The Fourth of July weekend finds our family at my parents 1813 Federal style home in the village of Kennebunkport, Maine. The quaint harbor town boasts bucket loads of seaside fun and plenty of patriotic activities. Little P. has been eagerly anticipating the excitement of our country's "big birthday party" and the requisite spoiling that his grandparents promise, while my husband and I await the next food adventure at our favorite restaurant, Bandaloop.The food scene in this sleepy Maine town is actually quite cosmopolitan, with a relaxed and easy going current beneath the cultured veneer. Bandaloop, owned by chef Scott Lee, is as I mentioned one of our favorite restaurants. Anywhere. Period. Delicious fresh food ingeniously prepared, a carefree ambiance, and the fact that it works kids food into the mix is a bonus. Inspired but still appealing to youngsters, the kids menu doesn't have a bowl of Day-Glo orange mac-n-cheese in sight. The friendly and accommodating staff makes guests feel at home while dining with their young one, and even provides a basket with interesting toy choices for our son to survey while Big P. and I chat over a glass of excellent wine.
Our festive Fourth meal left me with mouth-watering memories of a cold watermelon, basil, and ginger soup, sugared jalapenos gracing our quesadillas, and my child helping himself to my husband's seared tuna steak laced with caviar. He then decided to wrap up some delicate caviar pearls in a spinach leaf pilfered from my salad and declare he loves caviar the best. "Can we get some more?"
After filling up with a mango fruit crisp, our evening ended with a family cuddle/huddle on the restaurant's balcony, overlooking Dock Square. As the cool salt air filtered in, we discussed our plans for the morning; clamming bright and early out on Cape Porpoise's mud flats and then visiting the Farmer's Market in Kennebunk to pick up whatever was fresh as an accompaniment for all those steamers we'd have at lunch. (The choice was a delicious wild arugula salad with fresh goat cheese!)
As we began to dreamily snuggle together, a BANG woke us from our food stupor: Fireworks! Little P. has been waiting his whole three years of life to be old enough to stay awake and see them up in the sky! What excitement! What wonder! As always, experiencing life through the eyes of your child sharpens every detail and brings so much more into fresh focus.
We ooohed and aaahed at the brilliant lights out over the ocean, and then in a last furious flurry, the spectacle fizzled away until next year. We carried our boy the two blocks home to bed at my parents home, bantering quietly over our evening together.
"How did you like this special Fourth of July night, honey" I asked?
"Good, Mama," he replied sleepily, "Fireworks are delicious".
The flavor of that evening will stay with me for years to come.
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