34 p o r t l a n d monthly magazine Portland after dark meaghan maurice (3) “Wait, what? Nobody’s doing that around here anymore.” She was right in the sense that flam- bé was snuffed out decades ago. But didn’t flambe’s box-office bombing set the stage for its comeback? Now that the Recession is receding and comfort food has become a little too com- forting (read tame), people are looking for an excuse to dress up that isn’t just your second-best-friend’s mother’s college room- mate’s niece’s wedding. With the closure of Barnum and Bailey, bringing the show back to the dining room may be just the ticket. Turns out, restaura- teurs are beginning to step up to the plate. “Spotted–the Baked Alaska making a comeback in Toronto restaurants.” Or check out newsposto.com: “Baked Alaska [is] a retro dessert that’s making a come- back.” It’s the surprise of the summer. Sud- denly, everybody knew Baked Alaska be- fore it was hot. “It is said to have been in- spired by America’s purchase of Alaska in 1867,” newsposto opines. “Now nostalgia for this thermodynamically challenging pudding is making it popular again.” I remember as a young Naval Officer, you weren’t allowed to go out from a dining in until the Baked Alaska had sung. And so it goes now in Maine. Keeper of the Flame “W e serve Baked Alaska,” says Hugo Aguirre, who’s been at the White Barn Inn Re- lais and Bistro since July. “Especially on holidays. A lot of people come here for the classic dining experience. When they come, they do like to enjoy the presentation. They want to linger. They like to be entertained.” It’s a special occasion here every night, with flambé part of the pyrotechnics. “We also have two versions of the Ba- nanas Foster,” both well lit. “One is for the White Barn Bistro, our less formal restau- rant. It’s the classic Bananas Foster presen- tation. We take butter and sugar and sau- té it and burn banana liqueur and rum and flambé it. This is all tableside. It’s a conver- sation starter. It’s very popular. People love to take pictures, love to take video. Every- Nostalgia with a twist: Bananas Foster are flambéd then served on waffles at Crooners & Cocktails,where your drink may also come with added pyrotechnics [right]. “Now that comfort food has become a little too comforting (read tame), people are looking for an excuse to dress up and be attended to.”