Jneti's Green Smoothies In The News!

Remember I wrote about these awesome green smoothies my new friends at market were making and offering? I wrote about it here: Green Smoothies. Using Kale, Spinach, Parsley and other greens the whole smoothie is then sweetened up with Mango, Banana, Apple etc. Jeanette blends up these awesome good-for-you smoothies using her bike and a human powered blender attached to the back.

Portland Press Herald wrote a great article about her and the smoothie and it appears in todays local paper. Check it out if you like:
http://pressherald.mainetoday.com/story.php?id=286358&ac=Food

Go Jeanette! I'm so proud of you!

More New Soaps On The Way...

By the way, every time I say "I stirred up a batch of this or that" I picture an old fashion Cauldron. Do you? Do you see me stirring the black pot out in the back yard over a low fire, long stick in hand? Maybe sometime I can post for you a picture of what my soap kitchen really looks like. This is what has been stirred up in the kettle as of late:

Rosemary

I have just stirred up a batch of wonderful Rosemary. This has been a request that I have been wanting to get to...so here it is. The beautiful stimulating aroma of Rosemary is often considered energizing. This soap is jazzed up with a green swirl.

Sweetgrass

Another customer request, this fragrance is a treat for the nose. A bright, green scent. Swirled with a bit of green.

Gingersnap

One of the must have Holiday fragrances. This gorgeous, brown soap smells good enough to eat! With spices such as Caraway Seed, Cinnamon, and Cardamom with Vanilla mixing perfectly with Ginger, you are going to say "MMMmmmm" when smelling this!

Smoky Patchouli

Not really so new with Casco Bay Soap, but back by popular demand. With Patchouli and a bit of a smokey notes, this soap is swirled with a light smokey gray swirl.

Maine Common Ground Fair

I am headed to the Common Ground Fair this weekend. Not as a vendor but as a customers. I have never been to this fair and I am really, really (!) looking forward to it. This is not your carnival ride, cotton candy, midway game type of fair. If I had to label this fair to give you an idea of what it will be like, it would be earthy-crunchy. I will, of course, be seeking out the soap makers and see what they may have that is different and new. But I will also be checking out all sorts of sustainable living ideas, farming, best in show tomatoes or cukes, and also tasting some delicious food created right there on sight. Maybe I will be selling my soaps there next year!

http://www.mofga.org/TheFair/tabid/135/Default.aspx

Put on by MOFGA, which stands for Maine Organic Farmers and Gardeners Association, here's how they describe it:

The Fair allows fairgoers to make connections with a rapidly expanding base of organic farms in the state of Maine. Hundreds of vendors, exhibitors and demonstrators, more than 1,000 volunteers, and tens of thousands of fairgoers will gather to: share knowledge about sustainable living; eat delicious, organic, Maine-grown food; buy and sell beautiful Maine crafts and useful agricultural products; compete in various activities; dance; sing and have a great time.

Cake Soap

Super cool "cake" soap on it's way! I have been dying to bring this to you....my same soap recipe with all the fantastic oils in it but in the form of Bundt cake! I have pre-sliced it just like the picture above, you can choose a slice and I will wrap it up in tissue and seal it with a informative label. The first soap "cake" I will have coming to you is Chocolate with a white glaze drizzled on top! Next up will be Lemon Poppy Seed. I think these fun soaps will be a big hit, especially for the upcoming Holidays. Just please don't eat the soap!

Peppermint & Rosemary Soap

I have made another fantastic blend of fragrances all stirred up in a creamy white bar of soap. Peppermint & Rosemary. I have had a good amount of customer requests for this particular fragrances blending. I currently only have one Peppermint soap, the Peppermint Oatmeal and a few customers have picked it up and asked if I ever mix it with Rosemary. I had a moment to mix up something new, so here it is.

Rosemary essential oil has an overall stimulating and invigorating effects while Peppermint is uplifting. What a fresh combination! Thanks to my customers for this wonderful fragrance combination suggestion. Look for it soon!

Lemongrass & Sage Soap

I have a new fragrance blend of Lemon Grass & Sage....and I feel it is sure to be a hit. I can't keep anything citrus is stock. Pink Grapefruit, Citrus Scrub, the new Lemongrass...it is all bought up just as quickly as I can make it. The luscious Lemon Grass is uplifting and bright and mixes so nice with relaxing, subtle and earthy Sage. I look forward to introducing this fragrance to you...I think both male and female customers alike will enjoy this blend.

Another Retail Location...

I am happy to announce that my soaps are now in the gift shop at The Eastland Park Hotel in Portland!

Simply Divine Brownies has opened a small gift shop in the 82 year old Eastland Park Hotel located on 157 High St. Simply Divine Brownies is a local gourmet brownie company that has established quite a local following and has many national accolades under their belt. A big thank you goes out to them for selecting my soaps to carry in their new gift shop.

This gift shop should receive a ton of foot traffic. The hotel offers events such as business meetings, wedding and more. The hotel will most likely experience a full house with the leaves turning colors on the Birch, Oak and Maple trees, tourist season will be experiencing another swell of business as people come to peek at the trees.

Simply Divine Brownies: http://www.simplydivinebrownies.com/

The Eastland Park Hotel: http://www.eastlandparkhotel.com/

Sailing Penobscot Bay

This is a bit off the topic of soap....Glen and I went for a quick little trip up to the Camden/Rockport area last week. We took a fantastic 3 hour sail in Penobscot Bay. It was nice to sit back and watch the scenery and enjoy sailing with out all the work for a change. We chose to sail on the boat Heron, a boat that Glen has been keeping his eye on for a few years now. Glen has a unique ability to remember any and all boats in many harbors and often stumbles across little bits and pieces of information on the web about them. When I mentioned maybe going to Camden/Rockport for a quick trip, he said he always wanted to sail on this particular boat. I imagine if I said lets go to Rockport MASS., he would have a boat tucked away in a little harbor that he was interested in as well.

Heron is a beautiful 65' sailboat, and while she looks old, she is only 6 years young. During summer months Heron sails Penobscot Bay and winters in the Caribbean. The couple that own her, live on board and home school their children. We had a lovely easy sail, delicious Lobster roll lunch (prepared down below in the Galley fresh for us!), viewed many porpoises, and a huge group of seals basking on the rocks.

Heron was passing through Jamaica last year when movie scouts where out and about looking for locations. You know, the perfect car, the perfect little scenic vista and the perfect boat. They found Heron! Heron will soon be appearing in the movie The Rum Diary staring Johnny Depp! What fun for them and hearing the stories of their brush with Hollywood was interesting.

If your in the area of Rockport/Camden...Heron's website:http://www.woodenboatco.com/

Fall Soaps Are On The Way

With a chill in the night time air, a few leaves on the trees have starting to change color and the wind on Casco Bay has picked up...sure signs that we are headed into Fall. But don't get me wrong, us Mainers don't just close up the house and hunker down! There are still some veggies in the garden and Black Eyed Susan's dominate the flower beds., plenty of good sailing in the fall and it's a great time to hike the nearby trails. But I need to start making those Fall and Holiday fragrances that you all love during the cooler seasons.

I am busily stirring the soap kettle and it is filled with the soap fragrances of Fall. Apple and Pumpkin Spice have already been made and are curing on the shelves. Also on the "to do" list is Star Anise, Maine Pine, Lemon~Sage, and a new fragrance called Marrakesh: a mysterious deep spicy fragrance with Vanilla Orchid, Myrrh, Tangerine, Patchouli and Clove Leaf. I will also try to play catch up and make more of your favorites that have been out of stock such as Lavender & Rosemary, Smokey Patchouli, and the very popular and often requested Lilac.

I look forward to bringing these soaps to you soon.

Catch me at the Farmers Market:
Falmouth, Wednesdays 12-4
Gray, Thursday 2:30-6:00
Freeport, Friday 2-6
Cumberland, Saturday 8:30-12

Visit one of the retail establishments that carry my soaps:
Lisa Marie's Made In Maine, Bath
Maine Wreath and Flower, Freeport
True Colors Hair Salon, Freeport
The Harraseeket Inn Gift Shop, Freeport
In Good Hands, Bucksport
Farmers Fare, Rockport

Or,

Order on-line:
www.CascoBaySoap.com

Casco Bay Soap Co. Soaps Now Available In The Mid-Coast

I am very excited to announce that Casco Bay Soap Co. soaps are now available in another store! I have now expanded to the Mid Coast...specifically Rockport. Farmers Fare! Check out some photos of this fantastic new place below.

The girls in the hen house...

One of the gardens...

A Peek Inside....

Nice, big, bright open space!

(Farmers Fare, Rt. 90 Rockport, during the construction phase.)

This fantastic new place being built, and actually opening next week has soo much to offer. I dropped off a nice selection of soap and got a tour of the building. What a beautiful space they have created! It is going to be a very exciting place to shop for all thing Maine. Space for eating fresh prepared foods, WIFI, shopping for local cheeses, dairy, meats, gourmet food products, a greenhouse and outdoor garden, hen house, bee hives, and so much more! Thank you Farmers Fare, I am happy to be working with you.

Here is some information from their site....and you can view more about them here: http://farmersfaremaine.com/fare/ They also have a slide show on this page.

The five acres of land from the former Erickson farm at the corner of Cross Street and Route 90 in Rockport, Maine will remain what it has always been: a beautiful, organic pasture and farm land.

About half of the five acres of land is devoted to growing food. In the future, our nursery will offer new and old varieties of Maine fruits and vegetables, such as green gage plums. A wetland in the middle of the property will be used to grow plants that have been cultivated by Native Americans for medicinal aids, such as high bush cranberries and cow parsnip.

In planning our market building, we chose to echo the width and length of a classic New England barn. In addition, we are using materials from Maine, including hemlock, pine, tables, and chairs, even light bulbs. Our builders are local Mainers. The building is wrapped in an L-shaped open porch, which acts as an outdoor year-round market. We will offer varieties of apples in barrels, pumpkins, Native American baskets, flowers and Christmas greens reflecting the personality of the seasons.

Walking into the building, you go through swinging doors into an open space with barn trusses and tall ceilings. Tucked in a corner is the butcher. Displays of vegetables, fruits and products using regional ingredients are placed throughout the open space. The displays are waist-high in the center of the space, so people can spot each other across the room.

Beyond these food displays is the cafe, with long pine tables inviting neighbors and friends to sit and enjoy coffee, pastries, sandwiches, salads, and other local foods. You can access the lower level of the cafe by walking down the broad pine staircase-which will be open so as to keep the sense of space. Downstairs will be a fully equipped kitchen that services the café, and community rooms which are open to the public and used by Farmers Fare for educational purposes and community purposes.

Fresh soaps on their way to Lisa Marie's Made In Maine....

A fresh batch of soaps are on their way to Lisa Marie's Made In Maine Gift Shop in Bath. Bath is a quaint little New England Town known for it's Ship Building. Downtown, you can find Taverns to quench your thirst, kitchen stores to feed your hobby, yarn shops to get lost in, and much more. Lisa Marie's shop holds all the charm of a classic downtown store. Look at her store front! Big glass windows right on the street, perfect for catching the eye of those window shoppers.

Be sure to stop in for lots of great gifts, or treat yourself (I always buy a little something for myself when delivering the soaps). You can find all sorts of great Made In Maine items, such as sea glass jewelry, Maine photography, local made pottery, SOAP, baskets, gourmet food items, home decor, artwork, woodwork, greeting cards and more. Work from over 100 of Maine's finest Artisans and Craftsmen.

Lisa Marie's Made In Maine

170 Front Street Bath, Me 04530

(207) 443-2225
http://www.lisamariesmadeinmaine.com/
lisamaries@gwi.net
Hours of Operation:

Monday-Saturday: 10am-5:30ish

Sunday: Seasonal /call ahead

Bacon Wrapped Cream Cheese Stuffed Jalapenos!?

I'll be making these http://thepioneerwoman.com/cooking/2007/07/bacon-wrapped_j/ for labor day. Actually, I made them last night and snuck one hot out of the oven to try....all I can say is that you should make them too. Incredible!

Gray Farmers Market

We have switched from Thursdays in Yarmouth to Thursdays in Gray now that September is here.

This market includes many of your favorite vendors and a few from the Gray/New Gloucester area. You will find: tea, gluten free baked goods, SOAP, perennials, cut flowers, dried flowers, fresh eggs, local meats, milk in old fashion glass bottles, seasonal vegetables, local roasted coffee, Alpaca yarn and knit goods, stained glass art, breads, cookies and other fantastic baked goods. This week fresh corn is very popular as well as tomatoes, basil and carrots.

Stop by and visit:

Shaker Road

Town Hall Offices

Gray, ME

2:30-6:00

This week will feature Gelato Fiasco of Brunswick http://www.gelatofiasco.com/ With their mobile Gelato cart they can bring up to 12 flavors of fantastic, artisan, yummy Gelato with them. I wonder what flavor I will try today.....