Enjoy Unique Foods From Home

While the best way to enjoy Maine’s food culture is to travel around the state and stop at all the local spots, we understand that that isn’t always feasible. This itinerary is for those who either can’t make it to Maine and explore, or for those who simply want to enjoy some food from the comfort of their own homes. Keep in mind that nothing can truly substitute a trip to Maine, but this itinerary will help you get a small taste of the state’s food. This itinerary also has a pretty wide variety of foods, so you may find yourself wanting to try something you’ve never had before!

One of our unique Maine-based producers is Entosense, based in Lewiston. Their goal is to provide a sustainable food source for the future, and their way of doing that is by producing and selling edible bugs. They offer an extremely wide variety of bugs prepared in a bunch of different ways, from roasted grasshoppers with cotton candy flavors to appeal to kids, all the way to more adult snacks like roasted scorpions and worms. The company compares the stigma around bugs to how prisoners used to revolt when they were forced to eat lobster, giving a unique perspective of the possible cultural shift around eating them. These bugs, such as crickets, are sourced from the entire world, but Entosense also aims to harvest their own in the future.

Another great, Maine-based producer is Go-en Fermented Foods, specializing in traditional Japanese seasonings and koji based ferments. They focus on keeping the fermentation process natural, and keeping out any invasive GMOs. One of the ways they achieve this is by choosing healthy, locally sourced ingredients whenever possible. Go-en believes in honoring and being attentive towards the ingredients during the entire process, as they’re fresh and full of energy. If you want some delicious fermented Japanese seasonings with a world of care put into them, Go-en Fermented Foods is the perfect choice.

Have a sweet tooth? Bixby Chocolate will be right down your alley! Bixby Chocolate sells a variety of chocolates, including items like bonbons, toffee, and even vegan options. They have a cafe in Rockland, and they hold tasting experiences so you can sample their products, helping you figure out which chocolates you might want to buy. They also sell all of their products online, so you can get an assortment of delicious confections without having to even leave your home. It’s also worth noting that Bixby Chocolate’s beans are harvested ethically, ensuring that every worker involved throughout the production process is treated well and with respect. They even travelled to numerous countries to confirm that their beans were produced with ethics in mind.

Looking for some delicious, artisan cheese directly from Maine? Local Goods Gathered has quite the selection, offering a monthly subscription to their artisan cheese box. Each box contains three different cheeses from three different companies, as well as accompaniments to perfectly go along with them. The box also contains information on the three sourced creameries, letting you learn about where you’re getting the cheese from. Local Goods also has great gifts for friends and family, such as the Gather-Round Gift Box, which comes with cheese, honey, and crackers all sourced from Maine! It’s important to note that Local Goods Gathered currently only ships inside of the United States.

Maine is known for its blueberries, and don’t worry, you can get a taste of that from your home! Worcester’s Wild Blueberries is a 147 acre farm dedicated to providing the community with high quality, fresh blueberries. All harvesting and production takes place at the farm, and they even have a self-service station so anyone can come over and buy whatever they may need. They sell a variety of items on their online store, specializing in jams and jellies. However, there’s other options too, such as their Blueberry Blossom Honey, or their vinaigrettes and syrups. They even offer sugar free versions of these options, as well as gift boxes that make an excellent present for friends and family! It’s important to note that if you want to buy in bulk for an event, it’s recommended that you do so 30 days in advance as it may take a while to get your order ready.