BAR HARBOR REDUX PT 2...

BAR HARBOR REDUX PT 2…

Lobster Man of Maine

Our goal now is to run a couple of tanks of clean fuel through Dave to clean out the emissions control systems.  So we do a little research and get advice from some folks and start exploring the area away from Desert Island.  We have also started reading the “The Lobster Gangs of Maine” (1988) by James M. Archeson, an anthropological study of the lobster culture, lifestyle and economy here. 

Our first day out to burn fuel, we head east for Beals Island, an authentic lobster fishing village and alleged source of a great crab roll.  Halfway there the DEF error and check engine lights go back on. (Arghh!) So we turn around and head back to the GMC dealer where they hook Dave up to the diagnostics machine.  There may be lights but there are no error codes…  so now we drive until the lights go off.  

Lobster Pound

It’s back on the road… Crossing the bridge from the fishing village of Jonesport we arrive on Beals Island and are transported to a different time and space.  This is not a gentrified tourist destination; it’s the land of the hard working Downeast lobstermen and women. There are fishing boats in the harbor, more boats on blocks in various stages of repair, wood fences enclose a couple of lobster pounds on either side of the short pier, lobster pots, hundreds if not thousands stacked on the docks and along the shore and the smell of bait, oil, gas, diesel and the sea.

We keep our eyes peeled for the crab rolls… AHHA… We spot the hand painted sign:  “Bayview Takeout, Wicked Good Food!!!”   It’s a low, tan with green trim, wood building with a narrow deck, set back behind a gravel parking lot with a couple of picnic tables off to the side. There is a line at the window and only a few available parking spots.  They have a pretty extensive menu with burgers, hotdogs, chicken, and every flavor of seafood rolls.  The prices seem reasonable.    Considering the variety of dishes being ordered by the folks at the front of the line, they must do everything pretty good.  Once we get to the window we order a couple of crab rolls one with onion rings and one with their sweet potato fries.  Since we opt to dine here, we are instructed to take a seat at the picnic tables and our order will be delivered shortly. (Folks ordering to go, get their food delivered to their cars.) 

Crab Roll & Sweet Potato Fries

Our meals arrive and there must be over a half pound of crab on each roll.  The buns are soft with crisp buttery toasted sides.  The lightly seasoned fresh crab is delicate and sweet. The thinly sliced onion rings are sweet and crisp and the sweet potato fries are crunchy without, soft within and seasoned to perfection.  Probably some of the best sweet potato fries ever!  Locals call this place “Frank’s” after the owner. We call it WICKED GOOD FOOD after the sign.

A wild blue world

On our way back we stop at the huge blue dome at the corner of Highway 1 and 187.  This is Wild Blueberry World.  It's the place to get everything blueberry.  We watch a short video about the plants and harvesting and then we pick up a wild blueberry spread (better than a jam or jelly) and an assortment of baked goods: scones, muffins and a killer blueberry pie.  We have to wait a bit for the farmer to bring in the fresh berries that are being harvested. Once he arrives we add a couple of pints to our purchases and head back to Bar Harbor. 

Award Winning Spirits

The next day we drive out past Schoodic to the Bartlett Spirits of Maine Distillery and winery.  We arrive, with the opinion that the only thing worth tasting is their award winning (Gold medal at the 2013 San Francisco World Spirits Competition) Rusticator Rum.  However, Kathe Bartlett describes some of their pear and blueberry wines as extremely dry and less fruit forward that some of their grape cousins.  We’re skeptical, (ok REALLY skeptical!) We choose six vintages from the dry end of the tasting menu.  The pear wines are refreshing, light and crisp with a slight pear finish.  The blueberry wines are full bodied and robust. Nothing like the fruity desert wines we’ve tasted elsewhere. Bob and Kathe Bartlett prove that a good fruit wine is not an oxymoron.  Next we try the spirits. The crystal clear double gold medal Pear-Eau-de-vie brandy fills the senses with perfect pear. The Apple American brandy is smooth and warming.  But it’s the Rum we come for and it’s the organic molasses based Rusticator Rum we take home. This is a smooth sipping rum with robust vanilla, toffee and cigar smoke aromas that fade to traces of lime and banana. The taste is a salted vanilla and brown sugar with a long sweet finish.  Six bottles come home with us, two pear and two blueberry wines and two bottles of Rusticator Rum.

Seafood and Recycling

Since this is crab season we stop at Tibbitts Seafood, shack with the hand written sign, the chainsaw art and peeling paint outside, a few coolers inside and a crusty all business proprietress.  Here you can pick up a variety of fresh seafood and recycle your empty bottles and cans. We get a couple of pints of crabmeat and enjoy a variety of crab dishes over the next few days.

Penobscot Narrows Bridge

More driving… we head west… and see Fort Knox…
(Not the one with all the gold, we’re not that far west… duh…)

The entrance fee to the Fort Knox State Park covers exploration of the fort and a minimal extra fee allows access to the observation tower of the Penobscot Narrows Bridge.  First we head to the tallest public bridge observatory in the world.  (Why have we never heard of this???)

The elevator shoots up and in just over a minute we are two floors below the 420’ observation deck.  From the deck we have views of the entire surrounding area. 

Inside Ft. Knox

After, we head over to the fort. This granite fort was never fully completed, never saw battle and was eventually declared excess federal government property and sold to the state of Maine. There is a visitor center with a sign indicating that tours are available. We ask the bored docent behind the desk and he points to an equally unenthusiastic docent seated by the door talking to a couple of visitors who are also seated.  We approach & try to make eye contact.  The docent continues to talk and answer questions and never looks at us, even though we are standing directly behind the two other visitors.  We wait patiently and after a bit figure that a) we forgot to take off our invisibility cloaks, b) are being ignored or c) the docent sitting & talking IS the tour.  So we head out and have a great time exploring the fort on our own.  There are lots of tunnels and fun photo ops and the fort is in remarkably good shape with very few restricted areas. 

Ft. Knox

Afterwards we drive across the bridge over to Bucksport to view the fort from across the river and grab a bite at the Harbor View Grille. We get a great table on the deck with unobstructed views of the river and the fort.  One order of the daily special: a pair of Red Hot Dogs stuffed with blue cheese and topped with grilled onions and for a dollar extra a side of Poutine (French fries with gravy and cheese curds.) OK the red dogs are visually weird, but they taste like a regular albeit a good dog. Guess there’s no relationship between color and taste.  The word poutine is French Acadian slang for “mushy mess.”  It’s a simple dish of French fries sprinkled with cheese curds and then drizzled with gravy, the end result is an outstanding junk food taste sensation… so decadent it should be illegal!  Second order is the Crabby Cake, a crab cake burger on a toasted bun with tomato, lettuce, and a well-balanced chipotle aioli with a side of onion rings.  The Crab cake is fresh and light without a lot of filler and slightly crisp around the edges.  The chipotle aioli lends the right amount of zest. Rings are crisp and not greasy.  Service is good, food is good, and today is good!

Eagle Lake

After all this driving around we feel like we need to do some hiking and biking.  We head into Acadia and hike along the carriage road from the visitor center to Eagle Lake.  Then we bike along the same road, it’s pretty much all up hill. Chris is enjoying, me not so much… I stop at the beaver pond to explore and take more photos while Chris continues on to Eagle Lake. When he returns we coast back down to the visitor center.  After a rain day of doing nothing, It’s back to the park.  I drop Chris off at the visitor center with his bike and he rides to Jordon Pond. I drive up to Jordan Pond and hike the 3.6-mile perimeter of the pond. 

Chris arrives just as I’m finishing the loop and we partake in a meal at the Jordan Pond House.  A cup of seafood chowder with a couple of their famous pop overs and a BLTT (A nothing special, something you can probably get in any supermarket deli across the nation, Bacon Lettuce Tomato and Turkey Sandwich.) The food is overpriced for the quality and the popovers overrated. (In our opinion a case where the legend and ambiance overly influences the culinary perceptions, Ouch!)

But wait… there’s more… next the Downeast arts… fine, folk and industrial…