Thanksgiving in Maine

Since the youngest started a new job this year and isn't allowed to take any time off yet, the oldest and I traveled to Maine for Thanksgiving again.

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.

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.

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.

Happy Thanksgiving Nut Roast Style

Hello, Cafe dwellers. Happy Thanksgiving Eve.

This time last year, my husband, daughter and I were caught in a Maine snowstorm that began hours earlier than predicted. When we woke up Thanksgiving morning, we were mostly thankful to be alive. Driving through that snow was truly the most treacherous driving we've ever endured. The Mainers were smart - they all stayed home. We had to get someone but then we stayed put too!

I thought I'd share some photos and then the delicious nut loaf recipe that my daughter and I cooked. We were the lucky ones. Most of the town had no power, but the house we had rented stayed on grid.

Inside the cozy house we rented in Ogunquit, ME.

Thanksgiving morning!

I didn't take this one, but it's Ogunquit beach on Thanksgiving morning.

Wild turkeys that survived Thanksgiving!

More wild turkeys.

So food -

My daughter is a vegan so hubby had turkey, but DD#2 and I had vegan nut roast (which honestly I much prefer to the turkey!)  We followed this recipe. Mushroom Nut loaf.

I thought I had taken pictures of it and us making it, but apparently not.

For those who have never had a nut roast, I highly recommend them. Think sort of a veggie meatloaf but with ground nuts instead of beef.

This picture gives a pretty good idea of what one looks like. As for taste, my favorite part of Thanksgiving dinner is the stuffing. Because of the seasonings, nut roast pretty much tastes like one big delicious piece of stuffing!

Special thanks to Kav for her lovely review for Love by the Reins. This nut roast is for you!