It was by happenstance, really. We were at a holiday dinner and I was introduced to another guest. She was seated at my table and we proceeded to have a lovely conversation. We ended up having some serious laughs, along with some wonderful food. It was during that evening she told me about a good friend of hers who was a fabulous cook. That cook she was talking about happened to be my neighbor.
Angelina Simmons has lived in Harpswell for 27 years, having grown up in rural Boothbay Harbor with her mother and grandmother. She recalls her earliest memories of that time: “These two women used what little they had to care for and feed those around them. My mom was the youngest of 12 children, so I was raised on meals of seasonally available foods designed to feed an army. The kitchen is where I learned to read, to listen, to work hard and enjoy the fruits of my labor. In short, cooking is not just in my roots but in my heart. Though I love to experiment with flavors from many cultures, I find comfort in simple, seasonal dishes like this one from my childhood: bubble and squeak.”