Love and Lobster Coastal New England Weddings

You may have heard of the intense fitness regimen known as P90X. Its pledge to take followers “from regular to ripped in 90 days” certainly appeals to couples looking to firm up for their big day. So what’s the scoop? Read on if the phrases “ab ripper” and “explosive jumping cardio routine” don’t scare you away.

P90X, short for Power 90 Extreme, is a home video workout program that stresses the benefits of “muscle confusion,” or mixing up exercise routines in order to constantly challenge the body and avoid fitness plateaus. The DVDs include a system of 12 roughly one-hour workouts to sweat to six days a week, all with the energetic instruction of host and developer Tony Horton. And we’re not talking about a stroll on the elliptical machine or a leisurely set of pushups here. P90X workouts include high-rep power lifting and intense cardio exercises known as plyometrics that can leave even reasonably fit people red-faced and exhausted.

The program also includes a three-phase nutrition plan – phase one: fat shredder! — that’s key to its promised 90-day weight loss and fitness results. In other words, the workouts alone won’t produce the sculpted abs and chiseled arms on display in P90X’s infomercials (generous genetics must play a role there too).

In just three easy payments of $39.95, plus $19.95 for shipping and handling, it could all be yours. At least you don’t have to buy expensive equipment, as the program can be accomplished with just dumbbells or resistance bands, a chin-up bar and a yoga mat.

Many followers have sung the praises of P90X, saying it transformed their body like no other workout. Perhaps just as many moan of having thrown up their hands in defeat by day 30, or of being put off by the program’s ads for costly additional supplements.  If you’re considering P90X, be aware that jumping into such a strenuous new exercise regimen is likely of interest to your doctor. And possibly also your priest — you might need a prayer or two to get through it.

Watch out Etsy, there’s a new crafts website in town and it’s got brides buzzing. The just launched Wedzu, an online marketplace for indie and handmade weddings, features anything a free spirited couple could want, from apparel and accessories to designs and decorations. Creative crafters sell directly to buyers as part of a limited inventory specially curated to appeal to nontraditional tastes. That means less aimless searching and more successful shopping.

Founded by a couple of Texas newlyweds, Wedzu brings to the masses such offbeat items as the Dirty Laundry Guest Book Kit, which invites guests to scribble funny tidbits about the bride and groom on note cards shaped like items of clothing and then hang them on a clothesline for all to see.  More wacky fun comes in the form of plastic mustaches and lips on a stick that make posing for the camera a decidedly goofy affair (even long after the wedding is over).

Then there’s merchandise that hits a more tender note, such as a white ceramic ring bearer bowl – for any pillow-averse lovebirds — stamped with the phrase “With this ring.” Or customized wedding bunting bedecked with the couple’s names in aged black lettering, a pitch-perfect touch for casual vintage nuptials.

Heck, a gal could even snag her wedding gown on Wedzu, such as this strapless cotton dress for the pretty price of $500. Any why not fancy it up with a delicately beaded white silk cuff? Footing the wedding bill gets a whole lot easier when the goods are handmade.

A few years back, while attending a seaside wedding in Biddeford Pool, we first spotted these adorable lobster cookie favors by Maine Cakes and Cookies. And once we tasted them, well, there was no turning back! We were instant fans and have recommended the delicious talent of owner Diane Purkey time and time again.

L&L: Tell us a little about you, your background and the history of Maine Cakes & Cookies.

CAKES: I love to bake and I have always loved to bake! It is my creative outlet and delicious food always makes people happy. By education I am a Registered Nurse but my passion has always been baking. I am completely self-taught creating all of my own cake, cookie and buttercream recipes. My husband & I lived in Tennessee for many years before being lucky enough to move to Appleton, Maine in 2002. Being surrounded by great southern cooks, I created my cake recipes to match that famous southern sweet tooth we know and love – buttery, dense pound cakes loaded with cream cheese, sour cream or buttermilk. No lightweight cakes here!

After many years of baking and gifting, in 2003 I created my dream business naming it Maine Cakes & Cookies specializing in premium gourmet, baked to order from scratch, hand decorated butter cookies, decadently delicious butter wedding cakes, and pound cakes using high quality name brand ingredients, real butter, real sugar, real chocolate and eggs and premium vanilla.

When I started the business I thought most of my time would be spent making pound cakes and wedding cakes. Then I made my first decorated lobster cookie…hand decorated cookies have taken over my business and my life! I have made tens of thousands of hand decorated cookies and they are now the primary focus of Maine Cakes & Cookies.

Maine Cakes & Cookies is a one woman operation…all of the consulting, baking, decorating and packaging is done by me though I could not do all this without the help of my husband!

L&L: Describe the range of products that you offer (Maine gift box cookies, hand decorated wedding cookies, wedding cakes etc.). What is the bulk of your work?

CAKES: I offer wedding cakes, cupcakes, pound cakes, brownies or blondies or hermits upon request but the bulk of my business is the hand decorated butter cookie. The hand cut all butter cookies are double vanilla flavored (citrus, cinnamon and gingerbread are also available), hand decorated with custom  tinted royal icing and then individually cellophane bag wrapped and tied with pretty raffia ribbons. Many are used for wedding favors, engagement parties, out of town guest bags as well as baby showers, bridal showers and birthday parties. Red gift boxes with lobster cookies are available and sell mostly during the holidays along with Christmas cookies and custom cookie gift boxes.

L&L: Brides are always looking for a special favor for their guests.  What are some of your favorite favors you’ve made?

CAKES: I have made thousands of lobster cookies! We are in Maine after all and wedding guests love them. They are used on tables, in baskets by the door or in out of town guest bags. People are also crazy about their dogs! I have made many black, brown or yellow lab dog cookies with the name of the dog hand piped onto each cookie – these are a huge hit at weddings! I have hand tinted royal icing to custom match a fabric swatch or invitation color, individualized monograms and created unique cookie shapes. My personal favorite decorated cookie is the sand dollar. It is an elegant white on white, looks like the real thing and tastes delicious!

L&L: You have so many delicious options.  Do you have tasting sessions with brides to help them choose their favorites?

CAKES: I ship cookie samples to those who request them though many who order from me have had one of my cookies at an event they have attended. Cookie samples are a run off from an existing order so clients  are able to see my work and taste how delicious my cookies are! Most of my wedding cake orders now come directly from event planners that I work with so each tasting is quite different from the next and very personalized.

L&L: How far in advance should a bride place an order for their wedding day?

CAKES: The earlier the better. There are several times during the year (June, July, August and December) that I am fully booked and have to turn business away. I accept a deposit to hold the date and then final decisions can be made closer to the wedding date.

L&L: How long does it take you to put together a cookie order or make a wedding cake for a wedding?

CAKES: Cookies start with making the dough on day one to refrigerate overnight. Day two is rolling out the dough, cutting and baking the cookies. Day three is decorating with royal icing to dry overnight and day four is wrapping each cookie in a cellophane bag and tying with raffia ribbons. After this they are either picked up, delivered for large orders or shipped via USPS Priority Mail. This process can take a little longer for very large orders…my largest was a corporate Christmas order of 800 lobster cookies!

For wedding cakes (for a Saturday wedding) buttercream is made and refrigerated on Wednesday, cakes are baked on Thursday and on Friday they are filled and frosted, decorated and refrigerated overnight. I travel with the cakes unstacked and stack and finish decorating on site.

L&L: How do most of your customers find you?

CAKES: Most are existing clients or they have received a decorated cookie as a favor or gift at an event and call to place an order. Some find my web site on an Internet search. Since I work from my licensed home kitchen I do not have a store front for clients to come in (though appointments can be made) so I have met very few of my clients face to face – most details are worked out via email or phone call. There was one wedding I did a few years ago where the bride worked and lived in Hong Kong, was getting married in Maine, and we never met. We planned the wedding cake, cookies and desserts all via email and one phone call and she was awesome to work with!

L&L: What was the most memorable wedding you have worked and why?

CAKES: Delivering a wedding cake to an island is always a challenge. In August/2009 I transported cake for 300 people to Little Cranberry Island during some pretty stormy weather! Imagine moving the cake from the parking lot in Southwest Harbor down the steps to the dock, from the dock to the lobster boat that picked me up, ride out to the dock in Little Cranberry Island, move the cake from the boat up the dock to the event planners car, drive to the beautiful ocean front home to the beautiful tents and set up the cake…wow! Everything arrived in perfect condition and the site was stunning.

From a vendors point of view, Maine is a small place and after a period of time you see the same high quality vendors again and again. People here are a pleasure to work with, professional, discreet and down to earth.

L&L: What “must-see” places and eateries do you suggest folks from out of town check out while visiting Maine?

CAKES: Pemaquid Point Lighthouse is stunning and stopping to eat lunch at Shaw’s Wharf in New Harbor is the highlight of the day. Pick up a picnic lunch at the Market Basket in Rockport and eat lunch at the dock in Rockport Harbor or drive to Mt. Battie in Camden for an amazing view. Also, King Eider’s Pub in Damariscotta is great for crab cakes and the folks there are very kind.

L&L: Thank you for giving us an inside peek into Maine Cakes & Cookies. If readers want to get in touch with you to inquire about your offerings, what is the best way for them to reach you?

CAKES: The web site is www.mainecakesandcookies.com and my email address is diane@tidewater.net. Mention Lobster & Love and receive 10% off any cookie order placed and shipped between 1.1.11 and 3.31.11 – think engagement parties or Valentine’s Day! The discount does not apply to shipping.

Credits (clockwise from top middle): Dessert First (with recipe!), Justin and Mary, emilie inc., Concious Feast (w/ recipe!), Glassybaby,
Wiley Valentine, Martha Stewart Weddings

Blankets of sparkling snow may persuade many a couple to plan a winter wedding, but they’re not the kind that’ll keep you warm. So what’s a bride to do when the mercury’s falling and uncertainty about what to wear is rising?

First, the dress. Look to heavier fabrics like silk and brocade, they’ll keep you warm and be the envy of summer brides who couldn’t wear them in hotter temps. You can also get away with wearing a fuller gown without worrying you’ll overheat (keep in mind you may need to layer a coat over it for outdoor portrait sessions). Or, consider a gown with sleeves. They’ve come a long way from the prim, high-collared gowns our grandmothers wore, like this elegant juniper dress by designer Adele Wechsler.

If you’ve got your heart set on a strapless or sleeveless dress, just toss on a cover up to fend off the shivers. A simple white jacket like this one from Anthropologie would stylishly complement a less formal dress, while this faux fur shrug adds instant glam to any black tie affair. For a less bundled look, try a shoulder- hugging wrap or an effortlessly dramatic bolero.

As for shoes, shoot for wedge heels and a closed toe if any part of the day will be held outside. Nothing puts a freeze on a wedding ceremony like a bride slipping on the ice in three-inch heels. If you’ll be outdoors only for pictures, bring a pair of boots to lace up before you mug for the camera.

No matter the season, a wedding wardrobe isn’t complete without accessories. Diamond jewelry adds an icily alluring touch for a winter event, as do silk gloves. This birdcage veil headpiece is a vision in vintage for a snowy day (as long as you don’t expect that powder puff to stand a chance against a few inches of that other kind of powder). And don’t forget the groom – wrap a scarf in your wedding color around his neck for a pulled-together look. You’ll both remember your chilly day warmly long into the winters of your lives.

If you do your best to incorporate local, seasonal foods into your everyday diet, why not do the same on your wedding day? Honoring your inner locavore can go right along with honoring your beloved on your big day, if you plan ahead and ask the right questions. We turned to one of our favorite food aficionados for a primer.

Leslie Oster of Aurora Provisions, a gourmet café, market, caterer, bakery and wine shop tucked in Portland’s West End, is well versed in the local, sustainable food scene. She shares with us her thoughts on menu planning and budgeting, and read on for a sneak peek at a scrumptious sample menu that includes all the best of autumn’s bounty.

L&L: Please describe the wedding catering services Aurora Provisions offers.

LESLIE: We provide all aspects of catering from menu planning to rental purveying to coordination.  We are committed to tailoring weddings and functions to our clients’ vision while incorporating seasonal and local ingredients in creative ways.  Our owner, Marika Kuzma, was one of the first independent woman restaurant owners in Maine in the 70′s  and, as such, has instilled all of us with a great respect for Maine foodways and the culinary traditions that abound around us.

L&L: What advice can you give to couples planning seasonal menus around locally sourced foods?

LESLIE: I think the first thing anyone should know about eating seasonally is that you must be flexible in your choices.  This may mean that some favorite foods will be off the menu due to their lack of availability or quality.  The other key factor is to “know” your producers.  Find a caterer who has close connections to their local purveyors.  And then there is the “thinking outside the box” — find a caterer who is willing to build a menu around what is available rather than have the menu dictate the food.  So, if you are getting married in September and it has been a lousy tomato year, forego the caprese salad and have panzanella instead with a few, ripe sungolds around.

L&L: Should couples expect to spend more for seasonal/local foods?

LESLIE: This is a question that is truly fundamental to the local economy movement.  When you contract with a caterer who has committed to local and seasonal ingredients, you should understand that they have committed to paying more for these products and will treat them with respect.  This usually means that there are higher-paid kitchen workers and chefs that bring their knowledge of the craft to the table to create a truly higher-quality product.

L&L: What are the most common questions you get about planning this kind of menu?

LESLIE: I think that those outside the food community are pretty savvy to the whole local food movement now, especially here in Maine/New England.  So now we have a much more informed client which is really a pleasure because it becomes a dialogue that, in the end, is reflected in the menu.  Questions of sourcing are probably the most frequently asked, as well as sustainability issues, especially surrounding seafood.  Clients want to know where and who their food comes from.

L&L: What questions should couples planning this kind of menu ask of their caterer?

LESLIE: Trust, most importantly, that your caterer knows what they are talking about.  Ask them to try some seasonal foods that they are featuring at the moment, realizing that you can’t really have a tasting in January of food you will be eating in July!  If they treat their butternut squash well, chances are they are going to do the same with summer squash when it is available.

Think about your budget.  If the food is high on your list of priorities, talk to your caterer about how you can shave other areas (such as rentals) to help make your budget goals.  Often, your caterer has ideas about decor (our farmer’s market has amazing, inexpensive flowers all season), wines (often great deals on lesser known bottles), plateware (a new, cool line of compostable plates made from fallen leaves are a great economical and sustainable way to go) and various other recourses to help you.

L&L: What are some memorable seasonal foods from weddings you’ve catered? What’s popular right now?

LESLIE: The most popular “farm to table” wedding right now is to have a pig raised for you and roasted to serve at your wedding feast.  If that feast also happens to take place at the farm where that pig was raised, all the better.  This is a win-win situation for all parties involved.  The farmer makes money two ways — from the farm rental and being the primary source of ingredients to the caterer.  The caterer can work with the farmer to build a menu around what will be at its utmost freshness for that time of year.  The guests can experience a working farm environment and, for some, have that “ah ha” moment of “So that’s what a kohlrabi looks like!”

Check out Leslie’s autumnal selection of delectable Maine dishes as inspiration for your big day!

Late Summer Vegetable Crudite

Maine Cheese & Fruit Display

Passed Hors d’oeuvres

Andouille Puffs with Raye’s Mustard & Corn Relish

Cheddar & Dill Gougeres

Peeky Toe Crab Salad served en Croute with Smokey Remoulade

Mini Lobster BLT’s

First Course

Laughing Stock Greens with Sliced Apples, Pickled Red Onion, Cheddar

& Cider Vinaigrette

Standard Baking Breads & Sweet Butter

Dinner Served Family Style

Whole Fish Grilled and served with Turkey Hill Carrot Risotto

Roast Caswell Farm Piggie with Southern “Mop” and Roasted Fingerling Potatoes

Broadturn Farm Zucchini Gratin

Dessert

Wedding Cake

Chocolate Zucchini Cake with Dulce de Leche Buttercream

Low Bush Blueberry Sorbet