At The Black Birch in Kittery, Maine, a pioneer of Kittery Foreside’s burgeoning restaurant scene, humble deviled eggs have been elevated to an art form. Sous chef Skye Bonney, 32, has reinvented the hors d’oeuvres, which changes with the seasonal menu, but always features three flavors ($3 a plate) that capture the essence of an entire dish in one sculptural, velvety bite.
There’s the Italian sub egg, where the yolk mixture includes onion, pickle, tomato, cherry pepper, and a potato chip topping. Other fillings, like sriracha with chopped peanuts, chipotle with cocoa, and celery with blue cheese, have been big hits. A recent trio featured sofrito with chorizo, spiced salt with popcorn, and sweet potato with toasted marshmallow, which is simultaneously sweet and salty, finishing with smoky, caramelized sugar.
Advertisement
The eggs are one of the most popular items on the menu. Bonney spends time brainstorming with the rest of the kitchen staff to invent new twists on the classic. Armed with a food processor and a mini blowtorch, she then takes full control of the preparation from start to finish. “It’s an inexpensive product, but it can be fun,” she says. Customers can’t seem to get enough. The Black Birch, 2 Government St., Kittery, Maine, 207-703-2294, www.theblackbirch.com
Recipe: