Harbour
PORTLAND, MAINE | SEPTEMBER 2019
For many reasons—talk about a passion for craftsmanship, a commitment to sustainability, and an interest in authentic experiences, to name a few—we are elated to partner with Patrón Tequila to curate and co-host the Secret Supper-Roca Patrón Series and take seven unique culinary events to new and exciting places. We spent the whole summer daydreaming and planning until finally, in early September, we boarded a plane to the East Coast for our very first Supper in Maine. Our team of four landed on the other side of the country, full of excitement to press start on a Series that’d been months in the making!
On our first night in Portland, we headed to the highly acclaimed Eventide Oyster Co. From the moment we tried those brown butter lobster rolls and chatted with Krista last July, we knew Chef Andrew Taylor and Chef Mike Wiley from Big Tree Hospitality had to be the featured chefs for our Supper in Maine! It was amazing to start the adventure by sharing a meal with the Patrón team that’d join us in offering one of the most incredible experiences we’d hosted to date.
Friday morning, after a much needed cup of coffee, we boarded a small boat to the location to review final details—yes, it included a 5 minute dingy ride to make it to the island shore. We spent a few hours touring the west side of House Island once more and, after the layout for the Supper was set, we made our way back to the mainland to run errands and enjoy some more of the great food Portland has to offer!
The Supper day finally arrived and at 8am sharp we were on the water, in a boat full to the brim with kitchen items, flowers, and every single thing we needed to make the dream a reality. We moved throughout the day making flower arrangements, setting the table, lighting candles and putting the finishing touches before guests arrival.
After check-in on the mainland, our guests were on their way to a one-of-a-kind experience! Fort Scammel (now Fortland)—built in the 1800’s, shortly before the Civil War—was the perfect location for our very first Supper in the series. As soon as the boat docked on the island and everyone started the beautiful walk uphill to the fort, we saw glimmering faces full of wonder and we knew we were off to a magical evening.
After an exquisite welcome cocktail featuring Roca Patrón Silver, crafted by the uber talented mixologist Jaren Rivas, guests entered the candlelit fort, where Chefs Andrew and Mike served their signature lobster rolls along with a raw bar and tinned seafood to get the feast started. Once guests explored the fort in between bites of deliciousness and sips of handcrafted tequila, everyone headed out to the dining table set atop the hill, featuring dazzling views of Casco Bay, with a lighthouse and the mainland in the background.
As guests took it all in, Jaren poured a Roca Patrón Añejo cocktail, with local blueberries, tarragon and cranberry to accompany the Maine bluefin tuna and tomato that the chefs were about to set on the table. The evening progressed with delicious food featuring hyper local ingredients—including seaweed and sugar kelp the chefs foraged at the property that morning—and Roca Patrón cocktails paired to perfection. Roca Patrón Reposado, rosemary, corn, lemon, and lime leaf was one of guests’ favorites.
The feast ended on a sweet note with a rustic mille-feuille and a Roca Patrón Silver milk punch. If it wasn’t for high-tide ending, we have a feeling everyone would’ve stayed at the table much longer. We lit the path back to the dock with candles and as we waved goodbye to our guests and saw the boat disappear in the distance, gentle clouds rolled in and we felt the sky sprinkle on us. With sore feet and happy faces, we awaited our turn to go back to the mainland, profoundly grateful for the abundance we encountered in Maine. An abundance of nature, of friendships, and of memories worth carrying back home.
Our excitement for the rest of the cities we’ll visit on this series is through the roof, and so is our gratitude to Patrón for joining us in doing more of what we love: fostering connection and intentional living at the table, while supporting a cause we both strongly believe in. All proceeds from ticket sales will be donated to the Savory Institute, an organization dedicated to the large-scale regeneration of the world’s grasslands through Holistic Management
This Supper was the first of seven gatherings in the Secret Supper-Roca Patrón Series, brought to life in partnership with Patrón Tequila.
Rooted in sustainability and craftsmanship, the Secret Supper-Roca Patrón Series incorporated our known and loved communal dinners and Patrón’s artisanal time-honored “tahona” made tequila, Roca Patrón.
With similar brand ethos and sustainability at the forefront, Patrón is dedicated to limiting the environmental impact of their tequila production and holds sustainable practices in the highest regard. The best part of it all? 100% of proceeds from ticket sales benefited the Savory Institute, an organization that works on the large scale regeneration of the world’s grasslands to address desertification, climate change, and food and water insecurity.