 Hello, this is Roger Burley for Community Kitchens, and today I am standing in the kitchen of Patty and Cyrus Hagee in the east end of Portland overlooking beautiful Casco Bay. It's a spectacular winter afternoon and I have the honor of being with our special guest Ethan Stremling whom I would assume every one of you knows is the newly elected mayor of Portland. You've been in office for almost two months. Yeah, I don't see any blood. No, no wounds open wounds. No, not yet. No recall petitions as far as I've seen. Well, you never know about those. I'll get back to City Hall a little later today. We'll see. Yeah, okay. Well, I'm assuming that's not gonna happen for a few months. Anyway, all right. So Ethan a little bit about yourself You ain't one of the natives is yeah. No No, I was I've been in Maine for almost 30 years though So I grew up I was born in New York New York City grew up there mostly in Manhattan Right in Manhattan I was born on the Upper West Side and really grew up on the Lower West Side down in the Chelsea area and moved to Maine in about 1987 what brought you here? Well, I was on a path when I was in New York to be an actor I went to the High School of Performing Arts and then I went to the Juilliard School and my father was an actor did a Lot of downtown off-off Broadway stuff. So I grew up my grandmother was also an actress in the Midwest And at some point I just decided that this was not the path. I wanted to take any more. What made you decide that? You know, I've been in therapy for a long time You know, I think there was When you grow up in a certain world you say to yourself you do what you know And so, you know, the Sun becomes the mechanic because the father was the mechanic my father was an actor So I was becoming an actor. I seemed to have some talent for it So I was walking that path and at some point around age 19 or so I said, I'm not sure if this is my choice or if this is Something that I'm just doing because I know it and so I decided to step away and came up to Maine and Just disappeared for a year or so into the woods and what did you do in the woods? Well, I have some friends of mine lived up in Sedgwick outside. Oh, beautiful. That's not really in the woods It's down down east right on the water there to the lower west side of Manhattan But yeah, I was up in Sedgwick and I worked on his farm for a year I learned how to work on cars and garden and stuff like that and do some did some Building around the as you do in Maine You just kind of learn to do everything to keep things going and and then I went to the University of Maine about a year later You said I want to go back to school. Did my undergraduate. So you took a gap year gap summer I did two years of college then took a gap year Okay, the University of Maine in Orlando got my undergraduate up there And you have a graduate degree I do yes, I got my graduate degree at Harvard and education master's master's degree So yeah Wow, and so what have you done with your education degree? Well, I'm educating voters. Yes, but beyond that. Well, I am I ran a place called learning works, which used to be called Portland West and we Work with at-risk kids low-income families immigrants and refugees really trying to use education as a tool To help people build a more stable life low-income folks. So I did that for almost 20 years and loved it And you've left that job only to become mayor. I left that job only to become so you would probably still be there Yeah, I think I probably would I loved it very hard to leave. It was a bitter sweet moment You know, there's I think it's sort of like going off to college, you know You don't leaving home is hard, but you know you need to so it was time to move to Move to a new adventure. So sometimes moving on is not easy for many of us and so to have it a precipitating Event to move us in another direction. I don't think it's necessarily a bad thing. Yes That's in the circumstance changes. Change is good. So, yeah So all during this time you've had to do An activity on average three times a day and that is to eat Although my you know my trainer would say I need to eat five times a day a little snacks But yes, well, yeah, we all deal with that stuff, but if food tastes good, you keep eating it until it's too late so I Understand from a previous chat that that you are not a TV chef no out there with Amaral and Paula Dean and all those people that I really don't watch myself So have you been cooking for yourself from time to time or all the time? I Gotta gotta be honest. This is a little intimidating for me because cooking is not Is not my forte. I can make a bagel I can do that pretty well and I can usually make a bowl of spaghetti But I'm not much of a chef. Okay. I've seen you boil the water. Yes. I've actually said you do it Yes, I think I can I think I can boil a pot of water But I I've never both of my parents my parents split when they were very young and I was with my mother until I was about age 10 or 11 and She would cook but she was going to graduate school trying to raise two of us Didn't have a whole lot of resources. So so never really taught me to cook but I watched okay Well, that's that's part of it and So I think you're gonna prepare a dish that was your mother's recipe. Yeah, tell us a little bit about it before we get going Yeah, this is a recipe that she actually pulled together with a bunch of other graduate students I think it was very inexpensive and she could cook a lot of it So feed us for a couple of days my brother and me and it's tuna fish casserole And this is her handwriting. This is her handwriting exactly. Yeah, and this is for the archives Yeah, this is for the archives for sure. Is your mother still alive? She is a professor out at UCLA. Oh, yeah So hopefully you'll watch the show. Yeah, hopefully we'll do her recipe justice Absolutely, of course, we will I hope so you will and I'll I'll be the sous chef for you More than that because I'm definitely let's start with the your skill at boiling water. Yeah, how much I can do Okay, we'll start with that. So you you mentioned Yes your acting skills Have you seen? Either through your learning works board of trustees or with your fellow city counselors sort of fellow city counselors Yeah Do you think the skills that you learn served you well at times? Yeah, no doubt about it You know that I think one of the best things in terms of the best actors or the best theater schools are really trying to Help you get in touch with yourself because if you're gonna try to be somebody else on stage You really need to know that that all has to come from you So you build a lot of confidence in terms of who you are and what it is that you want to Achieve and so I learned a lot of that through theater, but also learn to Stand in front of a group and talk and be willing to That's a huge thing is to stand up there and be confident that you're whether you win or lose a discussion Yeah, but you're ready to talk up to talk it. So let's yeah get this. That's not here. I Think some of it too is in the in the theater with me. You also have to learn to take risks As an actor you've got to be willing to every every night right every night And you've got to be willing to be vulnerable and I think that helps you connect with people in a way That's important in politics, you know, if you're not I love this meal I mean this is and I bought all these ingredients to come here. It's probably about ten bucks Yeah for the entire and that's really important to know if there's someone looking for some counsel on this Yeah So absolutely a good taste for for a little money Especially for kids that's always especially for kids. Do you have any kids? No, we never had kids Cats cats. Oh, I think given a chance. They probably go right at it Just leave it out on a little counter. That's true or any counter for a cat. Yeah. Well, one of my cats actually has Diabetes so he eats all the time. That's good diabetes. Yeah. We have to get a shot every day. It's very boy It's very sad, but he's doing well, but he gets very hungry. So so we have to try to keep food away from him So can you give me a couple of sentences on your experience of the first seven weeks in City Hall? You know, yeah, Rod brush it's been You know, what I've been saying to people is that I I'm I kind of I'm letting the job come to me as opposed To sort of going after it and that's been healthy for me because usually I'd be right in there and trying to save the world by Tuesday and Instead I'm really, you know, I've anybody who wants to meet with me. I've set up a meeting with them I've been spending a lot of time with the City Councilors So I can understand what it is they're looking for as the year goes on and we can have good communication and Probably the most important relationship is with the city manager And so the two of us have been getting to know each other and going out to lunch and really just trying to meet on a Regular basis so that we're that sounds like a good idea I think that in the very first four-year term of the elected mayor I think there was a bunch of Trying to figure out what the heck was going on and who's going to do what and what kind of approval and and and what kind of Billing a constituent base for a particular project or line of endeavor I think Mike in some ways had to struggle through that because it was the first time and I'm certainly learning from what he did Well and where maybe he could have done better. Yeah, and also Maybe in everyone's defense the manager's position wasn't stable During that time period yes at all and so I've met the new manager John Jennings And I think highly of them so far and You're kind of coming in within the same six months of each other and as you just said you've been out to lunch and coffee with I'm in and so that you're not at opposite ends of the building Loving grand hand grenades at each other actually moved to the mayor's office a little closer to his office Right in the same section and that actually I think is helping quite a bit in terms of communication So there's much more wonderful interaction just on a regular basis. Yeah, well speaking of communications Here you knew newest chum is the governor. Yeah. Oh, yeah, we're good buds. We're good. Have you checked with Justin? You learn from him The governor and I Actually have had a decent relationship because of learning works He he was always very supportive of our work because we would work with at-risk kids He was an at-risk kid and we were very outcome oriented so very much based on metrics And and he invested hundreds of thousands of dollars into learning works came down a number of times We'll talk to the kids about his own experience listen to their so be valuable. Yeah, it really was listen to the governor saying I was in the same place you were well and for a kid to see Like you said for a kid to see somebody who was homeless whose father was an alcoholic Who had almost dropped out of school to now be governor? That's an invaluable experience whatever your politics are an invaluable experience So he did that so you know, I mean the governor and I ideologically could not be further apart And there's probably about 2% that we really agree on but in that 2% we found a connection and I Went up I met with him had had lunch brought a little bottle of wine. We enjoyed a bottle of Cabernet and It was really good. Isn't he all the office? Wasn't the old plane house in the plane house? We did yes, we had lunch in the plane house and he You know what we sort of committed to each other is we're just not going to do battle in the newspapers We're gonna disagree and actually within you know my second week a week after we had met He called me about some issue that was going on with the department of labor I got a little press around minimum wage and he said just want to give you a heads up This is coming. Let me know what I can do to help and so we're trying to wrestle it to the ground And we'll see so hopefully it'll be a different relationship What we'll see yeah, well a lot of work to do for good. It's it ain't easy Portland's always had a tough slug in Augusta and you should know because you were a state senator for how long six years And how are you how was that experience almost there with the noodles okay, how how is that former experience playing out with your interaction with with the council with Everybody constituents, you know, it's very interesting with the council. There's definitely this There are a few things up in the legislature that I've said to the council how come we don't do it that way Because it's very different right so I'm used to a certain way for instance You know how bills get referred to committees and there definitely is a real difference and they're and there needs to be a Difference and so a lot of counselors for sure like well that may be how you do it in Augusta But that's not how we do it here and here's why yeah So I've had a quite a learning curve to make sure I don't try to just impose what Augusta does On the city and you've got some counselors who have been sitting there for a couple of decades Yeah, Nick Mabadon has been there for a long time Jill do so. Yeah, so yeah, actually we have a good mix right now We six of the current counselors Including including me in the mayor's seat It's in we're within their first term. Well, I think that's a lot of people in the city of Portland We'll think that's probably a really good thing. Yeah, I have my hats off to anyone who does that job for one three-year term, let alone six or eight three-year terms, I mean It's it's labor love or Just a passion that they take on you all take on to do this the work of the public I actually love the campaigning side of it because it's a great opportunity to shut this off I think great opportunity to get to know people so let's use this so let's bring Let's bring that over to the this is the one part that I know, okay making a pot of pasta And then straining it Well done. Thank you Very proud of myself the recipe calls for all these things right here, and what do you think should go in there next? That's a question What about the eggs yeah, okay, I think I saw all right, so we're gonna go to appeal one more egg Good just chop it up start chopping and I don't think there's any diagram to follow just I do it that way and then go the other way Perfect Yeah, it's good right there pick up the this and just dump it right now. I'd like to do that. It keeps it off the floor My experience yeah, so you've been cooking for like 50 years. Oh At least 50 years a good buddy of mine started cooking when you were six which worked for the Appalachian Mountain Club in New Hampshire He said you know what we drink we we cook and we drink beer while we cook and I was 18 And so that was where it started and he was a great cook He was fearless and I learned to be fearless and then my dad Was a good cook, but he let my mom who was also a good cook very conservative but when we would come from Massachusetts or I spent the winters up to Casca Bay Uncle Phylan and often It would be with him and particularly in the off-season and so we'd be Batching it you know and so we did it together. It was great fun I have that great memory of doing that with my dad the when I told you earlier that I've been up in Yep My friend up there that I lived with was a chef actually never really taught me to cook He was a chef in the South Pole for a year. Wow. Am I supposed to mix this up? That's good enough for now Okay, yeah, we'll keep doing that now. What I got the onion now watch the blood, you know It's a sort of beef dish. You could bury the blood no one would notice, but this is a white dish What does that mean watch the blood you mean from my fingers? Yeah, I cut my finger If you've got a dark dish, it's fine, but you know a white dish it doesn't sell very well I'd say won't down once down the middle. That's it. That's nice. I like them bigger rather than smaller Okay, I need to take that part out. No, it's fine. I'll do it a few whatever you're comfortable. We're gonna eat it I'm fine with it. All right. We'll take those little things out. All right. That's enough and yeah in there and Do that and then the other half Just a little old-age just like me Okay, so this is fun, I'm not a member of What is it garbage to garden, but they are yeah, so the haggies are and so it's fun to not have not have it sit not putting it in the Just dispose all All right chunk it in That's good now An important element at the tuna. Yep, and here You break that up a little bit with a fork. I think I get it all go for it. Never hell All right, so Do you have folks that you work within the Senate up there that you will be hopefully getting some Guidance from or alliances built sure today's legislature Yes, certainly. I'm I'm still a good friend that you know in the legislature a lot of people stay there for a long time So a few of my colleagues from my Senate days are still there and I've certainly built relationships Between all of this I was doing some political commentary on TV and on radio So oh you were doing it with Phil Harrowman. I was yeah, that was fun. I really enjoyed that. Thank you Yeah, very much enjoyed that. All right. Let's see a great guy. Okay All right, so let's get that let's get into the liquid here So I think the rest of the calls for what two cups Well, it calls for two cups of water, but my mother said if we use milk We don't need to use she my mother used powdered milk. Oh, I remember that. Oh, it's not a happy memory Yeah, I grew up with that So I'm gonna pour two cups Then she said okay or two she said that I want one of each Oh say one cup of milk and one cup of water or we want to do it No, no too good you know better we can do two cups of milk Whatever you yeah, let's do two cups of milk. All right if we got two cups of money water was relatively free Look this little perfect thing holds two cups of water. Okay, so I think this can go in there next Let her rip. Okay, and then I suggest the old standby cream of mushroom soup Is this a standby for casserole or something? Well, I think that's the way people start out making you know Casseroles and so later on a lot of emphasis on fresh ingredients individually every single thing in this can or a lot most of it would Be bought separately at farmers market like we got in Monument Square. What a great thing that is All right, and now for flavor Yes stripper and so you told me what I do here is the wrong direction Yeah, just anyway. Yeah, there you go Roast Mary so so this is the first time I need to tell you just the first time I've ever made this meal Okay, I mean I don't cook very much anything, but this is for something that I have probably eaten more of in my life than anything else Maybe maybe spaghetti maybe. All right. Well, this is it's pasta. So that's it is We would have spaghetti with like some kind of canned sauce or something Okay, so how much are these beans that we want one or two cups? She says so let's just go half way They're gonna be cooking the casserole dish All right, let's dump them in. Yep. You have so much confidence. I'm like So it makes me very whenever I did there's this thing called blue apron. Have you ever heard of that? You were talking about a set of ingredients and I get all the fun out of it I don't have no interest in that whatsoever. Okay. It's cooking for dummies Are there so the whole world divided world of Portland divided into two parts the east down in the west end Yeah, pretty much in downtown divided in three parts. Okay Parkside every neighborhood. What we're all very well connected. So that's that's a good thing. Okay I think you should I'll just dig in just make my doing here with your hands with your hands Okay, you're gonna blend it together and then I'm gonna suggest we add some Just go for some of it's hot some of it's icy cold. Yeah, that's weird. Yeah. Oh boy. You're getting there And you got to get the soup and the milk spread through the whole thing for the whole thing Well, the milk's kind of sitting at the bottom, but well just keep going at it I know keep coming up and this will help with that the cheese So if you don't mind, I'm gonna put in a please do carefully measured amount of cheese Which is the way I cook All right, not a not an ounce or more or an ounce less Now that'll take care of the milk. Oh, that's looking Looking good. Ah, now you see you're gonna see I'm trying so hard. That's good I'm gonna bring it. I don't want to get to Patty and Cyrus is Bad luck. Yeah, exactly All right. So here we are. I think you're Wow. I think you're there Seems like you're right the milk got absorbed right in I didn't think that was gonna happen Okay, but now what just ding it in there. Just put it in. Yep so this is actually looking really good and There's some pepper. We're gonna How we should have done that earlier, but you do it on top and maybe you can Swizzle it around a little bit and There's some salt right over there that I see so I'm not a big fan of adding salt, but we're doing this according to your mother's recipe more or less Well, the you'll be pleased the mushroom soup I got was full of sodium. No, no, I got the low sodium I got I got half sodium. That's what I do Real real grinder. That's that's a good thing. I Never had salt. I had So much pepper that I think someday the newspaper headlines are gonna come out saying pepper is really bad for you Okay Should I mix it in there? Yeah, yeah Put some salt scatter a little little tiny bit of salt over because in your mother's oh That's way too much too much. I'm just kidding Too much for me. Do you want me to mix it? Yeah a little bit. That's here. That's right here just a little So let's let's put this in the oven Okay, so I'm as your sous chef. So I do that you want to open the oven door You know, you know what the oven was okay, okay, so now we wait about 20 25 minutes and Then we enjoy that's gonna be good. There's anything left There you go Well Ethan this is smelling pretty good here in the oven and so I think it's time my first time ever. All right, let's do it Yeah, you do those Looks just right a little golden. Oh, it's perfect All right, let's go over to the counter over here and let it kind of breathe for a moment That looks great You bet it does I like that. I like I'm glad you were here to help The just a little touch of brown on the top of it. So that's good Okay, let's just count to five and then take it to the table and enjoy eating it. I think that's the Eating is the best part of the best part Well, Ethan it not only smell good enough to take out of the oven, but it sure looks just about right So Let's see what you got here. You want to serve or something? No, I don't use your service your creation Probably got you on the wrong side It was just lunchtime so to two spoonfuls I think that's that's not for you. Yep Oh Closer gets to me. It smells just a lot the way it's supposed to smell So so you said you might actually take this to your city council meeting tonight Yeah, I'll take a few points. Yeah, see if I can you know, maybe the secretaries might yeah Who runs the place anyway? Well, I'm gonna I'm gonna let mine cool down a little bit because I got a very tender mouth at least Food wise temperature wise, but I can't do it yet So I'm interested to see if you survive the first bite Hmm Satisfied yeah, we've been Acquainted or colleagues or friends for for quite a while now and how the heck are you going to To aim yourself Well, we have a few very pressing issues and those are half to sort of come First but I think they relate to conservation for sure But our most immediate crises are around housing just when there's not enough housing out there for Especially working-class folks in the city that there's a tremendous affordability gap Which basically means it costs you about five hundred dollars a month more than you earn To rent an apartment in the city of Portland, and that's unsustainable So we have to confront that housing crisis another is wages We really have to try to help people earn more money in the city that would help with the affordability gap But setting minimum wages what a what a turf war that is Which what's your take on it? I'm very supportive. I'm glad that the city of Portland Raised the minimum wage of 1010 Michael Brennan was a leader in that and there's going to be a statewide referendum And I hope that passes that'll set the wage at $12 an hour in Portland won't be an outlier So those are both very important, you know, I really hope that people are able to enjoy the culture of Portland Our diversity is just remarkable in it and it feeds our economy and our culture in so many ways from restaurants to To galleries to just wonderful just across the board to the languages that are spoken in our schools So I always encourage folks get to know somebody who's different than you so mayor Ethan Stremling a longtime friend and colleague and fellow resident of Portland, I thank you for Being in the kitchen. Thank you Hague's kitchen today with me and with the community kitchens on channel five Thank you