Eating with Bob and Suzette: August 27, 2013 Maine Wineries and Fresh Restaurant

Friday, August 30, 2013

August 27, 2013 Maine Wineries and Fresh Restaurant

We got a late start because Cynthia made us lovely lobster omelets. She chopped fresh Italian parsley, and sautéed onions and yellow bell peppers, and sliced and sautéed mushrooms and I sliced Fresh French bolle and toasted it and poured apple juice. Ricardo went to the store and returned with Maine wild blueberry preserves and we were set for a fabulous breakfast.

Finally at 11:00 we left and started north up I-95, I-295 and Maine 1 toward Camden. Suzette noticed on the tourism map that there were several wineries near Camden and suggested a side trip. We turned north at Waldoboro toward Sweetgrass Winery and Distillery. It had a small still and made lovely gin and bourbon and rum and apple brandy. We bought bottles of Gin and vanilla extract, and interesting vermouth.

Then we drove to Savage Oakes Vineyard and Winery where we were amazed by the quality of their wines. We bought three bottles: Daybreak Blush (rosé), St George (white) and Come Spring (red). All were medal winners and were well made wines, mainly at the biggest completion in New England at Springfield, Massachusetts. The Big E. Savage Oakes also raises their own pigs, so we bought a lb. of sausage to take to Cissie.

Then we drove into Camden and met Cissie at the Market Place and she drove us to her house. When Rick got home we drove down town to the waterfront marina and restaurant and shop area. We looked at the menu of the Atlantica Restaurant and did not like it so we walked next door to Fresh and I liked its special, Poached Halibut on a bed of risotto with fresh asparagus. There was also fresh fish chowder and a lovely appetizer of Tuscan Figs, arugula and Parma ham ($12.00), which Cissie ordered. Rick and I ordered the halibut and Suzette ordered the Fish Chowder. Willy ordered haddock baked in cream and potatoes. Suzette also ordered a lovely mixed a light fish ceviche and salad. We shared and Suzette commented that the halibut was the whitest halibut she had ever seen. I don’t know if it was due to the cooking method or the species of halibut. I was impressed with the freshness of the fish and ingredients. We drank a bottle of 2011 Spanish Numero III Monastrall rosé.