CONNECTICUT
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The Other Connecticut
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CO N N E CTI CUT ISSUE 5
WINTER 2019
Let’s Eat The Mansion at Bald HILL
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Connecticut East is published by Global Design & Publishing, LLC, a local agency operating in Connecticut for over twenty years. Owned by husband/wife team, Jim and Kelly Tourtellotte, life-long residents of northeastern Connecticut, Global Design is Connecticut-grown!
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CONNECTICUTEAST – featuring all things east of the Connecticut River. We are ‘the other Connecticut.’
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Recent state funding cuts have slashed Connecticut’s tourism/marketing budget therefore, fewer publications are being produced at the state level. The good news is that Global Design does not rely on state funding, we are private and we are local. We enjoy traveling throughout New England and find that Eastern Connecticut is easily overlooked for a day trip or overnight. Eastern Connecticut has more to offer than first meets the eye, and we intend to tell our readers all about it. We want our audience to explore the region’s natural resources, awaken senses with arts & culture, savor outstanding culinary experiences, and treasure new favorite places. Connecticut East covers Windham, Tolland, Mystic and New London counties, plus attractions close enough for a day trip or overnight. Connecticut East is designed to serve adventurous consumers interested in local attractions, exceptional dining–from pub-fare to upscale–comfy accommodations, exciting entertainment, unique business and personal services, art events, seasonal happenings, outdoor adventures, Connecticut grown and a whole lot more! Connecticut East is published twice a year with a Winter issue and a Summer issue. 15,000+ copies are distributed free to businesses throughout eastern Connecticut and beyond. We want to personally thank the businesses who support Connecticut East and remind our readers to shop local! We hope you enjoy, Jim & Kelly Tourtellotte
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Photo by Winter Caplanson
Featured in this Issue: 4-7
Three Restaurants Offer Country
Elegance with a Twist, Northeastern CT
9-11 Incredible, Edible Willimantic, Eastern CT 12-13 Sift Bake Shop, Mystic CT 14-18 Green Valley Hospitality Restaurant Group, Eastern CT 19 Music at the Vanilla Bean Café, Northeastern CT 20-21 Sip Your Way Through Eastern Connecticut, Eastern CT
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Copyright ©2019, Global Design & Publishing, LLC. Any reproduction without our written permission is prohibited. Design: Jim Tourtellotte Cover Photo: The Mansion at Bald Hill Advertising and Media Contact: Kelly Tourtellotte, 860-963-0414. Writers: Cris Cadiz, Caroline Sloat and Nancy P. Weiss, all local residents of northeastern Connecticut. CONNECT IC UT E A S T 3 Printing provided by 101 Business Solutions, Brooklyn, CT
Three Restaurants Offer Country Elegance with a Twist in the Quiet Corner NANC Y P. WEISS
Once dotted by stage coach inns where Revolutionary War heroes slaked their thirst, the northeast corner has a long tradition of offering food and hospitality to visitors. Local residents enjoy meeting friends and celebrating important occasions, while dining on fine food amid eye-catching décor at a number of area restaurants and inns. Although the area is largely rural, it features a variety of choices in style, price and menu selections.
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hree restaurants characterize the energy and variety the area has long celebrated. Two are new to the scene – Elizabeth’s Farmhouse in Putnam opened less than two years ago. Anya in Thompson started in business in the summer of 2018. The Mansion at Bald Hill is the dowager in the group with nearly 11 years in business at a lovely restored property. Three years ago the Mansion expanded in a grand way with the addition of a new building, the stateof-the-art Banquet Center that hosts major social events and elegant weddings nearly every weekend. Anya, located on 17 rolling acres in Thompson, came into being as part vision and part legacy. It was created by Ken Loiselle and Kelly Jones, both long-term residents of the area. The owners have dined in many area restaurants and appreciate the skill and hard work it takes to run them. From their own travels they devel-
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oped a vision of of the food, drink and décor they enjoyed and wanted to bring to the area. They wanted to create a place where local people could enjoy food and wine in beautiful surroundings. They also want to draw new visitors to the area through Anya’s unique offerings. Step inside Anya and be dazzled first by the décor. From elegant wall treatments in shades of cool gray and white to deep banquettes reminiscent of glamorous Hollywood movies to sparkling chandeliers, it is hard to know where to look next. The bar area, which includes a white quartz bar lighted from below, is sophisticated, but welcoming. The scale is big, but the feeling is warm, and the staff are eager to please. Chef John Medonis came to Anya from the busy restaurant scene in West Hartford. He grew up in Hartford, but was always drawn to a family farm in the Litchfield are. Northeastern Connecticut offers him access
to farm fresh items as well as easy access to seafood, which has become one of the biggest selling items on the menu at Anya. “I love the unlimited possibilities for growth in being a chef. I try to make everything in house and I try to use food as a way to elevate the experiences of the people who dine with us. There is no one path here. You can come and stay here for three hours
tasting many courses and wines, or you can do something less complicated. My push is for people to enjoy themselves and have fun,” Chef Medonis said. The menu at Anya reflects seasonal influences and acknowledges the drive of the owners and the staff to offer fine quality food in new ways. With a kitchen brimming with the latest equipment, Chef Medonis and his staff can roast in a 1000-degree oven, cold smoke, hydrate as well as bake to timed perfection. An expresso machine burbles into action at the touch of a button,
chef ’s tables with locally grown food, supporting local charities and evolving the idea of a progressive restaurant in a rural area that dazzles the eye and the palate. Elizabeth’s Farmhouse was an overnight success. From the moment owner Heidi Hoenig Bouchard opened the door to the quirky, charming restaurant in the middle of an industrial area on a side street in Putnam, there has been a steady stream of customers. Diners line up to enjoy the cuisine, the ambiance and the chance to meet old friends or make new ones while rubbing elbows at the small bar or from one of the 40 seats in the dining room. Elizabeth’s Farmhouse, named for Heidi’s grandmother, is the expression of the taste and passion for food and hospitality she developed as a child growing up around her high energy family, who own
and operate the Thompson Speedway and the Speedway Restaurant. After stints in Providence and with a high-end special events and catering operation near Boston, Bouchard wanted her own place, where she could serve family recipes, such as meatloaf and mashed potatoes with rich, satisfying gravy to innovative salads served in deep wooden bowls. As both a decorator and a
pouring out tasty drinks using Ben’s Beans, a Putnam based coffee roaster. Nutcracker ornaments will add a note of magic to the holiday season. Anya is large enough for holiday parties, family dinners and casual times with friends seated around the chic white bar. Plans for the future include wine dinners, CONNEC T IC UT E A S T
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chef, she sewed the curtains and cushions that change seasonally, while keeping an eye on what customers want and where she sees the restaurant headed. On a warm fall day, her mind was filled with thoughts of the white décor, from pine cones to (artificial) fur that will transform the place during the holidays. “I love serving good, attractive food in new ways. With the addition of a catering kitchen, we will be able to offer more ambitious items and work with private parties off site. I want to make beautiful, creative food for special occasions for people who want quality. With the addition of a new dining room, we will add seating for 24 more people and be able to take reservations for that area. I also plan to grow and refine some of our offerings at the bar, especially by adding quality bourbon,” she said with a laugh and a toss of her head. Elizabeth’s Farmhouse fall and winter menu will include braised items and a dash of French cassoulets and coq au vin as well as reinventing classic cocktails such as the old fashioned whiskey sour. Four new ovens will also brim with new desserts. The ambiance 6
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is welcoming and warm. Elizabeth’s Farmhouse is a restaurant that serves consistently delicious food with an eye toward creating a dining experience that fills a niche. Janet Waterman, General Manager and Events Coordinator at The Mansion at Bald Hill, and chefs Joel Theriaque and Scott Plantier first worked together under the tutelage of chef and teacher Peter Cooper. Nearly 11 years ago they set out on their own to operate a restaurant and inn in a renovated 19th century mansion in Woodstock. The developed a menu with New England style ambiance and soon became a favorite of regular diners as well as the chosen spot for special occasions, including a surprising number of marriage proposals. Weddings were held under tents on the rolling lawn.
“Being in the Quiet Corner, you have to be able to satisfy a diverse group of people. Versatility is key. We are known as a special occasion place as well as a place where you can feel at home. Diners come after a round of golf and families come for celebrations. Brunch is a very popular time for us. Patrons dine and see the facility and
modern Banquet Center at the Mansion, there is something for everyone. Each one has its own creative spark and each offers quality, carefully prepared food. There is enough to keep anyone content and satisfied during the cozy months of winter.
that attracts more business. We host proms, retirement parties, reunions and on many weekend, weddings,” said Janet. The wedding business expanded exponentially when Joseph Carlone, owner of the facility, built the Banquet Center more than three years ago. With a capacity of 275 people for a cocktail party and 220 for a wedding or seated dinner, the new building, with an attractive open plan decorated in neutral tones, is a popular choice for many events. As the wedding planner, Janet Waterman works with couples to capture the style they dream of. She offers similar assistance with other celebrations such as showers and anniversaries. From December to April the Mansion offers three course wine dinners from Tuesday to Thursday at a cost of $32 for 2 glasses of wine and a three course meal. In February and March, they host a wedding expo and wedding tasting events. Three different restaurants. Three different ways to enjoy quality food in northeastern Connecticut. From the new, dazzling décor of Anya in Thompson to the warm ambiance of Elizabeth’s Farmhouse to the elegant Mansion at Bald Hill and the
Anya • 860-315-5959 www.Anya-dining.com Elizabeth’s Farmhouse • 860-928-2200 www.elizabethsfarmhouse.com Mansion at Bald Hill • 860-974-3456 www.mansionatbaldhill.com
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Photo by Winter Caplanson
Incredible, Edible Willimantic Sometimes you have to travel if you care about food. I don’t mean just to fill your belly but to savor a unique experience. It’s usually worth it to shift your comfort zone and explore. Willimantic is not halfway across the world, although to some people the depths of eastern Connecticut seem like a world away. My advice? Don your Anthony Bourdain-attitude and check out the moveable feast in downtown Willimantic! BY CRIS CADIZ
“W
illimantic is the kind of town that anyone with a drea can pursue it and succeed,” says Jean de Smet, longtime Willimantic resident and cheerleader. She has served her community as everything from Windham’s First Selectman to member of local boards, such as Willimantic Renaissance Inc., which produces events such as the popular Third Thursdays street festival. “From east to west, the restaurants are locally owned, authentic, ethnic, and serve quality food,” she says. “These are mom’s recipes. The owner will wait your table and then go cook your order. Really!” Like many old mill towns, Willimantic has seen tough economic times. It is also a revitalization success story. Willimantic has a thriving dining scene due to the many small, family-owned businesses whose love for good food is genuine and willingness to work hard to serve it is crystal clear.
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Willimantic Brewing Company (willibrew.com) and Cafémantic (cafemantic. com) anchor the downtown food scene. They could be considered responsible for the town’s food success story. These popular full-service restaurants are very different but both are devoted to a great experience. Both were built by the owners/founders from the ground up, with not much more to get start-
Photo courtesy of Willibrew
ed than passion, sweat equity, good business instincts, and love of their particular style of food and drink. David Wollner founded the Willimantic Brewing Company & Main Street Café (locally known as Willibrew) in 1991 as a coffee and sandwich shop. Today it is a popular brew pub (one of the first craft breweries in the state) that attracts people for its food, beer and unique historic setting. Located in a stately granite 1909 former post office building, Willi Brew serves tasty pub food plus an extensive selection of American and other local beers. They also feature a seven-barrel brewery where Dave, a highly respected master brewer, crafts their own beers. Dave calls Willibrew “a food destination… providing a flavorful twist on American food in a menu that appeals to almost any taste.” One of the largest restaurants on Main Street, Willibrew offers a boisterous pub, a quieter dining room and season-
al outdoor patio. A diverse, casual menu features nachos, burgers, salads, wings, and sandwiches plus daily specials, seasonal offerings and choices for those with dietary restrictions. Cafémantic is located just across Main Street from Willibrew. According to owner Andrew Gutt, Cafémantic is a “neighborhood restaurant.” At first, I think he means that, while it is the most upscale venue in the area, everybody feels welcome there. Cafémantic is comfortable, yet stylish, and its quality of cuisine rivals any of the swank eateries in West Hartford Center or Glastonbury. “We specialize in small, shareable plates and a seasonally driven menu,” says Andrew. “Our chef, Jonathan Hudak, produces the
Photo by Winter Caplanson
As we talk, I realize Cafémantic literally supports the neighborhood in many ways. Not just by employing locals, but by sourcing as much food as they can from area farms and producers—which from March to October, is a lot! Andrew says they are “hyperlocal” which is much more meaningful to him than the trendy “farm-to-table” label. Anyone can put some local products on a menu and call themselves farm to table. Being hyperlocal means building intimate relationships with local food sources, to the
extent of helping area farmers choose what to plant for next season’s crops. Cafémantic’s cuisine is dynamic and chef-driven. “We print our menus every single day,” Andrew says. “That gives us carte blanche to respond to what’s available very fast. It makes the most sense and it makes a local economy work.” And it’s not just produce. Cafémantic gets their seafood from the local fish market; they source bread, cheese and meat from eastern Connecticut farms and producers. “We’ve been doing this for
Celebrate life’s events with the friendly staff and delicious food at the Greek!
Photo by Winter Caplanson
menu and does the culinary development. He understands tastes and the restaurant experience at a very acute level.” With a menu “…ingeniously conceived and deftly executed” (The New York Times), Cafémantic serves lunch, dinner and Sunday Brunch. It also offers numerous events throughout the year, such as a Street Food Festival, “Sunset Session” music nights on their outdoor patio, and winter cooking classes called Food Lab. Dinner menu items might include such treats as Roasted Bacon Wrapped Dates, Marinated Cloverleigh Farm Beets, Wild Foraged Mushroom Toasts, Stonington Sea Scallops, and Lamb Meatballs. Their off-site catering company, A Moveable Feast (www.ctfeast.com), is a huge success.
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Sunday - Thursday 11am-9pm Friday - Saturday 11am-10pm Later hours available for the lounge
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Photo by Winter Caplanson
about 5 years and there’s no other way to do it.” Cafémantic will celebrate its 10th anniversary this November. “Our story opened in 2010. I was 24 years old and had just graduated from ECSU,” recalls Andrew. “We were a coffee shop with extremely humble roots. We got the timing really right, while Main Street was begging for something new. I think we helped get the ball rolling in Willimantic by setting a precedent. I dove into this head first and stuck with it.” Andrew admits Willimantic can be a hard area for a restaurant business, but it also has many advantages. “Many places in Mystic opened with $600K capital, but I opened with a sixth of that,” he says. “You
can do that here. You can’t do that west of the Connecticut River. The barriers to entry are impossible, from absurd rents to having to compete in a saturated market. We get to play by our own rules here. The places here that get it right all started on the ground floor, with humble beginnings.” Andrew truly appreciates the authenticity of Willimantic’s restaurants and business atmosphere. I don’t think he’s going anywhere else soon. The success of WilliBrew and Cafémantic has helped pave the way for other restaurants to fill in the gaps. The more the merrier, according to Wollner, who says, “We have seen many new restaurants pop up and honestly that has improved our business. The more options for diners the more chances they will come to Willimantic. We have a diverse community which emotes our cultural flavors. I look forward to more options for my own dining. From breakfast to brunch to afternoon cupcakes Willimantic has what you’re craving!” Willimantic is one of Connecticut’s many vintage mill towns located on prominent rivers that powered the industry in its heyday. Known as Thread City for its massive granite thread mills—some of which have been beautifully renovated--Willimantic drew immigrants from around the world to work there. Today, their legacy lives on in language, culture and food. “If you are looking for real authentic flavors and a home cooked feel, Willimantic offers you handmade tortillas and great Mexican food at Tacos La Rosa, great curry goat or chicken at Jamaican me Crazy, gourmet cupcakes at A Cupcake for Later, fresh made
Photo by Winter Caplanson
Puerto Rican style breads & desserts at the Pan de Sinai Bakery and the best Puerto Rican home cooked treats at Garo’s Place and Latin Flavor ... all within walking distance of each other on Main Street,” says George (Jorge) Hernandez, who has also served on many local boards, including his current position at the NCCDC (Northeastern CT Community Development Corporation). Cheryl Preston opened A Cupcake for Later (www.acupcakeforlater.com) six years ago after being disillusioned by the 9-5 working world and following her bliss into baking. Now she works longer hours and misses her benefits, but loves what she does. The shop features a pastel motif with
Photo by Winter Caplanson
Photo courtesy of Willibrew
cupcake border, lots of homey knick-knacks and a box of picture books for kids. It feels and smells like grandma’s kitchen. Sweet and delicious. “Willimantic—my home town--is a great little town. There’s a lot going on and we have a lot of unique food. We wanted to bring something back to Main Street, which is starting to flourish again, and we wanted to jump on board.” You can’t exit Cheryl’s shop without tasting or taking home at least one of her jumbo cupcakes in eleven daily flavors. I walked out with a pink box of three: salted caramel chocolate, strawberry rhubarb with
whipped cream frosting and a vegan cupcake (no dairy and so tasty!). Cheryl is proud to offer fresh frostings and fillings; everything is made from scratch and never frozen. A big part of her business is catering life’s celebrations with hand-decorated cakes, exclusively made to order. You can also find A Cupcake for Later at the Winter Farmer’s Market in Coventry from November to March. Sarah Curtis, owner of Not Only Juice (NOJ) (www.notonlyjuice.com) had always wanted to work for herself. Although she was a passionate home cook who often “used cooking as a form of creative expression and stress relief,” she never expected to open a restaurant. But five years ago, she knew that she “had to take a leap of faith and bet on myself” and she quit her full-time job. Friends and family encouraged her to write about food and publish recipes. “That doesn’t really work with my style of intuitive recipe development. I’m hard pressed to remember to write anything down.” Sarah initially thought to open NOJ in Storrs, her hometown. “However, in the food
Photo by Sarah Cook Curtis
business, there are so many barriers to entry and those had increased with the development of Storrs Downtown. I just happened to drive by an empty space on Main Street in Willimantic. I was transfixed by the brick wall. I could see my vision occupying that space because aside from that beautiful brick wall it was a blank canvas.” Creative at heart, Sarah’s juices and smoothies are “magic from the blender” concoctions of fresh fruit and berries, chocolate, nut milks, and vegan protein, including chia and hemp seeds. Hearty sandwiches on rustic bread or bagels are called “handholds” and served on thin slabs of reclaimed wood with petite side dishes of zippy coleslaw or kale salad in jelly jars. “Why Willimantic? Why not?” says Sarah. “Willimantic got a bad rap in the 80s and 90s but it has a thriving arts, music, and cultural scene and a community that has been dedicated for decades to changing that narrative. I never doubted Willimantic.”
try authentic Caribbean food at Jamaican Me Crazy, or sweet and savory crepes with a glass of wine or cocktail at The Fermented Crêpe. For fresh, authentic Mexican, Tacos la Rosa, Tostadas, and Cinco de Mayo are just a few options. “Willimantic is on the edge of a renaissance,” says Sarah. “We have some of the most creative people pushing boundaries in food, like Chef Hudak at Cafémantic. But we also have flagship standards like the Willimantic Brewery, Tacos la Rosa, and The Harp. We have cute, quirky little spots for pizza like Conto Lino’s food truck and Maria’s Garden Pleasant Street Pizza. It is exciting to think about all that’s here but even more exciting with the addition of the Shaboo Stage in Jillson Square [which now features live entertainment on an outdoor stage]. For those who like to know about places before they become popular destinations, head to Willimantic now because people are just figuring out that we’re on the map.” For more information on visiting and tasting the flavors of Willimantic, visit www.willimanticdowntown.org and www.facebook.com/WillimanticDowntown.
Photo by Sarah Cook Curtis
Located in the home of Eastern Connecticut State University (and nearby UConn in Storrs), NOJ attracts the college crowd as well as locals and others who will travel for good vegetarian food. “NOJ fills a market need for a locally owned, locally sourced vegetarian restaurant,” says Sarah. “What we add to that is a sense of true community. Everyone who works at NOJ is truly invested in the well-being and growth of NOJ and in the well-being and growth of each other. We know that what we are doing here is not for everyone and that’s fine and very liberating.” There are so many tastes to explore in Willimantic within a walkable downtown area with lots of free public parking. Harp on Church is an authentic Irish pub, popular for both tasty food and drinks. Grounded Coffee Company, located in a historic mustard-colored clapboard house, serves thoughtfully brewed java and modest breakfast/lunch choices. The cozy setting features reclaimed wood, friendly service and free Wifi. You can
Twigs & Pearls
boutique in downtown Putnam. Open daily. Rustic and refined clothing and gifts. 136 Main Street.
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Sift
A Bakeshop for Mystic Step into Sift Bakeshop at 5 Water Street in Mystic prepared to be swept away. Cases filled with shelves of dazzling pastries and cakes, each more gorgeous and tempting than the one before. Decisions, decisions. Complicated for a first time customer, although it might be possible for regulars to choose a category and work their way through it! But even they may have to take the long view, since Sift’s team of creative bakers can change up flavors on a whim. BY CAROLINE SLOAT
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Fat Orange Cat Brew Co. Lauren Studios Photos by Kate
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his is by design, reflecting the baking expertise and the enthusiasm of Adam Young, proprietor and head pastry chef, who opened the bakery in May 2016. Everything about the business has been carefully thought out—the name, the paint color, the look of the interior, style of food, and the service. “It’s an achievable luxury, “ he says. “The ingredients allow us to keep value-focused. Sift is an amenity for the town and the look fits the neighborhood.” Adam’s journey to Mystic began in Middlebury, Vermont, where his family ran a small dairy farm. His first kitchen job, a “cash-only scenario,” began at the age of twelve; five years later he left home to pursue a career, stopping at the New England Culinary Institute in Montpelier for a culinary degree before setting off for baking experiences in New Orleans, Washington, D.C., and Palm Beach. He returned to New England to join the re-opened Ocean House in Watch Hill in 2010. “With its reputation as a fivestar dining destination, it was a big deal,” he recalls. “I was the executive pastry chef,” part of a kitchen team of fifty-five cooking for six restaurants and banquets. “This is relevant because that’s where I met my wife Ebbie, then executive assistant to the president.” She is now tasting room and events manager at Stonington Vineyards, as well as handling
social media and marketing for Sift and mothering their young daughter Stella. Ebbie is from Stonington and Adam fell in love with her and the area. I wanted to open a business in Mystic because it is the “perfect location.” It checks many of the boxes: “great agriculture, dairies, and a large group of like-minded vendors and restaurants already investing in this community.” Adam saw a great foundation for cuisine and an opportunity to create something unique and special as part of the area dining scene area by investing in Mystic. In his view, Mystic is poised for growth. Its location—between New York and Boston—is a “fantastic alternative” to the Hamptons, which he considers overpopulated. Businesses such as Electric Boat and the casinos are attracting educated people who will make an impact and drive the economy, which is “exciting and keeps small businesses motivated.” Not least of the plusses in Mystic is the school system--Stella was born the week that Sift opened. The family plans a move from Rhode Island very soon. Adam’s goal for Sift is to become a sustainable bakery for Mystic. This is literally the value proposition that he took to Chelsea Groton Bank, when he began to seek financing. “It’s a community-focused bank and they are our biggest supporters.” With
the resources and the drive, he is translating his skill set into a viable small business. People are discovering that Sift has a European flair, yet it’s not too high-end. Tourists are welcome—in the summer some 2000 people a day visit Sift. There is very little seating by design. It is meant to be grab-and-go and explore the rest of town. There is plenty to do in the area—the Seaport, the Aquarium and great shops and dining. That is important to Adam. “You can get a croissant and a latte here and hit the road.” “We stay busy in the winter, thanks to our loyal fan base.” Sift is open daily from 7 a.m. to 7 p.m., seven days a week. On mornings when he opens, Adam is delighted to serve schoolteachers among the earliest customers. Sift is chef-designed—90 percent kitchen and 10 percent retail. “We love this building. We fell in love with the expanse of windows wrapping around the front and sides.” The windows are replicated behind the sales counter so that customers can see everything that’s going on in the kitchen. And there is always something interesting because everything is made from scratch inside this building. That includes every chocolate garnish and every decorative item. “Learning and using skills such as these creates value for people who are looking for this kind of work. You have to be on board with our philosophy and we all benefit— learning new techniques and becoming more valuable.” “We have fifteen excellent bakers, who work around the clock” to prepare a rotating selection of breakfast pastries and quiches. Skilled bakers make the croissants by hand starting with a block of butter wrapped in dough, which is rolled thin and folded over
Photo by Winter Caplanson
repeatedly to distribute the butter throughout the eighty-one layers. Left to rise before baking, the result is a crisp crust and a flaky texture, whether eaten plain or with a sweet or savory filling. The French macarons are also very labor intensive. Each one of the 5,000 or more sold each week is hand piped in flavors that are changed frequently. There is a lot of technique to be learned and that keeps the work interesting and the staff engaged. By employing young people, Adam is able to “nourish the next generation of pastry chefs while offering quality product to this demographic.” Everything at Sift is individual and priced accordingly. Orders are taken for special cakes and for entertaining it is possible to make up a selection. In 2018 Sift opened a retail boutique in Watch Hill, but all the baking was done in Mystic (around the clock). This location is
seasonal, but the shop is a mirror image of the Mystic Sift. This outreach is necessary because “Rhode Island folk don’t make it over to Connecticut.” But it also reflects “the freedom to reinvent ourselves each year.” The success of TV shows has helped spread the word. Adam was named Best Baker in America in 2018 by the Food Network and has also appeared on Better Connecticut. A show is being developed for the Food Network, “but I can’t talk about that, yet.” Adam appreciates this national exposure and describes himself as “humbled by the support and success we’ve had.” Sift is open for the holidays and through the winter. Adam is looking forward to expanding the kitchen in Mystic to be able to give a better experience especially in the summertime. There are no plans for online sales. It has been tried, but Adam quickly learned that “this kind of pastry doesn’t travel well.” All the more reason to visit Mystic and make Sift the destination for coffee and a muffin, or a scone or a Danish; or quiche or a lunch sandwich while contemplating a take-home selection from among the fresh breads and French pastries. www.siftbakeshopmystic.com
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The Vanilla Bean Café, 85 Main, Dog Lane Café, and Fenton River Grill. These are restaurants in Pomfret, Putnam, Storrs and Mansfield operated under the aegis of Green Valley Hospitality Restaurant Group. While it’s not a name that anyone searching for a good meal or a terrific bowl of chili necessarily needs to remember, this part of the enterprise frees the managers to focus on their own setting, while corporate matters are securely under the purview of Barry and Brian Jessurun. BY CAROLINE SLOAT
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he Vanilla Bean Café opened in Pomfret in 1989 with a menu that featured hand-prepared food, a first for the area at the time. “When we opened, we began purchasing from local farms and offered outdoor seating. The Bean just grew, filling a gap in the marketplace between pizza and the top end. People would drive a halfhour or more to our café.” Emphasis is on the word café, an important one for Barry.
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He had returned to Pomfret after spending time on the West Coast, where he was very influenced by café culture. While he never worked for Alice Waters--the doyenne of eating fresh and local--he has long admired her commitment to food. “We got on that early with many options, so that people who eat gluten free could have choices
when dining out.” Black bean brownies were introduced twenty-seven years ago when the taste and texture were still surprising. And with United Natural Foods in Dayville as a supplier, gluten-free foods were readily available from the start. “Plus, since most everything is made from scratch-breakfast, lunch, dinner, and desserts--we know what’s in
the food and we can accommodate particular requests.” The Vanilla Bean Café menu has evolved over the years, shedding some categories (such as, ice cream and frozen yogurt) and moving into more substantial cuisine. House-made soups are popular items and because regular customers asked more varieties have been added. There are soups “that people can count on”--chowder and tomato Florentine are always on the menu. In summer there are three hot soups and two chilled soups. These disappear when winter comes and four hot soups and chili take over the cups and bowls. The chili is a source of pride. As “Award Winning Chili,” it appears as one of fifty recipes in the national cookbook, Killer Chili. Barry is particular about the clam chowder. “I want the clams to come through, so our chowder is a cross between New England and Rhode Island, with a bit more clam-forward flavor.”
Adding dinner from Wednesday nights through Sundays included new dinner specials, but “people really wanted more for dinner, and that led us to 85 Main.” Looking for a place to establish an indoor restaurant with a full bar took “a
couple of years, before we finally settled on 85 Main Street.” Part of the equation was the availability of James Martin, a chef with roots in Pomfret, whose learning journey had taken him to East Coast Grill where he studied and worked with the noted chef, Chris Schlesinger, before they opened Back
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Eddy in Westport, MA. After a few years of putting in long weeks there, he returned to northeast Connecticut. He worked for a while at the Vanilla Bean Café and then moved to Florida, where he helped to open a restaurant, while looking for an opportunity to open a place of his own. Eventually it was time to return home to an environment where he has deep family roots: his grandfather at 96 is still living on the family farm. With the location that was formerly The Vine available, the Jessuruns formed a partnership with James as managing partner and executive chef to open 85 Main, similar to plans for a restaurant in Florida, “urban style in a small country town.”
Barry observes that 85 Main solves the “driving home from Providence problem” for people seeking a quality dinner close to home. Looking back, he says it was a stretch, although was a plus to follow another restaurant into that location. “Putnam is a good fit for a menu filled with quality, hand-prepared fresh ingredients that we wish to offer.” As 16
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a partner, James is able to be creative. He is responsible for 85 Main, for overall daily operations, including the hiring, cleanliness, and overall quality of the food. The food story begins long before the plate is served at the table. “We pride ourselves on our vendor alliances,” says James. This requires “strong relationships” with farms and fishing organizations and shellfish alliances. Being able to source the highest quality fish and shellfish and locally sourced meats sets us apart from the rest.” Seafood is delivered daily from Point Judith, RI, ensuring that the fish is fresh and locally caught year round. 85 Main’s static menu, appealing to a large number of people is an assurance of what to expect to find, but for many others, the specials are the draw. “Our specials are truly special,” says James. “We go out of our way to source products we want to work with.” That includes seasonal produce, seasonal catch in the fisheries, as well as what’s trending. He plans this menu daily with his chef, meeting to put together six to ten additional entrees and a similar number of starters/appetizers that are different and unique. “This is one of my favorite things,” he says. We spoke shortly after a delivery of Tautog (blackfish) had been made and James was anticipating creative entrées incorporating this fish, which is only indigenous to
New England. Also awaiting attention were 100 pounds of foraged mushrooms. These that would be cooked into a concentrated stock to use as a base for a soup using a new French variety of peanut squash “It’s like the best butternut squash you’ve ever tasted!” (The peanuts clustered around the outside indicate sweetness.) Looking ahead to cooler weather, James was anticipating special winter stews using venison, lamb, veal or beef. “We make all of them and they fly out, he says.” The Cellar, opened three years ago was designed to create a warm and inviting atmosphere on the lower level. The effect of a Napa Valley winery was created by building a stone foundation with shelves of wine bottles behind a decorative iron gate as the focal point. The space has become a popular venue for holiday events as well as rehearsal dinners, and parties and group events year round. This space, along with the outdoor patio— outdoor dining in season is a signature of Green Valley Hospitality--gives patrons more options, while also speaking to a renaissance for Small Town Main Street, USA. With 85 Main on line, Barry notes that he and Brian continued to field comments such as, “you need to open in Mansfield or Storrs,” from people were driving half an hour to eat in Pomfret because they had nothing like it there. “It wasn’t easy to find a commercial property that was the right size and not too far from campus.” It took patience. Barry joined the Downtown Partnership in 2003-2004, and then it was five years until before they were able to negotiate a letter of intent, and three more before they signed a lease, before opening Dog Lane Café in 2012. When asked how they got such a good corner location, he responds, “because we were paying attention from the beginning.”
To create venues “that belong in a college town,” the Jessuruns partnered with Steve Smith, naming him managing partner first at Dog Lane Café and then at Fenton River Grill as well. Steve has twenty years of experience as a chef and front-of-house manager in Mystic-area restaurants, including start-ups. “I grew to like this part of the business because I like people, “ he says. “Building relationships with vendors, staff, and customers is important and that takes time. I can still cook at home and I can make
does not take Husky Bucks, nor does it have Wi-Fi, or indeed the color blue in its decor. The “café dog is not UCONN’S husky. It is our dog.” It has its own dog lane illustrated with original JP Jacquet paintings. And the ‘doggy’ tag line: Come. Sit. Stay! The menu, while similar to the Vanilla Bean Café’s, is adapted to its clientele.
suggestions--the chef at Fenton River Grill is culinary school-trained, but I’ve done it a lot longer.” Dog Lane Café is a European style café designed for year-round residents and professionals doing business in and around Storrs. It is not just for students—who are only in Storrs part of the year, so the café
Features include a “lot of soup, six soups and three chilis each day,” a selection of grilled cheese sandwiches, and fruit and vegetable smoothies for the student population that is often seeking a healthy meal substitute. Popular blendings are the Healthy Monkey made with almond milk, banana, peanut putter, local honey, and raw cacao; the Dirty
Monkey with banana, peanut butter, and chocolate milk; and Up Beet Blue, a mix of blueberries, bananas, mango, beet, black currant juice, almond milk, kale, lime juice and cinnamon. There was also a demand for a sit-down restaurant in Mansfield—with appetizers, wine and cheese plates, more comfort, a place to dine on special occasions. The Fenton River Grill, the new kid on the block, opened in April 2018 after a multiyear search for the right location. Although Barry was not initially interested in the Route 195 Big Y Plaza, that changed once the landlord agreed to modifications, such as “ allowing for a patio and making it big enough to become the environment we envisioned.” The décor at Fenton River Grille sets it apart from the rest of the family, and, indeed from the outside there is no inkling of the oasis inside. The theme is best described as a blend of old world industrial with modern comfort.
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Taking a cue from an old mill interior, the brick walls and big windows create a cozy feel. It’s a steampunk twist on old materials such as metal with burnished wood. A massive (working) copper fountain using industrial elements crafted by Johnny Walker of Willimantic “substitutes” for a view of the Fenton River, although the wood carving of a
heron on the patio looks as if it has always been there. The Fenton River Grill menu is an eclectic mix. Each day’s menu includes a list of chef-created shareable plates. Sandwiches, burgers, a lot of salads, healthy choices, and eight entrees round out the daily offerings. The bar is earning a reputation for its craft cocktails, and local defines the selection of about twenty beers on tap at any given time. 18
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The Grill is more similar to 85 Main, “not as high end, but offers specials like all of our places, pulling from local vendors to create something fun and different.” This includes Bomster scallops from Stonington, and Riverview Farm produce such as eggplant, greens, squash, tomatoes, and potatoes from Coventry. “If they are not a regular menu item, they become the specials, as do the scallops,” says Steve. Guests can expect menu variety in the shareable plates, salads, and flatbread pizza. The chef ’s creative side also showcases the spirits. “Hosmer Mountain Root Beer is the starting point for a great root beer float made with Farmer’s Cow ice cream and Gosling Dark Rum.” Craft cocktails are either different takes on classics or takes of our own. For example, there is a Penicillin made with Scotch, ginger syrup, fresh lemon juice and a touch of single malt. “We take a lot of pride in the preparation,” observes Steve. “We juice the fruit and make a simple syrup. Measured pours insure a well-crafted cocktail
that will taste the same whoever makes it.” Thirty years ago when Barry Jessurun left the west coast and Brian Jessurun returned from Europe to bring together their skills in the hospitality business in Pomfret, it was because “we wanted what wasn’t here.” They have taken an incremental approach to making that happen. Now Green Valley Hospitality is their management and marketing company that allows the creativity to flourish in all aspects of the venues, not only in the kitchens, but also in staff development. This means that Barry is typically at the Vanilla Bean Café first thing in the morning “maintaining the standard.” When he stops at 85 Main, a building they own, it’s also to check the restaurant and attend to whatever is necessary from washing the windows to maintaining landlord-tenant relationships. “Brian and I do what we are supposed to be doing”-the continual on-line maintenance, helping to manage labor and food costs, looking for inefficiencies and waste, and supporting the management and staff. “The partnerships are playing to our strengths—and those strengths barely overlap.” The managing partners concur. They are careful about pricing, always aware that it’s about quality over everything. That includes quality in food, preparation, employees, management, environment, and overall hospitality. And planning menus that Barry and Brian would eat.
The Vanilla Bean Café • (860) 928-1562 www.thevanillabeancafe.com Dog Lane Café • (860) 429-4900 www.doglanecafe.com 85 Main • (860) 928-1660 www.85main.com Fenton River Grill • (860) 786-7870 www.fentonrivergrill.com Also on Facebook
MUSIC
at the Vanilla Bean Café Pomfret’s Vanilla Bean Café is a staple on the folk music/coffee house circuit. “Music has been part of the scene since our first year,” recalls co-owner Barry Jessurun. It started with “let’s get our friends in to play,” often to play a benefit. Now, says one of those friends, the singersongwriter Sally Rogers, the café “is one of the few places like this for performance.” BY CAROLINE SLOAT
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arry again: “Since year two, we have been booking pretty regularly, one show a week.” The fare is mostly folk, blues, bluegrass, and local bands that play light rock. There are at least two phases to the evolution of this small venue. The café–and the music—started out small. When the dining space was expanded, a sound system was added to enhance the music. Well, there’s also a third phase. That’s when Maria Sangiolo enters the story. Maria, a singer, songwriter, and guitarist on the circuit, says she knew of the Vanilla Bean Café as “a listening room before I met Barry.” In the early nineties, as music was finding a place at the café, she was a folk singer playing and performing in Boston booked to perform at the Vanilla Bean Café. Shortly afterwards at a concert in Boston, she and Barry had their first date and two-anda-half years later they were married. Barry continued to do the booking for another five years before asking Maria if she would like to take over and they continue to work together on the calendar of bookings. Some of the performers who have played at the café in the past now attract audiences that can no longer be accommodated in the space—Dar Williams and Lori
McKenna among them. So Maria continues to follow musicians, meeting new performers and booking them along with artists who are both neighbors and traditional songwriters. Says Maria, “Every person I book is worthy of a Saturday night.” For example, Claudia Schmidt and Sally Rogers, Lui Collins and Max Cohen, Garnet Rogers. On the First Friday of each month is Open Mic, hosted by an up-and-coming performer or team. They are developing their careers and offer a way “to catch a real gem” at a modest price for live music. The roster is always published in
the Vanilla Bean Café newsletter Bean Soup, available free at all of the Green Valley Hospitality venues, and always online: www.thevanillabeancafe.com/music-info. The musicians and their work is also previewed on the radio by Susan Forbes Hanson, who is still on the air having fostered folk, country and bluegrass performers and presenters for a generation. Her format of live interviews and music selections highlights upcoming live performances, often introducing newcomers. Her show, “Sunday Night Folk Festival,” on WHUS (Storrs, CT), 91.7FM, airs each week from 7:00 to 10:00 p.m. “You can listen on Sundays and get a
preview of what’s to come,” observes Maria. The café mix also includes the Quiet Corner Song Swap on the Third Friday of each month from 7:00 to 9:00 p.m. Five musicians local to the Pomfret area, Sally Rogers, Howie Bursen, Carol Rossetti, Leslie Sweetnam, and Maria herself take turns leading these singing sessions for all who like to sing. “People just show up.” Sally Rogers brings a big box of songbooks, Rise Up Singing and Rise Again, published in the spirit of Pete Seeger. “It’s wonderful to hear adult voices singing and very uplifting with so much divisiveness in the news. I find it very hopeful for a bunch of adults to get together and sing.” Facebook: www.facebook.com/SINGquietcornersongswap. Dinner, drinks, and desserts are available for purchase during the concerts. The format is two sets of music with a break in between. “We are starting at 7:30 this year,” Maria notes. This is a half-hour earlier, but recognizes that winters are dark and allows employees to leave earlier, too. The 2019 roster is still being finalized, but some of the favorites will return: the January Food Bank benefit headlined by Howie Bursen and friends, and the St. Patrick’s Day show in March led by Peter Lange and friends. “We didn’t set out to become a folk music club, but music is part of café culture. It helps put the Vanilla Bean Café on the map and it works for us,” says Barry. We have a great sound system and a very intimate space. The musicians appreciate that.” Sally Rogers agrees. “The close contact between the audience and performer is one of the pleasures of an evening at the Vanilla Bean Café.”
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Taylor Brooke Winery: Photo by Winter Caplanson
Alvarium Beer Company
Winter Wine Trail
Sip Your Way TH RO UGH E ASTE R N C O N N
ECTICUT
Looking for a fun way to explore eastern Connecticut? Hop on one of the state’s specialty beverage trails and discover how tasty east of the river can be! BY CRIS CADIZ
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stablished in 1988, the Connecticut Wine Trail (ctwine.com) is one of the oldest and most well-known specialty trails. This state-approved winery and vineyard awareness program now features 34 vineyards and wineries, all of which are members of the Connecticut Vineyard and Winery Association. Nine of these are
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located east of the Connecticut River. Every member has a tasting room where visitors can sample their portfolio of wines. Some locations are seasonal so check their website or call ahead. The CT Wine Trail website features a map which shows each location, offers a description and contact information, as well as a link to each winery’s website. CTWine.com also has a special Winter Wine Trail series, which features a limited number of wineries. Participating members for 2019 will be listed on the website in January. Northeast Connecticut offers perennial favorites Taylor Brooke Winery in Woodstock and Sharpe Hill Vineyard in Pomfret. Both are long-established and popular. Each is very different in style, décor and wine offerings. With an easy and scenic drive between them, they make a convenient pairing to visit. Sharpe Hill also has a lovely on-site restaurant (advance reservations required). Further south on the CT Wine Trail is Priam Vineyards in Colchester and a cluster of six wineries, three just south of Norwich and three near Stonington. They are all beautiful and unique locations among Connecticut’s rolling hills and bucolic farmland.
There are also some licensed CT Farm Wineries not featured on the CT Wine Trail that participate in the state’s annual Wine Passport program. This self-guided tour allows you collect a stamp at each location you visit to earn a chance to win some great prizes. In 2018 the grand prize was a two-week trip to Spain for two! While this program ends in early November, the website www.passporttoctfarmwine.com offers details about the program. It is also a good resource to help plan your tasting tour. Here
you can find a consolidated list of wineries that includes locations not listed on ctwine.com. Many of these farm wineries are open seasonally, most of them April through November, such as Lebanon Green Vineyard in historic Lebanon, CT. Cassidy Hill in Coventry is open through December. It offers a large tasting room and a great
outdoor summer music series. The Vineyard at Hillyland in Scotland is also open through December. It is located on a 300-acre former dairy farm and features a charming tasting room. Maugle Sierra Vineyard is a boutique winery in Ledyard near the casinos. Open year round, this winery features tastings, live music, special events and weddings! Rendevous with frineds by the fire on chilly winter days. Sunset Hill Vineyard in Lyme is another boutique winery open seasonally that offers
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intimate group tastings and tours by appointment. Up to eight guests can meet the winemakers, tour the vineyard, and relax on their deck overlooking rows of chardonnay grapes while enjoying the fruits of their labor. Heartstone Farm & Winery, a berry and grass-fed beef farm in Columbia, added 56 more acres in 2008 to plant vines and open a winery. They welcome guests for tastings and to bring a picnic lunch. There have been a number of informal beer trails over the years, but the explosion of the craft beer craze has led to many new breweries and tasting rooms throughout the state. The non-profit Connecticut Brewers Guild (www.connecticut.beer) was founded in June 2012 “to promote the interests of the fledgling craft beer scene in Connecticut.” According to their website, today there more than 80 operational breweries, with many more in planning. So the Guild has gotten down to work and created an informative website that includes a comprehensive Connecticut Beer Trail and an online and downloadable map. There are over 20 craft breweries
east of the Connecticut River from Powder Hollow Brewery in Enfield in the north to Stonington’s Beer’d Brewing Company in the south. That’s a lot of beer to taste! To tour eastern Connecticut’s breweries responsibly, it would be wise to make several trips. If you like craft beer and enjoy meeting the folks who brew it, you won’t regret the travel. Every tasting room has its own special style, from super informal (think basement man cave) to full-service brew pub with onsite restaurant. You can hit the Quiet Corner breweries in one day, from Willimantic Brewing Company (aka Willi Brew) in Willimantic (stop there for lunch or dinner!) to Black Pond Brews in Danielson. You could also swing down to Norwich to visit These Guys and Epicure. There are four well established breweries near the coast, from Outer Light Brewing Company in New London to Cottrell in Pawcatuck. And a newer collection has popped up around Manchester, CT, including Second Bridge, Parable and Labyrinth. Nearby, you can also visit Breakaway City Steam Brewery
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Brew Haus in Bolton, The Olde Burnside Brewing Co. in East Hartford and Connecticut Valley Brewing Company in South Windsor. Like the CT Wine Trail, the CT Beer Trail offers a “passport” program, with prizes for collecting “stamps” at each location. Visit 10 breweries and earn a bottle opener, 15 breweries earns you a CT Brewers Guild Hat & Sticker, 25 breweries for a CT Brewers Guild t-shirt, and when you collect 50 Stamps, you’ll earn One VIP Ticket to our 2019 CT Craft Beer Fest!
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Photo by Winter Caplanson