Last year I spent Mother’s Day in Ireland where my daughter Rachel treated me to high tea at Gregans Castle in County Clare. Whenever I want to relive that wondrous feast, I start out by concocting a batch of scones, or three. Sometimes I can’t decide between the sweet and the savory. My grandchildren and […]
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Auburn bacon and fondue restaurants spice things up with burlesque and comedy
Bacon and fondue were already a unique combination for two co-owned businesses in the same downtown Auburn building. But when the owners of Lava and House of Bacon added comedy shows, a bloody Mary bar, paint classes, princess parties and burlesque dancing to the two businesses, the duo offered up something unlike anything Maine has […]
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Heart healthy (and palate pleasing) for Valentine's Day
This African stew is loaded with good-for-your-heart veggies and just enough spice to jump-start your metabolism. (Karen Schneider photo) Although I don’t follow a vegan diet, I do explore vegan cooking and have discovered that, more and more, I really do like making and eating this type of food. As I fill up on more […]
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Eats: Celebrate 2018 with champagne recipes
Not only is it New Year’s Eve but it’s also National Champagne Day! Who knew? Let’s really get into the spirit with menu ideas that embrace the bubbly for the new year! Whether you’re cooking up dinner for a crowd or a romantic meal for two, these recipes may have you rushing to the supermarket […]
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Eats: The truth about those roasted chestnuts
This colorful wild rice pilaf with chestnuts is the perfect accompaniment to pork, wild game, turkey or duck. Roast away. But these tips for making this ‘tricky’ treat will keep you ho-ho-ho-ing through the holiday. “Chestnuts roasting on an open fire, Jack Frost nipping at your nose . . .” Every time I hear “The Christmas […]
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The Franco Center's Holiday Pie Event
The center’s Chef John will be offering 47 different pies for the holiday. Things are sometimes said to be “as American as apple pie.” But while America and apple pie may go together, according to the American Pie Council, pies have been in existence since the time of the ancient Egyptians. The Romans were allegedly […]
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Eats: Make it personal this Christmas
Easy-to-make carrot ginger soup and bacon onion jam right from your kitchen are perfect personal gifts for the holidays. One of my greatest pleasures is making gifts for my loved ones at Christmastime. I peruse my recipe file well in advance, make my decisions and create my shopping list, checking it twice. I confess that […]
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Kristi's Cafe in Auburn
New cafe offers ‘completely-from-scratch’ breakfast and lunch Real estate, social work, therapeutic recreation and installing grass turf around the Northeast are all jobs Kristi Huard Norcross has had. In other words, no background in running a cafe. “I have no restaurant experience, except for waitressing when I was younger,” said Norcross. But clearly Norcross is […]
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Eats: Taking sides — squash or sweet potato? Or both!
We sat across the table from one another, snickering with our mouths full. My partner in crime was a 90-year-old woman who had hired me to cook Thanksgiving dinner for her family. What had started out as an innocent sampling of our efforts had turned into the two of us making a rather substantial dent […]
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Eats: Tea and cheerio at Bridgton's Clipper Merchant Tea House
The Tower of London, the basis of the high tea at the Clipper Merchant Tea House in Bridgton, features tea sandwiches, scones and petit fours. (Andree Kehn/Sun Journal) Imagine hopping in your car in central/southern Maine and, in just over an hour, being in another country and another time. A place where people take a break […]