It's another beautiful day here in Rockland, Maine at the Lobster Festival. It's 80 degrees which is nice, although it hit 90% humidity, which makes it feel like a real scorcher.
Set up close to the main entrance are two huge maps. One of the USA and one of the World, with a cup of colored pins and thumbtacks. You are asked to stick a pin in the map to show where you are from. So far every state in the US is represented. That's pretty exciting when you think about it. As I checked out the map of the world I said to myself, wow every continent is represented as well. Except of course for Antarctica. But then I looked closely and saw a pin in the Queen Maud Land area of Antarctica and when I got home and did some research it seems that's where Norway's research station is. That blew my mind. People really do come from all over the world for this festival.
I went to see the "Real Maine Man" cooking competition today and it was pretty strange. Besides the dish, you also got rated on how you introduced yourself, your clothes, and had to answer some Maine related questions. The contest was being held for the first time this year and hadn't been publicized too well. So there were only three entrants. I think that next year there will be a LOT more guys entering the competition.
Photos and story after the jump.
As the competition was about to start there were only two men who had shown up. So everyone sat around for awhile to see if there were going to be any other entrants arriving.
"Real Maine Man" entrant, Jason Goderre and his wife and son. Jason is dressed how his Mainer dad did during summers when Jason was growing up. In a Chevy cap, a cut sleeve flannel shirt, cut off jean shorts, and sandals. Jason grew up in Maine but lives in Boca Raton, FL now.
"Real Maine Man" entrant, Eric Anderson and his wife. Eric is wearing a baseball cap, dirty pair of farm jeans, and thermal shirt. Attached to his hat are bug repellent wipes, fishing lures, and his Maine fishing registration. Around his neck is a compass and a sheath knife is at his waist.
It looked like no one else was going to show so Eric started to prepare his "Tough When There Ain't Any" casserole.
So Jason started to prepare his dish as well. Maine Lobster Shepherd's pie.
Then a jeep comes speeding up to the event tent and two crazy guys jumped out. "Real Maine Man" entrants, Dana and Michael, no last names were given. They opened the hood of the jeep and took out several aluminum foil wrapped packages. They proceeded to cuss a bit as they burned their hands and loudly told everyone in very heavy Mainer accents they had some nice fresh roadkill they had come across as they were cruising the country roads earlier that day. They mentioned rabbit, beaver, seagull, and several other tasty critters that they had run across. Or run over as the case may be.
The first thing the did was try to bribe some of the judges, including a local police officer who was part of the panel.
The first two judges started to accept the cash, but the officer stepped in and put a stop to it. So they took their packages of engine cooked roadkill over to the judging table. They caused a bit of a ruckus here and there, until they finally settled down for awhile. No one knew what to make of it, but everyone was laughing hysterically and enjoying their antics. They both had on dark glasses and were dressed in Hawaiian shirts and ratty 'ole jeans held up with rope for belts.
Here's Jason showing off his Maine Lobster Shepard's Pie, garnished with the body and tail of a lobster.
Here's Eric's "Tough When There Ain't Any" casserole garnished with large pieces of fresh herbs and Day Lilly petals.
Dana is unwrapping their Roadkill Kabobs, marinated in some WD-40 and engine fumes.
He also whipped out a nice bottle of White Wild Irish Rose Wine from a brown paper bag, which they had picked up along the way at a gas station for $3.19.
The food judges were the local Fire chief and two fireperson's, because everyone knows that fireperson's know good food. First served was Erics "Tough When There Ain't Any" casserole. The Fire Chief dug in like he had missed breakfast and lunch and was starving. He finished every bit he was served in a just a few moments and obviously enjoyed it. It seemed the other two judges did as well, although they didn't bolt it down quite as fast. Then Jason's Maine Lobster Shepherd's Pie was served. The Chief really liked this dish and asked for seconds. You can see by their smiles that they were all enjoying themselves.
Then it was time for Dana and Michaels Roadkill Kabobs. Michael served the wine to the two fireperson's but since the Chief was in uniform he didn't have any.
Those are not looks of pleasure on the judges faces as they sample the Roadkill Kabobs. There was some intense whispering and several shocked looks on their faces. They tried to wash their mouths out with the wine, but that made things worse, so they were each given some Gatorade to wash down the dry and unsavory morsels of meat.
After the tasting panel was done with their notes the entrants were quizzed by the other judges. Eric was asked to name three uses for duct tape. His response was, "If it moves and it shouldn't... use duct tape. If it moves and it shouldn't... use duct tape. If it moves and it shouldn't... use duct tape." When asked if he wore boxers or briefs he answered "Nothing." Well things started to go downhill rapidly from here. The questions and answers from the contestants were so hysterically funny that I couldn't take notes, and I laughed so hard my cheeks hurt.
Finally the judges conferred and named Jason's Maine Lobster SHepherd's Pie as the winner, with Eric's "Tough When There Ain't Any" casserole in second place. Then it was announced that Dana and Michaels dish couldn't be given third prize because they were Dana Start and Michael Edgecomb, two of the Lobster Festivals directors. This got everyone laughing all over again and a fun time was had by all.
After the tasting panel was done with their notes the entrants were quizzed by the other judges. Eric was asked to name three uses for duct tape. His response was, "If it moves and it shouldn't... use duct tape. If it moves and it shouldn't... use duct tape. If it moves and it shouldn't... use duct tape." When asked if he wore boxers or briefs he answered "Nothing." Well things started to go downhill rapidly from here. The questions and answers from the contestants were so hysterically funny that I couldn't take notes, and I laughed so hard my cheeks hurt.
Finally the judges conferred and named Jason's Maine Lobster SHepherd's Pie as the winner, with Eric's "Tough When There Ain't Any" casserole in second place. Then it was announced that Dana and Michaels dish couldn't be given third prize because they were Dana Start and Michael Edgecomb, two of the Lobster Festivals directors. This got everyone laughing all over again and a fun time was had by all.
There was much congratulating each other, all in heavy and loud Mainer accents.
Here is Jason Goderre's recipe for Maine Lobster Shepherd's Pie.
Here's Eric Anderson's recipe for "Tough When There Ain't Any" casserole.
As for Dana and Michael's dish? They had bought kabobs at a local restaurant and wrapped them in foil and put them on the jeeps manifold to keep warm. During the drive the packages had opened up enough that fumes and dirt had gotten into them, providing a nice touch of aromatic spices that the judges noticed quite well.
As for Dana and Michael's dish? They had bought kabobs at a local restaurant and wrapped them in foil and put them on the jeeps manifold to keep warm. During the drive the packages had opened up enough that fumes and dirt had gotten into them, providing a nice touch of aromatic spices that the judges noticed quite well.
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