Coastal Maine Food Review

This weekend was my 5th college reunion at Bowdoin College. There’s a lot to unpack from the weekend, but before we do that, let’s do a Maine Food Review.

Let’s start with my old haunt and former employer, Wild Oats Bakery. To say that this bakery is on point would be to vastly undersell it. Their curried tempeh salad is absolutely to die for. The addition of pickled onions to their menu is enlightened. This was the perfect weekend for me to visit, because they were also doing a fundraiser for another of my former employers, Oasis Free Clinics. The ED at Oasis, Anita, is the reason I got my MPH. Cupcakes for a Cause was a success, and I have to say that the buttercream frosting at Wild Oats really puts other frostings to shame.

Next, I have to highlight my longtime heartthrob, The Gelato Fiasco. I truly don’t know how they manage to make their gelato so fresh and vibrant, but it is pure magic. Strawberry balsamic is my long time favorite flavor, and it did not disappoint. They also have a gelato truck which we saw at the Eastern Prom in Portland, which is very fun.

As part of reunion, Bowdoin brought food trucks to campus, and I was excited to try a charcuterie box from The Portland Board. With absolutely delicious and locally sourced components, this board exceeded my already high expectations. I was especially enamored with the crackers, which I believe are from Mill Cove Baking Co.

I also visited the new gluten-free bakery in Brunswick, The Butchers and Bakers. On the old site of Wild Oats, it’s great to have a new cafe and bakery in downtown Brunswick.

Last but not least, I have to give a quick shout-out to Standard Baking Co. in Portland. They have some of the finest gluten-full bread I’ve had anywhere. And of course, Bowdoin Dining pulled out all of the stops for the reunion itself! Thank you for everything, Bowdoin Dining <3

Until next time,

A very full Sarah

Nice is Nice

I'm happy to report that Nice lives up to its name. This week has been full steam ahead tourism with some nice relaxing beach time mixed in. My mom and I have been walking about 10 miles a day, so the blog has slowed down quite a bit, my apologies.

We covered a lot of ground in our six days in Nice and the Cote d'Azur, including day trips to Beaulieu-sur-Mer, Cannes and Antibes, Juan-les-Pins, and Monaco, as well as a cooking class and a walking tour in Nice.

I can highly recommend the Niçoise salads here (no potatoes or cooked vegetables in the original recipe), as well as the Pan bagnat, which is a Niçoise salad in a sandwich form. The plentiful (and not quite local) rosé pairs nicely with the vegetable-based Niçoise cuisine. Honestly I think I prefer the cuisine here to the heavy butter-based delicacies of Paris (although of course I still have a croissant or pain au chocolat every morning for breakfast).

We were lucky to get an Airbnb this week since we were here during both the Cannes Film Festival and the Grand Prix of Monaco. It was a lovely spot not far from the Nice Ville train station, or from the beach, with adorable balconies for happy hour and for drying laundry out the window.

Since we did so much, I'll summarize with a list of Best-Ofs (according to me).

1. Best Museum: Chagall Museum

2. Best Villa: Villa Ephrussi de Rothschild

3. Best Aquarium: Oceanographic Museum of Monaco

4. Best Cooking Class: Les Petits Farcis - sign up for her newsletter!

5. Best Ice Cream Boat: On the beach of Sainte-Marguerite Island

6. Best Mom: my mom!

All in all, I give it a 10/10 mark and hope to visit again soon! À bientôt mes amis!

Souvenirs de Paris

If we know each other well, you might know that I love shopping. It’s not just accumulating more things that I love though, it’s the hunt for things that express my personality, that remind me of a special place, or make me think of another person. I love giving gifts because I have so much fun picking out special items that a loved one might enjoy. Knowing this about myself, I have to set limits on the number and price range of souvenirs that I buy.

I decided to buy myself one splurge gift this trip (around €100). I fell in love with a Swatch on day one and decided that I had to have it, and that it would be my only big purchase of the trip. I have three Swatches at home, and I love that I can wear it every day, and that it brings a pop of color to any outfit.

As for souvenirs (from French, souvenir = memory), I was excited to buy gifts for roommate, Pringle’s dog sitter, and a few friends. This can be a challenge on a limited budget. First, I bought some French (and Swiss) chocolates at the Monop’ near me. The packaging may not be as charming as the chocolates at the museums and boutique stores, but the quality and price are usually better.

Next, I explored the love of my life, HEMA. This wonderful Dutch cain of small Target-like stores sells only HEMA products, and has fabulous color coordination. I am particularly fond of their dish towels and pot holders with fun patterns such as croissants picked out on them. HEMA also has cheap travel essentials such as extra undies, tissues, and umbrellas. They are often located in train stations and city centers - so convenient. Their snacks are all HEMA brand, and are medium tasty (though often dry). I recommend admiring their party decorations, stationary, and kid’s toys as well.

My last stop for souvenirs in Paris is the trendiest on this list. Fleux is a 6 part store located in the Marais neighborhood. I’m pretty much obsessed with everything in the store, from the vegetable shaped sex toys and earrings in #1, to the houseplants in #2, to the scrunchies in #3 and the art prints in #5. If you’re looking for a gift for me in Paris, look no further ;)

The Marais has way too many cute boutiques for me to hang out there for long on a limited budget, but if you have favorite shops in the area, I would love to hear about them! No matter what I’m shopping for, I try to think about suitcase space and weight, which can help me limit my purchases.

P.S. I also love buying museum postcards; they are relatively inexpensive, lovely, and can make someone’s day.

À très vite!