New York: HarperCollins, 2003
As the title suggests, this book, just released in hardcover, combines recipes from the coast of Maine with stories of Rebecca Charles’s family’s visits there. The ethnic thread of the narrative is an intriguing one. Rather than a WASP New England blueblood perspective or the Maine native’s experience, this is the story of three generations of a successful Jewish family from Brooklyn Heights, New York, who annually summered at the coastal town of Kennebunkport. Beginning in 1919, they stayed at the one hotel, The Forest Hill House, that accepted Jews. Made to feel welcome around town at beach facilities, eateries and stores, the family knew there was prejudice but the only discrimination they openly faced was the segregation in housing, culturally acceptable at the time.
The years of prohibition posed another kind of challenge – did you transport the illegal hootch from New York to Maine or make connections once you reached your destination? The author’s resourceful grandfather, Goldie, stocked up in the city, wrapping the bottles carefully to protect and disguise them for the trip, thereby delivering the requisite bourbon for a month of Manhattans.
In describing almost a century of a family’s summer connection with Kennebunkport, the book delineates with detail the place and times. Capturing the history means a great deal to the author, who fondly portrays her kin, their traditions and meals. Also woven into it are many family photographs. The recipes are not as successfully integrated as in some other story/cookbook combinations, for example, Laurie Colwin’s outstanding Home Cooking and More Home Cooking or Laura Esquivel’s Like Water for Chocolate. Some food preparation descriptions offer useful detail, such as why to insist on “dry” scallops and reject “wet” ones and how to locate, dig, clean and shuck clams. There is, however, no discussion of how to boil or steam lobsters, which is rife with possibilities and strong opinions. Charles does discuss hot dog buns for lobster rolls and the top slit versus side slit openings. The recipes feature – groan – lots of butter, mayonnaise and heavy cream. Yes, these are “traditional” recipes – for things like coleslaw, French fries, fried clam roll, crab cakes and blueberry crumble pie. Some recipes are deliberately dated such as the ones illustrating an earlier generation’s idea of happy hour with drinks like the Sidecar and appetizers like Cheesies. And there’s one lone recipe that could hail from a Jewish background, Potato Pancakes, also known as latkes.
This book will most likely find a niche in the Kennebunk-area gift shops and summer homes and a run of popularity as a present from houseguests. One unconventional possibility would have been some culinary fusion combining the cuisine of Russian-Jewish heritage with traditional New England fare. With her chatty, warm-hearted approach, the reader will feel welcomed at Rebecca Charles’s family table. Affectionate memories aside, though, the recipes themselves seem basic and rather ordinary. But glorious full-page color photographs drive home the most important point – there is potential for magic here. Some undeniable alchemy occurs when, for example, you mix lobster with mayo, lemon juice and minced celery. The result transcends simplicity. This book showcases how humble ingredients – Maine’s fresh seafoods – rise to greatness. Humble recipes can surely lead to rapture.
Tina Cohen does her culinary experimentation on Vinalhaven.