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Greetings from the Harraseeket Inn! Hard to believe the kids are back in school and the hardwoods are already beginning to don their fall colors. Nights are cool and the smell of woodsmoke flavors the early evening air. These shortening days, while reminding us how brief summer is, also trigger a keen anticipation of foliage season, apple picking and going to the fairs. Check out the Maine fair schedule and the list of Maine orchards where you can pick your own apples and buy fresh squeezed sweet cider, then make an apple pie or some cider donuts and enjoy!
Here in Freeport the summer crowds have transitioned to a slower paced, more relaxed atmosphere. New friends and old gather around our cheerful fire pit in the evenings after a day of sight seeing, browsing the shops, paddling on Casco Bay, hiking the shoreline trails at Wolfe's Neck Park or just kicking back and reading a good book. This is the time of year we love the best. Energized by the low humidity and cool temperatures, we get the winter wood in and harvest our gardens, preparing for winter while savoring these golden days of fall.
Our close proximity to Maine's lakes, mountains and rugged coastline makes this a perfect place to stay to take side trips and foliage tours. Check out all the most popular foliage drives and combine the best of Maine in a special "leaves and lobsters" tour of your own, based right here at the Harraseeket! We can pack a picnic lunch for you to take along if you take a scenic day drive (lobster rolls!), or recommend great eateries along your route. You don't have to go far from the inn. Matter of fact, one of Maine's most popular family hikes listed in Downeast Magazine's 2019 Downeast Reader's Choice is a short hike to none other than the gorgeous Pettengill Farm right here in Freeport. Ablaze with the colors of fall, there could hardly be a more beautiful half mile stroll down a wide farm lane through the Maine woods to reach this special property on the Harraseeket River.
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| Pettengill Farm, Downeast Magazine photo. |
Return to the inn in time for afternoon tea, then enjoy a leisurely supper in our Broad Arrow Tavern. Dine on fresh steamed Maine lobster or our signature "Maine Meal" which includes a lobster roll, our award winning lobster stew and your favorite brew. What could be more "Maine" than that? If you still haven't gotten your fill of lobster, stay over Saturday night (or check in early Sunday) and enjoy our Lobster Sunday Brunch, all you can eat lobster along with prime rib and a bountiful medley of delicious salads, appetizers, entrees and desserts. Brunch runs from 11:45 until 2 pm every Sunday. What a way to end the summer and celebrate fall!
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Lobster Sunday Brunch at the Harraseeket
If you're coming with a group, consider lodging in our L.L.Bean Guest Cottage, which is located right next door to the inn. Beautifully designed and furnished by L.L.Bean, it's become one of our most popular offerings. Here's a fun article about the cottage that was just published in Forbes Magazine.
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Recipe of the Month:
Old Fashioned Apple Pan Dowdy
For the Crust
Ingredients
- 1 1/4 cups plus 2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
- 1 tablespoon granulated sugar
- 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
- 9 tablespoons cold unsalted butter, cut into small cubes
- 3 to 5 tablespoons ice water
Instructions First, go to your favorite orchard and pick a tote or two of your favorite pie apples. Second, make the crust: In a medium bowl, whisk together the flour, sugar, and salt until well combined. Sprinkle the butter cubes on top and use your fingers to work them in (you want to rub your thumb against your fingertips, smearing the butter as you do). Do this until the mixture looks like cornmeal with some pea-sized bits remaining. Sprinkle 3 tablespoons ice water on top and stir with a fork until the dough begins to come together. If needed, add another tablespoon ice water (you shouldn't need much more). Turn the dough out onto a lightly floured surface and knead three times. Gather the dough into a ball, then press into a disk and wrap in plastic wrap. Refrigerate for at least 30 minutes.
For the Filling
Ingredients
- 8 large firm-tart apples (about 4 pounds) such as Granny Smith or Northern Spy, peeled, cored, and sliced 1/4-inch thick
- 2 tablespoons firmly packed light brown sugar
- 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
- 1 teaspoon ground ginger
- 1/4 teaspoon freshly ground nutmeg
- 1/8 teaspoon ground cloves
- 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
- 1/3 cup maple syrup
- 1 1/2 tablespoons granulated sugar for sprinkling
Instructions Preheat the oven to 425 degrees and set a rack to the middle position. Arrange the apples in a 12-inch ovenproof skillet with sides at least 2 inches high. Sprinkle with the brown sugar, cinnamon, ginger, nutmeg, cloves, and salt. In a small bowl, stir the maple syrup with 1/2 cup water and pour over the apples.
On a lightly floured surface, roll the chilled dough out into a rectangle about 9 inches wide, 11 inches long, and 1/4 inch thick. Using a knife or pizza cutter, cut into squares roughly 3 inches across. Arrange the squares over the apples, making a concentric pattern, then sprinkle with sugar. Bake the pandowdy until juices are bubbling and the pastry is golden brown, about 30 minutes. Remove from the oven and use a spatula to gently press the pastry down into the juices so it's mostly (about 80% submerged) Return the pan to the oven bake for an additional 10 to 15 minutes, until the pastry is nicely glazed and the sauce has thickened.
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Upcoming Events and Special Offers:
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We're offering
25% off our room rates through 10/1, Sunday through Thursday only
. There's limited availability at this special rate so call soon for reservations!
***Book direct with us either on our website or over the phone (1-800-342-6423) and receive afternoon tea and full buffet breakfast free of charge, a $60. value for two! We have free on-site parking and offer free shuttle service to and from the Downeaster train station.
*Freeport Fall Festival October 4-6! Check out the schedule and plan to visit during this fun and food filled foliage weekend. Who will win the Chowdah Challenge this year? You decide!
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Take it outdoors with LLBean's
LLBean Outdoor Discovery Schools
Learn to fly fish or kayak and get out in nature, which really is the most relaxing therapy for our fast paced chaotic world.
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Visit Freeport
Sales and fun happenings in town! Everything "Freeport" in one handy website. This is one web site you'll want to check out frequently in this seacoast "village of sales".
*Mahoosuc Guide Service Offering canoe trips and dogsledding tours. Explore all the best the Maine outdoors has to offer with the finest and most experienced outdoor guides in Maine!
*Seacoast Tours right here in Freeport offers cruises out to Eagle Island, as well as lobstering and wildlife cruises. They have a van that will pick you up right here in town and shuttle you to the harbor, a great convenience considering how hard it can be to find parking at the town wharf. If you want to get a taste of life in and on Casco Bay, this is the perfect opportunity.
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And now for September's Trivia question: "Indian Summer" is a term we toss about every time an autumn day graces us with a few unusually warm hazy days after we've experienced a period of cool fall temperatures or a hard frost. But true Indian Summer only occurs during a certain time period. When is this, and why is it called Indian summer?
All correct answers win a voucher worth $5. toward food or lodging on your next visit. One voucher per family, please. You may redeem up to 12 months at a time, a $60. value, in one stay, either toward your room or your meals. Be patient with my replies, there are hundreds of responses. To answer the trivia question, simply reply to this newsletter and your answer will go to our dedicated newsletter email site.
Good luck, enjoy the beauty of the fall season and we hope to see you soon!
Warm regards,
Penny Gray
The Gray family
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