THE FOOD GAP
MAINE
Vacationland, USA. Where pine trees meet the Atlantic Ocean and summers are spent feasting on seafood. Join us for a retreat at our partner farm Wanderwood in the middle of a gorgeous sustainable farm and event venue. We'll share chef-made meals, art lessons, local field trips and a strong feeling of community. We'll celebrate with a gallery show and a lobster bake dinner.
What's Included?
Housing, meals, activities, tours, and lessons as well as a meal at a local cafe. We provide all art materials, food, and if needed, transportation to and from the closest airport. Flights and travel insurance are not included.
Where We'll Be
Wanderwood is located in Nobleboro, Maine, on the Maine Coast. We'll be near oyster farms, docks on the Atlantic Ocean, and charming local bakeries, cafes, and upscale restaurants. We'll be immersed in fields of homegrown vegetables and fruits, tomatoes and peppers, onions, flowers, herbs, and more. We'll cook most of our meals from the produce found in the garden, and we'll have access to local walking trails and beaches.
What's A Typical Day Like?
Breakfast is served in the farmhouse from 8:00 to 10:00 am daily. Breakfast includes coffee and teas, breads, fresh fruits, pastries, breads, and more. We begin each day with an activity which typically lasts for 2-3 hours. Lunch is served around 1:00 pm. You can expect in-season produce, salads, pastas, seafood feasts, and more. In the afternoon we'll explore the farm, draw, paint, or photograph, or explore a local landmark. Dinner is made by Evan or local guest cooks. You can expect vegetable risottos, fresh salads, gourmet toasts, soups, creative fine-dining dishes and gorgeous desserts with edible flowers. After dinner we have free time to hang out as a group, stargaze, or return to our rooms to relax. The end of the week is marked by a gallery show of our paintings, photos, prints, and plates, as well as a lobster bake celebration.
MONDAY (DAY 0)
We'll arrive at Wanderwood and meet our group. We'll be greeted with fresh cocktails and cocktails, snacks, and goodie bags with products from local Maine food makers. After settling in to our accommodations, we'll share a Welcome Supper cooked by The Food Gap staff with creative local specialties and in-season produce.
TUESDAY (DAY 1)
We'll star out first full day with breakfast. Then, we'll embark on a Wanderwood Farm Tour and receive lessons in foraging from a local cook and foraging educator. Then, we'll experience a Farm-To-Table Cooking Class and Lunch. We'll learn how to make an array of recipes using Wanderwood's gorgeous produce, including bruschetta, vegetable risotto, and herb shortbread for dessert.
After lunch, we'll head out to a local Seaweed Farm Tour to learn about how locals make a career out of harvesting seaweed and shellfish. We'll explore the sea farms on a boat and learn what goes into mussel farming, seaweed harvesting, and more. We'll then learn how seaweed is collected, dried, and sold. We'll also learn how seaweed can be used in place of salt in many recipes, including as a topping for ice cream. After our afternoon on the ocean, we'll head back to Wanderwood.
For dinner, we'll participate in a Seafood Cooking Class and learn how to cook mussels, clams, and more. We'll share homemade quick bread, as well as a Maine-spin on classic Italian seafood dishes and a seaweed-themed dessert. After dinner we'll have time to explore and unwind and enjoy the cool Maine summer night.
WEDNESDAY (DAY 2)
We'll start the day with pastries, fruits and coffee. At 9:00, we'll start our Pizza Dough Class. We'll start the class by learning about flour and how it's made. We'll learn about different options for dough and the science behind yeast, sourdough, and dough fermentation. We'll get hands-on by measuring flour, water, salt, and yeast, and we'll knead out hearts out. Then, our doughs will rest and develop in preparation for our pizza dinner on Friday.
After our pizza dough class, we'll head outside to for a Photography Class and have a chance to explore Wanderwood. Walking trails, wildlife, flower fields and vegetable beds. We'll explore hidden treasures and share our photos with the group.
For lunch we'll take a Pasta-Making Class, learning how to mix, roll, fill, and cook homemade pasta dough. We'll try an array of techniques and flavor combinations, enjoying our pasta dishes for a delicious Italian-style lunch.
After lunch you'll have time to relax and digest before taking our Drawing and Watercolor Painting Class. We'll learn techniques for shading, composition, and perspective drawing. Then we'll learn all about color-mixing and watercolor painting. We'll find inspiration in food and nature and practice painting to our hearts content. After our art class, we'll gather for a special Cookout Dinner, learning how to cook with fire and wood in the great outdoors.
THURSDAY (DAY 3)
We start today off with breakfast, as always. Then we'll head out for a trip to the local Coastal Maine Botanical Gardens, voted one of the best botanical gardens in the country. Home to a dazzling array of plants, flowers, and Thomas Dambo's recycled wood troll sculptures. We'll practice our photography with plenty of colorful inspiration and have a chance to explore on our own after our tour.
After lunch at the garden cafe, we'll head back to Wanderwood and learn how to make photos made from the sun in our Cyanotype Class! We'll take exposures of plants and flowers directly on T-shirts and bags, which we'll be able to take home.
We'll continue our art workshop with a Printmaking Class from a local artist. We'll carve linoleum blocks and use ink to print designs on paper and fabric. Our cyanotypes and prints will be on display at the end of week gallery show.
After a day of making art and studying nature, we'll gather for a Guest Supper, led by a local cook and food expert. We'll eat a mystery menu of creative dishes celebrating Wanderwood's delicious vegetables, herbs, onions, and more. We'll be able to eat with the chef and ask questions about their menu and we'll end the meal with a special dessert, coffee, and wine. After dinner we'll take a quick Cookie-Baking Class after dark. We'll share the rewards of our efforts over a campfire and then head to bed.
FRIDAY (DAY 4)
Today is all about the great outdoors. We'll take an Outdoor Painting Class, learning how to create plen air landscapes. We'll each have a chance to find inspiration in Wanderwood's vast vegetable patches, flower fields, and woodsy walking trails. For lunch we'll share a Garden Picnic and take a break from our art projects. We'll share sandwiches, drinks, and snacks in the great outdoors and have time to finish our paintings before our afternoon activities.
In the afternoon, we'll stay outside and learn how to make our own plates! The perfect way to celebrate a week of creativity, art, and good food. We'll learn the slab method of making ceramic plates and have a chance to customize them with unique textures and, shapes, and colors.
For dinner, we'll finally be able to cook our pizza doughs from earlier in the week at our Pizza Party. With an array of local produce, cheeses, and homemade tomato sauce, we'll each get a chance to learn the basics of pizza making. Dough stretching, shaping, topping, and cooking in an outdoor pizza oven. We may even get to watch an outdoor screening of a food-themed movie (weather permitting).
After dinner we'll have an opportunity to take a night swim or make s'mores around the campfire. We'll stargaze, have great conversations, and relax as our week nears its close.
SATURDAY (DAY 5)
After another delicious breakfast, we'll start the day by preparing for our gallery show. We'll curate the art we made throughout the week and design our own exhibition using Wanderwood's barns and idyllic garden. For lunch, we'll enjoy local cheeses, meats, and breads and crackers outside at our Gallery Show.
We'll invite friends, family, and community members to view our art and share snacks and drinks. We'll discuss our work and what we've learned and share good conversation. After our show, we'll de-install and gather at an outdoor table for a unique Maine experience. The Lobster Bake! Together we'll eat lobsters with all the fixings, learning how to get every last bit of meat out of our shellfish. We'll drink white wine over flowers and candles and share the highlights of our retreat together.
SUNDAY (DAY 6)
We'll get together for one last breakfast and reminisce on our food and art-filled week. Participants will leave for the airport or for the next leg of their journey and we'll say our goodbyes!
