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The Italians Sandwiches at Sam’s in Dixfield are so popular that they sell bags of rolls and bottles of their special oil in the restaurants, as well as ship boxes of them all over the country.
dressing. And if you want to try making an Original Real Italian at home, Amato’s also sells its rolls, oil, and their signature pickles.
On a Roll, Way Up North
It doesn’t matter how far north on Maine’s west coast you wander, you’ll find an Italian sandwich. In Strat- ton, just 20 minutes from the Canadian border, you can get that Italian at Fotter’s Market & Hardware on Main Street. While you’re at this well-stocked market, you can also grab house paint, a new hammer, fresh produce, local meat, and wine, all in the same trip. Another family-owned business, open since 1935, Fot- ter’s serves as an anchor and outpost for both hardy locals, as well as travelers who venture to this sparsely populated expanse of the Carrabassett Valley. Located smack in the middle of the finest skiing and hiking
in the U.S., you can also get a mouth-watering Italian just the way you like it, made by Katie Rolbiecki, the niece of owner Ken Fotter.
The grab-n-go cooler at Fotter’s is always full of Ital- ians if you’re in a hurry, but I had time to watch Katie make my “regular Italian with everything,” meaning olives and SPO. I was happily surprised by colorful diced red onion, and neat waffle-cut dill chips. Nicely presented, it was just as tasty as could be. I decided
The Italians at Sam’s are filled with fresh veggies, meats and cheese, all topped with a special oil that is so often requested that they sell it in their restaurants and ship it across the nation.
to make it a true Maine meal, and added a side of Humpty Dumpty chips, a whoopie pie, and a Moxie. Try it – your life will never be the same!
Mark my words. You’ll be making these at home, and sending away for the ingredients. There is just some- thing about Italians that makes you crave them, even after just one try. Katie agreed. She says customers definitely take advantage of being able to get all the ingredients there in one place to make them at home. She tells of a good friend from Maine who lives in North Carolina now, who fights her homesickness by having a box of rolls and oil from Sam’s Italian Foods delivered to her every year.
Italian Paradise in Dixfield
Stephanie Law, general Manager of Sam’s Italian Foods on Route 2 in Dixfield, knows all about shipping ingredients all over the country. Many of their shipments go to military bases where Mainers are serving, or to people who have visited here, and just can’t get the right ingredients once back home. This newly-opened restaurant has a full menu of hot and cold Italian-style foods, but they sell rolls and their signature oil in bulk. Location manager Robin Alexander fields many of the calls: “A lot of people call begging me to ship Italians, or just the rolls and
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