It’s strawberry season in Maine, and for Meredith and I (and I’d bet anyone else familiar with this community cornerstone), that means one thing – homemade seasonal desserts at The Good Table in Cape Elizabeth. Almost four years ago to the day, Meredith and I shared our first dinner in Maine with her parents at The Good Table, and every year since, when the strawberries (and later, blueberries) come into season, The Good Table moves to the top of our list of places to eat.

Don’t get me wrong, we’d eat at The Good Table any day – their menu covers many bases from fresh local seafood, to “beef and bird”, to their tasty Greek dishes – but there’s something about a homemade piece of strawberry pie or cheesecake in a restaurant where you can practically smell the strawberries from their source at Maxwell’s Farm just across the street, that just can’t be beat.

On this visit, Meredith and I started with a Bacon Old Fashioned and a Strawberry Mojito. Typically, we’d place an order of the Irish-style Mussels to accompany the drinks, but we had come with an end goal in mind, and were saving room to get there. Meredith had the Salmon special (which I tasted and almost stole out from under her), and I had the Mixed Grill – a collection of barbecue ribs, grilled tips, and loukanico. Our meals were delicious as always, but our desserts were simply outstanding. As soon as we were seated, I had asked the waitress to set aside a piece of the strawberry pie and a piece of the strawberry cheesecake (I’ve learned from experience that a full dessert table at The Good Table is not an all-night thing), and as soon as we had finished the meal, we devoured our treats. There is something about the strawberries in the strawberry glaze pie that just seems unreal – it’s hard to explain, so I’d just recommend that you try it yourself.

Meredith and I were barely finished with our sugar coma that evening before we started counting down the days to blueberry season, though maybe we’ll be fortunate enough to squeeze in a few more visits before then.