Chef (Marla) for a Day in Camden!
Our “Chef for a Day” program continues to be a very popular way for guests to experience the Hartstone Inn kitchen firsthand. Recently, a couple from Pennsylvania came to visit us and they joined me for two days in the kitchen, assisting in the preparation of dinner. It was a true pleasure working with Marla […]
2009 Garden Series at the Hartstone Inn
We are very excited about our new upcoming gardening series here at the Hartstone Inn and Hideaway featuring our vegetable garden guru, Shelley Johnson. Shelley tends all of the culinary gardens at the Inn and also grows produce on her farm for the Hartstone kitchen. She has a great wealth of knowledge when it comes to […]
Thai Specialties Dinner
Mary Jo and I just returned from a three week trip to Thailand and we thought we would share some of the photographs, recipes and cuisine we experienced. Above are some photos I took on the trip. We will be featuring a menu from Thailand (see below) on Monday and Tuesday, April 20 and 21, […]
Spring Food & Beer Pairing
Join us on Friday, April 10, 2009 for our Spring Food and Beer Pairing Event. We have crafted a dinner menu and matched it with some fascinating beers to create a feast for your senses. The dinner menu consists of five courses with separate beer pairings for three of the dishes. Dinner is $55 per person. Menu: […]
Boynton-McKay for Lunch
Boynton-McKay Restaurant, Camden Mary Jo and I make a weekly lunch journey down to our favorite lunch spot in Camden. Boynton-McKay is located in what was, for many decades, the town’s primary drug store, apothecary and soda fountain right on Main Street in downtown Camden. Phil, the owner/operator, also makes a great breakfast, but if you’re […]
Haute Chinese Cooking Class
This past weekend I held a cooking class on “Haute” Chinese Cuisine. First, a quick definition of the French word Haute: adjective 1. high-class or high-toned; fancy. I use this term to describe the type of Chinese cooking I demonstrated in this cooking class, taking a standard “Chinese” dish and elevating it to a “higher” level by […]
Final Vegetable Harvest of 2008
After weeks of cold weather, snow and ice, the ground has thawed enough for me to get my final harvest of carrots out of my raised bed garden. If you recall from my May 12, 2008 blog article titled “New Herb & Vegetable Garden Beds” I planted the carrot seeds on April 15th, harvesting most […]
Chocolate Cooking Class a Great Success
This past weekend the Hartstone Inn featured a chocolate cooking class with Kate Shaffer of Black Dinah Chocolatiers. Both Saturday’s and Sunday’s classes were sold out and the response was very positive. Kate started the class with an introduction of herself and her business. She then discussed the basics of chocolate from the difference between […]
Cheesemaking Workshops
This winter, our local cheesmaking guru, Caitlin Hunter at Appleton Creamery will be holding a number of cheesemaking workshops. The first workshop (two-day), “Home Cheesemaking,” focuses on cheeses that can be made in the average home kitchen without having to go out and buy additional equipment. On day one Caitlin will teach you how to […]
Artisan Chocolate Making for the Holidays
Mary Jo and I are excited to announce a new series of cooking classes at the Hartstone Inn with Artisan Chocolatier Kate Shaffer of Black Dinah Chocolatiers. If you are not familiar with her chocolates, you are in for a real treat. Kate’s beautiful hand-crafted chocolates are made here in Maine (on the small island […]