Maine's Complimentary Guide to Specialty Shopping and Events for
® Available across the U.S.A. & Canada Maine's Complimentary Guide to Specialty Shopping and Events for Jan-Feb 2015 FREE Please Take One 2 A View from my Window The Country Register of Maine January-February 2015; Vol. IV #1 GAIL HAGEMAN, Publisher 221 Winslow Road Albion, Maine 04910 • (207) 437 - 2663 [email protected] Kelly Hageman - “Gal Friday" Cathy Shoemaker - Graphic Design The Country Register began in Arizona, in the fall of 1988, to provide effective, affordable advertising for shops, shows and other experiences enjoyed by a kindred readership. Since then the paper has spread to many other areas, all of which are listed to the left. Look for the paper in your travels. To receive a paper from another area, mail $3.00 U.S. or $4 Canadian to that area's editor. Advertising rates are available upon request. If there is not a paper in your state, and you are interested in publishing a paper, contact the editor of the Arizona paper at (602) 942-8950. The Country Register is available at each shop that advertises and often at other unique locations. We hope you enjoy this bi-monthly publication, and let the advertisers know. Happy New Year! We are looking forward to another great year working with our long time advertisers & the anticipation of meeting new ones. We love to give you so many shopping choices & introducing you to shops you probably didn’t know about. Shops are still open & our hardy advertisers are looking forward to your visits. Now that the rush of the holidays are over, take some time for yourself & (weather permitting) take some leisurely day trips. It’s a good time to think about doing some redecorating, rearranging or adding something new. You never know what you might find…maybe after Christmas sales! Don’t forget to tell the shop keepers you found them in The Country Register of Maine, several of them have dubbed this paper the “Retail Shopping Bible” & I thank them for that wonderful nick name, because we do go above & beyond any daily or local paper. Don’t forget to check out our fb page for shop pictures or late breaking news from the shops & please ‘like’ us while you are there. As usual, we have some interesting recipes for you, with a “snowy” theme. Our Book Give Aways are from Islandport Press in Yarmouth, ME., a big Thank You to them, please be sure to enter the drawing. And you’ll find enjoyable articles from your favorite writers. I wonder…Where’s Kelly? Stay warm, Gail Targeted, Effective Affordable Advertising Country Register Publishersʼ Contact lnformation Deadline for March/April Issue Send $3 to any publisher below to receive a paper from that area. • Indicates the State has a web-viewable version of The Country Register. The Country Register Founder: Barbara Floyd, 602-321-6511, [email protected], located in Phoenix, AZ USA • Alabama: Dana Wilburn, 6349 Knollwood Ct., Frederick, MD 21701, 301-698-2694 • Arizona: Barbara Stillman and Lolly Konecky, 515 E. Carefree Hwy, #1128, Phoenix, AZ 85085, 602-942-8950 • Arkansas: Lenda Williams, P.O. Box 32581, Oklahoma City, OK 73123, 405-470-2597 • California & N. Nevada: Barbara Stillman and Lolly Konecky, 515 E. Carefree Hwy, #1128, Phoenix, AZ 85085, 602-942-8950 Colorado: Jan & John Keller, 16755 Oak Brush Loop, Peyton, CO, 80831, 719-749-9797 • Connecticut: Michael Dempsey, 10213 Fanny Brown Road, Raleigh, NC 27603, 919-661-1760 • Delaware: Merle and Gail Taylor, P. O. Box 128, Owens Cross Roads, AL 35763, 888-616-8319 • Florida: Dave & Amy Carter, P.O. Box 365, New Market, MD, 21774, 866-825-9217 • Georgia: Linda Parish, P.O. Box 389, Lexington, GA, 30648, 706-340-1049, 678-641-7728 • Idaho (N): Dee Sleep, 132 W. Hudson Street, Spearfish, SD 57783, 605-722-7028 • Idaho (S) WA & E. OR: Barbara Stillman and Lolly Konecky, 515 E. Carefree Hwy, #1128, Phoenix, AZ 85085, 602-942-8950 • Illinois: Lenda Williams, P.O. Box 32581, Oklahoma City, ,OK 73123, 405-470-2597 • Indiana: Gail & Merle Taylor, P. O. Box 128, Owens Cross Roads, AL 35763, 888-616-8319 Iowa: Linda Glendy, P.O. Box 6, Tama, IA, 52339, 641-751-2619 • Kansas: Cindy Baldwin, 988 9th Ave., McPherson, KS 67460, 866-966-9815 • Kentucky: Chris & Kelly Kennedy, 5804 Whiterose Way, New Market, MD 21774 443-243-1118 Maine: Gail Hageman, 221 Winslow Rd, Albion, ME 04910, 207-437-2663 • Maryland: Dave & Amy Carter, P.O. Box 365, New Market, MD, 21774, 866-825-9217 • Massachusetts-RI: Michael Dempsey, 10213 Fanny Brown Road, Raleigh, NC 27603, 919-661-1760 Michigan: Bill and Marlene Howell, 3790 Manistee, Saginaw, MI, 48603-3143, 989-793-4211 • Minnesota: Kim and Mickey Keller, 12835 Kiska St. NE, Blaine, MN, 55449, 763-754-1661 • Missouri: Lenda Williams, P.O. Box 32581, Oklahoma City, OK 73123, 405-470-2597 • Montana: Dee Sleep, 132 W. Hudson Street, Spearfish, SD 57783, 605-722-7028 • Nebraska: Barbara Stillman and Lolly Konecky, 515 E. Carefree Hwy, #1128, Phoenix, AZ 85085, 602-942-8950 • Nevada (N): Barbara Stillman and Lolly Konecky, 515 E. Carefree Hwy, #1128, Phoenix, AZ 85085, 602-942-8950 • Nevada (S): Glena Dunn, 4568 Carol Circle, Las Vegas, NV, 89120, 702-523-1803 New Hampshire: Kathleen Graham, 330 North Road, Deerfield, NH, 03037, 603-463-3703 • New Jersey: Merle and Gail Taylor, P. O. Box 128, Owens Cross Roads, AL 35763, 888-616-8319 New Mexico: Jan & John Keller, 16755 Oak Brush Loop, Peyton, CO, 80831, 719-749-9797 • New York: Dave & Amy Carter, P.O. Box 365, New Market, MD, 21774, 866-825-9217 • N. Carolina: Barbara Stillman and Lolly Konecky, 515 E. Carefree Hwy, #1128, Phoenix, AZ 85085, 602-942-8950 • North Dakota: Dee Sleep, 132 W. Hudson Street, Spearfish, SD 57783, 605-722-7028 • Ohio: Barb Moore, P. O. Box 37, Cable, OH, 43009, 937-652-1157 • Oklahoma: Lenda Williams, P.O. Box 32581, Oklahoma City, OK 73123, 405-470-2597 • Oregon: Barbara Stillman and Lolly Konecky, 515 E. Carefree Hwy, #1128, Phoenix, AZ 85085, 602-942-8950 • Pennsylvania: Dave & Amy Carter, PO Box 365, New Market, MD, 21774, 866-825-9217 • Rhode Island: Michael Dempsey, 10213 Fanny Brown Road, Raleigh, NC 27603, 919-661-1760 • S. Carolina: Barbara Stillman and Lolly Konecky, 515 E. Carefree Hwy, #1128, Phoenix, AZ 85085, 602-942-8950 • South Dakota: Dee Sleep, 132 W. Hudson Street, Spearfish, SD 57783, 605-722-7028 • Tennessee: Chris & Kelly Kennedy, 5804 Whiterose Way, New Market, MD 21774 443-243-1118 • Texas: Lenda Williams, P.O. Bo 32581, Oklahoma City, OK 73123, 405-470-2597 • Utah: Daniel & Stacy Tueller, 153 S 2050 W, Provo UT 84601, 801-592-8498 • Virginia: Dave & Amy Carter, P.O. Box 365, New Market, MD, 21774, 866-825-9217 • Wash. & E. OR & S. ID: Barbara Stillman and Lolly Konecky, 515 E. Carefree Hwy, #1128, Phoenix, AZ 85085, 602-942-8950 • West Virginia: Dave & Amy Carter, PO Box 365, New Market, MD, 21774, 866-825-9217 • Wisconsin: Scott & Jennifer Hughes, P. O. Box 276, Altoona, WI, 54720, 715-838-9426 • Wyoming: Dee Sleep, 132 W. Hudson Street, Spearfish, SD 57783, 605-722-7028 CANADA • Alberta: Ruth Burke, P.O. Box 97, Heisler, AB, T0B2A0, 780-889-3776 British Columbia: Bryan Stonehill, Box 1338, Summerland, B.C. V0H 1Z0, 1-800-784-6711 • Manitoba & Saskatchewan: Scott & Marj Kearns, Box 850, Kipling, SK, S0G 2S0, 306-736-2441 is February 1st, 2015. The Country Register of Maine-January/February 2015 Issue The Country Register is published every other month. Copyright ©2015. Reproduction or use, without written permission, of editorial or graphic content in any manner is prohibited. The Country Register is a registered corporation and is registered as a trade name in the state of Maine. Articles published in this newspaper, which are contributed from an outside source, express the opinions of their authors only and may not express the viewpoint(s) of the management or staff of The Country Register. Such articles that are accepted for publication herein may be edited at the sole discretion of the publisher. Responsibility for products advertised in this newspaper lies with the advertisers themselves. Though The Country Register will not knowingly publish fraudulent materials or fraudulently obtained materials we are not liable for any damages arising from the purchase or use of products advertised herein. Notification regarding any consumer complaints related to merchandise purchased from our advertisers would be appreciated and would assist in our effort. Copyright © by The Country Register. { Now online at www.countryregistermaine.com Guide to Specialty Shops & Events Check Out Our New Website! • New Design • New Content • Easier To Navigate • Optimized for Mobile • For You, Our Readers • • • Please Visit • • • www.countryregister.com } January ~ February 2015 3 The Country Register of Maine Calendar of Events ef About Our Cover Art... Born and raised in Italy, artist Monica Sabolla Gruppo inherited the love for brushes and colors from her maternal Grandfather, an award-winning painter. She has spent the latest 20 years nurturing her creative soul full-time through painting, crafting and photography, always growing and evolving, experimenting and trying new techniques until she decided to answer her calling and devote herself to painting as a profession. ............. WINTER ............. JANUARY 9TH-11TH Bittersweet Blessings, Chester, NH~~ Cabin Fever Event JANUARY 15-MARCH 31 Buxton Antiques Emporium, Buxton, ME.~~Winter Sale JANUARY 30TH-FEBRUARY 1ST Bittersweet Blessings, Chester, NH.~~Our 2 Year Anniversary Celebration FEBRUARY 3, TUESDAY Hearth and Soul, Kennebunk, ME.~~ Reopening for the year MARCH 6TH-8TH Bittersweet Blessings, Chester, NH.~~ Spring Open House CLOSING FOR THE WINTER Apple Hill, Tuftonboro, NH~~reopening late March. *For more info on any of these events, please check ads, shop fb pages or their web sites for updates. Monica lives in England with her beloved husband and their sweet Golden Retriever, and she’s passionate about infusing creativity, beauty and inspiration in every aspect of her life. Monica is represented for licensing by Linda McDonald, Inc. in Charlotte, N.C. Random Acts by Maranda K. Jones This Day Mother Hen always gave us little chicks new monthly calendars for our nests. In other words, Mrs. Babcock, our beloved elementary teacher, gave us a copy of one month at a time to apply to the corner of our desks with masking tape. Our daily assignments and ongoing projects would easily slide underneath, keeping our desks orderly and neat. I am sure my love for order and organization stems from this early practice. It was a new beginning. We would neatly color the month’s name, carefully write the numbers in the boxes, and organize our projects for the upcoming weeks. I loved to know what we would be looking forward to each day and met each task with anticipation. Others in my class looked forward to crossing days off, knowing each X meant we were one day closer to a new month, and one month closer to summer vacation. Sometimes it is necessary to look toward an ending, but beginnings always have an air of excitement. One morning, as usual, our daily worksheet had a quotation at the bottom. This one in particular read, “This day will never pass again.” Being a fifth grader, I thought, “Uh, yeah it will.” Mondays come around every seven days, and so do Tuesdays. In fact, each day always follows its predecessor and repeats without end. We go to P.E. on Monday, Wednesday, and Friday, and every class we start by running laps. We go to music every Tuesday and Thursday, warming up with “Ol’ Dan Tucker.” We spend time outside at recess after lunch and the bus takes the same route home every single day. These activities were not items we wrote down on our calendars, but routines we knew well and expected. The days seemed to repeat, so why had our teacher shared this phrase? Fast forward twenty years to my classroom, where I realize that I have not only turned into my mother, but I have turned into my teacher. I find myself at the front of the room, writing the date on the board as I did each morning, and underneath the words, “This day will never pass again.” Most of my kindergarten class was unable to read the statement, but it was an important reminder to me. It is a privilege and responsibility to make this the best day possible for them. This is the only year these children will spend in kindergarten, so it is my job to make it effective and enjoyable for all of us. When I had my own classroom, it was easier to control the environment. I was responsible for the set-up, the layout, the procedures and the activities. Since taking time off to be a full-time mother for the last three years, I am slowly getting back into the classroom by substitute teaching. Each classroom has its own routines and expectations, but it is still important to make the most of each day. Rather than writing out lesson plans, I am following other teachers’ guidelines. Instead of writing my own to-do list, I am following the Lord’s to-be list. Galatians 5:22-23 has a thorough list of actions and attitudes that apply to any situation, whether I am home with my own children or in school teaching others’. Although sometimes hard to attain, these characteristics set a high expectation for ourselves and encourage us to strive toward that perfection that is only found in Jesus Christ. Love, joy, peace, forbearance, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control are at the top of my to-be list as we welcome a new year. The fruit of the Spirit should be shared this day, for this day will never pass again. Jot it down on your calendar, and write it on your heart. © 2014 Maranda K. Jones Maranda Jones’ new book Random Acts is now available at amazon.com. The book includes her reader-acclaimed articles from the last decade. Se scary garm deco Kn neatl mach need cardi open Invisi for sk He 1. even hue t choo 2. the g nylon 3. 4. botto If the to the b 5. hide 6. the c 7. knit p 8. stitch stitch 9. 10 TIP hand you w the z To W a ma Fo If If visit y stand Zip 4 The Country Register of Maine January ~ February 2015 ALBION, CHINA VILLAGE, WATERVILLE Savvy and Thrifty: “JEMS COUNTRY GIFTS” [email protected] ( 207) 649-9566 10% off with this ad 222 Main St. • Waterville, ME Open : W~F 11 - 5 • Sat 10 - 3 “Like Us on Facebook” Closed Sunday, Monday, Tuesday Central Maine Pharmacy Owned & Operated by Albion Residents• Pharmacist Chuck Roy 18 China Road, Albion • 207 - 437-7777 Easy Rx Transfers • Drive Thru Window Open: Mon ~ Fri 8:30 AM - 5:00 PM • Closed Sat & Sun LOWEST CASH PRICES ~ GUARANTEED Y Happy Valentine’s Day Y HAIR & NAIL SALON Olde Thyme Primitives 9 Main St. • China Village, ME 04926 • (207) 968-2290 Tues - Fri 10-5pm Saturday 9-3 pm 1803 CandlesPotpourri Room Sprays Hand Crafted FurniturePrimitive Dolls Primitive Home Decor Hand Crafted Jewelry Hand Forged Wrought Iron Great Gifts for Valentine’s Day and Beyond by Mary Dessoie With Valentine’s Day just around the corner, now is the time to start thinking about your gift-giving needs. Instead of patronizing the crowded malls and box stores and paying top dollar for quite ordinary mass-produced trinkets and home accessories, why not be remembered this year for your spectacular, unique and antique Valentine’s Day gifts? My area of interest is antique china. In that niche you will find everything you need to fit all taste levels on your gift list. You are holding the best resource for your antiquing jaunts in your hands. You can make your shopping easy and a delight by patronizing the advertisers who appear in this paper. Please make a point to attend auctions, shows, estate sales, visit your local antique malls and shops and say “hello” to your neighbors. Have fun getting out and about while crossing off the names on your gift list. One of the best buys is a partial lot of china. These incomplete sets usually can be found for great prices. Don’t overlook pieces that are dusty or have small imperfections. They can be spruced up! Everyone loves vintage teacups. Why not purchase several? Teacup sets are items of enduring beauty that will get you through your Valentine’s gift list and on to birthdays, get well or hostess gifts. Fill the cup with an assortment of individually packaged tea bags. Place the cup and saucer on a large square of tulle. Bring the tulle up around the cup and saucer and wrap with a long colorful piece of fabric ribbon. What a welcome gift! Try the same with butter pats! Place one large wrapped chocolate on a pat and surround it with tulle and a beautiful ribbon. Don’t forget to set one of these delightful treasures at each guest’s place setting at your next luncheon or dinner party and enjoy your guests’ complimentary remarks. Butter pats are also great votive candleholders. Buy several votive candles to accompany your bounty of antique butter pats. Voila! You now have several inexpensive but delightful gifts for your special girlfriends, not only for February 14 but also throughout the year ahead. Bouillon cups always remind me of my transatlantic crossings on the QE2 and the mandatory “elevenses.” It is so rare to see these vestiges of gracious 19th Century living. Bouillon cups are charming gifts. Place tiny color foil-wrapped bouillon cubes in the cup. Use gift wrap with a nautical theme and surround your pretty package with tulle. Use an extra long flowing fabric ribbon festooned with lighthouses. For the mustachioed man in your life, a mustache cup is a must! These relics of Victoriana will be treasured for years ahead. Antique shaving mugs are another terrific present. Pack up a gift bag of shaving creams and lotions and you will be able to present a gift that you are proud of and one that won’t cost you a bundle! Add a brush to the mug and you will surely please the special man in your life. A day of snooping around antique shops and bidding at auctions should provide you with the opportunity to pick up several inexpensive soap dishes. Make a side trip to your local discount store for a variety of decorative soaps. Pack a bar of soap with each dish and wrap the ensemble in vintage hankies tied up with big red ribbon. The possibilities for great gifts are endless when you go antiquing. Add your own touches to create truly memorable gifts. Why not bake up a storm and artfully arrange the heart-shaped goodies on a 19th Century Haviland dessert plate? Surely someone on your gift list would love a matching sugar and creamer. Do you have a dog-lover on your gift list? Fido certainly would appreciate some doggy treats presented on a 19th Century Staffordshire bone dish! Always remember, it is the thought that counts. Gifts of antique china are packed with memories, and by adding your own special touches, you will relay the message that your gifts have been packaged with careful thought and love. Happy Presidents’ Day February 16th Mary Dessoie covers a variety of topics in the field of antiques and collectibles. She founded the Butter Pat Patter Association for beginner and advanced collectors of exquisite china butter pats from the Victorian through Edwardian eras and 19th Century to current-day transportation and restaurant ware pats. Butter pats are miniature plates that were introduced during the mid-1800s for individual servings of butter. A subscription to The Patter newsletter costs $22 and includes a mint-condition Royal Doulton butter pat and 10 issues. Sample copies are available by sending $4 and a LSSAE (70 cents) to: Mary Dessoie, 7950 E. Keats Avenue, No. 178, Mesa, AZ 85209-5025. Those who would like to start their subscriptions immediately and receive their Royal Doulton pat by return mail should send a $22 check or money order payable to Mary Dessoie. Mention this article and you will receive an extra butter pat. Please mention this special double china premium offer when you write! January ~ February 2015 5 The Country Register of Maine AUGUSTA, GARDINER Let Me Out! Several nights ago, my husband was startled by a sudden banging noise in our backyard. “What was that?” he asked. “I’m not sure,” I responded, “but it sounded as though it came from the storage building.” With a flashlight in one hand and a big stick in another, we cautiously approached the door of the building. Slowly we eased open the door and stood ready for combat. Just as slowly our cat Smidgeon stretched, gave us an “it’s about time you showed up look” and walked out the door. I had been in and out of the building earlier in the day and apparently he had joined me without my knowledge. Needless to say, he was quite ready to escape when help arrived. Later, as I thought about my poor kitty being stuck in storage all afternoon, I could not help but think about all the UFOs ‘trapped’ in my fabric closet. If they had the ability, would they, too, knock over something and make a loud crash in order to summon me to their rescue? It was probably guilt, but the next day as Smidgeon enjoyed a special kitty treat, I could not help but peek in at my many UFOs. Several were almost complete. I thought what am I waiting for? One box contained thirty-two four-patch units made from Civil war repro. I vaguely remember that my plan had been to set them in a vertical setting like one I had seen in one of my books on quilt history. I had even pieced the blocks on one of my many antique machines. I am not really sure why except that it just seemed to be the right thing to do. As I laid them out on the floor I suddenly remembered why this project had come to an end in the first place: the sashing. What was I going to use for the sashing? I auditioned several fabrics but nothing seemed to work. I was very close to throwing the whole thing back into the closet when I spotted the perfect blue. This was just made for this quilt I thought as I happily stitched for hours. Before long the quilt top emerged. (We won’t discuss the fact that at this point in my life, no one had ever taught me to calculate the size for setting triangles for block on point. We’ll just say that somehow I made them fit.) Once it was complete, I draped the top over the back of a chair and stepped back to view my creation. I expected to pat myself on the back, but much to my horror, something was all wrong. Civil War repro should have that comfortable antique look (or so I thought) but this quilt looked new. Some of the fabric stood out like a sore thumb. I groaned, “Where is my antique look alike?” Now mind you I was fully aware that I had purchased these charm squares the previous summer and that I had just finished stitching the top moments before. I knew this top was new, but I had somehow expected a quilt top with a vintage look. Disgusted, I threw the top back into the closet to give this some thought. Days later, while glancing through the mail, I could not take my eyes off of the beautiful antique quilt in a picture a friend had sent to me. I was shocked when I read that this was not an antique at all but a great imposter. The information stated that the maker, who like myself preferred a vintage look, had over-dyed the entire quilt to achieve this effect. “That’s it,” I almost screamed as I ran to retrieve my quilt top and then drove quickly to the store to purchase a bottle of tan dye. The directions seemed easy. Fill the washer with hot water, dump in the dye and then add the object to be dyed. I quickly completed steps one and two, but then stopped dead in my tracks. The water looked like a mudslide I had seen on the nightly news. Throw my top in there? There must be some mistake. I read and re-read the instructions. Each time I came to the same conclusion. Was I really supposed to trust this muddy water to transform my quilt top into one I would adore? After saying a quick prayer, I threw it in and then paced the floor. “I didn’t like it before,” I kept telling myself, “so anything is better than what I had.” I must confess that I peeked in the washer more than once in the process but could not bear the sight. My quilt top now looked like a quilt caught in that mudslide on the TV news. I thought what have I done? Soon the wash cycle was complete and I retrieved the brown, stringy mess. “Oh well,” I said to myself, “I’ll at least dry it before I throw it out, or maybe the cats can sleep on it.” Thirty minutes later the dryer beeped to signal that drying time was finished. As I opened the dryer, I could only stand and stare. Had the ‘quilt fairy’ visited my dryer? Was this the same top? There before my eye was the cozy, worn, vintage top I had envisioned. The muddy water had done its magic. Soon, the one time UFO was a completed quilt, which I proudly draped over the back of the couch—all because poor Smidgeon had wandered into the wrong place at the wrong time. “Hmm…whom should I accidentally lock up next?” I wondered out loud as I gave Smidgeon a hug. Deb Heatherly is the owner of Deb’s Cats N Quilts in Franklin, NC, and the creator of the Turbo 4 Patch, Cat’s Meow and Star Power Rulers. (Visit the Deb’s Cats N Quilts YouTube channel for a demo.) Visit Deb’s Cats N Quilts at www. Debscatsnquilts.com, on Facebook or on her blog at www.Purrfectquilting.com. This story was written by Deb many years ago when she still lived in South Carolina and it was in a box with other short stories that she recently discovered while cleaning out a closet. Thursday, Friday, Saturday 10am to 5pm (207) 660 - 8224 15 Fowler Street (Behind Bangor St.-Rte 201 - McDonald’s) Augusta, Maine 04330 Jewelry * Books * Quilting * Purses * Rug Hooking * Cards * Kitchenware Candle in the Window COUNTRY•AND•PRIMITIVE•DECOR Nostalgia to Every Home Bringing 335 Water Street • Gardiner, Maine 04345 (Across from the Post Office) Sole Proprietor-Kim Pierce Hours: Wednesday through Friday 10:00 am to 5:00 pm Saturday 9:00 am to 5:00 pm • Sunday 9:00 am to 3:00 pm Closed Monday and Tuesday * Doll Clothes for American Girl * Needle Felting * Embroidery * Knitting* Punch Needle * Penny Rugs * Dolls * Baby Gifts * Primitives * by Deb Heatherly 6 The Country Register of Maine January ~ February 2015 LITCHFIELD, LEWISTON Braised Garlic-Ginger Chops ‘Quick-braise’—like this flavorful pork chop skillet—dishes get supper on the table fast. Fast braising makes these pork chops tender, and the braising liquid adds flavor power. Serve with sautéed peapods, warm flour tortillas and hot cooked rice. Recipe Ingredients: 4 boneless pork chops, about 3/4-inch thick 2 teaspoons olive oil 1/4 cup hoisin sauce 1/4 cup water 2 tablespoons soy sauce 2 tablespoons grated fresh ginger 2 cloves garlic, crushed 1/4 teaspoon onion powder Dash hot pepper sauce Cooking Directions: 1. Heat oil in large skillet over medium-high heat. Brown chops about 2 to 3 minutes on each side; add hoisin sauce, water, soy sauce, ginger, garlic, onion powder and hot pepper sauce to skillet, cover tightly and simmer over medium-low heat for 20 minutes. Makes 4 servings. Recipe and photograph provided courtesy of Pork, Be Inspired Snow Peas with Pine Nuts and Mint Yield: Serves 2-3. Ingredients: • 2 Tbsp olive oil • 1/2 pound snow peas, rinsed, dried, tips of the ends cut off, strings removed • 1/4 cup pine nuts • 1 clove garlic, minced • 1/4 teaspoon dark sesame oil • 10 large mint leaves, chopped Method: 1. Heat olive oil in a large skillet on medium high heat. Add the snow peas, garlic, and pine nuts. Stir to coat with the oil. Cook for 1-2 minutes, stirring. You do not want to overcook the snow peas or they will get limp. They should still be a little bit crunchy. 2. Remove from heat. Stir in the sesame oil and chopped mint leaves. Serve immediately. Happy Valentines Day January ~ February 2015 7 The Country Register of Maine BUXTON, CORNISH Primitive DAYS Home Decor & Gifts Open Wednesday ~ Saturday 10 to 5 • Sunday 10 to 3 117 MAIN STREET, CORNISH, ME • (207) 625~8669 [email protected] Your Cup of Tea Tea Party Tips for a Crowd by Susan Springer There is a knack for planning a tea event for larger groups. Ask yourself or the planning committee: 1. Who is coming to the event? Identify your group. (207) 648-4026 • 249 Parker Farm Rd., Buxton Winter Hours: 10am - 5pm • 7 days a week (January - April) 2. How many are coming? 3. What is the plan for the function—tea time foods, a special feature speaker, meeting? 4. How much per person do you want to spend? Then, and only then, plan the foods. Keep in mind that you want an assortment of foods and with varying colors and textures. Avoid the dreaded “all beige foods plate.” 5. Where is the event to be held? What are the available facilities, restroom locations, table set up, etc.? 6. For a typical Full Afternoon Tea, offer three sandwiches, two scones with jam and clotted cream and three or more bite-sized desserts. A fruit sorbet, fruit kabob, chocolate-dipped strawberry, etc., are also welcome additions. Be sure to have a variety of fillings for your sandwiches—one cream cheese based sandwich, a couple of protein-based sandwiches and perhaps a savory mini quiche or other tiny protein foods. Vary the breads and fillings on the sandwiches and try your best to avoid an all cream cheese offering. 7. Some groups elect to have a “buffet style” service but I have found that it is often simpler to pre-plate the foods in the kitchen in addition to serving your guests a pretty 3-tiered plate of assorted teatime goodies. This helps you with portion control, plate appeal and the extra-tiered plates makes it appear you are rather generous. A lovely touch as well would be to have extra food carefully arranged on beautiful trays and assign someone to walk through the groups offering “seconds.” (Something I wish more tearooms would do, by the way.) 8. When a tray is about 80% empty, take it into the kitchen and refresh the tray by artfully arranging new foods to take out to guests. A nasty-looking, nearly empty tray looks messy and has lost its elegant impact. 9. At each table, assign a “hostess” in charge of making sure all guests are included in the conversations. Sit chatty ladies next to shy ones and break up the cliques by assigning ladies of the clique at different tables. 10.Most Americans come to a tea event hoping to eat “lunch” and are disappointed when it turns out to be a “snack.” Keep in mind throughout your planning that the important part of the event is not the tea, the tea foods or the decorations. The important parts of gathering for tea are the “people.” Friendships are formed over a hot cup of tea. Lonely people are encouraged and comforted. Family bonds are strengthened. Memories made around the tea table can last a lifetime. That is the real value of hosting a tea event. Susan Springer, Owner of Your Cup of Tea®, conducts fun educational presentations surrounding the English tea traditions. Ms. Springer is a professional Home Economist, Certified in Family & Consumer Sciences, Certified in Tea, Levels I & II, by the Specialty Tea Institute and is a Certified Tea Etiquette Consultant trained by the Protocol School of Washington, DC. For information on having her speak at your next event, she can be reached at (360) 658-8887 Email: ssspringer@ consultant.com Copyright 2014 by Susan Springer. Used by permission, no reprint without author’s permission. Collecting Antique Tea Cup Sets by Mary Dessoie Antique tea cups and saucers are lovely items to collect. They are easily found, the prices are affordable and the variety of patterns and colors is endless. If you are considering starting an antique collection, a tea cup and saucer collection is a good route to go. Tea cups and saucers have been around for hundreds of years and are found in many types of materials, so there are plenty of different items to collect. Whether you plan to casually collect or to aggressively hunt down specific pieces, you will need to do some research before you begin. Determine what you want to collect. Perhaps you are attracted to tea cups and saucers from a specific era. Perhaps you just want a collection of cups you find beautiful. Begin with some research and figure out exactly what you’d like to purchase. You can’t start your collection until you know what you are looking for, so search the web and read books on tea cups and saucers. Learn which items are the most common and which ones are harder to find. This way, if you are lucky enough to stumble across a rare find, you’ll know to snatch it up right away. You will want to display your collection so that it can be admired on a daily basis. Since tea cups are often made of bone china or porcelain, you’ll want to keep them in a safe place where they won’t break. Be sure to keep the collection out of direct sunlight, as it might fade any paint on the cups and saucers over time. Antiques require proper upkeep in order to prevent them from being damaged. Dust your collection regularly and give the cups and saucers a gentle wash twice a year. Never wash antique china in the dishwasher, as this may damage it. While you can go online and simply purchase exactly what you’d like, searching for the items is much more exciting. By patronizing the advertisers in this publication, you are sure to find many antique tea cup and saucer sets. Mary Dessoie covers a variety of antiques and collectibles. She founded the Butter Pat Patter Association for collectors of butter pats. A subscription to The Patter newsletter costs $22 and includes a mint-condition Royal Doulton butter pat and ten issues. Sample copies are available by sending $4.00 and a LSSAE (70 cents) to Mary Dessoie, 7950 E. Keats Avenue, No. 178, Mesa, AZ 85209-5025. For those who would like to start their subscriptions immediately and receive their pat by return mail, please send your check or money order, in the amount of $22, payable to Mary Dessoie. You will receive an additional butter pat with your paid membership when you mention this publication and the special double premium offer! 8 The Country Register of Maine January ~ February 2015 KENNEBUNK, WELLSReopening for the year TUESDAY, FEB. 3, 2015 Love and Beauty in an Apple Pie by Kerri Habben Adam and Eve had their descent over one. William Tell skillfully and courageously shot an arrow through one. Isaac Newton described the laws of physics after one dropped from a tree. My moment with an apple was far less dramatic but it led me to a deeper appreciation. DECORATIVE STENCILS Stenciling is a fun, easy and inexpensive way to decorate your home. Our stencils can also be used on floorcloths, curtains, clothes, slates and more. Anything that can be painted can be stenciled! Stencil design for all decors, from Contemporary to Historic. Stencils • Slates • Rustic Signs • Primitives Folk Art • Paints • Brushes q Anytime Antiques 762 Post Road, Route 1 • Wells, Maine • 207-646-8288 Please visit our main store in Raynham, Massachusettes Village Stencils 1746 Broadway, Rt. 138 • Raynham, MA • 508-823-0851 Open on Saturdays 10:00-5:00 ALL SALES CASH ONLY I was at the kitchen sink, peeling and slicing apples. The just-rolled-out crust waited in a pie plate and my blend of sugars and cinnamon sat on the counter along with, of course, the fixings for a streusel topping. Unless you are diabetic, I believe there is little in this world that brown sugar can’t cure. My eyes studied the world outside; the bare trees cast broad and spindly shadows across the lawn as winter’s light lingered in pockets of precious sunshine. Mother Nature’s beauty culled the most positive thoughts. As I relaxed, I soon found myself contemplating the amazing construction of an apple, its beginnings and how it evolved into a piece of fruit to sustain us. My mother sat at the table knitting a shawl. As soon as the pie would go in the oven, my own project of fingerless gloves was waiting for me. The news came on the television after a commercial for a grocery store, advertising ordering your food online to save time. After the lead-in stories of the day, there arrived a segment about the stress of preparing dinner. Then there was an announcement of some new technological gadget that was expected to make our lives exponentially easier. Pausing, I gently held the half-peeled apple in my palm and sighed. “Mom,” I asked as I smiled reassuringly at the fruit, “When did people forget that food is beautiful?” My mother and grandmother—whose mother taught her—taught me how to cook. I learned most of what I know not through structured lessons, but instead by simply being in their kitchens as they worked. I learned from watching them as I sat at the kitchen table and helping as I grew older. Of course, there were specific things that had to be taught from start to finish, such as baking a cake. They taught me how to read recipes, plan and ultimately put forth a well-balanced meal with the entrée and side dishes all ready at the same time. The most important thing my mother and grandmother taught me was something that they never had to say. Their steady actions and joyful energy told me that they thoroughly enjoyed what they were doing. Even when I was young, I understood that within their intentions was their deep and abiding love. I may not have known the words to express that just then but I knew that they were truly grateful to prepare a delicious meal for their loved ones. My mother and I cook together and often we cook for each other. I don’t have children, but if I did, I hope that they, too, would feel the love within me that I sense within the women who raised me. My grandmother died in 2006, four months shy of 100 years of age. She lived the last few years of her life in an assisted living community. We visited her many times each week. She never spoke of it but we knew she missed cooking. I knew because when we’d arrive in her room, she’d often give me a napkinwrapped roll from lunch. “Here,” she’d say as she held a hand out to me. “I saved this for you.” Kerri Habben is a writer, photographer and historian living in Raleigh, NC. An avid crocheter and knitter, she learned these skills from her grandmother and mother. She donates many of her yarn creations to those in need. A published writer for nearly twenty years, Kerri is currently gathering a decade of essays into a book. She can be reached at [email protected]. January ~ February 2015 9 The Country Register of Maine NEW HAMPSHIRE Aromatherapy/Essential Oils Tin Roof Primitives A Gathering of Primitive and Country Wares Hyssop Essential Oil Reproduction Furniture Textiles • Quilts • Lighting Window Treatments • Handmades Braided Rugs • Floorcloths (Hyssopus Officinalis) By Wanda Headrick Recently I was asked, “What is hyssop essential oil used for?” When the discussion was finished, I realized the many benefits of hyssop essential oil and thought others would be interested in knowing about its uses also. 1554 East Main St Ctr Conway (Rt 302), NH 603-986-3557 Hours: Wed-Sat 10am-5pm Sun- Mon 10am-4pm Closed Tue Hyssop essential oil comes from a small aromatic, perennial shrub that has a woody base and slender herbaceous stems with purplish-blue flowers. It is native to southern Europe and has been cultivated as a culinary herb and for medicinal uses for hundreds of years. Hyssop essential oil is steam distilled from the leaves and flowering tops of Hyssopus officinalis. The aroma from Hyssop is considered to be warm, sweet and penetrating. Hyssop flowers and leaves have been highly valued since antiquity for their therapeutic properties. It was one of the bitter herbs mentioned in the Old Testament (Psalms 51:7):” Purge me with hyssop and I shall be clean,” which may refer to the plant’s general cleansing effect in connection with plagues, leprosy and chest ailments. It was also on a twig of hyssop that a vinegar-filled sponge was handed to Jesus on the cross. Hippocrates prescribed hyssop for bronchitis and pleurisy. It was commonly used throughout the Middle Ages for warding off lice, wound healing, inflammation and disease of the chest and lungs. Today, hyssop essential oil is used in low doses as a topical application: massage, compress, bath, liniment or by inhalation: direct inhalation, diffuser, vaporizer or steam inhalation. It is considered a cleansing oil and is often used for healing purposes and to cleanse the environment for those who meditate. Hyssop essential oil should not be used during pregnancy or on individuals who have epilepsy or high blood pressure. It should be used in low dosage, as it is very potent. Properties of hyssop essential oil include: antiseptic, antispasmodic, astringent, diuretic, expectorant, sedative, stimulant and others. Hyssop essential oil is considered to have a healing effect on the skin by helping to form scar tissue and dispense bruises. Problem conditions like dermatitis and eczema may also respond to blends using hyssop essential oil. It also has the effect of promoting alertness and clarity. Emotionally it is considered to bring deep feelings into focus. Very effective on respiratory issues and viral infections, hyssop essential oil is good to clear the lungs and ease chest tightness experienced from colds, coughs, sore throats, influenza, bronchitis and asthma. It is also helpful to ease the effects of rheumatism, arthritis and gout. Always dilute hyssop essential oil in a fixed “carrier” oil. There are many different fixed oils that can be used, but most people have easy access to almond, grapeseed or olive. Some fixed “carrier” oils like emu oil also have specific antiinflammatory properties and can enhance the anti-inflammatory effects of hyssop and other essential oils. Clear the Air Sweet Orange.....................................................50 drops Peppermint Essential Oil...................................10 drops Lavender Essential Oil ......................................20 drops Hyssop Essential Oil .........................................10 drops Rosemary Essential Oil......................................20 drops Cedarwood Virginia Essential Oil.....................40 drops Blend the above pure essential oils together in a dark glass or metal bottle with a tight fitting lid. It is best to use a glass bottle with a euro dropper insert. The euro dropper insert allows you to use the blend 1 drop at a time. To use for clearing the air in your home or environment: Add 12-20 drops to a room humidifier, or 3-12 drops to a diffuser. You can also boil a pan of water on the stove, turn it off and then add 12-20 drops to the water. The steam will dissipate the essential oils through the room. The number of drops of the essential oil blend you use can be adjusted to fit your personal liking. To purchase Pure Essential Oils and other supplies go to www.flinthillsaromatherapy.com Or email: [email protected] We can be reached by phone @l 620-394-2250. H BITTERSWEET BLESSINGS H 20 Chester Street Chester, NH 03036 603-845-3577 www.bittersweet-blessings.com A primitive shop with over 6000 square feet to lose yourself in! We carry primitives, antiques, repurposed, vintage, handmade and more! Check us out on FaceBook for daily pictures! January 9th-11th Cabin Fever Event January 30th-February 1st Our 2 Year Anniversary Celebration March 6th-8th Spring Open House Shop Hours for January and February: Wednesday- Sunday 10am-5pm Pineapple Coconut Snowballs 1 (8 ounce) packages cream cheese, softened 1 (8 ounce) cans crushed pineapple, well drained 2 1/2 cups flaked coconut Directions When draining the pineapple, use a fine strainer to push as much juice out as possible. A reviewer has stated this makes the mixture a bit more firm and easier to work with. In a small bowl, beat cream cheese and pineapple. Mix well. Cover and refrigerate for 30 minutes. Roll mixture into 1-inch balls. Roll in coconut. Refrigerate for 6 hours or overnight. 10 The Country Register of Maine Snowball Cake A grown-up version of the classic lunchbox treat, this cake will bring back memories and bring up the question we all had as kids: how did the cream filling get in there? WHAT YOU NEED: 1 pkg. (2-layer size) devil’s food cake mix 1 pkg. (8 oz.) PHILADELPHIA Cream Cheese, softened 1 egg 2 Tbsp. granulated sugar 1 pkg. (3.4 oz.) JELL-O Vanilla Flavor Instant Pudding 1/4 cup powdered sugar 1 cup cold milk 1 tub (8 oz.) COOL WHIP Whipped Topping, thawed 1 cup BAKER’S ANGEL FLAKE Coconut MAKE IT: HEAT oven to 350ºF. PREPARE cake batter, in 2-1/2-qt. ovenproof bowl, as directed on package; scrape side of bowl. Beat cream cheese, egg and granulated sugar until blended; spoon into center of batter in bowl. BAKE 1 hour 5 min. or until toothpick inserted in center comes out clean. Cool cake in bowl 10 min. Loosen cake from bowl with knife; invert onto wire rack. Remove bowl. Cool cake completely. MEANWHILE, beat pudding mix, powdered sugar and milk in bowl with whisk 2 min. Stir in COOL WHIP. Refrigerate until ready to use. PLACE cake on plate; frost with pudding mixture. Cover with coconut. KRAFT KITCHENS TIPS: SIZE WISE At 16 servings, this fun-to-make cake is a great dessert to serve at a holiday party. EASY CLEANUP Save on cleanup by mixing and baking the cake batter in the same bowl. NOTE Store in refrigerator. H A P P Y N E W Y E A R January ~ February 2015 January ~ February 2015 11 The Country Register of Maine KENNEBUNK, WELLS Book GiveAways TO ENTER send a post card w/name, address, ph.# & book choice to: The Country Register of Maine, 221 Winslow Rd., Albion, ME 04910 or email name, address, ph.# & book choice to: [email protected] Return of Old Maine Woman The Old Maine Woman returns with her customary combination of sass, insight, and nostalgia in a host of new essays that shed their own particular light on the quandaries of being female, growing up, getting married, and getting older as a woman in the northern parts of the state. The twinkling eyes of Glenna Johnson Smith don’t miss much, a skill that served her well when she was a seventh and eighth grade teacher, and also allow her to capture the deeper meaning beneath life’s seemingly mundane moments. Filled with grace, humor, and fortitude, Return of Old Maine Woman will captivate the reader with its straightforward observations and heartwarming outlook. For anyone who has longed to hear the insight of a relative that has seen something of this life, Return of Old Maine Woman will fill that role, and more. Join Glenna Johnson Smith in this lovely and engaging book, as she recounts what she has taught and what she has learned during the better part a century well-lived. Glenna Johnson Smith was born in 1920 in Ashville, Maine, in coastal Hancock County. In 1941, she graduated from the University of Maine, married, and moved to a farm in Easton, in Maine’s Aroostook County. A teacher for many years, she also was heavily involved in school and community theater productions. Her writing has appeared in Echoes and Yankee magazines and other publications. She now lives in Presque Isle, Maine. Nine Mile Bridge s ’ e r e h W ? y l l e K Here I am, last summer at the Farnsworth Museum in Rockland, ME. For Valentine’s Day, I thought I’d show you the famous LOVE sculpture in the garden outside the museum. It was created by Robert Indiana, (Robert Clark) who was born September 13, 1928. He is an American artist associated with the pop art movement. His “LOVE” print, first created for the Museum of Modern Art’s Christmas card in 1965, was the basis for the widely-distributed 1973 United States Postal Service “LOVE” stamp. The LOVE sign has been made into a sculpture and is located in several United States towns and cities, including Rockland, Maine. It is also in cities outside the United States, and it has been made of different materials and in several colors. Since 1978, Robert Indiana has lived as a resident of Vinalhaven. In this critically acclaimed Maine classic, set in the 1930s, Helen Hamlin writes of her adventures in the Maine wilderness. Hamlin was warned that remote Churchill Depot, an isolated lumber camp located at the headwaters of the Allagash River, was “no place for a woman.” Despite the warning, Hamlin set off at age twenty to teach school at the tiny camp. After teaching for one year, she married a game warden, and moved deeper into the wilderness, where she spent her next three years. Hamlin effectively captures this time in her life, complete with the trappers, foresters, lumbermen, woods folk, wild animals, and natural splendor that she discovered first at Umsaskis Lake and then at Nine Mile Bridge on the St. John River. Islandport Press is proud to reissue Nine Mile Bridge. The enhanced classic features: a new foreword by Dean B. Bennett, author and noted authority on the Allagash and North Woods regions of Maine; a new Helen Hamlin biography; and new photographs. Helen Hamlin (1917-2004), the author of Nine Mile Bridge: Three Years in the Maine Woods, was born and raised in the northern Aroostook County town of Fort Kent, Maine. Growing up in a family of game wardens, she had a deep appreciation for the culture of the North Woods and its inspirational beauty — a love that lasted her entire life. As the wife of a fish game warden, she lived deep in the Maine wilderness and taught school in a remote lumber camp. Later, Hamlin ran the Parmachenee Club (a private hunting and fishing club on Treat’s Island), worked as a portrait painter, wrote a best-selling book, served as a French translator in Africa, and traveled the world. November/December Book GiveAway Winners Major Manners Nite*Nite Soldier CATHERINE RUSSELL, SOUTH CHINA, ME Freddie the Frogcaster & the Big Blizzard DEBBIE RUTTER, PORTLAND, ME CONGRATULATIONS! If our gal Friday didn’t pick your name, please try again in the Nov./Dec. issue. NOTE: this map is meant as a general guide to the area the shops are located. Please tell our advertisers you saw their ad in the Country Register! 1 6 2 5 7 3 4 1. ALBION / CHINA VILLAGE / WATERVILLE Central ME Pharmacy Attitudes Salon Jems Country Gifts Olde Thyme Primitives (China Village) 4. KENNEBUNK / WELLS Hearth & Soul Village Stencils 5. GARDINER / LITCHFIELD The Busy Thimble Quilt Shop Candle in the Window 2. AUGUSTA Hodgepodge 6. LEWISTON Willow Tree Primitives 3. BUXTON Buxton Antiques Emporium 7. CORNISH Primitive Days
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