The Lost Kitchen: Recipes and a Good Life Found in Freedom, Maine by Erin French is packed with comforting seasonal recipes, stunning photographs and a feeling of home.

The self-taught cook read cookbooks to form her culinary education (I love that). French parlayed small catering jobs into a secret supper series in her apartment. The success of those suppers encouraged her to take fork-to-field dinners on the road in her souped-up trailer. Eventually, she returned to her hometown Freedom, Maine and built her dream restaurant, The Lost Kitchen, in a restored 1834 gristmill.

It is hard to put into the words the feeling these pages and recipes convey - it's a combination of warmth, home, and comfort while remaining true to fresh, seasonal ingredients and sustainability. I am seeing awards in this beautiful book's future. 

With recipes for Rhubarb Spoon Cake, Pork Burgers with Grilled Peaches, Bacon & Blue Cheese, Slow-Roasted Pork Picnic Shoulder with Cinnamon & Rosemary, and Fried Oysters with Root Cellar Slaw & Horseradish Mayonnaise, it is easy to understand how French's restaurant is such a hot spot. I did a twist on her Ramp and Fiddlehead Fried Rice a few weeks ago and it was delicious.

Really feeling the love for this book - it makes me want to move to Maine, find myself a gristmill and embrace the "good life". Special thanks to Clarkson Potter and the author for sharing the Maine Shrimp Roll recipe. Be sure to head over to our contest page to enter our giveaway.

Maine Shrimp Roll 

 A shrimp roll-or crispy, golden shrimp piled high on a buttered, griddled, and tartar sauce-slathered bun-is a classic way to enjoy some of our state's favorite seafood. Serve with lemon wedges, pickles, and chips and call it a day.

SERVES 4

3 tablespoons unsalted butter, at room temperature
4 hot dog rolls, split
4 tablespoons Tartar Sauce 
4 small handfuls of baby lettuce
Vegetable oil, for frying
1 pound shelled Maine shrimp
1 cup whole milk
¾ cup all-purpose flour
¾ cup semolina flour

Butter the cut sides of the rolls and grill, toast, or griddle buttered-side down until golden brown. Slather the inside of each roll with a tablespoon of tartar sauce and line with baby lettuces. Heat oil in a deep fryer to 375°F or, alternatively, heat 2 inches of oil in a heavy-bottomed pan to the same temperature.

Combine the shrimp and the milk in large bowl. Whisk together the all-purpose and semolina flours in a separate bowl. Working in batches, drain the shrimp, dredge in the flour mixture until well coated, and then fry until golden brown, about 20 seconds.

Fill the prepared rolls with the hot shrimp and serve immediately.

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