The other day, I met some stylish Texans who were sipping Watermelon Cosmos on the shaded porch of The Tides Inn, a charming boutique hotel located right across from Goose Rocks Beach in Kennebunkport. The Texans and I had a good chat about the weather. It’s on everyone’s mind and it’s a relatively safe subject to discuss. Although this particular husband and wife clearly love living in Dallas most of the time, they both acknowledged that this summer, with temperatures reaching 106 degrees Fahrenheit in the Lone Star State, they are quite relieved to be vacationing in my lovely town. After our talk, I crossed the street and made my way past thorny bushes of sea roses, slipped off my flip flops and sank my toes in the warm sand. The late afternoon is when the crowds disperse and the breezes are more delicious. It’s so good to savor the best decision I ever made—to move to Maine
My BFF, who drove up from Stamford, Connecticut where I spent my best childhood days, always chooses the end of July to come for a visit. This time, after I made her a seafood supper followed by a sour cherry pie, I took her to see the amazing, ageless, Graham Nash perform at nearby Vinegar Hill Music Theatre. We both couldn’t believe that Nash’s music could still resonate with the whole audience, especially when he suggested that Russian mothers should sing Teach Your Children to their children.
Life seems very fragile these days…not just because I am getting older or because I recently lost my father, but also because many of the people who came to Jillyanna's Woodfired Cooking School this summer have seemed so appreciative. They thanked me for the food (Forgive my shameless pride!) but most of all, they thanked each other for the chance to relax and celebrate a fifty year wedding anniversary, a birthday party, a reunion with still spry grandparents. We also hosted a special seafood inspired wood-fired dinner attended by women who wanted to celebrate both a girls night out and the important work of World Central Kitchen.
To accommodate so many different interests and needs we have opened up our dining options. While the weather is hot and you are not in the mood for a hands-on cooking class, you can choose to relax with your loved ones outside on our beautiful porch and watch me prepare a unique wood-fired dinner. One group wanted the Wood-fired Italian Supper, another group preferred the Mediterranean Dinner. A birthday girl wanted a birthday cake with ice cream and hot fudge rather than a fruit pie with whipped cream.
A young man who just bought an Ooni, but is not sure of his pizza making or live fire cooking skills decided he does want a hands-on workshop immediately, especially since his wife also loves to prepare pizza. This would make the perfect anniversary gift he told me so he bought a gift certificate for a Neapolitan Wood-fired Pizza Workshop. Since the couple works on the week-end, they wanted a workshop in the middle of the week. Would I be willing to teach in the middle of the week? YES! I always try to be flexible. Please do understand, though, that we need time to plan and shop and prep for your event so please call us at 207-967-4960 or contact us at cook@jillyannas.com as soon as you are ready to book your culinary adventure.
If you don’t want a fancy dinner, but you want to have a blast with your pals, you can choose to purchase a Private Woodfired Pizza Party. We provide the gorgeous Neapolitan dough and all the fresh condiments. You and your guests decorate your pizzas according to your taste. I cook each pizza in our beautiful outdoor oven (It only takes 90 seconds!) and then you can devour your masterpiece.
In addition to these options, we are also offering pan pizza classes, pie classes and sourdough pizza workshops. For more details about all of our offerings, click on this link: www.jillyannas.com
I particularly want to highlight the Woodfired Harvest Dinner on September 10th. The menu for this supper includes local halibut and more of the glorious late summer vegetables and fruits:
Zucchini Gruyere Pan Pizza
Cold Cucumber and Dill Soup
Roasted Halibut with Lemon, Olives and Rosemary
Grilled Chicken and Vegetable Kabobs
Couscous
Watermelon, Feta and Tomato Salad
Concord Grape Pie
Homemade Ice Cream and Sorbet
If you need more reasons to explore Maine right now, here are a few: Wild Maine blueberries, the sweetest and most flavorful Maine berries are in season, the price of local lobster, though still expensive ($52.99 a pound for fresh picked) is cheaper than it’s been in a long time. Gas prices are down. And, oh yes, we are offering a summer sale on Private Wood-fired Pizza Parties. And, for the month of August and September, Wood-fired Pizza Parties are 10% off!
Thank you, dear friends, for following my Instagram or Facebook feed. You know from looking at all my pictures how much I love lemon ricotta pancakes with wild blueberries. Here’s the magnificent recipe by Genevieve Ko from the New York Times.
Happy Summer!
Jill