Photo Credit: Justin Walker

Wild Mushroom and Gruyere Soufflé with a Thyme Cream
serves 4

1 pound black trumpet mushrooms (or other mushrooms)
2 Tablespoons unsalted butter, at room temperature
5 eggs, separated
2 Tablespoons all purpose flour
1/3 cup sour cream
1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
2 pinches ground white pepper
1 pinch freshly ground nutmeg
1/4 teaspoon cream of tartar
1/3 cup grated gruyere cheese

1. Trim and clean the mushrooms, using a soft bristle brush. Melt 1 Tablespoon butter in a
sauté pan set over medium-high heat. Add the mushrooms, and cook for 5 minutes,
stirring regularly. Season with salt and pepper.
2. Generously butter four 1 1/2 cup soufflé dishes, using the remaining butter, covering the
entire surface area on the inside of the cups, including the rim.
3. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees.
4. Place the egg yolks in a medium-sized mixing bowl and whisk them for 1 minute. Add
the flour, sour cream, salt, pepper and nutmeg. Mix in well. Fold in the grated gruyere
and the sautéed mushrooms.
5. In an electric mixer fitted with a whisk, whip the egg whites and cream of tartar to stiff
peaks. With a large rubber spatula, gently fold half of the egg whites into the base.
Continue folding in the remaining egg whites. Gently pour the batter into the prepared
soufflé dishes, filling them 4/5 of the way full. Be careful not to drip the batter on the
rims, or the soufflés may not rise evenly.
6. Bake in the center of a 350-degree oven for 35 minutes, or until lightly browned on top.
Remove from the oven, place on a small serving plate and hurry the soufflés to the
table. Pour the Thyme Cream into a hole you poke in the top of the soufflé at the table.
Eat immediately.

Thyme Cream

1 teaspoon canola oil
1 Tablespoon finely chopped shallots
1/2 cup cleaned black trumpet mushrooms (or other mushrooms)
1/4 cup white wine
1/2 cup heavy cream
1 teaspoon fresh thyme leaves
Kosher salt and ground white pepper

1. Heat a small saucepan over a medium burner. Add the canola oil and sauté the shallots
for 30 seconds, stirring. Add the mushrooms and cook for 3 minutes, stirring.
2. Deglaze with the white wine and reduce until the pan is dry, being careful not to brown
the mixture.
3. Add the heavy cream and reduce the mixture by half, until a nice sauce consistency is
achieved.

We are excited to be part of this unique event!  For the adventurous foodie, the Camden Gourmet Adventure features two fabulous courses in two different restaurants and an after party with desserts, live music and dancing hosted by Cellardoor Winery and Megunticook Market at the Winery. The four participating restaurants are 40 Paper, Francine Bistro, Hartstone Inn and Natalie’s. Here’s the hook. Four excellent restaurants are involved, but guests will dine at only two. You won’t know where you’re eating (or what culinary surprises await) until you are delivered to the door of the restaurant!  

Guests of the event are asked to park/meet in the Camden Harbor Landing parking lot. You will be delivered to the restaurants, then to Cellardoor Winery, and then back to the lot.

Tickets cost $79 per person and are inclusive of transportation, dinner, tax, gratuity and the after-party. If you are part of a group please purchase your tickets as a group, we will do our best to keep you together.

To perfect the menus for the evening the chefs need to know of food allergies and intense food dislikes. Two quick questions about allergies and dislikes are included in the ticket order process.

It’s going to be a dining adventure like no other event in Maine, and it’s all thanks to the creative minds at the restaurants, Megunticook Market and Cellardoor Winery.

Find more information or purchase tickets here.

From their website:

“This magical weekend begins Friday, September 30th at 5:30pm with a four-course dinner-dance in the Vineyard. Each course is prepared by a local star chef and paired with Cellardoor wines. Dinner is followed by dessert and a very special performance by R&B singer Kenny ‘Babyface’ Edmonds. Saturday festivities begin at 10am and include grape stomping, a home winemaking competition, food and wine pairings, live music, cooking demonstrations by local star chefs, and many more surprises. This is the time of the year to celebrate the harvest and Maine’s beautiful fall weather.

October 1, Schedule of Events
10 – 5 Antique Tractor Display and Competitive Demos
10 – 3 Coffee & Donuts presented by Tim Horton’s
10 – 3 Scarecrow Decorating Competition
10 – 3 Home Winemaking Competition Submissions/Judging
10:30 Mini Pumpkin Hunt for Kids of all ages
11 Ratatouille Movie in the big tent
11 Cooking Demo – Chef Lisa Sojka of Prism Café
11 – 3 Horse Drawn Wagon Rides
11:30 Grape Crush Demonstration with The Winemaker
11:30 – 2 BBQ presented by Riverfront BBQ
12 Cooking Demo – Chef Christina Sidoti of Paolina’s Way
12 Grapestomping with The Winery Owner
1 Cooking Demo – Chef Kerry Altieri of Café Miranda
1 Chocolate Movie in the big Tent
1 – 4 Savory Treats & Wine Pairing with Lani Temple of Megunticook Market
1 – 4 Chocolates and Wine Pairing with Sweet Marguerite’s
2 – 4 Mr Magic magic tricks and balloon creations
2:30 Grape Press Demonstration with the Winemaker
3 Tortilla Soup Movie in the big tent
3 Home Winemaking Competition Results & Prizes
3 Scarecrow Decorating Results & Prizes
3:30 Grape Stomping with the Winery Owner”

Szechuan Peppercorns

Himalayan Pink Salt

Pink Peppercorns

French Fleur De Sel

Alae Hawaiian Pink Sea Salt

Maine Sea Salt

Green Peppercorns

Smoked Coarse Sea Salt

Tellicherry Peppercorns

French Gray Salt

The Specialty Salt and Pepper Samplers cost $17.95 and make great gifts.

Looking for more?  How about Chef Michael’s Spice Kit.  It has 15 of different spices including Chef Michael’s very own spice mixes.  The cost is s $26.95.  Another great gift idea for the “foodie” in your life – or maybe for you!

The 3rd Annual Maine Restaurant Week is almost here!!! In less than two week!  Between March 1 – 12 enjoy this menu at only $30.00.

Please remember things happen; menus are subject to change. You might wish to call ahead ((207) 236-4259) if you have your heart set on an item listed above.

Last night at the James Beard Foundation’s House in New York City, we shared a delicious evening of food and drink honoring Maine’s purveyors. The lucky, and hungry (then happily filled) attendees enjoyed a menu organized by Chef Michael Salmon and Chef Geoffrey Deconinck of Natalie’s at the Camden Harbour Inn.

The Menu

Hors d’Oeuvre

Pemaquid Oyster Shooters with Maine Apple Mignonette
House-Smoked Salmon and Pickled Red Onion Panini
Miniature Lobster Buns with Fines Herbes, Lemon Seasoning, and Red Oak-Leaf Lettuce
Local Goat Cheese in Parmesan Baskets
Duck Terrine on Grilled Sourdough

Cocktails and Lucien Albrecht Crémant d’Alsace Brut Rosé NV

Dinner

Savory Peekytoe Crab Cheesecake with Lemon–Walnut Crust
Laurent Kraft Vouvray 2009

Seared Sea Scallop with Braised Endive, Speck, and Black Truffle Sauce

Château de Chassagne-Montrachet Blanc En Pimont 2005

Maine Lobster and Butternut Squash Charlotte with Rosemary–Vermouth Cream
Domaine Caillot Mersault 2007

Lamb Duo > Braised Belly and Roasted Loin with Parsnip Purée and Winter Vegetables
Cellardoor Winery Artist Series Grenache 2010

Chocolate–Hazelnut Ganache with Caramel Corn; and Poached Local Pear with Maple Ice Cream, Gingerbread Croutons, and Crushed Walnuts

The James Beard Foundation is a New York-based national professional non-profit organization named in honor of James Beard that serves to promote the culinary arts by honoring chefs, wine professionals, journalists, and cookbook authors at annual award ceremonies and providing scholarships and educational opportunities to cooking hopefuls.  Visit the Foundation’s website for information on events.

Butterscotch Chip-Oatmeal Cookies  
1 cup unsalted butter, softened
1/2 cup brown sugar, firmly packed
1/2 cup granulated sugar
2 large eggs
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
2 Tablespoons water
2 cups all-purpose flour
1/2 teaspoon baking powder
1 teaspoon salt                           
1 cup shredded coconut
1 cup pecan pieces
2 cups old-fashioned rolled oats
1 1/2 cups butterscotch chips

1.   In a bowl with an electric mixer, cream the butter. Add the sugars and beat until mixture is light and fluffy. Beat in the eggs, vanilla extract a nd 2 Tablespoons of water. 

2.   In another bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder, and salt. Add the flour mixture to the butter mixture gradually, and beat until it is just combined. 

3.   Gently stir in the coconut, pecan pieces, oats and butterscotch chips.

4.   Make balls with a #40 ice cream scoop and place 2 inches apart on baking sheets lined with a nonstick baking mat or on lightly greased baking sheets. 

5.   Bake for 15 minutes. Transfer the cookies to cooling racks to cool.  Makes 45 cookies.    

Recipe copyright © 2009, Michael Salmon

Looking for more Hartstone Inn cookie recipes?  Click here for our chocolate-chip walnut cookie.

On a side note, have you heard of a Silpat?  We bake all of our cookies on Silpat mats and they are wonderful!  Your cookies will never stick to the pan!  View more information on Silpats here.

• Cucumber, Roasted Tomato and Feta Salad
• Greek Avgolemono Soup with Lobster
• Fig and Orange Sorbet
• Lamb and Eggplant Moussaka
• Baklava with Pistachio-Vanilla Ice Cream

Join us for our Sushi and Japanese Beer Pairing “In the Kitchen” event on Wednesday, February 2nd.   Chef Michael Salmon will present an evening of mingling, beverage pairings and plenty of great food.  The price is $29.50 per person and includes several sushi and beer pairings and a large variety of other sushi.