eG Foodblog: johnnyd - Dining Downeast

[johnnyd]

I've been looking forward to your blog for a good long while, johnnyd! It's already bringing back some memories of my childhood (grandparents in Waterville):

Some crazy sour mustard pickles from Waldoboro...

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Do you think you can snag a recipe for those? Or does anyone have one? These things are killer....

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They are killer! The nice counter person offered me one to try which, naturally, I accepted. She peeled back the plastic and picked one out with her tongs. The top of the liquid had a film of mustard resembling pond scum. That pickle was crisp and delicious. The first thing I had since my papaya. Woke me right up!

[johnnyd]

In the distance, you can see Portland Head Light on Cape Elizabeth. Our camp is on the other side of that point, about a mile.

Portland has a happy mix of busy maritime industry, serious commercial fishing and fun recreational activities. This tanker is sitting next to a marina/condo complex that is at peace with the fact that the nice view will have to have a freighter of some sort included at times.

Another example of nature and mankind working together: The post off the jetty sports an osprey nest. By State law they are not to be disturbed.

In case anyone is concerned about pollution here, this stencil is next to every drain in the city of South Portland and Cape Elizabeth. Portland has it's own processing area. Pollution was quite a concern but historically, the odds were good that if you were tempted to throw some nasty bilgewater overboard or down a drain, you could seriously mess up a cousin's lobster season. So no one does it.

Edited August 26, 2005 by johnnyd (log)

[Smithy]

In case anyone is concerned about pollution here, this stencil is next to every drain in the city of South Portland and Cape Elizabeth. Portland has it's own processing area.  Pollution was quite a concern but historically, the odds were good that if you were tempted to throw some nasty bilgewater overboard or down a drain, you could seriously mess up a cousin's lobster season. So no one does it.

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Excellent! Pollution prevention really start to pay off when people connect their actions to the consequences. I think it's easier in small maritime communities where the water's right there, and the neighbors' livelihoods depend on it. In Claremont, California (L.A. Basin, inland some 40 miles) the storm drains have similar stencils that say "No dumping - Drains to the ocean". I always wonder how many people believe it.

[johnnyd]

So last night I made it out to the camp at dusk. I stopped by the beach to tear a little rockweed off the rocks at low tide. This is a seaweed that grows prolifically along the surf zone. Rockweed is handy for packing shellfish as it provides a recognizable environment that keeps clams and lobsters from freaking out too much.

This is the extent of our cook top here at the camp. There is no oven either.

In this enamel pot we put in an inch and a smidge of water and my rockweed, enough so it makes a bed about three inches high.

Here's looking at you kid...

A few ears of freshly-picked corn from the farm down the road...

... and I'd say we have a Downeast Dinnah he-ah!

Edited August 26, 2005 by johnnyd (log)

[johnnyd]

One thing I've learned since moving to maine is you steam your lobster. It's extra good when you steam them in a pile of rockweed.

After dinner I threw the debris into the pot with most of the steaming liquid and made stock.

Mrs. johnnyd forbids the roasting or searing of lobster bodies within five miles, and I don't care for it much either unless I'm attempting a serious bisque. This will be the liquid for the chowder I'm making later in the week.

For dessert, we had a "drumstick".

Edited August 26, 2005 by johnnyd (log)

[johnnyd]

This morning we went down to the beach to see what's going on. That's Whaleback Rock out on the point there. You can see the rockweed is everywhere. There are some mussels under that stuff that would do well in my chowder.

There are some beach plums that the local ladies haven't picked for their jam yet. The scent of this plant is everywhere during a New England Summer.

I see that Dr. Readie's grandson has taken his boat out to lobster as there are usually three boats moored in a channel just off the beach.

Coffee and more papaya and we are outta here for the day.

[petite tête de chou]

Those mangos sure look yummy on that Jadeite plate.

[lexy]

There are some beach plums that the local ladies haven't picked for their jam yet.  The scent of this plant is everywhere during a New England Summer.

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Wait, are beach plums a kind of rose? I've just returned from a trip to Nova Scotia, and I saw plants that looked like that growing all over the south shore. I assumed they were roses, and that the 'plums' were the rose hips.

edited for clarity

Edited August 26, 2005 by lexy (log)

[johnnyd]

Wait, are beach plums a kind of rose?

Lexy, you are totally right these are Rugosa and those are indeed rose hip fruit.

When I was small we used to get a cottage on chappy island off Edgartown on Martha's Vineyard. Way back then there was no Black Dog and you could dig clams in Katama bay with your toes. Rugosa was/is everywhere and my parents called the rose hip fruit "beach plums" in an effort to get me to eat them which would make my face curl. I remember jars of jam showing up on the breakfast table and when I asked what it was made from they would point outside to the rugosa and say "Beach plum!"

In all that time I never distinguished between the two, prefering to live with that open synapse as a tribute to my parents sometimes twisted sense of humor. So that was pretty embarrassing! Doh! I'm such a knucklehead!!

Here is a downright superb website on real beach plums.

...and for the record, you can make jam out of either fruit.

Edited August 26, 2005 by johnnyd (log)

[Abra]

Even though I live on a beautiful island myself, your pictures are making me feel like a vacation out East is in order. Gorgeous.

And the next blogger's gotta be Ling. That girl can eat as much as any five of the rest of us, if her posts are to be believed. Not only that, she likes good food.

[zilla369]

This blog is going to be a classic, johnny!!

See how skillfully he embeds the internet links.

Watch as he makes lobster stock on a portable burner.

Experience an underwater wonderland.

Envy his photographic virtuosity.

In a world gone mad, one man takes the entire coast of Maine by storm and hopefully makes a fantastic corn chowder. (Please?)

Coming soon to a monitor near you, don't miss: johnnyd: Pine Tree State Pickle Pimpin'!!!!!

[petite tête de chou]

If I didn't live in Oregon or Alaska it would be in your neck of the woods. Truly, truly beautiful!

You mentioned using your local mussels (shellfish RULES!), do have any concerns about pollution from the boats and whatnot? Euell Gibbons would be proud.

[johnnyd]

You mentioned using your local mussels (shellfish RULES!), do have any concerns about pollution from the boats and whatnot? Euell Gibbons would be proud. biggrin.gif

The Gulf of Maine is a gigantic toiletbowl. It flushes twice a day. The tides are huge, huge, HUGE. I have a couple old photos from urchining that display at least twelve feet displacement which, if I find them, would offer a perspective. This guarantees fresh seawater on a dependable basis regardless of what is floating around. For this reason, the sealife is incredibly lush and healthy.

As far as mankind's impact is concerned, there exists a certain symbosis that has been standard since, well, humans came around. In a modern context, see this post above and know that more has been done lately to further preserve the health of Casco Bay, probably the busiest maritime area on the maine coast.

Just last week, Governer Baldacci was at Portland Head Light to call for a no-discharge status for Casco Bay. It's a big area, with 3000 islands, and people throw stuff overboard whether it's a big or small vessel.

I am not concerned about the mussels off Whaleback Rock. When I was in Portugal, we used to go to our favorite beach with a big pot, an onion, a bottle of local white, a cutting board and a knife, a loaf of bread, then go at the rocks for lunch.

Some things just stick, you know?

[johnnyd]

zilla! Ya killin' me!!!

Well we aren't underwater yet and all my peeps aren't calling me back so we'll just have to see what happens folks.

The corn is going nuts here. Corn (something) is definitely on the menu!

[johnnyd]

In Brasil, saturdays is feijoada day. Basically, whatever is leftover from the pig, like snouts, ears, etc. is thrown into a pot with black beans. It cooks for a lo-o-ong time and around noon, everyone tucks in.

I totally enjoyed this ritual when I was a kid in Brasil and as a result, make it regularly as an adult... (many friends would question this apparent status about me but we'll move on, shall we?!) I make a bunch of it and freeze what's left for the month. It so happens we are out and it's time to go for it. Happily, this coincides with the mysterious arrival of a bottle of cachaça in the mail. cachaça is a sugar-cane liquor made in many villages in Brasil and when combined with lime and sugar, it's called a caipirinha. It's one rockin' cocktail.

Feijoada takes two days to make. I put two pounds of black beans to soak this morning, then went to Pat's Meat Market for some ingredients.

They have lots of produce and make great sandwiches but I'm here for some meat...

The helpful staff is happy to oblige!

I pick up 1&1/2lb stew top round, 2 x smoked pork chop, three smoked ham hocks and about a pound of slab bacon. Mrs. johnnyd put the kibosh on snouts, ears and feet so this will have to do! I still need chorizo, but I'll pick that up tomorrow along with some farmer's bounty out on the cape.

Tonight, we start cooking the beans and a couple hours later, add the meats. This cooks another couple hours then we let it sit to meld. It will still be warm when we make our coffee tomorrow, so we put the heat back on then. By mid-day, it'll be ready.

Feijoada is served with plain white rice, collard greens, orange segments, sometimes coconut pieces, and an excellent hot sauce made with lime, chilis and garlic which I made just last week. Oh, and lots of caipirinhas and beer.

Edited August 26, 2005 by johnnyd (log)

[edsel]

Alright! When I saw that you were blogging this week I was hoping that cachaça would make an appearance. Feijoada is even better! Can you get Brazilian-style chorizo there? I have trouble finding a reasonable substitute.

You didn't mention farofa as an accompaniment. Isn't that pretty traditional with feijoada?

I think you should start a second pot with all the scary bits (ears, tail, tongue, etc.) - or does Mrs johnnyD not even allow them in the house... Your stovetop has two burners, right?

[ghostrider]

Loving this blog! I'll be at the PPM next week, en route to points further north. Timing couldn't be better to whet my appetite.

In the distance, you can see Portland Head Light on Cape Elizabeth.  Our camp is on the other side of that point, about a mile.

(For any folks from away who may not get this, "camp" is a peculiarly Maineish bit of vernacular, referring to what the rest of the country knows as a "cabin.")

Edited August 27, 2005 by ghostrider (log)

[suzilightning]

ohhhhh... johnnyd

mrsadam and i have been talking about growing up on the east end of long island and foraging for beachplums - especially to make jams or jellies.

i remember steaming our crabs and lobsters with rockweed( we called them poppers or sputnik grass).

do you gather irish moss like we did then use it to make dishes like blanc mange?

i am loving the pictures - in fact i can almost smell the low tide and know i'm home

many thanks

[Pan]

I was away in California for three weeks with limited computer time or access, so I still have a lot of reading to catch up on, including a few blogs. Anyway, though, having caught up on this one, I'm enjoying it.

So you grew up in Brazil, later lived in Portugal, and are now living in Maine. Are there other countries you've been to that influence your current cooking or/and eating habits?

[Susan in FL]

Here is a downright superb website on real beach plums. 

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Ahhh yes, beach plum jelly or jam. My mom and her friends used to make it a lot during the season ...Delaware coast.

Much of what you're referring to reminds me of my previous lives, at the Delaware coast. Clamming and musseling. My parents always clammed with their toes, but not me. I've always been afraid of what my feet would come upon.

Thanks for trips down memory lanes! I'm enjoying this and love your blogging style. I suppose I'm an elementary-style-reader of blogs; I like to look at lots of pictures and don't want to take a long time to read through lots of paragraphs.

And the next blogger's gotta be Ling.  That girl can eat as much as any five of the rest of us, if her posts are to be believed.  Not only that, she likes good food.

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My sentiments exactly.

[johnnyd]

On a quick trip into town for supplies now. The feijoada is bubbling gently away back at the "cabin" (thank you Mr. GRider!).

Last night I added some meats to the beans that had cooked for two hours.

This is my all purpose utility knife that does the dirty work I wouldn't let near my Wusthof 10" Chef's blade. It cost $3.99. When I worked Back Of the House a while back, the line crew sharpened their knives with a zen-like passion, so I picked it up too. I just can't afford a proper stone right now. So for $3.50 I picked up this CRYSTALON tool at a yard sale!

Here are the smoked chops (I thought the end piece would flavor the beans nicely)

A few more hours now...

Farofa is definitely on the menu, which I toast for a few minutes and then add butter to brown slightly. I'm in town to track down choriço from Maurice and Mark, the sausage guys I met upthread but traffic downtown is pretty mad on a beautiful Saturday like today.

[johnnyd]

So you grew up in Brazil, later lived in Portugal, and are now living in Maine. Are there other countries you've been to that influence your current cooking or/and eating habits?

I lived in Switzerland for four years and gained an appreciation for cuisine there and for Northern Italian. I haven't had a good Knockwurst since. I saw bundefleisch at Portland Green Grocer and nearly fainted.

I haven't been anywhere east of Venice but I love japanese cuisine, so far as to continue the struggle to make even reasonably good sushi rice. helenjp's blog about pickling caused me to have a few from our asian grocer handy at all times. Soon I'll have to try and make some.

I feel like I've only scratched the surface of Indian, Chinese and other neighboring cuisines, thanks primarily to eGullet, so I am looking forward to discovering more interesting flavors, which seem to be everywhere, but at the same time invisible here in the USA.

I am very interested in new and different things to eat... enough to make significant detours from other responsibilities to achieve that goal.

Is that so wrong?

[Soup]

really enjoying your posts. I love to hear about sea urchant experience. You bio was pretty interesting as well.

Looking forward to more.

BTW, I went to couple of Janpanease places in portland. The were ok at best and a bit expensive. You'll do better making your own.

Fresh raw scallops, almost as good as raw oysters.

[Smithy]

2 unrelated questions:

What does the rockweed contribute to the lobster steaming? Is there a salty scent that comes in, or some definite flavor, or does it just, oh, *feel* right?

What happens, or what should happen, to the scraps from the fishing and shellfish industry, such as fish offal and lobster shells? How does the Zero Discharge program propose to change that, if at all? What do restaurants do with that stuff now?

OK, so that's more than 2 question marks.

[Swisskaese]

I lived in Switzerland for four years and gained an appreciation for cuisine there and for Northern Italian.  I haven't had a good Knockwurst since. I saw bundefleisch at Portland Green Grocer and nearly fainted.

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Where did you live in Switzerland? I lived in Lugano and also gained a great appreciation for everything Italian, full-stop. Luckily, I can find some of the Swiss specialities in Jerusalem. There is a Swiss delicatessen there.

Great blog.