A chilled puddle of cocoa and sugar rests on a tray in the Bixby & Co. candy kitchen. Kate McAleer developed this newest, single origin batch, utilizing cacoa beans from Guatemala. She breaks off a piece, handing it to me.

The chunk is velvety, dark, and rich as it melts in my mouth. Tastebuds awaken, aflame with pleasure. Hints of fruit linger. The dark chocolate is not too sweet, not too bitter, perfect. Like a fine wine, McAleer’s bean-to-bar chocolate has depth, and its taste is sumptuous.

Bixby & Co is an artisanal craft confectionary based in the old ice factory in Rockland, Maine. McAleer is the owner and mastermind, with a fervent ardor for her craft. Sold nationwide, Bixby Bars can be found in over 3000 stores, including Whole Foods, TJ Maxx, Amazon, and Hannaford, to name a few. Many of her products are non GMO-verified, organic, vegan verified, Earth kosher, and gluten free. The company is woman owned.

Kate McAleer and her Bixby & Co. chocolates

The chocolate, an extension of McAleer, represents an investment of time and focus, as well as fundamental principles of food. With a bachelor’s degree in East Asian Studies, and minors in French and art history, Kate pursued a graduate degree studying history of decorative arts and design. A year later she switched schools, attending the Institute of Culinary Education in New York City. It was during this time her passion for chocolate came into focus.

Bean to bar is the newest venture for Bixby & Co. A two-ounce bar of dark chocolate rests inside a red envelope. Contrasted in black ink is the image of an octopus, its tentacles writhing in all directions. This is the bookplate of her great, great, grandparents, Lillian and William K. Bixby, for whom the company is named. Altered in the slightest way, this heirloom is the mold that shapes these single origin chocolate bars, only available at their Rockland location. “We are the first in Maine to make craft chocolate,” McAleer notes, with little under 90 small scale artisanal craft makers in the United States.

The bean-to-bar chocolate has two ingredients — cacoa beans and cane sugar. Sourcing direct trade beans from Haiti, Guatemala, and the Dominican Republic, McAleer traveled to Haiti to meet and learn about the people growing the cacoa. “Different origins end up with different flavor profiles. Much like wine or different grapes,” she says. “You can have cocoa beans from Haiti and Dominican Republic, which is the same geographic island, but different flavor profile entirely.”

McAleer wants to enhance Americans’ chocolate experience. “There is this mystique around chocolate. People don’t know where it comes from, or where it’s grown.“ She seeks to demystify chocolate, one bar at a time.

Kate McAleer–owner, Bixby & Co.
Rockland, Maine
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Top image: Bixby Bites from Bixby & Co. All photos by David Jester.

The post Raising the (Chocolate) Bar appeared first on Take Magazine.

When the 21st Amendment was ratified, repealing prohibition, the speakeasy became obsolete. A resurgence of this phenomenon is occurring, and with it, reviving craft cocktails in ways unimagined. To be considered a modern speakeasy, an establishment must retain many of its predecessors’ qualities. The entrance must be hidden, nondescript, or plain enough that only the intrepid and curious would venture through. Cocktails must be served, with a knowledge of the traditional, classic recipes.

New England is home to many speakeasies. The following is a sampling that meets the above criteria for the modern-day speakeasy. Venture out, find others in your community. Don’t forget the password.

Rhode Island Speakeasies

Magdalenae Room
The Dean Hotel
122 Fountain Street
Providence

Walk past the bright neon pink “FINE” sign, casting a glow like an electrified Pink Panther, inside the Dean Hotel. Continue into a hallway. Now, stop.

The door is nondescript. White. Simple black letters adorn its surface: “Magdalanae Room.” Nothing indicates bar. Open the door. Push through the velvet curtains. Be intrepid. See what’s inside.

Step back into 1920. The low lit room is artfully decorated with Kyla Coburn murals. A horseshoe bar is the focus of the room. The space, intimate. Votive candles illuminate a glow of hushed secrets. The drinks, crafted only the way a skilled hand of a professional bartender can. Every cocktail is a sensuous experience. My favorite of the night, A Final Ward.

A Final Ward at the Dean Hotel, Magdalenae Room.

Connecticut Speakeasies

Noble & Co.
43 LaSalle Road
West Hartford

West Hartford, Connecticut has a reputation as being trendy, hip, cool.  Noble & Co. can be found here, hidden in plain sight.

The entrance is made to confuse. A subway access. HVAC mechanical room. Fallout shelter. Graffiti scrawls across white tiled walls. A steel door, dinged and dented. All create deception.

Inside, an open elegant space. Chandeliers hang from the ceiling. The long  bar is topped with black marble, swirling smoke set against smooth squid ink stone. A cornucopia of liquors stretch to the ceiling at the back of the bar. Their specialty, whisky. A list of classic cocktails makes for a difficult decision. The Aviation is a delight; a refreshing combination of gin, creme de violette, Maraschino Liqueur, and lime juice. It’s the soft color of violet, the last lingering notes of twilight on a warm summer night.

The Aviation at Noble & Co.

Maine Speakeasies

Blyth and Burrows
26 Exchange Street
Portland

Blyth and Burrows’ windows open onto the trendy Exchange Street of Portland. The restaurant pays homage to captains Samuel Blyth and William Burrows, casualties of the War of 1812, interred in the Portland’s famous Eastern Cemetery. This restaurant has a secret though, hidden from prying eyes.

Behind a false wall inside the restaurant, is a speakeasy in the lower levels, offering a list of cocktails named for tragic lovers—order both halves of the couple and the drinks are discounted. Kurt and Courtney. Henry and Anais. Elvis and Priscilla. The list rotates and changes. Nautical themed, nets hang from the ceiling, the brick walls white washed. Another level, behind an “employees only” door, hides a parlor in the sub-level of the restaurant. Consensus of the night, the Whitney and Bobby win our palates over.

Massachusetts Speakeasies

Saloon
255 Elm Street
Somerville

Scrolling cursive on a lit glass globe marks the spot. Find this lamp on Elm Street and you’ve discovered Saloon. The stairway down feels unending. Dark wood encases the establishment in a warmth of comfort the way low lighting can when imbibing. There is a beauty to this establishment. The bar, gorgeous in its intricate carved surface. A room off the side feels like a spot where lovers drink and softly speak poetry in the subdued light. This is where I want to live.

With an impressive menu of whisky, craft cocktails, and craft beers, Saloon is sure to please anyone with an appreciation of spirits. The Sailor’s Sidecar is delightful. Vanilla cognac, Montenegro, Apricot Brandy, and lemon mix together to create an almost religious experience.

The Sailor’s Sidecar at Saloon

New Hampshire Speakeasies

815
815 Elm Street
Manchester

The secret is hidden behind a wall, and you must speak the words to enter. At street level, there is a standard utilitarian glass door, with the street address painted on—815. Go up the stairs. Find the entrance. Speak the words, and you shall enter. Just be sure to check their Facebook page first so you know the password of the week.

Old Ironside at 815

There are craft cocktails. A hip vibe. Paintings and murals. Low lighting. Eclectic seating and tables. This speakeasy does it right. Sink into a comfortable chair with a cocktail and an order of their artisanal pickles. Old Ironside comes in a coupe. Mount Gay Black Barrel Rum, rye, cardamaro, nocino, angostura, and Aztec chocolate bitters leaves a bit of spice and bite lingering on the tongue.

The post Speak Easy and Carry a Classic Cocktail appeared first on Take Magazine.

A revolution has been brewing for a decade in Portland, Maine. This movement isn’t political or social, though: It’s all about beer, and it began in 2008 at Novare Res Bier Cafe.

Eric Michaud opened Novare Res—whose name literally means “to start a revolution”—after seeing a dearth in global representation in Portland as the craft beer scene grew. He partnered with Shahin Khojastehzad, who has been with the bar for over nine years. “Eric saw there wasn’t a big representation of Belgian, German, and import beers in Portland,” Khojastehzad says. “He wanted to do something different and start a beer drinking revolution.” This idea sprung into Novare Res with its Chalice club, which is aptly named “the uprising.”

Known for its selection of beer, Novare Res has 33 taps and 500 beers in bottle. It also has a wide selection of whisky, wine, and other liquors behind the bar. Don’t ask for ice, though; pours comes one way—neat.

Tucked away down an alley and beneath a building, Novare Res is an amalgamation of beer bars from around the world. Its interior is brick with dim lighting, much like a European bier cafe. Tables are fashioned from the same German beech wood used to make Rauchbiers from Bamburg. There’s an outdoor patio. Patrons often assume the bar is of British influence. The sign is fashioned after a bar in Bruges, Staminee de Garre. Novare Res pays homage to beer bars, but is its own beast.

You can’t have a revolution without educating the masses, so Michaud devised the Chalice list to help expose drinkers’ palates to a global selection. Affectionately named “Chalice Babies,” participating drinkers receive a chalice card and embark on a journey of eventually tasting 242 beers. Upon completion, the “graduate” receives a glass chalice in ceremonious fashion. Each chalice is etched with its own number and a quote of the drinker’s choosing. “Once you finish your list, you essentially got a degree in beer,” says Khojastehzad. “If you go anywhere in the world, now you’ll be able to hold your own and know what those styles are.”

The current Chalice Room is the second iteration, the uprising having grown faster than expected. Over 190 chalices rest within an 1870 operational bank vault, original to the building. The Chalice list is currently on hold until current babies can complete. The future is bright though; a new card will be available soon for those willing to join the uprising.

Shahin sums up Novare’s essence. It is simple, yet elegant: “Bringing great beer and good people together.” Not a bad goal for a revolution.

Shahin Khojastehzad, co-owner of Novare Res
Portland, Maine
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Top image: One of the chalices. All photos by David Jester.

The post Vive La (Beer) Revolution! appeared first on Take Magazine.

Matt Barter may not identify with the term outsider artist, but with no formal artistic training, he certainly fits some of the definitions. Whatever. Barter prefers to simply focus on his work.

Paintings hang on the whitewashed walls of his gallery, the Barter Arthouse, depicting the stark wintry beauty of Downeast Maine. Preferring winter landscapes, he finds the contrasts more appealing than the myriad green tones in summer. “Before the snow comes, there is a beauty to the ground,” he says. “There are shades of ochres and reds in the grass, bushes, and trees, after the autumn colors burst.” The unpredictable weather of November and March in Maine inspire these scenes.

Having worked as a sternman, Barter’s paintings are influenced by lobstering as well. Taking an unusual approach to a profession long romanticized in Maine art, he focuses on the tasks of preparation. “Most of the work for lobster fishing is on shore, tending and prepping equipment, not landing the lobster,” he says. “That hard work gets overlooked. I want to show the lobster industry from start to finish.” Recently, an art show held at Senator Angus King’s office in Washington, D.C., featured Barter’s work amongst other Maine artists. One of his pieces, depicting two lobstermen repairing a boat, adorns the walls of the senator’s office.

While Barter’s paintings are tied to the Maine coast, some of his sculptures are inspired by gazing toward the sky. Barter is a “big space nerd.” Couple that love with his fanaticism for David Bowie, and the artist’s muse is unlimited. Sculptures depicting the lunar landing, astronaut helmet built from found parts, Barter envisions outer space through his work. “I geek out over the early NASA stuff. Looking back, a lot of it looked so sketchy,” he says. “The lunar lander, it looked like a tin can with satellite disks, a couple of weird looking feet, and gold foil.”

Ground Control Chair is a piece inspired by Bowie’s “Space Oddity.” A 1980s desk chair, it’s a mix between steampunk and modernism, a possible future Ray Bradbury might have predicted in 1950. “Ziggy Stardust, he brought you along for the ride,” he says, “and that’s what the artist does with their work.” In Barter’s imagination, this is the chair ground control sits in; can you hear me, Major Tom?

Bricolage sculptures are among Barter’s signature pieces. Larger-than-life heads, and arms sculpted from elbow to hand, are constructed from a myriad of materials. “What makes us human is what we are thinking,” Barter says, “what we are doing with our hands. Creating.” These dismembered sculptures embody his vision of humanity.

Slipping his hand inside one of the oversized arms, Matt pulls internal hidden cables. The fingers clench into a fist. Later, he puts on a mask, a mock Mickey Mouse. It’s gargantuan and looks as if Tim Burton resurrected Steamboat Willy, sewing him together like Jack Skellington. This is Matt Barter. An artist who takes the moment to ponder what makes us human, and then gives those thoughts in caricature proportions.

Matthew Barter–artist
Brunswick, Maine
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Top image, The Barter Arthouse, all images by David Jester

The post Ground Control to Major Matt appeared first on Take Magazine.