outside is okay if you are keeping a close eye on them. A good rule of thumb, said S. Daniel Ganjuan, a pediatrician at John’s Health Center in Santa Monica, Calif., is to pay attention to how you feel outside. “If it’s too hot for you, it’s too hot for your kids,” Ganjuan said. So, even if you are sweating while sitting under the shade, and they seem fine, it’s best not to risk it.
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FEATURE
NEVER SKIMP ON WATER, SHADE OR SUNSCREEN So what can a parent do? Make sure your kids have shade, plenty of water and sunscreen whenever they are outside. Also, try to avoid spending long periods in direct sunlight. Ganjuan also recommends dressing your children in
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light, long sleeve clothing. Always apply a safe sunscreen on children over 6 months old. This should be reapplied every two hours and after water play in order to be effective. Babies under 6 months old should not use any kind of sunscreen though, Ganjuan said. With children that young, sun exposure should be avoided all together. “Their skin is extra sensitive,” Ganjuan said. Also, it’s important to note that the younger the child, the more likely they will overheat. “[They] are less likely to feel and understand the dangers of extreme heat,” Hoff said. WARNING SIGNS TO LOOK FOR If you are already outside on a warm day, it’s especially important to keep checking your children for signs of overheating. Posner and Ganjuan both say to watch out for warning signs of overheating. “[These include] fever, decreased number of wet diapers, cranky behavior or being overly tired,” said Posner. If you notice these symptoms, they suggest a lukewarm bath, plenty of fluids and a call to your pediatrician.
PHOTO: SERGEY NOVIKOV/ADOBE STOCK
PAY ATTENTION TO THE HEAT INDEX Are you familiar with the heat index? That’s the measure of how hot it feels based on the temperature and humidity. For instance, an 88 degree day with 70 percent humidity feels like 100 degrees according to a chart prepared by the National Weather Service. (You can view that chart here: www.weather.gov/safety/heat-index.) Caitlin Hoff, a health and safety Investigator for Consumersafety.org said that keeping an eye on the heat index is a smart thing to do. “When the heat index is 100 degrees or more, heat exhaustion is much more probable without safety measures taken,” Hoff said.
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FEATURE
LOG ROLLING &
HAVE YOU SEEN MAINE’S LUMBERJACK SHOW? BY ROSEMARY LAUSIER
EVERY SUMMER as my family and I drove back and forth from Acadia National Park, we would pass by the same souvenir stores and lobster pounds that were staples along Route 1A. But there was always one place that I was desperate to visit: Timber Tina’s Great Maine Lumberjack Show in Trenton. Born and raised in Maine, I knew of the rich logging history of our state and how Maine was the birthplace of the lumberjack legend, Paul Bunyon (sorry Michigan, Minnesota and Wisconsin). But what exactly was a Lumberjack Show?
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Lumberjacks Eric Goode (left) and Jack Weeks practice speed climbing at The Great Maine Lumberjack Show. PHOTO: GABOR DEGRE | BDN
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FEATURE A few years ago, I finally went and it was nothing like I had expected. A group of Lumber “Jacks” and “Jills”, led by Timber Tina Scheer, then famous to me as the woman from “Survivor: Panama,” demonstrated a number of lumberjack sports from log rolling and log climbing, to ax throwing and crosscut sawing. In between events, Timber Tina explained the history of the Maine logging industry and the different tools and materials used to make such a show possible. She taught us the official Lumberjack call “YO-HO,” which my family will use on occasion today. Only in Maine can you see a show like this.
(Below) Wood chips fly as “Timber” Tina Scheer shows Sam Smith how to prepare a log for the underhand chop during practice for The Great Maine Lumberjack Show.
WHAT IS A LUMBERJACK SHOW? Timber Tina’s Great Maine Lumberjack Show, which runs a little over an hour, showcases 12 different lumberjack sports such as log rolling, underhand chopping, pole climbing, ax throwing, crosscut sawing and power hot sawing. Throughout the show, Scheer and her crew explain each sport and how it relates to lumbering in Maine, and offers showgoers the chance to participate. Scheer says between 50 and 250 people attend every show. It runs rain or shine. Scheer starts preparing the Lumberjack Show site in MidApril, about two months before the first show. She clears away the downed trees, trims the driveway, rakes, repairs and prepares the tools needed. 60 / BANGOR METRO June/July 2019
PHOTOS: (PAST PHOTOS) COURTESY OF TIMBER TINA SCHEER; (NEW) GABOR DEGRE | BDN
(Above) The Scheer siblings at The Lumberjack World Championships in the late 70s.
TINA SCHEER: FROM WISCONSIN TO MAINE Scheer grew up in Hayward, Wisconsin, the home of the annual Lumberjack World Championship, which was started in 1960. When Scheer was 7-years-old, her mother Joann signed Scheer and her five older siblings for logging lessons. Those lessons soon turned into a lifelong passion for Scheer. “As little kids, that’s all we ever did. We would log roll every day, all summer long,” said Scheer. Forty years ago, Scheer and her two brothers decided to start Scheer’s Lumberjack Show in Hayward. Tina played the “little sister” role in that show for 15 years. Originally, a Hayward-based show, they started participating in traveling shows and fairs where their hobby turned into a year-round profession. The family show, still ongoing today, expanded and now includes two more shows in Wisconsin, The Great Alaskan Lumberjack Show in Ketchikan, Alaska and Timber Tina’s Great Maine Lumberjack Show, which Tina started in Trenton in 1996. Growing up in the early 1970s, the Scheers visited Bar Harbor during the summers. With the booming tourism from Acadia National Park, Bar Harbor and the logging history of Maine, Scheer knew growing her business in Trenton was a match for her and purchased 35 acres of land for the project when she left the family show in 1996 to pursue her own business. Scheer says it took a lot of promotion and dedication to get the show up and running. “I grew up in [the] industry,” said Scheer. “I took for granted that people would know what [a Lumberjack Show] was.” One thing that helped get the word out was the STIHL TIMBERSPORTS Series on ESPN. Scheer’s Show site served as the host site in 1997, 1998, 2000 and 2001. Announcer Tommy Sanders would also do a Saturday morning block for his show, ESPN Outdoors, from Bar Harbor, Acadia and the surrounding areas, helping to promote the area and the business. Scheer served as Master of Ceremonies for the series for 15 years from 1990 until 2004.
“Timber” Tina Scheer with her first lumberjack crew.
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FEATURE
Most of the trees she and her crew use are poplar and come from the Ellsworth Log Yard. The perfect tree to chop on, Scheer said, is one with fresh wood that’s soft. She said they get the fresh wood, water it and cover it to keep it soft and makes sure it stays good for as long as possible. The crew also uses Western Red Cedar Trees for climbing and rolling as they float better than any timber. Scheer said they use up to roughly 16 feet of wood a day and they cut and sell the leftover material to local campers. Scheer’s team undergo training a couple of times a week for six weeks to learn each event. Everyone has to learn a script, as the show focuses on family entertainment. Scheer said she has had a few high schoolers, a school teacher and local blacksmith participate in the show. Scheer also holds Lumber “Jack” and “Jill” lessons for those who want to learn some of the events featured in the show. Participants can choose to take a log rolling lesson or learn the “full lumberjack experience” by adding crosscut saw and ax throwing to the lesson. When not in season, Scheer is on the road with her Chicks with Axes group 62 / BANGOR METRO June/July 2019
who perform indoors or down South during the winter. Scheer said she no longer does summer shows away from the site anymore; however, tourists can see Scheer and her crew showcasing their skills during the annual Fourth of July parade in Bar Harbor. THE FUTURE OF LUMBER SPORTS Beyond lumberjack shows, there are competitions. Scheer was once an avid competitor who competed in Australia, Africa and Germany. When she first began competing in Australia, it was a men’s sport. But after a couple years of entering men’s events, women’s woodchopping events were added. “It was hard,” said Scheer. “I went there to compete because they didn’t have women there and I wanted them to.” Today, lumberjack competitions are held throughout the world. Scheer no longer competes, but she is still active in an advisory role. She said a majority of competitors today are from local colleges and universities. Logging, once a popular occupation in Maine, is less of an occupation these days
as demand for paper products and paper has dwindled. But Scheer said that the history and athleticism of the profession remains in the shows and competitions. Her show is a part of that. “It’s a privilege for us to have people come see the show and laugh, enjoy it and learn something,” said Scheer. “I like to be able to carry on the tradition from the Maine lumberjacks and have people enjoy it.” Scheer said that the show continues to grow every year and more tourists, and Mainers, have continued to come. Entering her 24th year as the head of Timber Tina’s Great Maine Lumberjack Show, Scheer shows no signs of slowing down. “I’m going to keep doing it until I don’t do it anymore,” she said. “Most people call me the energizer bunny.” Timber Tina’s Great Maine Lumberjack show will open 7 p.m. June 15-Aug. 25 at 127 Bar Harbor Rd. Tickets are $13 adults, $12 seniors (63+), $9 children (411), free for children ages 4 and under, available online, at the door or at the site’s Blue Ox Gift Shop.
PHOTO: GABOR DEGRE | BDN
Participants practice for the season opening of The Great Maine Lumberjack Show.
GET OUT
THE FOOD EDITION
GET OUT:
The FOOD
EDITION EATING AROUND MAINE OFFERS MANY OPTIONS STORY & PHOTOS BY JULIA BAYLY
SOMEONE ONCE TOLD ME living in Maine is like being on vacation all year. When you stop and think about all the state has to offer in the way of natural beauty, culture, history, art, food, festivals and music it’s hard to disagree with that statement. Did I mention the food? When it comes to dining out in Maine, the state is a foodie’s dream come true. Whether you are looking for a family-friendly place to take the kids, a Mainecentric restaurant for your out-of-town guests, a romantic hideaway for a special dinner or a place you can run in, grab a bite and be on your way, Maine has you covered. I will admit to hunting out eating destinations with a Grail quest intensity. I encourage you to blaze your own Maine foodies trail, and to get you started these are my six picks for where to eat and what to have this summer.
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THE FAMILY DOG 6 MILL STREET, ORONO, 207-866-2808 WWW.THEFAMILYDOGORONO.COM DISTANCE FROM BANGOR: 9 MILES | ABOUT 15 MINUTES
Family friendly meets dog friendly at this casual eatery in Orono’s downtown. The menu is, in a word, eclectic. It features a dizzying array of options and combinations to build your own grilled all-beef burger, grilled chicken breast, grilled portabella burger, grilled black bean burger or grilled hot dog. With topping choices that include standards like mustard, pickles and onions to the more adventurous items like creole relish, spicy Thai slaw and avocado salsa spread you could eat there every day all summer and never have the same thing twice.
What’s Cool WHAT’S COOL: Four-footed dogs are welcome at the Family Dog which supplies drinking bowls and fresh water out on the terrace and picnic area adjacent to the restaurant. On a Maine summer afternoon, what’s better than enjoying a ‘dog with your doggy best friend?
SIGNATURE ITEM: The Xolo [pronounced Sholo], a combination of the house avocado salsa spread, chopped lettuce, pepper jack cheese and Cajun mayo. You can order it as a burger, dog, chicken sandwich or veggie burger. MY PICK: When it comes to burgers and dogs, I’m surprisingly a simple gal. When I stop in at the The Family Dog, I usually leave after enjoying the Deli Dog — a grilled hotdog topped with sauerkraut and mustard. HOURS: Monday-Saturday 7 a.m. to 10 p.m.; Sunday 9 a.m. to 9 p.m. The Family Dog also serves a full breakfast Monday-Friday from 7 a.m. to 11 a.m., Saturdays from 7 a.m. to 2 p.m. and on Sundays from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m.
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GET OUT
THE FOOD EDITION
KELLY’S LANDING ROUTE 15 GREENVILLE JUNCTION, 207-695-4438 WWW.KELLYSATMOOSEHEAD.COM DISTANCE FROM BANGOR: 70 MILES | ABOUT 1.5 HOURS
You know a place is a true destination when it’s accessible by land, air and water. Smack on the shores of the west cove on Moosehead Lake, Kelly’s Landing welcomes people who come from far and near all year round by seaplane, skiplane, 4-wheelers, snowmobiles, motorcycles and cars. With breakfast, lunch and dinner menus full of what the owners call “family fare,” there is really something for everyone. For breakfast you can build your own omelette with your choice of cheeses, meats and veggies, or go for the Belgian waffles with wild Maine blueberry sauce. Lunch features everything from burgers and sandwiches to the “From Downeast lunch” with your choice of fresh haddock fillet, fried shrimp, scallops or Maine clams. The dinner menu includes everything from meal-sized Caesar salads to pesto shrimp scampi to hickory smoked ribs — two pounds of pork ribs slow smoked with Kelly’s own bourbon and onion sauce — for the meat lovers in your group. SIGNATURE ITEM: Kelly’s seafood chowder is something people travel for miles to order. And who wouldn’t log some serious miles to enjoy a buttery, creamy chowder full of haddock, shrimp, scallops and lobster? Add a side of Maine lobster cakes topped with sundried tomato and rosemary butter and it’s a Maine-centric meal that’s hard to beat. WHAT’S COOL: In the
What’s Cool
MY PICK: I’m a fan of a good Reuben sandwich and the Reuben at Kelly’s ranks as among the best I’ve had outside a New York City deli. It’s made with Kelly’s cooked-in-house corned beef, sauerkraut, thousand island dressing with swiss cheese served — of course — on good rye bread. HOURS: Daily 8 a.m. to 9 p.m.
summer sit on the waterfront patio and watch the seasplanes land or take off from Moosehead Lake or enjoy the calls of the loons, geese and merganser that call the lake’s west cove area their home.
What’s Cool
WHAT’S COOL: There are few
places that can boast the longevity and customer dedication of Helen’s. To me, it is among the quintessential Maine dining experiences with amazing food, friendly people and enough local color to get a true picture of the downeast Maine culture.
HELEN’S RESTAURANT 111 MAIN STREET, MACHIAS, 207-255-8423 WWW.HELENSRESTAURANTMACHIAS.COM. DISTANCE FROM BANGOR: 85 MILES, 1.5 HOURS
People have been having breakfast, lunch or dinner seven days a week at Helen’s for nearly seven decades. This Down East landmark was closed for almost a year after a fire destroyed the restaurant building in 2014. But owners Julie and David Barker were not about to abandon their patrons. In May 2019, 10 months after the fire, they were up and running again in a brand new building
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OLD MILL PUB 39 WATER STREET, SKOWHEGAN, 207-474-6627 WWW.OLDMILLPUB.NET. DISTANCE FROM BANGOR: 55 MILES, 1 HOUR
What’s Cool
WHAT’S COOL: On Thursday
and Saturday evenings in the summer the Old Mill Pub has live entertainment featuring local talent in the upstairs dining area. Enjoy listening to bands and solo acts while you dine and drink in the restaurant or out on the deck overlooking the Kennebec River.
Housed in a former grain mill and perched on the banks of the Kennebec River, the Old Mill Pub is everything a great pub restaurant should be, and more. I love pub-style food and at Old Mill I found a menu packed with enough choices to keep anyone coming back again and again. And like so many great Maine restaurants that menu skews heavily toward locally sourced ingredients. Like the soft-baked pub pretzels made fresh daily at nearby Maine Bankery (www.thebankery.com), a bakery housed in a 1864 bank building. The pretzels come with a beer cheese dip made with DoorYard Ale brewed at Skowhegan’s Oak Pond Brewing Company (www.oakpondbrewery.com). Maine seafood takes center stage — or plate, if you will — in dishes like seafood scampi with Maine haddock and Maine scallops; fish and chips with Maine haddock; fresh Maine haddock tacos; or the haddock sandwich served baked or fried. To wash it all down you can choose from among a range of Maine-brewed beers, including four brewed right in Skowhegan at Oak Pond Brewery and Bigelow Brewing Company (www.bigelowbrewing.com). SIGNATURE ITEM: The pub’s Bangers and Mash pay an edible homage to the eatery’s commitment to all things Irish. With three Irish sausages on top of garlic mashed potatoes covered in house-made Oak Pond Brewing Company nut brown gravy. MY PICK: The Pub Club is a sandwich piled with sliced ham or turkey, bacon, swiss cheese locally sourced artisan greens and tomatoes. HOURS: Open daily 11:30 a.m. to 9 p.m. and on Fridays until 10 p.m.
built at their original location. Right away they were serving sandwiches and in-house created specials featuring ingredients sourced directly from local Washington County farmers, fishermen and specialty food producers. And those local ingredients find their way into everything from crab meat cannelloni to goat cheese salad to perhaps the ultimate in comfort food — Helen’s classic pot roast with potatoes and gravy. And that’s all well and good, but a lot of people come to Helen’s for one thing and one thing only: Pie. Helen’s makes pies from scratch daily using seasonal Maine fillings like blueberries, apples, rhubarb or pumpkin. The folks at Helen’s promise a slice of their pie will be remembered for life.
SIGNATURE ITEM: The fish chowder at Helen’s is fresh, simple and probably the most popular thing on the menu — after pie, of course. The chowder is made fresh daily from scratch with haddock, potatoes, onions, butter, dill and cream. MY PICK: In a word, pie. In two words, blueberry pie. Want more words? A’la mode. I’m not alone in this. Helen’s baked wild blueberry pie has received praise by food writers in Life Magazine, National Geographic Traveler, Parade Magazine, Yankee Magazine and by celebrity chef Rachael Ray. HOURS: Monday to Saturday, 6 a.m. to 8 p.m. and Sundays 7 a.m. to 2 p.m.
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GET OUT
THE FOOD EDITION
MISS PORTLAND DINER 140 MARGINAL WAY, PORTLAND, 207-210-6673 WWW.MISSPORTLANDDINER.COM DISTANCE FROM BANGOR: 130 MILES, 2 HOURS
Next to pub fare, I do love good diner food and the Miss Portland Diner is the whole package. According to the diner’s website, “There is nothin’ finer than a Worcester Diner,” was the slogan of the old Worcester Lunch Car Company that specialized in small, handcrafted diners with marble countertops, hardwood booths and porcelain exteriors. The Miss Portland Diner is a genuine 1949 Worcester Lunch Car Company diner. More to the point, it’s diner car No. 818, which has served hungry Portland-goers for decades.
Breakfast is often called the most important meal of the day, so why not head to the Miss Portland for one of their specialties like steak and eggs, corned beef hash or blueberry pancakes. Later in the day consider a burger or hotdog served with house-made potato chips or, if you are really hungry, how about an order of baked macaroni and cheese made with cavatappi pasta smothered with housemade five-cheese sauce and topped with crumbled crackers. There’s always room for dessert, especially when it’s a whoopie pie cake with a scoop of ice cream.
SIGNATURE ITEM: For breakfast it's corned beef hash, as a meal in and of itself, or as the key ingredient in the diner’s Irish eggs Benedict. But it does not stop there since the folks at the Miss Portland Diner also want you to know about the lunchtime haddock reuben and supper menu’s hot turkey plate. MY PICK: My go-to is the traditional eggs benedict with Canadian bacon and housemade hollandaise sauce. On a Sunday when combined with a great cup of coffee and some good friends, it’s pretty tough to beat. HOURS: Sunday to Wednesday, 7 a.m. to 3 p.m.; Thursday to Saturday, 7 a.m. to 8 p.m.
What’s Cool WHAT’S COOL: The Miss Portland Diner achieved a bit of Hollywood fame when it had a cameo appearance in the 1993 Mel Gibson movie “The Man Without a Face.”
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BIG RICK’S BURGERS & WINGS 284 MAIN STREET, MADAWASKA, 207-728-9098 DISTANCE FROM BANGOR: 200 MILES | ABOUT 4 HOURS YES, BIG RICK’S IS AT THE TOP OF MAINE, 200 MILES AND FOUR-HOURS OF DRIVING NORTH FROM THE BANGOR AREA. AND YES, IT IS TOTALLY WORTH THE ROAD TRIP. TRUST ME ON THIS.
What’s Cool WHAT’S COOL: Every August Madawaska hosts Poutine Palooza as part of the annual Acadian Festival. It’s a perfect time to check out all the poutine varieties offered by Big Rick’s. While there, check out — or join — a poutine eating contest.
As the name implies they have wings. Man-oh-man do they have wings. Giant, meaty chicken wings available breaded or “naked” and drenched in one of 23 available sauces ranging from the traditional mild or hot barbeque sauces to spicy Sriracha sauce to habanero mango to garlic parmesan. Don’t forget to ask for extra napkins. Big Rick’s also serves boneless chicken versions of their wings that are every bit as good as bone-in. Then there is the poutine, that Quebec-inspired dish of layered French-fried potatoes, cheese curds and gravy. On this side of the US-Canadian border they have kicked it up a notch or two at Big Rick’s with specialty poutine like shrimp alfredo with jumbo shrimp and alfredo cheese sauce; the Steak Bomb with steak, onions and red and green peppers; Loaded Chili with chili, cheese and sour cream; or the Pizza Poutine with pepperoni, cheese and pizza sauce. These same combinations — and more — are also available on Big Rick’s pizzas. Simply put, Big Rick’s is a carb-lover’s dream come true, where they vow you will never leave hungry. SIGNATURE ITEM: Get ready to fall in love with the Sweetheart Poutine. Locally sourced fried sweet potatoes with popcorn chicken, crumbled bacon and sharp white cheddar cheese all topped with a homemade maple cream sauce. MY PICK: Wings. Specifically naked wings with Big Rick’s maple-bourbon sauce. When I was placing my order and having a very difficult time narrowing down my wing sauce choice, a regular recommend the maple-bourbon sauce, telling me it would change my life. I can’t say it did change my life, but it sure made we want to go back for seconds. HOURS: Daily from 11 a.m. to 11 p.m.
So there you have it, more than a trail of breadcrumbs, it’s a trail of food, drink and fun that takes you to and from all corners of Maine and back home again. Quite possibly with a doggy bag but definitely with a satisfied pallet.
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WOODS & WATERS
CAMP MEALS,
revealed
OUR INTREPID COLUMNIST PUT CAMP MEALS TO THE TEST BY BOB DUCHESNE
I AM NOT A FOOD CRITIC. In fact, I don’t know the difference between a gourmet and a gourmand. This tale starts innocently. In 2012, my wife and I camped our way across Newfoundland. Knowing that grocery stores were few and far between, we packed a couple of dehydrated camp meals for emergencies. As it turned out, we didn’t need them. Five years later, while camping on Scraggly Lake northeast of Baxter State Park, we finally broke out the package of Mountain House Freeze-dried Lasagna and prepared ourselves for culinary disappointment. It was awesome. Despite sitting on the shelf for half a decade, it actually tasted like lasagna. Were all their offerings this good? I went to Epic Sports in Bangor and invested heavily in two brands. Since Mountain House provided the inspiration, I grabbed an assortment of their meals. Then, I doubled down and purchased several Good-ToGo packages. This Maine brand is made in Kittery, and the packaging is witty. Apparently, I’m easily impressed. Lacking a food critic’s rational scoring system, I devised my own, dumbing it down to suit my needs. Does the meal resemble the food it pretends to be? (I don’t ask for much.) Does most of the flavor come from salt? (Mind you, I’m not opposed to eating salted cardboard on a camping trip.) Does the list of ingredients include unpronounceable chemical preservatives? Would I eat this slop at home? Camp food inevitably tastes better while camping. So, first up: Good-To-Go “Kale and White Bean Stew,” eaten on our first night in the Florida Everglades during a mid-March adventure. It was a
THE PACKAGES ARE WATERPROOF, ABLE TO WITHSTAND HIKING IN A DOWNPOUR, SWAMPING IN A CANOE, OR THE CONSTANT RAIN OF MY TYPICAL CAMPING VACATION.
gluten-free vegan meal — all the things I distrust about modern cuisine. The only preparation needed to prepare both brands is to pour boiling water into a resealable pouch, wait a few minutes, stir and serve. The Good-To-Go meals focus on using all-natural ingredients, nothing chemicalsounding. In fact, the Stew package proudly proclaims that all ingredients are pronounceable. The flavor was good, texture acceptable. We did spice it up a bit and added salt. We scored it 7 out of 10, which is a good score, considering that I generally avoid kale and white beans. The Good-To-Go Chicken Gumbo also satisfied, though I might quibble that the rehydrated okra was a bit chewy. But that’s okra for you. The Thai Curry contained sodium caseinate, but that’s merely a milk protein…or so I’m told. On our first morning in the Everglades, we tried the Breakfast Skillet by Mountain House. The recipe for this egg, sausage, and hash browns mixture was apparently found in King Tut’s tomb, because on the back of the package, it advises: “best if
used by Aug 2048.” 2048?! Forget about stocks and bonds. Lay aside a pile of these, and cash them in 30 years from now. They’ll appreciate. The Mountain House products do contain a few unpronounceable preservatives, but the meals are also heavy on nutrition. Vitamins are added, protein emphasized, calories limited. For the through-hiker or expedition-paddler, the meal is darn near perfect, even if it takes 30 years to reach your destination. However, you have to understand that the egg, sausage, and hash browns are all mixed together, not in separate piles as in a diner. No matter, I rated it an 8. My more-discerning wife scored it a 6 but was willing to go to 7 if allowed to augment with Tabasco. The Mountain House Pasta Primavera was more like a soup than a bowl of rotini, but the vegetables tasted as if they were fresh. Mountain House meals are saltier than Good-To-Go, but not excessively
so. The flavors in both are complex. They tasted like recipes out of a cookbook — more culinary quality than I expected from freeze-dried meals. Mountain House even makes a dehydrated ice cream bar. Everyone should try one. But only one. I would characterize it as having the taste of vanilla-flavored cotton candy, and the consistency of a crumbly communion wafer. Nice try. All told, both freeze-dried meal lines are healthful, flavorful, and convenient. They are lightweight. A 2-serving packet is roughly five ounces. The packages are waterproof, able to withstand hiking in a downpour, swamping in a canoe, or the constant rain of my typical camping vacation. You can even eat them right out of the packet, with no dishes to wash and little trash to carry out. I’m sold. These meals will now go on all of my expeditions. Especially if I’m on a 30-year mission to Mars.
BOB DUCHESNE is a local radio personality, Maine guide, and columnist. He lives on Pushaw Lake with his wife, Sandi.
www.bangormetro.com BANGOR METRO / 71
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THE VIEW FROM HERE
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Summer LOVIN’z
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BY EMILY MORRISON
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On the night I turned 40 I was busy working, trying to beat a deadline when in my inbox I received an email letting me know I’d been nominated for Hancock County Teacher of the Year. The nominee was a student I’d had over 10 years ago, a bright, lovely girl with a wicked laugh and sparkling sense of humor. I was beyond touched that one, she remembered me well, and two, she took the time out of her up-and-coming life to recognize mine. In that moment I understood two things it’s taken me a lifetime to learn. I’ve spent half of my life loving and uplifting young people. I give them hugs, rides, back-to-school supplies, clothing, food, even household items when they run out. Now, some of you may think, are you crazy, lady? Haven’t you got your own mouths to feed? Don’t you know you can’t save them all? Believe me, I know I’ve got kids to feed. My oven timer won’t stop dinging in my ear as I write this. I also know that every one of my students is somebody else’s kid, and if I can’t show compassion to someone else’s child because I’m afraid of ruffling a few others, well, that’s a sad, sorry way to live. When I think about all the kids I’ve loved over the years, all the pictures splayed over my classroom walls, the knick-knacks, the cards, the torn out pieces of notebook paper written hastily to say “thank you” on the last day of class, it strikes me now why articulating this feeling has always been so hard for me. How can you explain the miracle of real, true love? How can you ever quantify what believing in your students and their belief in you means to the rest of the world? Well, here goes. It’s almost as amazing as June, July, and August.
PHOTO: ©MACONDOS/ADOBE STOCK
SHOW ME A TEACHER who doesn’t love summer, and I’ll show you my pet unicorn. There’s just no better time to be an educator than in the sunny season. My mom used to have a sweatshirt with a calendar on it that said, “Three Reasons to Teach: June, July, and August,” but she only wore it around the house. Nobody but nobody likes a gloater, nor did she welcome public shunning in aisle nine of Shop ’n Save. Don’t get me wrong — Mom loved her job, so much so she taught driver’s ed during much of her time off, but who amongst us cannot relate? Who doesn’t love a vacation? Lately, I’ve been thinking a lot about teaching. By this I mean, I’ve spent 12 hours of each of the last 7 days writing nonstop about my calling, my life’s work, my bread and butter as they say. Surprisingly enough, I haven’t run out of words yet. I’ve been meaning to write this book for a long time, and when I hit 40 this year I realized there’s no time like the present to begin. In my book, I talk about what I believe to be at my center and the center of good teaching: love. At the risk of sounding like the fifth member of The Beatles, I can tell you truer words were never sung than “All You Need is Love.” In life, in teaching, in just about everything under the sun, love is all you need. I know that some may find this too simplistic, or perhaps too unrealistic. Either way, it’s taken me a while to share my belief for the same reason my mother feared wearing her sweatshirt in public. I thought people would think I was bragging about what an amazing teacher I am. Or worse, they’d criticize me because I love my students. Honestly, I’m not sure I care anymore. No, that’s not exactly true. I’ve realized that I care more. I care more about being a good teacher who cares and challenges her students than I do about what other people think about my methods. How can anything that’s rooted in love be wrong?
EMILY MORRISON is a high school English teacher, freelance writer and editor from coastal Maine. She is living happily-ever-after with her handsome husband, three beautiful children and two beloved dogs. And a cat.