Maine meals: What to eat and drink within the Pine Tree State

The chilly waters off the coast of Maine are a bounty of scrumptious seafood.

You may discover recent clams, kelp, scallops, crab, oysters, mussels, fish and naturally the acclaimed Maine lobster. And whereas it’s typically celebrated for its world-famous delicacies from the ocean, there’s rather more to the state’s culinary scene than what’s pulled from the ocean.

Maine’s wealthy agricultural panorama gives quite a lot of farm-fresh produce, like wild blueberries, crisp apples and natural greens, in addition to native favorites, like maple syrup and artisanal cheeses.

While you’re not exploring the 65 lighthouses or over 500 acres of state and national parks, listed here are the highest ten native meals and drinks to strive in Maine.

1. Feast on lobster, Maine’s native delicacy

You possibly can’t go to Maine with out attempting the fresh-out-of-the-water lobster. Maine is the biggest lobster-producing state within the nation, with about 80% of America’s lobster coming from the shoreline right here, because of the mixture of things that hold lobster content material, equivalent to temperature, depth and meals provide.

There are lots of common methods to arrange lobster, together with pie, chowder, bakes and even pizza. Apart from a traditional steamed lobster, the commonest dish is the famed lobster roll. The native New England dish is made up of juicy lobster meat tucked right into a toasted bun, with a filling containing a variation of butter, mayonnaise, celery or scallion, relying on the state. The Pine Tree State makes use of mayonnaise in its model and serves the lobster chilly. However the lengthy debate over utilizing drawn butter or mayonnaise in a lobster roll will proceed to gas heated discussions throughout New England.

The place to strive it: You could find this delicacy nearly anyplace within the nice state – from wonderful eating institutions to roadside lobster shacks – and Portland, Maine, is especially stuffed with eating places providing the unofficial state meals. Salt Yard Café, on the road degree of Portland’s Canopy by Hilton Waterfront lodge within the coronary heart of the Outdated Port, serves a lobster roll with truffle mayo, chives, lettuce, brioche and French fries. In the meantime, the close by Highroller Lobster Co. has a gluten-free bun choice. (Verify our guide to Portland, Maine for extra.)

For a recent spin on lobster, strive Me Lon Togo, a West African restaurant in Rockland that has a cioppino that includes lobster and different native seafood that blends the daring flavors of West Africa with Maine’s seafood bounty.

Planning tip: Need to get adventurous? E book a ticket on a lobster boat to see the behind-the-scenes motion of Maine lobstering. Lucky Catch Cruises affords a lobstering tour the place you’ll discover ways to haul up traps on Casco Bay. For these eager to take the flavour of Maine house with you, you’ll be able to order recent lobster merchandise (reside lobster, DIY lobster roll kits, lobster mac & cheese) proper to the doorstep through Goldbelly.

2. Sip on a neighborhood beer from a craft brewery

Nicknamed the house of craft beer, Maine has over 150 breweries, so it is honest to say that this can be a state the place beer is taken critically. But it surely wasn’t all the time this manner – somewhat greater than ten years in the past, there have been fewer than 40 breweries in Maine. Within the early 2010s the regulation was reformed to permit breweries to promote beer the place it was made, marking the beginning of the state’s craft brewery increase.

Domestically sourced hops and grains are central to a lot of the brews, together with high quality water supply. Some breweries shaped the Maine Brewshed Alliance to assist educate individuals on the significance of supervising the native water sources.

The place to strive it: The Maine Beer Company has turn into a family identify in Maine and has a cult following for its high quality craft beers. It is easy to spend a whole day on the brewery, the place you’ll be able to pattern the beers, eat tasty pizza and take a tour of the brewery. Go to Grateful Grain Brewing Co. in Monmouth for women-crafted brews just like the strong Imperial pink ale, “Dragin Magick,” and its flagship New England IPA, “The Expertise.”

Planning tip: Tucked within the woods exterior Acadia Nationwide Park, the Terramor Outdoor Resort, a glamping property, highlights native substances and quintessential Maine flavors like lobster bakes and beer sampling with native Fogtown Brewing Company. Throughout Maine, you’ll be able to arrange beer excursions, beer courses or take pleasure in a beer aboard the Portland Schooner Co., a BYOB majestic sail in Portland.

3. Attempt Maine’s juicy mussels

Farming within the open ocean, generally often known as aquaculture, has turn into a number one technique of manufacturing seafood in Maine. And because the demand for seafood like mussels will increase, corporations like Bangs Island Mussels and Pemaquid Mussel Farms in Maine are rising their marine farms. Whereas they’re increasing to maintain up with the demand, they’re additionally creating wholesome habitats for marine life and are even serving to to rebuild endangered species – mussel farms give endangered fish and different species a protected haven by offering higher water high quality, an plentiful meals supply and a safe nursery. Additionally they defend sea life by stabilizing coastal sentiments and minimizing the affect of storms on their habitat.

The mussels are sustainably hand-raised within the protected waters off the coast of Maine and have the proper situations from the kind of meals they’re consuming to the water depth, wave vitality and temperature. With the worldwide economic system rising, these farms acknowledge the necessity for sustainable protein sources that enchantment to shoppers and which can be merely scrumptious.

The place to strive them: Positioned on Center Road in Portland, the pickled mussels with crackers from Eventide are delectable. Bangs Island Mussels is headquartered proper subsequent to Scales, an upscale restaurant that serves up decadent steamed mussels doused in cream. You too can buy Maine mussels at grocery shops like Harbor Fish Market and Cantrell Seafood to cook dinner up your personal creation at house. And don’t fret when you reside distant, you will discover Maine mussels served in eating places throughout the nation.

4. Crush a blueberry deal with, savory or candy

For generations, farmers have been rising Maine’s wild blueberries and harvesting them from late July to early September, once they’re completely plump and juicy. There are 40,000 acres of blueberries grown right here, making it apparent why the Maine State Legislature designated blueberry pie because the official state dessert.

Filled with nutritional vitamins and antioxidants, wild Maine blueberries have a richer taste than cultivated blueberries, and that’s why locals use them in every thing from bread, pie, and pancakes to drinks like tea, cocktails, beer and wine.

There are additionally ample blueberry drinks out there all through the state. Soakology spa and tea store in Portland serving blueberry spritzers and smoothies whilst you get a foot therapeutic massage. If you wish to add alcohol to the combo, there’s a really dry and tart wild blueberry sparkling wine from Bluet, which is out there at grocery shops and eating places. Or head to the Side Street Café in Bar Harbour for a blueberry margarita.

And, Maine can also be wealthy with different wild berries, together with raspberries, blackberries and cranberries, so that you’ll all the time discover quite a lot of recent flavors in pies, jams and sauces filled with antioxidants and nutritional vitamins.

The place to strive them: Two Fat Cats Bakery in Portland bakes recent pies from scratch day by day, together with the best-selling wild Maine blueberry pie. Locals and guests flock right here to snag a slice earlier than it’s bought out. You possibly can pre-order or also have a pie shipped to the doorstep through Goldbelly. It’s simple as pie. You too can discover wild berry jams and sauces at native markets like Stonewall Kitchen in York. 

Planning tip: For a real style of the wild, Berry Fruit Farm in Livermore Falls affords artisan spreads and preserves made with quite a lot of Maine’s wild berries.

5. Munch on some kelp

Kelp is a kind of seaweed that may be harvested within the wild or farmed within the ocean and, like mussel farming, it’s one other fast-growing aquaculture sector. Prior to now ten years, the kelp business has grown exorbitantly, partly as a result of it’s a wholesome sea vegetable that’s filled with nutritional vitamins and minerals. It is also very versatile and can be utilized to make many issues, from private hygiene merchandise and prescription drugs to meals and drinks. Maine-based and women-run Atlantic Sea Farms is the nation’s largest kelp aquaculture farm. The impact-driven firm not solely produces nutritious kelp merchandise but in addition strengthens Maine’s aquaculture business with regenerative kelp.

You possibly can’t go to Maine with out witnessing this newfound recognition – from strolling previous devoted kelp stores to discovering it donning the menus of eating places and bars throughout the state. Notable Maine cooks are utilizing kelp to make every thing from handcrafted spirits, beer, kombucha, and cheese to cocktails, crudos, pasta and desserts.

The place to strive it: Nina Jude, a Mediterranean-meets-Maine restaurant in Rockport, affords kelp and crab pasta, and Chaval, a French-Spanish spot situated in Portland, makes a candy kelp and lemon curd churro dessert. Barren’s Sugar Kelp Vodka partnered with Atlantic Sea Farms to make use of kelp to supply a singular flavored vodka. Attempt the award-winning Lakin’s Gorges Rockweed Cheese in Waldoboro with powdered seaweed.

6. Heat up with traditional clam chowder

A visit to Maine isn’t full with out a bowl of hearty clam chowder, a traditional New England dish wealthy with coastal flavors and a favourite consolation meals on chilly days. Maine’s clam chowder is thought for its simplicity and freshness, utilizing solely a handful of substances. It’s usually made with regionally sourced clams, diced potatoes, onions and a creamy broth seasoned to perfection. Whereas historically served in a ceramic bowl, some spots serve it in a freshly baked bread bowl, turning it right into a satisfying, full meal.

The place to strive it: Head to Harraseeket Lunch and Lobster in Freeport from Might to October, the place you’ll be able to take pleasure in a bowl of chowder with ocean views. One other great place is the Clam Shack in Kennebunk, the place the chowder is served at an genuine, no-frills seafood stand.

7. Cool off with a refreshing frappe

For a traditional New England candy deal with, strive a Maine frappe. Not like a milkshake, frappes are recognized for his or her thick, creamy texture, because of a base of milk, ice cream and flavorings like chocolate, strawberry or espresso. This refreshing deal with is a favourite at native ice cream stands and cafes throughout the state. 

The place to strive it: Head to Red’s Dairy Freeze in South Portland, a nostalgic spot that has been serving frappes since 1952. One other favourite is the Dairy Store at Smiling Hill Farm in Westbrook, the place frappes are made with milk from their very own dairy cows, including an additional layer of native taste and creaminess. At family-owned Fielder’s Choice Ice Cream, with places throughout the state, you’ll discover frappes in flavors from peanut butter to mint chip.

8. Bask in a whoopie pie 

Consuming in Maine generally is a actual deal with, particularly when you indulge within the state’s official dessert, the beloved whoopie pie. Believed to have been invented within the Nineteen Twenties, it consists of two mushy chocolate cake rounds with a creamy vanilla filling sandwiched between them. Whereas the origin is debated, many credit score Maine bakers for making this deal with a state staple. 

Think about pairing it with a Moxie, one among America’s oldest mushy drinks. Created in 1876 and initially marketed as a medicinal tonic, Moxie has a definite, barely bitter style and a devoted following.

The place to strive it: You could find them at grocery shops, bakeries and normal shops. Ladabadie’s Bakery in Lewiston, is thought for the unique whoopie pie, whereas Auntie’s House in Kennebunkport makes their well-known Whoopie Balls. 

9. Don’t neglect the maple syrup

Every spring, when the times are heat and nights keep chilly, native farmers accumulate sap from the dense sugar maple forests and boil it right down to create the amber syrup that Mainers savor. Maple syrup is cherished as a topping for pancakes and waffles, in fact, however can also be common in cocktails, baked items, marinades, and at the same time as a pure sweetener in craft beer. 

The place to strive it: In Fryeburg, Weston’s Farm & Markets has been making maple candy treats each spring for over 150 years. For world-ranked maple syrup, strive Hilltop Boilers, in Newfield, simply 50 minutes exterior of Portland.

10. Plant-based choices for vegetarians and vegans

Whereas seafood involves thoughts when interested by Maine’s meals scene, the state additionally serves many vegetarian and vegan dishes. Smaller cities might not have as many devoted plant-based eating places as Portland, however eating places are starting to supply extra dishes and typically have separate vegan menus.

The place to strive it: Bandaloop in Arundel is regionally sourced and natural, whereas She Doesn’t Like Guthries, in Lewiston, is a unusual burrito and taco joint with vegetarian choices and the flexibility to swap meat for tofu.

A yr in meals

Maine’s meals calendar affords one thing recent and flavorful each season. Lobster season peaks in summer season and early fall, which is why you’ll see strains for lobster rolls wrapped round corners throughout this time. Mussels are at their finest from October by way of March, and scallops are usually harvested from December to April.

Locals are enthusiastic about seasonal foods in Maine, and their enthusiasm is widely known year-round with meals festivals. Summer season brings wild blueberry festivals in a number of cities, that includes every thing from recent blueberry pie to jams, syrups and even blueberry wine. Autumn ushers in apple festivals like Maine Apple Sunday, that includes cider tastings and apple-picking occasions at a dozen native orchards. There’s even an annual Seaweed Week the place you’ll be able to benefit from the tasty snack in lots of kinds.