"A Story of Midori"

Greetings, Blog Friends.

As a student of bartending and mixology during my college years, I aspired to learn as much as I could about the fine art of making cocktails. Back at that time I was waiting tables in a family-run restaurant and service bartenders (who make drinks for the tables in the restaurant) were not on schedule. A chart by the full-service bar in the kitchen was composed by a lead waitress, telling us which glass each commonly-ordered cocktail went in, how to prepare (shake, build, blend, etc) and the proportions of each ingredient that went into making the cocktail. By age 20 (I started waiting tables at 18 years old) I had become, through my research and application, a fairly decent mixologist!

One summer I worked at a student cafeteria on the UNH campus and I asked a foreign exchange student from Japan if she had ever heard of Midori, the honeydew flavored liqueur made in her home country. Her knowledge of alcohol was small and she shook her head. The next day, however, she happily ran up to me and said: "Yesterday you asked about Midori. Yes, yes! It is made in Japan." I smiled. "Do you know what Midori means in Japanese?" she asked with a grin. I shook my head. "It means "green." (I did not know that! I then knew my first Japanese word!)

Midori is a light, melon-flavored liqueur used in many fruity libations, such as the Melon Ball (vodka, Midori, and OJ) and the Pearl Harbor (vodka or rum, Midori, and pineapple juice). Midori is also excellent with (or without rum) in a Midori Colada (a melon version of the Pina Colada). Many imitations of Midori exist, and while they are a little more syrupy and sweeter than their inspiration, they work just fine in the above cocktails.

The bottle of Midori, too, looks much like a tall Japanese temple. Like many liqueurs, it is rather low in alcohol--only 40 proof (whiskey is 80 proof). Still apply with moderation, of course!

Hoping you will try some recipes using Midori over the Summer months and trust that you are able to spend time with friends and family (or at the Inn at Long Lake, too!).

Keith A. Neubert
Innkeeper-Chef
The Inn at Long Lake

"Today a Small Dream Came True....."

Greetings to all!

Today at The Inn at Long Lake a new dream came true.

Many who know me well know that I adore music (hence, half of the rooms in my inn are inspired by musical icons of the 1920s & 1930s). The last room I re-named at the inn (they were originally named after Maine boats) was Room #3--The Copland Room (after American composer Aaron Copland). Pairing him up against other notable names in our common history, like Cole Porter, Ellington, Glenn Miller, and others, I thought a classical composer would be an odd choice. My heart (in food and in Life) always tells me "when you are happy, you are on the right path."

Recently, through my Facebook page and my cousin Peter (who is techno savvy) I obtained a rare version of Copland's "Our Town Suite." It was scored in the movie version of Thorton Wilder's play "Our Town" (which it seems every high school drama club does at least once!) To me, no better American classical composition portrays small town American life as this beautiful work does---simple, pastoral, and steadfast.

As Naples came to life this morning and my guests emerged in the inn's Great Room, I had this 11 minute work playing lightly as they made coffee and pots of tea before breakfast. I explained to them what the piece playing was, and how playwright Wilder had chosen the town of Grovers Corners (geographically, according to the play, Peterborough, New Hampshire--in my home state) to illustrate the story of our American day to day lives.

As busy and overwhelmed as innkeeping can be behind the scenes, I had a moment to realize that in hearing this lovely work, in my inn, with my guests enjoying the start of their day, that a dream had come true. While it may sound "cornball," yes...a small tear came to my eye. Another detail of the inn experience I believed in creating for the enjoyment of my guests had come into being.

Tonight as I stood on the front porch and watched the calm waters of Long Lake splash playfully in the night breeze, I quietly ended my day remembering the music and the challenging day that had passed in this beautiful New England town of Naples, Maine. And with no guests at the inn this evening, I went inside with a feeling of being blessed, and ended my day in my town.

May we not forget those in the great Southern small towns and cities of this country affected by the extreme weather conditions of months past (Missouri, Arkansas, Tennessee, etc). Our prayers will be a small way to support them in this challenging path to rebuilding their small town lives, their schools and businesses, their Main Streets, and their homes. Please take a moment as your day rumbles along to send good thoughts their way, if just for a moment. You'd be surprised what prayers and dreams can manifest.

I do.

Keith A. Neubert

Innkeeper-Chef

The Inn at Long Lake

"Nightfall in Western Maine"

Pictured above: Sunset falls on the Western Maine area. A perfect way for this innkeeper to enjoy one last moment before his busy Summer and Fall.

May the view in your night sky bring you the company of friends with which to share it, or a pause of Gratitude for this amazing planet, or maybe an instance to experience yourself "just breathing." Last Saturday evening, I think I had and did all three!

Keith A. Neubert

The Inn at Long Lake

"In The Hunt for Rhubarb"

Greetings, Blog Friends and Foodies!

While preparing the inn for the upcoming Summer and Fall seasons, I was able to get away and spend time with some old, and new, friends. My lady friend Jane (see blog entry from 2010 on Preserving) had called a few weeks to happily inform me that her rhubarb patch was coming up and that I could extract from it what I needed.

And, so....early yesterday morning I put my "grubbies" on and headed over to her house in nearby Raymond, Maine. Jane is a busy C.P.A. and at 8am on a Saturday morning I felt it too early to ring her bell (in the event she was still asleep). I marched down to the gorgeous patch of vegetables and cut a lovely amount of fresh rhubarb (shown above).

Rhubarb has been around for quite some time, pre-dating back to 2700 BC in China. It was grown for many years for medicinal properties! This vegetable did not, however, make it to the U.S. until 1790-1800 when seeds were introduced to the soils of the great State of Massachusetts. Circa 1822, rhubarb was available in produce markets around the country finally.

Rhubarb's tart taste is often sweetened with sugar for eating. Found in pies, tarts, and jam (which is what I use it for at the inn), the vegetable is a good source of vitamin C and dietary fiber. There are some excellent websites containing information and recipes. My favorite recipe for slathering liberally on toast is a Cherry-Rhubarb Conserve I make at the beginning part of the inn's Summer season. Conserve, unlike preserves, lasts as long as any "open jar of fruit" in the refrigerator (about 1-1/2 weeks). Preserves, of course, once properly processed can last in storage for quite some time.

At the very core of it, I am proud (and happy) to be able to make basic conserves in my inn kitchen. Too many scrape jams out of jars (or worse...offer those little containers of processed jam on the tables---ick!). By utilizing seasonal fruits and vegetables, like rhubarb, I can present to my guests the grandeur of each season's garden abundance! (I just adore my work!!!!)

That is all from the inn today. I am off to work on the grounds and enjoy the Maine sunshine. Thank you so much for reading. (PS: Try rhubarb in some recipe this early Summer!).

Check us out on Facebook under The Inn at Long Lake and "like us." ;-)

Keith A. Neubert

Innkeeper-Chef, The Inn at Long Lake

"Let's Have "Just Pasta" Tonight!"

Greetings, Blog Friends.

I recently was so busy around the inn one day that I had neglected lunch. Innkeepers need their carbs so I brainstormed "just some pasta" for my mid-day meal. During this I realized that "even pasta" has its finer points of cooking---easy steps to really make pasta "rock it out" (insert rocker hand signal here). LOL.

Some helpful tips from an inn chef:

1). Always cook pasta (or rice) in a flavored stock (chicken, vegetarian, etc.) Pasta cooks by "sucking up" boiling water. Why not let it suck up some flavor?!

2). After the pasta has cooked and well drained (hard for sauce to adhere to water), heat the sauce you will be using (slightly spicy marinara, decadent Alfredo, spitfire Diablo, etc.) and then add the pasta TO THE SAUCE, simmering for 1-2 minutes. Using a set of tongs, fold the pasta INTO the sauce as it cooks. Let set a moment before plating (I'm a guy--I like pasta in a big ole' bowl). Make sure the sauce to pasta ratio isn't a dry one.

3). Prepare your sauce in advance and heat up on a simmer while the pasta is finishing cooking (leave enough room for the pasta being added to it--see Step 2). Sauce flavors develop while sitting---a stored freezer tomato sauce from last Summer's tomatoes is sublime!!)

Hope these tips help. Thanks for reading.

Keith A. Neubert

Innkeeper-Chef, The Inn at Long Lake

"Trekking the Good Trek"

(Pictured above: Jim and Myra from Ithaca, New York preparing for their next leg of their cycling trip---from South Bend, Indiana to Rockland, Maine--then to their daughter's graduation. A good inn-cooked breakfast at the inn on that rainy morning and some leftover By Scratch Brownies--from their greeting the day before--helped them face the rainy road ahead!)

Their next stop was my friends Jim and Larry's B&B in Bath, Maine. Hope they survived their cocktail hour!!

It is also amazing to see such adventurous, lovely people showing up on your doorstep!! "Pedals to the metal" and "Godspeed", Jim and Myra!!

"Isn't It Romantic?"

(Pictured above: Tyler and Sarah from New Hampshire re-visited Inn at Long Lake for their 5th Anniversary. They are holding the picture taken of themselves in front of the Inn at Long Lake fieldstone fireplace on their wedding day!).

Tyler and Sarah recently celebrated 5 years of wedded bliss here at the inn. I remember their wedding event at Inn at Long Lake well (in April 2006--my! how time flies!). The inn was quiet the weekend they visited last month and as much as I must have everything "in its place," I smiled when I went out to the Great Room one evening and all but one light was on. There they sat--in the darkened solitude of the room--cuddling and just chatting. Ahhhh....how romantic!

One afternoon I saw Sarah sitting on a couch with a couple of notebooks. I asked, "You don't have to work on the weekend, do you?!" She replied, "No, I am reading all the e-mails I printed out from when Tyler and I were getting to know each other." Ahhhh...even more romantic!!!

Having Tyler and Sarah return to the inn was lovely. Seeing two great people that actually "fit" stay together, weathering the little storms as a couple, "did my heart good." It was a weekend, I hope, we will always keep dear to our hearts.

Keith A. Neubert

Innkeeper, Inn at Long Lake