Red Pony Farm: A journey in motion

Party Weekend

First, Saturday was the 10th anniversary party for Sebago Brewing, so we Drove to the big city of South Portland Maine to say congratulations and enjoy some of this amazing stuff:

and listen to a couple of songs by the band that was playing ( I meant to remember their name, but didn't)

Next it was off to the preferably peaceful woods of Cornish to Say happy birthday to our dear friend RP. We were out till after midnight. That's a big deal for old farts like us.

Sunday we were heading into a quite early night when the phone rang at about 5:30. It was our good friends Jeff and Carol from Brownfield:

Who turned a timber framed net shop into a performing arts center: Stone Mountain Arts Center .

The amazing Mavis Staples was performing that evening:

It seems there was a cancelation in this sold out show.

"Would we like to come as their guests for the evening?"

DAH!

The Timber Frame was made (as a net shop) and renovated for the art center by another friend Andy Buck

Greatest Recipe & family Stories Blog

The Barefoot Kitchen Witch is one of my favorite blogs of all times. Jayne is a talented and witty writer. Her stories of family and friends are candid, so very real, so funny and often very touching. She is also an avid cook and baker. I am always astounded at the number of times in a week she cooks real and interesting meals. And she keeps it up week after week. It is out of my grasp and comprehension. I am going to try one of her recipes soon though. She makes it look so easy and Fun!

The photos and directions are easy to understand even for me who has no for knowledge of terms. Indeed the most comprehensive I've come across. Not only that but she makes them creative and pretty, and often includes in the photos the precious little hands of the next generation of chef and baker deftly wielding basting brushes or kneading dough to perfection.

I've added a couple of links to some of my recent favorite posts:

Mutton Kari

Quick Onion Flat bread

Greatest Show on Earth

Family Portrait

I could on and on here with the links.  Get on over there and check the whole thing out for yourself. You will be impressed and amused and become just as attached as I am. She also sells some of her artwork through an on-line store.

Breakfast at Bintliff's

Raychell took us out for breakfast on my birthday. We went to Bintliff's. I had Mediterranean Scrambled eggs and one Raspberry Almond Pancake and a Mimosa. Dan had the famous corned beef hash that is slow cooked for 24 hours. I ate so much I couldn't eat lunch or dinner! I did have some cake and ice cream at David's and Kelly's with the kids. That was fun too. This is Omar her boyfriend and his son Elijah.

Ritualistic Homage to the Apple Tree

Amongst the blossoms we toasted and talked. We dined on Cheeses and salads and grilled Chicken all of which was; made of, marinated in, smoke in the wood of, containing whole chunks of, a variety of Apples (or Apple trees). The wines of course were Apple and made in or near Maine. My favorite was the Apple Blueberry from Bartlett Winery. There were a couple of others that were mighty fine also from Winter-Port Winery. It was very festive there in the little orchard telling and listening to the stories of friends new and old, surrounded by the intoxicating fragrance of the blossoms, catching glimpses of the humming birds drinking their nectar, and lulled by the drone of the bees who were busy till well after dusk, their music accented by the occasional snort from the legendary CTR Morgan Promise who lazily grazed nearby. What a lovely evening! I do often feel as though I had come home to Hollis. (click on the photo to see it full size--someone just told me I got cut off--but I'm there)

A $ 19.00 Hamburger?

Indeed. And well worth every penny. It was made from  Kobe Beef and ordered rare by recomendation of the waiter when I told him I was completely intrigued at the thought of a ninteen dollar hamburger. The bartender who was pouring the wine told a story of happy cows  dining on Beer and wheat and getting messaged everyday. She said it is called red meat sushi and eaten completely raw in many areas. Mine was near to completely raw. The buttery flavor was an experience. CJ ordered the Hanger steak which was equally yummy. We shared because you just can't keep amazing tastes like that to yourself. I chose Mike's mom's Corn Custard as a side. It alone is worth driving all the way back there again before next year for. It was our once a year outing to just south of Portland where we always eat at some nice resturant , usually on the water and attend a play at the Arundel Barn Playhouse. We were dining at MC Perkins Cove this year because CJ had a rave review that she cut out sometime last year and saved for us. It was fabulous. And we wouldn't have gotten lost on the way to the playhouse and been so late if CJ hadn't gotten a shiny new gazetter with no stains or wrinkles or stars with notes that I added last year because we always think it could never happen again--.

Anniversary #22

Tim & Terry took us out to dinner for our anniversary this year since we are so cash poor. It was very special. we went to the Village Cafe in Portland near the waterfront. I had prime rib that was amazing. Dan had the fishermans platter, which was very good especially the fried clams. But not quite as excellent as Bay Haven Lobster Pound in Cornish. It always makes me shake my head that one has to travel 40 miles inland to get the best (freshest) seafood in Southern Maine. But we have tried them all I think, and it's true. Anyway it was a fabulous evening. It is so very cool to have grown children who invite us over or take us out for dinners. There has been a little lapse in time for several years where we didn't get together much and this past year has been different. It's great to get to know the kids as adults. Dan and I have an anniversary tradition of writing down were we are each year on our scale of expectations and goals. We record on two levels: as a couple and as individuals. We compare these with where we were the previous year and discuss surprises difficulties and then set some goals for the following year and also where we want to be a little further out like maybe in five years. We have yet to sit down and do that together this year. I'm hoping perhaps this weekend we will find time.

Street & Company (21st Anniversary)

On May 23, 2005 Dan surprised me with reservation at Street & co. for our 21st anniversary. A chilly and rainy evening compared to May 23rd of 1984 when it was 91 degrees and we had a serious thunderstorm 10 minutes after we said I do. The apple trees were in full bloom. They didn't bloom this year till the 27Th. It was a very nice evening in spite of the damp weather and the equally dismal fact that Dan's leg started to bother early on. We have a yearly ritual of writing down where we are at as a couple at this date in time. we also take note of what we are up to as individuals and whether we met the goals we set the previous year. I couldn't find the kids menu from Sebago Brewing Co. that I wrote on last year for comparison. I will do better this coming year. This year we will have to work on this list again after poor Dan is healed. One thing we both know is that we want to travel more as a couple. Morning coffee, dinner and the occasional candle light ritual at bed time are all we ever do together. But we both have such different tastes! Dan wants warm seas and quaint coastal towns or big exciting cities. I like mountains and rocks and rivers, or grassy meadows and farm land with fields of horses and cattle that go on for miles and miles. So, to solve this dilemma we are going to get a map of the US and mount it on a board that can be spun and take turns with dart and blindfold creating a trip every 3 to 6 months. One of us will spin the map while the other shoots the dart blindfolded. I thought it would be a grand adventure to truly go to where ever the dart lands--even if it is in the middle of a swamp in Mississippi. I think it would groovy to have to make contacts for a guide to get to a specific coordinate. Dan says we should start with the nearest city--build up gradually--the stories may continue to be boring for some time!

Alas "sigh"

We had never been to Street & Co.. We heard it was a sister restaurant to Fore Street specializing in Sea Food. We have been to Fore Street and love it. I especially love their Hanger Steak and that the calamari is not breaded and includes the tentacles. I find the deserts amazing too. I will tell you a little bit about the meal but I am not nearly as talented as our waiter was at describing foods.

From the 'Tastes' section  of the menu we had:

Lobster and Basil Crostini  :                                             

As appetizer: Fresh Maine Crabmeat Sauteed in Brown Butter with Greens and Mushrooms over Puff Pastry

As Entrees:  We chose from the specials lists primarily I think because they were so well described. It amazed me how the young man who waited on us had such am intimate knowledge of food and cooking. He made every dish sound irresistible. I was most intrigued by the idea of a whole fish so I had the Bransini:  A whole Mediterranean bass (head on) surrounded by mahogany muscles and some kind of deep red sausage, that I  missed the name of, sauteed in an herbed wine sauce.  It was amazing! Dan had the pasta special that consisted of sardines and a variety of vegetables in a light wine sauce over linguine that he said the pasta had a lovely unique flavor,  maybe something they make themselves. The meal was amazing.  I was surprised that they served beer--Fore Street doesn't. But nothing dark. Dan prefers the dark beers, but was almost content with Samuel Adams. I let the waiter choose a light red wine for me-which he slipped me an extra glass of, while telling me to  "quick look out the window". I assume it was because it was our anniversary. It was wonderful and it didn't over power the light flavor of the fish. For dessert Dan chose a double chocolate concoction and I had a vanilla Flan with a very tart berry sauce. Another WOW. I am always in awe at anyone who can take fairly ordinary foods and turn them into something that creates such magical sensations on the tongue. I am not adept at cooking with spices and herbs so it seems very mystical and adventurous to me to go out and have these experiences.