A Little Taste of Maine

The Well-Read Kitchen

We have a particular affection for Maine here at Clever Girl, and few people capture its beauty, simplicity, and extraordinary food quite like Erin French.

For years, we’ve faithfully mailed our postcard in hopes of securing one of the famously elusive reservations at her restaurant, The Lost Kitchen, in the tiny village of Freedom, Maine. So far, no luck! But hope springs eternal, and we’d happily make the journey from our little Maine cottage if that long-awaited invitation ever arrived.

In the meantime, we can enjoy a little of Erin’s magic through this beautiful cookbook, The Lost Kitchen, Volume 3: Seize the Supper. Her approach to food is wonderfully unpretentious, celebrating fresh ingredients, thoughtful preparation, and the pleasure of gathering people around a table. She has that rare gift of making simple things feel extraordinary.

And the photographs! They make you want to find a quiet spot beneath an apple tree, spread a linen cloth, and savor everything a Maine afternoon has to offer.

This is a book to cook from, certainly, but also one to linger over. For anyone who loves beautiful food, the changing seasons, or the particular enchantment of Maine, it’s an absolute treasure.

Shop The Lost Kitchen, Volume 3: Seize the Supper →