Smelt Fishing In Maine

Posted on | February 8, 2010 | 6 Comments

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Photos above by Gregg Elliott

On Saturday night Greg and I headed north past Portland, following route 1, and then turning down a long dirt road into pitch darkness. It was a balmy 12 degrees out, we were bundled up, our truck packed with supplies, ready to experience a real Maine tradition, smelt fishing in February. Smelts are found in the salt waters of Maine as they run upstream to spawn. The most common way of fishing for them in Maine is by setting up a shanty on the ice covered tidal estuaries in the winter months. River Bend Smelt Camps in Bowdoinham rents shanties fully equipped with a stove, wood, electricity, lines, and bait. We called ahead and booked a shanty on the outgoing tide; 8pm to 2 am with my brother Gregg and fishing guide Greg. Yes, it was me and three Greggs. Strange I know.

We headed out across the ice seeing about a dozen shanties in the distant. I started to breath heavy as I realized I couldn’t see where the ice began or ended. “We’re on the ocean, right?” I yelled ahead. How could this be safe? Does salt water even freeze? I calmed myself by looking above at the star filled sky. “I won’t die”, I kept telling myself. The boys were already about 20 yards in front of me completely unfazed.

Inside the shanty was a wood floor, wood burning stove, a cord of wood, and several wooden chairs. Along the outer walls of the shanty are long gaps exposing the water below the ice. Above hang a series of lines with hooks mounted on a pole. The pole allowed us to jiggle all the lines at once enticing the fish below. We brought along a small rod to get the full experience.

We caught about 8 fish; 5 smelts and a few perch. We battered them in cajun seasonings and then fried them in a cast iron skillet on a camp stove inside the shanty. The boys cut off the heads and tails and swallow them whole. I was a little pickier. I used the fresh lemon and a fork.

As the night went on the shanties around us got louder. Groups of men were singing and telling stories were the “f-word” was the subject and adjective. The ice around us cracked as the tide went out. After a few beers, my fears were replace by, “did you hear that one?”

Looking for a fishing guide in Maine? Greg Bostater came with us on our trip. Great guy. Check out his site maineriverguides.com.

River Bend Smelt Camps
24 Wallentine Rd (off Route 24)
Bowdoinham, Maine
(207) 666-5945

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Category: maine

Farmer’s Diner & Antique Mall

Posted on | February 5, 2010 | 15 Comments

One last post about my Vermont weekend. Sunday morning it was still freezing cold. I had planned for us to go snowshoeing but I was being a baby—8 degrees at 10 am is just too cold to be outside. We headed over to The Farmer’s Diner for breakfast. I was totally impressed with their homemade english muffins. I would love to try making my own.

Next to the diner is a Cabot cheese store and Antique mall. I sampled a few cheeses but it was hard to get them down because I was so stuffed from breakfast. Greg kept telling how disgusting I was for even trying to fit anything else in my belly. But it was cheese and I love cheese. We poked through the hundreds of booths admiring all the treasures. I was amazed how patient Greg was being. I didn’t really find anything I needed but I did snap a few photos. So many perfect still-life compositions.

The Farmer’s Diner
Quechee Gorge Village
5573 Woodstock Rd. RT 4
Quechee, VT

The Vermont Antique Mall
Quechee Gorge Village
5573 Woodstock Rd. RT 4
Quechee, VT

Tools For Sale at Antique Mall In Vermont

Old Bottles for Sale at Antique Mall in Vermont

Tom Swift Books at Antique Mall in Vermont

Category: eating out, vermont, vintage finds

Recipe: Maple Oatmeal Bread

Posted on | February 4, 2010 | 12 Comments

Inspired by my trip to Vermont over the weekend I made Maple Oatmeal Bread. It was pretty yum, better toasted. It’s just not what I imagined. I keep remembering this bread from my childhood from a bakery in North Conway, New Hampshire. The loaf I made tastes like it’s missing something. It needs to have more taste layers and be less dense? Does that make sense? I baked the loaves in two different types of pans. On the left I used King Arthur’s steel and aluminum loaf pan (picked up in VT) and on the right Emile Henry ’s Ceramic Loaf pan. The rise was better in the King Arthur pan. Wonder why? (read answer in comments) I did everything the same way. Let me know if you’ve come across a Oatmeal Bread recipe you love or have any bread tips. Recipe below.

Recipe adapted from Bernard Clayton’s New Complete Book of Breads

Ingredients:

2 1/2 cups boiling water
1 cup rolled oats
1 package dry yeast
3/4 cup maple syrup
2 teaspoons salt
1 tablespoon oil
5 cups bread or all-purpose flour

2 medium 8″x4″ loaf pans, greased

In a large bowl pour the boiling water over the oatmeal and set aside for an hour.

Sprinkle the yeast over the cooled oatmeal and stir to mix. Add the maple syrup, salt, oil, and 3 cups of flour into the oatmeal. It will have the consistency of a heavy batter. Cover the bowl with plastic wrap and set aside to rise for an hour.

Add additional flour, 1/2 cup at a time, to form a dough that can be lifted from the bowl and placed on surface or into a mixer with hook attachment. Knead by hand or using dough hook for 10 minutes. The dough should be clean the bowl in the final stages of kneading.

Divide the dough into 2 pieces and shape it into loaves and place in greased loaf pans. Cover and let rise another 45 minutes.

Preheat oven to 350 degrees at least 15 minutes. This is a fairly slow oven, so allow 40 – 50 minutes for the bead to bake to a light golden loaf. Remove the bread from the oven and turn the loaves from the pans. Place the loaves on a metal rack to cool before serving.

Category: recipes

Marry Me Barn

Posted on | February 3, 2010 | 6 Comments

I spotted this barn in West Hartford, Vermont over the weekend. Since Valentine’s day is around the corner I thought I would share. Greg joked about doing the same to our house. I laughed, “Our house is already two colors!”

Category: vermont

Architecture In Woodstock, VT

Posted on | February 3, 2010 | 11 Comments

Woodstock is a small rural village located in central Vermont. As you drive into town the Ottauquechee river meanders alongside as large rolling fields dotted with spectacular farm houses reach out into the distance. My first thought as I awe struck by the landscape, “Beautiful.” My second, “Who the heck lives here?” The views are so stunning, the houses so well kept and elaborate, it almost feels like a storybook version of New England.

First settled in 1768 the historic downtown boasts stately homes around a village green. Ornate detailing above the windows and doors caught my eye. The homes looked Georgian (1690-1830) and Federal (1780-1840) but different then anything I have ever seen in New England. The ornamentation above the windows and columns were intricate and elaborate. I snapped a few photos of my favorites below. Sorry if the photos are little shaky it was 6 degrees out at 9 in the morning. My right hand felt like it was going to fall off as I ran up and down the street snapping photos.

p.s. could someone buy me this house in Woodstock?

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Category: architecture, vermont

F.H. Gillingham & Sons General Store

Posted on | February 2, 2010 | 7 Comments

When you walk into Gillingham’s the space is quiet as a library, old wood floors softly creak, couples huddle around kitchen supplies nudging their spouses, “I have always wanted one of these”. Gillingham’s is just that kind of store filled with objects and products where for months you’ve searched. Silver polish cleaner; they have at least 4 different types, tiny files that were perfect for cleaning the details of my molding and a seriously good selection of maple products.

Greg and I spent a least an hour poking our way around the 3,000 sq foot store. I spent most of my time finding him to show him my latest prize, “How great are these utility gloves?”. They sell everything you could possibly need from “caviar to cow manure”.

Above and below a few photos from inside the store. Check out that shovel collection. We were totally in awe of the giant scooper on the right. Maybe it’s great for sidewalks? Find out more about store by visiting gillinghams.com.

F.H. Gillingham & Sons General Store
Elm Street just off Route 4
Woodstock, Vermont
gillinghams.com