The Inn At Ocean's Edge blog

An annual fundraiser for the Camden – Rockport Historical Society, the Camden Cake Walk took place this past weekend. Combining two of my favorite pastimes – walking and eating cake – there was no chance I was going to miss this one. For $20, the participants are invited in to 15 local restaurants and hotels for some tasty treats.
My top highlights – chocolate cheesecake at Abigail’s Inn B&B, a lovely little place with 4 rooms run by a lovely little family.

Mini cupcakes galore by the Camden Cake Lady, Hillary Bousum, at Peter Ott’s Tavern & Steakhouse.

Brownie Toffee Torte with Espresso Mascarpone at Fresh.

The first time I ever walked into Cafe Miranda, the only spot available was at the 4 seat counter. I didn’t know then that they are the best seats in the house.

Kerry Alteiro, owner and chef, keeps a lively conversation with counter diners as he assembles dishes, spins around and sends them into the wood-fired oven. He asks me if I think he should add some more cheese to the dish he’s working on. Who needs dinner and a show when the show is right in front of you? Next to me is a set of Elvis salt and pepper shakers, one of many features of the funky decor in this amazing, eclectic place. Diners come and go, but the place is almost always hopping, and that is no accident.

Kerry grows quite a bit of the produce he uses on his own farm and sources many other ingredients locally. The menu, its diversity and layout, is a big draw. Several pages with names like “Lamb Wowie” and “I Dreamn’t of Jerry” really call for concentration lest you are a regular and know exactly what you’re getting. There’s a story behind every dish – make sure to ask!

It’s fun, entertaining, delicious and memorable. I recommend it with no reservations. Although we do recommend making one ahead of time. Open at 5pm year round. Inquire about special occasions Sunday brunch.

Photo by http://coastalkitchens.blogspot.com/

LINCOLNVILLE, ME Practically our next door neighbor – Whale’s Tooth Pub – is located just a mile down the road, right in Lincolnville Beach. With a patio facing Penobscot Bay, the ferry and Islesboro, the location is perfect for a summer meal. Although, we should note, they are open year round, and have a fabulous large fireplace for cozy, warm dinners on chilly nights.

Rob and Dorothee have been welcoming guests to Whale’s Tooth Pub for almost 20 years! Authentic British style fish’n'chips are our favorite – the entire menu is delightful. Happy Hour is 4-6pm, with drinks and nibbles, great views and glimpses of local conversation. Open Wed – Mon (close Tue) for dinner, additionally lunch on the weekends at 11:30am.

Did you know Maine has over 100 summer camps? We are best known for overnight summer camps.  Real wilderness, the cleanest lakes, breathtaking coastline and beaches you won’t find anywhere else. Since the early 1900s campers have been coming to Maine camps, first on overnight trains and carriages, and now on highways and by air. The reasons — a priceless summer that has it all — lifelong friendships, memories and unforgettable experiences.

Especially in this day of technology surrounding our kids, a Maine camp experience can reignite a child’s relationship with nature. And, as MaineCamps.org puts it, “Facebook friends are nice, but they are no substitute for real friends and mentors”. MaineCamps features a full guide to how to choose the best camp for your child, as the options are many and there is something for everyone.

And don’t forget to pamper the parents while kids are at camp.

©IStockPhoto.com/Elenathewise

Maine is known as The Lighthouse State, and for good reason. In the heyday of marine transportation as a way of life, at the turn of the 20th century, there were more than 70 lighthouses in Maine, guiding sailors to safety. Today, more than 65 are still in existence and many are open to visitors. The Maine Office of Tourism provides an excellent interactive map of lighthouse locations in the Midcoast, as well as other regions, making for easy trip planning. Below, also courtesy of the MOT, a beautiful shot of the Rockland Breakwater Lighthouse (about 15 minutes south of us), and a video with some history on Maine lighthouses in general – fascinating if you can spare the time! Bring sturdy walking shoes and a windbreaker just in case – the walk on the breakwater is about 1 mile roundtrip and rewards the visitor with sights and sounds of Penobscot Bay, its schooners, fisher and lobstermen and wildlife.

Francine Bistro – 55 Chestnut St., Camden

It’s not on Elm St (Route 1 through town), so you have to know it’s there. And you have to know it’s there well in advance as it’s often hard to make a last minute reservation. Dinner is served Tuesday through Saturday, 5:30 – 9. Semi-finalist for the 2012 James Beard Award for Best Chef Northeast and restaurant owner Brian Hill describes the fare, “We try to be really unpretentious. I love to just take these little tricks and apply them to simple, comforting food, and hopefully that comes across as providing a really extraordinary experience.” The menu changes daily and is available only on their website.

Here’s a Frommer’s review that does Francine’s justice: “This place feels more like a French brasserie in Manhattan’s Meatpacking District than a coastal seafood joint — and that’s a good thing. A meal from chef Brian Hill might begin with fish, onion, or lentil soup; a sevicheof halibut, Serrano chiles, and red onions; mussels in Bordeaux and shallots; or skewers of grilled lamb served with white pesto, orange, and endive. What a refreshing wakeup call in a section of coast dominated by fried/baked cod/haddock and lobsters. The night’s entrees might run to roast chicken with a chèvre gratin or a cauliflower-cheese hash; duck a l’orange; a crispy skate wing with Jerusalem artichokes; a roasted sea bass in caramelized garlic sauce; seared halibut with shrimp; a haddock stuffed with scallops; or reliable steak frites. Eat at simple tables from church-pew-like seating.”

I’m not going to try and pass this off as a news item since this happened in February, but I just couldn’t resist the opportunity to pass this along once I came across it. 27 lb lobster is not something we see every day here in Maine, or anywhere really.

As most lobster eaters know, the typical lobster size is 1-1.5 lbs. Here are some regulations for harvesting from the Maine Lobster Council:

“Maine harvesters have been environmentally conscious and “eco-friendly” since long before it became fashionable. They harvest their lobsters the same careful way they have for over 125 years — by hand, one trap at a time — thus protecting the quality of their product and the marine environment. Some rules and regulations that help ensure the health of the lobster resource include:

Tail Notching: Female lobsters with visible eggs cannot be harvested. Before releasing her, the harvester notches her tail to identify her as a good breeder, thus protecting her for life from being harvested.

Minimum Size Limit: Minimum 3 1/4″ carapace measurements allow juvenile lobsters the chance to mature and reproduce before they can be harvested.

Maximum Size Limit: Maximum 5″ carapace measurements protect the large, healthy breeding stock.

Apprentice Program: New harvesters must apprentice with veterans to learn the regulated, sustainable practices.

Trap Limits: The total number of traps per harvester is limited by both the state and the individual lobster zones.

Harvest Method: Harvesting in Maine is by trap only — no dragging or diving is allowed. Traps include escape vents for under size lobsters as well as biodegradable escape hatches to free lobsters in lost traps.

Lobster Seed Fund: Supported by license fees, the Fund purchases females that extrude their eggs after being harvested. This unique buy-back program helps to ensure that the good breeding stock is returned to the ocean to reproduce.”

If you’re waking up to a leisurely Sunday morning and wondering what to do today, consider visiting your local maple syrup producer on this Maine Maple Sunday.

Here’s a map to get you started. A lot of sugarhouses are open for tours, demonstrations and best of all, samples! Simmons and Daughters here in Waldo County will be boiling sap on their wood fired evaporator and serving ice cream with warm syrup. Many farms offer activities, games, treats, music and more. Read a day by day journal of the last month or so leading up to this Sunday – from Mitchell and Savage Maine Maple Syrup.

April is Maritime History Month, which, of course, is a big deal here in coastal Maine. Maritime industries have long been the essence of life, and while celebrate our history, we can note just how much boatbuilding, fishing and marine transportation are still a big part of our lives.

Penobscot Marine Museum in Searsport (about 25 minutes north of here on Route 1) is home to one of the largest archives of historical photographs in Maine, counting more than 100,000 in its collections. Glass plates, negatives, photographs and other media have been professionally assembled into one place. Not only can you view the archives online, in your home and at your leisure, but the museum has made it possible to search the database with keywords.

From the Elmer Montgomery Collection at Penobscot Marine Museum

The Museum houses small crafts, ship models, furniture, tools, art, scrimshaw and photography. The Museum is just a short drive and makes for a great day trip in the summer, when it’s open 7 days a week (Mon-Sat 10-5 and Sun 12-5 at the time of publication).

In 2011, the Camden-Rockport-Lincolnville Chamber of Commerce joined with Rockland and became collectively known as the Penobscot Bay Regional Chamber of Commerce, producing the annual guide to the region called Discover the Jewel of the Maine Coast. The 184 color page publication covers:

St George, Thomaston, Owls Head, Rockland, Rockport, Camden, Lincolnville, Hope, Appleton, Union, and the islands of Vinalhaven, North Haven, Monhegan, and Islesboro.

It’s available to view online, or you can have one mailed to you, free of charge, by filling out the request form.