Cup o' Joe
Food, travel, and news on the Chesapeake Bay
Sign No. 8,345 that the Economy Is in the Tank
You may have noticed the photograph of two red kayaks on the cover of our current issue. (May/June 2009) That shot was supposed to have accompanied a story about L.L. Bean’s Outdoor Discovery School, which has been actively leading kayaking classes and tours in Annapolis as well as overnight kayaking getaways for the past several years.
Last September I signed on for Bean’s Chesapeake Bay Island Hopping trip, which covered kayaking and bunking down at several islands in the lower bay, including Smith and Tangier. My group of 10—plus three guides—had a wonderful time and I was all set to report on it in our May/June issue. We had the story written and designed, the photos all picked. But then after contacting Bean to verify dates for this season’s trips, we received an e-mail stating that “due to the current economic and business environment, L.L. Bean, like many businesses, has needed to make some difficult budget decisions. And for us at the Outdoor Discovery Schools, this included the decision to suspend all of our courses, trips, and tours in the Mid-Atlantic region—including the Chesapeake Bay trip.”
There was also something in there apologizing “for the short notice.”
Magazine folks aren’t used to scrambling like our antacid-popping newspaper brethren, but scramble we did. I quickly contacted my friend and kayaking guru Tom Horton to ask him for a few of his favorite area paddles and we included his responses in a brief story so we could still retain our kayak-themed cover.
It’s a shame that L.L. Bean decided to suspend its Mid-Atlantic ODS programs. They’ve only had a presence down here for a few years—not enough time to gain necessary traction. But I know quite a few people who took its kayaking basics courses in Eastpost, and all of my trip mates were enthusiastic about signing up for more tours.
So what does all this mean? No. 1: Even stalwarts like L.L. Bean are hurting in this economy. And No. 2: You can’t always judge a magazine by its cover.
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Posted by .(JavaScript must be enabled to view this email address) on 04/21/09 at 02:34 PM
Did you attend Marlborough Hunt Races at Roedown last weekend? Unfortunately, I couldn’t make it, but I heard the weather was beautiful. I also heard some buzz about this new signature drink, the Roedowner. The Preakness has the black-eyed Susan and the Kentucky Derby has the mint julep, so Roedown should have its own drink, too, right? Organizers held a contest and Eastport yacht broker Rick Casali representing the Old Stein Inn in Edgewater won with his creation. (See recipe below).
But this whole “signature drink” thing has me thinking. What if every event had a drink of its own? For instance, my 3-year-old is celebrating her birthday this weekend. I’m thinking we need a signature drink for the party. Let’s call it “The Toddler.” Fill one sippy cup with 4 ounces of milk, dip in an Oreo cookie. Slurp once. Spill the whole thing on the floor. Cry.
I’m going to the dentist next week. There should be drink for that, too. Let’s call it “The Rinse and Spit.” You can only imagine what would be in it…
But just think: You could have signature drinks for virtually any occasion: company board meetings (black coffee followed by a whisky chaser?), your annual spring garage sale (stale Budweiser—in cans), even your yearly prostate exam. (Um, maybe not that.)
So what would be in a “Chesapeake Lifer” cocktail? How about an ounce of Natty Boh, a shot of Dogfish Head rum, and spritz of water from the Bay. Now that’s refreshing!
Oh, if you want to make the Roedowner at home, here’s that recipe: 1.5 ounces of brandy, 1 ounce of Triple Sec, 6 ounces of chilled champagne or sparkling wine. Pour first two ingredients into a champagne tulip, pewter, or silver stirrup cup, or red wine balloon. Fill with chilled champagne and garnish with sprig of fresh mint and a small slice of orange.
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Posted by .(JavaScript must be enabled to view this email address) on 04/09/09 at 08:52 AM
Sitting here drinking a cup of shade-grown Sumatra and thinking about the nice dinner I had last night in Millington, Md., of all places. Never heard of Millington? It’s a tiny town of 400-plus that straddles the Kent and Queen Anne county lines. It does have its very own exit sign along Route 301, just south of the Delaware-Maryland border. And a new Food Lion supermarket, too.
But it also has the Two Tree Restaurant, which opened about a year ago. The owner, Dennis Hager, is also the town pharmacist, former mayor, a recreational gardener, and outspoken town booster. He opened his restaurant, he says, because at every place to eat in Millington, “you leave smelling like onion rings.” We agreed that smelling like onion rings is not necessarily a bad thing, but it’s better to have the choice not to.
Two Tree’s menu ranges from nightly “blue plate specials” of Shepherd’s Pie and Prime Rib to shrimp with sausage, tasso gravy and grits. Plus, I’d wager it’s the only place in Kent or Queen Anne’s county to find fresh ceviche. Yes, ceviche in downtown Millington.
Behind the burners at the restaurant is the husband-wife duo of Michael and Eileen Jacobson, a couple of kitchen veterans from the Charleston, S.C., restaurant scene, whose last gig was doing the catering for one of Circe du Soleil’s traveling shows. As a side project, the pair has recently launched a series of multicourse, gourmet wine dinners prepared with locally sourced ingredients. Even better: all profits from the $80 tickets go to charity. The next one is coming up sometime in May; check their Web site for more info.
So next time you’re in Millington (or, more likely, whizzing by on Route 301), stop by Two Tree for lunch or dinner: you won’t leave smelling like onion rings.
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Posted by .(JavaScript must be enabled to view this email address) on 04/03/09 at 10:25 AM
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