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An enchanting hideaway in the heart of Camden village that Fodor’s considers “An elegant and sophisticated retreat and culinary destination,” this Mansard style Victorian built in 1835 offers a unique experience in pampered luxury.
Archive for the ‘Chef Michael Salmon’ Category
Thursday, December 24th, 2009
I just received this request from Milt: …would like your recipe for rice pudding. It was in your news letter a while back. I misplaced it.
Orange-Spiced Rice Pudding yields 6 portions
1/2 cup water
1/8 teaspoon salt
1/4 cup Arborio rice
3/4 cup milk
1/2 cups heavy cream
3 Tablespoons sugar
1/4 cup chopped dried apricots
1/4 cup golden raisins
1/4 cup regular raisins
1/2 orange, zest and cubed pcs
1/2 teaspoons apple pie spice
If you have been to the Inn since this Spring, you may have had the opportunity to try my Orange-Spiced Rice Pudding. It has been one of our most requested recipes.
- Boil water in a large pan.
- Add salt and rice. Cover and simmer over low heat (stirring occasionally) for 15-20 minutes or until most of the water is absorbed.
- Add milk, cream and sugar and increase heat to medium-high heat. Bring to a simmer and reduce heat to maintain the simmer. Cook UNCOVERED, stirring frequently for 30 minutes.
- Reduce heat to low (stirring every couple of minutes) and cook for 15 minutes more. Spoon should stand upright in the pan. Stir in the remaining ingredients and serve.
Posted in Chef Michael Salmon, Recipe | No Comments »
Monday, December 21st, 2009
 Filling Spice Kits Today we are busy making spice kits for our last minute holiday shoppers. Gift certificates have been flying out the door and many items from our gift shop have been popular this year including Chef Michael’s cookbooks and his spice kits. The spice samplers include 15 small containers of Michael’s favorite spices, spice blends and salts that he uses at the Inn on a regular basis, including: cumin spice mix, fennel spice mix, herbes de Provence, Caribbean dry spice mix, Cajun spice mix, annatto seed, star anise, Chinese five spice powder, rosemary steak rub, apple pie spice mix, curry powder, crystallized ginger, Maine sea salt, Alaea Hawaiian sea salt, and Hiwa Kai black Hawaiian sea salt.
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- Chef Michael’s Favorite Spices
The kit includes a description of each of the items, recipe suggestions and references to recipes in Chef Michael’s cookbooks in which he utilizes the spices.
The Fennel spice mix is one of the most popular spices at the Inn (we also sell them individually in 1 cup jars) and is used in everything from breakfast sausage to our Maine Lobster and Scallop Terrine.
Fennel Spice Mix Recipe – Place 2 Tablespoons of whole fennel seeds in a small saute pan and toast over medium-high heat until fragrant and lightly toasted. Finely grind in a spice grinder and mix with 1 Tablespoon ground black pepper, 1 Tablespoon granulated garlic and 2 1/2 Tablespoons Kosher Salt.
Posted in Chef Michael Salmon, Holidays, Recipe | No Comments »
Saturday, November 28th, 2009
Another fun filled pasta cooking class at the Inn. This past weekend our guests learned how to make pasta in their own kitchens. Techniques included making the dough, coloring and flavoring different pastas (green from spinach, red from beets and yellow from eggs), rolling out and cutting various shapes of pasta, filling pastas such as raviolis and tortellini and cooking pasta. The dishes we made were: Spaghetti with a Creamy Prosciutto and Roasted Pepper Sauce, Pappardelle with Grilled Tiger Shrimp, Pesto and Oven Roasted Tomatoes, Sweet Potato Ravioli with a Pine Nut and Sage Butter Sauce, and Three-Cheese Tortellini with Chicken and Pesto. Thank you to all of you who participated, hopefully you went home and dusted off your pasta machines.
Posted in Chef Michael Salmon, Cooking School, Fun for Foodies | No Comments »
Monday, November 23rd, 2009
 On Saturday and Sunday, November 14th and 15th we had our first “In the Kitchen Dinner” and it was a great success. The idea behind the “In the Kitchen Dinner Series” is to open up the kitchen and allow the guests to interact with the kitchen staff and watch the food being prepared (some guests even rolled their own sushi!).
The dinner started with a sampling plate (pictured at the left) of three pieces of sushi paired with three different “Hitachino Nest” Japanese beers. At the top of the plate is a Nigiri-sushi (finger sushi) made with Zeph’s Sous-Vide“Japanese braised” short ribs which we paired with the darkest beer, Hitachino Nest Sweet Stout. The next pairing (clockwise) was the Flash-Fried Nori and Tuna Roll with a Ginger-Wasabi Butter Sauce which we paired with the Hitachino Nest Real Ginger Brew. The third pairing was the Hitachino Nest Red Rice Ale which we served with an Uramaki roll (inside out) which was filled with spicy Maine crab meat and grilled asparagus.
After the pairing plate was cleared, guests were invited into the kitchen where we had platters of different sushi made up and Zeph (my Sous Chef) and I rolled sushi as fast as we could and barely kept up with the demand. For dessert we made some “sweet sushi,” a dish I created when we lived in Aruba for a culinary competition called “sushi dushi” (dushi is Papiamento for sweetheart). Sweet rice is cooked with coconut milk and sugar and is formed and rolled like sushi with fresh fruits. It’s a fun way to end a sushi party.
The “In the Kitchen Dinner Series” continues this winter with a great variety of tastings and pairings including: Cheese and wine with hors d’oeuvres, Dim Sum and beer, Spanish Tapas and wine, and another chance to experience our Sushi. For the complete schedule click here. Hope to see you in our kitchen!
Posted in Chef Michael Salmon, Dining at the Inn, Fun for Foodies, Things to do in Camden | 1 Comment »
Sunday, September 27th, 2009
Mary Jo and I recently took a weekend trip aboard our sailboat into Penobscot Bay and did a little island and shoreline foraging. On shore we collected wild blueberries, chanterelle mushrooms and raspberries. We waded along the shoreline at low tide and collected mussels and sea urchins. Dinner that evening started with sea urchin roe, followed by steamed mussels, seared New York strip steaks with sauteed Chanterelle mushrooms and vanilla ice cream with island berries.
Posted in Chef Michael Salmon, Fun for Foodies, Mushrooms, Things to do in Camden | No Comments »
Friday, September 4th, 2009
 If I’m not in the kitchen at the Inn, then there is a pretty good chance you can find me in my garage, working diligently at restoring a 1962 Daimler SP250. I purchased the car in May of this year and have been taking it apart completely, restoring each part (or replacing it), and eventually (as of last week) I am putting it back together again. It has always been a goal of mine to restore an old red convertible and the opportunity came along this spring. Mary Jo says I bought a “car in a box” off from Ebay…not far from the truth, I guess!  This is my first try at restoring a car, actually, come to think of it, I have never even changed my own oil. I’m a quick learner! Only 2600 +/- of these babies made, so they are quite rare. My goal is to get it on the road next spring. Wish me luck.
Posted in Chef Michael Salmon, Daimler SP250 | 2 Comments »
Saturday, June 20th, 2009
 We are very proud to have been awarded an Achievement of Excellence Award by the American Culinary Federation. The fine dining category includes nine prestigious restaurants from across the country including: Charlie Trotter’s (Chicago), The French Laundry (Yountville, Calif.) and The Inn at Little Washington (Washington, Va.). Following is a portion of the press release:
ACF Announces 2009 Achievement of Excellence Award Winners
St. Augustine, Fla., June 18, 2009—The American Culinary Federation (ACF) will honor 16 establishments nationwide with Achievement of Excellence Awards at the 2009 ACF National Convention held at the Orlando World Center Marriott in Orlando, Fla., July 11–14.
Achievement of Excellence Awards recognize foodservice establishments that exemplify a commitment to excellence in their area. Criteria for the award include being in operation for at least five consecutive years, nomination by an ACF chapter, member or individual in the foodservice profession, and being a recognized industry leader.
To read more, click on this link: 2009 ACF Achievement of Excellence Award
Posted in Chef Michael Salmon, Dining at the Inn, Fun for Foodies, Press | 1 Comment »
Sunday, April 26th, 2009
 I often joke that with a last name of “Salmon” I had two choices as a young man for a career path: 1) to become a fisherman or 2) to become a chef. There’s not a lot of commercial fishing in my hometown of Rochester, Minnesota, so here I am. At the Inn we smoke a lot of salmon. Generally when I refer to smoked salmon, I am referring to cold smoked salmon which is a cured side of salmon that is gently smoked at low temperatures. With cold smoking, the salmon is “cooked” by the curing process and exposed to smoke for flavor. The distinctive texture of cold smoked salmon comes from curing, and makes the flesh firm, but not crumbly like salmon exposed to heat. Hot smoked salmon, on the other hand is seasoned fresh salmon that is smoked at high temperatures (350 degrees) and the fish actually cooks through while smoking. Below is a recipe for a cure mix that I use at the Inn and a brief description on how to cold and hot smoke salmon.
Dry Cure Mix
1 cup granulated sugar
3/4 cup kosher salt
1 Tablespoon dried dill
Mix all of the ingredients together.
Cold Smoked Salmon
Coat both sides of a one pound salmon fillet (skin on, pin bones removed) with 1/4 cup of the dry cure mix. Place the salmon in a small container with a lid and refrigerate for 24 hours. This process is known as curing. The salt will draw out a great deal of liquid from the salmon and preserve it, actually “cooking” the flesh. After 24 hours, gently rinse both sides of the salmon under cold water and place skin side down on the smoking rack. Cold smoke the salmon (at a maximum of 90 degrees) for 2 hours with cherry chips. This is a delicate process in the stovetop smoker. The best technique is to get the smoker going, add the salmon, close the cover and remove from the heat. Allow the smoke to be exposed to the salmon for 10 minutes off the heat then remove it from the pan and continue the process over and over for a full 2 hours. Add new cherry chips as necessary. Cold smoked salmon is best if allowed to rest for 24 hours and sliced very thinly.
Hot Smoked Salmon (or other firm fleshed fish)
Squeeze a little fresh lemon juice over 6 ounce salmon fillets (skin off, pin bones removed) and lightly coat with seasoning rub of your choice (see rubs and sauces section below). Place them on the lightly oiled smoking rack and smoke for 15 minutes with 2 Tablespoons apple, cherry or alder chips. Serve with a fruit salsa, herbed sour cream, mustard or chimi churri sauce.
Looking for a smoked salmon recipe. See my Smoked Salmon Dip with Parmesan Roasted Asparagus recipe I posted on the Maine Food & Lifestyle Blog “Plating Up” on April 20th.
Tags: Salmon, Smoking
Posted in Chef Michael Salmon, Recipe | No Comments »
Wednesday, April 22nd, 2009
We are very excited about our new upcoming gardening series here at the Hartstone Inn and Hideaway featuring our vegetable garden guru, Shelley Johnson. Shelley tends all of the culinary gardens at the Inn and also grows produce on her farm for the Hartstone kitchen. She has a great wealth of knowledge when it comes to vegetable gardening and loves to teach, so this series is perfect for her. Each class includes 1 1/2 hours in the gardens with Shelley and 30 minutes in the kitchen with Chef Michael to cook and taste some of the bounty from the gardens.
Hartstone’s Vegetable Garden Guru – Shelley Johnson
Some of my earliest memories are of the rich smell of soil in my Grandfather’s greenhouse and of helping my Dad transplant the hundreds of azaleas that dotted the landscape around our house. While I always dabbled in vegetable and container gardening, it was the move to Maine in 1985 that allowed me to begin pursuing my gardening interests in a more expansive way. After completing the Master Gardener course of study and becoming active in Maine Organic Farmers and Gardeners Association (MOFGA), my interest in intensive and organic vegetable gardening blossomed. I now tend my own vegetable gardens here at Breatheasy Farm as well as those of others. I am also a commercial grower for Fedco Trees, a growers’ co-op based in Waterville, Maine.
Planting a Spring Garden
May 23-24, 2009 1-3 pm – cost: $50/person
We’ll discuss how to ready your garden for spring planting and make the best use of whatever space you have available. Since it all starts with the soil you’ll learn how to create and keep soil fertile (hint: it doesn’t come from a bag) in the vegetable and herb garden and techniques for creating raised beds that are simple and low maintenance. We’ll discuss how to choose the proper plants, plan the garden layout, and get a jump on the season with row covers and mulches. We’ll harvest a variety of greens, lettuces, and herbs from the Hartstone Inn gardens before heading into the kitchen to cook and taste with Chef Michael for 30 minutes. Recipes will highlight the early Spring harvest and include Michael’s fruit salad dressings and various tossed salads.
Intensive Plantings in the Vegetable and Herb Garden
June 13-14, 2009 1-3 pm – cost: $50/person
The highly productive garden beds at the Hartstone Inn will serve as a hands-on classroom for tips and advice on how to intensively plant and maintain a vegetable and herb garden. We’ll discuss succession sowing, companion planting and choosing the right plants for a given site. Low maintenance raised beds are capable of producing copious amounts of vegetables and herbs if you know how to make the best use of your location and how to give your plants what they need for robust growth. We’ll be able to view the results of our spring sowings and the new growth on our early summer seedlings like tomato, basil, and pumpkin. We’ll harvest a variety of herbs, greens and young root vegetables and join Chef Michael in the kitchen for a 30 minute cooking class and tasting.
The Late Summer Harvest
September 19-20, 2009 1-3 pm – cost: $50/person
After a full season of growing, the gardens at the Hartstone Inn will offer up a great variety of herbs and vegetables and lessons learned from another season of growing. This is the perfect time to review what went right and what went wrong and begin planning for the next year. We’ll learn proper harvesting techniques to maximize the garden’s yield, look at the many heirloom vegetable varieties available for the best in taste and beauty, and discuss how to extend the season through the first frosts of autumn. After harvesting and gleaning the garden’s bounty, we’ll head to the kitchen at the Hartstone Inn to spend 30 minutes with Chef Michael as he uses the summer harvest in some of his favorite recipes.
Posted in Chef Michael Salmon, Cooking School, Fun for Foodies, Garden, Things to do in Camden | No Comments »
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Chef (Marla) for a Day in Camden!
Thursday, April 30th, 2009Our “Chef for a Day” program continues to be a very popular way for guests to experience the Hartstone Inn kitchen firsthand. Recently, a couple from Pennsylvania came to visit us and they joined me for two days in the kitchen, assisting in the preparation of dinner. It was a true pleasure working with Marla and Doug and their passion for cooking was very apparent. Following is a brief story that Marla wrote on her experience:
“From the time I was young, I wanted to be a chef. My career path ultimately led me in a totally different direction, but I never lost the desire to work in a professional kitchen. A last minute opportunity for some vacation time arose, and I found the Hartstone Inn’s website. Not only did they offer group cooking classes at the Inn, but private “chef for a day” programs with award winning chef Michael Salmon. I immediately signed up for 2 days.
From the moment I called, the staff at the Inn couldn’t have been more accommodating. Lots of things to do and see in the area, friendly advice, lovely rooms, and the FOOD!!!! Chef Michael’s gourmet breakfasts were a delight each morning, but don’t even think about eating anywhere else for dinner. A delectable five course meal each night that shouldn’t be missed. And working side-by-side with Chef Michael to prepare the meals! For the home cook who still wants to be a chef when (if) she grows up, it was a dream come true. Fun for foodies doesn’t begin to describe it. I’m still hoping Michael will call me if he needs a sous chef (sorry, Zeph!)
Can’t wait to go back. In the meantime, I’ll keep working on my knife skills, and preparing the recipes from Chef Michael’s cookbooks. And dreaming of the Hartstone Inn.”
Tags: Chef for a Day
Posted in Chef Michael Salmon, Cooking School, Fun for Foodies, Guest News & Comments | No Comments »