Outside Magazine | How This Chef Continues Cooking Large in Tight Quarters
Anna Miller’s meals at sea include fresh crudités, duck pastrami, homemade Reubens—and a turducken
Anna Miller’s meals at sea include fresh crudités, duck pastrami, homemade Reubens—and a turducken
Travel + Leisure | The Best Way to Enjoy Coastal Maine Is Aboard This Luxury Schooner
Schooners have been the lifeblood of coastal Maine for more than a century — and sailing aboard one of these wooden boats is the best way to experience the beauty of these seaside communities.
Featured in Real Maine Weddings
"We stumbled upon the Schooner Ladona and fell in love with the ship, the history of the boat (it served as a submarine patrol in WWII), its aesthetic with natural wood and all white accents, and the layout with ample seating and standing for 45 people. We actually booked the wedding sight-unseen—we had never been to Rockland or seen the boat. We later made visits to check out the town and the boat and coordinate arrangements and realized just how awesome a 'venue' and area we had chosen."
AAA | It's a Breeze
“There’s little to do and a lot to enjoy on this three-night excursion. Lobstermen hauling traps, seabirds winging, by, seals basking on ledges, lighthouses winking, and ferries to-ing and fro-ing vie for attention along with inviting islands and remote fishing villages.”
“There’s little to do and a lot to enjoy on this three-night excursion. Lobstermen hauling traps, seabirds winging, by, seals basking on ledges, lighthouses winking, and ferries to-ing and fro-ing vie for attention along with inviting islands and remote fishing villages.”
—by Hilary Nangle for AAA publication Northern New England Journey
Read the entire article (PDF)
Sail to the Sound of Guitar
Imagine for a minute that you’re aboard a 1922 racing schooner, anchored off the coast of Maine for the night, wine glass in hand as you soak up a magical sunset. Above it all rise the quiet notes of live acoustic guitar.
Sound Appealing?
Experience it yourself on our upcoming Acoustic Music Cruise, July 6–10.
We’ve invited accomplished jazz guitarist Bill Barnes to join us for the duration. By day, he’ll noodle away as we explore the magnificent coast of Maine. Each evening, Bill’s musicianship will lend a pleasant, musical backdrop as the conversation and camaraderie ebb and flow.
With a diverse career as a professional studio musician in the NYC scene, back-up guitarist, and music journalist, Bill is an approachable, jovial guy with plenty of stories to share.
Final Cabin Availability
We have a few spots remaining on this specialty cruise.
Acoustic Music Cruise
July 6–10, 2019 (4 nights, Sat–Wed)
Departing out of Rockland, Maine
$1,738 per person includes everything
Alternatively, call 1-800-999-7352 or email info@schoonerladona.com.
About Guitarist Bill Barnes
Although jazz has always been his passion, Bill actually began his professional career in the late sixties as a backup musician for touring R&B recording acts. His first national tour was with Atco Records star Arthur Conley (“Sweet Soul Music”) on a series of concert dates to promote the release of Conley’s second hit single, “Funky Street.”
Since then he has played with recording artists such as Eddy Floyd, Spider Turner, Sam the Sham, Rufus Thomas, The Drifters, The Coasters, Tommy Roe, The Marvelettes, Len Barry, Gary US Bonds, Dion, Little Eva, Gabrielle Goodman, and many others.
On the concert stage he has opened for a diverse lineup of top acts including Dr. Hook & the Medicine Show, Dobie Gray, Tommy James and the Shondells, Blue Oyster Cult, Michael Henderson, Betty Wright, Peaches & Herb, The Turtles, KC and the Sunshine Band and Curtis Mayfield.
In New York he worked as a studio musician for over 13 years, doing sessions for Don Casale’s Easy Street and Malaco Records as well as various projects for Columbia Records.
With three CD’s to his credit, Bill is also an accomplished music journalist and essayist. His music reviews and feature articles have appeared in publications such as New York Nitelife and the popular jazz website, Jazz.com. Editor-in-Chief Ted Gioia (History of Jazz, Delta Blues, Healing Songs) called him “Jazz.com’s resident expert on Gypsy Jazz.”
Make Our Signature Cocktail Right at Home
No vintage sail racing vessel would be complete without her own signature cocktail, right? Introducing The Blue 22, crafted exclusively for Schooner Ladona, christened in 1922, and inspired by a well-known ingredient in our very own state of Maine, the blueberry.
Here’s the recipe, just in time for a bit of summer imbibing. Can’t be bothered? Join us for one of our specialty Bar Craft sailing trips and we’ll mix one up for you as we sail the coast of Maine!
Cocktail Recipe for The Blue 22
By Lara Nixon of Bad Dog Bar Craft
Ingredients
5–7 fresh Maine blueberries
1 oz London dry style gin
½ oz dry orange Curaçao
½ oz Maine blueberry shrub
½ oz freshly squeezed orange juice
1 orange
a pinch of ground cinnamon
Method
Put the fresh blueberries in your glass of choice and muddle them a bit.
Add the remaining ingredients. Give everything a quick stir and then top with fresh ice.
Take the orange and slice off a nice piece of the peel.
Twist it over the glass to express the oils into the cocktail before placing it on top.
Finish off with a slight dusting of cinnamon.
Enjoy!
Craft the Perfect Cocktail While Under Sail
In our newest themed trip, explore the art of bar craft, taking fresh, handmade ingredients and creating an experience worth imbibing.
For us, stepping aboard Ladona is about an experience: sailing, camaraderie, the beautiful Maine coastline, food, wine, music—all in an authentic and unscripted way. In our newest specialty cruise, explore the art of bar craft, taking fresh, handmade ingredients and creating an experience worth imbibing.
Anchor dropped and cocktail class underway. Teetotalers welcome!
What can I expect on this cruise?
We're teaming up with Lara Nixon of Bad Dog Bar Craft to share her knowledge and expertise. Throughout the cruise, you’ll learn the art of cocktail making using fresh and unique ingredients. Lara will create several beverages throughout each day, both alcoholic and non-alcoholic.
Once we’ve anchored for the evening, we might gather for a demonstration, chat about the history of specific drinks, or demystify terms like negroni, shrubs, and bitters. With summer weather, you’ll likely be sipping away at a refreshing cocktail, while cooler fall evenings may call for a hot toddy bar.
What are the Bar Craft sailing dates?
We’re offering multiple opportunities on our two schooners in 2019 and 2020:
Jun 23–27, 2019 (during Negroni Week; read below!)
Sep 27–Oct 1, 2019
Oct 3–7, 2019, on our sister ship the Stephen Taber
Jun 24–28, 2020
Oct 2–6, 2020
Oct 8–12, 2020, on our sister ship the Stephen Taber.
Join us for Negroni Week
If you’re looking for that extra special twist, join us on our cruise June 23–27 for Negroni Week. Ladona is a participating venue in this nationwide charity fundraiser and supporter of the Surfrider Foundation. We’ll be dedicating one evening to the negroni cocktail itself.
Blueberry Buckle Recipe from Our New Cookbook
In anticipation of our upcoming, new cookbook, give one of the recipes by our galley chef Anna Miller a try in your own kitchen — blueberry buckle.
That’s right, we’re coming out with a cookbook — our third in fact!
The first edition was written by Captain Noah’s mom, Ellen Barnes, in the era when she and husband Ken captained the Taber.
As a woman of many talents, she also worked edible wonders down in the ship’s galley, bringing up stews, chowders, appetizers, quiches, pies, and cakes. Sailing guests came back just for her dishes, so a book of recipes was inevitable. Thus was born “A Taste of the Taber: Classical Maine Coastal Cooking.” (Let’s not leave Ken out; he illustrated the book!)
The cookbook that started it all, “A Taste of the Taber”. Photo: Laura Narhi
The second collection of recipes came with wine pairings and a cheese guide. Photo: Laura Narhi
Later came “Taste of the Taber, Wine Trip Edition,” written by our dear galley chef at the time Aimee LePage. By now, Captains Ken and Ellen had retired and son Noah had taken over the helm.
Luckily for our guests, his wife Jane had brought to the table an extensive career in hospitality and fine wines, hence our specialty wine trips and, to the cookbook, the addition of wine pairings. The cheese guide we can thank Captain Noah for.
The Anna Edition
Our newest collection of recipes will feature our much-loved chef Anna Miller. We first lured her onto the Taber, and during her four years as galley chef, her efforts helped to develop the Taber into the well-known culinary travel destination that it is today.
This woman can do it all. Photo: Nadra Edgerley.
Anna making fresh pasta. On a sailboat!
By the time we decided to increase our schooner ownership by 100%, with the purchase of Ladona, we knew we wanted Chef Anna to take the culinary reigns. A reprint of the wine trip edition, this time featuring Anna’s recipe’s, is a moment that we know many of our guests have been waiting for!
While we wait for the pages to go to press, here’s a recipe for you to try out in your own kitchen.
This blueberry buckle will easily earn you a Neighbor of the Year award.
Recipe for Blueberry Buckle
by Anna Miller
Serves 12
This is a bit time consuming but well worth it! The textures are great- pie crust on bottom, cake in middle and blueberry crumble on top. It’s a great breakfast treat when I am able to use the delightfully tart Maine Wild Blueberries that are in season in July.
A glass baking dish will take 15 minutes less to bake than metal.
Ingredients
For crust
1 ½ cups all-purpose flour
¼ cup sugar
1 stick cold salted butter, cut into bits
2 large egg yolks
2 T heavy cream
For streusel topping
2 cups sugar
1 ½ cups all-purpose flour
2 t cinnamon
2 sticks (1 cup) cold salted butter, cut into bits
For filling
2 cups all-purpose flour
6 T sugar
1 T baking powder
1/8 t salt
1 stick (1/2 cup) salted butter softened
4 large egg yolks
1/2 cup well-shaken buttermilk
2 t vanilla
5 cups fresh or frozen blueberries
Make crust
Whisk together flour and sugar in a large bowl. Blend in salted butter with your fingertips or a pastry blender until mixture resembles coarse meal with some roughly pea-size butter lumps. Beat together yolks and stir into flour mixture until combined well.
Gently knead mixture in a bowl with floured hands just until a dough forms.
Unwrap dough and roll out between 2 sheets of wax paper into a 16 X 12 inch rectangle. Remove top sheet of wax paper and invert dough onto bottom and 1 ½ inches up side of a 13 X 9X 3 inch baking pan.
Make streusel topping
Whisk together sugar, flour and cinnamon in a large bowl. Blend in salted butter with your fingertips or pastry blender until mixture resembles coarse meal with some roughly pea-size butter lumps, then chill until ready to use.
Make filling
Put oven rack in lower third of oven and preheat oven to 400 degrees F.
Whisk together flour, sugar, baking powder and salt in a large bowl. Blend in salted butter with your fingertips or pastry blender until mixture resembles coarse meal with some rough pea-size butter lumps. Beat together yolks, buttermilk and vanilla with a fork and stir into flour mixture until combined well. Batter will be very thick.
Peel off and discard wax paper from dough in baking pan and arrange half of blueberries over dough in 1 layer. Spread batter as evenly as possible on top of blueberries, then top with remaining blueberries.
Sprinkle with streusel topping and bake 30 minutes, then reduce heat to 350 degrees F and bake until top is golden, 45 minutes to 1 hour more. Cool in pan on a rack 15 minutes. Cut into squares and serve warm or at room temperature.
Deckhand Pepper and Oscar reaping the rewards. Yum!
Porthole Cruise Magazine | Why You Should Try a Windjammer
“With only sixteen passengers on the Ladona you will have the opportunity to meet like-minded travelers and perhaps form friendships that will last long after you have disembarked. The kinship you feel with everyone on board in just the short span of a few days is remarkable.”
'Best Luxury Getaway' by Yankee Magazine
“…the masterfully restored 82-foot racing schooner Ladona quickly earned a rep for its upscale amenities: hot and cold running water in every cabin, beds topped with premium linens, rain showers, chef-prepared meals, and complimentary wine served with dinner.”
Yankee Magazine has named Ladona the Best Luxury Getaway in its May 2017 issue!
“After joining the Maine windjammer fleet last season, the masterfully restored 82-foot racing schooner Ladona quickly earned a rep for its upscale amenities: hot and cold running water in every cabin, beds topped with premium linens, rain showers, chef-prepared meals, and complimentary wine served with dinner. Cruises run from three days up to a week, with charter service also available. Budding oenophiles are advised to save up for the six-day wine cruise, with each night featuring expert tastings of eight wines focused on different countries.”
Boston Globe | Ladona brings luxury to the Maine windjammer experience
“Expect admiring looks as you [sail] into ports like Castine and Boothbay Harbor aboard the Ladona — kind of like tooling around Boston in a vintage Porsche.”
