Pines, pancakes, and musical theater productions await at Quisisana Resort.
A long winding route weaves its way into the pine tree . It ’s a Saturday in July and for two hour my kids have been inquire about urine skiing , about last year ’s performance of Shrek , and about giant pancakes and crisp morning waffles to come . We ’re en route toQuisisana Resortin Central Lovell , Maine for the 2nd year in a course , one blissful week in a Wi - Fi - liberal cabin in the Wood .
capable since 1947 , Quisisana is anall - inclusive , seven - day retreat inMaine ’s Lakes Region . Owned by Sam and Nathalie Orans , the 40 - bungalow property sit down on bright blue Lake Kezar , from which you may see the outline ofNew Hampshire ’s White Mountains . A week here is imply to be reviving . Guests stay in tidy , one - to - three - sleeping room pine - habilitate cabins outfitted with air conditioning , front porches , and ( in some case ) hearth , but barren of televisions or unnecessary digital misdirection . Our own cottage , Fantasia , boast two bedrooms , a tidy living room , and a view of the lake in all its transposition : morning fog , midday cerulean bluing , and evening sundown in hazy oranges and pinks , which we watch from rock chairs on the porch .
Each solar day at Quisisana — Quisi , among friend — is slow , but dull can be rapturous when you’resummering in Maine . My youngster wish to play a round or two of Skee - Ball ( no wanton change required ) in the biz room after breakfast before heading down to the waterfront . The weather is showery this week , but the water is glassy , too , and we drop mid - mornings coaxing both of my boys onto tiny fiberglass water skis . Up at the lodge , anyone is free to seize a board game , a copy of theNew York Timescrossword , or a softback on loanword , in typesetter’s case clip feels endless . But for us , it always feels too little here .
Quisisana Resort
At Quisi , it ’s not strange to encounter guest who have amount back year after year . In our second summer , we begin to recognize faces , places , history . A twain from outside of Philadelphia . An devouring pee - skier from New Jersey . We run into one another throughout the day as we float to the mess , walk through the attribute ’s wooded trails in search of blueberry , or saunter through the manicured perennial garden near the lawn tennis courts .
guest are assigned the same table in the large dining elbow room for each meal of their hitch , staff by the same team of servers , who are almost certain to be performers in the evening ’s de rigueur performance . Quisisana ’s classically trained stave execute musicals , opera , instrumental concert , and musical revues , with performance each slated to a specific night or matinee of the week ; this year , one highlight include an epic misstep to England , via Harvey Fierstein ’s clever , rollickingKinky Boots .
Breakfast is service in the dining way between 8 and 9:15 , and it ’s an a la carte affair . Executive Chef Andrew Vogel is now spending his 2d summer in this position , but has process at Quisisana for six entire summers , and even get together his wife here in 2013 , when she worked the garde manger post in the kitchen and tattle musical theater at night . He serve up enceinte - as - a - plate pancakes , a formula that date back to the eighties , which one of my children prefers to order with chocolate chips .
“ I can give you the Quisisana pancake formula off the back of my hand flop now , ” quips Vogel . Keeping some culinary tradition of this classic resort intact , he excuse , is essential to its DNA , but he also likes to commingle thing up . “ We ’re not losing the identity element , ” Vogel says . “ But you’re able to also accidentally get a plate of bone marrow on Friday Nox . ” Last year , in fact , I did get one of those memorable plates , do with a crazy Maine blueberry and bacon jam .
To announce tiffin and dinner , splay members of the dining room staff ring a bell , and guests collect themselves from beach chair down at the lake , or from their front porch . meal make with a quiet intensity as the workweek work up . Each break of day , guests take from a set menu of starter , entrees , and desserts to savor later in the twenty-four hours : lobster Italian rice on Saturday dark , seared duck’s egg breast and duck leg confit on Wednesday , pistachio - crusted lamb bicycle seat on Friday .
“ The menu itself is intentionally plan , ” Vogel says . “ It kind of starts and slowly keeps build — the wow factor , the introduction , the technique and preparation — so that by the prison term you make it to Friday Nox , that menu is intentional . ”
Quisisana Resort
An evening cocktail hour on the porch — an open - tune space that seems to be adrift among the tower pines — allows for everyday mingling . Tuesday night is an intimate party , with appetizers . On Wednesday , guest bask cheese and charcuterie . But for me , the highlight is Thursday , when Vogel assemble a pre - dinner stark naked taproom have Mere Point , Johns River , Waverider , Flying Point , and Norumbega oyster , all local to Maine .
On our last evening , an amuse bouche ( chicken liver mousse beneath a level of burnt honey gelée and pickle Maine blueberries ) get with a crisp baguette crostini . The last afters , a chocolate hazelnut dacquoise , layered with coffee crémeux and served with a chocolate true pine cone filled with dark coffee mousse , is a voluptuous parting gift from pastry chef Shannon Mahoney , a bittersweet adieu from this perfectly relaxing place .
Have we taken any exposure of the food during our arrest at Quisisana ? Of the lake ? Of the setting sunshine ? Not really . Or , at least , not many . After a week without cadre service , we ’ve long forgotten about likes and posts and re - posts . There will be time for that shortly enough , when we ’re back in the tangible world . But for now , with our week in Maine coming to a close , it ’s enough just to sit back and ponder on another experience among the Quisisana pines .
Quisisana Resort
Quisisana Resort
Photo courtesy of Quisisana Resort
