Owl's Head WinterFest

So, we didn't exactly have the best weekend on record for the WinterFest but we love the Transportation Museum and had a great time anyway.

Above is a photo of the Lombard Steam Log Hauler. Quite a marvel of engineering as it is a 'put together' rig comprising parts of a train engine, a wooden cab, a track system and, in snow, a set of 'skis' on the front. (No snow this day so there were wheels affixed instead.) The log hauler did a loop around the grounds while a Model T Ford gave rides and a modified Model T sno'chine gave rides along a snowy track.




Another fun option was a flight in this Piper Super Cub:



All in all, even without the benefit of snow, it was a great day at the Museum.

Next time you're in town, plan a trip to the Museum as part of your Freeport getaway. We have discounted tickets here to purchase, or book one of our shopping packages that include a trip to the museum!

Clash of the Titans

Was out walking with the camera today looking for 'Freeport scenes' to take to show you what's going on here. Came up with a project to work on, but more on that later. I walked up to the front of LL Bean and remembered I'd been meaning to get over here and take pix of this:


Next time you're in town, stop by and take a look. It's quite an impressive piece of taxidermy, not to mention an incredible story of life and death in the North Woods.

The Countdown Begins

A sure 'sign' that spring is on the way! In the meantime, stop into Derosiers Market on Main St for pizza, subs and more.

A Kitschy Valentine's Day Table

You may not have noticed, but I don't have a decorating gene in my body. (Then again, if you have noticed, no need to tell me, I know!) Lacking that gene means that holidays are fraught with stress over what to do to show I realize there is a holiday happening.

This weekend is a prime example. Valentine's Day. I should do something, right? But what's the right something?

I thought about it, looked around, tried to find photos of what other B&B's do, couldn't find anything that spoke to me. So, I looked around the house. What did I have for Valentine's Day that I could use in the Inn?

And this is what I found: Conversation Hearts and antique Valentine's postcards. A couple of yards of fabric for tablecloths.

And this is what I did with them-

Happy Valentine's Day all you wild and crazy kids!

Vegas

Just thought I'd share this cactus photo my son took in the desert outside Vegas. He went out for a ride taking pix of 'Fall in the Desert.' This is one of my favs. Hopefully, it shows up here as the op art piece it is in the original photo.

Eggs in a Ham Basket- March Recipe of the Month

Just in time for Easter, comes this neat (really, it's neat and tidy) way to make an interesting breakfast or brunch. It's a variation on the baked herbed eggs we make. (Those are made with Canadian bacon on the bottom.) If ham is not in your diet, make sure you grease the muffin tins really well and then follow all the directions except the part about the ham!

Ingredients:

3 eggs (serves 4, multiply as needed)

1 tsp Dijon mustard (if you're 'going Maine' use Raye's mustard)

1/4 c plain yogurt or half n half

3/4 c grated cheddar cheese (you can sub whatever cheese you like)

2 tsp each herbs: chives, parsley, basil, tarragon, whatever you have on hand, fresh is better

1-2 scallions, chopped

4 cherry tomatoes, halved

4 slices thinly sliced ham (5-6" diameter seems to work best)

Put aside 1 tsp each of the herbs, the cherry toms and 1/4 c of cheese. (Save to top eggs.)

Whisk all other ingredients but ham together in a bowl.

Lightly grease a muffin tin (if using a 'Texas-size' tin, you'll need to double the recipe). Fit ham slices in each muffin slot and fold slightly to fit, making a 'cup' for the egg mixture. The edges will come up over the top, you want that! They will also char slightly when cooking, that's ok, too.

Pour egg mixture into each 'ham cup' to about 3/4 full (they will rise). Place 2 halves of cherry tomato on top. Top that with remaining cheese & herbs. Fill with water, about 1/2-3/4 full, the remaining muffin slots to aid cooking (good idea for any baking to fill those empty slots).

Bake at 350 for 18-20 minutes, until desired doneness.

Variations:

Instead of sliced ham, place a round of Canadian bacon in the bottom of the muffin tin and follow other directions.

No ham? You can also use a prepared 'crescent dough' to line the muffin tin (follow baking directions on packaging).

No ham & no gluten? Just grease the muffin tins and fill to 3/4 with egg mixture alone, top as directed.

I will say that this looked really small when served with toast, but I think that's our expanded idea of what a serving size is. Guests also thought it 'skimpy' until they ate it and then declared it was the right amount of food. (We offered more, but this really was enough.)

We've decided to keep this one on the menu and serve it with pan-fried rosemary potatoes and a second, as yet undecided, side.

Thanks to our 'guinea pig' guests who let us try new recipes out on them in the quiet season! We appreciate their 'derring-do' and their comments.

Printable recipe page.

White Cedar Inn Bed and Breakfast 178 Main Street Freeport, Maine 04032

Shakespeare in the Park

No, not the very famous one in NYC, but the soon-to-be-famous version happening right here in downtown Freeport! The Freeport Shakespeare Festival debuts August 3-6, 2010. Free. The Tempest

Combining the outdoor ambiance of the LL Bean's Discovery Park and the works of the master playwright, Wm Shakespeare, is the task before the Festival committee. The venue is perfect and the works themselves have certainly stood the test of time!

For more information, to support the Festival and to find employment before and during the festival, check out the Freeport Shakespeare Festival's website!

White Cedar Inn is just a short, 2 block stroll to the park! Plan a picnic to enjoy during the show. Don't forget your lawn chair or blanket! We hope to see you here and at the show!

Region 1 Junior Olympics comes to Brunswick, Maine

In June of this year (2010), the Region 1 Junior Olympics athletes, parents, friends, coaches & judges will arrive in the Brunswick area for the Region 1 Track & Field competition. Bowdoin College has graciously offered their fields and security staff for use by the competitors for their events.

Local restaurants, shops & lodging properties are likewise pitching in to insure the athletes, families and judges have a fantastic weekend experience here in Maine.

We're looking forward to having some of the athletes, families and judges stay with us for the weekend. If you're planning to attend the weekend's events, please check here for information on rates and accommodations in Freeport at White Cedar Inn B&B. (Located 15 minutes from Bowdoin College, easy drive. Essentially 3 right hand turns to the campus!)

Dates for the events are:

June 25, 2010- Multi-events (Pent, Hept, Dec)
June 26, 2010- Bantam/Midget/Youth
June 27, 2010- Inter/Young

Complete information can be found at the Maine USATF web site.

According to the USATF website, Region 1 consists of the following associations: New England, Connecticut, Maine, Adirondack (NY), Metropolitan (NY), and Long Island (NY), so we'll be seeing athletes from up to 8 hours away (if they're coming from the Adirondack Region as we know from our trips back to Tupper Lake!)

Good luck to all competitors! And we hope you enjoy your visit in Maine!

Cheddar Broccoli Soup- February Recipe of the Month

Totally stolen from Panera Bread by way of Food Network Magazine (see recipe below, or click link to go to Food Network's site). Their monthly column, 'Almost Famous,' had this soup as their Jan/Feb recipe. We absolutely loved it. Not sure if it tastes like the real thing, but it's pretty gosh darn good!

We made it without the bread bowl because there are already over a million calories in this soup! But we did have some Sourdough bread on the side from When Pigs Fly bakery.

As we head into the last winter months, nothing warms the soul like soup. Enjoy!

• 6 tablespoons unsalted butter
• 1 small onion, chopped
• 1/4 cup all-purpose flour
• 2 cups half-and-half
• 3 cups low-sodium chicken broth
• 2 bay leaves
• 1/4 teaspoon freshly grated nutmeg
• Kosher salt and freshly ground pepper
• 4 cups broccoli florets (about 1 head)
• 1 large carrot, diced
• 2 1/2 cups (about 8 ounces) grated sharp white and yellow cheddar cheese, plus more for garnish

Directions

Melt the butter in a large Dutch oven or pot over medium heat. Add the onion and cook until tender, about 5 minutes. Whisk in the flour and cook until golden, 3 to 4 minutes, then gradually whisk in the half-and-half until smooth. Add the chicken broth, bay leaves and nutmeg, then season with salt and pepper and bring to a simmer. Reduce the heat to medium-low and cook, uncovered, until thickened, about 20 minutes.

Add the broccoli and carrot to the broth mixture and simmer until tender, about 20 minutes. Discard the bay leaves. Puree the soup in batches in a blender until smooth; you'll still have flecks of carrot and broccoli. Return to the pot. (Or puree the soup in the pot with an immersion blender.) Hey! I get to use the immersion blender again!

Add the cheese to the soup and whisk over medium heat until melted. Add up to 3/4 cup water if the soup is too thick. Ladle into bowls and garnish with cheese.

A Jade Plant Blooms in Freeport

(Apologies to Betty Smith.)

I was so excited today when I realized the jade plant is in bloom! We've had a lot of guests ask if we've ever seen it bloom and this is the first time. Apparently it is supposed to bloom, but you could have fooled me.

It's blooming on the side that faces directly into the sun but nowhere else. Some reading up online showed that they will bloom around Christmas (in this area) if all conditions are met. My guess is that it bloomed now because the room it is in (the dining room) has been completely dark now in the nighttime for over a month.

It may be that the parking lot light, which is pretty bright, was retarding the blooming. That light has been off almost all of January. We've had some brilliantly sunny days lately, et voila! we get a booming jade plant.

It'll be a little bit before I can tell if it has a scent. Maybe when it opens up a bit more.

Some more reading indicates it's time to re-pot the sucker. Oy. I'm not sure I'm up to that challenge. If you've ever re-potted something as unwieldy as that jade, please let me know how you did it.