I hate to break it to you, but I don’t particularly care for lobster.
This usually gets a shocked look from others. It’s okay. Go ahead. Be shocked. I can handle it.
I’m not sure if my dislike for lobster is because I was raised in South Louisiana and grew up on the perfect, easily peel-able textures of crawfish and shrimp, or if it’s simply because lobster is a deep-ocean being, cold and not so fun (i.e., they’re much harder to play with at the table), or if it’s because I see lobster as a trumped-up version of what the “elite” allegedly eat with all their money and I’m fighting the man by not consuming the propaganda, even though (if I must be honest), I could probably afford it once in a while without too much of a glance, which only strengthens my desire not to eat it. Truthfully, I’ve got no idea.
Either way, I firmly believe that just because you didn’t like something you ate last year (or even yesterday), doesn’t mean you shouldn’t try it again. In fact, I am an advocate for always trying something again, especially if I haven’t eaten it in a while. For instance, as y’all know, I detest olives. But, I recognize that the distaste for them might actually be all in my head, so occasionally, I try an olive again, just to be sure. Recently, I had three (count them: THREE!) olives … and then promptly decided I still do not like them. 🙂
This commitment to the occasional taste-test has proved productive in my foodie lifetime. If you can believe it, there was actually a time that I did not like tea. Or beer. Yes – beer. Who would have ever thought that HumidFoodie didn’t like beer?! There’s a story behind that one, so I will save that for another day. Maybe I will combine it with the story of my mother and tea.
In any event, I’ve had a long 2015, but this summer, I was able to take a week off to lollygag up to Bar Harbor, Maine. I even got to see Tom Benson’s yacht, the Lady Gayle Marie! A few days after seeing it, I heard that the Bensons were entertaining the Bushes. Yes. Former President Bush. I guess owning a couple of sports teams has its perks. 😉
This is how I wound up eating my first local, fresh lobster in Bar Harbor, Maine. I call it, “The Obligatory Maine Lobster.”
The traditional seafood bake was filling. Lobster, of course, with clams and mussels, fresh steamed corn and boiled potatoes. There was butter, but I can’t honestly say that it makes lobster any better. I had it. It’s done. Then I moved on to more “exotic” but local fare:
One of the things I love the most about traveling is trying new food and meeting new people. I had the distinct pleasure of staying at Anne’s White Columns on this trip. The rooms were cozy and the people were great, but honestly, the best part was the breakfast! 🙂 A sister B&B to another up the street, the proprietors were sweeter than sweet, and Bob, the main contact, was an excellent host. He made sure I always had enough coffee … and mid-day wine …. and food … and cheese … and hot chocolate … and and AND: he plays piano in the evenings down at the Arcadia. Heads up: he takes requests! 🙂
The breakfasts alternated each day between savory and sweet, between Quiche and french toast, with “sides of” breads and muffins, with each breakfast starting with either local, in-season fruit or a fruit smoothie. Local sausage or bacon was always on the menu, ready for the eating. You know how much I love bacon … so let’s just say I was super excited to have fresh, local bacon. YUM! Bob’s wife, the infamous and namesake Anne, cooked everything fresh each day. I could never eat it all, but you can be sure I took a doggy bag with me for an afternoon snack around town. Here’s a little highlight of the breakfasts and what you can see on a walk:
All in all, it was an excellent trip up to Maine. I was so surprised at how beautiful it was and how perfect the weather was almost every single day. The skies were such a rich blue and the colors in everything I saw, from flowers to trees … it was just magnificent. I was able to see whales up close and puffins from afar. I even rented a bike one day and rode on the bike path along Mt. Desert (pronounced dessert, gosh I love Mainers). And of course, when I say “rode” what I really mean is “coasted down hills” and “dragged the bike behind me up steep mountain hills” … you understand, right? Here are a few photos of the sights, just for good measure:
I am looking forward to going back. Although a shorter week than I’d have liked, it was still an excellent experience filled with a walk or two a day, gorgeous weather, super nice people and a comfy bed with HGTV. If you’re interested in knowing more about Bar Harbor, visit their site. There’s lots to see and do, especially for you outdoorsy-types!
~ HumidFoodie
HumidFoodie 
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