MarchApril Proof

YOUR

ECO-

FRIENDLY

LIFE

CYCLING TO WORK 7 GREAT TRAILS TO TRY FOR FUN

FROM BREWERY

TO BAKERY GRAINS GET SECOND LIFE

$5.95

March/April 2018

PLUS MUD-FREE HIKES FOR THE SPRING THAW

CONTENTS

JANUARY 2018

FEATURES 11 NAME OF STORY Short description 13 NAME OF STORY Short description 13 NAME OF STORY Short description

IN EVERY ISSUE 08 WHAT’S HAPPENING Local news & sightings

11

NAME OF STORY

11

NAME OF STORY

18 OBSESSIONS What we can’t get enough of this month 72 THEN & NOW Tktktk 80 LAST WORD Tktktk

ON THE COVER Short description

2 / BANGOR METRO March/April 2018

ARTS & ENTERTAINMENT

FOOD & DRINK

HEALTH & FITNESS

11 NAME OF STORY Short description

11 NAME OF STORY Short description

13 NAME OF STORY Short description

13 NAME OF STORY Short description

HOW TO

HOME & FAMILY

OUTSIDE

11 NAME OF STORY Short description

11 NAME OF STORY Short description

11 NAME OF STORY Short description

13 NAME OF STORY Short description

13 NAME OF STORY Short description

13 NAME OF STORY Short description

11 NAME OF STORY Short description 13 NAME OF STORY Short description

www.bangormetro.com BANGOR METRO / 3

EDITOR’S NOTE

With a few whacks and some rolling with a rolling pin, Fork & Spoon baker Lee-Russel Dunn smooths a block of butter into a thin rectangle.

He does the same with a second block of butter, creating a second thin butter rectangle. Next comes the dough, dotted with bits of spent grain from a local brewery.

The dough is cut into four portions, rolled out and then topped with the butter sheet. Then the dough is folded in from the corners, covering the butter sheet. Dunn rolls it out again.

The aroma in the kitchen at the Main Street eatery is rich and yeasty. Despite single digit temperatures outside, it’s toasty. There are loaves of bread coming from the ovens.

Doughs are proofing.

Inside this kitchen, Dunn is doing something special: transforming grain that might otherwise go to waste into doughs for croissants and pretzels and helping to ensure that spent grain produced by a Bangor brewery isn’t going to waste.

When I visited the bakery for our story on page 50, I was heartened to learn that not only are they using spent grains in their baking but they’re looking at ways to reduce their waste. Likewise, Novio’s in Bangor is doing the same.

Sustainability in restaurants (see that story on page 52) means finding ways to use spare produce and unserved scraps to create new dishes. And for some local restaurants it means becoming their own supplier.

WELCOME TO THE ECO-FRIENDLY ISSUE OF BANGOR METRO. Beyond restaurants, we’ve got some great insights on commuting to work via bike (page 54), upcycling old sweaters into cozy hand mitts (page 30), urban homesteading (page 36) and so much more.

We hope you love this issue and learn something new.

BEST,

SARAH WALKER CARON, EDITOR

Connect With Us Online bangormetro.com facebook.com/BangorMetro @BangorMetro bangormetro talkback@bangormetro.com 4 / BANGOR METRO March/April 2018

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

Emily Burnham eburnham@bangordailynews.com

Find your perfect

AUDIENCE

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Advertise your business in BANGOR METRO! CALL 990-8134 for details

CONTRIBUTING WRITERS & PHOTOGRAPHERS

Katie Bingham-Smith, Abby Curtis, Gabor Degre, Bob Duchesne, Jodi Hersey,

bangormetro.com

Emily Morrison, Crystal Sands

www.bangormetro.com BANGOR METRO / 5

MEET OUR CONTRIBUTORS

Meet ABIGAIL CURTIS WHAT'S YOUR FAVORITE STORY OR ESSAY YOU'VE WORKED ON RECENTLY? I really enjoyed learning

Bangor Metro Magazine. March/April 2018, Vol. 14, No. 3.

Copyright © Bangor Publishing Company.

Bangor Metro is published 10 times annually by Bangor Publishing Company. All rights reserved.

more about the hardy bicycle commuters of Maine (see page 54) and feel a bit inspired to dust off my mountain bike to try biking to work, although probably I will wait until the weather gets better.

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.

WHERE DO YOU WRITE? At the BDN

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.

Belfast bureau or my kitchen table.

WHAT'S YOUR BEST ADVICE FOR WANNABE WRITERS? Just get started and put something down on the page. You can always make a bad draft better, but you can’t do anything to improve a draft that doesn’t yet exist.

WHO INSPIRES YOU? Oh, there are so many great writers and journalists I love

Editorial: Queries should be sent to Sarah Walker Caron at scaron@bangordailynews.com.

Advertising: For advertising questions, please call the Sales Director Todd McLeod at 207-990-8105.

it’s hard to pick just one. But I always go back to Ruth Moore, a 20th century novelist who wrote about life on the Maine coast with grit, beauty and with a powerful honesty.

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.

WHAT'S THE BEST THING YOU'VE EATEN RECENTLY? Mussels in spicy

Accounts Payable/Receivable: For information about your account please contact Todd McLeod at 207-990-8105.

lemongrass broth at Long Grain in Camden, which is one of my favorite winter treats.

COVER: Linda Coan O’Kresik | BDN

Meet CRYSTAL SANDS WHAT'S YOUR FAVORITE STORY OR ESSAY YOU'VE WORKED ON RECENTLY? My favorite essay I’m working on right now is a piece about Tom Petty’s writing process for a critical collection of essays on Tom Petty’s work.

Digging into someone else’s very successful writing process has taught me so much about my own process and reaffirmed my training as a writing professor. It’s been fascinating to see how such a successful writer worked.

WHERE DO YOU WRITE? I write anywhere and

writing. There’s a lot of noise out there, and it’s hard to get people to listen and read your work. But I have found that my own love for writing is what keeps me going. Once writing becomes a part of who you are, it won’t matter if you get published or not. You’ll keep going because you have to.

everywhere. I generally must compose on my laptop, which I carry around everywhere—just in case, but I’ve been known to grab scratch paper and write paragraphs and outlines while waiting at the doctor’s office or while waiting in the parent waiting room while my son’s in orchestra class. I don’t think it’s ideal, but it’s just kind of a reality for a busy working mom.

My writing is a joy, but it can be difficult to squeeze it in. I have learned that I have to be really flexible.

WHO INSPIRES YOU? My inspiration is absolutely

WHAT'S YOUR BEST ADVICE FOR WANNABE WRITERS? My best advice to beginning writers is to just

The best book I read last year was “The Hidden Life of Trees”

by Peter Wohlleben. I love Wohlleben’s storytelling style, and the content was life changing for me.

keep at it, write a lot, and find a motivation within yourself for

6 / BANGOR METRO March/April 2018

my husband. He’s a brilliant writer, the kind of “old school” brilliant writer that makes you feel like you’re reading Capote or someone like that. He’s masterful with our language and has a vocabulary that I can’t quite fathom. I enjoy reading his writing so much that it kind of keeps all of this fun for me, and that’s important, I think.

WHAT’S THE BEST BOOK YOU READ LAST YEAR?

We are the first and only Maine hospital to be part of the Dana-Farber Cancer Care Collaborative.

Cancer puts life on hold, but we put you a step ahead. As one of only four hospitals nationwide to be part of the Dana-Farber Cancer Care Collaborative, our care team gives you every advantage. We consult with experts on the latest treatments and clinical trials, and can offer them to you close to home. And when needed, our patients have two-day access to Dana-Farber specialists in Boston. So if it is cancer, choose the strongest team possible.

Be confident your cancer care team will

be as determined as you

Learn about our collaboration: cancer.emmc.org www.bangormetro.com BANGOR METRO / 7

WHAT’S HAPPENING

MARCH/APRIL MARCH 10 BOWL GOWNS OF BANGOR

An evening of dancing, mingling, bowling, games, photo-booths, eating and more. This annual fundraiser encourages attendees to dress up in gowns (pick something up from a thrift store or raid your closet!) and help raise money for a good cause. This year, the event will benefit The Summit Project, a living memorial and 501(c)3 service organization that has changed the way Maine pays tribute to post-9/11 fallen heroes. Twice a year hikers gather from all over with the families of fallen soldiers on a retreat. Free, but be prepared to make a donation. Also, event-goers are encouraged to bring a dish to share for the potluck. 6:30-10:30 p.m. at the Bangor Arts Exchange, Exchange Street in Bangor.

MARCH 12 WORLD WAR I TALK

Jesup Memorial Library and Acadia Senior College present a talk by Donald Zillman, the Edward Godfrey Professor of Law at the University of Maine School of Law, called “Living the World War: A Weekly Exploration of the American Experience in World War.” Part of the “World War I and America,” series, the talk will focus on the experiences of American citizens during the war . Jesup Memorial Library, 34 Mount Desert St., Bar Harbor, 9:30am.

This program is free and open to the public.

To register contact Melinda Rice at mrice@ jesuplibrary.org or 207-288-4245.

MARCH 15-18 MAINE SCIENCE FESTIVAL

Maine’s annual celebration of science, engineering, mathematics and technology happening in Maine every day returns to Bangor in March for four days of events, workshops, hands-on activities, forums, presentations, films and exhibits. Held at the Cross Insurance Center, nearly all of 8 / BANGOR METRO March/April 2018

the festival is free to attend. For details, updates and information, visit www.mainesciencefestival.org, and find the festival on Facebook, Twitter (@MEScienceFest), Instagram (mainesciencefestival) and Snapchat (mainescience). mainesciencefestival.org

MARCH 17 J.S. BACH’S 33RD BIRTHDAY

Blue Hill Bach celebrates J.S. Bach’s 333rd birthday and the 500th anniversary of the Reformation in a concert featuring organist Jonathan Dimmock, 4-5:30 p.m. on Saturday, March 17, at St. Francis by the Sea Episcopal Church, 330 Hinckley Ridge Road in Blue Hill. Selections from Bach’s Clavierubung III based on hymns by Martin Luther, with chorale introductions sung by the Blue Hill Bach Chorus; also Bach’s arrangement of Vivaldi's Concerto in D Major and works by Bert Matter and John Karl Hirten. Tickets at the door or online at www.bluehillbach.org. Admission is $25, $10 for students, free for youths under age 18. For information, e-mail info@bluehillbach.org or call 613-5454.

Preceded by pre-concert lecture-demonstration by Jonathan Dimmock on the chorale and the role of congregational singing in the Reformation at 3 p.m., and join Jonathan and members of the Blue Hill Bach chorus in singing easy four-part chorales. Free.

MARCH 24-25 ENCHANTED

Bangor Ballet performs their spring ballet “Enchanted” at the Gracie Theatre at Husson University. It begins with the familiar sounds of Tchaikovsky’s melodies from Act II of Swan Lake as Queen Odette tells her Prince of the horrid spell that has been cast upon her and her companions. Though Prince Siegfried is determined to save Odette, it appears he may be too late. In Act II of “Enchanted” The Sleeping Beauty

MARCH 15-18 Maine Science Festival

comes to life with visits from various fairies, Little Red Riding Hood, Puss in Boots, the White Cat, and the Blue Bird.

Tickets are available online at www.bangorballet.org/ballet-tickets-1/.

Adults are $15, students and seniors are $12 and children 12 and under are $8. Show begins at 2 p.m. both days. Additional dates in Lewiston and Belfast.

APRIL 14 THE BLAKE ROSSO BAND

The Blake Rosso Band will bring their energetic, newgrass sound to the Bangor Arts Exchange on Exchange Street in Bangor on Saturday, April 14. Powerful vocals, clear-eyed storytelling, engaging rhythms and fiery leads on the fiddle and mandolin give this band an unmistakable sound. Doors open at 7:30 p.m.; Music begins at 8 p.m. Admission is $7 in advance and $10 the day of the show.

APRIL 20-22 BANGOR FLOWER AND GARDEN SHOW

Bangor Flower and Garden Show will celebrate flowers and gardens at the Harold Alfond Sports Arena at the University of Maine in Orono. Includes demos and onstage presentations, botanical decor and artwork, garden services and more. A Preview Day has been set for Friday, the opening of the show, with local celebrity judges determining the top three landscape designs and awarding the winners with ribbons and cash prizes. Admission is $10 for adults, kids under 12 with adult supervision are free. For more information on exhibiting as a landscape designer or to reserve booth space, call The Bangor Flower and Garden Show office at 800-237-6024 or visit www.homeshows.com. It will be held will be held Friday and Saturday from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. and Sunday from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m.

PHOTO: BDN FILE

EVENTS

STILL STUMPED? 

 

 

17 MARCH Winter Beach Ball

Here are the answers to last month’s Pop Quiz.

 

Play THIS MONTH’S Pop Quiz on page 11! www.bangormetro.com BANGOR METRO / 9

EVENTS

SIGHTINGS

HERE’S A LOOK AT JUST A FEW SPECIAL EVENTS FROM THE PAST MONTH...

2

1 1: Lynn White, Lisa Openshaw, Michele Dwyer, Tonya Pickering, Amy Allen and Novilla Rollins attend the Bangor Chamber of Commerce Awards Dinner.

2: Athletes participate in the snowshoe races during the 49th annual Special Olympics

Winter Games at Sugarloaf in Carrabassett Valley. About 400 athletes from 58 teams participated in the games this year.

3: Chef and author Barton Seaver signs one of his books for Woodrow Cross II at Novio’s Bistro.

SHARE YOUR EVENT PHOTOS! 10 / BANGOR METRO March/April 2018

Email your photos and captions to

talkback@bangormetro.com

PHOTOS: (1) KEVIN BENNETT PHOTO; (3) GABOR DEGRE | BDN

3

4

Happy Earth Day!

How’s your eco-know how?

Play online at bangormetro.com for your chance to win a FREE oneyear subscription to Bangor Metro!

5

4: Madawaska spelling bee champion, Taylor Pelletier, left, and runner-up Hailey Blanchette proudly show their certificates following the competition at Madawaska Middle/High School.

Universalist Church on Park Street to protest the policies of President Donald Trump.

6: Over 250 people attended the 2018 Dr. Martin Luther King Breakfast Celebration in Orono.

5: More than 1,000 people marched through downtown Bangor to the Unitarian

PHOTOS: (4) COURTESY OF MMHS; (5) COURTESY OF CATHOLIC CHARITIES MAINE; (6) GABOR DEGRE | BDN

6

FIND ANSWERS TO LAST MONTH’S POP QUIZ ON PAGE 9!

Visit our Bangor Metro Facebook page to play online! www.bangormetro.com BANGOR METRO / 11

ARTS & ENTERTAINMENT

Q&A

IN THE

BAG 12 / BANGOR METRO March/April 2018

Swanville woman transforms old feed bags into sturdy totes.

STORY BY ABIGAIL CURTIS | PHOTOS BY GABOR DEGRE

Jes Vaillancourt of Swanville works on one of the tote bags she makes out of repurposed feed bags at her home.

WHEN IT COMES to recycling, reusing and doing her best to turn someone else’s trash into treasure, Jes Vaillancourt of Swanville is no slouch.

“Frugal is the word people like to use, but I’m cheap,” she said. “I like to be able to go and get something old and making something special out of it.”

So when Vaillancourt, 31, was working as a part-time farm hand at a Waldo County farm and saw all the animal feed bags the farm went through, she took note. The bags, made of polypropylene, were stronger and more durable than regular plastic grocery bags, and they were pretty, too.

“The farmers aren’t gentle with bags of feed. They live to be used another day,” she said. “And in a lot of cases, they have the most gorgeous images on them. It seemed like such a shame to throw them out. I thought there’s got to be something better.”

Vaillancourt thought the feed bags would make great tote bags. Turning to the social media site Pinterest, she searched for ideas to help her do that. After testing out ideas, she streamlined the process so she could make several tote bags at once. To make the totes, she takes donated feed bags and cleans them by spraying them with white vinegar and rubbing alcohol. She rinses them off by dunking them in the bathtub (or washing them with a hose during the warmer months). Then she cuts off the bottoms and makes a seam so the bags can stand up alone, using the heavy duty industrial sewing machine that she found on eBay after she began to sell them. She uses heavy-duty needles and polyester thread, because cotton thread would not be strong enough and Vaillancourt wants them to last a long time. Her sewing room usually is a confusion of brightly-colored feed bags and the finished tote bags, which feature cheerful chickens, noblelooking dogs, cartoons of pigs and more.

Vaillancourt sells the bags and zipper pouches she also makes from the recycled feed bags through her new small business, EcoTotes. With more and more communities in Maine banning single use plastic bags, including Bath, Brunswick, Freeport and nearby Belfast, her timing was perfect. So far, most of her bags have been sold to people from the Belfast area, where the ban went into effect at the beginning of January.

“The bag ban has been great for me,” she said. “It’s also something I totally agree with. It’s good for me as a human being, and that’s my motto here — to leave the planet better than we found it.”

That’s what Vaillancourt strives to do in the rest of her life, too. She and her husband, who were high school sweethearts in Milton, New Hampshire, moved to Maine about four years ago when he — a veteran — took a position as a helicopter mechanic with the Maine National Guard. They wanted to live somewhere quiet, with room to spread out, and found that in Swanville. On their homestead, along with their two children they have dogs, turkeys, chickens, ducks, meat rabbits and a big garden.

Her new home business is a good addition to the mix, she said. She is selling the tote bags for $8 and the pouches for $5 with an eye towards affordability.

They should last for at least a few years, much longer than most of the alternative shopping bags that are on the market, she said. Vaillancourt sells them at the Monroe Village Store, at a stall at the United Farmers Market of Maine on Saturday mornings in Belfast and plans to go to more craft fairs once she has a good inventory built up. So far she has sold more than 200 to people from around Maine and beyond.

“It’s nice to have something I can do on my own time,” she said. “And it’s been very gratifying to me to do something that can make a difference.”

For more information about EcoTotes, call Jes Vaillancourt at (603) 7691824 or email EcoTotesME@gmail.com. www.bangormetro.com BANGOR METRO / 13

ARTS & ENTERTAINMENT

OBSESSIONS

OBSESSIONS WHAT WE CAN’T GET ENOUGH OF THIS MONTH.

BOOKS “ORDINARY EXTRAORDINARY JANE AUSTEN,” by Deborah Hopkinson, illustrated by Qin Leng. Jane Austen is best known for her novels like “Pride and Prejudice” and “Emma.” But the 18th century English novelist was more than that. Born at a time when expectations of women were more leaning toward marriage and child rearing than career holding, she — with her family’s blessing — wrote novels and poetry, becoming a published author. Initially, her books were published anonymously with the byline of “by a lady” but later they were republished with her name. This storybook for children explores Jane’s life and accomplishments, and includes a timeline of her life. Many, many children’s books cross my desk and I read a lot of them. But this one really struck a chord. I started reading Jane Austen in high school and studied her work in college. When my daughter picked up this book, read it and was so awed by the information she learned, I fell in love with it even more. This one is for all the literary lovers out there — and their little girls (and boys).

“BETWEEN ME AND YOU,” by Allison Winn Scotch. There’s two sides to every story, two perspectives to every interaction. In the latest novel by New York Times bestselling author Allison Winn Scotch, a story of love, passion, tragedy, loss and hope unfolds from two different perspectives, one told from past to present and the other from present to past. The pair — Ben Livingston, a screenwriter, and Tatum Connelly, an actress — meet, fall in love, marry, have a baby, find success and drift apart. The telling of the story, with the intersections of the timeline and perspectives, gives the reader an acute view of how love and life can shift, bend and change. Written in engaging prose, I couldn’t put this down.

“THE BACKYARD GARDENER,” by Kelly Orzel. If you’ve ever dealt with a lawn or grown anything, you’re probably familiar with Japanese beetles, which are the adult form of grubs and have a nasty habit of feasting on just about everything in the garden. But what about squash bugs, cutworms and aphids?

They also can bring devastation to your garden, and they are among the bugs profiled in this handy guide to gardening. But it’s not just about bugs. It also has useful information about soil and things to make it richer, seed growing and so many veggies, herbs and flowers you might just want to grow. It’s really a treasure of garden prowess, in one handy book. If you plan to garden this year, it’s totally worth picking up.

—SARAH WALKER CARON

14 / BANGOR METRO March/April 2018

SHOPPING WATERVILLE AREA HABITAT FOR HUMANITY RESTORE The Waterville Area Habitat for Humanity ReStore is a wonderful place to find remodeling project materials or to get inspired to do a project. This is how it works: the store receives donations of appliances, furniture and all kinds of building related items that they in turn sell to provide funds to further their mission to enhance the community by helping qualified families to become independent owners of decent, affordable homes. On any given day, you never know what you will find. I’ve found doors, countertops, molding and all kinds of building hardware. I have even seen cool looking old shelving ripped out of a library building (nice to repurpose!) and heavy duty designer fabric from curtains taken out of an Olive Garden restaurant.

Located at 24 Silver Street in Waterville, it’s open Tuesday through Saturday from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m.

Additional stores are located throughout the state including the Habitat ReStore of Greater Bangor — located in Bangor at Penobscot Plaza, 83 Washington Street, which is open 9 a.m. to 5 p.m.

Tuesday through Saturday.

—BARB MOWER

MOVIES

EVENT EMMC AUXILIARY’S WINTER BEACH BALL There’s nothing like digging out your flip-flops and shorts in the middle of the winter. But, yes, my husband and I got some really odd looks and questions about our sanity when we stopped for dinner before heading over to the Winter Beach Ball last year. Eastern Maine Medical Center’s Auxiliary has been putting on this fun and popular event for 12 years — and it never disappoints. Dance to the disco-stylings of Motor Booty Affair (always a good time), while supporting a good cause — all proceeds benefit EMMC’s new Neonatal Intensive Care Unit. It’s a win-win. This year’s event is taking place at the Anah Shrine in Bangor on Saturday, March 17, so St. Patrick’s Day attire is welcome, in addition to beach wear or your funkiest disco duds. Tickets are $35 and can be purchased at emmcauxiliary.org.

—AMY ALLEN

FASHION KURIER ELLIS BAG I have the most amazing bag, made right here in Maine, and get stopped on the street every time I carry it by women demanding to know where it’s from. It’s the Kurier ELLIS bag, and is made from high-end leather, and offers function and form. It can be worn three different ways: as a crossbody, over the shoulder, or a backpack with one clip. The antique brass accents paired with the supple leather give it a luxe look without being fancy. It’s the perfect size; not too bulky, but big enough to carry all your essentials.

—KATIE SMITH

“A WRINKLE IN TIME” RELEASE DATE: MARCH 9, 2018 Five years after Meg Murry’s brilliant scientist father disappears, she and her little brother, Charles Wallace, embark on a journey with Meg’s classmate Calvin O’Keefe, guided by three fantastical, mysterious beings, to find him. Bending space and time and facing evil, it’s a mind-bending adventure that takes them beyond the confines of imagination into a world that tests and tricks them. Can they harness the light and save Meg’s dad?

Based on Madeleine L’Engle’s beloved, epic tale, the trailers for this movie point to it being nothing short of spectacular.

And with a cast including Oprah Winfrey, Mindy Kaling, Reese Witherspoon, Storm Reid and Chris Pine, how could it not be?

—SARAH WALKER CARON

FOOD & DRINK

OBSESSIONS

OBSESSIONS WHAT WE CAN’T GET ENOUGH OF THIS MONTH.

RESTAURANT DISH SCALLOP RISOTTO 22 WOODMAN’S BAR AND GRILL Pan-seared Atlantic scallops on top of a creamy tomato and basil risotto. Finished with fresh shredded parmesan and olive oil. Served with garlic bread.

I am from Pennsylvania and we say

SKÄ-LEPS

not

SCOLLOPS

so I have to pause and laugh everytime I order this dish because I have to say it correctly.

My husband and I love this meal. Usually, he orders and I steal several bites, but I always regret not ordering my own. Recently, we went to Woodman's for my 39th birthday and we both ordered this dish. Our son enjoyed the risotto and picking out the fresh parmesan cheese.

It is the perfect size for hungry bellies and packed with flavor.

Fun facts: Usually receive 5 scallops, tons of risotto and fresh tomatoes and basil.

—MICHELE DWYER

16 / BANGOR METRO March/April 2018

BREAKFAST PEANUT BUTTER AND JELLY DOUGHNUTS FRANK'S BAKERY One of the things I really love is stumbling across a delicious treat — sweet, savory, whatever — that most people don’t know about. My husband and I found one of those things over the winter, after popping into Frank’s Bakery in Bangor one morning and peering into the case. Peanut butter and jelly doughnuts? Oh yes. It’s basically a jelly doughnut, yes, but with delicious peanut butter frosting. It’s good-sized and easy to split with a friend, though you could definitely eat it all yourself and no one would blame you. Something about it is so satisfyingly sweet and nutty that it’s really hard to not be disappointed if they didn’t make them on a particular day. In fact, that’s the secret — they don’t make them every day. They just appear, like magic, on a whim, on certain mornings. They sell out pretty quickly, too. If you’re there when the PBJ doughnuts are there, just get it. You’ll be glad you did.

—EMILY BURNHAM

WHAT’S YOUR FAVORITE LOCAL BEER?

LUNCH BY MAINE BEER COMPANY. I like it because of its taste, it’s a really nice IPA. You can get it at Swett’s Deli and Damon’s has it as well. Whenever we have it, it’s my go-to [for customers].

LIQUID SUNSHINE ALE FROM BLACK BEAR BREWING COMPANY. It’s delicious, it’s refreshing, it’s seasonal and it’s local. I usually drink it in the summer. It’s a wheat beer … It’s lighter and has a really beautiful color.

GEAGHAN’S BANGOR BROWN. Everyone seems to be doing IPAs, so it’s something darker. I’m more into the darker beers such as browns and stouts. I usually get it if it’s available.

—ELEANOR KIPPING, ORONO

AT PADDY MURPHY’S, BANGOR

—FAI LITTMAN, BANGOR AT BLAZE, BANGOR

—ADAM HESS, BANGOR AT ROCK AND ART SHOP, BANGOR

www.bangormetro.com BANGOR METRO / 17

FOOD & DRINK

IN SEASON NOW

In Season Now:

SUNCHOKES STORY & PHOTOS BY SARAH WALKER CARON

CALL THEM EARTH APPLES, Jerusalem artichokes or sunchokes.

Take your pick from these monikers or any number of others given this tan-brown tuber. But whatever you call them, try them.

Sure, they might look like a robust knob of ginger root … or a different sort of potato. But sunchokes are an entirely different tuber altogether.

The flavor varies depending on whether you are eating them raw or cooked. Raw, they are bland with a crispy texture not unlike a water chestnut. Cooked, they have a creamy texture and a flavor with notes of sweet red potatoes and earthy artichoke hearts. They can be eaten either way.

Easy Roasted Sunchokes Serves 4 1 lb sunchokes 1 tbsp olive oil Salt and pepper, to taste Preheat the oven to 400 degrees.

Rinse the sunchokes under cold water, scrubbing lightly to remove any dirt. Cut into quarters and add to a large mixing bowl. Drizzle with olive oil and season generously with salt and pepper. Toss well to combine. Then pour onto a nonstick baking sheet, taking care not to over-crowd them. They need their space to cook well.

Cook for 35-45 minutes, stirring once or twice. Enjoy immediately.

18 / BANGOR METRO March/April 2018

SURE, THEY MIGHT LOOK LIKE A ROBUST KNOB OF GINGER ROOT … OR A DIFFERENT SORT OF POTATO. BUT SUNCHOKES ARE AN ENTIRELY DIFFERENT TUBER ALTOGETHER. But when you try them, it’s important to remember to enjoy them in moderation. See, while these are mighty tasty, overeating sunchokes has been known to cause painful discomfort in the form of gas and other stomach ailments. You’ve been warned.

Still, don’t let that scare you away. These are worth trying — the creamy texture and pleasant flavor when roasted is delightful.

SARAH WALKER CARON is a Bangor-based food writer and a senior editor for the Bangor Daily News. She is also author of Sarah’s Cucina Bella food blog (www.sarahscucinabella.com) and a cookbook: “Grains as Mains: Modern Recipes Using Ancient Grains.”

www.bangormetro.com BANGOR METRO / 19

HEALTH & FITNESS

HIKE ME

SEARCHING

for Spring 3 MUD-FREE HIKES FOR THAW SEASON

Soak in the sun with these oceanside walks. STORY & PHOTOS BY AISLINN SARNACKI A THIN LAYER of melting snow slid under her boots as she slowly picked her way along the wide trail, holding out her arms for balance. In the shade of tall spruce and fir trees, winter lingered, but as she emerged from the dense forest, her boot found purchase on bare granite. There in a small clearing, the steady sunlight had melted away the last frozen layer of winter and twisted pitch pines basked in the light.

As she neared the end of the Wonderland Trail in Acadia National Park, her adventure had just begun. Stepping off the trail and onto the beach, she looked out over an expanse of sand, pebbles, shells and tidal pools. At low tide, it was quite a walk to reach the water’s edge, and there was much to see along the way — colors and textures that would cheer anyone out of the doldrums of a long winter.

Blocks of pink granite crowded the edge of the beach, coated with yellow-orange lichen.

An old lobster trap, crumpled and full of debris, sat at high tide mark, surrounded by driftwood smoothed by the waves. Farther out, clam and slipper shells dotted patches of silky sand, and the bright blue sky reflected in water, where purple dulse and green sea lettuce waved in the current.

She took off her winter hat and sat down to soak up the sun. To be alone in Wonderland, a place usually crowded with tourists in the summer, was a special treat. But she wasn’t entirely alone. Gulls cried out constantly as they fished in the shallows nearby, and as she sat there on the rock, a mink emerged from a pile of rockweed nearby. Its brown fur matted with salt water, the creature peered at her with dark beady eyes for a long moment before ducking back into its salty hideout.

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WONDERLAND TRAIL ON MOUNT DESERT ISLAND EASY A mink pauses to check out some hikers on a beach near the Wonderland Trail on April 12 in Acadia National Park.

One of the easiest hikes in Acadia National Park, Wonderland Trail is a family favorite that leads to an interesting beach that includes areas of tumbled granite, sandy pockets, an abundance of shells and vernal pools teeming with ocean life. The hike is just 1.4 miles, out and back, and the trail is fairly wide and smooth, traveling through a stand of twisted pitch pines before reaching the shore.

This trail shouldn’t be too muddy in the early spring, considering much of it is on exposed bedrock and rocky soil.

This scenic spot on Mount Desert Island is a place for exploration and relaxation. In addition to families, Wonderland attracts artists, wildlife watchers, picnickers and people who are simply looking for an easy walk in the state’s most popular park.

All Acadia National Park visitors are required to pay an entrance fee upon entry May through October, regardless of whether they pass a fee collection gate on their way to the trailhead parking area. The current cost for a passenger car is $25 for a seven-day pass. Dogs are permitted on Wonderland Trail but must be kept on a 6-foot leash at all times. For more information, visit www. nps/gov/acad or call 207-288-3338.

DIRECTIONS: Drive onto Mount Desert Island on Route 3 and veer right after the causeway to head toward Southwest Harbor on Route 102. In 5.2 miles, veer left at the fork and continue on 102 for 11.3 miles, passing through a light in downtown Somesville (at about 5 miles) and the town of Southwest Harbor. At 11.3 miles, you’ll come to a fork; veer left onto Route 102A and drive 4.1 miles to the parking lot for Wonderland Trail, which will be on your left. www.bangormetro.com BANGOR METRO / 21

HEALTH & FITNESS

HIKE ME

EDGAR M. TENNIS PRESERVE ON DEER ISLE MODERATE

ABOUT 3.5 MILES of intersecting trails thread through the 145-acre Edgar M. Tennis Preserve, which is maintained by the Island Heritage Trust and Maine Department of Conservation. The trails that hug the shoreline are the most challenging because they’re especially hilly and uneven, with plenty of exposed tree roots and rocks.

The trail network is divided by a road. On the east side of the road, two miles of trails lead to stunning views of the ocean, a beautiful small beach, an old cemetery and the foundations of Pickering Farm. And on the west side of the road, about 1.5 miles of intersecting trails lead to views of the ocean and the foundations of the Davis Farm. As you visit the foundations of old homesteads and the tombstones of previous landowners, it’s impossible not to think about the land’s history and how it must have appeared quite different just a few decades ago.

Admission to the preserve is free, and dogs are permitted if on leash. For more information, visit islandheritagetrust.org or call 207-348-2455.

DIRECTIONS: Driving south through Deer Isle village on Route 15, turn left onto Sunshine Road, which is across from Mill Pond Mobil. Follow Sunshine Road for about 2.5 miles, then turn right onto Tennis Road. Follow Tennis Road less than 0.5 mile to the preserve, which is marked by several signs. Four small parking areas for the preserve are located along the gravel road. To protect fragile plants, only park in designated spaces. If they’re all full, the Island Heritage Trust asks that you return another time.

22 / BANGOR METRO March/April 2018

www.bangormetro.com BANGOR METRO / 23

HEALTH & FITNESS

HIKE ME

SEARS ISLAND IN SEARSPORT CHALLENGING

CONNECTED TO THE mainland by a causeway, the 936-acre Sears Island is a popular place for hikers, hunters, dog walkers and beachcombers. The island is owned by the State of Maine and features an extensive network of hiking trails that altogether total about 6 miles, and two roads thats are closed to vehicle traffic but used heavily by walkers and bicyclists.

A popular challenge for visitors to Sears Island is hiking all the way around the island on the beach, about a 5-mile trip. This adventure can be disrupted at high tide, when the water reaches all the way to the grassy shore, so plan this particular walk with the schedule of the tide in mind. As you walk around the island, the beach will change from rocky to sandy and back again. You’ll find natural gardens of rockweed, piles of driftwood and plenty of sea glass and shells.

Admission to the island is free, and dogs are permitted. For more information about the island, including planned nature walks and volunteer opportunities, visit friendsofsearsisland.org or call 207-548-0142.

DIRECTIONS: From the downtown area of Searsport, drive northeast on Route 1 to Sears Island Road, which is exactly 1.8 miles from the Searsport Full Gospel Church.

Drive all the way down Sears Island Road and out onto the causeway. A gate closes the road to vehicle traffic at the end of the causeway, so you must park outside the gate and continue on foot or bike. Simply park on the causeway out of the way of the gate and leaving room for traffic flow.

24 / BANGOR METRO March/April 2018

For more of Aislinn Sarnacki’s adventures, visit her blog at actoutwithaislinn.bangordailynews.com.

Follow her on Twitter @1minhikegirl.

Her guidebook, “Family-Friendly Hikes in Maine,” is available at local bookstores, Down East Books and online booksellers.

Find your perfect

AUDIENCE

Advertise your business in BANGOR METRO! CALL 990-8134 for details

bangormetro.com www.bangormetro.com BANGOR METRO / 25

HOW TO

MAKE EARTH DAY SEED BOMBS

Let’s Make SEED

BOMBS

Celebrating Earth Day and the arrival of spring.

STORY & PHOTOS BY AMY ALLEN

MANY TIMES IN LIFE, especially as a parent, you just have to roll with it. Like when your blender breaks 30 seconds into a craft project with six kids staring at you and waiting patiently for finely blended paper pulp so they can make seed bombs, which are supposed to be the craft of the month for a magazine. “Well, new plan — everybody start shredding.”

So, whether you finely shred and mix these seed bombs by hand or, ideally, use a blender to create your paper pulp, this project really is a lot of fun and not as messy as it looks. We chose some fun seeds (smaller sized seeds work best and are less likely to fall out of the seed bombs) and tucked a sprinkling of them into each ball. To remove the excess water, we wrapped them in paper towels and squeezed them until dry, which also helped form them into balls. These could easily be made in a fun mold shape or turned into flat paper, which would make a great card or note paper.

Just be sure to let the paper balls dry out completely to prevent molding and early germination. Then toss them in the garden when the ground is warm enough (usually mid-May). And watch your seed bombs turn into a wildflower garden!

26 / BANGOR METRO March/April 2018

What you’ll need: • Colored paper (construction paper or tissue paper) • Newspaper • Blender • Paper towels • Mixing bowls • Strainer • Seeds — smaller sized seeds work better

Our blender

broke 5 seconds

after this photo.

Shredding by hand also works, just with chunkier results.

Directions:

1. Shred colored paper and newspaper into small pieces. Depending on how many seed bombs you want to make, just a few sheets of paper is plenty to make 6-8 balls.

2. Add about 2 cups of warm water to your shredded paper. We separated ours into different colors and blended them separately to keep the colors from bleeding together. Blend the mixture until the paper starts to become pulp.

3. Strain the water from the pulp mixture. Scoop a small amount of paper pulp and tuck a small handful

of seeds into the mix as your start to form the ball. Keeping your seed bombs small, with only about a dozen seeds in each, will allow them to dry faster and thoroughly and have a better chance at germinating later.

4. Use your hands to form the mixture into a ball. Wrap the ball in paper towels to squeeze out the remaining liquid and help compact the seed bomb.

5. Let the seed bombs dry thoroughly for a few days to prevent molding and early germination. Then toss in the garden when spring arrives! www.bangormetro.com BANGOR METRO / 27

HOW TO

MAKE FINGERLESS MITTENS

New Life for OLD SWEATERS Turn your old cashmere or wool sweater into a pair of fingerless mittens.

BY KATIE SMITH

28 / BANGOR METRO March/April 2018

DO YOU HAVE a beloved cashmere or merino wool sweater that you’ve outgrown or accidentally shrunk in the wash? Or perhaps the moths got to it, leaving holes. If so, don’t throw it out.

We can reuse that soft, cozy sweater with a few cuts and about 15 minutes.

This easy project will turn your ruined sweater into a great pair of fingerless mittens to keep your hands warm on cold days. All you need is a good pair of fingerless mitts (for a template) and your sweater for upcycling.

Don’t have a damaged sweater? Run to your nearest thrift store and pick one up.

What you’ll need: • Pair of scissors • A few pins • A sewing machine or thread and needle • Another pair of fingerless mittens to use as a pattern. However, if you don’t have another pair, you can use your hand as a pattern.

1-2

Directions and Tips:

1. First, you need to felt your sweater if you haven’t already done it by accident. To do this, you simply wash it in hot water and throw it in the dryer. This keeps it from unraveling where you cut it, which is great because you don’t have to hem any raw edges.

2. Next, turn your sweater inside out, and place your hand or fingerless mitten down so that one side is tight up against the edge, and the top of your glove is at the bottom of the ribbed edge of sweater. If your sweater doesn’t have a hem or ribbing at the bottom, don’t worry — remember it was felted so it will not come unraveled. The ribbing just adds a finished look. I like to utilize the edge of the sweater so there is only one seam to sew. Remember: the edge you cut is where your thumb hole will be.

3 5

4

3. Make a straight cut, leaving about a ¼" extra for seam allowance, to your desired length, then cut across to sewn seam of sweater so you have a rectangle.

4. Repeat on other side of sweater using rectangle you just cut as a pattern — remember to match sewn edge to sewn edge.

5. Leaving your pieces inside out, pin up the seam leaving an opening for your thumb (about an inch or so). It’s best to try them on and see where you want your thumb opening — it’s really up to you.

6. Hand sew, or use your sewing machine to sew up the are edges (don’t forget about that thumb opening), and turn right side out.

Don’t worry about perfection here. Fingerless mitts are slouchy and very forgiving.

You now have a perfect pair of fingerless gloves that you can wear all the time and throw in the wash. It’s wonderful when we can save something we love, and turning a favorite piece of clothing into a favorite accessory is great way to upcycle.

6

HOME & FAMILY

30 / BANGOR METRO March/April 2018

Home

G R O W N

PHOTOS: (GARDEN) COURTESY OF ALICIA LAMBERT; (ALICIA LAMBERT) COURTESY OF SHAUNA SHIFF

Alicia Lambert grows fruit and vegetables in her home garden (left) to help feed her family.

City living with country roots.

BY JODI HERSEY

YOU CAN TAKE THE GIRL out of the country, but you can’t take the country out of the girl — even if she moves to the city of Bangor. Alicia Lambert grew up on a farm in Orland surrounded by horses, sheep, goats and vegetables galore. When she and her husband purchased a home on a half-acre of land in Bangor, Lambert put her homegrown roots to work right away and created a garden of plenty in their backyard.

“It’s kind of cool knowing you can do it, even living in the city,” Lambert said.

“You may not be able to have all the farm animals, but you can do parts of farming and still grow your own plants and herbs.

You don’t have to be outside the city.”

Lambert has always loved digging in the dirt. It’s a hobby that was passed down to her from her grandmother.

“My grandmother always had a huge garden so I learned gardening through her and my dad,” she said.

Lambert was pleasantly surprised to find her property was already budding its own fruit.

“It had raspberry bushes. We just put them into rows,” she explained. “We eat as many as we can all summer.”

It didn’t take long before Lambert’s backyard was also sprouting cucumbers, tomatoes, beans and more.

“When we bought our home, one of the first things we did [was] till a big spot in the back for a garden,” Lambert www.bangormetro.com BANGOR METRO / 31

HOME & FAMILY Just a few of the fruits and veggies Alicia Lambert has grown in her city garden.

32 / BANGOR METRO March/April 2018

PHOTOS: COURTESY OF ALICIA LAMBERT

said. “Eating organic is expensive. So we try and do as much as we can so we don’t have to buy anything packaged.”

As her garden continued to flourish, so did her family. Lambert had a son, Jovan, and a few years later another son named Simon was born. Adding to the family unit also meant expanding the family garden.

“I want my kids to eat fruit and vegetables but I also worry about pesticides and everything that is used to grow them. That’s why I like to eat our own food as much as we can because I know where it is grown and what was used in it,” she said. “We never have enough because we eat it so fast. That’s why we keep expanding every year.”

Allowing her boys to get involved in the planting, watering, and gardening process has been more than a financial savings for the Lambert family.

“I found that Jovan will try things out of the garden that I couldn’t get him to eat if I bought it in the store,” Lambert said. “And Simon loves tomatoes. He eats them like apples. Jovan does the same with peppers.”

Lambert doesn’t let a morsel of her crop go to waste.

“We can and freeze the beans. I pickle the beets. I do lots of canned tomatoes and canned tomato sauce; it’s super easy and taste so much better because you get more of the fresh tomato flavor in your own sauce,” she explained. “Things like raspberries, blueberries and all of that stuff is so expensive in the winter time that I rarely buy fresh in the winter because we have them frozen and they’re like little popsicles. The kids love them.”

When she can’t harvest something herself, Lambert chooses to take care of her family from the inside out by purchasing products from local farmers.

“We buy all our meat and pork from a local farmer who is friends with my husband’s family,” Lambert said. “We buy a whole cow or pig and have it all year. They are grass fed and we know they haven’t been fed a bunch of antibiotics and stuff.”

This mother of two hopes she’s planted a love of gardening in her two sons’ hearts and minds so that that they, too, can one day grow their own food — whether they choose to live in the country or the city.

“I have fun and we certainly benefit from it,” Lambert said. “They know a lot about gardening at their age. Hopefully when they are older, they’ll pass it onto their kids.” www.bangormetro.com BANGOR METRO / 33

HOME & FAMILY

34 / BANGOR METRO March/April 2018

EVERY LITTLE BIT

Counts

PHOTO: ©ALEXEY STIOP/ADOBESTOCK

Sustainable gardening practices for the beginning gardener. BY CRYSTAL SANDS

THERE’S NOTHING MORE satisfying than a just-picked strawberry or ripe green beans fresh from the garden.

There are also important added health benefits to growing your own food. A study published in the Journal of Science of Food and Agriculture conducted by researchers at the University of California, Davis found that the loss of nutrients in fresh produce during shipping and storage may be more substantial than previously thought. So eating food straight from your garden can mean more nutrients, as well as the added health benefits of the physical work of gardening.

These are just some of the reasons backyard gardening has become such a significant trend across Maine. Mainers are turning their yards into gardens and getting closer to the food they eat.

However, many hesitate about organic gardening because it can be expensive. Organic seeds, fertilizer and pest-control items can be costly.

Thankfully, there’s a way to make organic gardening affordable as well. Sustainable gardening is the key.

Sustainable gardening, in its most basic sense, is about growing your food in a way that doesn’t harm the Earth and, instead, enhances it.

But there’s another added benefit to sustainable gardening — it can make your gardening much more cost efficient. By using what you already have and creating a little “circle of life” in your backyard, you can save money and eat well.

It can feel a little overwhelming if you’re just getting started and want to learn some sustainable gardening practices. The key is to start small and slowly, adding a few strategies each year. It may take you several years to get to where you want to be, but starting small is still starting. And when it comes to saving the planet and your money, every little bit counts.

www.bangormetro.com BANGOR METRO / 35

HOME & FAMILY CARING FOR YOUR SOIL Eric Sideman, Crop Specialist at MOFGA (Maine Organic Farmers and Gardeners Association), says gardening always starts with your soil. “No matter how small, the key to organic gardening is to pay attention to the soil. The basic approach is to build up reservoirs of natural sources of nutrients, and to maintain a healthy soil that supports the plants efforts to get those nutrients,” he says. He also recommends getting your soil tested at the University of Maine Soil Testing Lab before you begin.

Thankfully, sustainable gardening practices provide some simple and affordable ways to start building your healthy soil.

COMPOSTING One easy way to build your soil without any extra cost is to compost your leaves or lawn clippings. There are many methods and strategies for composting, and you can choose a method that works best for your needs and lifestyle. Essentially, composting involves using leaves, yard and garden waste, and food waste from your home to build organic matter that’s good for your soil.

During the fall, mulched leaves and grass clippings can be turned straight into your garden. But, during the summer, simply adding grass clippings to a compost bin or pile will help you build important nutrients to be added to your soil.

Waste from the kitchen, such as food scraps, egg shells, and even a few coffee grounds, can be used in composting, and it’s a great way to reduce waste from your home and yard and make good use of it.

Compositing helps build your soil, which helps you grow more fruits and vegetables in your garden.

USING CHICKEN MANURE If you don’t have chickens and are looking to live a more sustainable life, chickens are a farm animal to consider. They’re easy to care for, and hens can be kept in backyard coops, even within city limits in some cities across Maine. Just be sure to check your local ordinances.

Many Mainers already keep at least a few backyard chickens for eggs, but some are missing important opportunities to add chickens to their gardening practices. Lisa Steele is a fifth-generation chicken keeper here in Maine and author of the book Gardening with Chickens. She explains that chickens can be an easy and important part of sustainable gardening.

36 / BANGOR METRO March/April 2018

REALTORS

PHOTOS: CHRISTINLOLA, GVL/THINKSTOCK

While chicken manure by itself will burn your plants, add chicken manure to your compost can help make a perfect fertilizer for your garden. Steele recommends straw, leaves, and in some cases, even pine needles in your coop. In the winter, using the deep litter method where you add layers of straw in your coop and turn over the mixture every day helps the chicken manure break down, creating a mixture that can be ready to go for your garden in the spring.

“It [chicken manure] really needs a couple of months to be ready for your garden, so use common sense,” Steele says.

But using waste from your chickens that are already providing you with food and pest control is a perfect way to build a sustainable cycle of life for your garden practices.

USING CHICKENS TO PREPARE SOIL Chickens can also help prepare your soil and rid your garden of unwanted grubs both before you plant in the spring and after you harvest your fruits and vegetables in the fall.

While chickens are the easiest farm animal to care for and an efficient way to add to your sustainable gardening process, don’t think you need a large flock to make a difference. “You can start really small, with just two or three chickens. You don’t need a large flock to make a difference,” says Steele.

WATERING EFFICIENTLY JJ Starwalker, vice president of the Penobscot County chapter of MOFGA, says watering efficiently is another important part of sustainable gardening.

Watering the roots of your plants will save

your water and your money. Starwalker uses soaker hoses (porous hoses that seep water slowly) for seeds and waters close the ground all year round. “I don’t need to water the air or the space between rows,” she says.

SAVING YOUR SEEDS While seed saving may sound intimidating, basic seed saving of some larger seeds is easy and will save you money each year.

When just getting started, think about your growing projects from elementary school.

Dry beans, peas, and green beans are all easy to save and plant the following year.

When you harvest, just leave some green beans, dry beans, or peas on the plants. Let the pods start to yellow; pick them; shell them; and store them in a cool, dry place for next year.

Other plants, such as carrots and tomatoes, are a little trickier when it comes to seed saving, but saving the big, simple seeds is a great place for beginners to start and can make vegetable gardening more affordable and fun. The University of Maine Cooperative Extension offers detailed support for seed saving in Maine.

Ultimately, just getting started with a few strategies is all you need to do start making a difference. And, as Starwalker says, “Don’t be afraid to fail. And if your garden doesn’t do as well as you would like — or as well as your neighbor’s, your dad’s or your grandma’s, remember, you are likely not seeing their first attempts, but the result of years, perhaps many years, of experience. Everyone starts out as a beginner.”

Your listing could be on this page.

Sell it faster.

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Call 941-1300.

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HOME & FAMILY

Going G R E

E N

How everyday people can cut energy consumption. BY METRO NEWS SERVICE CURTAILING ENERGY consumption is a great way for people to protect the planet’s natural resources and save money at the same time.

Part of the difficulty with regard to reducing energy consumption is that energy plays such a big role in our lives. Smartphones and tablets have become must-have items, and these items, though not necessarily big consumers of energy, must be plugged in and charged. But individuals won’t have to unplug from their lives to reduce their energy consumption. In fact, there are several easy, non-invasive ways for everyday people to reduce their energy consumption.

Start WITH YOUR WINDOWS

The windows in a home can help homeowners and apartment dwellers reduce their heating and cooling costs. On cold days, pull back curtains so the natural sunlight can come in and warm the house, reducing the need to turn up the temperature on the thermostat. When the weather outside is especially warm, hang blackout curtains to prevent the hot sun from warming rooms and increasing the need for air conditioning. In addition, address any leaks around windows to ensure hot and cold air is not escaping and contributing to excessive energy consumption.

Maintain APPLIANCES AND REPLACE OLDER ONES

While reducing reliance on energy-thirsty appliances is a great way to reduce energy consumption, no one needs to throw away their refrigerators. Instead, maintain appliances so they are not forced to work harder, and thereby consume more energy, to function.

Routinely clean the filters on window air conditioners, replacing them if they’re worn down. In addition, have HVAC units serviced annually to ensure they’re operating at peak capacity. Replace older appliances, including refrigerators, that are no longer effective.

Install A LOW-FLOW SHOWER HEAD

The U.S. Department of Energy recommends that eco-conscious consumers looking to reduce their energy consumption install low-flow shower heads with flow rates less than 2.5 gallons per minute. This is especially important for people living in homes with dated fixtures. Water fixtures installed before 1992 might have flow rates as high as 5.5 gallons per minute, which is both wasteful and costly. Test the flow of a shower head by placing a one-gallon bucket beneath a shower head running at the pressure you normally use. If the bucket fills up in less than 20 seconds, install a low-flow shower head.

Install CEILING FANS

Ceiling fans can be installed to reduce energy consumption in both summer and winter. In summer, ceiling fans can make home interiors more comfortable by circulating air around a room. That circulation can make rooms feel cooler, providing the same benefit of an air conditioner while consuming considerably less energy. In winter, reverse the rotation of ceiling fans so they circulate warm air and reduce reliance on heating systems.

Reducing energy consumption does not require substantial sacrifice, but it can produce substantial savings and benefit the planet in myriad ways.

38 / BANGOR METRO March/April 2018

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PHOTOS: CREATAS IMAGES, NADISJA/THINKSTOCK

HOME & FAMILY

9 WAYS TO REDUCE HOUSEHOLD TRASH.

BY METRO NEWS SERVICE

HOMEOWNERS MAY FEEL like they’re always taking out the trash. Active families tend to generate a lot of garbage, and it’s not uncommon to find the kitchen trash overflowing each day.

A report from SaveOnEnergy found that garbage production numbers are staggering. The average American produces 4.4 pounds of trash each day. That means the average family of four can generate 17.6 pounds of trash a day. Every year, Americans produce 254 million tons of trash. The Conference Board of Canada found Canadians produce more garbage per capita than any other country.

Thanks to modern sanitation systems, which remove garbage in a timely manner, it’s difficult to get a good handle on just how much trash families generate. But one look at the statistics — and the size of landfills — clearly illustrates that garbage is a concern. Thankfully, there are ways to cut down on personal waste.

RECYCLE AS MUCH AS YOU CAN. Post a list of all items that can be recycled where you live. Make sure to separate these items from the regular trash.

AVOID BUYING DISPOSABLE PRODUCTS. Reusing items over and over saves money and resources. Many disposable products are packaged in plastic, which may be produced with toxic substances that can leach into the environment.

USE OLD RAGS FOR CLEANING. When scouring the house, opt for old rags made from towels and T-shirts that are past their prime. These rags can be washed and reused again and again.

MEND BROKEN ITEMS IF POSSIBLE. Before tossing something into the trash, figure out if it can be repaired. A simple fix may breathe a few more years of utility into the product.

Going green can save consumers money. BY METRO NEWS SERVICE MANY PEOPLE ADOPT eco-friendly practices in an effort to protect and preserve the planet. But going green can be as good for pocketbooks as it is for the planet.

People who start making concerted efforts to go green are often surprised to learn the myriad ways they are suddenly saving money. While finances might not be the primary motivator that compels people to start living more eco-friendly lifestyles, recognizing the many ways that going green can save consumers money might be just what people need to keep them on track in their efforts to help the planet.

On the Road

Defensive driving has long been touted as the safest way to take to the road, but such an approach to driving also can be financially savvy.

Drivers who do not frequently accelerate or stop suddenly can conserve fuel, saving them money at the filling station. In addition, following manufacturer-recommended maintenance guidelines can ensure all vehicle components are operating smoothly. That means the engine does

not have to work as hard as it would if a vehicle was poorly maintained, thereby conserving fuel.

Lighting

According to the U.S. Department of Energy, Energy Star®-qualified LED lights consume just 20 to 25 percent of the energy used by incandescent bulbs, all the while lasting as much as 25 times longer than incandescents. While LED lights are more expensive to purchase than many of the alternatives, their long life expectancy means consumers can expect to see returns on that investment long before the bulbs are no longer functional.

Furnishings

Buying used furniture or antiques reduces landfill waste and cuts back on manufacturing, packaging and transportation, each of which can take a toll on the planet. Consumers who need new furnishings for their homes also can look for products made of recycled materials, which reduces landfill waste, or items made from eco-friendly materials that grow quickly, thereby reducing the need for pesticides.

COOK ONLY WHAT YOU CAN EAT. The UN Environmental Program estimates that one-third of the food produced for human consumption across the globe is wasted. Store and use leftovers efficiently.

Stick to portion sizes when cooking, and find uses for foods (farms may take food scraps for pigs) before tossing them in the trash.

COMPOST USABLE ITEMS. Another way to repurpose certain food items is to turn them into fertilizer. Egg shells, fruit rinds, coffee grounds, and more can be placed in a compost heap instead of the garbage.

DONATE USED ITEMS. Books, magazines, toys, clothing, household items — all of these things can be donated or traded.

USE REUSABLE TOTE BAGS WHEN SHOPPING. Keep plastic shopping bags out of landfills by recycling them or bringing along your own cloth bags to the stores.

STOP JUNK MAIL. Contact companies to remove your name from lists of junk mail.

Invest in a shredder and turn junk mail into packing materials or bedding for pet cages.

PHOTOS: BRAND X PICTURES, YACOBCHUK, TEERAWATWINYARAT/THINKSTOCK

Find your comfort zone Join the tens of thousands of Mainers who have made efficiency improvements to their homes.

Efficiency Maine offers rebates up to $5,000 for a wide range of home energy upgrades: • Air sealing and insulation • Ductless heat pumps • Central heating systems

• Pellet and wood stoves • Heat pump water heaters

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42 / BANGOR METRO March/April 2018

FEATURE

IN CONVERSATION

FURNITURE

MAKEOVER Breathing new life into dusty relics. BY AISLINN SARNACKI

PHOTO: AISLINN SARNACKI

THE BIG, PINE CUPBOARD was scratched and scuffed, its plain brown surface dull and coated with dust, its knobs and handles tarnished. Yet Lynn Maddocks, an educator from Dedham, saw beauty in the old piece of furniture. Made of solid wood, it was a sturdy piece, made to weather generations of use. A wavy trim framed its top. Its many doors and drawers were still in great working condition. And the wide wooden panels backing its shelves would look beautiful if painted a fresh, cottage white.

“I knew with this piece that I needed to brighten and lighten it,” said Maddocks, holding a paintbrush coated with white milk paint.

Maddocks had decided to tackle the hulking cupboard, which would require several layers of primer and paint before being properly transformed. In her work space, the garage of her home in Dedham, she brushed the sides of the cupboard with a second coat of paint as a fan whirred to life in the far corner, pushing hot air around the room. She and her husband, David, had added a heat source to the garage in December so she could continue her hobby of refinishing furniture throughout the winter.

The Director of Special Education for the Ellsworth School Department, Lynn Maddocks stumbled upon the practice of restoring and refinishing furniture by chance about two years ago, when her friend was renovating a house in Port Clyde.

“She was doing some furniture in this chalk paint,” she said. “So then I got into it, and now I’m doing it more than she is.”

In less than two years, Maddocks has purchased and refinished dozens of pieces of old furniture, re-furnishing her entire house and selling at least 20 pieces through Facebook groups and Craigslist.

“I love the whole process,” Maddocks said. “I love the hunt, getting great deals.

And I love getting these big pieces I can bring back to life so they aren’t just sitting around, collecting dust in someone’s basement ... It’s saving them really.”

Vanities, dressers, old telephone tables, bookshelves and chairs crowded the corner of her garage, waiting to be cleaned and sanded, painted and stained, then waxed until they shine. Once finished, some of the pieces will be fit into the rooms of Maddocks’ home on Green Lake, and the rest she will post for sale online.

“It’s not a business to me,” she said. “If I break even, that’s fine. I’m probably not ahead of the game, but I just do it because I love to. I don’t have a venue or shop, but I don’t have time for that. For me, at this point, it’s just something I do because it gives me pleasure. It’s something I do on my free time.”

EACH PROJECT STARTS with an old, tired piece of furniture.

For the most part, Maddocks finds beat up pieces of furniture online, through local Facebook groups and Craigslist. But sometimes she discovers them in gift shops, flea markets and yard sales.

“I love the hunt just as much as I love the painting,” Maddocks said.

Most of the furniture she purchases is dirty and banged up with broken pieces and chipped paint. In that state, many of the pieces would soon end up in a wood pile or www.bangormetro.com BANGOR METRO / 43

FEATURE

IN CONVERSATION

trash heap. But Maddocks knows that it will just take a bit of cleaning, repair and paint to give each piece new life.

She cleans each piece, removes all the hardware, such as knobs and hinges, and sands it, which is a necessary step for the paint to adhere to the wood surface properly. Sanding also allows her to get rid of the inevitable scratches and dents the piece has from years of use.

“They’re both very forgiving,” she said.

But they aren’t cheap. The paints she uses most often are made by General Finishes, Dixie Belle and Annie Sloan, and they cost between $30 and $35 per quart.

When she can, she purchases them from local stores, including Serendipitous II in Bangor and School House Antique Mall in Brewer. She enjoys supporting those stores, and she also has learned a great deal from

To envision THE SECOND LIFE OF A

WORN OUT PIECE OF FURNITURE TAKES IMAGINATION, CREATIVITY AND A BIT OF INSPIRATION.

IN THE CORNER of Maddocks’ living room is a pie safe — a tall cupboard designed to store pies, breads and other food items. Constructed of dark walnut wood, the cupboard’s sides and doors feature traditional tin panels that are perforated with beautiful geometric patterns. The design is both decorative and practical, the tiny holes allowing for ventilation that would be important for rising breads and steaming pies.

Dating back to the early 1800s, the pie safe is among Maddock’s favorite furniture finds so far. In fact, she likes it so much that she refuses to paint its deep brown wood.

Ironically, it holds all of her paints.

Chalk paint and milk paint are Maddocks’ go-to paints for furniture.

44 / BANGOR METRO March/April 2018

the shop owners about different materials and techniques.

Maddocks also learns through online tutorial videos, and by reading conversations on the Facebook group “Painted Furniture Before and After Pictures and Questions.”

“A lot of people ask questions, and I read the comments just to learn from their questions,” she said. “I haven’t been brave enough to post things of my own yet, because I’m like man, they’re experts at this.”

She has also joined the Facebook group “The Hardware Exchange,” where she finds old knobs and handles she needs to match certain pieces of furniture.

“Just like in any profession or hobby or interest you have, you just learn and learn and learn,” Maddocks said. “I’m still learning so much.”

Two years ago, Maddocks had never stained furniture before, and she’d never used an electric sander.

“Now I’m doing all that,” she said.

“YOU STILL LIKE that dresser?” David Maddocks asked his wife, wandering into the garage to throw out the trash.

The night before, the couple had traveled to Lagrange to purchase a dresser topped with a mirror for $75. David often accompanies Lynn when she purchases furniture, especially if it’s a particularly large piece that she can’t carry on her own. Her 28-year-old daughter, Meghan, also accompanies her to pick up pieces, and she even helps her paint sometimes.

“I love it,” Lynn Maddocks replied, looking over the old, battered dresser from

PHOTO: LYNN MADDOCKS

“The cleaning and prep work is not exciting, but it’s important,” she said.

In some cases, more intensive sanding and dismantling is necessary. For example, she recently purchased a small display table that had layers of particle board stacked on top of its original wood top. When she ripped it all off and sanded it down, the table’s beautiful pale wood was revealed.

Then it’s time to paint — or stain — or both.

This step requires some prior planning. To envision the second life of a worn out piece of furniture takes imagination, creativity and a bit of inspiration. Sometimes Maddocks set a piece of furniture aside for a while until the design dawns on her.

“I just have to let it speak to me,” she said.

“I know it’s corny, but it’s true. I keep some things for a while.”

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FEATURE

IN CONVERSATION

Lagrange. “I don’t know what color I’m going to paint it yet, but I know just what I’m going to do with it.”

She’d stain a wood cut-out that adorned a drawer in the front, she said. And she’d sand and stain the top, painting the rest a solid color — whatever that may be.

“My family teases me a lot because I tend to use a lot of the teal family colors,” she said.

She also uses rich blues, deep purples, barn red, grays and creams, and she often leaves parts of the furniture unpainted, using various stains to bring out the beauty of the wood.

“It’s funny because I was never an artistic sort of person at all — like zero artistic ability,” Maddocks said. “And I’m not just saying it, it’s true. My sister just laughs at me, she’s like, ‘I just can’t believe how good you are at this, at the colors and all that. It’s just unbelievable.’”

“I’m getting more choosy about the furniture I buy, and it’s funny because I didn’t think I had a style really, but I like the clean look of cottage style,” she said.

Cottage style — also known as farmhouse style — furniture is typically painted with light, clean colors and upholstered with

floral patterns, as well as stripes or plaid.

Originating from the mid to late 1800s, this type of furniture had a Victorian feel, with simple carved embellishments and plenty of color. Some sources state that cottage furniture echoes the hues of a flower garden, with an abundance of greens, blues, purples and pinks.

This style of furniture is also often made to look a bit weathered, which can be accomplished a number of ways.

Maddocks said she sometimes uses dry brush techniques and stains to give the furniture appearance of the finish being a bit aged, but the trick is to not make the piece look overly rustic or beat up. While the “distressed look” is certainly popular nowadays, it just isn’t her style, she said.

And it’s not cottage style, either.

“I’m not a rustic painter at all,” she said.

“I’m not into distressing or glazing to make it look dirty. But sometimes it depends on what the piece calls for.”

“My daughter Meghan will say, ‘Aren’t you afraid you’re going to mess something up?’ And I say, ‘You know what, there’s nothing that can’t be fixed. It’s just paint and it’s just stain. You can just sand it off and start over again.”

AS DAVID MADDOCKS headed back to the house to check on the lasagna he was baking, Lynn Maddocks headed back to her painting project, inspecting the old pine cabinet for any spots that might need an extra coat of cottage white.

“It’s an incredible stress reliever for me,” she said. “Out here, I usually have the tablet going with music, so it’s my own little nirvana out here. It’s like leave me alone and let me do my thing.”

For her husband, cooking is a stress reliever, she said. Everyone should have something.

Working full time in special education is a rewarding job, she said, but it can be taxing at times.

“When you’re looking at kids’ educational lives, it’s a lot of responsibility ... So this is great. I come in here and nothing that I do impacts anybody but me,” she said, laughing. “It’s just me, and if I mess up on furniture, I can fix that, you know.”

In fact, that’s what she’s good at — fixing furniture and giving it a second chance.

"There's NOTHING THAT CAN’T BE FIXED.

PHOTO: LYNN MADDOCKS

IT’S JUST PAINT AND IT’S JUST STAIN. YOU CAN JUST SAND IT OFF AND START OVER AGAIN.”

46 / BANGOR METRO March/April 2018

www.bangormetro.com BANGOR METRO / 47

FEATURE

Cultivating a better

RESTAURANT These Bangor eateries are taking farmto-table a step further.

BY JULIA BAYLY AND SARAH WALKER CARON

IN RECENT YEARS, the number of restaurants dedicated to locally-sourced, farm-to-table, sustainable or any number of other environmentally-focused buzzwords has skyrocketed. But some restaurants are going even further, creating processes dedicated to minimizing waste.

At Bangor area establishments like Novio’s and The Fiddlehead Restaurant, reducing food waste and creating sustainable restaurants is the goal.

“I work in an extremely wasteful business,” Laura Albin said.

“Restaurants use and waste a great deal of water, food, paper [and] heat and I really wanted to put our money where our mouths our in terms of waste reduction and be as courteous as we can to this earth.”

Albin and Mel Chaiken together own The Fiddlehead where they were sustainable before sustainable was cool.

TRULY LOCAL Since opening their doors in 2009, Albin and Chaiken have committed themselves to locally sourced foods and having as minimal impact on the environment as possible, going so far as to collect and save any water left from thawing food for the chickens which supply eggs to the restaurant.

“When I was a little kid I read the Ranger Rick magazines,” Albin said. “Ever since, I’ve been on a water saving kick.”

Much of the produce used in the appetizers, salads and entrees at The Fiddlehead come directly from the farm operated by Albin and her husband. To help further reduce the restaurant’s carbon footprint, Albin said she transports all the produce from the farm herself on her way into work.

“On our farm my husband only uses organic pest control products or physically removes pests,” Albin said. “We use local manure on our farm and pretty much everything we buy for the restaurant we get locally.”

Meanwhile, at Novio’s, cultivating a hydroponic garden inside a greenhouse is how bistro owner Bob Cutler and chef Dustin Cyr are trying to improve their sustainability as a restaurant.

The project to create a year-round greenhouse for supplying the restaurant began in early December, but cold weather pushed back their time frame a bit. “We missed 48 / BANGOR METRO March/April 2018

Bob Cutler, the owner of Novio's Bistro in Bangor, stands at the restaurant’s new greenhouse in Hermon.

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FEATURE

(Top) Dustin Cyr drizzles the glaze on the sweet chili-sesame glaze scallops at Novio’s Bistro in Bangor.

(Left) Fiddlehead co-owner Laura Albin, standing, greets patrons.

50 / BANGOR METRO March/April 2018

a window by about 48 hours,” Cutler explained. The plastic sheeting that covers the greenhouse couldn’t be installed once temperatures dropped.

“We’ve used this time to try to reevaluate a couple of decisions,” Cutler said. They’ve also looked at lighting and heating.

In the meantime, Cyr is using a spare bedroom to practice growing using hydroponic methods under lights. He has tomato plants growing presently, and has worked with peppers in the past. He says he’s “perfecting hydroponic technique.”

SEASONALLY DRIVEN, FOR NOW The Fiddlehead menu currently reflects Maine’s seasons and is changed four times a year in accordance with what is available.

“We used to call them our spring, summer, fall and winter menus,” Albin said.

“But in Maine, the calendar does not really reflect the seasons, so now we call them first, second, third and fourth menus.”

The “first” menu of 2018 was unveiled Jan. 30 and features a fermented vegetable pancake, slow roasted beef brisket and twice-cooked pork belly.

But looking ahead, Albin said she’d like to work around those seasonal constraints by developing a farm and greenhouse system that extends Maine’s growing season.

For Cyr, a successful greenhouse operation will mean the menu will help dictate grow cycles for the Novio’s greenhouse, a change from the present system of seasonally-driven menus.

Plus, there is the variety they can have at their fingertips.

“A radicchio mixed with a red leaf and a watercress and now you have bitter, peppery and tender all in the same salad,” Cyr said.

That freshness is key, according to Cutler.

“We don’t work out of a freezer,” he said.

REDUCING FOOD WASTE At The Fiddlehead Albin said there are plans to preserve unused fresh produce.

This spring her chef and two other restaurant employees are taking canning and freezing classes through the University A SUSTAINABLE MISSION of Maine Cooperative Extension.

Cyr credits Chaiken at The Fiddlehead with “We want to see how we can preserve the inspiring him to explore more sustainable produce we can’t use while it’s fresh,” Albin methods of running a kitchen. said. “There are times we end up with 50 bags Cutler says his goal is to eventually of tomatoes and we are giving them away.” produce 80 percent of the produce the Plus, she said “putting food by” harkens kitchen uses. That will come, he says, to a time of food history to which many when the greenhouse is running at full Mainers can relate. capacity.

“Canning and preserving food Over at The Fiddlehead, Albin is a thing real Mainers do and have and Chaiken have already met that done for generations,” Albin said.

BY PRODUCING WHAT THEY USE benchmark.

“We want to see if we can match AS MUCH AS POSSIBLE AND LOCALLY At the height of the growing their expectations because they are SOURCING EVERYTHING ELSE, season, Albin said her farm always the toughest ones to impress.”

RESTAURATEURS CAN HAVE COMPLETE supplies more than 80 percent Even scraps are fair game for of the produce used at the sustainability.

CONTROL OVER WHAT THEY restaurant.

At Novios, unserved scraps SERVE WHILE ADHERING TO THEIR “We have a berry field, a big from one day can be used in a COMMITMENT TO SUSTAINABILITY. garlic patch, a potato field and different way — like fish bones we plan to start some fruit trees,” and scraps making a fish stock, or she said. “We also have a big served to local chickens as feed. greenhouse.”

“We have a small restaurant, and I At nearby Fork & Spoon, an eatery and To supplement what they grow control as much as I can,” Cyr said. bakery on Main Street, cutting back on food themselves, Albin and Chaiken work with At the same time, it also means Cyr, who waste has helped define their menu. Owner area farmers and producers like Wee Bit studied economics in college, has to stay on Elisabeth Dean said that leftover bread Farm for meat and Brown Trading Company top of the fresh inventory and be ready to becomes croutons. Carrot tops are transformed for sustainably harvested seafood. adapt based on what is available. into pesto for appetizers served by sister Novio’s also uses all Maine seafood as “A lot of it is proper planning,” Cutler company Basil Creek Catering. And the liquid well as as much Maine produce and other said. “It’s also menu planning and because from draining chickpeas — called aquafaba — foodstuffs as they can source, which is not we change the menu over so often, Dustin becomes an emulsifier for the creamy vegan always easy. can look at the menu up to 3 p.m. [and add salad dressings they make in house.

“It can be frustrating acquiring modern a dish based on what’s available].”

“Making soups from scratch allows us ingredients,” Cyr said, since not all varietals And that means there can be control to be super flexible with what’s in the walkare available locally. of waste, which can be an issue when in,” Dean said.

By producing what they use as much even the most carefully managed gardens Cutler and Cyr are already looking as possible and locally sourcing everything and greenhouses begin producing a ahead to the future. They hope to be able to else, restaurateurs can have complete bumper crop. help other local restaurants out with special control over what they serve while adhering If their greenhouse produces more than requests for ingredients. to their commitment to sustainability.

Novio’s can use, they’ll consider selling to And Cyr has already been talking “Maine has so much cool stuff and it’s other restaurants or vendors. to Mason’s Brewery about growing hot so cool to pass it on to people who come “We have the added benefit of menu peppers for a beer. And the mission of The into our restaurant,” Albin said. “And there size,” Cyr said. “I would rather run out of Fiddlehead has been successful thus far. is such a cool movement in Maine with something than over-prepare it [and] I’m “People have been really responsive to younger people getting back into farming excited more about being able to pick things what we do,” Albin said. “Now we want to see and we want to support that.” when it’s ready and how much I need.” how far we can take this farm-to-table idea.” www.bangormetro.com BANGOR METRO / 51

FEATURE (Far left) Cory Ricker, head brewer, pours a beer at 2 Feet Brewing Co. in Bangor.

(Left) Kegs at Mason’s Brewing Company in Brewer.

(Below & right) Lee RusselDunn, baker at Fork & Spoon, makes pretzels that utilize some of the spent grain from 2 Feet Brewing.

FOLLOW THE GRAIN How bakers, brewers and restaurants are ensuring spent grain gets used.

AT 2 FEET BREWING on Columbia Street in Bangor, it would not be a stretch to see a patron at the brewery enjoying a cold, craft beer with a toasty hot pretzel both made from the same batch of grains. Moreover, that pretzel could well be served with a cheese dip made from the very beer that had just been poured.

That’s because 2 Feet is helping to ensure the spent grain from their brewery doesn’t go to waste.

Spent grain is a byproduct of the beer making process. It takes a lot of grain to produce beers, but once the brewing is done all that grain is leftover. It could go into the trash but brewers like Cory Ricker at 2 Feet are ensuring it gets used.

Shortly after 2 Feet opened in 2016, the brewery entered an agreement with Fork & Spoon on Main Street in Bangor, a bakery and eatery, to have that grain used to make pretzels. Fork & Spoon also uses grain from 2 Feet to make pretzels for Nocturnem Draft Haus on Main Street in Bangor and Mason’s Brewing Company on Hardy Street in Brewer, as well as their own croissants.

52 / BANGOR METRO March/April 2018

But the eatery can’t use all the spent grain from 2 Feet, so the brewery has found other ways to give the grain new life. In fact, there was a demand for 2 Feet’s spent grain almost as soon as the nano-brewery poured its first glass.

“Farmers all over are seeking out breweries for the spent grain and we were flooded with people who wanted it,” said Ricker, who is also co-owner of 2 Feet. “We give ours to a farmer who comes and grabs it and feeds it to his pigs.”

That farmer takes most of the 100 pounds of spent grain left every week from 2 Feet’s brewing operations, but there are several pounds — about a bucket’s worth — that go to Fork & Spoon.

At Mason’s in Brewer, owner Chris Morley estimates his brewing process results in about 2,000 pounds or more of spent grains every week, and he’s more than happy to see them go to anyone who wants them.

“We have a farmer in Orrington who comes by and picks up a lot of the spent grain,” Morley said. “There are some fat, happy pigs up there eating our grains.”

FULL CIRCLE Ricker was approached by the folks at Fork & Spoon who had been encouraged to try working with spent grains by the owner of Nocturnem, who wanted locally produced spent grain pretzels for his bar menu.

Fork & Spoon baker Lee-Russel Dunn had never worked with spent grain before, but began to experiment.

“For the pretzel, it wasn’t very challenging because the dough is very elastic anyway,” Dunn said.

Croissants were a little harder though since spent grain is typically wet and can make the dough soggy. Croissant dough, though, needs to be dryer.

Dunn found a way to make it work.

“It’s a little softer than a normal croissant dough, but it’s worked out really great,” Dunn said. The whole grains are added to the dough.

“I just put it in directly and I adjust the moisture accordingly,” Dunn said.

The efforts have paid off. The spent grain croissants may be even more popular than the traditional ones Fork & Spoon sells,

PHOTOS: GABOR DEGRE; BDN FILE

BY JULIA BAYLY AND SARAH WALKER CARON

Fork & Spoon owner Elisabeth Dean said.

“I think most people are intrigued that it is a spent grain croissant,” Dunn said.

But Dunn would love to do more with the spent grains, including grinding them into a flour — but that would take some processing that the eatery isn’t yet ready to do.

“Ideally what I would love to do is to have a dehydrator to dry the grain out,” Dunn said.

IT’S ONLY SPENT IN NAME The grains leftover from brewing can have a rich life.

“It’s still a useful product,” Ricker said of the spent grain. “There is still plenty of value in the grain [because] we are just taking the sugars off the top [and] the grain is still viable.”

Ricker said spent grain gives the pretzels a unique taste.

“They have a different flavor [and] I definitely like the taste,” he said. “I’ve been labeling the grains for Fork & Spoon so they know if the grains came from a wheat beer or an ale so they know what they are working with.”

For Dean, part of the allure of the spent grain is the variations it has on the end product.

“You don’t always get that exact same thing every time,” Dean said. And that’s a plus, to her, since the nuances of flavor between the grains add different things to the doughs.

She also appreciates how using the spent grains means that less is going to waste.

Dean’s goal is to throw away as little as possible. At an annual catering conference, she hears about food waste, which she said is “just huge.”

Working with the spent grain does take some know-how — not just to adjust to using the wet grain but also to ensure that the grains don’t spoil before they can be used.

Spent grain tends to be more perishable than other grains because of its moisture level.

“When it’s not used within a two-week period, you start to see mold,” Dunn said.

So Fork & Spoon started freezing the grains as they come in.

At the brewery restaurant Morley said his kitchen staff is always on the lookout for more ways to incorporate the spent grains

into the menu. They cook with them mostly for special occasion or ticketed events.

“Yeah, we do cook and dry our spent grains [and] incorporate them into our pizzas and our pretzels,” Morley said. “We also give it away to anyone who wants a bucket or so of it to try themselves [and] we feed those pigs.”

Masons’ spent grains were featured at the end of February at a special dinner at the request of chef Emil Rivera from James Beard award winning restaurant Sur-Lie in Portland.

“He wanted the [spent] grains from our Hipster Apocalypse beer,” Morley said. “The flavors of the grains absolutely depends on the beer it was used for and the starches, sugars and malts.”

Reducing waste by using the spent grains instead of simply disposing of them is all part of Morley’s commitment to giving back to the community.

As for those pigs in Orrington, what goes around comes around.

“I am more than happy to give that farmer the spent grains to help him make ends meet,” Morley said with a laugh. “And it’s come back — in the form of bacon.” www.bangormetro.com BANGOR METRO / 53

FEATURE

(Left) Greg Edwards leaves his Bangor office dressed for his daily commute on bicycle.

Edwards, a Bangor accountant, rides his bike to work rain or shine.

L O V I N G

L I F E

I N

THE SL W LANE

More Mainers opting for the challenges and joys of a muscle-powered commute.

STORY BY ABIGAIL CURTIS | PHOTOS BY GABOR DEGRE

AT THE END OF HIS WORKDAY spent crunching numbers at his office in downtown Bangor, accountant Greg Edwards wants to go home just like most people.

But unlike most Mainers, he doesn’t get there by hopping in a car and speeding away. Instead, as the light fades on a chilly January afternoon, he carefully buckles on a helmet, dons his L.L. Bean boots and heads to the basement. There, he checks the batteries on the lights that allow motorists to see him coming and hits the road on a workhorse of a bicycle that carries him around in rain or shine, snow or ice. In the winter, he tricks out his bike with studded snow tires, and sometimes has to don a balaclava and ski goggles if the temperature dips below 20 degrees Fahrenheit. But otherwise, winter or summer, the bike and his own muscles get him up State Street hill and then home, which is located not too far from Eastern Maine Medical Center.

Edwards, whose primary reason for bicycle commuting is because he wants to reduce his environmental footprint, said there are other rewards, too.

“It’s messy and it takes a little longer this time of year.

It’s not as leisurely and the roads are in worse shape,” he said of winter bike commuting. “But even if it’s just 20 minutes of bicycling a day, it helps you get out of the house and it fends off cabin fever. It’s a pleasurable activity, and car commuting is sometimes not. I would much rather be on my bicycle.”

The 29-year-old, who does own a Toyota Prius that he only uses for long trips or big errands, does get the occasional confused look when people find out he commutes by bicycle all winter long. Those people often do a double-take when they spot him pedaling in sub zero conditions or when it’s snowing out. For safety, Edwards’ bike sports a lot of lights this time www.bangormetro.com BANGOR METRO / 55

FEATURE of year, including a powerful headlight and a colorful light in his front wheel.

“I look like a Christmas tree when I’m moving,” he said. “It’s fun to see people’s

season, rural state like Maine, it also can bring pleasures, too.

“The one thing I would say to someone who hasn’t done it before and maybe is

must provide three feet of space between the vehicle and the bicycle, and — even if there are impatient drivers backed up behind them — cyclists are not mandated to ride in the shoulder of the road.

“There are a lot of cases where the shoulder or bike lane is not a safe place to be, because of broken glass or parked vehicles,” Da Silva said.

For many bicycle commuters, finding a SILVA safe route to work is key. Some communities in Maine are working to create an infrastructure that’s safer for motorists, cyclists and pedestrians, he said. For example, Orono officials are

“IT’S A GREAT WAY TO GET THE ENERGY MOVING IN YOUR BODY AND GET THE BLOOD MOVING AROUND... FOR ME, IT’S REALLY ONE OF THE BEST THERAPIES I’VE EVER DISCOVERED IN MY LIFE.” —ERIK DA expressions. They’re usually taken aback by it.”

BIKE COMMUTING A GROWING TREND But astonished responses notwithstanding, Edwards is a member of a small but hardy tribe of Mainers who use their bicycles as their primary means of commuting. And that tribe seems to be growing. According to a 2015 report on commuting patterns and trends from the American Association of State Highway and Transportation Officials, the numbers of bike commuters in Maine nearly tripled between 2000 to 2010.

True, the overall numbers of Mainers cycling to work remains tiny — growing from just 0.25 percent to nearly 0.75 percent of the population in that decade, according to the report. But a greater percentage of Maine residents use bikes to commute to work than every other New England state except Rhode Island. In fact, a greater percentage of us use bikes to commute than in 36 other states (nationally, residents of the District of Columbia and Oregon are the most likely to commute by bicycle than anywhere else).

That might feel like surprising news for residents of the Pine Tree State who look askance at the snowy, icy, rutted or narrow country roads in their communities, noting the pickup trucks and Subarus that whiz by, and wonder who on earth would choose to ride bicycles on them instead of cars.

But Erik Da Silva, the education program coordinator for the Bicycle Coalition of Maine, said that while bike commuting does provide special challenges in a four-

56 / BANGOR METRO March/April 2018

worried is just try it. And don’t make a big deal out of it. If you only have a mountain bike, that’s fine,” he said. “Just ride the mountain bike and get a feel for it. It’s a bit contagious. Just think of it as a fun way to commute to work, because it is.”

The coalition offers free classes called Traffic Skills 101 to help people learn how to ride in traffic and refresh their cyclist skills.

The class will be held in both Bangor and Portland in April, Da Silva said, adding that being safety conscious can go a long way towards making cyclists feel comfortable on Maine roads. Da Silva, who lives in Orono and works mostly at home but sometimes at the non-profit’s Portland office, may be in the running for the most complicated commute in the state. He pedals from his house to the Concord Trailways station in Bangor, rides the bus to Portland, and then bikes from the Portland Transportation Center to the office. At the end of the day, he repeats it to head home.

“It’s a great way to get the energy moving in your body and get the blood moving around,” he said. “For me, it’s really one of the best therapies I’ve ever discovered in my life. When I commute to work, sometimes I find myself driving, and my days at the office are very different when I do have to drive. Biking brings a lot of joy, even if it’s miserable weather.”

Both cyclists and motorists should have an understanding of the rules that govern the roads, he said. First off, a bicycle is considered to be a vehicle and has to follow many of the same laws that apply to motor vehicles. Motorists passing cyclists

THE NUMBERS OF BIKE COMMUTERS IN MAINE NEARLY TRIPLED BETWEEN 2000 TO 2010.

working on a Park Street transportation project that should help calm vehicular traffic there, and other communities, especially in the greater Portland area, have really made an effort to build bicycle lanes that are buffered from the roadway.

“That is the high end of what a municipality can do to support bicyclists,” he said.

The culture is changing — slowly — to be more bicycle and pedestrian friendly, he and others said. Jim Rose, who owns Rose Bike in Orono, has been involved in the Maine biking community for more than 30 years. He said that more drivers seem to be cognizant of the cyclists who share the roads with them than they used to be and there are more bicycle commuters, too. When the price of gas topped $4 per gallon a few years ago, noticeably more

people made the jump from car to bicycle.

“I think it is a trend,” he said of bike commuting. “Most of them do it just in the good weather, not when it’s snowy and dangerous. But there’s a fair number of people who do. Some for their health, some for economic reasons, some for environmental reasons. There’s a lot more people who could. It’s just the getting going of it.”

‘AN HOUR OF BLESSED TIME’ One bicycle commuter who has had years of experience riding in Maine is Glen Widmer of Montville, who started seriously cycling as a kid and never stopped. Widmer, now the principal of the Capt. Albert Stevens Elementary School in Belfast, rides to work in the spring and fall, a 19-mile distance. What he’s found is

that careful preparation is key to having a successful bike commute and workday. The ride takes him a little over an hour, and he tries to leave his house at 6 a.m. so he can get to school with plenty of time to spare.

He carries with him a backpack and a bag that fits under his bicycle, and when he gets to work he cleans up and changes from his riding clothes to work clothes. Widmer also alternates biking with driving his Honda Civic, in part because he can load up his car with the work clothes, computer and other things he will need but doesn’t want to carry with him on the bike.

“One of the tricks is thinking how to get my stuff in,” he said. “There’s a lot of planning out the week. There’s a mental part, too, working on the efficiency.”

Mostly, he has his system worked out, but it’s not without occasional bugs.

Edwards rides his bicycle in downtown Bangor after leaving his office. www.bangormetro.com BANGOR METRO / 57

FEATURE “There’s times when I realize I don’t have something critical,” Widmer said. “I’m pretty good now at making sure I have extra underwear, extra socks and extra towels, although there have been times I’ve had to use paper towels, or even air-dried.”

Some of his favorite bike commuting memories involve close encounters with wildlife, such as the time when he came down a hill quickly and almost ran into a skunk (he credits his powerful headlight with giving him enough lead time to avoid what was sure to be a very stinky situation).

Or the time when he was pedaling during moose rut season and saw a bull moose running towards him.

“My first thought was that this is really cool,” Widmer recalled. “My second thought was uh-oh, I’m just on a bike.”

The moose was joined by a second bull moose, and when a car came up they switched directions and ran away from him.

“It was very exciting,” he said.

Altogether, commuting to work by bicycle is a highlight of his day, he said, waxing nearly poetic about the way that cycling brings him closer to the woods, fields and terrain around him than he ever could get in his Honda.

“It’s an hour of blessed time in my day,” Widmer said. “It makes your day go better.

58 / BANGOR METRO March/April 2018

You’ve got time to think about whatever you want. The freedom of thought is such a gift. And the smells — there’s a spot I pass in Morrill, where something is growing, and it smells so good. I look forward to that every day.”

THE ACCIDENTAL COMMUTER Some commuters, such as Widmer, are intentional about their bike commuting. But others get into it more or less by accident.

Take Michelle Toder, a doctor who lives in Orono and works as a weight loss surgeon at Eastern Maine Medical Center in Bangor.

Three years ago, her family had a situation when they had more drivers than cars after one college-aged child left for the summer and took a car with them.

“It left me with not enough vehicles, but only for a few months. I wasn’t going to buy another car. I said, ‘fine, I’ll take my bicycle. I’m just going to jump on my bike and see what happens.”

That was three years ago. For Toder, what happened on the daily 14-mile round trip commute was life-changing. Previously, she had known other doctors who pedaled to work and thought they were crazy. She figured the commute would take too much time out of the day, or tire them out. But that wasn’t true for her.

“Once I started, I got so addicted. I absolutely loved it,” she said. “Riding in, I feel like I get to work fired up. I’m a doctor and I take care of other people. I start the day taking care of myself. I get some worklife balance. And at the end of the day I can burn off some of that steam. I think it’s great for physical health and really good for my mental health.”

Toder doesn’t ride all year round, but not too far off from that.

“I commute until basically we lose the breakdown lane [because of snow],” she said. “It’s a pretty short season, just eight to 12 weeks when you can’t cycle.”

The all-year commuters, like Edwards and Da Silva, find that studded snow tires and patience help them weather the bad wintertime roads.

“You need to feel comfortable driving your bicycle on the roads,” Da Silva said.

Toder fits into a larger category of spring, summer and fall bicycle commuters.

After her first summer on the bike, she started learning about the equipment that makes cyclist safer when the weather is iffy and the days are shorter. She got lights for her bike, windproof gloves, boot covers and more.

“Flashing lights everywhere,” Toder said. “I felt like I was in Star Wars.”

Just as with Widmer, she found that biking does require some planning. It also demands that she pare down the stuff she might have brought in her car without thinking twice.

“You’re not going to ride around with everything you own. You’ve to fit everything you need into your backpack,” she said, adding that working at the hospital helps. “For me, I come in, take a shower and put on scrubs. I feel fortunate ... some of my colleagues think I’m nuts, but they’re super supportive. I think most people believe in doing whatever it is that makes you feel better.”

This year, she decided she needed to do some more strength and conditioning work, and now she rides her bike to the gym to work out, too. Bike commuting has helped her become the kind of person who can ride a century (100 miles) without thinking twice about it.

“The miles just kind of pile up. It’s functional exercise, and people need to do more of that,” she said. “I hear it all the time from my patients. ‘I don’t have time to go to the gym.’ ‘I don’t have money to go to the gym.’”

You don’t need to, she tells them. You just need to get outside.

“I really believe what the Norwegians say: there’s no such thing as bad weather, only bad clothing. Bundle up and go outside.”

Greg Edwards replaces the batteries in on of the many lights on his bicycle before he leaves his Bangor office.

Dirigo

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FEATURE

L E T ’ S

RIDE! Maine’s open roads call bike enthusiasts. BY JULIA BAYLY

ANYONE WHO’S EVER BICYCLED the paved roads of the Pine Tree State will tell you it’s a great place to ride with routes that can take a cyclist through urban areas, along the coast or through rural landscapes.

Here, in no particular order, are seven great routes well worth checking out.

FREEPORT TO WOLFE’S NECK WOODS STATE PARK

Freeport is home to the state’s flagship store LL Bean as well as a dizzying array of outlets, galleries and cafes. But let’s be honest, there is only so much shopping and browsing a person can do, right?

For those needing a break and looking for a quick ride, the out and back to Wolfe’s Neck State Park is perfect, given that the 244-acre park is a popular destination in and of itself with a white pine and hemlock forest, saltwater marsh and trails along the Harraseeket River and Casco Bay. To start your ride, head out of Freeport on Bow Street for about a quarter mile and then continue on Flying Point Road for 2.5-miles to Lower Flying Point Road and turn right and ride about mile to Burnette Road on the right and the entrance to Wolfe’s Neck State Park.

Along the way, the fast-pace of Freeport melts away to open fields, marshes and water views.

Once at the park the pavement ends, but there are bike racks and plenty of hiking trails down to the water where there is an excellent chance of spotting Osprey and other coastal birds. The ride also passes by the Maine Audubon Mast Landing Sanctuary.

The roads are in generally good shape, but traffic can be moderate to seasonally heavy on the narrow sections.

Wolfe's Neck Woods State Park trails lead through the forest and along the coast of Casco Bay.

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APRES RIDE: Treat yourself to a post-ride lobster roll at The Broad Arrow Tavern at Freeport’s Harraseeket Inn, 162 Main Street.

PHOTOS: (TOP) JULIA BAYLY; (BELOW) AISLINN SARNACKI

9 MILES

PORTLAND BACK COVE TRAIL INTO DOWNTOWN

10 MILES Maine’s largest city has so much to offer — great food, architecture, historical sites and an iconic waterfront. Fortunately, much of it is accessible by bike and a great way to get a two-wheeled introduction to the southern Maine city is to start off on the city’s Back Cove — one of the oldest and most popular pedestrian and cycling trails in Portland.

There is parking available at the access points on the Preble Street Extension and at Payson Park. The trail is relatively flat and paved with some areas gravel and offers views of the Portland skyline and the bay.

At Back Cove Park jump on to Preble Street and head into town turning on to Cumberland Ave to Congress Street and then turn on to Hampshire Street to connect to Middle Street and then on to Commercial Street. Along the way you will pass shops, pubs, galleries and restaurants, ending up at the waterfront. To complete the loop, it’s High Street to Sherman Street and turn on to Metcalf Street to Park Ave and then on to State Street-Marginal Way and back to Back Cove Park on Preble Street.

APRES RIDE: What’s better after a ride than taco and beer? Check out Hella Good Tacos, 500 Washington Ave.

A cyclist rides by several bikes chained to a tree in Portland.

BELFAST — AND BEYOND! 21, 22, 30, OR 61 MILES There may be no better way to experience the Maine coast than by bicycle. In this series of loops beginning and ending in Belfast, riders experience quintessential Maine coastal villages like Liberty, old mill towns, historical buildings, lighthouses, panoramic ocean views and bicycle-bridge river crossings.

These loops cover the range from easy, mild terrain in the 21-mile “Head of Tide Ride” to the more challenging and hilling 61-mile “Waldo County Ridge Ride.”

Once out of Belfast proper, the area is home to good — albeit narrow — roads and light traffic, making it somewhat of a cyclist’s paradise.

Complete route maps for each of the Belfast and Beyond rides are available online at www.exploremaine.org. The rides begin and end at the Belfast Municipal Parking Lot off Washington Street.

APRES RIDE: A scoop — or two or three — of ice cream from Wild Cow Creamery, 31 Front Street in Belfast.

Blue paint on paper birch trees mark a trail of the Head of Tide Preserve in Belfast.

PHOTOS: (TOP) TROY R. BENNETT; (MIDDLE) AISLINN SARNACKI; (BOTTOM) JULIA BAYLY

ACADIA NATIONAL PARK LOOP 27 MILES Consistently ranked “The Best Ride in Maine” by Bicycling Magazine, the 27-mile Park Loop Road in Acadia National Park does, indeed have a lot going for it with regards to scenery, paved surface and access. However — and this is important — all those things also make it a very popular destination for tourists arriving by cars and public buses throughout the spring, summer and fall. Traffic can be very heavy on these narrow, one-way roads and great caution is advised if you are on bike. Alternatives are riding very early in the morning to avoid the heaviest of traffic, or checking in with the National Park Service to see when Acadia will have its annual no-motorized traffic days.

The Park Loop Road connects Acadia to the village of Mount Desert Island and much if it is one-way and takes riders past Sand Beach, Thunder Hole, Gorham Mountain and Otter Cliffs. Access is off Route 233 near Cadillac Mountain — another great ride for the experienced cyclist. And note — cyclists are charged a $12 fee, good for seven days, to enter the park.

APRES RIDE: From May to October (which jives nicely with cycling season in Maine) head to Rosalie’s Pizza at 46 Cottage Street in Bar Harbor for a slice of pizza or calzone.

A cyclist cruises under a carriage trail bridge in Acadia National Park.

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FEATURE

THE INTERNATIONAL RIDE 35 MILES AND PASSPORT REQUIRED!

HEIGHT OF THE LAND 101 MILES This ride is not for the faint of heart or inexperienced cyclist thanks to its shere distance and numerous climbs with a total elevation gain of close to 5,000 feet. But for those who do it, nothing compares to the rewards of the views of the western Maine mountains at the tops of those climbs, or the screaming descents down the other sides.

Beginning and ending in Rumford, the ride follows US Route 17 into Rangely, then Route 4 toward Phillips to pick up Route 142 through Weld, Carthage and Dixfield to connect to Route 2 back to Rumford.

According to experienced Maine-born cyclist Alan Jenkins, “The [road] shoulder is narrow but the surface is in good condition and the people that were driving were going slowly enjoying the landscape as well, no doubt.”

APRES RIDE: Sunday River Brewing Company 29 Sunday River Road in Bethal has some of the best craft brew and pub food in the area. After 100 miles in the saddle — it’s worth it!

AROOSTOOK COUNTY: TOP OF MAINE 21 MILES This gentle rolling loop Begins and ends in St. Agatha with parking adjacent to Our Lady of The Valley Catholic Church on Main Street. Head right out of the parking lot and then it’s a quick right onto The Cleveland Road and along the shores of Long Lake to a right hand turn at the Madawaska Fire Station House #2 onto Lavertu Road. From there take a right turn onto Little Mountain Road to Golf Course Road and back down to the lake and right onto Lake Shore Road. Follow Lake Shore Road back to Cleveland Road and back to St. Agatha.

Along the way riders pass working potato farms, streams, fields and will more than likely experience some of the famous hospitality up in “The County.”

The roads are fair to good and traffic is light. Come in late July or early August to see acres of potato fields in full flower.

APRES RIDE: The Lakeview Restaurant, 9 Lakeview Drive St. Agatha, for a wide selection of comfort food from cheeseburgers to prime rib.

62 / BANGOR METRO March/April 2018

APRES RIDE: The Moosehack at 76 East Main Street in Fort Kent has daily pizza, sandwich and soup specials. Wednesday is wing night!

PHOTO: AISLINN SARNACKI

The Bagaduce River is seen from the height of land in Bluff Head Preserve.

There are not all that many places where you can ride in a state, two Canadian provinces and two countries in a single ride. This is one of them!

Starting in Fort Kent at the municipal building on West Main Street, cross The International Bridge into Clair, New Brunswick.

After stopping at Canadian Customs and Border Patrol, turn left on Rue Principale and head west to St. Francois, NB (making sure to stop for a photo op at the giant chicken statue!).

In St. Francois turn right onto Route 215 toward Baker Lake. The next nine miles will be a steady climb through farms and woodlands until the well-earned descent down to Route 120 in Bake Laker. From there, turn left toward Route 189 and follow the signs to the scenic covered bridge. Not only does this take you into Quebec for a few miles, it’s also a great place to stop for a rest.

Leaving the covered bridge head to Route des Charles/Chemin de L’Eglise around the back side of Lake Baker. Arriving at the St. Thomas D’Aquin Catholic Church, turn left onto Route 120 for what has to be one of the best descents going — a six mile float down to Route 161 and the St. John River. Turn right onto 161 and follow it back into Clair and the International Bridge.

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GET OUT

PORTLAND, OREGON

THAT ‘OTHER’

PORTLAND Way out west and weird. BY JULIA BAYLY

Portland, Oregon’s Pioneer Courthouse Square.

64 / BANGOR METRO March/April 2018

HOW CAN YOU NOT LOVE a city with the unofficial motto “Keep Portland Weird”? No, not the Portland here in Maine. That other Portland. The one in Oregon 3,000 miles to the west named for its Maine counterpart, and one with its own modern vibe and its own quirky personality.

If not for the flip of a coin, this would be a story about a west coast Boston. In 1845 the community that became Portland, Oregon, was known only as “The Clearing,” and its two founders, Francis Pettygrove of Portland, Maine and Asa Lovejoy of Boston, each wanted to name it after their respective hometowns.

To settle the matter like gentlemen, the two opted to hold a two out of three coin toss. Pettygrove won and The Clearing became Portland and that coin resides happily at the Oregon Historical Society on display for all to see.

WALK WITH ME Portland is first and foremost a walking city. In fact, according to its history, the city was laid out specifically with 200-foot-by200-foot blocks (most other A GREAT PLACE TO START cities in the country have YOUR WALK IS AT PIONEER much larger blocks) to create COURTHOUSE SQUARE AT a more walkable downtown.

A great place to start SW 6TH STREET. THIS FULL your walk is at Pioneer CITY BLOCK OF OPEN SPACE Courthouse Square at SW CONSTRUCTED OF BRICK AND 6th Street. It’s often called MARBLE HOSTS. CONCERTS, “the city’s living room.”

FESTIVALS AND OTHER This full city block of open space constructed of brick EVENTS ALL YEAR. and marble hosts concerts, festivals and other events all year.

It is also home to the city’s TriMet public transportation office, a perfect place to obtain maps and directions on getting around by bus, light rail or trolly if you’ve had enough of walking. And Portland has some great public transportation with TriMet which covers all of the downtown and surrounding areas with regularly scheduled runs.

The city is divided into neighborhoods with the Willamette River running through the heart of it making an excellent reference point.

Looking for some historic buildings, funky shops, boutiques and tree-lined sidewalks? Head to Northwest Portland. Keep walking west and you’ll end up in the swanky Pearl District where high end shops, restaurants and apartments

PHOTOS: ZRFPHOTO, JUSTIN_VVATTS/THINKSTOCK

Walking city

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PORTLAND, OREGON

Travel Tip

RIDE WITH A VIEW For just $4.70 roundtrip, the Portland Aerial Tram offers panoramic views during the fourminute, 3,300-feet each way ride.

Two trams are staffed with a docent explaining important sights as you glide up and then back down.

66 / BANGOR METRO March/April 2018

occupy former warehouses, loading docks and what were some, shall we say, sketchier establishments.

Downtown and Old Town are full of great shopping areas — remember, Oregon has no sales tax. It’s also full of great dining areas and green spaces. There’s The Portland Art Museum, The Oregon Historical Society and the nearby Washington Park, home of International Rose Test Gardens, which gives the city it’s official nickname “The City of Roses.” The entire downtown into Old Town is connected by a riverwalk along the Willamette River.

Cross any of the nine bridges over the river to the city’s east side which has cast aside its blue-collar, residential and industrial reputation and is now home to up-and-coming brew pubs, restaurants, galleries and seemingly endless street fairs in neighborhoods like Hawthorne, Mississippi and Alberta.

Coming full circle, Portland continues its commitment to walkability with the newly opened Tilikum Crossing, a pedestrian and light rail bridge over the Willamette River. It’s near the Portland Aerial Tram, built originally to transport staff and patients from parking in the south waterfront district up the hill to the sprawling Oregon Health & Science University. But thanks to the panoramic views offered on the four-minute, 3,300feet each way ride, the $4.70 roundtrip has become a popular tourist attraction as well, with the two trams staffed with a docent explaining important sights as you glide up and then back down.

PHOTOS: JULIA BAYLY

GET OUT

LET’S EAT, DRINK & BE MERRY At some point we’ve all been told breakfast is the most important meal of the day. I’ll see that and raise it with the opinion that it is also the best meal to eat out regardless of what time it is. It matters not if you are an early riser ready to hit the pavement running or prefer to hit the snooze several times and then linger over a late morning brunch, Portland has you covered.

Over on the city’s east side at 4425 NE Fremont Street is Batter Griddle and Drinkery.

Here Chef Dan Cogan proves there is nothing that can’t be improved by combining it with pancakes, waffles or crepes — sweet or savory.

My favorite was the “Pecan Do It!” — a pancake topped with fresh pecans, brown sugar streusel and fresh-made maple whipped cream.

On the savery side, and perhaps the ultimate in a comfort brunch meal, was the Country Fried Chicken Waffle topped with buttermilk fried chicken and maple balsamic syrup. The Asian Fried Chicken version is made with a garlic chili sauce.

Brunch is king at Mother’s Bistro Bar (212 SW Stark Street) where “It’s all about the love.” Chef Lisa Schroeder wanted to create the kinds of meals she’d cook for her own family. Over the years Schroeder has collected recipes for dishes like salmon hash, chicken and dumplings, and crab cakes, from mothers around the world. Every month she features one of those mothers on the menu as Mom of the Month.

It matters not if you are an early riser ready to hit the pavement running or prefer to hit the snooze several times and then linger over a late morning brunch, Portland has you covered.

When I went I opted for the salmon hash which was full of fresh, pink chunks of wild-caught Pacific salmon, leeks and a touch of cream. My friend went for the biscuit breakfast with buttermilk biscuits, country sausage gravy and eggs. Both were exceptional.

If you’re hungry by lunch time, I’d head over to the Goose Hollow Inn at 1927 SW Jefferson Street where owner and former Mayor Bud Clark has been helping to keep Portland weird since 1957. Clark is also famous — or infamous depending who you ask — for posing for a poster in the mid-1970s promoting the arts in Portland in which he is seen from the back, clad only in a trench coat, “flashing” a statue with the caption, “Expose yourself to art.”

The eatery has been a landmark since it opened half a century ago and lays claim to having “the best reubens on the planet.” Well, not having visited all the places serving reubens on this planet, I can’t confirm that boast but I can say with 100 percent confidence it is one damn fine sandwich with a perfect corned beef-to-sauerkraut ratio on rye served with — what else? — a crisp dill pickle. Now that I think about it, I’d walk from Portland, Maine, to Portland, Oregon, for one of those reubens.

When supper time rolls around there are plenty of amazing eateries offering every trending variation on any ethnic cuisine you

(Top) Pancakes, waffles, crepes and more are available at Batter Griddle & Drinkery.

(Middle) Dan & Louis Oyster Bar in downtown Portland has been a landmark eatery since 1907.

(This photo) Tilikum Crossing is Portland’s newest bridge over the Willamette River. Built for pedestrians and light rail traffic only, it opened in 2015.

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GET OUT

PORTLAND, OREGON

Yes, good things do come in pink boxes, as anyone who has tried Voodoo Doughnuts can tell you.

can imagine. But, I like to go old school and head to one of the city’s iconic spots like Dan & Louis Oyster Bar at 208 SW Ankeny Street.

Owned and operated by the Wachsmuth family since opening in 1907, Dan & Louis Oyster Bar is an Old Town landmark that has refused to give in to the city’s ever changing foodie trends. Not surprisingly the menu is heavy on seafood and while you can order a burger, why on earth would you want to with the fresh bounty from the Oregon coast in the offering?

Last time I was there I took one look at that bins of oysters freshly arrived from the beaches an hour or so away and did not even bother glancing at the menu. What followed was an evening of pure bivalvegluttony as I enjoyed a platter of raw oysters on the half shell. Our server explained that there were three different kinds of oysters on my plate, each from a different oyster bed on the Oregon coast. The differences in tastes among all three were subtle, but noticeable. And oh, so delectable. Okay, so maybe they were so good, I actually had two platters of oysters. But, hey, who knows when I’ll be back? And, it was happy hour, so they were half price.

Continuing on the Portland landmark eating and drinking tour, I love finishing off my day at Huber’s Cafe at 411 SW Third Ave. It’s the oldest restaurant in the the city having been in business since 1879. Foodwise, they are famous for their turkey — you can’t get near the place on Thanksgiving.

But I’ve been going there for years for one thing — the Spanish Coffee. This signature drink is prepared tableside by talented staff who mix the Kahlua, rum, Triple Sec, cream and just enough coffee to deserve its name.

Each of the spirits is poured into the glass with a flourish and then lit on fire as the server spins and tilts the glass to properly mix the flaming contents before extinguishing it with the cream. After decades of watching this performance and drinking the results I can safely say, it tastes every bit as good as it looks.

YES, THERE’S MORE THAN FOOD There’s craft beer. Portland is considered by many — mostly Oregonians — to be the birthplace of the country’s craft brew revolution. There are 70 breweries in Portland with 35 more just outside the metro area. Oregonians are passionate about their craft beer and the state is often referred to as Beervana or Beertopia.

Every July the Oregon Brewers Guild hosts the Oregon Brewers Festival which gathers brewers from around the state and country for three days devoted to all things craft beer at Portland’s Tom McCall Waterfront Park.

The rest of the year, thirsty Portlanders have their pick of beer types from hoppy IPAs to thick, dark stouts at any number of 68 / BANGOR METRO March/April 2018

PHOTOS: JULIA BAYLY & MICHELE DWYER

THAT VOODOO YOU DO Okay, one more — albeit newer — landmark food destination.

Voodoo Doughnuts where “The Magic is in the Hole” at 22 SW Third Ave. I mean, come on, what’s not to love about a donut shop open 24 hours a day offering doughnuts like The Old Dirty Bastard (chocolate frosting, Oreo cookies and peanut butter), The Pothole (Bavarian cream filled with a trail of frosting for adhering to the proper side of the road to eat first) and the Voodoo Doll filled with raspberry jelly, topped with chocolate frosting and speared through the heart with a pretzel stick. There are donuts coated in cereal, wrapped in bacon and more. If all that was not enough, the owners are ordained ministers and you can actually be married at Voodoo Donuts. Guests and lookie-loos toss Froot Loops, not rice.

neighborhood microbrew pubs. Among my favorites is Hopworks Urban Brewery at 2944 SE Powell Blvd. Not only do they serve great craft beer and food, they combine it with a decor featuring one of my passions — bicycling, with bike frames lining the bar and drinks served on platters made from bike wheels.

When I visit Portland, there is one place I head to every time: Powell’s Books — the largest independent new and used book store in the world. Taking up a full city block at 1005 W. Burnside, the flagship store long ago outgrew that three-level space and expanded to satellite stores around the city. Heck, the store is so large you are handed a map the moment you walk in.

I’ll also trek up the hill on the city’s southwest side to Council Crest, where you get amazing views of the downtown, the Willamette River and the mountains of the cascades including Mt. Hood and Mt. St. Helens which blew her top in the eruptions of 1980. Speaking of volcanoes, You can also see Mt. Tabor to the east — one of only four extinct volcanoes within a US city’s limits.

So yeah, it’s quirky and trendy. But Portland owns its reputation. With one-stop flights available from Bangor and our Portland to PDX, no sales tax and an exciting vibe, it’s well worth the trip. And if you go, say hi to Bud for me.

​ opworks Urban H Brewery is all about beer and bikes. Flights of their craft beers are served on cycle-themed wheel platters.

Travel Tip

PASSION FOR BREWS Portland is considered by many — mostly Oregonians — to be the birthplace of the country’s craft brew revolution. There are 70 breweries in Portland with 35 more just outside the metro area.

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OUTSIDE

WOODS & WATERS

Sap lines line an area of woods at Nutkin Knoll Farm and Sugarworks in Newburgh.

It’s a little different these days.

BY BOB DUCHESNE

70 / BANGOR METRO March/April 2018

EVERYTHING I KNOW about maple syrup is wrong. Or, at least it’s outdated. My first visit to a sugar shack was as a child. This was long ago, back when television had only three networks and two colors. Superman changed in a phone booth.

Yes, that long ago.

I learned about sugaring operations the same way all children of that age did. My parents crammed us into the back of a Dodge Polaris station wagon, and we drove out to the woods where sap was being boiled down. I loved it.

Sap was collected in buckets and hauled on sleds, often behind horses. As a child, you could look in the bucket and see the sap, and maybe a few floating insects. “Cool,” I thought, “carbohydrates and protein, with no artificial sweeteners.”

Everything changes, but I didn’t realize how much until I visited Kinney’s Sugar House in Knox, the state’s largest creator of maple confections. Kinney’s produces a whopping five tons of maple sugar per year. It was there that I learned my knowledge of sugaring operations was about 50 years out of date.

For instance, I never would have guessed this top threat to maple sugar manufacturing in Maine: deer and squirrels like to chew on the tubes. It’s apparently not for nutrition.

They just like the chewiness. Lee Kinney explained that they have to replace about 600 chewed drops per year.

Still, maybe that’s not so bad. There are 75 miles of tubes crisscrossing the woods around Kinney’s Sugar House, and the falling tree limbs of winter’s first storm can also play havoc. In fact, tubing has changed the whole timetable of sugaring. In the old days, the buckets would go out in late winter. Nowadays, all the tubing work needs to be in

PHOTO: BDN FILE

MODERN SUGARING

place before the first major snow, before it becomes too difficult to maneuver the gear through the woods. By late autumn, most of the preparation for springtime is already done.

Galvanized buckets are gone. The zinc coating occasionally contained lead, as did some of the solder used to weld yesteryear’s pails. Today, everything in the sugar house is restaurant-grade stainless steel.

Another surprise: exposure to air adds flavor. When sap was gathered in buckets and poured into tubs, exposure was no problem. But today’s sap flows straight out of the tree, into the tubes, and off to the evaporators. In order to develop the same great flavor, additional care must be taken to boil off the water just right.

Some maples produce better sap than others, and older trees generally yield sweeter sap. Tapping a tree too deeply produces sap that can make an entire batch taste slightly bitter. Too many taps will damage a tree, so most trees get no more than two taps. Larger trees might get three, and the rare behemoth might get four.

That’s the limit.

Sap flows uphill. As the tubes approach Kinney’s Sugar House, they rise up to 14 feet. The sap is sucked into the sugar house in much the same way one syphons gas. It’s called the Bernoulli Effect. If the tubes are too tight, the syphoning slows, which means that there has to be a little bit of air leakage in the system in order for this to work. And that’s created either by air valves or — wait for it — squirrels chewing small holes in the tubes.

Though it has been half a century since I first saw huge tubs of sap boiling into syrup atop stacks of blazing firewood, the memory remains fresh. But that method is also outdated. Today’s sap typically goes through a reverse osmosis machine that removes 87% of the water. Lee says that just two of these machines can cost as much as his house, but the energy savings are enormous. Because the sap is mostly dewatered before it enters the evaporator, it takes only one minute to produce a gallon of syrup. Larger evaporators can produce two gallons per minute. That’s fortunate, because when the sap is running full-tilt at Kinney’s Sugar House, it’s flowing into the storage tanks at 1,200 gallons per hour.

Save the Date Maine Maple Sunday is coming March 25

Maine Maple Sunday is always the last Sunday of March, which falls on March 25 this year. Sugar houses all over Maine will open for public tours and samples. Pray for nighttime temperatures in the mid-20s and daytime temps in the high 40s. Once the temperatures start topping 60, the trees go into full leaf-production mode and sugaring season ends for another year.

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

Going

GREEN Do it for the children.

BY EMILY MORRISON

ONE OF THE FIRST FIGHTS my future husband and I had was over our future children.

We’d been dating no more than two months, and we were still in that honeymoon period where people talk about their dreams and the names of all the children and pets they’re going to raise together. It was a beautiful time when the world was our oyster and our oyster was each other.

While walking me back to my dorm one magical night I threw my Coke bottle into a trashcan. Upon witnessing such needless waste Boo said to me, “What are you doing? You can’t throw out plastic!”

I told him I most certainly could throw out plastic when there was no returnable receptacle in sight. Everybody knows you can’t be bothered to find a recycle bin while walking.

“If it’s there great, but if not, no big. It’s not like I’m littering,” I said to him.

In my mind, littering was when you threw anything but apple cores out the window while driving. Dad used to say, “Look, I’m Johnny Appleseed,” as he tossed an “apple core Baltimore” out on some old country road.

My future hubby was no Johnny Appleseed. He didn’t throw anything out any window, ever.

“How can you treat the Earth like that? Don’t you want our children to grow up in a world with clean land and clean air? Recycling plastic isn’t just about saving a nickel — it’s about saving the Earth for our children and our children’s children!”

And just like that we were enmeshed in a brutal battle about our hypothetical progeny and the world they were inheriting from us. More than our imaginary children, I suppose we were really arguing about our respective upbringings. He came from a home that reduced, reused and recycled, and I came from people who let me keep the money from the redemption center if I counted the bottles first.

We didn’t wash out our cans or save our newspapers for kindling. We didn’t keep our spaghetti jars and put leftovers in them. Most of the time, we dumped what we didn’t eat into the trash and called it a day.

Now, I’m not calling my parents bad people or complaining about a wasteful childhood.

Please, oh please. It was the 80s and early 90s. Maine hadn’t converted from calling “dumps” to “transfer stations” yet. Back in those days, when Dad made his usual dump run we sang the “To the Dump, to the Dump, to the Dump, Dump, Dump,” song together and threw rocks into the smoldering piles of trash while gulls flocked overhead.

There were no places to put mixed paper, cans, glass, plastic jugs or cardboard. There was just one flaming trash pile and lots of interesting smells emanating from it.

Fast forward to 2018 to three very real children, one puppy and one cat later, and that sweet boy and I are living in a full, Earth-friendly cabin in the Maine woods. How’d it happen? Why didn’t I fight to the death for my right to throw that Coke bottle out?

Because, as much as it kills me to admit it, Boo was right. What kind of world would I be giving our children if I didn’t start thinking about the footprint my actions left on the only place they could live?

It didn’t happen overnight for me, more like over the last two decades, but I’ve slowly become the person who washes out cans, jugs and glass containers and sorts them into their respective bins in the pantry. We save our newspapers for kindling and our two wood stoves are our only source of heat. Whatever we don’t eat goes into glass jars in the fridge and our kids sing the “To the Dump, to the Dump, to the Dump, Dump, Dump” song with us as we head to the transfer station every Saturday.

Sure, they may not get to throw rocks into burning piles of refuse (or a close flying pigeon every now and again) but I feel like what they’re doing is much better than what I did.

They’re preserving this planet for their children and their children’s children. Graded school work goes into the mixed paper tote, bottles go into the bottle bin, pizza boxes go on top of the woodpile in the garage and the puppy gets what we don’t eat. We’re a long way from solar panels and a garden grown from our own compost, but that’s where Boo and I are headed.

Why? Because the kids gotta eat.

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.

72 / BANGOR METRO March/April 2018

PHOTO: BRIANAJACKSON/THINKSTOCK

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