Sauce For Your Sweetie
A decadent chocolate sauce and some soothing songs are featured in our monthly guide to enjoying life in the Pine Tree State.
SAUCE FOR YOUR SWEETIE
Before you cozy up with your loved one this Valentine’s Day, visit www.robinschocolate.com to have some of Maine’s sweetest sauces shipped right to your door — or pick some up at the Whole Foods Market in Portland. If you’re in the mood for a night of classic romance, pour the Original Recipe over a shared bowl of vanilla ice cream. Or turn the lights down low and dip fresh fruit into the award-winning Tropical Dark made from 70 percent dark chocolate with a hint of lime. The other sauces include, Raspberry, Blueberry, Ginger Pear, and Orange Spice — something for every special someone. The best thing about these sauces (other than their decadence): is that they can be consumed guilt-free (at least in terms of the environment). All six flavors are certified organic, and three are Fair Trade certified. Plus the company, in tandem with the National Wildlife Federation, uses shade grown cocoa, a step toward protecting the winter habitats of migratory songbirds.
THE TALENTED MS. TIPPER
Pop in native Mainer and Appleton resident Ellen Tipper’s new CD, Flanagan’s Field, and relax to the clean sound of this classical pianist turned singer-songwriter. Combining the playfulness of Mary Chapin Carpenter, the quirkiness of Dar Williams, and the soul of Norah Jones, Tipper creates a sound that is at once melodic and moody, sweet and sultry.
Throughout all of the songs, the piano is a strong presence, accompanied by Tipper’s folky yet soulful voice. She enchants you with songs such as the title track about our need for quiet outdoor places, and a particularly catchy tune, “All in a Day.” Ranging from upbeat to achingly emotional, Tipper’s melodies and lyrics prove her to be a varied and talented artist and reflect the myriad personal and musical influences she has experienced in her travels around the world. The result is an intimate collection of easy-to-listen-to songs.
Tipper has plans to perform throughout Maine and New England, so check out her calendar and CD on her Web site, www.ellentipper.com
Quick Bites
By Kathleen Fleury
Mama mia! A local Munjoy Hill landmark, the Village Cafe (formerly 112 Newbury St.) has closed its doors for good. Opened in 1936 by the Reali family as a “neighborhood tavern,” the eatery has retained its reputation for family friendly food for more than seventy years, attracting locals and tourists alike with hearty dishes, homemade wine, and a cozy atmosphere. Word is that owner John Reali has no plans to open another restaurant but hasn’t made a final decision yet. Here’s hoping he reconsiders.
Psst! Want to know where to go for the dish on Greater Portland’s restaurant scene? Look no further than your computer screen. Go to www.portlandpsst.blogspot.com and dig into the picante posts of anonymous food blogger Portland Psst! While sticking mostly to what’s going on in Maine restaurants, the blog also covers noteworthy local and national food and drink news, from new food lingo to store openings, restaurant reviews to specialty Maine products. Even if you disagree with his (or her) opinions, you’ll at least get your fill of snarky gossip and sharp-tongued critiques.
Briefly Noted
Packed with historical photos, newspaper clippings, illustrations, and miscellaneous memorabilia, The Rangeley and Its Region (Tilbury House, Publishers; Gardiner, Maine; paperback; 127 pages; $30), by Stephen A. Cole, offers a thorough examination of the evolution of this iconic fishing boat, the region where it was invented, and the sporting culture it represents.
La Survivance
A new anthology documents the untold history of Maine’s largest ethnic minority
By Jim Brunelle
According to U.S. Census figures, roughly one of every four Maine residents is of French origin, reason enough to publish a goodly sized anthology of the Franco-American experience here. And at more than six hundred pages, Voyages — A Maine Franco-American Reader (Tilbury House, Gardiner; www. tilburyhouse.com; paperback; 606 pages; $30) is satisfyingly hefty.
Co-editor Barry Rodrigue, an associate professor of arts and humanities at the University of Southern Maine in Lewiston-Auburn, points out the dearth of published historical material: “In 1990 amateur historian Neil Rolde made a significant effort to document the contributions of French Canadians and other ethnic groups in the state of Maine for his volume, Maine: A Narrative History. However, when professional historians produced a history of Maine eight years later, Maine: The Pine Tree State from Prehistory to the Present, not a single chapter was devoted to Franco-Americans.”
This is astonishing, considering [for the rest of this story and to read a review of an Aroostook County culinary landmark, see the February 2008 issue of Down East]
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