Think Maine Made For Your Summer Gatherings
Summer is here! Many of you are planning small to large summer gatherings especially around the 4th of July holiday and I wanted to give you some Maine-made ideas to consider when throwing together your festivity. From table decor to food presentation to the actual meal, there is a lot to plan and why not support a local maker to help fill your party planning needs. I planned a small friend gathering with Pyrus Picnics, which is a local picnic service business based out of the greater Portland area, along with Charcuteriemarie who put together a lovely curation of local Maine made cheeses, meats, and chocolates. We filled the picnic table with Amphitrite Studio linens that are made with natural fibers, carried all the food and drink essentials in a Sea Bags Tool Bucket Bag, sipped on some Blueberry Lemonade from Maine Craft Distilling in ceramic tumblers crafted by Campfire Pottery and Jennifer Bravo, shucked some locally grown oysters and displayed them a custom made oyster plate that was made at one of Campfire Pottery’s workshops and topped it off with a s’more made with Bixby Chocolate.
See below for further details on each brand that was a part of this curation.
Victoria Pereira started Pyrus Picnics in an effort to make her family's dreams come true. She had always loved going above and beyond for events. Maine is beautiful and there are so many picnic-worthy spots that dot the towns and coasts! Luxury picnics felt like a great fit and starting point for what she hopes will become something much larger.
Pyrus stands for a pear tree and she chose that because her last name is Pereira and it means pear tree as well. It makes her business feel like a family venture. She gets to honor her parents by incorporating her last name into the business.
Giving back is at her core. Many of her picnic items are consciously and sustainably sourced from businesses that give back to the community. She has also decided to give a portion of her quarterly profits to Agape International Missions to help fight human trafficking.
Charcutemarie is a specialty culinary service based in Saco, Maine. Marie Grasser’s true love is bringing people together to share unforgettable moments with incredible food. After a year in quarantine where gatherings were not an option, Marie was craving a way to bring a sense of gathering back to her community and so Charcutemarie was born. She lends her visionary skills to create vibrant and flavorful charcuterie boards & grazing tables for date nights, birthday & appreciation gifts, special occasions, weddings & events.
Charcutemarie can help you customize your very own luxury charcuterie selection, tailored to your taste. You can enjoy premium cheeses, meats, fruits, competes, and more, creating a cornucopia that will be ideal for your cocktail hour, wedding and/or baby shower, bachelorette, or birthday party, the list goes on!
These boards and their variety offer a taste of something for everyone. For events, all delivery and setup are managed by the dedicated team, allowing you to enjoy your light bites with zero stress involved. Charcutemarie also offers a local pickup option right from our kitchen in Saco.
Marie from Charcuteriemarie (left), Lauren from O’Brien and Kane Realty (middle), Victoria from Pyrus Picnics
Katrina’s focus is on natural, value-driven design and quality manufacturing. In a world full of products made to break down, throw away, wear out, or go out style… she goes against that trend offering goods that give you peace of mind while using them in your home and with your family. Her aim is to bring you goods that stand the test of time and life, with a focus on value, durability & timeless appeal.
The Studio’s line of home goods focuses on natural fiber fabrics like linens & organic cotton. Long-lasting fibers & designs that you will use for years to come with simple colors & styles for versatility & function.
The small-batch clothing line focuses on natural fiber fabrics like bamboo and linen, along with timeless simple designs to match your unique style. Clothing is made to order and takes about 1 to 3 weeks.
The Studio also carries natural goods from other artisans and small businesses like bar soaps, face care, cleaning aids, rolling pins, scrub brushes, etc. Products made with love for your natural home and body.
Sea Bags are born as sails and transformed into nautically inspired totes and accessories that bring their customers great happiness. They believe that sails soak up the sun, salt, smiles, and adventure.
Of course, they clean the sails before they make them into bags, their materials retain the essence of what they once were, where they've been, and what they've done. It's this previous life that makes each bag unique.
Sea Bags’ Tool Bucket is the perfect product for transporting your picnic needs from your car to the lawn. It has exterior pockets to hold your favorite beverages and a larger opening for further picnic necessities.
Farm-to-flask distilling isn’t a slogan at Maine Craft Distilling, it’s their operating principle. They work in close collaboration with local farmers to carefully select agricultural products and then bring together centuries-old distilling methods, a good dose of innovation, and a whole lot of Yankee ingenuity. In the process, they’ve created a line-up of creative, high-quality, craft-distilled spirits—each as unique and interesting as the landscape and seascape of Maine.
Campfire Pottery and Jennifer Bravo
The Campfire Pottery x Bravo Jenny Collection, designed by Portland, Maine creatives Kristen Camp and Jenny Bravo, is a limited-edition collaborative collection consisting of 7 thoughtfully curated pieces. Kristen Camp will be leading an oyster plate workshop on July 10th, you can sign up here. You can find Campfire Pottery’s podcast episode here.
Bixby & Co. Chocolate was born from a commitment to fairness, sustainability, minimal environmental impact, and community enhancement. We are passionate about chocolate. As candy makers and now the first bean-to-bar maker in our State, we seek to make clean, real, and sustainable confectionery products.
Kate McAleer, the owner of Bixby Chocolate, represents a new breed of young entrepreneurs who are breaking with the traditional career path. They possess a renewed American spirit that drives them to create new businesses that are socially responsible while incredibly supportive of local communities. Kate’s life experiences have shaped every aspect of the Bixby chocolate manufacturing company. The greatest inspiration for her recipes has been her strong, intimate relationships with family and community in addition to an active, health-conscious lifestyle.
Get Bixby & Co.’s S’mores Kit here.