Have you heard of Maine’s Whoopie Pie Festival? Held yearly in Dover-Foxcroft, this festival pays homage to the sweet treat. Since 2011, the whoopie pie festival has been Maine’s official treat. For anyone who isn’t aware, a whoopie pie is comprised of two soft cookies with a whipped filling sandwiched between the two. Whoopie pies were once only a Maine delicacy – nowadays, they are found all over the country and the world!

The Whoopie Pie Festival is an extravaganza with a multitude of events! The day begins with a 3k walk/run named “Earn Your Whoopie Pie.” Once the athletics are out of the way, there are more than 100 vendors to explore! These vendors sell arts, crafts, and other non-whoopie pie foods! You can enjoy rides, games, live music, and a best-dressed-pet contest as you stroll. Getting to the sweet stuff, there is a whoopie pie eating contest. Of course, there is also the opportunity to try all the different flavors and types of whoopie pies! Other bakers compete to see who has the best whoopie pie – guests can taste the desserts and vote for their favorites!

This year, the festival is held on October 2nd from 10 am to 4 pm. Don’t miss out!t! If you’re interested in being a baker, check out the link ! If you’re interested in being a non whoopie pie vendor, click ! For more information, including the “whoopie zone” which tracks whoopie pie sellers near you, check out the!

If this has made you hungry for a sweet treat – check out one of our previous blogs that has a great whoopie pie recipe that can hold you over until the festival! Happy eating!

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Maine is already known for the famously grown blueberries, but what could make them better? Mimi’s Maine Blueberry Cobbler could enhance the amazing blueberry experience. The recipe can be found , or can be viewed below! My family is one that loves their deserts after dinner, so this will have to become something that I try to make as soon as the blueberry picking season comes along!

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Blueberry Mixture:

• 4 cups of blueberries
• 1/2 cup sugar
• 2 tablespoons cornstarch
• 1 tablespoon lemon juice
• 1/4 teaspoon cinnamon
• 1/8 teaspoon nutmeg

Cobbler:

• 1 1/2 cups flour
• 1/4 cup sugar
• 1 1/2 teaspoon baking powder
• 1/4 teaspoon baking soda
• 4 1/2 tablespoons cold butter
• 3/4 cup buttermilk, plus 1 tablespoon

Directions:

Blueberries:

In a large bowl combine all the ingredients, then place in a sprayed baking dish and bake for 10 minutes at 375 degrees while you prepare the Cobbler.

Cobbler:

In a bowl combine the first 5 ingredients and mix the combination well. Cut and put in the cold butter, mix until it looks like crumbs. Next, stir in the buttermilk until the mixture becomes moistened. Then, take the cobbler mixture by tablespoons and place them onto the blueberry mixture. After that, sprinkle sugar on the top and place in the oven for 25- 30 minutes at 375 degrees. Serve warm with vanilla ice cream or whipped cream. Enjoy!

-Cameron Houde

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Ployes

If you’re from Northern Maine, you know what a ploye is. For anyone who isn’t, it’s a French-Acadian food, made of buckwheat flour. They’re often compared to a pancake or a crepe, though they’re a bit different from both of them. For many french families in Maine, they’re a staple. I grew up in Penobscot country, but my dad grew up with Canada just across the river. 

Growing up, my dad used to make ployes all the time. They’re an extremely versatile food. Ployes can (and are) eaten for every meal. They can be paired with anything that you like. In my family, we often had them for breakfast, with butter as the only topping, or along with sausage rolled up in the ploye. We also commonly had them as a side dish for chicken stew, which is a perfect combo on cold Winter nights. Ployes can also be eaten with fruits on top, or as my dad does, with creton, which is a pork spread. (I’ve linked a recipe , though I didn’t make any in my video). Maple syrup is also a good combo, and if you’re interested in maple syrup, comes about every spring!

When making ployes, you have two options. One is a ploye mix, in which you only have to add water. The other way is from scratch, which only requires a few more ingredients! I’ll include recipes for both! Regardless of how you make it, they’ll be delicious! 

For more help making the recipe, check out the I made!

Ingredients: (Makes around 10 ployes, depending on the size)

• 1 cups buckwheat flour
• 1/3 cup white flour
• 1.5 teaspoons baking powder
• ½  teaspoon salt
• 1 cups cold water
• 1/2 cup hot water

With the mix:

• 1 cup ploye mix
• 1 cup cold water
• ½ cup hot water

for a video on how to make ployes step by step!

Instructions:

1. Mix all the ingredients together
2. Add the cold water and mix it until combined
3. Then add the hot water and mix, until the batter has no lumps, and is fairly thin. You want a batter that isn’t quite as thick as pancake batter, but not like water.
4. Once the batter is ready, you can put some on whatever you’re cooking it on. This can be a cast-iron skillet, a pan, or a griddle, whatever works best. I usually put about a ¼ of batter on the pan
5. If you see the ploye ‘bubbling’ and creating little holes, then you’re doing it right! The ploye should be pretty thin, not at all the thickness of a pancake. In my research on different recipes, most say to wait until the top is dry and don’t flip it, but my dad always used to flip it, so there’s no harm in either approach.
6. Keep making the ployes until they are all done, mixing the batter before making a new one. To keep them hot, put them on a plate with a dishtowel over the completed ones.
7. Once you’re all done, top them with whatever you would like, berries, maple syrup, butter, sausage, creton, or something else!

-Aubrey Duplissie

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Maine, and New England as a whole, is home to many comfort foods that are perfect for any time of year. Macaroni and cheese is a staple in many parts of the U.S., but try out this recipe from for a special baked macaroni and cheese that has tomatoes and sausage in it!

Maine Maple Sunday is coming up soon, and what better way to celebrate than to get in the mood with a recipe that is best prepared with it? Use up what’s left of last year’s stock (if you have any!) in this recipe for maple cashew bark, from the !

Macaroni and Cheese with Tomatoes and Sausage – New England Today

Ingredients

• 2 links of Italian sausage, casings removed
• 6 cups milk
• 6 tablespoons unsalted butter
• 1/2 cup all-purpose flour
• 2 teaspoons salt
• 1/4 teaspoon nutmeg
• 1/2teaspoon black pepper
• 1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper
• 3 cups grated cheddar cheese
• 3 cups grated Gruyère cheese
• 1 pound elbow macaroni
• 2 tomatoes, sliced thin

Directions

Preheat the oven to 400 degrees Fahrenheit (200 Celsius). Butter a 3-quart casserole dish and set aside.

In a medium skillet, brown the sausages in a little olive oil, using a wooden spoon to break them up into bite-sized pieces. Set aside.

Prepare the macaroni according to the package directions for al dente. Drain and toss with a small amount of olive oil (so it won’t stick), then set aside.

In a medium saucepan, warm the milk over medium heat – do not let it boil.

While the milk is warming, place the butter in a large saucepan or Dutch oven over medium heat. When butter bubbles, add flour. Whisk butter and flour together for 1 minute.

Slowly pour hot milk into butter-flour mixture. Continue cooking, whisking constantly, until the mixture bubbles and becomes thick.

Remove the pan from the heat. Stir in salt, nutmeg, black pepper, cayenne pepper, and cheeses. Stir in the sausage and macaroni.

Pour the mixture into the prepared casserole dish and arrange tomato slices on top.

Bake until cheese is lightly browned and bubbling, about 20 minutes.

Creamy Maple Cashew Bark – Maine Maple Producers Association

Ingredients

• 1-1/2 cups Maine maple syrup
• 1-1/2 cups cashew nuts, lightly toasted
• 2-3 tablespoons butter
• 1 teaspoon baking soda

Directions

Lightly butter a baking sheet and set it aside.

Combine the maple syrup and nuts in a large, heavy pan and slowly bring to a simmer. Cook, stirring as little as possible until the mixture reads 270 degrees Fahrenheit (132 Celsius) on a candy thermometer.

Stir in the butter and remove pan from the heat. Quickly stir in the baking soda, which will make the mixture foam. Pour it at once onto the prepared sheet and use the back of the spoon to spread the candy as thin as you can get it.

Allow to cool, then break into pieces and store in an airtight tin.

The post Baked Macaroni and Cheese with a Twist + Maple Cashew Bark appeared first on Undiscovered Maine.

Green bean casserole is a dish enjoyed by many during the colder months of the year. It’s one of those things you come to expect at a New England dinner table, and makes the perfect side dish for a number of different proteins, or even as a standalone dish! It’s got everything you would want in a baked dish.

As a dessert dish this week, below is a recipe for a steamed chocolate pudding. This isn’t your standard plastic cup chocolate pudding; this is a proper pudding served in a rustic fashion: a tin can! It’s easy and gives a new life to something you would otherwise throw away after using.

Best Green Bean Casserole – Jan, allrecipes

Ingredients

• 2 (14.5 ounce) cans green beans, drained
• 1 (10.75 ounce) can condensed cream of mushroom soup
• 1 (6 ounce) can French fried onions
• 1 cup shredded Cheddar cheese

Directions

Place green beans and soup in a large microwave-safe bowl. Mix well and heat in the microwave on HIGH until warm (3 to 5 minutes). Stir in 1/2 cup of cheese and heat mixture for another 2 to 3 minutes. Transfer green bean mixture to a casserole dish and sprinkle with French fried onions and remaining cheese.

Bake in a preheated 350 degrees F (175 degrees C) oven until the cheese melts and the onions just begin to brown.

Steamed Chocolate Pudding – Cooking Down East

Ingredients

• 1 egg
• 1/2 cup sugar
• 1 1/2 squares chocolate
• 1 cup flour
• 1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 1/2 cup milk
• 1 teaspoon vanilla
• 1 teaspoon butter

Directions

Beat egg. Add sugar and continue to beat. Add melted butter and chocolate, that have been cooled.

Sift flour and measure. Sift together with salt and baking powder. Add dry ingredients alternately into creamed mixture with milk. Add vanilla.

Pour into greased pan and steam for 1 hour.

Steaming directions: Grease 2 tin cans well. Pour batter evenly into them both, and cover by tying wax paper to the top of the cans, or press aluminum foil to cover the top. Set cans into a pie plate. Pour hot water into pie plate. Set into oven. Bake 1 hour at 350 F (175 C).

The post Green Bean Casserole and Steamed Chocolate Pudding appeared first on Undiscovered Maine.

Today’s recipes will be different from what we have done in the past, in that they will stray away from the two cookbooks that we have been using since the start of this series. Today’s recipes come from Yankee Magazine and Kitchn, though the recipes are still very New England all the same!

Boiled dinner is a classic New England staple, warming hearts and bellies for generations! Traditionally made with corned beef and cabbage among other vegetables, this recipe will stay true to that tradition. For dessert, a classic New England spider cake will accompany the main course. Spider cake has a corn base, but it isn’t cornbread! It’s a unique creation in itself, that puts a creamy twist on that classic cornbread style.

New England Boiled Dinner – Yankee Magazine

Ingredients

• 4 pounds corned beef
• 15 peppercorns
• 8 whole garlic cloves
• 1 bay leaf
• 8 small beets
• 2 turnips, cut into pieces
• 16 small new potatoes, peeled
• 16 baby carrots
• 8 small white onions
• 1 head cabbage, cut into 8 wedge-shaped pieces

Directions

Cover beef with water and simmer 10 minutes, covered, in a large kettle. Skim off and discard the residue that forms on top of water. Add peppercorns, cloves, and bay leaf. Cover and simmer 3 hours or until meat is tender.

Put beets in separate pan with a little water. Bring to a boil, then reduce heat and simmer until tender, about 30 minutes.

Add turnips, potatoes, carrots, and onions to kettle with meat. Simmer, covered, 15 minutes longer.

Add cabbage and cook, covered, 15 minutes more.

Remove meat, cut into serving pieces, and place on platter surrounded with well-drained vegetables.

Spider Cake – Kitchn

Ingredients

• 2 tablespoons unsalted butter, plus more for greasing the pan
• 2 cups whole milk
• 1/2 cup granulated sugar
• 2 large eggs
• 1 1/2 tablespoons white vinegar
• 1 cup all-purpose flour
• 3/4 cup yellow cornmeal
• 1 teaspoon baking powder
• 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
• 3/4 teaspoon fine sea salt
• 1 cup heavy cream
• Maple syrup, for serving

Directions

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Baked beans are a New England staple. They are one of those dishes that every family has their own unique recipe for! Try out this recipe below, and enjoy a slow-cooked, rich and hearty meal that really grounds you in what it means to be a New Englander!

For dessert, try out this recipe for blueberry gingerbread. What better way to celebrate winter in Maine than to utilize Maine blueberries to create a classic winter sweet!

Maine Baked Beans – Warren Jameson, MASP

Ingredients

• 2 pounds yellow-eyed beans
• 1/2 pound salt pork
• 1/4 cup sugar
• 1/2 to 2/3 cup molasses
• 2 teaspoons dry mustard
• 1/2 teaspoon pepper
• 1 1/2 tablespoons salt
• 1 medium onion (optional)

Directions

Soak the beans overnight in cold water. In the morning, parboil the beans until the skins crack. If an onion is used, cut in quarters and put in bottom of bean pot. Add the parboiled beans. Cut through the rind of the salt pork to a depth of 1/2 inch and place the porn on the top of the beans.

Mix the sugar, molasses, mustard, pepper, and salt with 1 pint of boiling water. Pour this over the beans and pork. If necessary, add more boiling water to cover. Bake at 300 degrees Fahrenheit (150 Celsius) for 6 hours or more, adding more boiling as the beans cook.

Blueberry Gingerbread – Cooking Down East

Ingredients

• 1/2 cup shortening
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1 cup sugar
• 1 egg
• 2 cups flour
• 1/2 teaspoon ginger
• 1 teaspoon cinnamon
• 1 teaspoon baking soda
• 3 tablespoons molasses
• 1 cup sour milk or buttermilk
• 1 cup Maine blueberries
• 3 tablespoons sugar

Directions

Cream shortening. Add salt. Add sugar gradually. Add unbeaten egg and beat mixture until light and creamy.

Sift and measure flour. Sift with ginger and cinnamon.

Measure baking soda into buttermilk or sour milk. Stir baking soda to dissolve.

Add sifted dry ingredients and sour milk alternately to creamed mixture. Add 3 tablespoons molasses.

Add blueberries. Use a greased and floured 9×9-inch pan. Turn batter into pan. Sprinkle 3 tablespoons sugar over top of batter. Bake at 350 degrees Fahrenheit (175 Celsius) for 50 to 60 minutes.

Chopped raisins may be substituted for the blueberries.

The post Maine Baked Beans and Blueberry Gingerbread appeared first on Undiscovered Maine.

Maine has been experiencing quite a few storms lately, so it’s time to make something hearty that will be sure to keep you warm and full while the nor’easters fly outside! Today, try out this recipe for a delicious lamb stew, that comes with optional dumplings. If you would rather, what follows is another recipe for easy cheesy garlic biscuits!

Lamb Stew and Dumplings – Cooking Down East

Ingredients (Stew)

• 2 pounds of lamb
• 2 sliced onions
• 1 cup diced carrots
• 1 cup celery
• 2 teaspoons salt
• 1/4 teaspoon pepper
• 3 cups water

Ingredients (dumplings)

• 2 eggs
• 2 cups sifted flour
• 2 teaspoons baking powder
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 2/3 cup of milk

Directions (stew)

Select an inexpensive cut of lamb. Cut into cubes and brown in heavy pan. Add onions and brown at the same time. Add vegetables, seasonings, and the 3 cups of water. Cover kettle and bring to a steaming point. Lower heat and cook for at least an hour.

Directions (dumplings)

Mix dry ingredients. Add milk and beaten egg. Drop into stew or gravy being sure it is at steaming point, then turn to low heat for 10 minutes.

Cheese Garlic Biscuits – Linda Miller, MASP

Ingredients

• 2 cups Bisquick
• 2/3 cup milk
• 1/2 cup shredded cheddar cheese
• For the topping: 1/4 cup butter and 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder

Directions

Preheat oven to 450 Fahrenheit (230 Celsius). Combine Bisquick, milk and cheese. Mix until soft dough forms. Beat 30 seconds. Drop by heaping tablespoons onto ungreased cookie sheet. Bake 8 to 10 minutes until golden brown. Brush melted butter and garlic over warm biscuits before removing from cookie sheet.

The post Lamb Stew and Cheese Garlic Biscuits appeared first on Undiscovered Maine.

As is known by most, Maine is famous for its seafood. A salt cod dinner is such a quintessentially Maine meal that it just had to be put here. The cod is served with potatoes and beets, and this recipe makes enough for 6 people! The fish is served on a hot platter with the beautiful red and white arrangement of potatoes.

For a simple and quick dessert, butter crunch is on the menu! Break out the Karo corn syrup, just a few other ingredients for this easy-to-snack-on sweet!

Salt Cod Dinner – Cooking Down East

Ingredients

• 1 pound salt cod
• 6 medium-sized potatoes
• 6 medium-sized beets
• 4 tablespoons all-purpose flour
• 1/4 pound salt pork
• 2 cups milk
• 1/4 teaspoon pepper

Directions

Soak salt codfish overnight to freshen it. If time is a factor, then place dried salt fish in a kettle, add about 1 quart cold water. Heat this to just about the boiling point, but do not boil. Pour off this water and do it all over again. You probably will want to do this a third time, too. Taste fish to be certain it is not too salty.

After freshening fish by either method, simmer it just below the boiling point, until fish is tender. This will take only a few minutes. Remember, this fish should never be boiled, it makes it tough. The fish is done if it will flake when broken.

Boil the potatoes, boil and dice or slice the beets or use canned beets.

Wash the 1/4 pound salt pork, then dice. Cook salt pork very slowly in a frying pan over low heat. Drain the pork and return about 4 tablespoons of the fat to frying pan.

Add 4 tablespoons flour to the fat and stir. Add pepper. Add milk slowly, stirring constantly so that the gravy will be smooth. Add a little salt if necessary. Keep this gravy hot At this point, the cooked salt cod may be added to this gravy or served in the following manner:

Place freshened, cooked fish on a hot platter. Place the crispy bits of fried salt pork on top of the fish. Make a red border of the diced or sliced beets around the fish. Serve the gravy and the cooked potatoes separately. If you prefer, the gravy may be poured over the fish, then the crispy salt pork sprinkled on top of this.

Butter Crunch – Wendy Smith, MASP

Ingredients

• 2 cups sugar
• 2 cups butter
• 1/4 cup water
• 2 tablespoons Karo syrup
• 2 cups nuts
• 2 cups chocolate chips

Directions

Boil sugar, butter, water, and Karo syrup. Stir until sugar dissolves. Continue until it reaches 280 Fahrenheit (137 Celsius) to 290 Fahrenheit (143 Celsius), then stir in nuts. Put into greased cookie sheet and spread out. Melt chocolate chips and spread on each side.

The post Salt Cod Dinner and Butter Crunch appeared first on Undiscovered Maine.

A casserole dish is a versatile tool! In them, one can make any number of different dishes, both savory and sweet. In this case, a warm and hearty casserole is sure to make you feel full and cozy during this cold spell!

To satisfy the evening sweet tooth, this recipe for raspberry buckle has it all! Cake, berries, and that classic combination of cinnamon and sugar that seems to go well on just about anything.

Hearty Casserole – Cooking Down East

Ingredients

• 1 pound ground beef
• 2 medium onions, sliced thin
• 3 or 4 carrots, cut in 1-inch pieces
• 4 or 5 stalks celery, cut in 1/2-inch pieces
• 3 or 4 medium potatoes, quartered
• 2 tablespoons margarine
• 1/4 teaspoon black pepper
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 3 tablespoons flour

Directions

Make patties from the ground beef and brown in the margarine in a frying pan. Remove browned patties from pan and place in bottom of a greased casserole.

Arrange vegetables in layers over the meat.

Add flour to drippings in frying pan, add salt and pepper and stir to mix, add 1 1/2 to 2 cups of water to mixture to make a medium gravy. Pour this all over vegetables. Cover and bake at 375 Fahrenheit (190 Celsius) for 1 1/4 hours. Serves 4. Use more ground beef and/or vegetables depending on how many people are being served.

Raspberry Buckle – Dianne Everett, MASP

Ingredients

• 1/3 cup margarine
• 3/4 cup sugar
• 2 eggs
• 1 teaspoon vanilla
• 3/4 cup milk
• 2 cups sifted flour
• 3 teaspoons baking powder
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1/4 cup sugar
• 2 cups raspberries
• 1/4 cup sugar and cinnamon

Directions

Cream margarine with 3/4 cup sugar. Add eggs and vanilla. Beat well, then add milk, flour, baking powder, and salt. Beat well.

Spread in greased 9×13-inch pan. Sprinkle 1/4 cup sugar over berries. Spread these evenly over cake mixture. Sprinkle 1/4 cup sugar and cinnamon over berries. Bake at 350 Fahrenheit (175 Celsius) for 30 to 35 minutes.

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