April is a great time to review the three magical summer sea packages we offer at Brewster House to make your Maine vacation uniquely special! Since most folks come to Maine with our great and magnificent oceanfront at the fore of their imaginations, let’s start with lighthouses, boats and beaches.
West Quoddy Light
Lighthouses have to be the #1 draw for non-local visitors to Maine! Their lonely, rugged visages, and history of drama and life-saving must be the basis for their powerful draw. Our Lighthouse Tour Special offers a book and maps for the basis of your exploration, a lighthouse themed gift basket, $50 gas gift card and a $50 gift certificate to Freeport’s award winning Azure Cafe Restaurant. Be forewarned, although these beacons may be close by sea, many are a good distance apart by car! Lighthouse Tour Special
Our Maine Seafarer Adventure brings our guests into more intimate contact with Casco Bay, featuring an amazing sailing experience on a traditional schooner and a visit to the expansive and magnificent Maine Maritime Museum, on the mighty Kennebec River. The Museum includes the entire grounds of the Percy & Small boatyard, including the museum, blacksmith shop, boat shop, construction-ways, docks and even the owners personal residence. This is the only surviving 19th century wooden boatyard that has survived into the 20th century! I’m saving this for another blog, but in season the Museum also offers tours the Bath Iron Works shipyard (building stealth destroyers now) and all kinds of fascinating boat tours of the River and Coast. Of course, our special also includes a welcome backed and gift certificate to the Azure Cafe. Maine Seafarer Adventure
The Perfect Maine Adventure, Land & Sea, is our latest novel idea, and all of the guests we’ve discussed it with thought it an awesome offering!! Having sailed most of my adult life, some family members and I signed on the schooner Heritage for a 6 day voyage from the East Coast of Penobscot Bay, to Mt. Desert (Acadia National Park) & back. Gorgeous, powerful (145’), elegant, comfortable cabins and great food! Bring a good book or two, binoculars, and relax on deck, or jump in with the crew, raise the sails, play with their amazing sailing and rowing dinghies, wash off the anchor or discuss navigation with the Captains, YOUR CHOICE! Throw in your own case of wine for seem evening stargazing, and you’ll have on of the finest adventures of your life! Call me to discuss if you’re interested, but the idea here is to combine time on the schooner, with some soft time and legendary breakfasts and cookies at Brewster House, reveling in the pleasures of the Casco Bay area, Portland distractions, local beaches and other “mid-coast” pleasantries. IN OUR BOOK, THAT IS PERFECT!! Perfect Maine Adventure, Land & Sea
For the beaches, you’ll have to book a stay, let us spoil you, and be schooled on the best local secrets, while basking in the glow of your 3 course gourmet breakfast!! See us at Brewster House
One of our Brewster House offerings that consistently draws the most compliments is our coffee, and the magic of the french press. Of course the quality of the beans we buy helps immensely (We love our very own Freeport Coffee Roaster‘s Cafe Amigo)! I can’t tell you the number of guests we host who after having about how wonderful our coffee is, confess that they have a french press, but don’t use it because they don’t know how. So here is the “secret sauce!”
At this point, I will add that we use three different size Bodum Dome type french presses at Brewster House, depending on how many cups the table needs. (Follow the Bodum link to purchase one for yourself:) The press we use the most of is marketed as a 34 ounce, 8 cup or “1 liter” press. It will provide 3+ mugs of coffee. For a single, a “12 ounce” will do. For 3 or 4 coffee drinkers, we pull out the “Saturn C5” 51 ounce (12 cup or 1-1/2 liter) monster, that will provide up to 5 mugs.
Secret #1; Coarse grind the coffee beans! You can do that at the coffee display at a grocery store, or in your own grinder, but it may require a bit of a lighter hand with an inexpensive blade type grinder. We use a conical burr type grinder for its consistency, but we use a small blade type for decaffeinated beans to avoid mixing the two. With the conical burr version, we set the grind on just above coarse. When using the lighter grinder, I give it 3 or 4 short bursts, allowing the larger beans to drop down to maximize them getting ground, but to avoid making the whole grind too fine. The goal here is to simply avoid grinding the coffee so small that you end up spitting out coffee that snuck through the the press screen!
Secret #2; Add the correct amount of coffee to the press with the screen and press removed. That would be 4 level scoops for the medium press, 2 for the small press, or 6 for the “Saturn C5.” How many of you remember that rocket engine?? Saturn C5
Secret #3: Add BOILING WATER in the correct amount. I’m stressing boiling here, as that temperature is needed to bring out all that fine coffee beans have to offer! Simply fill the carafes to the base of the ‘arrow’ at the top of the frame of the device. By sizes that amounts to 8 ounces for the small press, 28 for the medium press, or 42 for the large press.
Now stir in the floating grounds, preferably with a wooden spoon (so as to minimize the possibility of cracking or breaking the glass carafe). 3-5 seconds will do!
Then replace the press parts in the press, being careful to place the pouring screen in the top in line with the spout on the carafe. Just settle the screen in far enough to keep the grounds below the surface at this point.
Secret #4: Check your watch and start the 3-4 minute wait to coffee nirvana. This is a matter of how strong you like your coffee! You could even go for 5 minutes, or add an extra scoop to meet your preference. Now, gradually press the screen down to the bottom of the carafe to hold the grounds out of your pour. Fill your Brewster House mug and let that fragrant, rich aroma bring you back to your time with us….. or just come back and enjoy your morning coffee, offset with the buttery sweetness of Mary’s amazing butterscotch scones!
With our European guests, I’ve learned a tradition of theirs that I like. You can agree with (or not) their practice of using more milk (as opposed to cream or 1/2 & 1/2), but I have learned to value their request of warming their dairy before serving it. Just 10 or 20 seconds in your microwave will do it! Their logic, “why spoil this delicious coffee by pouring cold milk in it?”
Bon appetit!! BUT COME TO BROWSER HOUSE AND LET US SPOIL YOU by doing all this (& more) for you!!
Admittedly, Spring can be a challenging time to attract folks to come to Maine (or anyplace else in Northern New England), but let’s face it, you crave a change of scenery and being spoiled at Brewster House is always a gift, so check out these six amazing Maine spring flings!
photo by CC Church
We’ll open with “high culture,” the Maine State Ballet Theater company is putting on the classic, “Sleeping Beauty” from April 1 – April 17th. http://www.mainestateballet.org. The theater is on Rt. 1 in Falmouth, only 10 or 15 minutes south of us.
The Portland Home Show opens on April 8th and tuns through the tenth. For more information click, HTTP://www.homeshows.com.
There are some amazing photographers and subject matter for them in Maine! The Boothbay Region Art Foundation is presenting the renowned Maine Photography Show, running from April 9th – 29th. For details, see http://www.mainephotographyshow.com.
We love the little City of Bath, and aside from my favorite museum (the Maine Maritime Museum), another great reason to visit Bath will be the Bath Antique Show & Sale, held on both March 13th, and April 10th. To learn more, check out http://www.bathantiqueshows.com.
An easy 40 minute ride east of beautiful Rt. 1 through beautiful Brunswick, Bath and Wiscasset, a MUST DO for those gardeners/ landscapers in the room, the Maine Botanical Gardens reopen for the season on April 15th. Believe it or not, they have over 35,000 bulbs, among their 270 acres of shoreline and other dazzling plantings, they will be emerging for your visual and olfactory stimulation. http://www.mainegardens.org.
Also in Falmouth from May 6th to 7th , something Mary will be up for, is the Falmouth Kitchen Tour. A fabulous idea whether you’re re-doing your kitchen, or or just a kitchen voyeur! http://www.mainekitchentours.co
March is both the end of Winter and beginning of Spring, and so we all need an infusion of HOPE, so here are three fabulous March Ideas to “re-float your boat!”
It seems natural to start with the end of Winter, a perfect time to play outside! As those of you fellow Yankees know, early March can bring us some serious weather slaps in the form of BIG SNOW, while when the sun emerges, it is higher in the sky and brings on that magical warmth that’s been missing for a while. As you consider these dates, remember my last blog detailing Maine Restaurant Week, 3/1 – 3/12! So we open our offerings with a pair of outdoor weekend events to stir the souls of you adventurers.
On the weekend of March 5th/ 6th, we offer two local unique sorts of outdoor events that beg for your participation. The first on March 5th is an evening ski with the folks at the LL Bean Outdoor Adventure School that is a 6 – 9PM cross country ski tour. March 8th is a “new moon,” so the view of the Milky Way and planets should be magnificent! For details, check out http://www.llbean.com/llb/event/88012?occurrenceId=60054&locationId=515&feat=33-ods. $40 is the cost to play, and will take place on their own groomed trails a few miles east of Freeport, as well as hot chocolate and snacks at the event.
On Sunday 3/6, is the final event in the Bradbury Mountain Snowshoe Series, “The Bradbury Blizzard.”http://trailmonsterrunning.com/bradburysnow They will offer 3 levels of competitive courses around and up the mountain in this State Park 8 miles from our door. By the way, the view from the top reaches all of the way to Casco Bay.
As a long time ocean aficionado (both sail and motor), one of my favorite annual spring events is the annual Maine Boatbuilders Show! The Show starts on Friday night 3/18 and runs through Sunday 3/20. It takes place at 58 Fore St. in Portland and is very accurately described as “a gathering of the finest fiberglass and wooden boat builders on the East Coast!” That weekend always seems ripe with Spring sun and balmy breezes, and the facility is on Portland Harbor, not to mention some of the finest eating and drinking on the East Coast is a walk from the show!! www.portlandcompany.com/boatShow/index.html
Maine Restaurant Week is an annual celebration of food & drink that takes place early every March, and is a fabulous excuse to “get out of Dodge” and enjoy the growing warmth of the sun, by the sea here! It runs from March 1 – 12, and some ticket sales are limited, so don’t wait too long to commit or your options may be limited.
The festivities open on February 28th with “Spirit Quest,” @ 2PM on Sunday in Old Port, with a walk including combinations of delicious “bites” and cocktails through some of the finest restaurants in Portland. The list of participating establishments is growing, but already includes such notables as David’s, TIQA, 555 and Liquid Riot! Looks like $40/ participant to us.
The list of participating restaurants is growing, as we speak, but will include some of the most amazing restaurants in the State of Maine, offering 3 course dinners for $25, $35, $45 or $55, + special MRW lunches for only $15! For sure our favorite, the Azure Cafe in Freeport will be participating. Some special MRW menus are already online, with more appearing daily, as more restaurants sign up.
Hey, on Sunday, March 13th, @ 2PM the “Coffee & Desert Pairing Event” is to be held in Portland. This sounds like a hot one to a boy with a very serious sweet tooth!! “Coffee by Design’s” roastery team is creating their best brews to go with bite sized tastes of the most incredible desert entrees from the likes of Dean’s Sweets, Two Fat Cats, Love Cupcakes and Scratch. More are signing up every day too! Tix are $35 and to sweeten the deal, this is benefit supporting the fine work of Preble Street (homeless shelter).
Brewster House’s Lemon Ricotta Stuffed French Toast!
At Brewster House, we have the breakfast gig well covered, with your 3 course gourmet breakfast, and fresh ground coffee prepared in a french press, and home baked cookies and cakes for your afternoon delight! There are no more comfortable beds and linens, nor more commodious baths on the coast of Maine!and let’s not forget the fireplaces….. Make you reservation today. As a note, we will be away from 2/19 until 3/1, but our “Spring Serenity Special” kicks in on that date, meaning we offer 3 night stays for the price of 2 nights. See our Spring Serenity package for details!
Perfect Maine Adventure, Land & Sea is what we’re talking about here! Spend 3-6 spellbinding days and nights on the 145’ schooner Heritagehttp://www.schoonerheritage.com“the Queen of the Windjammers,” and recover your senses for a like time in the understated elegance and comfort of “the Queen of Freeport,” Brewster House! Tour the coast, islands & harbors from Penobscot Bay to Mt. Desert Island (Acadia National Park), then enjoy Casco Bay, Bath, Portland, beaches, and the lakes and mountains from the simply elegant comfort of Brewster House. This lovely large schooner will inspire you, and the breakfast, lunch and dinners created on her wood stove are incredible, not to mention the beach lobster bake the crew creates on an offshore island for your pleasure! Captains, Doug & Linda Lee encourage your participation joining the crew in sailing her, should that be your passion, or kick back with a good book, enjoy the beauty of her under sail and the amazing coastal scenery sliding gracefully by! https://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_embedded&v=vKBjprcNDjI They offer 3 to 6 day voyages, with varying themes like “Summer Sailing Full Moon & Lighthouses”, or “Great Schooner Race”. and are home-ported in Rockland, on Penobscot Bay.
Doug is a world renowned author and expert on schooners, and he and Captain Linda actually designed and built Heritage specifically to carry passengers in the early 1980’s. My family and I have had the exquisite pleasure to spend a vacation on Heritage and participate in raising the sails, steering and enjoying using her amazing variety of sailing and rowing dinghies.
You know the cleanliness and quality of our inn, the amazing comfort and quietness of our beds & rooms, and the delectable multi-course breakfast Mary creates every morning. Return to Freeport for shopping, relaxation and a dip into the gastronomic and cultural offerings of the Portland and Casco Bay areas. Check out our video! 101179357 Incredibly, you could put a 6 day vacation together split between Brewster House and the Heritage for as little as $849/ person + tax! Please call to discuss in detail.
Including special package incentives, we can create this vacation of a lifetime for you for as little as $849 + tax/ person, based on a 6 day vacation! Call us for details and dates, and see Heritage’s itinerary options at http://www.schoonerheritage.com/schedule.html!! This is a once in a lifetime opportunity to completely inhale all that the Maine coast has to offer!!
If you’re looking for something different and fun to do around Freeport this Winter, try one of these five Freeport area winter blasts!
I know, I know, our Winter has been a little slow kicking in, but if you remember the timing of last year’s Winter, it wasn’t much different. By mid-January, it had kicked in in a BIG WAY! The POLAR VORTEX is moving in!
#1 is weather bullet-proof, VISIT AN ICE BAR! Wow, they’re like Maine micro-brews, inn that you have a plethora of choices. The first will be offered at Spire & Ice Inn Gotham, January 15-16; the second at the Portland Harbor Hotel on the following weekend, third at the Brunswick Hotel & Tavern February 4-6, and finally here in Freeport on February 19 & 20 as part of “Flavors of Freeport.”
How about a biathlon? A BIATHLON is a competitive endurance event combining cross-country skiing with target shooting. For $25, this event in Jefferson, Maine (1/2 hour east) is open to all, even beginners, including the opportunity to borrow an air rifle and receive instruction before heading out. In the best tradition of Maine events, beer and hot toddies are available! By the way, Pineland Farms, 15 minutes from Brewster House is the practice ground for the US Biathlon Team!
US Toboggan Championships
In the summer, Bradbury Mountain State Park hosts competitive Mountain Bike and running events, but in the winter turns to their SNOWSHOE Series. http://trailmonsterrunning.com/bradburysnow About 8 miles west of us in Pownal, these events are offered on 1/24, 2/14 and 3/6. These races range from 3 to 5 miles long. Although they have a few pair of snowshoes to loan, it would seem that if you’re up to racing, you would likely have your own (they’re on a 50% off sale as I speak @ LL Bean).
I’ve written about this before, but it’s so fun and Mainely unique, it’s worth a visit! It’s sort of a Mardi Gras built on the US NATIONAL TOBOGGAN CHAMPIONSHIPS at Camden Snow Bowl from Feb. 5-7. http://www.camdensnowbowl.com/toboggan-championships/ For $30, you can compete on your 2, 3 or 4 person toboggan, by taking your waxed up toboggan down the 400’ iced wooden chute and across the frozen pond at it’s base. Most teams are in costume, and the eats and drinks are a large part of this annual show.
February 6th brings the SNOWMAN ADVENTURE RACE on East End Hill in Portland, 15 minutes south of us. This sounds like a mini winter-biathlon! http://www.snowmanadventure.com Every piece begins with a run up East End hill and a return sled down with teammates sledding as one to the finish. This event is a 2 person relay, made up of a 4-1/2 mile bicycle race around the Back Cove, a 2-1/4 mile run around the East End and the Back Cove. There will be mens, women, co-ed and adult-kids teams as well.
No matter your event choice, we have ample toboggan, sled, bike and snowshoe parking here at Brewster House, and are well equipped to soothe your body & mind post event, with a hot bath, ironed sheets and bottle of your favorite wine! Call us at 207-865-4121, or online at www.brewsterhouse.com to reserve a fireplace room!
SNOW in the forecast this week! Book now for some great winter fun!
Summer’s long gone but that’s no reason to fret. Freeport skiing and snowshoeing opportunities are many so, when old man winter comes calling, the only thing to do is grab your coat, hat and mittens and join in!
Ah, winter. Summer gets more of the press and longing but who among us who have experienced a good day on skis, snowshoes, or a sled hasn’t enjoyed the activity as much, if not more, than a hot day under the sun? Plus, there’s the coming back in to warm yourself by the fire with a mug of hot cocoa to look forward to!
While Freeport’s location on the Maine coast puts us a bit out of the way for any of the nearest alpine ski centers, the L.L.Bean flagship store and campus call us home, so you know there are plenty of local areas and support for cross-country skiing, snowshoeing, and sledding.
If you haven’t considered “the home of LL Bean” for your Freeport New Years Holiday, it’s time! This year New Years Eve falls on a Thursday evening, so like Christmas, we share the gift of a THREE DAY WEEKEND!! You gotta love that! You couldn’t pick a sweeter base for your escape than Brewster House, especially when you consider our Happy New Year Special! https://brewsterhouse.com/specials-and-packages/offers/happy-new-year-special/ Not only will you luxuriate in our fireplace rooms with ironed sheets, legendary three course gourmet breakfast, and amazing afternoon cookies, but we’ll throw in a bottle of Champagne or Prosecco, and a $50 gift certificate to dinner at the incredible Azure Cafe. For a finale, a late check-out after a Mimosa breakfast tops the bill!!
The unique Northern Lights show at LL Bean runs every 1/2 hour, with syncopated music and lights. There’s a neat and elegant fireworks display by the High School at 6PM on Thursday. Given the snow gods will provide for us in time, there are many fine local cross-country skiing, snow-shoeing and even sledding options. LL Bean will teach you the first two through the Outdoor Adventure Discover School for a paltry $25, Wolfs Neck Farm is a great spot if you have your own gear, and Pineland Farms http://www.pinelandfarms.org nearby in New Gloucester is an amazing, beautiful and scenic place to play with over 5,000 acres!
Our living room fireplace
Should the snow fail, there are plenty of cultural options in Portland, museums in Bath and next door in Brunswick, and big theater in Freeport as well.
Go Big and cozy up with your squeeze in one of Brewster Houses special suites, complete with TV sitting rooms, your own frig, large baths, bathrobes and slippers! Call now while they last!!
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