The Fosters take Maine!

RCF shows off the Farmer's Market bounty!

My parents generously drove 5 1/2 hours from Falmouth, MA to Orono, ME this week to pay me a visit. We visited Pat's Pizza in downtown Orono, which is an institution here, Mom and I played in the garden while Daddy did odd jobs in the house, and we all enjoyed a long visit to the University of Maine's Hudson Museum. During one of our walks across campus, we visited the Orono Farmer's Market, which - as you have seen in a previous post - is a wonderful source of fruit, vegetables, bread, meat, and other treats. Not to mention, a nice chat with some friendly Maine farmers.

MYF doing what she does best!

This week, we bought Pippen apples (an old English variety), oatmeal bread, celeriac, sweet potatoes, gigantic shallots, buttery lettuce...and little, tiny red and superior potatoes. Mom, who is a trained chef, helped me roast a chicken, accompanied by the tiny potatoes dotted with chives from the garden. Mom does a mean chicken - she roasted the 5-pound chicken in a cast-iron skillet for a couple of hours, then drained off the fat and created a pan sauce from mustard, soy sauce, white wine, and garlic. It was a spectacular family meal, enjoyed in the warmth of my little Orono kitchen. Come and visit, ayuh!

Postscript: RCF tells me he took his giant farmer's market onion, cut it in half, microwaved it 'til soft, then threw it on the grill - it was sweet and delicious!