Roots
NOBLEBORO, MAINE | JANUARY 2025
January is decidedly not high season in Maine. The small towns along the coast are sleeping through the season’s short days and the weather forecast is anything but welcoming to outsiders. Mainers embrace the beauty of this time of year, though. They pull themselves out into the elements to enjoy every bit of the season, no matter what it brings. When the snow falls, they ski. When the temperatures hit double digits, they hit the trails. And when winter gets bleak, they simply snuggle in. Hoop houses hide hearty greens and cellars are filled with root vegetables waiting to be transformed into the types of slow dishes most delicious this time of year; things that roast and braise and simmer for hours on the stove. It’s a season for slow gatherings and good conversation.
We knew we wanted to start our Supper series close to home in a cozy barn, showcasing some of our favorite makers and purveyors in Maine. This past summer, we hosted a Harvest Supper at Wanderwood while the farm was in full bloom. We knew, even then, that we wanted to return to gather with Matt and Kelsey in the quieter season. This time, Chef Brent Foster joined us with a menu inspired by nostalgic childhood favorites, elevated with farm-to-table ingredients and fine dining techniques.
In true Maine fashion, we started the afternoon around the fire shucking Glidden Point Oysters from just down the road. Those same oysters decorated each menu through custom illustrations from Evan Stevens, which lined the crisp white tables alongside evergreen branches in stark winter beauty.
Everyone sipped on Bully Boy Bourbon spiked Bard coffee, Goldie’s Gin cocktails, and Lone Pine Brewing beers as the afternoon clouded over with threatening rain. Luckily, the first drops were just starting to fall as everyone filtered into the barn for a cozy Supper. Our friends at Sissle & Daughters paired each course of the creative menu with wines from their cellars, elevating Chef Brent’s dishes and completing the experience. As the rain pattered on the roof, the warm barn chased away any winter chill. The soundtrack of good conversation carried through the night until the rain let up just in time for everyone to filter back outside with a new scarf from Portland’s Hearts of Pine to keep warm through the night, and a Winter Wonder Sea Salt blend from Skordo to warm up the rest of the season.
WELCOME
We welcomed everyone outside with fire pits on the lawn and cocktails to warm up and wind down. Guests could choose from a Spiced Pear Spritz made with Goldie’s Gin, Winter Coffee from Bard spiked with Bully Boy Bourbon and topped with chai whip, or Lone Pine Brewery Chaga Stout.
Meanwhile, we were shucking Glidden Point oysters to enjoy raw or fresh off the grill, slathered in seaweed butter. We passed around tuna tartare sliders (a seasonal seafood take on Manwich sloppy joes) and potato pave with chocolate-Madiera-mushroom mousse (a nod to the tradition of dipping french fries in a chocolate shake) to kick off the evening’s playful menu.
A MENU BY BRENT FOSTER
Brent Foster’s pop-up, Husky Boi, is a nostalgic look at 90’s comfort food — if everything was made with chef-level technique and the ingredients were all sourced from local farmers and purveyors.
He delighted the table with sense memories of simple childhood pleasures, while showing off the best of the region’s winter produce (including beautiful rainbow carrots from Wanderwood) local seafood, and farm-raised pork that transformed these memorable favorites into surprising new experiences.
MENU
WELCOME
Spicy Tuna Tartare english muffin, Skordo Asian sesame tuna rub, tempura flake, scallion
Potato Pave mushroom mousse, rosemary, Madeira aioli
Glidden Point Oysters
raw: aguachile, herb oil
grilled: seaweed herb butter, lemon
Cocktails
Spiced Pear Spritz
Goldie’s Gin, spiced pear, sparking water
Winter Coffee Bully Boy Bourbon, Bard coffee, whipped chai foam
Lone Pine Brewery Chaga Stout
ON THE TABLE
Cheese and Charcuterie Board by Sissle & Daughters
AMUSE
Merroir - Terroir Broth Wanderwood root vegetables, Maine seaweed, dashi
FIRST
Winter Salad
chicories & greens, miso-oyster shell dressing, shaved Manchego, buttery breadcrumb, Skordo Umai Ocean blend
Wine: Antoine Delaunay L’Ouche dy Four Muscadet
SECOND
Charred Cabbage smokey lentils, tomatoes, pickles, crispy Parmesan, special sauce
Wine: Jean Paul Brun Beaujolais Blanc
MAIN
Braised & Roasted Pork mushroom XO, braised greens, Maine Grains polenta
Charred Wanderwood Carrots Skordo turmeric spiced yogurt, ras el hanout walnuts, citrus
Wine: Beurer Trollinger Trocken
DESSERT
S’mores Pie
chocolate mousse pie, graham cracker crust, cinnamon cereal milk whipped cream, torched meringue
Cocktail: Bully Boy Amaro
WINE PAIRINGS
In addition to their gorgeous cheese boards to start off the meal, our friends at Sissle & Daughters curated the evening’s wine pairings. They offered comfortable and surprising compliments to each course, from a crunchy Muscadet to go with the winter salad stuffed with chicories to a lightly chilled Trollinger that perfectly offset the rich braised pork and tangy greens.
NIGHTCAP
As Chef Brent torched merengue shards to top his s’mores pie, wafting the sugary-smokey scent across the barn, we passed around Bully Boy Amaro for a final sweet-savory sip to finish off the night. The pairing was reminiscent of nights spent telling stories around the campfire, and allowed everyone to settle in for just a little bit longer to receive their parting gifts from Skordo and Hearts of Pine. The night glowed cobalt blue through the barn windows as the rain let up, just in time to head home.
SECRET LOCATION: WANDERWOOD
While we rarely repeat Supper locations, we knew a winter Supper would be absolutely beautiful at Wanderwood, and a totally different experience than our last Supper during peak growing season. Additionally, owners and farmers Matt and Kelsey are some of the most incredible hosts, and welcomed us back with open arms to celebrate the beauty of Maine’s quieter season. Supper in the barn was exactly as cozy as we pictured, with warm conversation and a convivial atmosphere that sung so differently than the riotous joy of summer.
