Chef Michael Salmon - Join me in my Kitchen
Every month we have a birthday party at the farm (for the horses) and give pony rides on our Icelandic horses. My challenge is to create a new themed cupcake each month for the riders.
I have made many different pound cakes over the years, but the flavor, color and texture that the pistachios lend to this cake are incredible. Pound cake is terrific served with afternoon tea also. If you don’t eat nuts, the pistachios may be omitted from the recipe. Experiment with other nuts or other flavors like citrus, blueberries or chopped dried fruits.
At the Inn, we used to serve this rice pudding as a first course at breakfast. I find it to be a lot more interesting than porridge or oatmeal. The short-grain Arborio rice gives this dish a more unique texture than a standard rice pudding and I like it a little al dente. Play around with different dried fruits (figs, dates, papaya, etc..) and you can also diced fresh fruit. The combination of spices in the Apple Pie Spice Mix gives the pudding a nicely balanced spicy background.
What could be more refreshing than a Mojito? Answer: A watermelon Mojito. This has always been one of my favorite cocktails on a hot summer evening, not that we have many of them here in Maine. Enjoy!
Will the real Chef Michael Salmon please stand up? I’m Chef Michael Salmon, no, I’m Chef Michael Salmon. Well, it turns out that we both are the real thing. Unfortunately for me, he is the more famous one.
Candied citrus peel makes a great addition to any citrus dessert. It is so simple to make, utilizes the skin of the fruit that often gets discarded and stores for a long time in your pantry. I use candied orange peel to garnish the top of my Grand Marnier Soufflé.
Over my 23 years at the Hartstone Inn, this was among the most popular items on my menus. Vanilla may seem like an unusual companion for lobster at first, but once you taste sweet and succulent Maine lobster with this sauce, you will fully appreciate how dramatic this matching can be.
Creamy mussel soup with fava beans is one of my staple recipes on our Sicilian Foodie Adventures. It is always a crowd pleaser.
Crème Anglaise is a versatile “custard” sauce that can be used over French Toast at breakfast, poured into soufflés at dinner, or churned into a frozen custard in an ice cream maker. Most often it is transformed, with various flavors and colorings, into a show stopping sauce that is used as a final decoration on a dessert plate.
Soufflés were my signature dessert at the Inn and guests often asked me for the recipe or a cooking lesson on soufflés. Making them can be tricky, so follow the instructions carefully.
Join me in my kitchen as I prepare recipes from my two cookbooks, European foodie trips and explore new inspirations.
