I first caught wind of Tallulah’s during a relaxing, sun-soaked morning on the boat at our lakehouse. My neighbors, having the exact same morning, could not stop raving about a place that was doing remarkable things with petals, seaweed, and other garden gleanings you wouldn’t usually find floating in a highball glass. With my curiosity sparked, I tracked down Tallulah’s co-owner and resident mixologist, the famously fearless Kember Vanderblue. After a few emails and phone calls detailing her list of ideas to feature in these pages, I finally met her in person on a bright spring morning.
Vanderblue is the sort of gardener-meets-alchemist who sees a cocktail as more than a quick buzz. Her menu celebrates the wild possibilities that Maine’s forests, coastline, and backyard plots can offer. I was shown the culinary magic happening at Tallulah’s: a tasting menu built around hyperlocal ingredients from their own farm and nearby producers, paired with cocktails that borrow the same ethos of improvisation and respect for the land. Even their casual “bar nights,” with sourdough pizzas and small plates, feature a cocktail program that feels like a summer garden in full bloom—aromatic, inventive, and never the same twice. She spoke about seasonal shifts with the enthusiasm of someone who can’t wait for the next new herb to sprout, or the next wave of edible seaweed to wash ashore.
What charmed me most wasn’t just how Tallulah’s sources fresh dill or forages for wild rose petals. It was Vanderblue’s confidence that anyone with a garden patch, or even a few pots on a porch, can follow her lead. With a bit of experimentation, that straggly sage might end up in a lemony gin infusion, and those leftover seaweed flakes could lend a briny kick to a martini. For those ready to channel their inner mixologist, the recipes following this story are snapshots of Maine summer in a glass. I’m determined to try them all—from the bright herbaceous sippers to the more daring, sea-scented cocktails—and I can practically taste their fleeting freshness. If you find yourself at Tallulah’s, do mention you spotted them in the pages of edible MAINE. Word on the street is that Vanderblue has a free seasonal cocktail waiting for all our readers, and if you’re half as curious as I was, you’ll want to experience her garden-inspired wizardry firsthand.
