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  • Nov. 25: Black Friday
  • Nov. 25: Woodlawn: Turkey Trot 9 a.m. trotters, 9:15 walkers
  • Nov. 25–Dec. 31: Woodlawn’s Drive-thru Holiday Lights Display 
  • Nov. 25-Dec. 31: Acadia Light Show – Drive thru at Timberland Acres Campground. Show with Music 5 – 10 p.m. 
  • Nov. 26: Robinson Ballet Presents: The Nutcracker at The Grand, 6:30 pm
  • Nov. 26: Small Business Saturday – Nationwide day set aside for local shopping.
  • Nov. 26: City Tree Lighting & activities – Ellsworth City Hall – 3 – 5 p.m.
  • Nov. 27: Robinson Ballet Presents: The Nutcracker at The Grand, 2 pm

  • Dec. 2-3: Island Arts Association Holiday Craft Fair – Atlantic Oceanside Event Center – 10-6 p.m. Friday, 10-4 p.m. Saturday

  • Dec. 2: Village Holidays, brought to you by Bar Harbor Chamber of Commerce – 4:30-10 p.m. For more information, click here.

  • Dec. 2: Frogtown Puppeteers “The Grinch” – The Grand – 6-7 p.m.
  • Dec. 3: Frogtown Puppeteers “The Grinch” – The Grand – 1-2 p.m.
  • Dec. 3: Ellsworth’s 42 annual Christmas Parade! Line up 3 p.m. Knowlton Park- Parade begins at 4 p.m. (New Route) Sponsored by the City of Ellsworth Rec Committee
  • Dec. 3: Winter Market – Artsworth 10 a.m. – 4 p.m.
  • Dec. 3: Film – The Polar Express – The Grand – 6:30 p.m.
  • Dec. 9, 10, 16, 17: Live Theater – A Musical Christmas Carol -The Grand, 7 p.m.
  • Dec. 11, 18: Live Theater – A Musical Christmas Carol -The Grand, 2 p.m.
  • Dec. 10: Breakfast with Santa at the Moore Center, Sponsored by the Downeast Family YMCA – 8 – 10:30 am
  •  Dec. 11: Woodlawn – Visit with Santa and his (live) reindeer! 10 a.m. – 12 p.m.
  • Dec. 11: Wreaths Across America – Maine Coast Mall
  • Dec. 17: Wreaths Across America- Wreath Laying Day at Woodbine Cemetery – 12 p.m. 
Making Spirits Bright

Over the years, Hancock County’s bartenders have shared recipes for some of their favorite popular cocktails and non-alcoholic beverages to make merry and enliven the Holidays.

Mount Desert Islander Managing Editor Faith DeAmbrose heads the Maine Press Association. Also a gifted bartender, Faith cleverly concocted The Masthead – a newspaper’s box where its publisher and other top brass are listed – for the association’s virtual 2020 conference.

In days of old, Faith writes, the martini served as a journalist’s best friend. Whether to relax at the end of a long day or to get a source to speak more freely, a dash or two of gin or vodka went a long way in the early days of newsgathering. But fast forward to 2020 where a pandemic has turned everything on its head. So, let’s take a minute to step away from vodka or gin – and turn instead to tequila.

The Masthead contains a mixture of tequila, triple sec (or Cointreau), fresh lime and pomegranate juice and is served ina  glass that has been rimmed with sugar and lime zest. It can be served on the rocks or shaken and straight up. It is boozy, slightly bitter, and is finished with an excessive garnish that offers a hint of sweetness with each sip. It sure was the right drink for 2020.

a rocks glass, filled with ice and a maroon liquid, rimmed with salt and zest and garnished with a lime

The Masthead

 

The Ingredients

1 1/2 oz. tequila

1/2 oz. triple sec (or Cointreau)

1/2 oz. fresh lime juice

2 oz. pomegranate juice

Lime wedge for garnish

Sugar rim:

turbinado sugar

lime zest

Preparation:

Place tequila, triple sec, pomegranate and lime juice into a shaker. Moisten the rim of a glass with lime juice and dip onto a plate of sugar and lime zest. Shake well and either pour into a martini glass or into a glass over fresh ice. Garnish with a lime wedge. Enjoy!

Brooklin chef, caterer and author Diane Bianco’s culinary career, divided between Brooklin and Chelmsford, Mass., spans four decades and she is still at it. In 2011, she shared this recipe for Tomato Basil Onion Tartlets with us, and it continues to wow.

Try this festive and fresh recipe as part of your holiday table. It serves 25 guests and yields 50 delicious tartlets.

Check out more mouth-watering recipes in our handy digital Out & About, or pick up a copy at select local retailers!

2 packages refrigerated pie crust

Filling
3 large tomatoes, seeded and chopped
1/3 red onion finely chopped
1 clove garlic finely chopped
1 tsp. fresh chives or ½ tsp. dried chives
1 Tbsp. fresh basil chopped
Topping
½ cup mayonnaise
2/3 cup grated Parmesan cheese
¾ tsp. dried basil
¾ tsp. dried oregano
2 Tbsp. onion, finely chopped
1/8 tsp. garlic powder

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Bring pie dough to room temperature
for about 20 minutes. Unroll pie dough and lay out on a
flat surface. Using a two-and-a-quarter-inch fluted cookie cutter,
start from outside the circle, cutting out 18 rounds. Fit the rounds
into an ungreased mini quiche pan and pierce with a fork in the
center of a tart. Bake at 350 degrees F for 10 to 12 minutes until
light brown. Cool. Can be frozen in gallon-size freezer bags for
one month until ready to serve. Defrost before serving.

When ready to serve, place level tsp. of filling into baked shells.
Place ½ tsp. of topping on top of filling. Bake five to seven minutes
until cheese topping is light brown.
Serve warm. As a garnish, Bianco likes to place fresh basil and
fresh chives on a serving tray with a tomato rose in the center.