Which Way the Wind Blows
by Brooks MacDonald

Were you wondering? It's the middle of November and you still hadn't received your Eye of the Hurricane. Not to worry, we just moved our fall issue back a little bit. With the "social season" lasting longer and longer each year, we felt it best to go to print in the first couple of weeks of November. There was no sense making promises of plenty of free parking or an untrodden Marginal Way until this next (read favorite) season has finally fallen.

Now is the time for braising shanks, roasting root vegetables and preparing those foods we have to wait until the weather turns cold to enjoy. I hope I'm not rushing into our Public Supper season too early. We host the first one on November 16th. I know for some of you, it couldn't be soon enough.

Anyway, let me fill you in on what's been going on around here since we last chatted.

Record numbers of people found their way to Maine, to Ogunquit and to Hurricane last summer. The season started earlier than ever and just kept going and going and going. I'm sure all of the tourist-related businesses in Ogunquit had a great season, and for that we are very grateful.

We weren't very happy about all the people we had to turn away this year. With all the guests we seated - and we seated more people this year than ever before - someone asked if we wished we had a larger restaurant. We answered with a resounding, "No!" We've got plenty of seats nine months out of the year. No sense going overboard for three short months.

New voice on the phone? You betcha. We are extremely pleased Virginia Hastings has joined the Hurricane family as our administrative assistant. Virginia is handling all the administrivia - bills, payroll, books, etc. - taking and scheduling all our reservations and still keeping track of Paul, Louie and me. I can't imagine anyone would even want the position, let alone do the great job she manages to do. Hurricane is a better restaurant because of Virginia, and we are fortunate to have her.

In this issue of the Eye, we have an article about our wine dinners and their dates. Paul is still firming up some of the wineries, but we at least know the dates. He'll fill you in on the entire series schedule in our mid-January newsletter.

Dan, Eric, Carlos and Michele - along with the rest of our stellar culinarians - are working hard on some new menus that sound delicious. They are exceptionally talented artists and we are most appreciative they perform here.

Lu is excited about gearing up for holiday gift-basket season. Almost as excited as she is about letting everyone know just how old I am - 50. My personal Y 1/2 C. I always wanted my own acronym.

We also have an item regarding our winter schedule and hours, a bit about holiday parties (the Hurricane Open House is December 12th and this is your only invitation) and a lot of other news I know you've been just dying to hear.

Fill a glass with ice, Big Rick, we're on our way.

I leave you with a thought from the late Lucio Sorre of Banfi Vintners: "Food without wine is tantamount to walking around naked." How right you were, my friend. How right you were.

Some Ado About Our Wine Dinner Series
By Paul Brick

Right on schedule, we have come up with a schedule. The dates are set and we have begun the annual fall ritual of tasting some wine and cursing the falling leaves! There's not much we can do about the leaves, but we can do our best to bring some great wine and food to your table again this year.

So far, we have lined up a couple of good friends to present some wines you may not have tasted before. Pete Emery of Banfi will introduce us to Ceaseri Cecchi and his family's tremendous wines from Tuscany. We are honored and thrilled he is traveling all the way from Italy to dine with us.

Phil Newell of M.M. Newtin will be bringing along Clay Mauritson from Kenwood Wines on February 3rd. We tasted over 30 Kenwoods in preparation for the wine dinner, while having the pleasure of breaking bread with Clay a couple months ago. I was very impressed with the depth of wine knowledge he has acquired at such a young age. Clay's family has been growing grapes for Kenwood for many generations. His time in the vineyards and wineries of Sonoma has been well spent. His Rose Bowl ring is also very impressive - Oregon, 1995.

We've tossed a few other names around with our suppliers - Sterling, Mondavi and Valley of the Moon, to name a few. We should have them all lined up by the time you receive this newsletter, call us for details. Be sure to reserve early to ensure you enjoy the dinners of your choice.

We'll be swirlin' and sippin' through seven divine Hurricane Wine Dinners in 2000:

January 13th January 27th February 3rd February 17th March 9th March 23rd April 6th

Don't forget to peruse our current list for some great new additions: Pahlmeyer Napa Red, Silverado Limited Reserve Chardonnay or Caymus Special Selection Cabernet - boy those Wagner's still have it. We may even add a Kenwood or two from those 31 labels we tasted.

Provisions Prepares for Shipping by Sleigh
By Luanne MacDonald

Here it is again, our favorite time of year. Do I say that every season?

The summer season was so busy it just flew right by. Now there seems to be just as many shoppers at Provisions, but there's plenty of parking in Perkins Cove.

With the holidays just around the corner, we have exciting provisions arriving daily for your shopping discovery. New and exiting gift ideas include:

• Iron Horse Brut LD Champagne. For the biggest holiday season in 1000 years.
• Guzman's Blueberry Salsa. Made in Maine. Wicked tasty.
• Private Harvest Flavored Bread Dippers. Italian Herb & Garlic, Southwest, Balsamic Vinegarette are a few of the flavors.
• Robert Rothchild's Onion Blossom & Horseradish Dip. 'Nuff said.
• Opus Insulated Wine Carriers. A single-bottle carrier for the first date. A multi-bottle version for the first dinner party. Both include glasses and corkscrew.

I can't wait to start creating gift baskets again this year. It's big fun and really gets me in the holiday spirit. Here's something I do say every season however: Please make your gift basket requests early. You'll have more options to select from and the baskets will arrive in time.

Speaking of holidays, I'm whisking Brookie off to Scotland this fall to celebrate his holiday-like half-century mark. Probably ought to look at some tweeds and wools while we're there, don't ya think?

I go to great lengths for both my husband and my shop. Hope he doesn't think I went to too great a length by telling everyone which birthday he's having. Yeah, right Like no one else knows. Who does he think he's kidding?

Spring Ahead, Fall Back

We're here at these times and we hope you'll be, too.
Lunch
Monday through Saturday 11:30 a.m. to 3:30 p.m.
Dinner
Monday through Thursday 5:30 p.m. to 9:30 p.m.
Friday and Saturday 'til 10:30 p.m.
Sunday Brunch
11:30 a.m. to 3 p.m.
Sunday Dinner
Our full menu is served all day, from 11:30 a.m. 'til 9:30 p.m.

Reservations are always suggested.
Toll-Free in Maine and New Hampshire: 800-649-6348
Elsewise: 207-646-6348

Public Suppers Begin November 16th and are offered almost every Tuesday From 5:30 p.m. until 9:30 p.m.

Happy Hour Buffet Our complimentary nosh is served Monday through Friday starting at 4 p.m.

Seasons Scheduling and the "Why Too Kay"

As the holiday season and new millennium quickly approach, we have finalized our holiday schedule and want to share it with you.

Once again we will shutter our doors so our staff can enjoy Christmas with their families. We will be closing after lunch on December 23rd and will reopen for Sunday Brunch on December 26th.

Our annual open-house/customer-appreciation evening is scheduled for December 12th, beginning at 6 p.m. This is your official invitation, so please join us for our Eighth Annual Toast to the Holidays. It's also a great way to wrap up Ogunquit's Christmas by the Sea weekend.

For the first time, we will not be open to the public on New Year's Eve. (We will be hosting a private function that evening.) We apologize for any inconvenience.

We will be serving our brunch and dinner menus all day on both Saturday, January 1st, and Sunday, January 2, 2000.

Finally, we will be closing for our annual paint and polish on January 2nd after dinner. We'll have a fresh new look when we open for our ninth season at lunch on Friday, January 14th.

Seasoned with the Coming Seasons

Even though we change our menu daily, it's still exciting when the seasons change and a supply of new and fresh ingredients reach our door. This is especially true with the fall harvest. During this autumn season we will be featuring special dishes the crisp days and chilly nights demand. How do you spell comfort food?

Let us start with a Pumpkin and Porcini Soup garnished with crispy endive and pepitas - toasted pumpkin seeds. Next, we'll have a Roasted Root Vegetable Salad with braised chard, a fresh oregano vinaigrette and a hazelnut and roasted red pepper coulis. For lunch, we'll have the Pulled Duck Leg Confit on an apple and fig risotto cake topped with a fig and hoisin dressing. We'll next savor the Roast Rack of American Lamb with a bittersweet ganache at dinner. It might be the best lamb dish we've served in recent years.

The desert menu also changes daily. This fall we'll continue to present some of the best pastry imaginable. It's pretty, it's sweet, it's sinful. It's easy to taste why everyone raves about Michelle's creations.

A Toast to Lucio Sorre
By Brooks MacDonald

This past September we received the sad news that our good friend and mentor, Lucio Sorre, had passed away in New York City.

We were very fortunate to have Lucio host a number of our Banfi wine-makers' dinners at Hurricane over the years. Lucio's enthusiasm for food and wine was infectious. I recall one evening when Lucio declared with all his romantic Italian charm, "The Lobster Osso Buco was a symphony to the pallate."

You were right Lucio, but the symphony wasn't the lobster - it was you. Our passion for food and wine at this "little restaurant by the sea" is infused with your memory. To have shared good food, good wine and your company was as good as it will ever get. We were the lucky ones and we know it. Your life was la dolce vita.

Tonight, I raise a glass of grappa and remember you warmly.

Salute!

Chestnut and Currant Encrusted American Rack of Lamb With a Bittersweet Ganache (Serves 4)

• 1/2 cup coarse fresh bread crumbs
• 1/2 cup chestnuts, packed in water, drained
• 1/3 cup zante currants*
• 2 tbl. chestnut flour*
• 1 tbl. canola oil
• 1 medium tomato, peeled, seeded and chopped
• 1 clove garlic, minced
• 1 small yellow onion, diced small
• 1 cup veal stock (you can substitute beef broth, but veal is preferred)
• 1/3 cup chicken stock
• pinch dried oregano
• pinch cinnamon
• pinch cumin
• 1 dried chipotle pepper, chopped*
• 3 tbl. bittersweet or semi sweet chocolate, shaved into small pieces
• 2 16-ounce American lamb racks, trimmed and frenched
• 1 tbl. olive oil

Place chestnuts and currants in food processor. Pulse until roughly chopped and well mixed. Place in mixing bowl, add bread crumbs and chestnut flour. Mix until well blended.

Place canola oil, tomato, garlic and onion in large sauté pan and sauté until tender.

Bring veal stock, chicken stock, oregano, cinnamon, cumin and chipotle pepper to a boil. Lower heat to simmer. Add the sautéed tomato, onion, garlic and puree. Simmer for 15 minutes. Reduce heat and slowly add chocolate while whisking. Continuously check for flavor, being careful not to add too much chocolate. Keep warm.

Rub lamb with oil and coat with bread crumb/chestnut mixture. Place on rack in roasting pan and cook at 350° for 15 minutes per pound for medium-rare.

* Available in most specialty food stores.

"The greatest tribute to the art of good living is the civilization of the table."
      ~~ Lucio Sorre