Product Description

From the Atlantic Ocean to well-tended organic farms, Maine’s landscape offers some of the country’s best raw materials for rustic, hearty cuisine. To the natural bounty, add the independent spirit and quiet humor of the people, and it’s apparent why chefs, farmers, fishermen, and artisans are drawn to the state. Their fierce pride, respect for the land, and lack of pretension are recognizable ingredients in all the food they produce.

Food writer Brooke Dojny counts herself among those who love the cooking of Maine — the flavors, the oddities, the quirks, the people, the lore, and the language. Join her on a delicious journey through the foodways of one of our most diverse culinary regions, where tried and-true flavors and innovative creations live comfortably together on home dinner plates and restaurant menus.

In Maine, where the craggy coastline is so much a part of the state’s image, there’s no getting away from seafood. Both shellfish and fin-fish are enjoyed year-round. Lobster stews, salads, and pies; steamed mussels and fried clams; oven-roasted cod and seared halibut are just a few of the traditional fish dishes, so simple to make at home, that are represented here.

Dojny’s love for the local produce finds its way into warming soups, bright side dishes, and entrées that pair native produce with fish and meats. And yes, Maine’s growing season is short, but the people are resourceful. Pickled and preserved vegetables, along with salted and smoked fish and dried beans nourish throughout the winter months.

Dojny’s tribute to the food of her adopted home boasts 165 recipes in all, including a few dozen from some of Maine’s most accomplished chefs, and a sweet nod to those famous wild blueberries, in pancakes, muffins, pies, scones, and other baked goods. Local stories and food lore, historical facts and literary quotes, and a traveler’s guide to hidden road food gems make this the ultimate food-lover’s guide to the salty personality of Maine cuisine.

Product Details

• Amazon Sales Rank: #38604 in Books
• Published on: 2006-05-15
• Original language: English
• Number of items: 1
• Binding: Paperback
• 288 pages

From Publishers Weekly
Dojny (The New England Clam Shack Cookbook) "moved to Maine for the food"; indeed, the former Connecticut resident has an expansive knowledge of 21st-century (mostly coastal) culinary Maine. Traditional Maine fare such as Classic Down East Haddock Chowder and Molasses-Baked Maine Yellow-Eyes (baked beans), and Maine fast-food specialties like the Clam Shack Fried Clam Rolls (fried clams in a hot-dog bun) sit side-by-side Smoked Salmon and Scallion Triangles, and Chase's Daily Chipotle-Roasted Winter Squash Tacos, inspired by a new generation of organic farmers, artisan food producers and sophisticated restaurateurs. Although clearly inspired by artisanal and fresh food, Dojny doesn't hesitate to make her recipes accessible to the inexperienced cook (e.g., if you suffer from "Fear of Piecrust syndrome," use supermarket piecrusts; they "taste fine"). In addition to recipes, Dojny gives helpful Maine-oriented hints, on, for instance, eating lobster and choosing the best apples for pie. The book's prolific photos of scenic locales may inspire a Maine vacation, and Dojny also provides readers with information on where to find farmer's markets, gourmet food shops and notable eateries. Many of the folks behind these establishments contribute recipes to the book, from gourmet restaurant chefs to clam shack cooks. (June)
Copyright © Reed Business Information, a division of Reed Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Review
“Flecked with recipes from…Maine’s best eateries (and best home cooks)…a beautifully photographed, fresh take on New England cuisine.”— Daryna Tobey, Wine Enthusiast Magazine (Daryna Tobey Wine Enthusiast Magazine )

Flecked with recipes fromMaines best eateries (and best home cooks)a beautifully photographed, fresh take on New England cuisine. Daryna Tobey, Wine Enthusiast Magazine (Wine Enthusiast Magazine )

Review

"[Brooke] Dojny... likes to say she moved to Maine for the food.  In her volume, she covers all the things that make the food scene there so alluring." -- The Boston Globe

Customer Reviews

So much more than a cookbook--so much more than lobster!
Each summer, I take a trip to Maine for one main reason--to eat. Sure I hike, explore the coastline, keep an eye out for Stephen King sightings, but really, I'm there for the food. Everyone knows the lobster roll is the reigning celebrity of Maine dishes--and this book features plenty of mouth-watering recipes for lobster--but as Brooke Dojny knows, wild Maine blueberry pies, chowders, authentic baked beans, not to mention scores of fresh vegetable concoctions are all quintessential Down East dishes. The recipes contributed by signature Maine restaurants provide a sort of culinary tour of the state but Dojny's original recipes celebrate all foods that evoke true tastes of Maine.

The photographs are some of the most stunning I've found in cookbooks. Together with Dojny's local stories and food lore, this is at once a cookbook, a tour guide, and a souvenir--a way to enjoy a Maine experience whether you get there yearly or once in a lifetime. I made the crab cakes just the other day--believe it or not, they were easy and delicious! Can it get any better than that?

Dishing Up Maine is like Dishing up a piece of Heaven
Maine is a place that conjures up magical images of Pine Trees, lobsters, lighthouses, and sparkling blue water. Brooke Dojny's book adds to the magical image of Maine with her recipes for classic Maine dishes like Lobster Rolls, Baked Beans, Blueberry Muffins and Clam Chowder. She also gives tourism information on what restaurants are 'hot,' and where to buy farm-fresh ingredients for cooking at your home or your Maine lakeside cottage. She identifies Maine as a place where people like she, and Chef Sam Hayward of Fore Street Restaurant in Portland, literally moved for the food. She thinks it's the next great outpost for foodies. However she is concerned about keeping Maine unspoiled so its charm can remain the same.

Brooke's book is fabulous whether you're going to actually cook from it or whether you want to dream about a Maine getaway. The full-color photos by Scott Dorrance are incredibly enticing.

I would highly recommend buying Brooke's book for yourself and copies to give as gifts. It's the best souvenir of a Maine vacation I can imagine.

An impressively assembled compendium of 165 recipes showcasing the cuisine of America's Eastern coast
Dishing Up Maine: 165 Recipes That Capture Authentic Down East Flavors by Brooke Dojny (winner of the James Beard Award and author of more than a dozen cookbooks) is an impressively assembled compendium of 165 recipes showcasing the cuisine of America's Eastern coast in general, and the state of Maine in particular. Offering a culinary wealth of easy to make, gourmet quality dishes for everything from snacks and sandwiches, to soups and side dishes, to entrees and deserts, Dishing Up Maine presents readers with recipes ranging from Oven-Roasted Asparagus; Shaker Chicken Stew with Scallion Dumplings; and Nutmeg-Scented Parsnip and Carrot Puree; to "Nude" Raw Oysters with Sauces; Blueberry-Peach Torta; and Split Pea Soup with Smoky Ham. A welcome addition to any kitchen cookbook collection, Dishing Up Maine is most especially recommended for anyone wanting to prepare an authentic "Down East" meal showcasing the regional culinary style of Maine and the Eastern dining.