It’s March. Daylight saving time returns and the first day of spring is coming. The return of longer days and warmer weather is always welcome in Maine. One date I noticed on my calendar is March 9. It is National Crabmeat Day!
How can you go wrong with crab? I got a fabulous recipe from Mary Coombs this past month. When I received it, I knew it was going to be a winner. Her recipe speaks of the seafood legacy that is ever-present in Harpswell — and it is absolutely delicious. Seeing as Mary has lived her entire life in Harpswell and grew up on Orr’s Island, there is no doubt that she had a few relatives back in the day who were amazing at hand-picking crab.
When I read that Mary is very committed to the Harpswell Santa Fund, it touched my heart. It made me think of a story that a close friend shared with me several years ago. I will never forget it.
When this girl was a child, her family went through a difficult time because of illness in the family. Her mother became a single parent to her three children rather suddenly. As a stay-at-home mom, she never had acquired marketable job skills. When she lost her husband, the family’s struggles began.
My friend’s mother did the best she could, but it wasn’t enough. My friend described a period when there just wasn’t enough money to make the holidays special, so her mother reached out for help. For two consecutive years, volunteers came to their home right before the holidays with a delivery of a Christmas ham, all the fixings for dinner, and gifts for the children.
My friend knew that if it wasn’t for that assistance, there would have been the despair of an empty holiday with no Christmas celebration. Because of that assistance, they were able to celebrate Christmas. She will always be grateful for those memories and the generosity of those volunteers who were there to help when it was needed the most.
The Harpswell Santa Fund started more than 30 years ago. It began when a fisherman passed away and community members made sure his family had a good Christmas. Later, the Santa Fund evolved from helping at Christmas to offering assistance year-round.
When a Santa Fund volunteer left Harpswell in 2018, Mary was asked to step in. Today there is a team of folks who run the Harpswell Santa Fund. They continue to buy gifts at Christmas for those who reach out for assistance. If someone is low on fuel, they make sure they have enough to keep warm. If an individual can’t get to the food bank, Mary will do the run for them and deliver their items.
Mary is also involved with the Harpswell Lobster Boat Races, which are once again going full speed. They began in the 1980s, but interest waned over the years. Because of Mary and a few other dedicated folks, the races are now very well attended. Everyone has an enjoyable summer morning at Mitchell Field cheering on all the boats. Proceeds from the races are donated to the Santa Fund.
The generosity of our community is nothing less than amazing to me. The kindness and warmth of the town’s volunteers make me so very grateful to live here, and Mary is the embodiment of that spirit.
Crabmeat quiche
Ingredients:
1/2 cup mayonnaise
1 tablespoon flour
2 eggs
1/2 cup milk
1/2 pound crabmeat
1 cup Swiss cheese, grated
1/3 cup diced onion
Directions:
Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
Make your favorite pie crust (or buy one) and use a 9-inch glass or ceramic pie dish (to prevent crust from getting soggy).
Mix all ingredients in a bowl and pour into the crust. Bake until golden and until a knife comes out clean (about 30-40 minutes).
(I made this quiche “crustless” by spraying my Pyrex dish with nonstick spray.)
Enjoy!
Cooking at 43° North, a program of Harpswell Aging at Home, brings Harpswell residents together for cooking programs, in person and online. Watch the Anchor calendar for listings.
HAH always needs cooks for its Meals in a Pinch program, which provides nutritious meals to seniors in need of emergency assistance. For more information, contact Julie Moulton at 207-330-5416 or juliemoulton28@gmail.com.
