Smoking Salmon

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 …
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Carrot Soup Recipe

  On December 11, 2008 I blogged about my final vegetable harvest of the season. I had just pulled my last carrots out of my raised beds the day before and went on to promise a recipe for my carrot soup. So here it is: 2 Tablespoons canola oil 2 medium-sized yellow onions, peeled and …
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Atlantic Salmon Cake with a Mint and Sweet Pea Cream

 2 Tablespoons, plus 1 teaspoon canola oil 1 shallot, minced 1/4 cup dry white wine 1/2 cup heavy cream 1/4 cup, plus 1 Tablespoon unsalted butter, cut into small pieces and soft 1 teaspoon lemon juice 1 cup shelled fresh peas (or frozen) 1 teaspoon minced fresh mint leaves Kosher salt and ground white and …
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Portabella Mushroom Soup with a Dry Sherry Cream

This recipe is from my second cookbook “In the Kitchen with Michael Salmon” and serves 6. 1 Tablespoon canola oil 1 cup finely chopped yellow onion 1 pound portabella mushrooms, sliced 1/4 cup all-purpose flour 1/2 cup dry sherry 1/2 cup dry white wine 3 1/2 cups chicken stock 1 small bay leaf Kosher salt …
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Thai Cooking Class at the Inn

This weekend I presented the final scheduled cooking classes of the season: Thai Cuisine. Following is an excerpt on the history of Thai cooking and a recipe for a simple “Coconut Mussel Soup with Curry” that we occasionally serve in the restaurant. The recipe is also available in my first cookbook on page 228 and …
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Maine Food & Lifestyle Blog

When the first issue of Maine Food & Lifestyle magazine arrived at French & Brawn (our neighborhood food market) in the Summer of 2006 I was utterly amazed by the quality writing, beautiful photography and the unique and inspiring layout of the magazine. How can a publication of this caliber focus on my little area …
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Today’s Pasta Cooking Class

First a little history with an excerpt from my first cookbook “Hartstone Inn, Signature Recipes from an Elegant Maine Inn.” The origin of pasta is a very controversial subject in culinary history. The Arabic countries, Italy and China have all laid claim to the creation of what has become a favorite food worldwide. Most probably, …
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Cocktail Mixology – Blackberry Mojito

Blackberry Mojito 1/2 cup fresh mint leaves4 teaspoons granulated sugar (or 2 packets of Splenda)2 limes1/4 cup fresh blackberries3/4 cup light rum1 cup club soda2 sprigs fresh mint for garnish 1. Place the mint and sugar in a mortar and “muddle” it with a pestle. Squeeze in the lime juice and add half of the …
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Tangerine Crème Caramel with Plumped Apricots Recipe

The first dessert I made from Julia Child’s Mastering the Art of French Cooking cookbook was her crème caramels and they made a lasting impression on me. This tangy version is made with tangerines and served with plumped dried apricots for a unique twist. This recipe can be found in my second cookbook In the …
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Cocktail Mixology – Key Lime Martini

Key Lime Martini Graham cracker crumbs 1 1/2 limes 3/4 cup keke beach liqueur 3/8 cup vanilla vodka 1 cup crushed ice 2 slices of lime for garnish Make a thin layer of graham cracker crumbs on a small plate. Juice the limes and reserve. Take one of the squeezed lime halves and coat the …
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Port City Life Magazine Article

The December 2007 issue of Port City Life Magazine features an article on the Hartstone Inn and Chef Michael. The cover of the magazine reads “Camden Tarts,” and inside you will find an article by contributing writer Mindy Favreau titled “Festive Fruit Tartlets.” The article gives a brief background of the Inn and highlights Michael’s …
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Ricotta Pudding Recipe

This is one of our most requested recipes from breakfast here at the Inn, so I thought the blog would be an excellent way to share the recipe with guests interested in making my pudding at home. This recipe will probably appear in my third cookbook, but don’t tell Mary Jo I’m working on it. …
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