All things Maine...

Being home this weekend brought lots of memories to mind. Mostly food-related but, if you know me, this should not be a surprise! :)

Italian sandwiches: so delicious! They are soft, foot-long buns filled with thinly sliced deli ham, white American cheese, pickles, black olives, onions, tomatoes, green peppers, salt/pepper, and a drizzle of olive oil. I bought one to eat for lunch at Pat's Pizza on my last day there...saved half of it to eat on the plane on the way back. The only thing is--Italian sandwiches smell somewhat like B.O. I'm not sure how this happens but if you smell this scent under the armpit of a scruffy-looking guy on the subway it will disgust you...but if you are gazing at one of these sandwiches the same scent will make you drool. Not kidding.

Whoopie pies: two chocolate cake/cookie mounds glued together with creamy white filling. Usually the size of softballs or big hamburgers I tried some called Betty Reez Whoopiez (also at Pat's) and they were "wicked awesome!" The cake part was more like a chewy chocolate brownie cookie...not exactly traditional but they were so yummy I called Betty Reez tonight at home in Freeport, Maine to ask her if she will ship some here when I next have a craving (the answer was "yes"). Also not kidding. I found some recipes online and Munchkin and I will make some tomorrow (since I ate the last of the ones I bought to bring home with me already...except the one BikeBoy is saving--if I don't make more tomorrow I would probably try to eat his).

Vacationland ad campaign: I remember this advertising campaign from the late 60's or very early 70s when I was a little kid. Do you remember when states were abbreviated by a combination of upper- and lowercase letters (like: Calif., Colo., Fla., Mass., etc.)? Well Maine's abbreviation was "Me." They started this whole ad campaign to get more tourists to come here...they devised individual brochures and they would be all displayed in a rack at the AAA office in Portland. They would proclaim: "Ski Me." or "Hike Me." or "Swim Me." or "Shop Me." etc. I remember they (whoever the bigger "they" was at the time) decided that the ads were too provacative or something and the brochures were pulled, campaign stopped. I wish I had saved some of those ads as I thought they were kind of cool, at the time.

Dunkin Donuts: okay so I have been home twice in the past 7 months and didn't stop there either time but they are the best. Sorry Krispy Kreme--I love you, too, but not so much! DD's are on every street corner in New England...much like Starbuck's is on every corner here in the great PNW. I am still craving a glazed, a jelly-filled, and a chocolate glazed. My three favorites. If I hadn't had my carryon full of Whoopie Pies already I would've made one last pitstop on the way to the airport.

Ice cream: why is it that there is hardly a place here in the PNW which sells homemade ice cream? It's all over the place in Maine. Yummy, creamy, dreamy ice cream. My favorites, in no particular order are: peach, ginger, and grapenut. If I stop at a roadside shop which sells all three of these it is a true dilemma and I will usually at least get a double-dip cone!

Indian Pudding: Okay, to be p.c. I should probably change it's name to Native American Pudding. The recipe I have uses cornflakes and is so yummy (molasses is in there, too, and it cooks over a double boiler)...served warm w/vanilla ice cream on top.

That's it...just dreaming about being home!