Call me Ishmael.
A Catering Company
From Lake Living, Fall 2007
Driven by Lou Ann and Jason's desire to present unique
dining experiences to their clientele, the couple has pulled together gastronomical
offerings as distinct as the customers they serve. "We want the meaning
of the word 'cater' to shine through in everything we provide for the people
we work for. Our menus are crafted to each client's personal tastes." says
Lou Ann, who grew up in Mid Maine.
Lou Ann returns to Maine after retiring from a twenty plus year career as
a cryptologist in the U.S. Navy. "Coming home to Maine to start Call me
Ishmael is the realization of a dream for me. Maine is filled with kindred
spirits who share our 'make it on your own' attitude that compelled Jason
and I to launch our business. We want our love for life and the things we
love in life to coexist with what we do to provide for ourselves and our
family."
Jason, who spent many summers in Maine, grew up in Northern New Jersey.
A graduate of the U.S Naval Academy, Jason spent most of his career in national
sales and now delights in the lifework he and Lou Ann have chosen. "Catering
fits well into our lifestyle of entertaining and celebrating life. Family
and friends are important to us, something we keep foremost in our minds
when we cater events.
We strive to provide a carefree atmosphere in our work where our customers
can enjoy their own family and friends and truly feel 'catered to'."
The couple moved to Maine last October from Maryland. Finding a renovated
1830's schoolhouse they settled into Fryeburg and began planning their new
venture. ISHMAEL, the vessel Lou Ann and Jason have painstakingly restored,
arrived in Maine this past spring. Jason sailed ISHMAEL to Maine from Maryland's
Chesapeake Bay in May. Shortly thereafter, ISHMAEL completed its journey
to Sebago Lake by truck and now lies moored there awaiting its next sunset
cruise.
Call Me Ishmael emphasizes using locally grown and produced food as well
as finding local, or at least Maine based businesses and suppliers. Jason,
an enthusiastic oenophile, specializes in pairing wines with complementary
foods and promoting good wines to those who wish to learn about them. "Wine
should complement the food; never overpower nor under whelm it," he says
and, having sampled his offerings over the course of an evening, I can attest
to his expertise. I especially liked the rather dry, crisp Alsatian Riesling
he paired with Ducktrap River Fish Farm smoked trout fillets from Belfast,
Maine.
The immediate impression I had of Lou Ann and Jason, and one that continued
throughout the evening, was that of open welcome, enjoyable, good humored
enthusiasm, and a genuine love of what they do. They say they learned a
great deal working for The Palate Pleasers, a private catering company servicing
the Baltimore- Annapolis - Washington corridor. "Working with The Palate
Pleasers we learned the importance of providing the highest quality of service
to customers," Lou Ann says. "Catering is catering; many have forgotten
the value of service, which is the most important part of our business."
Jason and Lou Ann certainly haven't forgotten about service, and along with
their attention to it, they make excellent providers of relaxed, yet elegant
entertainment.
The best businesses usually offer something different or unusual and Call
Me Ishmael's culinary sailing cruises on Sebago Lake are genuinely unique
to the Lakes Region. They custom design a menu for a wine (or beer) tasting
with a multi-course meal complete with linens, cloth napkins, etc., then
set sail for a few hours, serving appetizers while heading out onto the
lake. They then sail towards some secluded cove in the Dingley Islands where
they drop anchor to relax and continue the rest of the meal. These cruises
are a luxurious treat and perfect for both special occasions and an unusual
night out. They offer a 4 hour sunset wine tasting cruise, an elaborate
4 hour luncheon cruise and will also take guests out for 2 hour sailing
trips on Sebago Lake.
The sailboat outings are obviously a seasonal enterprise, running from May
to October but the land based catering continues operating year round. Call
me Ishmael is available to cater all functions to include weddings, parties,
family reunions, etc., with a wide range of individualized services ranging
from passed hors d'oeuvres, to buffet, to fully plated sit-down meals.
Lou Ann and Jason feel strongly about supporting local farms and food producers
working towards a better standard of eating and it seems they will become
a vital part of that community in the years to come. With the growing awareness
of the importance of locally produced foods along with the rising demand
for gracious living and unique experiences, I feel their timing is right
and Call Me Ishmael will discover their niche here in the Lakes Region.
I look forward to sailing with them soon…