Makers' Market Shop and Studio, 47 Caterpillar Hill road, Sargentville, ME (2026)

08/21/2026

“Another one bites the dust?”…
Well friends, it’s our penultimate Friday today. We have reached the point in our season when things are starting to get weird- we are totally Closed tomorrow, Saturday, for instance. We are losing team members to school and other commitments, it’s getting dark while we are cleaning up. I think we’ve made it through summer!
Today is Jasper’s last day. He’s been an integral part of this business for 17 years- supervising the construction of our Cabana de los Arbol (that screen porch thing in the backyard) from his baby blanket in the back of our minivan. He’s been recipe testing ever since, learning early on the wonders of guacamole and black beans and their use as personal decoration. He worked diligently play-testing our sandbox from the start, mastering the Tonka trucks and those early shovels and scoops. He was the first to try out the swings, the first to descend the slide on our original play structure. The first person to whack their head on the bottom of the front counter! He’s grown quite a bit since then, and lately has been the go-to for putting the heavy cases of cups up on the high shelves, cleaning the matts and the floors each week and spreading the crushed stone in the spring.
Growing up in a restaurant makes a certain kind of kid. He is used to his folks working all the time, to people walking into the house at all hours, strange kids playing with his toys, and always a lot of trucks in the drive. Jasper has come to be an indispensable part of our team. He has been working his ass off in the taqueria since he was 13, and has earned enough money to pay for college (mostly). He can do every job in the kitchen, and is professional, polite and supportive to all the co-workers he’s not related to.
But he’s off to college! And we are going to miss him. A lot. And while we really depend on him in the kitchen, not having ⅓ of our little family unit around is really going to hit hard (sniff). Fish Nerds forever!
But we're making food today! We offer you a Local Collards Quesadilla, with Heirloom Tomatoes & Caramelized Onions. And we have a Picadillo Bowl, with Mexican Corn and Green Salad. Good stuff! 11-7 today.

08/21/2026

“Presence”…
We’ve had a few issues lately with folks who have visited us, and discovered a problem later on. One guy called me during the lunch rush yesterday to tell me he was overcharged for his meal (on Aug 7…). Another bought the wrong 4-pack of burritos and was upset because they thought the Veggie & Pork prices on our sign were unclear, and thought they were overcharged.
All day long, I have face-to-face conversations with people, about topics directly related to things taking place in the moment- “The menu is here”, “these are the drink options”, “salsa is to your left” things like that. I have noticed that I can say things directly to people, in our native language, at a tempo and volume that is perfectly normal- and sometimes people just can’t comprehend what is going on around them!
I think it must be the phones. The tech that surrounds us, the remote working, the social media- but many people are just tuned-out, incapable of regular, normal interpersonal communications. Maybe it’s being trapped on vacation with the whole family, the stress of dealing with your kids, your parents, your in-laws. I get it, but we are just trying to feed you, trying to give you the best culinary experience possible. If folks were just a little more present, a little less distracted, stressed maybe they’d notice if they paid $75 for 4 burrito bowls? We want to work this out, we like to be accurate, but there is no time like the present.
Obviously, this is all my responsibility. If someone mis-reads the label on a burrito pack, we should have done more than write Veggie on the top with a sharpie and circle Veggie on the label. I can mis-ring things, I run well over 100 transactions a day, sure I skip an item, or double an item on occasion, I am human and I need to be watched. I am striving for perfection, for 100%, but sadly, sometimes we’ll fall short. As a customer of a busy, short-staffed restaurant in a crazy tourist destination, maybe take a second to relax, to chill, to focus, to be present. Maybe that’s good advice in general, even when you get back to work, back home, back to your family.

08/20/2026

“Flexibility”…
Things change, evolve, shift. Sometimes we all have to make allowances for things maybe we never saw coming, adapt to our surroundings, follow the reality and change things up a bit.
We operate around here with a pretty good plan, things are pretty well thought out, as our volume is such that things spin wildly out of control and get pretty messy if we are not prepared.
“The Season” isn’t really over. Our summer visitors have been staying later and later every year. Sure, school is starting in a lot of places, but more and more travelers are without school-aged children, and are making the Shoulder Season a busier time for us all. We can’t control who spends how much time on our beautiful Peninsula- visitors all have their own timeline, but we do have to control our interactions with our customers, otherwise the aforementioned chaos ensues.
So, in the coming days, as we wind down to the end of our Season (on August 29th), we’ll be adapting and changing as we go. We may start using flour tortillas for our tacos, as we won’t have anyone to hand-make our corn tortillas. We might shift to a Burrito-only model (how retro!) when we get down to just a few of us in the kitchen. We may need to close before dinner, even- who knows? We are all just going to have to be flexible! One thing is for sure, we are Closed this coming Saturday (the 22nd), so plan accordingly. And don’t forget the option always exists for grabbing dinner next door at Makers’ Market- A few Pizzas, a couple Quesadillas and some of our Chips and Salsa will make your whole group very happy! Makers’ will continue to be open normal hours throughout the Fall and Winter, so fear not.
Meanwhile, today we have something really special for you- Mole’ Duck Tacos! Tender, shredded duck in Michele’s delicious house-made Mole’, with all the taco trimmings. It looks as if we’ll have the Local Crab Quesadilla today as well, with a nice salad. 11-7 (ish) today, but come early to avoid disappointment- you don’t want to be behind The Hat now, do you?

08/19/2026

“Forging Ahead”…
Late August, summer running away, fall-like misty mornings, changing light. It’s dark when I wake up now, we know change is coming.
In our new space as a seasonal Resteraunt (weird to say, but I guess this is true for now) a big part of our business is operating the Taqueria through peak summer. It involves so many moving parts- people, ingredients, resources, infrastructure and all on a scale that dwarfs the year-round business next door that provides the stable backbone for our lives here.
But Makers’ Market Shop & Studio is not an afterthought, the store is a key component in our organization, offering the ability to serve the people of The Peninsula regularly and consistently throughout the year. I think most of us understand now just how crazy, disruptive and overwhelming the summer season has become around here. From a business perspective, it is pretty intense. Sure, there are a lot of folks who make hay while the sun shines, but fans of sustainability, predictability, and reasonable expectations have to keep an eye on the year-round opportunities for economic viability. We’ve noticed this season, that many (most?) of our regular customers won’t/can’t/didn’t want to come to the taqueria at all- It’s just too busy, too many people. But they heave been shopping at Maker’s all summer. They have been buying their burritos, their quesadillas, their salsa and chips. They have also been trying the pickled shrimps, and the schmears and the scones and the salads and the sandwiches. They are finding the Wine and Beer selection works for them, and they have been seeing our card selection, the artist’s supplies and all that craft and art stuff we have, too.
The Taqueria may not be open for much longer, but the shop remains- 5 days a week all Fall, and we’ll be here all Winter as well. Because when the crowds are gone, a lot of us will still be here living our lives on this beautiful Peninsula, and we’ll be hungry!
Today, in the Taqueria we have Fish Tacos! There is Fresh, Local Crab Quesadilla as well. Wild Blueberry Scones, Tinderhearth, Honey & Lace, Shrimps, Veggies and lots more next door. 11-7 today!

08/17/2026

“Allocation:…
Whew! Gotta love this Summer action, huh? We’ve got whales, we’ve got tourists, we’ve got summer people, mosquitos, shooting stars, fog and sunsets. Everything is right on course!
By this afternoon, Our Bailey will be pulling into her new home in Syracuse and moving her meager possessions into her tiny dorm room. She leaves behind a yawning chasm in our kitchen, that kid can make tortillas like someone’s 80 year old abuelita. Her absence is profound, and although she is starting a bright new chapter in her life, we are all going to suffer from the loss, and we miss her already.
Jasper will step up, though. He’s been making tortillas and running the grill for much of his life. He’s fast, has a great attitude (for a 17 year old) and a depth of knowledge and interest in the culinary world that would surprise you. He’s going to do great, and keep everything on the line running just fine.
Until Friday. That’s his last day, thence he heads off to school as well. (Why we will be CLOSED this Saturday, the 22nd!) Then Ada starts with the daily soccer practices that end her season at EL EL, Sophie heads back to her junior year, Sally has to go open her school kitchen as her students and faculty are going to need to eat, and she has lot’s to do to get ready. Ari starts her semester the Tuesday after next, and if you are counting (or at least following along) that leaves Michele and I, with a few mornings from Shannon, as the entire staff of EL EL FRIJOLES! Just like back in The Day, only then we only fed a few people a day. On Wednesday, we fed 334 people meals, and quite a few snacks, drinks, desserts and apps as well. You can see the issue! It's why our season ends on August 29th this year.
But for today- Everything is cool, there is lots of resources being allocated to Makers’ Market Shop & Studio, where we'll be open all winter- Sandwiches and Scones And Gazpacho and a huge trove of Burrito 4 packs are headed up this morning, Ella will be there 11-5!

08/15/2026

Important Notice!
EL EL FRIJOLES will be closed for dinner this evening! We may make it as late as 4:00 pm for lunch, but we will not be able to serve you dinner tonight.
See you next Wednesday at 11:00 am!

Note- Makers' Market Shop & Studio will remain open until 7pm this evening for your food/wine/art needs.

08/15/2026

“Savor”…
Here it is, the time, the place, the perfect setting. We have great weather, the light is perfect, nice breezes, even the bugs have settled down (well, maybe it is Yellowjacket season) everything is pretty much perfect!
Today might just be The Day, you know the one, that particular Summer day where everything is just right. The period in time where you finally just relax, you realize that things are actually going o.k. for right now, take the win!
We humans can always find something to worry about, something to complain about. There is always some sort of pitfall or trauma right around the corner- the market might crash, sickness, political uncertainty, a pink slip, bad internet reviews, you never know what is coming. We have evolved into pretty complex organisms, that rely on increasingly complicated systems to get through a sun-cycle. We didn’t use to have food delivery apps, or smart phones, or cell phones or even telephones at all. The power never went out back before rural electrification, it just got dark. Gas prices never went up before the automobile, I suppose feed for your horse was always an issue, but you could grow your own.
Our modern life is full of convenience and wonder, opportunities and experiences that we can share and brag about to people we haven’t even met. Maybe we’ve built a monster, but things are what they are.
Still, you can sit on the porch and just read a book. You can have a drink with your cousin, walk the beach with a child, share a meal with your family. All this is within reach, but you might have to plan for it, find the time, make the commitment.
If you want Shrimp, at least we can help with that. We are making a lovely Chipotle-glazed shrimp bowl today, with flour tortillas and a nice heirloom tomato & cucumber salad. Also, we have a grilled Pesto Chicken Quesadilla, with local greens and our Mexican corn. Coffee, scones and the latest newspapers available at Maker’s Market at 9am, Taqueria 11 to 7ish today, but come early to avoid surprises!

08/14/2026

“I’m not an economist, but I play one on t.v.”…
The more you talk about our local societal/economic situation, the more folks show up who are also concerned.
I met several people just yesterday who shared perspectives on where we find ourselves, and it illustrates to me that many of us are acutely aware of the gravity of our situation, but that we don’t really know the solutions. One couple I spoke with run a farmstead in rural Vermont, they remarked how their situation differed in that they are not overrun with business, not flooded with high-earning new residents and visitors. A neighbor I spoke with maintains that we may have a chance to navigate this current situation, but it will require a concerted effort that requires multiple stakeholders to come together and overcome the inertia to dig in. This possibility is enchanting, but also, my experience with humans is that we rarely get it together to do the right thing as a group.
Perhaps the take-away of this, is that The Conversation is the important starting point. A lot of us have been having this talks for a lot of years (I used to be a Board Member on the Chamber of Commerce!) as business owners and residents and artists and students we all have an important stake in the future of our Peninsula, we are all in the same boat, and you know how the tide has it’s effects. The sociological and cultural geographic issues facing us are great- we’ve talked about this before, but it is starting to become apparent that broad societal change is upon us around here, we should probably acknowledge it and talk about it.
In any case, while we still have things up and running around here, still living la Vida Loca, we are sharing our food with y’all. Today, in another innovative stretch, we are offering Fresh Lobster Aguachile- A bowl of delight and goodness, with heirloom tomatoes, herbs, chilies and lime supporting a nice pile of sweet, tender lobster, with chips and local greens. There will be a Local Collards & Caramelized Onions Quesadilla, with Mexican Corn and Heirloom Tomatoes. And we have the Local Crab Quesadilla, with a nice salad. Get it whilst the getting’s good!

08/13/2026

“A big sigh, an eye-roll and a face-palm”…
Well, that was fun. These Summer Wednesdays are really like nothing else.
Wednesdays have always been our busiest day, and we’ve never really figured out exactly why. This summer, when our country is at war, our government is being dismantled and our society fragmented like never before we certainly didn’t expect more growth.
But growth is what we have going on here. From the real estate to the retailers to the trades it is pretty much On Fire around here. Is this good? Is this sustainable? Is this what we want? On the one hand, obviously us small businesspeople should be happy to have an ample customer base. Those plumbers and electricians and roofers- it’s great to have the work. If you own property, its value is increasing, so you are earning just by holding on. But your taxes are rising, too- and we use property taxes to fund most of our state. It shouldn’t be impossible to get someone to come install a water heater or a ceiling fan either. And what if you don’t own property? The cheapest house on the market in Sedgwick today is $549k! A tough market to find a starter home, or even an apartment. Thus, nobody can live here without either some sort of real job via the internet, or having some bucks socked-away from a lifetime of working. Suffice it to say, these folks are not interested in the kind of work that starts at 6am with cooking beans and ends at 7pm with washing compost buckets and mopping floors. And the interfacing with 500 hungry visitors in-between? Not so much. This is why our season ends on August 29th, our employees are all leaving and we are so busy we can no longer run this place with just the two of us.
So we have a short season, we still get to make food (and will continue to do so up at Makers’ Market Shop & Studio all winter!) and today is no different We’ll have a Ropa Vieja Bowl: Cuban-style slow-cooked beef, with black beans & rice, warm tortillas. And we have fresh, Local Crab Quesadilla, with a nice salad. And you should check out the offerings up at MMS&S, it’s the future!

08/12/2026

“It’s all going to be fine”…
Check it out, it looks like it might not be in the high 80’s today! Maybe the air won’t be near-to being a liquid! I imagine we still will have more than the normal number of visitors around, but hey- it’s summer in Maine, and we are all trying to ge tin on the fun whilst it lasts, so let’s just be chill, shall we?
We’ve landed at another Wednesday, and we are planning to make the best of it. Sure, there will always be the people who call us up at 6:40 looking for a take-out or a delivery (!?) yes, we can count on someone with a list of food for all 18 people at home emerging from the line in the middle of dinner (don’t so that, btw). And there are always those poor souls who roll in while we are cleaning up, amazed that a busy restaurant in a bustling summer community is really closed at 7pm (True!). People eat early around here, and our day starts before the sun is risen, so yeah, no later than 7:00 is really a thing.
But for those of you who have it all figured out, you know to show up with your posse, grab a bottle of champagne, or a few beers from next door, claim a table, release the children and make an evening of it. Seems like a pretty great idea to me, anyway- summer in Maine with your friends and family! All you need is some good food, which we will be happy to provide.
Like, maybe Fish Tacos? Today’s is a tasty, pan-seared Haddock in a Tomato/Chili/Lime concoction that is out of this world. It’s a hot summer day, so we have a really great Chilled Shrimp dish, served on a bed of our Quinoa and Bean Salad with some local greens, it’s like spa food! And, yes, we have the Local Crab Quesadilla, with a nice salad today as well.
Next door, there is Tinderhearth Bread, Honey & Lace Baking Blondies and Whoopie Pies (and her Bagels in the freezer!) We have Fresh Lobster Meat, Pickled Shrimps, and Gazpacho in the reach-in, Salsa, Chips, Shortbread, Crackers and all you need for a great Charcuterie board. Plus all the usual stuff, from Bacon to Butter, Pancake Mix to Tofu, Jewelry to Block and Gel Printing supplies. 11-7 today, come see us!

Makers' Market Shop and Studio

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