Maine: Lobster Rolls & Whoopie Pies

Beautiful lobster roll at Morse's Cribstone Grill on Bailey Island, Maine 

Last week, Linda and I traveled to Maine to see Mom and my sister, Libby, who came up on Sunday to spend the day with us. We sampled as many lobster rolls and whoopie pies as we could manage. We also got some excellent clam chowder and fresh, local oysters.

Another amazing lobster roll at Schooner Landing in Damariscotta

Each lobster roll was a little different. The first one we got, from Morse's Cribstone Grill on Bailey Island, Maine, was very traditional-- chunks of succulent lobster tossed with a dollop of mayonnaise, served on a perfectly toasted, buttered, flat-sided hot dog roll with potato chips and a dill pickle on the side.

Our second lobster roll, from Schooner Landing Restaurant, was "clear meat" (not dressed) with butter and mayonnaise on the side. There was so much lobster, it was best to eat the large pieces of tail meat first, dipping them in the clarified butter, before diving in to the sandwich. Before we even got to the lobster rolls, we enjoyed some of the best New England clam chowder any of us ever had.

Our third lobster roll was at the Maine Lobster Shack in Portland. We enjoyed some beautiful Damariscotta River Oysters before the lobster roll arrived. The lobster roll was packed with claw meat, lightly dressed with an added sprinkling of chive, and served on a buttered, toasted roll. The batter dipped fries on the side were delicious, too.

Damariscotta River Oysters at the Maine Lobster Shack in Portland

Lobster roll at the Maine Lobster Shack in Portland, Maine

At the Sea Dog Brew Pub in Topsham, Maine

Lobster rolls #4 and #5 were made in Topsham and Brunswick, close to where Mom lives. #4 was at the Sea Dog Brew Pub. I've had their lobster rolls many times, and they are always delicious. The same is true for the lobster rolls made at Libby's Market in Brunswick. We got ours with lettuce, but the lettuce is optional. So is the mayo.

Libby's Market lobster roll-- it's simply delicious

We found another treat at Libby's. Whoopie pies! The whole time we were in Maine, we searched for the ultimate whoopie pie. There were many varieties, but I wanted the homemade ones-- the kind wrapped in Saran wrap, found in a little basket on the counter near the register at a mom and pop store. Libby's had two kinds, traditional chocolate and oatmeal, made by Heidi's Sweet Treats of Maine. They were perfect in every way.

OK, so we may have gained a few pounds on the trip to Maine, but we had a great time. Linda and I will be dreaming of lobster rolls and whoopie pies until our next visit.