Effervesce
WESTPORT, MAINE | JUNE 2023
After hosting our first Supper as Maine residents at The Squire Tarbox Inn last year, we left deeply inspired by the beauty of the venue and the joy of the reawakening land after a long winter. Meanwhile, Chef Derek Richard of Wolfpeach has been making a name for himself just down the road by creating exceptional cuisine with Midcoast Maine’s bounty of ingredients. We hoped for a bit of weather redemption, and a chance to set the table outside on the grounds by a picturesque pond this time in order to take advantage of the frothy, blooming beauty of springtime on the coast.
June in Maine still brings unpredictable temperatures and the threat of rain, so we ended up back in the historic barn for Supper, with creamsicle-striped tablecloths and tiny flowers bubbling over the edges of their vases. We got to enjoy some spectacular views of the grounds (and the ocean nearby) while sipping on Delola Spritzes and rhubarb milk punch before gathering together for an amazing, locally-focused Supper paired with Suzor Wines. Despite all the changes, our original inspiration carried through to a wonderful evening — down to some incredible seafood towers based on Danielle’s initial inspiration board. The gathering was convivial and warm, a celebration of the beauty of springtime on the coast, when the excitement of the coming season seems to bubble through each slightly more sunny day, set between still-cool nights.
WELCOME
The evening started with a spring-toned Delola Spritz Bar at check-in that matched the flower gardens blooming all around. As everyone settled in for seasonal appetizers, they sipped pink Rhubarb Milk Punch to kick off the springtime Supper.
A MENU BY DEREK RICHARD
Chef Derek Richard from Camden’s buzzy Wolfpeach is a master at cooking with the seasons. He brought together fresh fish, produce, and protein from Maine farmers to create a gorgeous menu celebrating all the best of spring, from green and crunchy things to succulent seafood fresh from the cold waters nearby.
MENU
WELCOME
Elk Tartare rockweed capers, cured egg yolk, grilled allium aioli, beef garum, potato chips
Smoked Bluefish Deviled Eggs herbs, pickles
Asparagus & Crab Salad pickled mushroom, lovage aioli
Cocktails:
Rhubarb Milk Punch
Delola Spritz Bar
FIRST
Seafood Tower oysters, halibut ceviche, raw scallop, crab claws, cured mackerel, smoked mussels
Wine: Suzor Wines 2020 Menefee Chardonnay
SECOND
Grilled Vegetable Salad arugula walnut pesto, dairy duet cheese, grilled seaweed flatbread
Wine: Suzor Wines 2022 L'Escargot Rosé
MAIN
Smoked & Grilled Pork Chop rhubarb compote, pork jus, grilled ramps
Wine: Suzor Wines 2021 Whole Cluster Pinot Noir
DESSERT
Lilac Ice Cream smoked maple candied walnuts
Cider Pairing: Absolem Cider Co. King Leo Iced Cider
WINE PAIRINGS
We brought in one of our favorites, Suzor Wines, from Willamette Valley, OR, to pair with Chef Derek’s cuisine. The 2020 Menefee Chardonnay was just wonderful with the seafood towers, while the whole cluster Pinot Noir was perfect with both the smoked and grilled pork chops and its rhubarb compote accompaniment.
NIGHTCAP
Dessert was a play on the many facets of emerging summer in Maine, floral lilac ice cream with smoked maple candied walnuts that whispered of still-cool evenings by the fire. The perfect pairing for such a bite? Local ice cider from Absolem, made by concentrating the sweetness of fall-pressed apples with winter’s freezing temperatures. The two together brought the best of every season to the table, a delightful ending to the evening.
SECRET LOCATION: SQUIRE TARBOX INN
We visited the Squire Tarbox Inn last year, and ended up inside the historic barn due to rain (a common refrain for our 2022 Suppers!). We desperately wanted to come back to the expansive property on Westport Island and enjoy these grounds in their full glory. While cool temperatures lead us to set the table inside again, we got to enjoy the cascading grounds bursting with spring greens during cocktail hour before cozying up inside.
