The Town of Mapleton is buzzing over a new gathering place.
Two weeks ago, the new Maple-Den began a soft opening that wasn’t so soft. From the beginning, folks have been filling the spot that once housed the Mapleton Diner.
(Courtesy of Terry Sandusky)
The new owners are Collin and Kirsten Darrell, who live in Mapleton. The Den is in a building that has been serving food and hospitality for 72 years and the Darrells are the 16th owners of the establishment. They are excited to see what they can do with a place with such a long history.
The eatery’s slogan is “Friends gather here,” according to Collin Darrell, who explained the Maple-Den is not merely a restaurant. They call it a den because they intend to create a welcoming atmosphere where folks can come and relax, in a place that reflects the nature and character of Mapleton.
The Darrells want the Den to celebrate the town and Aroostook County through the food that is served. Collin Darrell is committed to buying produce, meat and other cooking ingredients from County producers and farmers.
Among his first arrangements was to buy flour and eggs from the Maine Malt House and Buck Farms. With these, he’ll make dough to form into their homemade pasta.
The goal is for residents to celebrate where they live and for visitors to get a sense of the community.
On a recent day, Aroostook County lamb was being rendered down on the stove as the primary flavor in their Lamb Bolognese Pasta, which is featured on their first menu. The menu also includes beef and pork from Hatch Meat Processing, which is the only state inspected meat processing facility in Aroostook County.
Almost everything on the menu comes from the Aroostook County with a few exceptions of items that are not in season or in local production. Even the oil in the deep fryer has tallow from local beef.
Collin Darrell is working with Mapleton farmer Isaac Braley, who operates Arnold’s Farm Store and is part of a food distribution network in The County and farther south in Maine to make sure the Maple-Den has the highest quality in-season ingredients with which to prepare new and varied dishes.
Diners can eat fries made from Mapleton potatoes, trout dip made from MicMac Farms fish, pork fried rice made from County pork and even lemon lavender crème brulee with local lavender flowers.
One item on the menu is a carried over from their time in Hawaii: Loco Moco, which is a classic Hawaiian comfort food.
Collin Darrell pointed out that working with whatever is in season makes cooking easy, but on occasions this variety of produce can throw some curve balls. Right now there is a lot of rhubarb, so he pairs rhubarb with apples to make a rhubarb-apple crisp dessert. One of his first dishes was a pasta sauce made with beef cheeks. When combined with their homemade pasta, this dish was tasty and inexpensive for their diners.
Because of the seasonal nature of the foods grown, the Den’s menu will change to accommodate the changing variety of available products.
(Courtesy of Terry Sandusky)
Affordability is another key concern. While keeping their food real, delicious and local, they seek ways to keep the food affordable with low menu prices. He and Kirsten want their establishment to be a welcoming, enjoyable and affordable place so family, friends and neighbors can come together and have an enjoyable time.
The Darrells moved to Mapleton after living 14 years in Hawaii, where he worked in the food and hospitality industry. Their parents, Cathy and Chris Darrell and Jodi and Mac Browning, talked about how Collin’s and Kirsten’s careers led to where they are now.
Collin’s interest in food started at a young age. In the first grade, he started a food drive to help the homeless people in Philadelphia. Collecting food from the kids at his school, he and his brother continued their involvement in the drives for 15 years. The drives collected so much food that a large truck was needed to transport the food to the city’s distribution centers.
To fulfill his desire to build a career in the food and hospitality industry, he enrolled in the Walnut Hill College’s culinary arts program, which gave him a strong hands-on experience to be able to work in a professional kitchen or someday own his own restaurant. He worked hard and completed the four-year program in three years.
Kirsten’s parents said after she completed a physician assistant program, the couple decided to move to Hawaii, where they both worked in their chosen professions. After 14 years, they decided to move back to the mainland and Aroostook County, where Kirsten grew up and was crowned Miss Fort Fairfield in 1999. She now works at Pines Kimball Community Health Center in Fort Fairfield.
(Courtesy of Terry Sandusky)
Both want to give back to a community that has been so accepting and supportive of them from the moment they moved to Mapleton. With the opening of the Maple-Den, Collin is realizing his lifelong desire of owning his own food establishment.
The restaurant held its formal opening on June 22, when the Mapleton Daze Committee and the Central Aroostook Chamber of Commerce helped the Darrells celebrate a grand opening.
The Darrell’s are grateful for the community’s support during renovation and opening.
The Den is open from 3 to 9 p.m. Thursday through Saturday and from 3 to 7 p.m. Sunday. Sundays will feature a full meal; check their Facebook page to learn more.
Terry Sandusky is The County’s correspondent for Mapleton, Chapman and Castle Hill and can be reached at 764-4916 or at starherald.Tsandusky@gmail.com.
