The Asparagus often gets the credit for being the first fresh green to make it to market but long before it shows it's head above ground the Dandelion has been up and growing for days or weeks.

We spend millions each year on chemicals to rid our lawns of these edible greens and then turn right around and spend millions on fresh organic greens shipped across country. How silly is that.

Boiled greens with potato and kielbasa was a right of spring for our family and for my brother Owen and I it is still. So, even during this busy time of year when we are getting the Schooner ready for the season we are also keeping an eye out for the Dandelions and will plan a day to harvest and clean as many as we can.

An old knife is the best tool for gathering the greens I just push back the leaves and shove the knife down around the base and cut the root just below the ground.

Harvest when young before the buds have opened. the older greens are still edible but can be a bit bitter for some.

Trim the root and scrape off dirt and stuff. I also take any greens that have a base larger than a half in and will cut these lengthwise to help in the cleaning of sand and grit.

Much like Spinach, Dandelions will cook down rather small so harvest more than you think you will need.

Wash Dandelions in fresh water then place in large pot with enough water to cover along with some salt pork and medium to small sized potatoes boil till potatoes are almost done and then add Kielbasa sausage. When sausage is heated through it's ready to eat. Butter, Cider Vinegar, mustard and salt and pepper are the traditional condiments. A cold beer or Chardonnay

Work has started on the schooner. Much sanding and painting to be done before we board guests and head out on to the bay.

I will try and post a blog once a week and once the galley is up and running I'll be doing most of my cooking there. I think a nice haddock chowder sounds good.

This soon to be famous dessert is a great combination of Hot,Sweet,Cold and Salty. I call this "Harry's Hawaiian"

Fresh Pineapple

1/2 cup light brown sugar

1/2 stick unsalted butter

1/4 cup coconut milk

3Tbsp dark rum

Premium Pistachio ice cream

Cut two 1 inch slices of fresh pineapple and trim. cut out center leaving a two inch round hole in the center. Over medium/low heat in a heavy fry pan melt butter and sugar. Add Pineapple and cook for 10 minutes turning and basting often.

Remove pineapple and place in dessert bowls. Keep warm. turn heat up to medium and add coconut milk and rum. stir and cook till thick. Place a scoop of ice cream on each pineapple slice and top with hot Carmel. serve.

An all time classic combination of Tomato soup and a grilled cheese sandwich. A little twist is the use of Havarti dill in place of orange plastic wrapped fake cheese. Enjoy.



1 28 oz can tomato puree. I like Muir Glen but you can use what you wish just try and use the best tasting tomato puree that you can. It matters.



4 Shallots, minced

1/2 stick unsalted butter

1/4 tsp allspice

2Tbsp Honey

2Tbsp

1tsp Baking soda

1 1/2 cups heavy cream or Half and Half

salt and pepper to taste



In a pot cook shallots with butter till translucent add flour and cook 2 minutes stir often to keep from burning. add Allspice and honey, cook 2 minutes. Add tomato puree and bring to a simmer add baking soda. You may want to sit the pot in the sink to do this in case the reaction of the baking soda and the acid in the tomato puree causes it to over flow. big mess on a stove top. stir and cook 2 minutes add heavy cream and heat but do not boil.



Serve this with sourdough bread with Havarti dill cheese buttered and grilled.

Fast,easy and classic. Halve a grapefruit, place 2 Tbsp of brown sugar on each half. Place under broiler till sugar has dissolved.

Pasta E Fagiole is one of those few soups that can be both perfect for a cold winter day or as a light Spring/summer meal. Serve it as a hearty stew or lighten it up with a little more broth. This is as good a reason as any to have a few cans of canneli beans, plum tomatoes, and a box or two of pasta in the pantry. If you have some home made chicken stock in the fridge or freezer all the better.


1 15 oz can canneli beans

1 16 oz can whole peeled plum tomatoes

1 quart chicken stock

1 medium onion,diced

1stalk celery,diced

4 cloves garlic.minced

4 large basil leaves, cut into narrow strips(chiffonade)

1/2 tsp fresh oregano, diced

1 cup tubetti or ditalini

2 Tbsp olive oil



Cook the pasta in boiling salted water till al dente, drain and set aside.

Saute onions ,garlic and celery till just soft


Bring stock to a boil and reduce heat to a simmer, Add sauteed onions, garlic,Oregano and celery. Using your hands break up the tomatoes into the pot. simmer 2 minutes. Add beans simmer 2 minutes. Add pasta and basil simmer 2 minutes and then serve. Top with grated Parmesan cheese.

This soup can be made well in advance but you may wish to keep the pasta seperate and add when you have heated up the stock other wise the pasta will continue to absorb liquid and become soft and swollen.

Ladies and gentlemen, I give you the humble meatloaf.









Serve this up with some creamy mashed potatoes and gravy and a green veg and you have, what many people feel, is the top of the food chain when it comes to comfort.



You will find many recipes for meatloaf. This is mine.
2lb ground chuck


1lb ground pork

1/2lb chicken liver

1lb bacon

1 medium onion, diced

1 small green pepper,diced

3 cloves garlic, minced

2-3 cups plain bread crumbs

1 Tbsp dry mustard

1 tsp black pepper

1 Tbsp fish sauce or anchovy paste (for god's sake give it a try it won't kill you)

2 Tbsp Worcestershire sauce

2Tbsp brown sugar

1/2 cup tomato ketchup

4 bay leaves





Soak chicken livers in some salted ice water for 15 minutes then drain and chop fine.

In a large mixing bowl mix mustard, vinegar, fish sauce, Worcestershire sauce, brown sugar and black pepper. Saute onions,peppers and garlic till just soft, add to large bowl along with Ground chuck, ground pork and chicken livers and 2 cups bread crumbs.
Now roll up your sleeves and mix with your hands till combined. Add more bread crumbs if mixture feels loose. Take out an egg size piece and shape it into a small patty. Cook this in a pan as you would a burger till medium/well. Taste. More salt? Pepper? Fish sauce!?.


Place in roasting pan and shape into a nice loaf. Spread ketchup over top and cover with strips of bacon. Tuck in bay leaves under bacon



Place in oven at 350f for about 1 and 1/2 hours or till internal temp reaches 150f. Let rest for 15 minutes before serving.

Few things remind me more of summer in Maine than a crab meat sandwich.

The key to making this classic sandwich is keeping things simple. Fresh crab meat, Hellman's mayonnaise and a plain hamburger bun.

1 cup fresh crab meat
3Tbsp Mayo
4 hamburger buns
butter

With a fork mix the Crab and mayo just enough to coat. Fill each bun with an equal amount of crab, butter tops and bottom, and grill in a heavy pan till golden brown.

As a young boy I would enjoy these with a cream soda but now I find an India pale ale more to my taste.

This is how I spend my summers. My brother Owen is at the wheel and I am in the galley getting the next meal ready.

Spring in mid coast Maine

SPRING IS HERE!!! Well, at least according to the almanac. The ground is still frozen solid and the only sign of green is the errant St. Patricks day decoration left over from last week. Be that as it may, it is time to celebrate this wonderful season and what better way than to make some fresh spring rolls. These are wonderfully fresh and crunchy, a nice change from the braised cabbage and and roast pork that brought us through the winter.

What you will need:

12 rice paper wrappers. 8 inch works best.

6 oz rice vermicelli, soaked for 20 min in warm water and then drained.

1 1/2 cups fresh bean sprout, blanched in boiling water for 20 seconds and drained

6 medium shrimp, fresh or frozen, shelled and devained. Cut in half lengthwise.

1 cup grated carrot.

24 mint leaves.

2 tsp sugar.

2Tbsp rice or cider vinegar.

24 chives.

Dissolve sugar in vinegar and add grated carrots. Marinate 30 minutes. Drain

Bring a large pot of water to boil. Cook shrimp till just pink and firm. remove shrimp and let cool.

Now use the same boiling water to cook the vermicelli that has been soaking for 20 minutes. Cook until just tender and then place in a bowl with ice water to stop cooking. Drain.

On a flat,clean work surface lay out a damp tea towel or sack cloth (On the Schooner I use a recycled piece of cotton sail cloth) and next to this place a shallow pan of warm water. Remove one sheet of spring roll wrapper and place in pan of water. Allow to soak for a few seconds to soften. This is the tricky part and you may go through a few wrappers before you get the feel of it. Soak just long enough to become pliable. Now place the wrapper on the tea towel.

Place about 2 tsp of the grated carrot about a third of the way up from the bottom of the wrapper. Spread this out in a flat line and on top of this place about1 Tbsp of the drained noodles and an equal amount of bean sprouts.

Bring the bottom edge of the wrapper over the filling and place two mint leaves on top and continue to roll till the mint is on the bottom. Now place two shrimp halves on top of the roll and fold the end of the wrap toward the center to seal and roll a half turn and place two chives at the crease. finish rolling and set aside, covered with a damp cloth or plastic wrap.

Finish the remaining rolls covering them each time to prevent them from drying out. Serve immediately or keep, covered and in the fridge for up to 2 hour in the fridge.

Serve these with your favorite dipping sauce or try this one.

Nuoc cham

In a bowl place 1/2 cup fresh lime juice and an equal amount fish sauce.

3 tsp rice vinegar

2 Tbsp cane sugar

2 cloves garlic, minced

2 Serrano chiles, Minced

Now sit by the fire and watch the snow come down, it is spring in Maine after all.