New Specialty Shop in the heart of Boothbay Harbor Offers a whole lot more than shopping

‘It’s where oil and water meet’ co-owner Kim Martin declared as we stood along the impressive row of glistening stainless steel Fustis, looking out at the beautiful harbor, through floor to ceiling windows.  It quickly became clear to me, that coming here to shop was only half of the story.

‘What’s a Fusti?’ As soon as I asked the question I saw the eyes of Kim and partner Denise, light up with passion for their new endeavor.  Before us were fifty five of these ‘vessels’, handcrafted in Italy, for the sole purpose of housing fresh gourmet oils and vinegars from around the world.  And when I say fresh, I mean so fresh, that some varieties had not yet arrived, as the particular crop was still growing in the fields of exotic places like Portugal and Greece.  As for the gourmet, this article cannot do justice to the mouthwatering flavors that I enjoyed that afternoon.

‘Would you like to try some?’ Kim asked, as I looked at her somewhat skeptically, not quite sure how I felt about tasting oil and vinegar straight up.  Kim proceeded to educate me on how to properly taste these homemade delights, infused with everything from wines to jalapenos to, are you ready for this? Chocolate!   But it only took one swallow to understand that these were not your average oil and vinegars, of even the most gourmet variety.  These were of the kind that could indeed stand on their own in the tasting department, not to mention what they could do when added to salads, entrees and even desserts!

As we moved around the vibrant space, Kim and Denise introduced me to a variety of other gourmet treats; none of which, in all of my days of shopping, had I before seen exact replicas.  Handmade chocolates of exotic varieties like Himalayan salts; as well as a few unexpected flavors like bacon and jalapenos (looking for a unique Valentine’s Day gift anyone?); Organic pure cane sugars of every flavor imaginable; clove, lemon, toasted coconut, even sweet onion! (savory homemade baked goods come to mind of course, but think of the killer cocktail party one could host, with sugar rimmed glasses of this caliber!); syrups from France (think Orange Blossom and Violet), salts from Australia (Mediterranean, Merlot and Velvet), teas, drinking chocolates, Himalayan salt plates, organic homemade pastas, marinades, duck fat!  There were even organic herbs and spices from a local grower in Dresden, Maine.

As I bid so long to my lovely hosts at Eventide Specialties, I felt an odd sense of what I could only describe as relief.  Relief that, in a world where everything imaginable is literally at our fingertips (and just a click away), we still have the option to open the front door of a locally owned and operated business and be welcomed inside.  I felt more like a guest than a customer.  I felt a great sense of pride for the Community in which I live, where members like Kim and Denise are committed to offering their guests something more than a place to purchase goods.  Their handmade, healthy, eco-friendly and farmer friendly products, combined with their attention to personal service, create an experience that will surely keep their guests coming back time and time again.

In addition to welcoming individual shoppers, Eventide offers private consultations, parties, gift baskets, wedding favors cooking presentations and other unique services.  Eventide Specialties is located on 5 Boothbay Harbor House Hill in Booothbay Harbor.  Visit them on line at http://www.eventidespecialties.com/ or call 207.350.4244.