At face value, if you live in this state, you are by definition a “Mainer.” However, there are some long-standing (albeit unofficial) rules around what that title actually entails, mostly around how many generations one’s family goes back. But as more people decide to call Maine home, it is time to relax the old-fashioned moniker standards. To wit: If you love it here enough to live, work and play, you are a Mainer at heart.
For those of you who didn’t spend childhood summers with fingers greasy from OOB pier fries or finally mustering the courage for Frye’s Leap, here is a cheat sheet of why we call this issue The Foods that Maine Us.
Regardless of where you are from, there are some local foods that only make sense under the sweet and salty days of summer. And while lobster and blueberries are certainly iconic to Maine, we are talking beach lunches with Amato’s Italian Sandwiches (toppings precariously perched along the top of the roll); Red Snapper hot dogs from roadside carts (mustard and sweet pickle relish only—don’t get caught with ketchup); massive Whoopie Pies with enough sugar to keep kids up all night…or to, conversely, heal the fantastic first hangover from a late-night campfire passing around Allen’s Coffee Brandy.
We certainly had fun with four local chefs as they reimagine recipes for those classic “Mained” summer foods.
Also, among these pages, Barton Seaver muses on a perfect Maine pairing; Heather O’Day visits Raye’s Mustard and Jacqueline Dole celebrates Wyman’s as they both hit benchmark anniversaries; Josh Berry creates three seafood rolls enhanced with seasonal ingredients; and Rachel Sangiroglu shares why Linekin Bay Resort should be on your family vacation list.
As we enter this long-awaited and hard-earned season, our team hopes you enjoy sunny hours outside with sand on your toes, salt in your hair and a smile on your face—in a simply beautiful way, that is the true essence of what it means to be a Mainer. And in this case, embrace it.
Maggie Knowles, editor-in-chief
Christopher Ellis-Jacobs, publisher
Stephen Phillips, artistic director
