February 3, 2012
The Harstone Inn is excited to be participating in Maine Restaurant Week for the third year in a row!
What is restaurant week?
“Simply put, a restaurant week is a celebration of the culinary talents of area restaurants. During restaurant week, restaurants offer specially priced three-course menus. Chefs work hard year round to take care of their customers. During restaurant weeks, they go above and beyond. The concept originated in New York City in the early nineties and caught on in Maine in 2009.”
Hartstone Inn Restaurant Week Dinner Menu
$30 per person
FIRST COURSE
Roasted Tomato Soup with a Basil Custard and a Balsamic Reduction
or
Butternut Squash Ravioli with a Sage Cream and Crisp Prosciutto
or
Poached Maine Lobster with Sweet Potato Cakes and a Vermouth Cream
SECOND COURSE
Grilled Pork Chop with a Fig, Almond and Port Wine Cream
or
Cod Francaise topped with Maine Crab Meat and a Lemon-Chardonnay Beurre Blanc
or
Beef Tenderloin Medallions with Maytag Blue Cheese and Caramelized Onion Bordelaise. Roasted New Potatoes
THIRD COURSE
Grand Marnier Crème Brûlée with Candied Orange Peel and Lemon Madeleines
or
Chocolate Ganache Tart with Vanilla Ice Cream and a Raspberry Coulis
or
Butterscotch Budino (Italian Pudding) with Salted Caramel and Almond Biscotti
Seating times are 6pm and 7:30pm. Please call 207-236-4259 to reserve your table.
Looking to stay overnight?
Book our Maine Restaurant Week Package:
“Reward yourself and your taste buds with an overnight stay at our enchanting four diamond Inn. For Restaurant Week, enjoy a one night stay in the room of our choice, two glasses of bubbly and a plate of our handmade chocolates, our gourmet three course Restaurant Week dinner for two and a sumptuous breakfast in the morning. A complimentary room upgrade will also be offered upon arrival. Ski, skate, shop or just relax and unwind with a massage in our spa. $185 – $245 based on room selection”
Last month, we offered our first cake decorating class and the response was overwhelming. Not only did the class fill, but we had a waiting list of those who hoped to get in. It was instructed by Patricia Moroz of Starlight Custom Cakes whose talent is amazing and her class did not disappoint. We received nothing but positive feedback from each participant as they took home their beautifully decorated cake. It was for this reason, that we have asked Patricia to come back and teach another class in May.
In the Spring Cake Decorating Class, students will learn to make and color a variety of beautiful edible sugar flowers such as hydrangeas, triple layer gardenias and daffodils. In addition, each individual will be provided with a tray of full of completed sugar flowers and a fresh cake that has been finished with buttercream icing and covered in rolled fondant. Everyone will decorate each of their cakes with a variety of sugar flowers while learning how to attach sugar flowers to cakes, cupcakes, cookies and just about any type of baked goods. In addition to taking home their completed cakes and flowers, everyone will bring home a folder with simple to follow instructions, a vendor supply list and recipes will be provided to each individual making it simple for them to be able to make these at home. These sugar paste flowers can be made ahead of time and kept in sealed containers for months at a time making it convenient to use them as needed. This will be a fun and casual class and no experience at all is required! Weekend cooking class packages are $352 – $542 and include two nights lodging, breakfast each morning, afternoon cookies and tea, a gourmet candlelit dinner for two and enrollment for one in the cooking class. Enrollment for the class alone is $65 per person.
 
February 2, 2012
 March 8, 2012
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.
January 28, 2012
We know that many of our guests at the Hartstone Inn are avid readers. We thought we would share with them this opportunity to meet a famous Maine author!
The Rockland Yacht Club will host Maine fisherman and author Linda Greenlaw on February 5, 2012 at 1pm. The event will be held at the Owls Head Transportation Museum and is open to the public at no charge. Following the speaking engagement in which Greenlaw will be discussing her new book “Seaworthy”, there will be a book signing. Copies of both her new book and her cookbook “Maine Summers Cookbook” will be available to purchase. Attendees are also invited to bring their own books to the signing,
Greenlaw is the only female sword fishing captain in America and is featured in the hit Discovery Channel series “Swords.” Greenlaw first came to the public’s attention in Sebastian Junger’s book, ” The Perfect Storm”, where Junger called her “one of the best captains … on the entire east coast.” She is also author of three New York Times bestselling books about life as a commercial fisherman. In 2003, she won the U.S. Maritime Literature Award and also was winner of the New England Book Award for nonfiction in 2004.
Complimentary snacks and beverages will be available during the book signing.
 
January 22, 2012
Guests Jim and Mary shared a new cocktail recipe with us that we love! We like it so much that we have added it to our cocktail list. It is called (Mary’s) Cilantro Martini. We have shared her recipe below: 
2.5 oz. Citrus Vodka
1 oz. simple syrup (1 cup sugar to 1 cup water, mix ahead of time and store in fridge)
1 juice of 1/2 lemon
1 juice of 1/2 lime
8 (or so) cilantro leaves
sugar for rimming
crushed ice
Muddle the leaves with some crushed ice in the bottom of a shaker then add some more crushed ice. Add vodka, simple syrup, lemon and lime and shake well. Let sit for a minute while you rim a chilled martini glass and add a lime wedge. Shake again, strain and enjoy! Thank you Mary!
Have you always wanted to learn to cover a cake in fondant or make beautiful sugar cookies? 3 Dogs Cafe, located just five minutes from the Hartstone Inn in Rockport, Maine can show you how. Owner and Pastry Chef Steve Watts makes delicious sweets and amazing cakes that are for sale in his bakery. You might have seen him on the Food Network show Challenge where he showcased his talent for creative cake making.
Below is the 2012 class schedule. Any one of these classes can be added on to our Gourmet Getaway Package to add some extra fun to your time away! Not interested in baking? Cooking classes are offered too!
February 5th – Valentine Sugar Cookies: Learn to make sugar dough & create beautiful holiday cookies.
February 12th – Chocolate Mousse Cake: Make and bake a chocolate cake and fill/frost it with chocolate mousse. Fun chocolate decorations will be made to decorate your cake! Just in time for valentines day!
February 18th – Hors d’oeuvres – Hot & Cold: For the people that like to entertain and are tired of cheese and crackers.
February 26th – Pizza: Learn to make different pizza dough’s with lots of topping ideas. Great affordable ideas to make with the whole family!
March 1st – Rolled Fondant: Learn to cover a cake with this edible clay. You’ll be shown different techniques. (All the cakes Steve created on the food network challenges were covered in fondant)
April 1st – Basic Cake Decorating: Learn to put buttercream on a cake like a professional and decorate with different ideas shown in class. Additional $15.00 charge for take home pastry bags and tips.
April 15th – Fun with Pies: Cream pie, chiffon, meringue, lattice, custard, 2 crust and different pie shell options.
April 29th – Sugar Cookies: Make and decorate your own cookies. Over 500 cutters to choose from. Each person will get to make at least 10 cookies!
All classes are limited to 10 people and are hands on! Must be 12 years of age or older must bring your own rolling pin and apron if class requires. Classes start at 3pm and last approximately 2-3 hours. $40 per person.
January 20, 2012
 Photo credit: Maine Magazine Our guests often ask where they can find good Thai food. Long Grain restaurant, which is located only a few doors down from the Hartstone Inn offers that and so much more.
Owners Paula Palakawong and Ravin “Bas” Nakjaroen who are from Bangkok, offer a wide range of Asian food with a Maine touch. They incorporate seasonal Maine ingredients into traditional Asian cuisine and make nearly all their dishes from scratch. They serve both lunch and dinner and offer a both beer and wine. We think this restaurant is worth considering on your next trip to Camden!
View two recent press articles on Long Grain by visiting the links below.
Long Grain - Bangor Daily News March 2011
Long Grain – Maine Magazine December 2011
January 9, 2012
Join us at the Hartstone Inn for a romantic Valentine’s Day dinner celebrated on both Saturday, February 11 and Tuesday, February 14, 2012. Evening dining at our Camden bed and breakfast is open to the public as well as to our Inn guests and features a sumptuous five-course meal. Experience the cuisine of our internationally award-winning Chef/Owner Michael Salmon. Presented in our elegantly appointed Camden, Maine dining room on fine china and crystal, our acclaimed evening meals are a sumptuous gourmet treat. 
7:30 pm seating, $52.50 per person
- Grilled Seafood with Oven-Roasted Beets and a Honey-Walnut Vinaigrette
- French Onion Soup with Beef Short Ribs and Gruyere Crouton
- Cranberry-Lemon Sorbet
- Beef Tenderloin Medallion with a Mushroom Duxelle and Half Maine Lobster with Gratin Potatoes
- Valentine Raspberry Soufflé with a Chambord Crème Anglaise
Please call 207-236-4259 for reservations.
January 8, 2012
 Celebrating life, an anniversary, or just need some romantic time alone ? We’re here to help your loved one feel extra special! Your getaway includes 2 nights lodging, a beautiful bouquet of flowers, a bottle of bubbly and a personalized chocolate plate with a delicious assortment of homemade chocolates & caramels. Multi-course breakfast each morning and memorable five course dinner for two are included.
January 2, 2012
Saturday, January 28, 2012
From their website:
“The Camden Winterfest returns for its 10th annual community celebration of winter on Saturday January 28th,2012. Presented by The Camden Public Library and the Winterfest Committee along with local sponsors.
The centerpiece of Winterfest activity remains the Community Ice Carving Event.Community members transform ordinary blocks of ice into crystaline ice sculptures using the traditional tools of the ice-carving artisan. Chef Tim Pierce of the Samoset Resort donates his time to teaching the craft of ice sculpting.
With or without snow families are encouraged to come and play. A merry band of culinary volunteers serve a variety of delicious hot soups and light snacks donated by local restaurants. Children’s crafts will be in the Picker room.The warm rotunda of the library hosts live music by All That Jazz.
The Winterfest Committee has joined with a group of ice skating enthusiasts to create, in the Camden Amphitheatre, an ice skating rink for annual free, season-long use by the community!”
Schedule of events:
12:00pm – 12:30pm Opening ceremony
12:00pm – 3:00pm Hot food and drink outside
12:30pm – to closing: Open Skate
12:00pm – 2:45pm Ice Carving
1:00pm – 3:00pm Music by All That Jazz under the Rotunda
12:00pm – 2:00pm Children’s activities in the Picker room
2:45pm – 3:00pm Closing event
We hope to have a figure skating demonstration, please check back for the time.
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