I live 1,200 miles from my family, and there’s a global pandemic going on, so I found myself entirely alone this Thanksgiving. (Don’t feel sorry for me, I actually like the solitude, and I am trying to be extremely careful about exposure to the virus.)
I was looking forward to a day off but didn’t want to spend the entire day cooking just for myself. So I decided to order takeout. The Portland caterer Lake & Co. appeared to be one of the few caterers and/or restaurants acknowledging that there are more single people in this world than married people with children (who get all the tax breaks – but don’t get me started). So I ordered their dinner for two because, you know, leftovers.
The dinner was fine, but the best part was the Maine maple sea salt pie I also ordered. I love custard-based pies, so I basically ended up eating all the filling out of this one once I tired of the crust.
The white chicken and spinach lasagna from Lake & Co., right out of the oven. Photo by Meredith Goad
At about the same time, I ordered a couple of their smaller a la carte family meals because I was curious about their other options. (Some of these dishes are fresh and choices change weekly, while other favorites arrive flash frozen.) The chicken pot pie I ordered ($14, $18 or $25, depending on the size) is still in the freezer as I write this, but I recently thawed and devoured the white chicken and spinach lasagna ($15 small, $22 large). It was a cold and rainy night, and I was starving because I’d only eaten one small granola bar that day, but I knew I had to control myself somehow after taking the first bite.
The lasagna is filled with a good portion of roasted chicken and organic spinach (which I love); it’s seasoned with oregano, salt and pepper; and it’s swimming in cream, milk and butter. The cheeses used in the lasagna are ricotta, mozzarella and provolone. This dish is so rich and decadent, I advise having a salad or vegetable side dish along with it so you eat a smaller portion and don’t send your cholesterol completely through the roof. But it is delicious, and would be a perfect choice this winter when you’re searching for warming comfort food.
Other family meals include chicken or vegetable curry with basmati rice, bacon-wrapped meatloaf, beef bolognese lasagna, potato leek soup, and mac and cheese. Lake & Co. also sells a variety of quiches for brunch and sweet treats, such as chocolate pudding, chewy gingerbread cookies, and sticky caramel rolls with pecan caramel sauce. And if you happen to need some mesclun mix, grape tomatoes, pasta, milk, olive oil, crackers or really good cheese, they have a large online market where you can buy produce and grocery or dairy products.
Just as they did at Thanksgiving, Lake & Co. will be preparing Christmas dinner for either pickup or delivery on Christmas Eve. This time, they’re offering dinner for two or four, with two choices: Beef Wellington with individual duchess potato and roasted balsamic vinaigrette, or Cornish game hens with the same sides. Soups and apps on the holiday menu are lobster bisque, baked brie with cranberry thyme and pecans, and peekytoe crab dip. For Christmas morning, try the brioche French toast.
Desserts will be cakes and cookies, including a gingerbread cake with holiday-spiced buttercream and cream cheese filling.
Treat yourself!
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