Mumbai to Maine!

A culinary adventure across the Atlantic

Seal Harbor Annual Fair

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Summer has been so hectic this year and yet destiny has a way of bringing me along to where I need to be. I’m a bit embarrassed to share that I’ve lived in Maine now for 15 years and never once been up to Bar Harbor.
Well, a couple of weeks ago, a dear friend, Alyne Cistone, invited me to join in the annual Annual Seal Harbor Library Fair and launch my simmer sauces in the Bar Harbor region for the first time. I woke up at 4:45 am and drove from Boothbay to Seal Harbor, close to 3 hours. The sunrise was spectacular and for the most part I felt like I had the road all to myself, even in the peak of summer. When I got there I felt like I was in a Chris Van Dusen illustration, – perched on a hill, right next to a tree dedicated to David Rockefeller, overlooking Seal Harbor beach. I set up and was soon surrounded by the nicest folks fielding questions about the brand, my story, the sauces, Mumbai and my life in Maine. I sampled and sold jar after jar.
I found out I had missed out on Martha Stewart who was waiting to come up to my table but respectfully waited as I had a bit of a crowd, and then left. Martha, happens to live around the corner, up on the hill, in her famous Skyland estate. As destiny would have it, her neighbor stopped by my table to sample and offered to take some sauces over to her. Alyne, kindly drove me over to drop them off and then off we went to a lovely lunch overlooking yet another dreamy Harbor view.
Later that afternoon, as I was starting to fray, Alyne convinced me to join her as her plus one at an event for The College of the Atlantic. She’s been on their Board of Trustees for years. On merely a few hours of sleep and a long ride ahead of me back to Boothbay, I just knew I had to say yes.
It was ironic to see Martha Stewart this time, at the event, only a few hours later. I was more interested, however, in the young man who gave us a golf cart ride to the estate. A refugee from Syria, he went to boarding school in Mumbai, on a full scholarship and then earned another Davis fellowship and moved from Mumbai to the College of the Atlantic, Maine.
Raheem Khadour, with a gleam in his eye, went on to share that he’s slated to study with one of the world’s leading cardiac researchers, Nadia Rosenthal. He’s training to be a surgeon at MDI hospital one day.We were both having a moment where our world’s came together: Raheem a (brilliant) refugee and me, an immigrant who calls Maine home now. We were both under that one tent with some of the most brilliant, successful leaders, academics and entrepreneurs in the world and we had Mumbai and Maine in common.
As I was leaving the party, I felt an urge to go up to the man who hosted it – Bill Stewart (no relation to Martha). I asked him for one piece of advice on what to do and what not to do as I build my brand. His eyes lit up and he sat right up in his seat and we got chatting about Mumbai to MAINE. He went on to say he’d report back to me about that piece of advice now that he knew more about my vision. I said, “ You, Bill Stewart, are going to report back to me?” And he said, “ Yes!!!”
Take a guess, yes, Bill Stewart did get back to me and followed up again and again to check in.
I’m still thinking about my dear friend Alyne, who opened up doors for me that lovely summer day and introduced me to the amazing Seal Harbor community, all her friends, her incredible son JJ, Ebenezer Akakpo, local merchants, and for the sauces that somehow went into Martha Stewart’s hands and in her Maine Kitchen.
I’m sharing this story because so much can happen in the possibility of one blessed day. Follow your intuition and let in the grace of God’s favor.Through the kindness of way makers like Alyne, like Martha’s neighbor, Raheem (who will one day pay it forward) and hey even the diligence of a billionaire businessman, Bill Stewart, who kept his word, Expected the Unexpected!
20 hours later, I drove home from Seal Harbor with a grateful heart. It was past midnight. I’ve never felt closer to my God given destiny and the beauty of Maine.
Thank you Alyne Cistone🙏 for your heartfelt hospitality, willingness to knock on doors and being a tremendous MDI ambassador.

COOKING ONLINE WITH CHRISTOPHER KIMBALL’S MILK STREET COMMUNITY

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I had a blast teaching another Christopher Kimball’s Milk Street virtual class. I’m still amazed that 300 guests from the food obsessed Milk Street Community joined in to cook with me from all over the world on my debut class back in March.
Yesterday’s workshop was more intimate and sold out again! I walked my fabulous guests through every step of an iconic mouthwatering Hyderabadi/Kolkatta Lamb Biryani -start to finish! These workshops are like mini master classes and we get to dig deep into a recipe and nerd out on a signature dish!
Biryani is a true labor of love and brings back a flood of memories. My mother slaved over it for days and fed close to 40 people at each of our family celebrations back in Mumbai. Biryanis date back to the 1600’s when Mughal emperors entertained and feasted on it. This signature dish cannot be thrown together in a rush. It demands love; patience; attention to detail and a bit of planning ahead. But when you take your first morsel of saffron-kissed rice and melt-in-your-mouth Indian-spiced lamb be prepared for a symphony of flavor to explode in your mouth. Open a bottle of your best wine: this lamb feast is fit for a king and calls for nothing less than a celebration!
Finally three big shoutouts 🔊
The gorgeous Maine Tasting Center and co-founders Lisa Gross, Andy Gross and Sara Gross for being such attentive and helpful hosts throughout the evening. Be sure to put the Maine Tasting Center on your lists of places to visit this summer for a taste of Maine’s finest cheese, wine, beer and eats.
Guy Scott for always making me look and sound good – you are literally the BEST!
Christopher Kimball’s Milk Street‘s talented Assistant Director of Education, April Dodd, for moderating the Biryani class with such flair!
Check out the recipe here!

MOM’S LAMB BIRYANI

Makes 8 to 10 hearty portions
PART 1: MARINATE THE LAMB
Ingredients:
2 cups thick Greek yogurt, beaten with a spoon
2 tablespoons turmeric
2 tablespoons garam masala
2 tablespoons ground cumin
2 tablespoons ground coriander
1 tablespoon chili powder
2 tablespoons garlic paste (available in tubes in the produce section of large grocery stores, or in Indian groceries)
2 tablespoons freshly ground ginger or ginger paste (available in tubes in the produce section of large grocery stores, or in Indian groceries)
2 teaspoons salt
Juice of 2 limes
4-5 pound leg of lamb cut into 2-inch pieces

Instructions:
Mix the yogurt, spices and lime juice together in a large glass bowl. Add the lamb pieces and coat with the marinade. Cover with plastic, refrigerate and let the meat marinate for at least 1 hour or overnight.
PART 2: MAKE THE GRAVY
Ingredients:
6 tablespoons ghee or salted butter
4 yellow onions, sliced lengthwise
2 large potatoes, peeled and cut into 6 pieces each
2 yellow onions, chopped ( yes, another 2 yellow onions)
4 large tomatoes, chopped
2 cups chopped cilantro

Instructions:
Remove the marinated lamb from the refrigerator and let it reach room temperature, about 2 hours.
Add 2 tablespoons of the ghee to a medium-sized skillet. When the ghee is warm, add the white onions and sauté for about 8 minutes on medium-high heat until they start turning brown; set aside. (You should have about 2 cups.)
Add 2 more tablespoons ghee to the now empty skillet and pan-sear the potatoes on one side on medium high heat about 5 minutes, until they are crispy brown. Turn the potatoes over, cover the pan and let the potatoes steam another 5 minutes; set aside.
In a 3-quart oven-proof pot or Dutch oven, sauté the yellow onions in the remaining 2 tablespoons ghee for 5 minutes on medium-high heat. Add the tomatoes and fry for another 5 minutes. Add the marinated lamb and cook until it changes color, about 10 minutes. Add 3 cups hot water, the cilantro and the reserved lamb bone. Cover the pot and simmer on low on the stove top until the lamb is tender, approximately 11/2 hours. Resist the urge to peek!
After 11/2 hours, add the reserved pan-seared potatoes and 1 cup of the reserved caramelized onions to the pot to thicken the gravy.
Re-cover the pot and simmer for another 25 minutes.
PART 3: MAKE THE RICE
Ingredients:
3 cups basmati rice
3 tablespoons salt
4 (1-inch) cinnamon sticks
15 whole cloves
4 black or 10 green cardamom pods
1 teaspoon whole cumin seeds
4 Turkish bay leaves
Red 40, Yellow 5 or Yellow 6 food coloring, a few drops each
1/4 cup milk
Large pinch of saffron

Instructions:
While the lamb is simmering, soak the rice in 3 cups of water for 25 minutes. Run your fingers through the grains to help remove the starch; do this gently so the grains don’t break. Strain through a fine-meshed sieve.
Fill a large pot with 15 cups water and the salt. Add the cinnamon, cloves, cardamom, cumin and bay leaves.
Bring the spiced water to a roiling boil. Gently add the basmati rice. Boil the rice until it is three-quarters of the way cooked. Keep an eye on it and check a couple of grains after 5 minutes to make sure it is parboiled and not overcooked. The grains of rice should feel a bit starchy or gritty in the middle, as if they could crack in your hand. The rice will finish cooking in the oven with the lamb.
Drain the rice, leaving in the whole spices. Pour the drained rice into the pot with the lamb. Add the food coloring.
Warm the milk, add the saffron and stir gently. Let steep for a couple of minutes at the most.
PART 4: ASSEMBLE THE BIRYANI
Garnish with:
2 hard-boiled eggs, halved
Handful of toasted cashews
Chopped cilantroChopped mint

Instructions:
Pre-heat the oven to 335 degrees F.
Sprinkle 1/2 cup of the remaining caramelized onions over the pot with the lamb and rice. Save the remaining caramelized onions for garnish.
Pour the warm milk mixture onto the lamb and rice in circles. Do not stir. Close the lid and bake the lamb for 35 minutes.
Arrange the lamb biryani on a large platter. Garnish with the last ½ cup of caramelized onions, the eggs, cashews and a sprinkle each of cilantro and mint.
To serve, dig a flat serving spoon into the rice, being sure to go to the bottom so you get meat, rice and potatoes in every portion.

MUMBAI TO MAINE WALKS THE 2022 FANCY FOOD SHOW IN THE BIG APPLE!

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My entire life, well I’ve ever heard about the Fancy Food Show, I’ve obsessed about walking the show, testing, taking home samples and deconstructing branding, ingredients, what makes for a memorable, and outstanding product – period!
I’m obsessed with building a brand that makes it mark in this world of fancy food!
Tonight marked the beginnings of a dream in action. I have my eyes on entering the show next year – 2023, and hopefully winning a SOFI GOLD ( or 2 or 12 like some of my friends mentioned below down the road).  I guess you could say, I’m obsessed with excellence and raising the bar for Indian cuisine and creating a category of Fine Indian Cuisine.
Thanks to the support of some way-makers Kate McAleer and Rogers Collection Managing Director, Carrie Blakeman and Culture Cheese Managing Editor and my dearest friend, Susan Sherrill Axelrod and for getting me here for 4 days of pure specialty food decadence to walk the show, take copious notes and plan a year ahead to exhibit and submit beautiful handcrafted sauces next year!
As, talented writer once said, Mimi Steadman, Mumbai to Maine,  “Surveying the land before conquering it!”
The biggest thanks to my husband, Guy Scott for holding up the Scott fort and letting me loose into the Big 🍎 to strategically plan out MumbaitoMaine’s future in the bright big world of high end gourmet!
On another note, today, I had the privilege of meeting the Hancock Gourmet Lobster team at the Fancy Food Show. This is a fun story of a collaboration that goes all the way to winning the top prize in an entire category at the Fancy Food Show! For the first time ever, I had the honor of holding their Best New Product of 2021 in the Entrees, Lunch, Dinner category sofi award. 🥇 This Lobster Makhani is not just an award winner but the first of it’s kind on the market in speciality gourmet foods. Innovative, masterfully created by Executive Chef Kevin Messier and inspired by my authentic Indian Makhani simmer sauce and my story. I’ll never forget when he reached out to me and said how inspired he was when he opened up a jar and the aromas and spices blew him away. Huge thanks to the Hancock Gourmet Lobster Company team for this inspired collaboration. You can give it a try on Goldbelly!! Yum!
Scroll to the end for a fun surprise pic. I bumped into SPORKFUL’s Dan Pashman who had just wrapped up a podcast that morning at the Fancy Food Show. I’ve been a huge fan of his show and love his innovative pasta -SFOGLINI, Cascatelli.
Check out some fun photos I captured of my friends who are doing great things in the world of fancy food and have been incredible mentors and role models for me as I grow Mumbai to Maine. And, a fun surprise at the end.

NISID HIAJRI, BLOOMBERG OPINION EDITOR IN MY KITCHEN

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I was at a loss for words, when I received a message and an email from Nisid Hijari. A member of the Bloomberg editorial board, Nisid was hoping to talk to me for a project Bloomberg Opinion was doing on innovative businesses started during the pandemic. As luck would have it, Nisid was living in Maine during the pandemic and heard about my sauce launch.

I loved hearing his story about being born in Mumbai and moving to Seattle as an infant. If you get a chance, check out his interview with Charlie Rose on his book, “Midnight’s Furies: The Deadly Legacy of India’s Partition,” winner of the 2016 Colby Award. He’s moving to Japan this fall with his talented wife and writer, Melinda Page. I can’t wait to hear all about his next chapter.
I made him a plate of delicious handcrafted Goa Caldine loaded with @pinkhamsgourmetmarket giant scallops and shrimp because it’s the least I could do! More than anything my mother would have been so proud because I made sure he was fed her signature Goa Caldine. Stay tuned the story will be out soon.

MUMBAI TO MAINE HOSTS MSMT MOTHER’S DAY LUNCHEON FUNDRAISER AT MAINE TASTING CENTER

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For over a year now, I have been so proud to serve on the Maine State Music Theater’s Board of Trustees, Bringing Broadway to Brunswick for over 60 years. On May 7, 2022, Saturday, in partnership with Maine State Music Theater, I hosted a fun and delicious fundraiser , a Mother’s Day Luncheon and Cooking Class at the Maine Tasting Center, Wiscasset.  All proceeds went to benefit MSMT.

The luncheon was a culinary celebration of the arts making a stronger come back than ever at MSMT and a celebration of diversity and women entrepreneurship.

Guests enjoyed local Maine wine and cheeses at Maine Tasting Center, Wiscasset, followed by a three-course gourmet Indian luncheon and cooking class, entertainment.

Artistic Director, MSMT Curt Dale Clark and my daughter, Sophia Scott performed live.

Kate McAleer, co-founder of Bixby Chocolates and her mother, co-founder Donna McAleer, shared their founder story during the dessert course.

I had such a blast sharing fun anecdotes about my youth in Mumbai while I cook up a feast in action.

A huge shout out to our MOST generous sponsors who made it all possible!
Cody Barry, Cody James Barry Photography, captured beautiful moments for posterity. Huge thank you to Peter Rosasco and Sydnie Thayer for executing the most incredible culinary service! To the MSMT team who put their heart and soul into all the details and to everyone single guest that purchased a ticket and made the event a memorable one – thank you!!! As you will see,  our guests looked fabulous, brought GREAT energy, joy and spirit to this special day and helped raise a significant sum for Maine’s Award-wining theater, Maine State Music Theater.

TALKING FOOD IN MAINE WITH CAL HANCOCK, FOUNDER – HANCOCK GOURMET LOBSTER COMPANY

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I have the privilege of producing and hosting Talking Food in Maine, Intimate Conversations with an exemplary Maine tastemakers. This one was a master class from the Queen of Innovation in Specialty Foods – Cal Hancock, Founder of Hancock Gourmet Lobster Company.
When Cal Hancock turned 50 she decided that corporate America was no longer bringing her joy! She wanted to be in control of her own destiny and chart her own course. So she left Minnesota with just one thing: a recipe for Lobster Stew and a list of emails. She moved to Maine (where she summered since she was a little girl) and started Hancock Gourmet Lobster Company.
Note: She was 50! She wrote a 10-year business plan and thought, ok, I’ll retire at 60. Well, ten years into building her speciality food company she was at the top of her game! There was no way she was making her exit!
Cal was discovered by the Food Network and went on to beat out Bobby Flay on Throwdown with Bobby Flay with her insanely delicious Lobster Mac ‘n Cheese.
She continued to lead and innovate to much success for 10 more years. Her company exploded nationwide and she went on to win a total of 13 Sofi Awards ( think Oscars in Specialty Foods)
Cal and her brilliant team curated over 50 products for Williams Sonoma and several high-profile specialty food catalogs, among so many other verticals – it will leave you dizzy! Yes, she did make her exit in 2019-20 and went on to successfully sell the company. I am sure she’s planning her next chapter!!!
Thank you Cal Hancock for blowing us away with your inspiring entrepreneurial journey! Maine is so proud to call you it’s own. You built Hancock Gourmet Lobster Company in 2000 with one lobster stew recipe and a whole bucket load of strategic planning and innovation over the next two decades. You came back to Maine, you innovated, you delivered, you conquered (won 14 Sofi Awards) with your brilliant team and you made a graceful and successful exit in 2019!!!

And the best part was we all got to hear about it at Talking Food in Maine. Maine cannot wait to watch you unfold your third act! It’s NEVER too late to let your light shine brightly!

Thank you to our sponsors!
📷 Bangor Daily News

MAINE’S MOST EXCITING 2021 START UP – MUMBAI TO MAINE

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Big night in Bangor last night!!
Mumbai to Maine won UpStart Maine’s Most Exciting Startup of 2021!!! I was in formidable company with fellow female founders and nominees @Heather Kern – The Good Crust , @Amanda Hatley, She Summits Co., Lee Sowles, Kind Mind. Please follow their INCREDIBLE work.
Thank you for all the votes and support through this launch!
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And more exciting news I launched in Bangor last night! I left UpStart Center for Entrepreneurship April 26th Maine Innovation Nights (an amazing celebration of entrepreneurship) and drove right over to Tiller & Rye to deliver MumbaitoMaine simmer sauces!
Bangor you are now officially spiced up and ready for your Indian night!!! So proud to be on @Tiller & Rye’s shelves- founded by two dynamic female entrepreneurs Sarah Morneault and Lindsey Levesque.

Max Flavor, Zero Labor – Mumbai to Maine’s Makhani for the win! Roasted Cauliflower Power!

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Mumbai to Maine Makhani Simmer Sauce | Whole Roasted SKORDO Tandoori Masala Cauliflower| Green Goddess Chutney Drizzle

Back in India, a Tandoor is an outdoor clay oven used heavily in Punjab. Masala refers to a spice blend. I’ve been hooked on the SKORDO Tandoori Masala blend available online and at their brick and mortar stores in Maine. It hits all the notes for me and saves me a ton of time not having to toast and grind spices from scratch. As a simmer sauce maker, I’m all about max flavor, zero labor when it comes to meals for the family.

Typically this cauliflower would be marinated in the masala ahead of time and then roasted in a tandoor at a high temp. With no access to my mobile HOMDOOR as it was still in storage from the winter, I decided to roast it in my oven and only marinated it for 2 hours while we enjoyed the most beautiful afternoon on the water in Boothbay, Maine.

I marinated this humble “cabbage flower” in the thickest Greek-style yogurt (fat-free believe it or not), SKORDO Tandoori Masala loaded with turmeric, cayenne, cumin, coriander and turmeric. No need to add in Kashmiri chili powder for added color and minimal heat as this blend already has it blended into it. I did however,  add in some ginger and garlic paste, a generous squeeze of lime, salt + pepper and whipped it all up like I meant business!

I brushed this tandoori masala marinade all over the cauliflower. A tip,  you need to really get in there with a grill brush, into all those cracks and crevices. I drizzled the entire thing with melted ghee. The more fat the better! If you are vegan be sure to use some refined coconut oil, avocado oil or extra-virgin olive oil.

Meanwhile, I pre-heated my oven to [email protected] 350 degree F , set the entire cauliflower into my Staub and roasted it off with no cover on for 45 minutes. I chose to keep this beauty intact with stem and base attached. It makes for a conversation piece as soon as you set it table-side, ready to carve and share it with family and friends.

I could not resist drizzled it with my herbaceous, green cilantro-mint chutney. What a huge hit!

Now here’s a tip and idea:  if you rather serve it with some rich buttery tomato masala gravy to make it a meal you can carve them into steaks , heat up a jar of Mumbai to Maine’s rich Makhani simmer sauce and pour it right over the steak and serve ( this will no longer be vegan since it has ghee, but still vegetarian). My daughter is now pescatarian, so she loves these cauliflower steaks for dinner with her mom’s Makhani,  Basmati Rice, hot green chutney and a big chunk of garlic-buttered naan. Scroll to the bottom to check it out!

Makhani is the Indian word for ‘with Butter’. This small-batch, handcrafted, luscious, buttery-tomato cream sauce is infused with an aromatic and authentic North Indian Mughlai spice blend. Toasted and freshly ground cardamom, cumin, coriander, peppercorns and a touch of heavy cream add just the right touch of added richness.

Makhani pairs perfectly with chicken (especially for a spicy Butter Chicken) but it also makes for a slam-dunk spicy Chickpea Masala, Paneer Masala, or my husband’s favorite, melt-in-your-mouth boneless lamb over steaming hot Basmati Rice and ghee-slathered garlic naans.

But for now, try it on the cauliflower, for a meatless Monday.

 

 

 

CHAMPAGNE LOBSTER: Champagne. Lobster. Butter. Cream. Perfection

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Champagne Lobster, in homage to the one and only Phil Koskela, the culinary mastermind behind this recipe. Thank you Phil for sharing it with me and the world!

I’ve been known to go to great lengths to prepare a magnificent meal and source the rarest of ingredients for someone I love. My mother did the same for us growing up and apparently I’ve inherited her penchant for pleasing. My parents made sure our birthdays were an opportunity to bring our friends and family together to celebrate and feast over my mother’s legendary Lamb Biryani.

Back in Mumbai, where I grew up, everyone in our apartment building knew my talented mother, Regina, was cooking up an Indian feast when she started roasting cardamom, cloves, cinnamon, cumin and Kashmiri chiles spices on her tava (cast iron skillet).  We lived on the first floor so by the time she was done, her aromatic garam masala would carry through the entire building. She cooked for at least 40 guests and then sent me to every neighbor with left overs the following day.

Cooking Indian food is no easy feat.  Sometimes it takes a day or two to prepare one dish. Roasting and grinding the spices; preparing the marinade to tenderize the lamb overnight; chopping pounds of onions for what seems like days; slowly caramelizing them in ghee, and then adding in all those freshly ground spices to the onions so they can bloom and release all that incredible flavor making for a rich, thick and memorable lamb korma. But that is the beauty of slow cooking and the results are outstanding and memorable.

But then, a simple but exquisite dish like Champagne Lobster came into my life and it was a game changer! And, the best part about this dish is since I now live in Maine, the lobster capital of the world, I can source lobster – steamed, shucked and ready to go with one phone call. But please don’t let this hinder you. You can now do the same thing by ordering your lobster here.

This decadent dish has only 4 ingredients: champagne, lobster, butter and heavy cream. Yes, I repeat, four ingredients. I could not get over how incredibly simple it was to throw together. Imagine the sweet and succulent lobster meat sautéed in rich melted unsalted butter picking up the floral and bubbly notes of champagne added in and the decadence of heavy cream bringing all the sweet, savory flavors together in under 5 minutes for a delicate and silky, smooth finish.

I can hear my husband’s voice saying, “For heaven’s sake, just share the recipe already!!!”

I’m all for sharing a story AND the back story. So stay with me, I promise, once you are done here, you’ll add Champagne Lobster to your repertoire forever!

BACKSTORY:

Years ago, I worked at the Boothbay Harbor Chamber of Commerce and kept hearing rave reviews about Champagne Lobster from the local community. So one year my husband, Guy, and I tried it for the first time on our anniversary. Get this, it was our anniversary and we barely said a word to each other while we ate this in dead silence . Then Guy looked up, his blue eyes piercing into my brown ones and said,  “You NEED to get this recipe from Phil!”

Phil Koskela, a local from Southport Island, Maine, put this legendary dish on the map here in Boothbay Harbor, Maine. Phil was the General Manager at the famous and beloved Rocktide Inn (no longer in operation) for 39 years. In that time he probably served thousands of Champagne Lobster orders and built up an iconic following for this exquisite dish. Phil always served it along side Rocktide Inn’s legendary popovers. ( I’ll save them for another post. )

So years later, I reached out to Phil and begged him for the recipe, promising never to share it. I told him I just wanted to surprise Guy for our  anniversary. Phil being as kind and gracious as he is known to be, started rattling it off. I didn’t even have a pen ready, so I literally memorized it over the phone.

Guy was in shock when I surprised him with it at our anniversary dinner. It was definitely a nostalgic blast from the past. But this time around Guy convinced me to go back to Phil and ask him for permission to blog about the dish and even do a fun video in homage to the dish and the man behind it! As soon as I got Phil’s blessing I reached out to another Maine culinary icon, Rod Browne Mitchell, the national authority on caviar and owner of Browne Trading Co, located on Commercial Street in Portland, Maine. I shared the good news that I had scored the recipe to this prized dish and went on to describe it. I added that I would love to collaborate with him on producing this piece which I now consider a gift from Phil — one that had to be shared with scores of lobster lovers out there.

Rod was all in! He and his fabulous team at Browne Trading Market, set aside one of the finest bottles of champagne, an 1851 Charles Heidsieck Brut Reserve, a pound of the freshest shucked Maine lobster and 2 beautiful lobster tails for pickup.

So, here’s how I set the mood: I set the table first, chill the Champagne while I get my mise en place (prep for the dish) together. Then I turn off my kitchen lights, light a candle, pour myself a glass of bubbly, channel some Stacey Kent and get in the CL zone.

Check out the recipe below.  A couple of notes:

I added some Italian angel hair pasta to it because you need something light to soak up every last drop of that sauce.

Phil said you don’t need the most expensive champagne to make this dish. In fact Phil admitted that he used Cook’s Champagne for years because he was making hundreds of Champagne Lobsters a week. But it’s not everyday you splurge on lobster and champagne, so if you can afford to, just do it right and go all the way!

Special thanks to Rod Browne Mitchell, Browne Trading Company, for sponsoring the lobster and champagne for this post.

A huge thanks to Phil Koskela, for sharing the recipe. I’ve posted his iconic dish with his blessing and permission.

Phil Koskela, on his way to work one afternoon, I stopped him in his tracks and captured this pic of him outside the food store…!

Slowly poached lobster tails in a 1/2 cup of unsalted butter. You can skip this step if your lobster arrives already cooked and shucked. These came raw from Browne Trading Company so I cooked them gently.

Charles Heidsieck Brut Reserve, compliments of Browne Trading Company

Rod Browne Mitchell, aka, ‘The King of Caviar’, owner of Browne Trading Company “has been operating out of the working waterfront in Portland, Maine, for almost 30 years. In that time Browne has developed an international reputation for sourcing only the finest imported and American caviars. Browne Trading Company also is the premier supplier of fresh fish, shellfish, and smoked seafood to both elite restaurants and home kitchens across the U.S.”

This has nothing to do with Champagne Lobster, but I could not resist capturing this when I went to pickup the lobster and champagne. The world’s finest caviar and beluga available at Browne Trading Company online or at the Browne Trading Market, Portland, Maine.

Mise en place for Champagne Lobster – Champagne, Lobster, Butter and Heavy Cream.

Champagne Lobster for two!

Be sure to set the table before you make the dish and chill the rest of that Champagne. You won’t want to waste anytime digging in. Don’t you just love these Nancy Buzer heart plates?

CHAMPAGNE LOBSTER: Champagne. Lobster. Butter. Cream. Perfection
 
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This 4 ingredient dish is the stuff that dreams are made of!!! Champagne, lobster, butter and heavy cream. Recipe by Phil Koskela, posted with full permission.
Author:
Recipe type: Entree
Cuisine: Italian
Serves: 2 generous servings
Ingredients
  • 2 lobsters - claws, knuckle and tails - shucked and pre-cooked
  • ½ cup of unsalted butter
  • ½ cup of Champagne
  • ¾ heavy cream
  • 8 oz De Cecco Angel Hair no.9 Pasta, cooked al dente
Instructions
  1. In a heavy-bottomed skillet, on medium heat add the butter .
  2. Once it melts, add the cooked lobster and sautee for about 1 minutes on low heat.
  3. Now, take out the lobster, set aside.
  4. Add in the Champagne and bring it to a boil, until it cooks off.
  5. After a minute, lower the heat and add the heavy cream.
  6. Give it a good stir.
  7. Now add the lobster back to the pan and let it cook for another minute on simmer.
  8. The sauce will start taking on a pinkish hue from the lobster.
  9. Now, toss in that al dente angel hair cooked pasta and stir well.
  10. Add a few scallions for color and serve warm immediately but with a chilled glass of Champagne.

Mumbai to Maine Indian Simmer Sauces

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Mumbai to Maine Signature Simmer Sauces Variety Pack - Caldine, Makhani and SaagWelcome to Mumbai to Maine – Maine’s first Indian-inspired culinary brand!!!

There’s something wonderful about being the first to introduce something unique and special to the world. But I feel like it also comes with tremendous responsibility. I consider myself a culinary ambassador for my homeland, Mumbai and my Goan heritage, here in this beautiful state of Maine.

MY STORY

Let me tell you a bit about how and why these simmer sauces came to be.

At 16 years old, I left Mumbai and moved to Canada with my family, our lives packed in 12 suitcases. Fast forward, I am fortunate to call Maine my home now for over a decade.

The Castelino family: L to R: My gorgeous mother, Regina, two-year-old me, Karen (my six-year-old sister) and handsome Dad (check out those sideburns.)

So this idea for simmer sauces, started a couple of years ago when I had just lost my mom and found myself having this intense and nostalgic craving for my all-time favorite dish, her signature Caldine: a creamy, spicy, luscious coconut gravy with juicy shrimp. I knew I wouldn’t find mom’s Caldine on a shelf at the food store, as a frozen entrée or even at a restaurant.

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CRAVING COMFORT FOOD

In fact, I couldn’t find any comforting home-style Indian food at the grocery story that matched my expectations here in Maine. Everything tasted overly processed to me and one thing was for sure: it definitely did NOT taste like my mother’s home-style cooking.

Homestyle Red Lentil Dahl – tadka of ghee, red onions, garlic, ginger, red chilis, cumin, red chili powder, curry leaves and black mustard seeds.

So, I went back into my kitchen, dug out my mom’s heritage recipes and mastered each one. I was thrilled with the results and thought to myself, there have to be others who probably have never experienced authentic home-style Indian flavors. I was determined to find a way to make these unique mouth-watering Indian recipes accessible to anyone.

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INTRODUCING

After spending countless hours in my kitchen crafting batch after batch,  I am excited to introduce you to Mumbai to Maine’s shelf-stable Indian Simmer Sauce collection: Saag, Makhani and Caldine.

These savory simmer sauces are authentic, true to the specific region of India that they originate from and absolutely DELICIOUS!

  • Based on my family’s heritage recipes
  • Crafted with authentic, freshly ground spice blends.
  • Handcrafted right here in Maine.
  • For an authentic meal within minutes simply pour, add your choice of protein, simmer and serve.
  • These 16 oz, ultra-premium simmer sauces will sit pretty in recyclable glass jars on your pantry shelf for up to a year. I can assure you they will not last that long, once you give them a try. 🙂

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SIMMER SAUCE LINE

Let me introduce you to the star line up!

Caldine is a Goan inspired sauce from the West Coast of India, a creamy coconut gravy with an infusion of toasted coriander, cumin, Tellicherry peppercorns, Kashmiri chiles and the finest turmeric. You can read more about this hallmark Goan dish and why it holds the most special place in my heart here. You can see below, all I added was some fresh steamed Maine lobsters to my Caldine sauce and within minutes we had dinner on the table this past Mother’s Day!

Lobster Caldine: A true Mumbai to Maine original recipe! When you live in Maine, lobster is the only way to celebrate this iconic Goan dish.

Makhani is the Indian word for ‘with Butter’.  How could that get any better, you ask? Well, this ghee-tomato based cream sauce is infused with the finest Indian spice blends like toasted and freshly ground cardamom, cumin, coriander, peppercorns and a touch of heavy cream — because this dish is meant for royalty. Makhani pairs perfectly with chicken of course (are you a Butter Chicken fans, if so check this post out ???) but it also makes for a slam-dunk spicy Chickpea Masala, Paneer Masala, or my husband’s favorite, melt-in-your-mouth boneless lamb over steaming hot Basmati Rice and ghee-slathered garlic naans.

Makhani Murgh – (Butter Chicken with the Makhani simmer sauce.

Saag is the Indian word for leafy greens. Hailing from the North Indian state of Punjab, this hearty, vegetarian sauce is loaded with spinach, broccoli, aromatic and healing spices like Fenugreek and Garam Masala with a touch of cream . It’s often the go-to dish for the farmer because its packed with nutrients to sustain them for a long and hard day’s work in the fields. A home made aloo-fenugreek paratha would go so well with this dish. My mouth is watering already! You can put a vegetarian spin on this with cauliflower, chickpeas, sweet potatoes and paneer( Indian cheese) or add tender morsels of marinated lamb to elevate this thick gravy to another level of de-lish! We’ve been eating so much of this Saag in 2020 to stay healthy but also up our spice game in the kitchen on busy school and work days!

Murgh Saag ( Indian-style Creamed Spinach with Chicken)

There is no arguing, Indian food and its cultural influence are trending like never before. With restaurants not being as accessible as much during the pandemic,  people are cooking more at home now than ever! AND, they are looking for different ways to be creative in the kitchen and up their spice game by tinkering with ethnic cuisines that are bursting with bold and spicy flavors.

It is my hope you have fun with these sauces and leave my blog feeling inspired to add more flavor and spice into your everyday cooking! If you are ever craving a home-style Indian meal or feeling too exhausted after your marathon zoom work calls to cook up an authentic Indian meal, or like me you just miss your mother’s amazing home-cooking, simply reach for a jar in your pantry and within minutes you will be transported back to your childhood and to India with a single bite of my mouth-watering, rich and luscious Makhani, Caldine and Saag sauces.

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FOOD CONNECTS…..

At the end of the day, food has this power to bring people together and it also has the influence to transport you to your childhood or a special place you love.

Since 2015, I have shared my Mumbai to Maine story through my blog, podcast, social media channels and teaching Indian cuisine at Stonewall Kitchen Cooking School. I’ve done this with intention and passion, because it has kept me connected and rooted to my childhood in Mumbai and my Goan (Portuguese-Indian) heritage.

I am so excited to share this labor of love, my debut simmer sauce collection, with you right in time for the 2020 Holidays. It’s an homage to my talented mother, who was and will always be the best cook I know and a heartfelt love letter to my Mumbai.

I would love for you to be a part of my story going forward.

So please go ahead and send me a message via my blog, ask me a question about Indian food, order a simmer sauce or two or three. I would love to see what you cook up with them in your kitchen.

I encourage you to get creative and share your creations with me on Facebook @mumbaitomaine, IG @mumbai2maine.

Thank you with all my heart for joining me in my Mumbai to Maine journey in a jar. It’s going to be quite a ride, and I am so glad I get to share it with you.

Love,

Cherie Scott

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