122 Corson September 2025 As summer draws to a close, there’s a feeling that we only just began the season but the reservation book for 122 Corson is looking worn and well used. It was truly a remarkable summer with a full house every Saturday night. The statics show that we seated 64% new guests and enjoyed the company of our returning friends. There are still more weeks ahead into early November, but the blush is off the season in one regard, but new beginnings for the fall season. Our new beginnings are happy/sad. Sad to be saying a BIG ‘Thank you’ to Eddie Lamarre, our chef for the past 10 years. Eddie is retiring from cheffing. He was the magic behind what helped to make 122 Corson the popular place that it has become. He is an outstanding chef and we feel privileged to have had his expertise guide us since we opened the restaurant in 2016. He will be missed by many of you who have come to know him. Starting a new chapter for the restaurant is our new chef, Kat Kirwan. Kat, like Eddie, began her culinary experience at Johnson & Wales, and coincidently, moved to Colorado to finish her schooling, similar to Eddie’s early career. Those great restaurants in Colorado seem to hone culinary skills! Kat has spent a 20-year career in the food industry and it was our good fortune that she moved to Maine, and even more coincidently, moved onto Corson Road here in Mercer. Kat will be putting her own signature on the menus for 122 Corson and we are very excited to welcome her. Our annual trip to Italy this past spring, is the influence behind the upcoming Wine & Food Pairing that is scheduled for October 18th. We have enlisted the wine expertise of Ileshea Stowe, a past NAPPI representative, and the culinary skills of Chef Kat. The menu and wines will reflect the regional foods and wines of the Piedmont region in northern Italy. In addition, we will be showing a power-point of selected photos we took from our trip including a history of the wines from that Borolo region. On the farm front, we are saying goodbye to our 60 foot high-tunnel greenhouse. We had a good run of 16 years growing vegetables out of season, but it’s time for us, once again, to cut back on some of our farm chores. The greenhouse is going to have another life. Our good friends who own Steelbow Farm in upstate New York, will be removing it and transporting it to its new home this fall. With fabulous local farmers in our close vicinity, we can support them, and even now, we are using local produce in the restaurant. With Kat’s innovative ideas, she will be drawing on many of the local producers from vegetables, dairy products, and meats. Recently, we had the pleasure of joining the members of Maine Woodland Owners at the annual Forestry Field Day and awards ceremony. Every year the MWO recognizes a Maine woodland owner or family for their high achievement in outstanding woodland management. The Libby family of Cornville, were this year’s recipients, and so well deserved. We took a couple of the tours offered and we came away with many projects that we will implement on our woodland. Kathryn and Jay Libby have done a fabulous job with so much diversity, from harvesting with wildlife habitat in mind, to engineered road systems for ease of harvesting with environmental concerns considered, a sugar-bush set-up for maple syruping, and consideration overall between their commercial non-commercial forest management in general. We came away feeling very positive that Maine’s woodlands are in good hands especially since the next generation is just as involved and passionate about forestry in Maine. As we sip our Sunday morning coffee, having received just under an inch of much needed rain last night, we’re feeling pretty good. We hope that you are too! Mary & Bob P.S.: If you would like to wish Eddie a happy retirement his mailing address is 208 Corson Road, Mercer, Maine 04957, or you can email him at his wife’s email brenton04957@yahoo.com. We know he would be happy to hear from you. |
