Tuesday, December 28, 2010

Fort Popham State Park

Fort Popham
Took a quick drive to the end of the peninsula and got a couple of pix of Fort Popham. It was Christmas Day so the grounds weren't open. It was easy to imagine, with the wind blowing and a high tide, how lonely an outpost this might have been a few hundred years ago!

For park info and an excellent aerial view from the water side of the fort, Fort Popham

For more info about the Popham Colony in Phippsburg, check the Phippsburg Historical Society.

Ft Popham




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

Tuesday, December 21, 2010

Lobster Trap Christmas Tree in Rockland

lobster trap tree
So, we've heard about this tree for years now and we finally had a chance to get up there and see it! It really is quite the structure! The green traps make a great base for the tree. Lobster buoys are the 'bulbs' and a giant lobster is the tree topper.

lobster buoy

If you would like a chance to win 100 of the lobster traps, here's a link to the 2010 raffle.

Here's more info and history on the lobster trap tree. (Very slow-loading photos, scroll down and read the text first.)

rockland lobster trap tree

Discovery Network was on hand this year to film the tree lighting which will be part of an 'extreme Christmas Tree' show to air in the 2011 Christmas season.

Rockland Harbor

rockland harbor
White Cedar Inn Bed and Breakfast 178 Main St Freeport, Maine 04032

Kiss Pockets-December Recipe of the Month


Another embarrassingly simple recipe you can take along to any party at anytime of the year (just change out the sanding sugar color!)

Ingredients:

Frozen pie crust
Hershey Kisses (any flavor)
Egg wash
Sanding sugar in different colors, sprinkles, jimmies

Remove frozen pie crust from package and let soften enough to work with it. Unwrap kisses. Unroll pie crust on a floured surface or waxed paper. Roll out to even surfaces.



Starting along the outside edge of the pie crust & using a small (2 1/2 to 3") cookie cutter (I used the glass you see in the photo), cut out as many circles as you can from the pie crust. (Should yield about 16, give or take.) You may need to dust with flour if you work slowly as the cookie cutter will start to stick as the pie crust warms up to room temp.

When your circles are cut, place a Hershey kiss in the center of each circle and fold dough in half over the kiss, making a little pocket for the kiss. Take remaining edges, fold in half to meet other edge and press together over the kiss. Pinch edges together to seal.



Brush top surfaces with egg wash (one egg white mixed w/ one tbsp water).



Sprinkle on sanding sugar, sprinkles or jimmies. Or, change it up and use sea salt for the salty-sweet combo. Or, skip sanding sugar and use powdered sugar after baking.

Bake on parchment paper at 350 degrees for 20-25 minutes until pockets are lightly browned. Serve warm with lots of napkins!

Bet these would be good with a dab of raspberry jam in the pocket with the kiss. Notes from the test kitchen: Definitely add the jam, they are a little on the dry side otherwise.

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