Everybody in Maine has it going on: bearded/gruff/burley fishermen, J Crew catalogue-esque women in practical hats and quaint espadrilles, children who’ve tasted more fantastically fresh seafood than most grown adults in other regions of the country. Jim Denevan, Founder of Outstanding in the Field

At Outstanding in the Field, this description, which can feel to native Mainers as though it borders on parody, proves especially true during this particular event. It is thoughtfully conceived and organized and beautifully and impeccably executed by its tribe of culinary nomads.

 

 
 
 

The dinner begins with mingling in the field, drinking beer brewed by our friends at Allagash Brewing, and it comes together at a long, family-style serving centered on a never-ending table set for 150.

The setting for this particular dinner, on Mill Cove in West Bath, is idyllic and radiant in the summer sun. It’s a rare pleasure to serve Winter Point oysters just feet from their home waters, and it’s a great honor to have hosted this incredible event with our friends Johnny and Jim Hennessey.

 
 
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As the day resolved itself into a warm summer night, and as bottles of wine and beer emptied in the encroaching dusk, boundaries between guests and staff blurred. Full and happy, our friends and staff congregated merrily. Some went swimming. There are even rumors that skinny-dipping took place.

We’ll never know for sure.