Lustre
OXFORD, MAINE | JANUARY 2026
After a few years of mild, wet winters, this year, Maine was graced with plenty of snow! We’ve been doing our best to embrace the season with ski days and walks in the wintry woods (followed by a cup of steaming hot chocolate or sparkling wine, of course). We wanted to celebrate the snowy season by creating an apres-ski styled winter wonderland for the adventurous guests willing to brave the snow to gather together for a luxurious shared meal. Of course, this happened to fall on the coldest weekend of the year! Our plans to stud the snowbanks with oysters and serve steaming cider off of silver trays in the snowy field of Whitney Farm Estate went out the window as we shut it against the frigid air. Instead, we brought the feeling of a frosted lake inside the historic, high ceilinged barn, where the table shimmered with pearls and crystal and gold.
Chef Jim Stein from Douro in Portland and his team rallied through the freezing night to man the fleet of Big Green Egg grills outside and prepare a Portuguese inspired meal replete with delicious details, from the first bites of locally-sourced tinned fish from Gulf of Maine Conservas to perfect Pastel de Natas that brought us to the streets of Lisbon with one taste. Each course came with Danielle’s thoughtful wine pairings and beverages from The Zero Proof for those interested in something spirit free.
The barn warmed with good company as the night turned dark around us, many people lingering in the warm light of the glossy wooden room long after the meal ended. Eventually, we all had to bundle up, snuff out the grills’ glowing embers, and make our way into the winter’s eve warmed through from the inside out. It was just the kind of evening that fortifies us until the soft spring sunshine arrives.
WELCOME
We welcomed everyone with ample fire pits outside, where Chef Jim grilled local oysters with chorizo butter and breadcrumb. Most people opted to sneak right inside the barn, where we were serving some classic Portuguese petiscos, a hot cider cocktail, sparkling wine, and zero proof martinis. Everyone had a chance to settle in, lounge on the living room furniture set up in the barn, and introduce themselves to a stranger before sitting down.
A MENU BY JIM STEIN OF DOURO
Chef Jim Stein recently opened Douro, a Portuguese fine dining restaurant in Portland. He was excited to show off a few standout dishes from the menu, like the little gem salad, while playing with a few new concepts designed just for our Supper.
MENU
WELCOME
Gildas Castelvetrano olive, pipparra, white anchovy
Green Eggs deviled egg, chimichurri, caviar
Roasted Oyster chorizo butter, breadcrumb, chive
TO DRINK
Apples and Oranges apple cider, Grand Marnier, amaro
2023 Albet I Noya Petit Brut Reserva
Sacred Profane Dark Lager
Zero Proof Martini ISH London Botanical Spirit and Roots Divino Aperitif Bianco
WELCOME
Tinned Fish Tartare Gulf of Maine Conservas eel + mackerel, crostini, potato chips, pickles, olives
FIRST
Little Gems garlic buttermilk dressing, breadcrumb, manchego cheese, bottarga
Wine: 2024 Poderi Sanguineto Toscana Rosato, Italy
Saint Viviana Sauvignon Blanc
SECOND
Caldeirada de Marisco lobster broth, Bang’s Island mussels, shrimp, lobster, rice, rouille, lemon
Wine: 2024 Gaintza Txakolina, Spain
Oddbird Low Intervention White
MAIN
Pork Collar country ham, almond x.o., turnips, chimichurri
Patatas Bravas
Wine: 2023 Bodegas Ponce La Xara, Spain
Misty Cliffs Cabernet Sauvignon Merlot Blend
CHEESE
Serra de Estrela caramelized sheep’s milk cheese, red pepper jam, baguette
Missing Thorn Still Rosé
DESSERT
Pastel de Nata egg custard tart, powdered sugar, cinnamon
Quinta do Infantado White Port NV, Portugal
Lapo’s Espresso Martini
WINE PAIRINGS
Danielle decided to stay close to the culinary inspiration of Portugal with wine pairings, exploring the offerings of Spain and Portugal with fresh Txakolina and bold Garnacha.
Of course, we finished things off with some Port, giving everyone with a perfect last sip to savor our culinary vacation to the Mediterranean.
SECRET LOCATION: WHITNEY FARM ESTATE
Megan and Steve at Whitney Farm Estate are event planners themselves, and we could definitely tell. They were shoveling and salting pathways and doing absolutely everything they could to make sure our guests had a wonderful experience in their winter wonderland. The big white barn overlooks undulating fields stretching to nearby woodlands, where drifts of snow seemed to smoke as the chill winds raked across their tops. While blistering to be out in, it was a pretty beautiful landscape to gaze at from inside the warmth of the barn.
