Page 32 - ARUBA TODAY

A32 FEATURE
Wednesday 10 May 2017
Lost Kitchen: 10,000 phone calls for a 40-seat restaurant

BETH J. HARPAZ Maine, but that business filled for her May through restaurants to serve alco- surviving pretty well.”
AP Travel Editor closed in a messy divorce. New Year’s Eve seatings. hol, but BYOB wine is per- ___
Erin French runs a 40-seat She started over using a Dinner at The Lost Kitchen, mitted, so French’s mother CHOWDER OF SWEET CLAMS
restaurant called The Lost 1965 Airstream to give pop- while pricey for Maine, runs a wine shop onsite. From “The Lost Kitchen” by
Kitchen in an old mill in a up dinners. In 2014, she wouldn’t raise eyebrows in With a staff of a half-dozen, Erin French
tiny town in central Maine. opened The Lost Kitchen in New York or Boston: $100 French cooks and serves, Servings: 4 to 6
She began accepting res- an abandoned 19th cen- per person plus tax and tip and at some point each 5 pounds clams, either
ervations for the season tury mill that had been re- for six to eight courses. The night, stands up to explain steamers or littlenecks
at midnight April 1, ex- stored by a businessman menu depends on what “how that menu came to- 1 pound baby potatoes
pecting a few dozen calls who wanted to help the lo- the farmers, fishermen and gether.” Then she gives Salt and pepper
overnight. Instead, she got thanks and toasts with her 3 tablespoons olive oil, plus
10,000 in 24 hours. guests, “just as you would more for serving
Calls came in so fast that if you were at a friend’s 6 shallots, thinly sliced
it overwhelmed her three house.” 3 cups heavy cream
phone lines, which hold Thomas Delle Donne, as- 2 cups whole milk
just 40 messages. Alarms sistant dean at Johnson & 6 tablespoons (3/4 stick)
went off when emergency Wales’ College of Culinary unsalted butter
lines to the fire department Arts in Rhode Island, says Juice of 1 lemon
were blocked. “This is big- The Lost Kitchen is part of 2 tablespoons chopped
ger than us,” French posted a subculture: “These din- fresh parsley
on Facebook sometime af- ner clubs and pop-up res- 2 tablespoons fresh dill
ter midnight. “Thousands of taurants and underground Give the clams a good
calls pouring in.” concepts play right into rinse under cold running
Word of mouth, a few that celebrity status that water, discarding any with
magazine mentions and chefs have. Having some- cracked shells, and put
a Tastemade video that thing private and in the them in a large pot with a
got 2 million views (and know is like going to see lid. Add 2 1/2 cups water to
won a James Beard me- a band play at an under- the pot, cover, and cook
dia award) have helped ground club where you over high heat until the
turned French into a culi- have to know the drummer clams steam open, about 5
nary star. It’s quite a triumph to get in.” minutes. Drain and let cool
for a woman who grew up French’s story is particularly to room temperature. Use
in Freedom, Maine, popu- inspiring. “She lived in an an oyster or clam knife to
lation 700, working in her Airstream, she came from shuck the clams, discard-
dad’s diner. the bottom and like a flow- ing any that didn’t open.
“The fear was no one was This undated photo provided by Clarkson Potter/Penguin Ran- er, burst back into this thing. Reserve the clam meat.
going to show up,” French dom House shows Erin French, owner of The Lost Kitchen restau- It gives people hope,” he Wipe out the pot and add
said. “Now the fear is there rant in Freedom, Maine, grilling burgers with an Airstream trailer said. the potatoes. Pour in just
are too many people.” in the background. Success has brought invita- enough cold water to cover
She’s also got a cookbook Associated Press tions to expand. “You can and season with salt. Bring
have airport kiosks! You the water to a boil, then re-
fields have to offer. A menu could be like Shake Shack duce the heat so the water
from last summer included with something on every simmers, and cook the po-
tomato soup, melon salad, corner!” French said. “I had tatoes until fork-tender, 10
cheese, sea bass, corn, ‘Top Chef’ call me and to 12 minutes.
cherry tomatoes, baby fin- say, ‘You’d be the strong Drain the potatoes and let
gerlings, arugula, polenta female in the season.’ And cool to room temperature
cake, grilled peaches and I said no. I’m being my au- before cutting into bite-
blackberries. thentic self. I literally started sized pieces.
But The Lost Kitchen isn’t with nothing. I begged and Return the pot to medium
just about food. “It’s the borrowed. It’s been a slow heat and add the olive oil
mystery, the excitement,” payback. But right now I’m and shallots.
French said. “There’s some- Cook, stirring frequently,
thing a little scary. You until deeply caramelized,
This Aug. 24, 2016 photo shows bread, olives and other pre- don’t know where you’re about 20 minutes. Add the
dinner nibbles served at The Lost Kitchen in Freedom, Maine, going. You don’t know potatoes, cream, milk, and
before the meal begins. what you’re going to have butter and bring to a gen-
Associated Press for dinner. You’re going on tle simmer.
an adventure.” Add the clams and lemon
Lisa Eberhart came from juice and season with salt
coming out May 9 from cal economy. French’s res- Virginia to eat there. and pepper to taste. Cook
Clarkson Potter called “The taurant, using ingredients “You would never find for another minute, just to
Lost Kitchen,” offering reci- grown by local farmers, this place,” Eberhart said. heat the clams through.
pes for everything from was the perfect tenant. “There’s no lights on that Remove the pot from the
mussels to moose stew — French, 36, has been fea- road in the dark. It’s in the heat, sprinkle in the parsley
as well as the story of her tured by Martha Stew- middle of nowhere. There’s and dill, drizzle with a bit of
unusual journey. art, Food & Wine and L.L. no sign. You can’t even see olive oil and serve.q
French started in 2010 with Bean, which co-produced it. ___
a $40-a-meal supper club the Tastemade video and You’re going through the Nutrition information per
in her apartment. At first, “I made her a brand ambas- woods over a footbridge. serving: 676 calories; 487
had to beg friends to come sador. Still, she wasn’t pre- I said to my husband, ‘This This undated photo provided calories from fat; 54 g fat
over,” she said. pared for the avalanche is the craziest thing.’ But it by Clarkson Potter/Penguin (31 g saturated; 1 g trans
But word spread and by of calls, from locals to folks was worth every bit of it. Random House shows the re- fats); 211 mg cholesterol;
stored 19th century mill in the
the fifth dinner, all her from Texas, Alaska and This to me was a once in a tiny town of Freedom, Maine, 835 mg sodium; 26 g car-
guests were strangers. She Ireland. The calls were re- lifetime experience. It was where The Lost Kitchen restau- bohydrate; 2 g fiber; 8 g
opened a restaurant with turned one by one until magical.” rant is located. sugar; 22 g protein.
her husband in Belfast, 1,500 reservations were Freedom does not permit Associated Press