In the Kitchen Dinner Series

Join Chef Michael Salmon and his crew in the kitchen at the Inn for an evening of mingling, beverage pairings and plenty of great food.  Three events remain in our “In the Kitchen Dinner Series” schedule.  We have made a few changes including adding an Italian Food & Wine Dinner and bringing back one more night of our popular Sushi & Japanese Beer Pairing Dinner.  The price is $29.50 per person and includes several food and beverage pairings and a kitchen full of food.

Italian Food and Wine Pairing
April 11, 2010
Specialties from all over Italy will be featured this evening including a full antipasto spread, a wide array of Michael’s homemade pastas and some of his signature Italian entrees like veal saltimbocca and Shrimp Parmesan. Michael’s Hazelnut Tiramisu and Zeph’s Semi Freddo will certainly finish the night on a high note.

Dim Sum and Beer
May 19, 2010
Dim sum, which translates to “to touch your heart,” is the perfect food for a unique dinner party. Dim sum is a broad term for small individual Chinese delicacies, savory or sweet, ranging from the abundant types of filled dumplings to steamed buns and spring rolls. This evening we begin by making numerous dumpling fillings and sauces, create various dumpling forms or shapes and cook the dumpling in variuous methods—steaming, deep-fat frying and a combination steaming-pan frying method used for cooking pot-stickers. Fillings include Thai-Pork, Turkey and Shiitake, and Shrimp. Various offerings will be paired with Far East beers and there will be an endless supply of food.

Sushi and Beer
May 30, 2010
Various Rolled Sushi including:
California Rolls, Crab and Asparagus Rolls, Spicy Shrimp Rolls,
Spicy Tuna Rolls, Tempura Shrimp Rolls and Rainbow Rolls
Flash-Fried Nori and Tuna Roll with a Ginger-Wasabi Butter Sauce
Crab and Papaya Mamenori Roll with a Sweet Chili Sauce
Chef Zeph’s Japanese Short Rib Sushi
Chef Michael’s Sushi Dushi (sweet “dessert” sushi)

“In the Kitchen” events are at 6pm and are always allot of fun. Reserve your  table today!

 Easter Brunch
11:30 a.m. & 12:45 p.m. seatings

 Fresh Berry Crepe with a Raspberry Crème Anglaise

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Smoked Salmon Eggs Benedict on a Croissant with Hollandaise Sauce

or

Maine Lobster and Asparagus Quiche
with Swiss Cheese

or

Cranberry and Apple French Toast with Cumin Spice Bacon

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Assorted Desserts

$23.95 per person

Easter Dinner
5:00 p.m. seating

Maine Seafood Tartlet with a Chive Custard

Sweet Potato, Rutabaga and Green Apple Soup with a Maple Cream

Maine Blueberry Sorbet

Braised Lamb Shanks “En Croute” with a Celeriac Puree
and Grilled Vegetables

White Chocolate Soufflé with a Pistachio-Crème Anglaise

Easter Candies and Chocolates

$45.00 per person

Join us March 1st-10^thas we participate in the second annual “Maine Restaurant Week”.  This is ten day period where participating restaurants showcase their signature dishes on specially priced, prix fixe menus. Our special three-course dinner menu is $30.10 per person and includes a choice of each course.  Reserve your table today!

 Appetizers:

Butternut Squash Ravioli with Shaved Parmesan, Sage and Browned Butter

Celeriac Bisque with Maine Crab Meat and Scallions

Pork and Artichoke Pâté with Pickled Red Onions, Brandied Apricots and Baby Greens

Entrees:

Pan Seared Haddock with Maine Lobster and Sauce Américaine

Roasted Duckling with a Tropical Fruit Chutney and Wild Rice

Pork Scallopini with Herbed Mushrooms and a Dry Sherry Cream

Desserts:

Hartstone Chocolate Trio: Mousse, Flourless Cake and Loaded Ice Cream

Berry Crème Brûlée with Whipped Cream and a Lemon Madeleine

Pear Tarte Tatin with Pecans and Vanilla Bean Ice Cream

Last night we served our Roasted Sweet Potato, Rutabaga and Green Apple Soup and one of the guests requested the recipe (which is in my second cookbook), so here it is. s recipe serves six.

Roasted Sweet Potato, Rutabaga and Green Apple Soup with a Maple Cream
1 large sweet potato
1 Tablespoon olive oil
1/2 cup (8 Tablespoons) unsalted butter
1 cup chopped yellow onions
1 cup peeled, diced rutabaga
1 Granny Smith apple, peeled, cored and diced
1 quart chicken stock
1 cup heavy cream
1 1/2 Tablespoons Maine maple syrup
Kosher salt and white pepper to taste
Maple Cream (recipe below)
1/4 cup croutons
1 Tablespoon sliced scallions 

1. Preheat the oven to 400 degrees.
2. Peel the sweet potato, slice into 1/2-inch-thick slices and lay on a foil-lined baking sheet. Drizzle with the olive oil and season with kosher salt and white pepper. Roast in the preheated oven for 30 minutes.
3. Place the butter in a large saucepan and place over medium heat. When the butter melts, add the onions and sweat for 3 minutes, stirring occasionally. Add the rutabaga and Granny Smith apple and continue to cook for 3 minutes, stirring occasionally. Add the chicken stock and the roasted sweet potatoes and simmer for 20 minutes.
4. Remove from the heat and blend the soup with either a handheld immersion blender or in a regular household blender until smooth. Add the cream, maple syrup and season with salt and white pepper. Bring back to a simmer and serve with a dollop of whipped maple cream, croutons and finely sliced scallions.

 Maple Cream
1/3 cup heavy cream
1 Tablespoon pure Maine maple syrup
Small pinch of white pepper
Large pinch of kosher salt 

1.  Place the heavy cream in a cold mixing bowl and whisk on high speed until stiff. Add the maple syrup, salt and white pepper and whisk to combine.

Last week, I brought together my friend (and auto mechanic mentor) Harvey (and his wife Carol) and my favorite professional mechanic Eric Tolman from Rockport Machine to start the engine. We hooked up an oil pressure gauge, wired in the coil and the battery, jimmy rigged a fuel bag to the twin SU carburetors and connected the starter. As this was my first time rebuilding an engine, I asked what we were looking for as the engine fired up. I was told to “look for minor or major oil leaks and low oil pressure, and to stay away from the front of the car where the fan could fly loose,” maybe they were kidding. After a few “coughs”, the engine fired up and ran well, needing only a few minor adjustments to the tappets. My heart was pounding as fast as the car engine was running. It was 4 degrees F. outside so we kept the doors to the garage closed and the fumes eventually got to the smoke detectors, adding more drama to the event.

The body is sanded and primed, just waiting for the final paint coats. Hopefully we can attach the body to the chassis by mid March and get the car on the road by early spring. Click here to watch a short video I shot while starting the engine.

Follow us on Facebook and Twitter!  Keep up with what’s new at the Inn and in the Camden area.   We post everything from photos and recipes to special Facebook & Twitter only discounts and deals!

Become a fan of the Hartstone Inn on Facebook and automatically be entered into our contest!  When we hit 250 fans we will randomly select one fan to win a $250 Hartstone Inn gift certificate!   We have 148 fans right now – only 102 to go!  Tell all your friends!

We are very proud to have been chosen as one of the “Top 10 Romantic Inns for 2010″ by American Historic Inns and iLoveInns.com.

“The Top 10 Romantic Inns have been carefully selected for overall romantic attributes–scenic setting and location, interior beauty and design, subtle yet personable hospitality, pampering amenities and creative activities. Each inn offers a variety of romantic offerings personalized for a truly one-of-a-kind experience. These B&B inns are sure to surprise and delight couples celebrating their love.”

To read the full article visit iLoveInns.com.

The building itself is modeled after a classic New England barn framed in Maine hemlock.  It’s open design and tall ceilings are perfect for their year round indoor market of vegetables, fruits and other Maine products. In addition, Farmer’s Fare has a real honest to goodness, old-fashioned butcher shop stocked with local meat and poultry.  They are currently supplying all the beef for the Camden Rockland Elementary School so the students are eating local hamburgers!  Not to be missed also is the café which serves breakfast and lunch daily.  The long pine tables are great place to meet up with friends and enjoy a latte, pastry, soup and many other dishes made with local ingredients of course!  A commercial kitchen  is located downstairs that services the café and community rooms which are open to the public and used by Farmers Fare for educational classes and community events. 

Anytime something new opens that we think our guests would enjoy, we post it on the blog.  Farmer’s Fare, located on five acres of beautiful, organic pasture and farm in Rockport should not be missed!   Their website says, “We at Farmers Fare believe in bringing people together to share food, stories, knowledge and information. We believe in supporting our local farmers by buying the food they grow and selling it, thereby keeping our farmers on their farms and our community members healthy and satisfied.”  

In addition to the building, half of Farmers Fare’s five acres of land is devoted to growing food.  They plan to plant unusual crops such as heirloom and green zebra tomatoes, Italian salad greens, and long pie pumpkins. In the future, their nursery will offer new and old varieties of Maine fruits and vegetables, such as green gage plums. A wetland in the middle of the property will be used to grow plants that have been cultivated by Native Americans for medicinal aids, such as high bush cranberries and cow parsnip.

We encourage our guests to stop bury and see Farmer’s Fare for themselves.  They are known to host fun community activities like pumpkin carving or ice sculpting contests.  Local vendors are often present offering tastings or demonstrations!  Stop by hungry so you can enjoy their delicious food!  Nothing tastes like local, Maine cuisine and Farmer’s Fare does it well! Visit them online at: http://www.farmersfare.com

Written by Meghan Small.

We all know Michael can be found in the garage restoring his 1962 Daimler when he is not in the kitchen.  Many do not know however that when not tending to the various needs of the inn or to her hundred’s of orchids, Mary Jo can be found tucked away in her 3rd floor bead room creating jewelry in our gift shop.  Hart Stones by Mary Jo, her collection of mostly beaded jewelry began around three years ago.   After what was becoming a somewhat dull house sitting experience in Florida, Michael decided Mary Jo needed a hobby to pass the time.  He brought her to a bead store nearby and from there it has grown from a hobby to a talent!  Her collection of beads has become quite extensive overtime including an array of Venetian glass beads purchased on a trip to Italy two years ago.   

Mary Jo’s jewelry was highlighted at our Baubles and Bubbles event this past November.  The collaborative event was held here at the Inn in and in addition to her jewelry featured pearl and vintage jewelry collections from two of her friends.  There was Champagne, an array of Michael’s delicious hor d’oeuvres and lots of pre-Christmas jewelry purchases!  The turnout was great and everyone had so much fun that we have pledged to make it an annual event!  

Hart Stones by Mary Jo is our best selling item in the gift shop with people who purchase a new piece to add to their collection every time they visit!   

 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.

1.  Boil water in a large pan.
2. Add salt and rice. Cover and simmer over low heat (stirring occasionally) for 15-20 minutes or until most of the water is absorbed.
3. 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.
4. 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.