This trip is not for the faint of heart. The trip that in summer takes max 7 hours, ends up more like 9 - 10 each way on Thanksgiving weekend. That's a lot of driving for a 4 day weekend. The things we do for family.
But, we had a lovely family time. I figured I'd share a bit with you.
We stayed in a terrific AirBnb that gave me a view of sunrise over Back Cove.
Eldest and I spent Black Friday walking the Marginal Way in Ogunquit while youngest worked.
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| Fenway was a bit wary of the drawbridge. |
Friday night we picked up dinner from a place that also served vegan foods for my vegan. I had the most amazing pizza! It was called Autumn White.
I was enjoying it so much that I didn't think to take a photo until much later, so it doesn't look as pretty.
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| I apologize for the photo. I thought I had taken a much better one. |
The restaurant, Monte's, uses an American wheat, rice, and Maine spelt crust called pinsa that is cold-fermented for 72 hours. I was curious what pinsa was so I Googled.
According to Pizza Today, Pinsa is the result of over 100 years of Roman artisan baking experience, creativity, and expertise. https://www.pizzatoday.com/products/ingredients/pinsa-its-all-about-the-dough/
Apparently the ingredients, the kneading, and the cold-fermenting process make it very easy to digest. I only know it was delicious.
Then there was the topping - a layer of ricotta with slices of Delicata squash, a spinach crema ådribbled over the squash, onions carmelized in balsamic vinegar, and topped off with pumpkin seeds and pecorino cheese.
So, it wasn't your typical Thanksgiving, and we had three scary car adventures including discovering that someone had removed 3 lug nuts from a tire, but all's well that ends well, right?
Have you ever had pinsa? I really wish I lived closer to Monte's so I could have this again.
Wait.
ReplyDeleteBack up the train.
Someone removed lug nuts from a tire???
How did you know this? Was it wobbling??? Were you almost a player in a cozy mystery that isn't so cozy for the corpse???
Oh mylanta, way to bury the lead! :)
Okay, I love that you did this because I'd have done the same thing to keep a kid from being lonely on Thanksgiving. Although I didn't go to Dallas to be with Luke because everyone else came here. But we get him at Christmas, and that's the way of things. We are often ships that pass in the night!
Cate, I'm so glad for your safe travels! Now are you doing a repeat at Christmas? How will that work? And the pizza sounds amazing!
Yes, most likely a repeat at Christmas except we'll get to stay for longer.
ReplyDeleteAbout the lugnuts - apparently it's a thing people do so they can come back and steal the tires off cars. My husband caught someone doing it to our car years ago, and then he put lug nut locks on the tires. This is a different car, and I'd completely forgotten about the locks until someone mentioned them to me yesterday. Must get some locks.
But about how we knew. The car was making a weird thumping sound which sounded like it was coming from the tires, so daughter #1 Googled weird sounds cars can make. One of the options was missing lug nuts so she got out and looked. 3 tires were fine, but the 4th was missing 3 of 5. The most wonderful Toyota people in Portland had us repaired and on our way in under half an hour for only the price of the parts. They even gave us a free car wash!
Wow--I learned something. I had no idea people did this with lug nuts! Goodness. So glad that you made the trip safely and that you found such great help in Portland. The beach photos are just gorgeous!! I can almost feel the breeze coming off the water. Never tried pinsa, but that pizza sounds absolutely amazing!
ReplyDeleteThanks, Laurel. The one advantage of going back at Christmas is I can have it again!
DeleteI have never heard of pinsa! You find such interesting food tidbits to share. And I had no idea Maine was so far away from New York...silly really, since it would be like me commuting to New Brunswick and I know that takes up most of the day. What a journey! And Fenway came along -- love him rocking that coat!
ReplyDeleteThe lug nuts thing is scary! I don't understand why they would bother loosening them and then leaving...unless they got interrupted? It's one thing to steal a tire but to potentially create a fatal accident? Oy! Something for a suspense book though. Maybe you can count your trip as research for tax purposes. :-) Glad you made it home safe and sound and praying the weather cooperates when it's time to make the trek back over Christmas.
Mary Cate, I'm sorry I'm late! This pizza sounds amazing!! I love unique combos like that. The cold ferment reminds me of the sourdough process, which supposedly makes it easier to digest. Now you have me crazy pizza!
ReplyDeleteAlso meant to say I'm glad y'all made it home okay!
DeleteWhat a trip! I'm glad you and yours are safe, Mary Cate. And that you could comfort yourself with pizza. Yum! Lord willing, Christmas will be much less eventful in terms of travel.
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