MAINE AND ITS LOBSTERS
Maine State Aquarium
Red lobsters, blue lobsters, and white lobsters. You can learn about them and even see some specimens at the Maine State Aquarium which is part of the Maine Discovery Center. This facility is in West Boothbay Harbor at McKown Point.
We visited this tiny museum, which since our last visit about 10 years ago, was renovated and updated in 2024. There is still a touch tank along with other cases highlighting scallop harvesting and some of the region’s fish, sea stars, and other creatures. The two blue lobsters, one adult and one young one, were especially impressive, as is the Minke whale skeleton above.
We enjoyed the fresh air on the museum porch for a short presentation on lobsters: their shells and the molting process, the strength in their claws, their lifespan, and the astounding number of eggs one female can produce. It was a fascinating, well-delivered talk and gave me a new appreciation for this crustacean which we so enjoy consuming when we are in Maine!
Speaking of lobsters, I made lobster rolls for dinner as a treat for my visiting sister and brother-in-law. A pound of lobster meat shared among four people is indeed a delight. This recipe had a mayonnaise and lemon dressing, but the meat was first warmed in melted butter—the result being a sort of cross between the traditional cold roll and the Connecticut hot one. Delicious!
DINING AROUND: CHOWDER, HADDOCK, & MORE, Pt. 1
McSeagull’s (Boothbay Harbor)
We lunched here with S and B and so far, McSeagull’s clam chowder remains the best ever. It’s thick with clams and potatoes, topped with bits of bacon, and enhanced with herbs. A cup of it is very satisfying and practically a meal in itself. After mine, I enjoyed a small Caesar salad, while the others tucked into haddock bites, fries, and the yummy-looking lobster bruschetta. It’s high summer, and the restaurant was packed! Fortunately, we had a reservation.
Cozy’s Dockside (Cozy Harbor, Southport)
Cozy’s clam chowder is very good also (no bacon) and full of clams. Several of us had a cup of it with dinner one night. I ordered the haddock Reuben, an occasional special of haddock chunks on toasted sourdough with sauerkraut and the requisite Thousand Island dressing. It’s a big sandwich (comes with chips), so I happily took home half for the next day’s lunch. Others ordered haddock tacos (also large), romaine salad, and the chili hot dogs. It being blueberry season, it seemed only appropriate to order a piece of blueberry pie to take away.
The joint is very casual, and the service is friendly (thank you, Sally) with seating inside or at picnic tables on the wharf overlooking the harbor. Servings are generous, and no one should go hungry!
SUMMER READING: TUNNELS & DEATH IN NORWICH
The Chalk Pit by Elly Griffiths
The Chalk Pit is #9 in the Ruth Galloway series. I think it’s one of the best works so far in this series. Some suspicious bones are found in an underground tunnel which means archaeologist Ruth is called upon to offer her expertise. When several rough sleepers, a local designation for street people or the homeless, are found murdered, DCI Harry Nelson and his colleagues Judy Johnson and Dave Clough have a complex puzzle to solve. Add in the sudden disappearances of several unrelated women and the mystery deepens.
Crime solving always involves leads and false starts which are intriguing, but I enjoyed this mystery as much for the interactions between Ruth and Kate, her now 6-year-old daughter, and theirs together with Nelson. Druid Cathbad and Judy Johnson’s children also play a role, and Griffiths captures well the behavior of young children. Puzzling, delightful, and good escapism! And I just learned that Griffiths is a pseudonym, and her mysteries are inspired by her archaeologist husband and an aunt who lives on the Norfolk coast.. (~JWFarrington)
Note: All unattributed photos ©JWFarrington (some rights reserved)
Cappy’s in Camden has always been the staff we used to measure other clam chowders against. The bacon does seem to be missing, and does add an enticement !