June marks two years since our wonderful evening spent at The Lost Kitchen. An evening we will never forget! Located in a perfectly restored 19th century gristmill in Freedom, Maine, The Lost Kitchen offers a 5-hour farm-to-table dining experience unlike any other. The restaurant and chef, Erin French, have been featured in various documentary series and other publications.

As the restaurant grew in popularity many years ago, the staff was unable to keep up with phone reservations. At the same time, their small town post office was on the brink of shutting its doors. In an attempt to streamline their reservation system and to save their post office, they switched to a post card lottery! Hopeful diners mail in post cards and The Lost Kitchen staff select cards at random to book each and every seat. My husband and I mailed in post cards for three years before ours was drawn at random from tens of thousands of other entries. When your card is drawn you receive a phone call from the team and they let you know what dates and tables remain available. We must have been one of the later calls as there were only a handful of tables for four remaining across a few dates. We quickly picked a date, secured our table, and started calling friends to fill the extra seats. We couldn’t have felt luckier!

After securing our table, we booked our flights to Portland, Maine! The restaurant is located somewhat ‘off the grid,’ so we opted to spend our first day in Portland. Portland is filled with excellent food and the cutest shops. The Post Supply, Duckfat, The Shop, and Onggi Market and Cafe were some of our favorites. From there we drove along the coast stopping at lobster stands, lakes, and the original LL Bean on the way to our Airbnb. We rented a convertible which made the drive even more fun. Our Airbnb was a remote cabin near Freedom and we ventured out to nearby Belfast the following morning. There we enjoyed some delicious lobster rolls, a local arts festival, and some antique shopping.

Our friends drove in from New York and once they arrived, we went in to Freedom for a little tour. ‘Little’ being the key word! The tour only took a matter of minutes as the town is comprised of only a few buildings on a main road. Much like the small town I went to high school in back in Iowa. We laid eyes on the post office where our post card had arrived months prior and took a sneak peak at the mill where we would later spend our evening.

*We had just arrived at The Lost Kitchen. You can see the mill through the trees in the background.*

We returned to the mill around 4:30 in the afternoon and mingled with the other guests. There were guests from every corner of the US! After a few short minutes The Lost Kitchen host crossed the bridge from the mill and greeted us for the evening. We were checked in and instructed to walk across the bridge where we were handed shrub cocktails. If you haven’t enjoyed a shrub cocktail before, it is the perfectly bitter meets sweet non alcoholic beverage. Fruit is steeped in apple cider vinegar and sugar before being strained and served over ice with soda. It was just starting to mist and we enjoyed our shrubs by a perfectly stoked fire outside of the mill. Each shrub was adorned with a pansy, the first of many edible blooms we would enjoy throughout the night! The mill shop was also open for perusing.

After finishing our shrubs, Erin’s mother handed us a small picnic basket and sent us down a path to the cellar. There we were provided beautiful details about the evening’s menu and suggested wine pairings. We selected our wine bottles, popped them in our basket, and meandered back up the path to the dining room.

*After making our wine selections in the cellar we made our way to the dining room, basket in hand!*

The dining room is truly magical. The kitchen is center stage and beautiful florals top every surface. The nearly all female staff were dressed in perfectly distressed black attire. They danced across the room seating guests, delivering first courses, and lighting candles. As we were seated at our table they took a peek at our wine selections and quickly brought the matching glassware. The first course was then placed upon our table, a nibble board. If you have watched any of Erin’s many docu series, you know about the famous nibble board! Handmade crackers, locally cured meats, toasted bread, rich butter, and a bone marrow spread were some of the offerings this evening.

*Fresh oysters with a strawberry relish.*

*Fresh scallops served raw on the shell, adorned with a pansy.*

The servers continued to dance around the dining room clearing one course and following it with another. The timing of the dishes was impeccable! Our nibble board was followed by oysters topped with strawberries and shortly after that fresh scallops were served raw on the shell with a pansy. Flowers continued to top most of the dishes. The seafood was followed by fried chicken with pickled rhubarb and shallot along with mini buscuits and whipped butter with honey. Peony and strawberry elderflower sorbet was served in a small chicken dish as a palate cleanser. All of this and we hadn’t even started the formal menu! Lavender essence washrags were delivered to the table and the ting-ting-ting of Erin’s glass was heard across the dining room as she started her toast.

*THE BEST chicken and biscuits. I still make this biscuit recipe from Erin French’s cookbook for Thanksgiving dinner and weekend brunches.*

*The sorbet dish was served in miniature milk glass chickens.*

Erin French, the owner and chef, is one of the most passionate people I have had the pleasure of meeting! She speaks about food like poetry. She spoke about her love for Maine, local food, and the guests filling the room that evening. She introduced the menu before we all clinked glasses and the dancing of the servers resumed. Candles came to the table and a carrot and coriander soup course was poured. Shadows began to flutter across the dining room as the sun started setting outdoors. It was a rather rainy evening with lower lighting in general. It made the dining room feel all the cozier.

*The carrot and coriander soup was poured at the table over a bowl of herbs and flowers along with fresh chevre.*

A beautiful salad, with the tiniest spring carrots, was served family style and a tuna steak adorned with a nasturtium came next. We were surprised with off-the-menu miniature ice cream cones served in a floral arrangement and fresh mint and chamomile tea. More surprise dessert courses came including carnival style doughnuts and fresh cream served in a miniature bottle. French presses were placed at each table and the anticipated dessert of custard with whipped cream, first of the season strawberries, honey and a crack of pepper was served. It was all DELICIOUS! For the final surprise of the evening mini chocolate chip cookies and chocolate saucers were placed at the table. Every dish was crafted so beautifully. Watching Erin cook in the dining room and the hospitality of the staff are things we will never forget!

*The main course, Maine bluefin tuna served with garlic scape, olive and caper spoon sauce, and a creamy polenta. This dish is why I grow nasturtiums today!*

*Miniature ice cream cones were served in a floral arrangement of feverfew and mint.*

We had the joy of speaking with Erin and her husband before heading back across the bridge and to our cabin to retire for the evening. We had one more day to spend in Portland before flying home and Erin gave us some excellent restaurant recommendations. Erin and her team were truly the best hosts!

*The dining room after an evening well spent.*

*Everyone’s postcards were set out at the end of the evening by candlelight. It was so fun to see where everyone was from and to read the various messages.*

Instructions for how to send in a post card are released on The Lost Kitchen’s website around the first day of spring each year. I cannot recommend taking a chance and sending in a card more! We are forever grateful to have enjoyed this once in a lifetime evening at The Lost Kitchen. If you want to learn more about the restaurant, ‘The Lost Kitchen’ docu series on Magnolia network offers a beautiful peek behind the curtain.

Cheers,

Madison

An evening at the lost kitchen

A Season of Learning