Which Way the Wind Blows
by Brooks MacDonald

Whether it will ever warm up this spring seems to be the main topic of conversation in Perkins Cove this April. But it always has, at least as long as I can remember. I guess we'll just have to show a little more patience again this year. Know what I mean?

The winter of '96-'97 seemed to fly by. Not such a bad thing on the coast of Maine. As I sit and pen this, our ninth newsletter, I reflect on how quickly everything seems to go by, not just the winter. (Hell, no one is going to convince me that pecans and walnuts don't toast quicker now in the oven than they did 10 years ago, but that's a story for another time.)

Let's get on to the story at hand, filling you in on what's in this issue and all the other things that have gone on in our little food emporium over the last few months.

First and foremost, it is with great pride I announce the promotion of Matt Greenwood to the position of Hurricane Chef de Cuisine. Matt has been with us for over two years as sous-chef and takes over the reins in our kitchen with great enthusiasm. An ambitious culinarian, Matt has already assisted in some changes I'm sure you're going to enjoy. When you try the featured recipe in this issue - Lump Crabmeat Cakes with a Preserved Lemon Salad - you'll see why we are all so excited to have Matt in his new position.

Also at this time, we would like to introduce Jon Downie as our new sous-chef. Jon comes to us from the Portland Country Club, where he held the executive banquet chef's position for the last nine years. Welcome aboard gentlemen. We look forward to wonderful things coming out of the kitchen in the months ahead.

In this issue, Lu is going to fill you in on our new store, Hurricane Provisions. It has taken a tremendous amount of time and effort to get this food shop in operation, and we are very proud of how it has turned out. We look forward to your visit and would appreciate any thoughts, comments and suggestions for new food, merchandise or wines you would like to recommend. (If we carry it, you will buy.)

You'll find a nice item from Paul Brick on what's happening with our award-winning wine program, a nifty schedule of events for this Beautiful Place by the Sea, this issue's featured recipe and lots of other things appearing only in this little epistle.

Read on and remember, "Enjoy today, tomorrow will be here soon enough."

Whining About Wine
by Paul Brick

Wine consumption is up over 20% nationally, and the US has become the #1 purchaser of wine in the world. Because of this phenomenal growth, availability of good wines has become disturbingly short here in southern Maine. In the last year alone, we have changed and reprinted our wine list over 30 times! Following the same seasonal changes as our menus, our wine list will be changing more than ever - if that's possible.

Now that we have a retail wine and fine food store right next door (see, Provisions, As Promised), Hurricane is going to take a different approach to wine purchasing this summer. We are setting out to explore many more limited releases, single vineyards and proprietor's reserves than ever before. Our plan is to buy entire shipments as soon as they arrive at our distributors. We will inventory a particular vintage and have a much better read of our supplies. We will also know that when our stock is gone, it's gone forever. We're very excited about this program that will allow us to deliver even better wine service.

Different menu items require different wine pairings, and that's the fun part of our job. This summer, look for us to pair some of our new menu items with such wines as St. Supery Sauvignon Blanc, Argusto Dolcetto d'Acqui (look for the numbered bottles in this limited production) and a limited reserve cabernet from Silverado Vineyard.

Fess Parker - yes, the Daniel Boone guy - has released a vintage called American Tradition Reserve. We are fortunate to have tasted it (excellent!) and have some cellared to feature this season.

By request, we are also sampling a few non-alcoholic wines to consider for our list.

While we are working to secure better supplies, changes are bound to take place both here and at Hurricane Provisions. On the bright side of all this: we all get to sample more wines and will be filling one of the finest wine cellars in the Northeast.

Enough whining. It's time to go wining.

Cheers!

Provisions, As Promised
by Luanne MacDonald

Last fall we wrote about the spring opening of our latest adventure, Hurricane Provisions. After a winter of tasting, retasting and traveling from one fancy food show to another - we are pretty good with a knife and fork, you know - things have finally started to come together in our little shop located right next door to the restaurant. In addition to our full line of Hurricane gear and wear, we are featuring...

The Finest Kind, Locally

• Some of the fancy food items include a full line from the award-winning Stonewall Kitchens. Located just down the road in York, their product line is just tremendous and has received much national attention.
• Great items from our friends at the Coastal Candle Company.
• House-made specialties, like lobster sausage that Matt and the kitchen crew send over daily from the Hurricane.
• Freshly baked bread, baguettes and boule.
• Hurricane Provisions will be personally creating gift baskets for all occasions, provisions for a sailing adventure on the Silver Lining or a box lunch for a fun day at the beach.
• House-made ravioli, luscious pappardelle and all our other fresh pasta.
• Did I mention we have signed copies our acclaimed cookbook Lobster Tales available? Thought so!

• A sinful Jack Daniels Tipsy Fudge Cake, originally created for Governor Lamar Alexander of Tennessee.
• Morea Green and Kalamata olives.
• Olive oils and vinegars from B. R. Cohn of California.
• Maytag Bleu cheese from Iowa.
• Preserved lemons you'll need for this issue's featured recipe.
• Brie, Boursin, St.Andre and other imported cheeses from France.

• PretzelJoys, a chocolate-covered pretzel candy (probably the staff's all-time favorite).
• Hand carved cherrywood gourmet cooking spoons.
• Collectible bottle stoppers and wine bottle magnets.
• A full line of fine wines from our award-winning wine list (We will be happy to special order any wines available to us, just ask!)
• A plethora of trivets, cheese pins and a vast array of other fancy stuff.

I could go on and tell you about Mama's Mad Mango Sandfly Salsa and the Stewart's line of gourmet sodas, but I don't want to hear Brookie's lecture (again) about how we have more inventory over here at Hurricane Provisions than at the restaurant. You're just going to have to come by and see for yourself.

Finally, a big "thank you" to Mark Perkins, Jay Paterson and Kurt Knight for a truly outstanding renovation. You guys are the best!

It has been great fun getting Hurricane Provisions ready. I will be very interested in what you think and look forward to seeing you all very soon. Until then, save a little room in your pantry for Hurricane Provisions provisions. Get it? Get it!

Fresh Lump Crabmeat Cakes with a Preserved Lemon Salad (Makes 16 cakes)

• 1/2 cup yellow pepper, small dice
• 1/2 tablespoon butter
• 1 pound jumbo lump crabmeat
• 1/2 cup mayonnaise
• 1 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce
• 1 teaspoon jalapeno (green) tabasco sauce
• 2 cups fresh bread crumbs (don't use packaged)
• 1 pinch ground mace
• salt and pepper to taste
• 1 cup dried bread crumbs
• 1/4 cup olive oil

Preheat oven to 375 degrees.

Saute yellow pepper in butter until soft. Place in bowl and add remaining ingredients, except for the dried bread crumbs and olive oil. Mix well and mold into 1 inch high by 1 inch across cakes. Coat top and bottom of cakes with dried bread crumbs. In a small saute pan, heat the olive oil and add the crab cakes. Brown on one side, turn and brown the other side. Place browned crab cakes on a cookie sheet and place in preheated oven and cook for 10 minutes.

For the Preserved Lemon Salad:

• 1/2 rind from a preserved lemon, thinly sliced
• 3 Kalamata olives, fine dice
• 2 tablespoons Dijon-style mustard
• 1/2 teaspoon shallot, fine dice
• 1/8 cup rice wine vinegar
• 1/4 cup olive oil
• 1/2 teaspoon lemon juice
• 2 heads frisee lettuce, washed and torn into small pieces

Combine preserved lemon, olives, mustard and shallot in a mixing bowl. Whisk in rice wine vinegar and lemon juice. Add olive oil in a slow steady stream beating constantly until mixture has emulsified. Pour vinaigrette over frisee and toss. Serve with the crab cakes.