Tag: a to z 2016

#atozchallenge | G is for Gelato Fiasco

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I was appalled to learn that Maine did not make it onto the list of top ten states for ice cream consumption according to the Huffington Post article “Ice Cream Cities: Which Ones Eat the Most”. It confuses me because in the Old Port alone, there are four ice cream stores and two Gelato stores. In roughly a six block radius, you have six places to get frozen treats. That’s one every block!

Maybe I’m taking it too personally, because certainly I feel that I do my part to move us up in the standings. I usually go for ice cream, but was intrigued by the amazing flavors of Gelato that are carried by Gelato Fiasco. I did a little internet research on them and loved that they had strong Maine roots. I was also impressed with the fact that they use locally sourced milk. We decided to head up to their flagship store in Brunswick to check out some Gelato.

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#atozchallenge | F is for Flavors of Freeport

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Flavors of Freeport is an annual event held in February in Freeport Maine that highlights the amazing food and drink options available in the area. While the major cornerstones of the event are an Ice Bar at the Hilton Garden Inn with a dance party on Friday night followed by the Chef’s Signature Series on Saturday evening, we decided it would be fun to head up during the day on Saturday to try some of the smaller tastings offered at many of the local shops.

Hands-On Chocolate Factory Tour

Wilbur’s Chocolate of Maine, 174 Lower Main Street | Cost is $4.50 per person

We started off by stopping into Wilbur’s Chocolate of Maine to check out their shop and take their hands-on factory tour to learn about Wilbur’s history, chocolate making, and enjoy some chocolate samples. I had never been into the store before, and it was amazing to see how large their chocolate selection was. They were gearing up for Easter while we were there so there were lots of selections of Easter Bunnies. We learned that Wilbur’s is one of the few places left that still make solid, non-hollow bunnies. The store also has a nice selection of products for sale from local Maine vendors.

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#atozchallenge | E is for Edgecomb Potters

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I’ve always loved the pottery at Edgecomb Potters. When we make our summer trip up to Boothbay Harbor, we stop at Edgecomb on the way. The finishes on the pottery are so distinctive and unique. They also have many creative shapes and designs for their serving pieces. And, I love their Maine roots.

I’ve given Edgecomb pottery as wedding gifts in the past, but I haven’t yet invested in any myself. I did however buy a recycled license plate lobster at their Portland Store. It’s not pottery, but it’s pretty darn cute. It really has nothing to do with this blog post, but I wanted to share.

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Holy Donut

#atozchallenge | D is for Maine Potato Donuts from The Holy Donut

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You would never know by the number of times I go through the Dunkin Donuts drive through in a week, but my love affair with donuts ended a while ago. It was no ones fault. We just grew apart. People, and taste buds, can change.

Being from Maine, I still feel obligated to support Dunkin Donuts, so even though I have no interest in donuts anymore, I go there regularly. They have other menu options. They’ve also won my loyalty because they will actually give me an extra-large cup of ice water when I ask for it. I think I pay for the cup, but I’m good with that arrangement especially since I’m relegated to small, sometimes kid sized, cups at most other chains. Having given up soda a few years ago, I need my water to be extra-large.

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#atozchallenge | C is for Coopers Maple Products and Maine Maple Sunday

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I know this will be hard to imagine, but even after all these years of living in Maine, I have actually never gone to one of our many sugar shacks on Maine Maple Sunday. It has always been on my list, but every year something else seems to creep up and we just never make it to one of the area farms. This year was gearing up to be even less likely since Maine Maple Sunday fell on Easter, but it actually ended up working out perfectly since our family plans were later in the day.

Maine Maple Sunday is always held on the fourth Sunday in March. Sugarhouses throughout the state open up that day and host a variety of activities related to maple syrup production.  The Maine Maple Producers Association posted a map listing all the locations that were planning events for the day. The list was pretty long but that’s not surprising. Maine is the third largest producer of maple syrup in the United States according to the USDA National Agricultural Statistics Service.

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