What's new pussycat and a call for a little dog in need

Greetings to all:)

I know this blog has been fairly dormant over the past few weeks and I apologize for that.  There has just been so much going on both good and bad.  Never fear, all is well and I hope to have an updated Fall Fair schedule listed in my next post:)  To summarize I have received a job offer with the company Aramark, Inc. as a prep/grill cook two weeks ago which I took:)  I feel like the Dunkin Donuts guy when I get up in the morning but I love my hours and my coworkers are pretty cool too.  Granted it's a fairly entry level job but I understand practically everyone starts at the bottom with these guys and there's lots of room for rapid advancement so I'm not worried:)  I'm still volunteering in the hospital cafe Mondays after work so my days can get fairly long and tiring.  It's a situation that takes getting used to but hey at least I'm not bored right?;)

Anyway, as I mentioned earlier I've got a few applications floating around for the new holiday season and I should have my complete schedule up shortly.  In the meantime, I need your help.  Recently, as a favor to a family member who shall remain nameless for the time being, I took in a little Shih Tzu named Mugsy.  I won't go into full detail here but basically Mugsy arrived in a condition that was described by my vet as neglected and has medical issues that call for surgery to the tune of $700!  Said family member has decided Mugsy is no longer a priority and has since abandoned him to us.  Needless to say animal control officers have been contacted and charges of animal cruelty and abandonment are forthcoming.  In the meantime, I've set up a blog documenting Mugsy's story and our attempt to raise the funds for his operation by October 18th.  And so all proceeds from candles sold in my shop (this includes custom orders) until October 18th when we hope to have the surgery, will go towards Mugsy's operation.  We are also accepting donations if you don't wish to buy a candle.  Any money left after the surgery will be donated to the Coastal Humane Society of Maine.  So please, take a look at Mugsy's blog and spread the word to help us get Mugsy back on his feet again:)  Thank you in advance!  Ciao for now.

So what's for dinner?

Apologies for the unannounced hiatus, sometimes life throws you a couple of curve balls and it takes a little while to come back from it. Anyway, lots to talk about this week so let's get started:)

First, I found a new website that though it definitely needs some tweaking, has lots of potential! It's called Dinner Tool and I found it via one of those ads that hangs out along the sides of your Facebook page. It's geared towards the busy mom but basically if you're usually too busy to cook or are tired of standing in front of the fridge and staring endlessly at the contents trying to figure out what you're gonna make for dinner only to throw up your hands and run to the nearest fast food joint, this is the site for you. You can log in either with or without your facebook account, then you can make up the menu for the week or just set it up one day at a time. You can enter an ingredient (say you wanna make chicken but chicken and what?) and you have boxes to tick off (or not) of whether you want the recipe(s) to be easy, fast, budget, healthy and made ahead and drop down boxes with dietary restrictions like gluten free, low carb, vegan etc. and another drop down box asking which of 16 cuisines you prefer (if any) ranging from African, English or French, Latin American, New American (whatever that is) and Thai. Once that's done you get a list of main dishes, sides and desserts or meals which include the other three lists. My one complaint about this is that should you see a meal that you want you can't just click "drag to menu" like you can with the other tabs. Instead you have to click each course in the meal, drag that into the menu and hope you remember to click "search results" instead of back or you lose the whole thing and after to start all over! You also have to remember to save every time you add to the menu or once again back will clear everything out.

Now if you're not picky or don't have any allergies to worry about, clicking the "I'm Hungry" button is like activating the "I'm Feeling Lucky" button on Google. Do this and your whole week is planned out for you. Once you have your week set up, click shopping list and it exports your menu to a neatly arranged list according to section (dairy, baking, grocery etc.). The recipes are very good too and only as elaborate as you'd like them to be. Because I like a challenge I refuse to click fast and easy and so far my two favorite meals are the Jamaican Jerk Pork Roast which I've made both with Gingered Sweet Potatoes and with yellow rice and it's just phenomenal although a word to the wise, if you don't like much spice or heat I suggest dramatically reducing the amount of spice the recipe calls for. Lightly dust it rather than coat it. If it's still too spicy, a tall glass of milk or a bowl of ice cream will easily extinguish the flame:) The other recipe I'm in love with is the Grilled grouper with orange ginger glaze and roasted asparagus only I substituted salmon for grouper and it was excellent! The Pasta Sauce with beef ribs and cinnamon gave hubby and I indigestion which we usually don't get and I think next time I'll just stick with my old faithful Ropa Vieja recipe. Anyway, I've only used the site for about a week and a half and as i mentioned before it's got some real promise.

Businesswise the shop is starting to pick up as my Christmas in July sale winds down and my Back to School sale starts up (courtesy of Etsy's Team Homefront) I've started working on my Fall and Winter candle line.

The fall candles are available now, the winter candles become available in September but here's a sneak peak:

Nice aren't they? Anyway, that's about it for now. Who can believe July is nearly gone already? Have a good week everyone and stay cool!

Psst, Hey New England crafters, c'mere!

Greetings all!

I'm back and rested from visiting family back home. It was good to see everyone again after so long and I found myself chuckling as I watched my little nephews and cousins running around and being yelled at by the same people who less than 20 years ago were the ones running around and being yelled at! By the way, while I'm on the subject if you're passing through New England and need a quick bite for lunch the Gulf Express station along Route 84 near the border of Connecticut and Massachussetts has THE best turkey and cheese sandwiches I've ever had in life! I don't know what they do to them, maybe it's the bread they use or the mayonnaise or even the type of deli meat and cheese or maybe it's all of the above but we found the place when we first went house hunting in Maine last year and the sandwich tasted so good I nearly crashed the car in surprise he he

Speaking of New England, this is a reminder to all crafters in the area that I'm setting up a Christmas in July Craft Fair and need vendors! The fair will be July 17-18 9am-4pm at the McKeen Street Rec center, 12 Windorf Circle, Brunswick. Items do not have to be Christmas/holiday related. Advertisement for the fair will be viaFacebook, Twitter, 1000 Markets, Cafe Handmade, Diva Cafe and Craigslist online and posters for everyone to display in their area. Set up is Friday evening and Saturday at 7am for those who can't make it Friday. Chairs are available but tables are limited so please bring your own if you have one (let me know if you don't). Spaces are 8x8 for $5 payable by clicking the Buy Now button to the top left of your screen (if you don't have or wish to use a Paypal account you can still pay with a credit or debit card with this button). If you have any questions contact Miranda at culinarychiqconcepts@gmail.com.

Finally, I know I haven't posted any new candles lately but I'm diligently working on some new items for Fall and hope to unveil some of them in time for the craft fair. Items to look forward to include tarts, glassless votives, brand new dessert and beverage candles, some old favorites with a new holiday twist and my favorite Halloween creation, the Boo Kitty! Those of you who have been around from the beginning are familiar with my adorable plush kitty cat with attitude but to those of you who are just joining us or are newly familiar with Culinarychiq Concepts, Boo Kitty will be a pleasant surprise and makes an adorable gift!

That's about it for this week except to say if you're still on the look out for that perfect gift for dad, why not pick up a Bacon Candle? Men and meat go together like, well, ham and eggs! My high quality soy wax Bacon Candle comes in 6, 8 and 10 oz jars with lids hand painted to resemble strips of streaky bacon and give off the smoky meaty scent of real bacon. If meat isn't his thing I also have exclusive Maple Syrup candles and candles that blend bacony goodness with sweet maple decadence and the tart citrus fragrance of Orange Juice. If dad's a foodie or just really enthusiastic about his ice cream, baked desserts or a certain alcoholic beverage, you'll find something unique that he'll just love at Culinarychiq Concepts, Foodie Tees and Foodie Shoppe! Chow for now!

Shop Talk

Greetings to all! This week I've been a busy bee expanding the concepts part of Culinarychiq Concepts. Don't worry, I'm still making my unique soy candles but I've also decided it was time to get into the apparel game. Now you can get buttons, mugs, bags and baseball caps with food pun cartoons as well as T-shirts and tanks for the entire family including the dog! Choose from Snow Pea, Chickpea, Black-eyed Pea, Deviled Egg, Milkman and Milkmaid. Also launching this week will be Deviled Ham, Butterfly, French Bread, Collie Flower (Cauliflower) and Broccoli Rob (broccoli rabe). For shirts and decorative buttons visit my Spreadshirt shop, Foodie Tees and for mugs, bags, baseball caps and other goodies visit my shop on Cafe Press called Foodie Shop.

Attention Maine and New England crafters! I'm setting up a Christmas in July Craft Fair and want you to display your talent and wares! The fair will be July 17-18 9am-4pm at the McKeen Street Rec center, 12 Windorf Circle, Brunswick. Items do not have to be Christmas/holiday related. Advertisement for the fair will be via Facebook, Twitter, 1000 Markets, Cafe Handmade, Diva Cafe and Craigslist online and posters for everyone to display in their area. Set up is Friday evening and Saturday at 7am for those who can't make it Friday. Chairs are available but tables are limited so please bring your own if you have one (let me know if you don't). Spaces are 8x8 for $5 or a potluck dish for customers to snack on while they browse. If you're paying in cash instead of food click the Buy Now button to the top left of your screen (if you don't have or wish to use a Paypal account you can still pay with a credit or debit card with this button). If you have any questions contact Miranda at culinarychiqconcepts@gmail.com.

That's it for now except to say Culinarychiq Concepts will be in vacation mode Thursday June 10th until Tuesday June 14th while I spend some time visiting the family:) I will still be checking my email periodically during that time so if you'd like to place an order or have questions about an order feel free to contact me. Foodie Tees and Foodie Shop will remain open during this time. Have a great week everyone, stay cool and safe. Chow for now!

Summertime and the living is easy...

With summer officially underway my thoughts have immediately jumped to the next season. Of course this doesn't mean I won't be making anymore summer goodies this year but as fast as the year is going we'll all blink twice and start seeing the changing of leaves. So with thoughts of harvest time mixing with the celebratory atmosphere that accompanies the start of summer vacation the first thing that popped into my head was apples. Try as I might, I couldn't get thoughts of apples out of my head. So I decided to create some scrumptious new apple candles! These beauties stand 3" tall, contain 11oz of creamy scented soy wax and smell like the real thing. Pick a Red Delicious, Granny Smith or Golden Delicious for $10 plus shipping (also available unscented upon request).

I also experimented a little this week and came up with a "British Chocolate Spread" candle for my British, ex-pat and Anglophile fans. This exquisite delight was hand poured and set in an old (and thoroughly washed) jar of the famous chocolate spread with the purple label that we all know and love! It's 14 oz of chocolatey goodness for $12 plus shipping (International customers please contact me with your post code for a more accurate shipping cost).

This Saturday, June 5th, I'll be setting up shop at the East Deering Neighborhood Association Craft/Yard/Bake Sale located at The Columbia Club on Wordsworth Street in Portland (just off Veranda Street) from 9am - 4pm. The weatherman is calling for another soggy day (I swear he's out to get me) but fear not, in the event of rain the sale will be moved inside the Columbia Club. Hope to see you there! Have a great week everyone, be sure to check out my personal blog, Egg Drop Soup, which was written in honor of our servicemen and women who have served and continue to serve today. Have a safe and happy Memorial Day:)

“Love of beauty is Taste. The creation of beauty is Art.” - Ralph Waldo Emerson

They say life often imitates art and so on Saturday when I discovered an article in the LA Times about a former TV chef being arrested for hiring homeless people to kill someone, I was immediately reminded of a great book I'd read last year called, Beat Until Stiff by Claire M. Johnson. In this book an ornery middle aged pastry chef, having recently divorced her cheating husband so who can blame her for being ornery, finds one of her kitchen staff brutally murdered and shoved into the linen closet. As more and more people die, she narrowly escapes being arrested as the main suspect mainly because of a detective and friend of her ex-husband who she has a love/hate relationship with and a very complicated conspiracy is uncovered. I won't give all the details but if you're a foodie who loves a good mystery novel, go pick this book up:) Claire Johnson also wrote Roux Morgue which continues the chef's chaotic life in the Culinary world with more murder and mayhem.

I've been told my candles are art but I don't see it. To me art is Picasso, Rembrandt or even Frank Lloyd Wright but I'm no aficionado so when multiple passersby exclaim that I have real talent, am an artist and "this is real art!" I'll give them the benefit of the doubt:) A lot goes into my candles from the moment of conception until the actual execution. I'm constantly on the lookout for sturdy glasses and containers of good quality that will exemplify whatever candle I may consider making with them in the future but for as little as possible to keep my costs (and therefore selling price) down. There will be times when I'll just stop and stare at something at the grocery store or eatery or even on the street pondering whether or not what I'm staring at can be successfully replicated as a candle. When I'm especially focused, I guess I have a certain expression on my face that makes hubby think I'm angry with him LOL but if I can't envision it, it just doesn't happen.

Anyway, with warmer weather and summer on the brain and Memorial Day just around the corner, I've been busy creating three new candles. The Margarita Votive has the same great scent as its larger cousins except it comes in a 3" votive glass with real Margarita salt on the rim and is very very cute:) I'm especially proud of my Watermelon Jar Candle. Watermelon in itself doesn't actually have a scent so I went for the next best thing and aimed for a watermelon candy scent. This candle resembles the fruit, complete with imitation seeds on top and a lid that's been hand painted by yours truly to resemble an old fashioned picnic blanket. It's a sweet and fresh addition to my jar candle line that will be perfect for summer decor.

Finally, if you find my Breakfast In a Jar candles intriguing you'll love my new Day at the Beach candles! These are double layered colored soy wax scented with the clean, crisp aroma of Ocean Breeze and the tropical fragrance of Pina Colada or Margarita and is available in 6, 14 and 24oz jars. I can also do triple layered candles if you decide you'd like both drink fragrances with Ocean Breeze upon request.

That's about all for today. If you're in Maine this weekend, the Cumberland County Y is holding their annual Tri for the Y event Saturday, May 22nd from 8am -noon when over 300 athletes will swim in a 325 yard pool, bike 12 miles and run 3.1 miles all to raise funds for the Y's Financial Assistance Program which allows the less fortunate a chance to utilize the Y's facilities even if they couldn't afford it. They're still in need of 15 volunteers so if you'd like to help or know someone who does click here. Have a great week everyone, chow for now!

Good food and walking it off

Well, it's official (I guess), the 50 World's Best Restaurants have just been announced.. at least according to S. Pellegrino anyway.

As usual the list consists of some fairly fru fru, high priced venues around the world where mainstream people usually don't go and probably won't step foot into in life! Noma in Denmark snatched the #1 spot from El Bulli of Spain, who had held the position for 4 years and now sits at #2. According to CNN, El Bulli accepts 8000 reservations annually out of millions of requests but will be shutting down until 2011 and 3 years later will become a non-profit organization for young chefs. Surprisingly 8 of the 50 restaurants are located right here in the US, a fairly commendable feat when you think of the decades long struggle for American chefs to be recognized and respected by epicureans around the world.

The thing that gets me about these lists though is they almost never cover regular establishments serving regular food to regular people. I'm not talking about chain restaurants like Applebees or McDonalds but mom and pop small businesses with prices people who work for a living can afford! I remember a year or so ago there was a major uproar when Zagat added a little hole in the wall noodle place (I think it was in Hong Kong) to its list. There were no fancy paintings on the wall, no snooty waiters or pretentious little appetizers posing as $100 meals on big fru fru plates. It was clean, cheap, no frills good food and apparently had people lining around the block for hours BEFORE Zagat added them to the list. I guess when a place is deemed Best Noodlehouse in the World by thousands of happy customers, you can't exactly ignore it even if they aren't charging very much.

This is what I'm talking about though. Yes, if you ever get the chance to experience a fancy restaurant at least once I say do it. The ambiance is nice and the food is usually very good even if you do have to run for a burger an hour later;) But, there are plenty of establishments that serve decent food for decent prices and they don't all involve burgers and fries, fat and grease.

So, what are your favorite, non-chain local places to eat? Who makes the best breakfast? Where's a nice place to go for lunch? Where's your favorite place to go on a date? Let's compile a top 50 list of our own shall we?

On the candle front, there are 6 days left for the NAMI Art Walk and I am PUMPED! The weather looks to be decent, sunny and mid-60s although there's supposed to be one of those bad thunderstorms moving through when the temperature drops 20 degrees like they're saying it will and I'm hoping I won't have to set up in the mud:( I'll be developing one more votive candle but the rest of the week will be devoted to setting up and finishing touches. So next week's blog will be all about NAMI with lots of pictures about the event. So, all you Mainers out there and visitors to the Portland area be sure to visit Back Cove (it's a kind of park off 295 exit 7) from 10-4 and root for the walkers taking part in a good cause, get some food and face painting, listen to some local musicians, support your local artisans and quite possibly you might get a chance to meet Glenn Close:) It promises to be a pretty day so get off your duffs and get some air! Chow for now.

UPDATE: Shortly after this posting I discovered vendors of the Art Walk will be situated in a horseshoe around a tent (assuming it's the BringChange2Mind tent) where Glenn Close will be signing tshirts and having photo ops so it should prove to be an interesting day:)

New Things for Spring!

Show of hands, who can believe it's nearly April already?

We've got lots to talk about this week! First, I've confirmed Culinarychiq Concepts will have a booth at the NAMI Art Walk, Saturday May 8th at Back Cove, Portland (see earlier blog for details). I should hopefully have news in a week or so about vending at a show coinciding with Augusta's Whatever Festival in June so keep checking back for that:)

I'm currently working on a few new pies and beverages for the summer and hope to unveil my brand new Italian Ice candle shortly. The idea has been dancing around in my head but oh to how to implement it in a safe and aesthetically pleasing manner? I'm also happy to announce Culinarychiq Concepts now has a shop on Etsy and 1000markets! It's a great site with lots of beautiful and unique things to buy made by some very talented artists. So come on by and peruse the new shop.

Finally, hubby and I have launched a new blog called Egg Drop Soup and we need your help. So stop on over there, have a read and get information about our 1st giveaway drawing for some free candles! Pass the word on to your friends and have a great week everyone!

Mac 'n' Cheese for sophisticated adults

A few days ago I attended a nice pot luck luncheon with some very nice ladies. The theme was Valentine's Day (conflicting schedules called for a belated luncheon) and the tables were all decked out with pretty pink and red heart shaped paper plates and napkins on tablecloths sporting happy light red hearts while we sipped an addictive "cocktail" of ginger ale and cranberry juice.

The attendants were mostly elderly women and, knowing there would probably be health concerns and palates that wouldn't exactly appreciate bold flavors or spices, it took me almost a week to figure out what my culinary contribution would be. My first choice was spanikopita or a blend of spinach, herbs and feta cheese wrapped inside filo dough. I could eat them all day and usually love to make it, but for once, I just couldn't be bothered with the mess and hassle of dealing with filo dough. I also seriously considered this recipe for Citrus Hot Chocolate but had no way of transporting it and I had the feeling keeping it warm might be an issue. Finally, I decided on this recipe calling itself Penne Pasta with Sun-Dried Tomato Cream Sauce.

The name itself is a bit misleading as the tomatoes are boiled with the pasta for 2 minutes and the cream sauce is poured on top. However, this is a very simple and easy recipe that's a joy to throw together! The resulting sauce gives the impression you've been hovering over a hot stove for hours simmering a classic bechamel sauce rather than just a few minutes. As with any macaroni and cheese recipe I've come across, I don't get as much sauce as I would like. Of course, growing up munching on Kraft Macaroni and Cheese I love my elbow macaroni to drip and ooze velvety cheese. I don't know if that's technically wrong, but I like it and all the training in the world won't change my mind!

Anyway, this recipe needs few adjustments. I mean, it's terrific as is and the taste is fantastic but I wasn't able to find the shredded Italian-style four-cheese blend the recipe called for. I did, however, find a nice six cheese blend by Sargento involving Parmesan, Mozzarella, smoked Provolone, Asiago, Romano and Fontina cheeses. Not realizing I'd run out of dried basil I used Italian herb seasoning instead. If you like your mac 'n' cheese ooey gooey like I do, double the amount of cheese and milk but stir them in one package and can at a time to make sure everything melts and blends the way it should. Finally, I had to resist the urge to throw in some chopped Prosciutto because of the palates involved so I don't know how it would turn out but I don't imagine it would hurt the flavor especially for those of you who like little pieces of ham or bacon in your mac 'n' cheese. If you decide to try this, go a little at a time, stir and taste as too much might overwhelm and kill the dish. Oh and while I'm thinking of it while this dish doesn't need it at all, if you absolutely insist in some kind of crunchy topping on your mac 'n' cheese, try some Italian seasoned bread crumbs, or since we're trying to be sophisticated here, why not add Panko and pop it in the oven for a few minutes.

Well, that's enough of my ramblings. I finished that candle order for my friend that I mentioned a few weeks back (see pic below) and I've started working on a few new creations for Spring.

Hopefully next week I'll have pictures and prices of Orange Cream Sherbet candle and just in time for St. Patrick's Day, Irish Coffee candle! I also hope to have news of placement with a store featuring crafts and home decor here in Maine. So, stay warm and dry everyone, winter is nearly at an end. Chow for now!

NEW CANDLES!

So, it looks like my latest experiment has paid off, introducing my new Ice Cream candles coming this spring! Pictured above is the scented Butterscotch Ice Cream Sundae, mmmm. Scrumptious French Vanilla blends with the creamy aroma of sweet Butterscotch for a treat so real you can almost taste it... and yes, that IS a scented cherry on top!

Over the next few days I'll be making and posting pictures of Hot Fudge Sundae and Strawberry Sundae. Also coming soon will be pictures of Banana Split, Italian Ices and Orange Cream Pop. As always, if there's something you'd like to see feel free to drop me a line and I'll see what I can do! Sundaes will price at $15 plus shipping, Banana Split will price at $18 plus shipping and Italian Ices and Orange Cream Pop TBD.

So keep checking this blog for updates and in the meantime scope out other goodies available for sale right now at the Culinarychiq Concepts store! Chow for now.

Portland Harbor Hotel Heats Up Winter With Annual Ice Bar

As promised, the following is a link to an article in the local paper, Maine Today, about an awesome event benefiting three children's charities. If you're in the Portland area with ten bucks and a weekend to spare, come on down to the Portland Harbor Hotel for some cool art (no pun intended), nice drinks and good food:)

News Pile: Portland Harbor Hotel Heats Up Winter With Annual Ice Bar January 28, 29, and 30 | MaineToday.com

A New Challenge

Today I was honored with a commission by an old friend for a Doo Wop Birthday Party in March. The challenge is to make 50s themed candles small enough to serve as party favors for at least 70 guests. We put our heads together and started thinking old fashioned milkshake and ice cream sundae candles, jukeboxes, Elvis, poodle skirts, hula hoops, roller skates, rock n roll, the possibilities are endless.. until a furtive search turned up the lack of possibilities in candle molds (methinks I may have to study up on mold making one of these days). I did find a few things that could work though and after going over color scheme with my client/friend and talking pricing we've agreed on pink poodles, pink and black (I'm going to attempt some kind of swirl pattern) musical notes and chocolate sundaes with a cherry on top, all chocolate and vanilla ice cream scented and all the size of a 3oz votive candle.

A bit difficult? Maybe. Beyond the realms of possibility? Never. So long as the willingness, creativity and imagination are there, anything is possible! This is the kind of thing I love about this business, the challenge and ability to come up with something creative and unique while working within a client's wishes:) If things go as well as I think they will, I'll have pictures and prices up soon on my Etsy store.

The problem with Maine cuisine

As I approach the 6 month anniversary of our arrival to Maine I find myself at a loss and need the help of my fellow Mainers, native and non-native alike. What has troubled me all this time is the lack of eateries with decent food! Now before the hate mail spews forth let me explain. Both my husband, Paul, and I are cursed with a shellfish allergy and so can't appreciate a good seafood restaurant without it ending with a trip to the emergency room. So it goes without saying that in a state where the main staple seems to center around lobstah, many restaurants whose praises are constantly being sung to me are almost completely off limits. It seems to me however, that in the focus for the ultimate seafood meal something very important has been left off the menu of many eating establishments in the state... FLAVOR!!!

We discovered this problem during our first days visiting Maine. Our first meal was courtesy of The Wok Inn on Forest Avenue in Portland. First the food was fantastic (and yes I know this contradicts the purpose of this post but wait I'm getting to that). I decided to be brave and try the #4 combination dinner with coconut curry chicken and found the curry flavor not at all overpowering or incredibly hot as some places have been known to do. What I did find very strange was the meal was accompanied by a cup of applesauce. I figured ok, that's nice, they give you dessert with your meal. I soon discovered since moving here that the cup of dessert is actually what passes in Maine as DUCK SAUCE!!! It wasn't isolated to just one or two chinese food restaurants but EVERYONE does this here! So be forewarned, if you come to Maine and wish to have chinese food, AVOID THE DUCK SAUCE!!! Why, someone please tell me WHY in HELL would you want to include applesauce with fried noodles or steamed rice or any kind of chicken? This is just wrong on SO many levels and is ONLY done here so far as I can tell! I've lived on and have visited the West Coast, Mid-Atlantic states and most of the Eastern seaboard and have NEVER EVER come across this and for one very good reason, APPLESAUCE IN CHINESE FOOD IS JUST PLAIN WRONG!!!! It's a downright evil thing to do to such a scrumptious cuisine and there should be warning labels printed for the unsuspecting visitor who's about to partake! I've since sucked it up and bought a jar of duck sauce so when the nice man at the counter asks me if I'd like sauce with my meal, I simply cringe silently and shake my head.

Now, I was born and raised in the NY metro area, land of disco fries, bagels, black and white cookies, pretzel rolls, and REAL pizza (sorry Chicago, deep dish is all well and good but it does nothing for me) but most important of all a land filled with Italians fresh off the boat from Sicily which also means REAL Italian food! So when I go to an Italian restaurant (ahem cough cough The Corsican in Freeport) I DON'T expect to get a pizza that comes out of a box and goes in the microwave! Ellios makes a better pizza than this! But then I should've known when I saw constant mentions on their menu of other Italian dishes being made with their special "pizza sauce". Really? You make all your dishes with the same sauce you throw on pizza? I envisioned this giant plastic vat in the back with a big ladle sticking out:-/ Since that one visit I've seen commercials and local tourist guides on tv and in the paper advertising the Corsican's food and have noticed that while their seafood dishes are raved about, talk of their pizza and pasta dishes are noticeably absent. So, since I can't actually try these out I'll advise if you do decide to visit the Corsican, steer clear of anything resembling Italian food and apparently you'll have a better experience.

One thing I've noticed that has deeply saddened me is when I walk down a street that boasts a pizzeria, you can see said pizzeria but you can't smell it. Native New Yorkers and Jersians (Jerseyites?) can attest that when there's a pizzeria open for business you KNOW it. You can drive down the street and catch a whiff of greasy, cheesy goodness so incredible you'll cause a major pileup just to find out where it's coming from (or is that just me)! So far I'll walk past a pizzeria, stand inside a pizzeria, stand outside the door of a pizzeria, stand in front of the counter as a freshly made pizza is being pulled from the oven and not even catch the slightest hint of a whiff. Perhaps this is because if you don't have any flavor you can't possibly have any scent! It seems the phenomenon of flat tasting crust, watery tomato sauce and rubbery cheese is statewide. Oh yeah, and spicing the HELL out of things don't make up for lack of flavor either! Like if they make it hot enough all your taste buds will die and you won't notice the difference... is THAT what happened to you poor people? It kills me when places that boast a real Italian heritage are cranking out this kind of food. Now there's a Mexico, Maine and a Lebanon, Maine. Could it be that there's an Italy, Maine where these people are coming from?

Ok, so enough bitching. I'll tell you the few places I HAVE found to be an enjoyable dining experience thus far. Hands down, my favorite place to eat is Little Tokyo in Brunswick. The ambiance is cozy and charming, the staff is very friendly and attentive, the food is just incredible and the owner will beam as he gladly informs you of the freshness and authenticity of his ingredients and the dishes they're used for. They also have a very interesting cocktail and dessert menu which I've yet to try but hope to very shortly.

For breakfast, I highly suggest Isabella's Sticky Buns Cafe in Freeport. They make an excellent Eggs Benedict and hubby loves the pancakes and bacon. Of course while you're in Freeport you HAVE to try what is so far my favorite staple of Maine cuisine, the Whoopie Pie! A Whoopie Pie basically resembles a very large Oreo Cakester but with real cream inside. They come in multiple flavors and you'll find them in nearly every store or shop in Maine but in my opinion any Whoopie Pie you decide to buy, try and take home must come from the Isamax Snacks Bakery located just around the corner from the town hall. Of course if you can't make it to Freeport or Maine itself, they have a website called Wicked Whoopies and prices do include shipping.

Anyway, that's my latest rant and rave. I know Mainers won't appreciate my criticisms and so I put the question to all residents past and present native and non, where are the great epicurean delights of your area? Who has the food to die for? Which establishments are your favorite (and again, they can't be solely focused on seafood)? And finally, can someone tell me what in the HELL is Moxie soda and what does it taste like? I've seen it, I've heard of it but until I can find it sold in individual bottles or cans, I won't be trying it any time soon.

Greetings and salutations!

First, I hope everyone had a happy holiday season and hope you all got to where you needed to safely.

My name is Miranda and I am a Culinary chick! International cuisine and the various methods of cooking and preparing food amongst the various cultures that grace this great planet of ours has always fascinated me. I found myself glued to Food Network when it was in its infancy and finally last year I enrolled in Culinary school in the hopes of someday becoming a chef and opening up my own little piece of epicurean heaven.

With the economy (and personal finances) being what they are my dream is slow going. I'm not just a culinary student but a military wife as well and when the US government dictated it was time to pick up and move to a new station, my quest for a degree quickly became a race for a certificate which I managed to obtain just weeks before transfer. Now as I hunt for a decent school to finish my degree I'm finding the job market to be less than hospitable to a non-Mainer living in the boonies with enough schooling for at line cook position at a wage places around here seem only to happy to offer only to the very experienced chefs (who sadly it appears are actually taking the much reduced paying positions). So I plan to make my way slowly, stealthily into the field searching for volunteer work, food prep temp jobs with catering companies until I can at least finish my degree.

In the meantime I plan my attack. I develop and tweak recipes for friends, family and neighbors for items that hope to find their place on my future menu and to raise money for my future endeavor I've resurrected an old craft business of mine I've recently dubbed Culinarychiq Concepts. Currently I make faux food soy wax candles that look and smell like pies, hot chocolate and coffee and whoopie pies. I intend to extend this line to other food items over the course of the next year as well as add a line of food themed dammit dolls (for those who don't know what a dammit doll is, I'll explain later on when I'm ready to launch them in a few weeks:) I'm also considering several other little projects that will be a pure delight to all you foodies out there who love anything and everything epicurean!

And so be sure to check out my page on etsy: culinarychiqconcepts.etsy.com and check back here often for updates on my quest and of course new items added to the store:) I'm also currently searching for fairs and festivals in Maine this spring and summer who are looking for craft vendors so give me a heads up if you know any!

Wishing you and yours a safe and happy new year! Chow (ciao) for now!