Foodies of New England Winter 2014

Winter 2014

Artisan Breads

New England’s Best Bread Makers

Gluten Free Bread Recipes Best in Rustic Dining Quaint, New England Restaurants

Boston Post Dairy A Vermont Family Farmstead

The History of...

Rosemary

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Winter 2014 Contributors Publisher: Mercury Media & Entertainment, LLC Managing Editor: Domenic Mercurio Contributing Editors: Julie Grady Thomas Jodie Lynn Boduch Christopher Dufault Director of Social Media: Jodie Lynn Boduch Much Ado Marketing Writers and Contributors: Matt Webster, Alina Eisenhauer, Ellen Allard, Adam Gerhart, Elaine Pusateri Cowan, Jodie Lynn Boduch, Peggy Bridges, Ryan Maloney, Christopher Rovezzi, Christine Whipple, Sandy Lashin-Curewitz, David Kmetz, Brad Schwarzenbach, Stacy Horowitz, Kelley Kassa, Isabela Bessa Pelto, Kara Powers, Marni Powers, Tom Verde, Eric Kalwarczyk Professional Photography: Scott Erb & Donna Dufault Erb Photography Art Director: Rick Bridges Richard Bridges Design Website: Jodie Lynn Boduch Much Ado Marketing Account Managers: Carol Adlestein Foodies of New England Magazine Box 380 Sturbridge MA 01566 domenic@mercurymediallc.com scott@erbphoto.com jodie@muchadomarketing.com rick@richardbridgesdesign.com All content Š2014, Mercury Media Entertainment All Rights Reserved Printed in USA Foodies of New England assumes no ďŹ nancial responsibility for errors in advertisements. No portion of Foodies of New England, advertising or editorial, may be reproduced in whole or in part without the express written permission of the publisher.

The information contained in this publication is believed to be accurate, however the publisher does not guarantee its accuracy.

The opinions expressed by others within this publication are not necessarily those of the publisher or its employees.

By accepting advertising neither Foodies of New England nor Mercury Media Entertainment is endorsing or guaranteeing the quality of service or products within those advertisements. Every effort is made to ensure that the advertisements come from reputable companies, however we cannot take responsibility for how an advertiser deals with the public.

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Contents Features

14 Artisan Breads The Essence of Life

40 Passion for Food

14

Flying Rhino Restaurant

44 Exploring the World of Food Taste Trekkers

52 Grass Fed Revolution The Virtues of Grass-Fed Beef

62 Boston Post Dairy & The Gervais Family Farm

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40

Vinland A Savory Invasion in Maine

74 The Best in Rustic Dining Cozy, Quaint and oh so New England!

92 Northern New England Winter Food Traditions

100 Travessia Urban Winery in New Bedford

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110 Worcester’s Best Chef Chefs Flex Their Culinary Muscles

118 Pasta A Global Staple in History

124 Federal Hill Pizza Making Nonna Proud

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74

Departments

48 History of...

48

88

Rosemary

58 Gluten Free Artisan Breads—At Last!

72 Pasta (and Life): 101 Pane e Pasta

88 Food for Thought Homemade Soup

94 Healthy at Home Shiitake Mushroom & Brussels Sprout Soup

106 Sweet Sensations Italian Bread

108 Brew Review Scottish & Irish Ale

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Whiskey-Under Loch & Key Taking a Trip to the George Dickel Distillery

120 Wines of Distinction Brunello di Montalcino

128 Liberating Libations Rustic Infusions

Cover: Breads from Seven Stars Bakery

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5HOD[ DQG (QMR\ Visit Carolans Comfort Zone. It is there that you can find ways to relax and enjoy the special comforts in life. Find out where to take that special getaway, discover what type of personality you have, have a perfect Time Out Moment, and win a Carolans Comfort Zone Experience.

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7U\ &DURODQV ,ULVK &UHDP LQ \RXU IDYRULWH GHVVHUW See our recipe for Car Bomb Bread Pudding with Carolans Whipped Irish Cream and Stout Syrup, next page.

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&DU %RPE %UHDG 3XGGLQ¶ With Carolans Whipped Irish Cream and Stout Syrup Chef Brian Treitman - B.T.’s Smokehouse, Sturbridge, MA Bread Puddin’ 1 loaf Brioche 6 whole eggs 3 egg yolks 1/2 cup brown sugar 1 pint Carolans Irish Cream 1 pint heavy cream 1/2 cup chocloate chips 1/2 cup butterscotch chips 1/2 cup whisky soaked dry cherries or raisins (soak overnight) Whipped Irish Cream 1 cup heavy cream 2 tbsp confectioners sugar 1/2 cup Carolans Irish Cream Stout Syrup 1 pint of your favorite stout 1/4 cup brown sugar Salted Whisky Caramel 1 cup sugar 1 tablespoon corn syrup 1/4 liquid cup water 1/2 liquid cup heavy cream, heated until warm 2 tablespoons unsalted butter, softened 1/2 teaspoon fine grain sea salt 1/4 cup favorite whisky or scotch.

For Bread Pudding - Cut Brioche into 1 inch cubes and place in large bowl. Add chocolate chips, butterscotch chips, and cherries to bread.

In a separate bowl mix cream, Carolans, eggs, and brown sugar whip till eggs are fully incorporated. Pour wet mixture over bread mixture and mix gently trying not to break up the brioche. Let sit for five minutes and then spread into well buttered 9x12 inch baking pan. Bake at 350° for 35-45 min till set in the middle. Test with wooden skewer or toothpick.

For Whipped Cream - Combine all ingredients in mixing bowl and whip until stiff peaks form.

For Stout Syrup - Combine stout and sugar in sauce pan and simmer until reduced to about 1/2 a cup liquid will become more syrupy as it cools. Be careful towards the end as it has a tendency to burn.

For Whisky Caramel - In a heavy saucepan (at least 5 cup capacity), stir together the sugar, syrup, and water until the sugar is completely moistened. Place your candy thermometer into the pot taking care that it is tip in immersed into the sugar mixture. Heat, stirring constantly, until the sugar dissolves and the syrup is bubbling. Stop stirring completely and allow it to boil undisturbed until it turns a deep amber.

Immediately remove it from the heat and slowly and carefully pour the hot cream into the caramel. It will bubble up furiously. Use a high-temperature heat-resistant rubber spatula or wooden spoon to stir the mixture until smooth, scraping up the thicker part that settles on the bottom.

If any lumps develop, return the pan to the heat and stir until they dissolve. Stir in the butter and salt and whisky.

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LETTER

FROM THE

EDITOR

Welcome to Foodies Country: Artisan Breads and Rustic Dining

Is there anything that better represents New England than rustic dining and warm, artisan breads?

In this issue of Foodies of New England, we’ve explored the very best and most passionate artisan bread-makers in our region, sharing their favorite signature creations with our foodies. So much goes into making bread: from its history and influence across the globe, to its impact on the foodie lifestyle right here in New England. Beyond that, you’ll read about some of the best places to get your favorite hearty grain, learn about the masterful chefs that create it, and even delve into some of the best recipes.

Scamp along with Kara & Marni Powers to Providence, Rhode Island, to 7 Stars Bakery, an absolute blast to visit, then up to Kittery, Maine’s, Beach Pea Baking Company with our own Kelley Kassa, where fun and great food can be had any time of year. Motor along the Mass Pike and up I-91 to Northampton, and you’ll find another of our feature stories, The Hungry Ghost, which serves up an incredible variety of breads, pastas and sweet treats, as Jodie Boduch tells us.

David Kmetz takes us “down the Cape” to Hyannis’ Pain D’Avignon, a very traditional French bakery and café. Then, down in Connecticut, where Brad Schwarzenbach fills us in about the world-famous King Arthur Flour Company and their long-standing commitment to giving New England bakers the best possible flour for their outstanding creations.

But, what would a seemingly-endless variety of bread be without a quaint and typical, yet rustic, New England setting in which to enjoy it? Enter our choices for rustic dining.

On this excursion, our diehard writers set out to Sharpe Hill Vineyards in Pomfret, Connecticut, a stunning re-creation of an 18th-century New England homestead offering the most decadent food and perfectly-paired, locally-made wines. Then, up to The Duck in Sturbridge, Massachusetts, where a warm, cozy dining environment serves up an extensive selection of farmhouse entrées that await the approval of your palate. Over to Groton, Massachusetts, where Gibbet Hill Grill sits at the forefront of the local food movement, serving only seasonally-available items from its own produce farm.

Then, check out some of our added features, including Travessia Urban Winery in New Bedford, Massachusetts, a local micro winery which focuses making wine in small lots. After, taste some award-winning cheeses, including a vast array of seasonal Chèvre, at Boston Post Dairy in Enosburg Falls, Vermont. For a little added education, let Eric Kalwarczyk teach you all about the Woodstock Inn’s commitment to grass-fed beef from. Moving along, Tom Verde offers enlightenment and perspective with his unveiling of the ancient History of Pasta. Believe me, there are things in this feature you’ll want to know!

On to Worcester, Massachusetts, for a look at an gorgeous and comfy revival of a very popular “watering hole,” the Flying Rhino Café & Watering Hole, where continued on page 12

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Sharpe Hill Vineyards

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TABLE 3 RESTAURANT GROUP

++++

Worcester Magazine 11/29/12 New Farmhouse Entrées Sustainable, Organic, All-Natural, Local When Possible Entertainment Thursday–Saturday theducksturbridge.com | (508) 347-2321 502 Main Street | Sturbridge, MA

++++ Telegram

and Gazette 9/6/12 Traditional, Italian Family Recipes avellinorestaurant.com | (508) 347-2321 502 Main Street | Sturbridge, MA

++++½ Worcester Magazine 8/9/12 Inventive Small-Plate Cuisine cedarstreetgrille.com | (508) 347-5800 12 Cedar Street | Sturbridge, MA

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chef Christopher O’Harra creates unusual greatness. Then, visit with Federal Hill Brick Oven Pizza, where perfection is based on simplicity. Up to Portland, Maine, to visit Vinland Restaurant, an establishment on a mission to serve only locally-grown, organic food as part of a menu that is uniquely Maine.

We’ve added a really insightful closeto-home look into northern New England food trends by Christine Whipple, as well as a feature on the 7th Annual Worcester’s Best Chef charitable competition, featuring the best of the best, battling it out for the top culinary crown in Central Massachusetts. Also in this issue, Kelley Kassa features Taste Trekkers, a local conference which recently brought together world-renown chefs, industry luminaries and food enthusiasts to gather in Providence to talk all things food.

Be sure to visit our regular line-up of extraordinary departments, all chocked full of unique information, recipes and masterful methods of procedure, including The History Of… by Jodie Boduch, Whiskey…

Under Loch & K(e)y by Ryan Maloney, Brew Review by our Grand Chancellor of Beer, Matt Webster, Wines of Distinction by Domenic Mercurio, Gluten Free Diva by Ellen Allard, Healthy at Home with Elaine Pusateri Cowan, Food for Thought

by Peg Bridges, Sweet Sensations by Alina Eisenhauer, Liberating Libations by Adam Gerhart, and Pasta (and life): 101,

by Chris Rovezzi.

Our mission at Foodies of New England is to educate and excite the foodies of our region. So, go ahead and dive right in, foodies. There’s so much to learn and take from this issue, and we’re very pleased to have the opportunity to bring it all to you.

Domenic Mercurio, Jr. Editor/Publisher

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Bread from Seven Stars Bakery

The Essence of Life Written by Domenic D. Mercurio, Jr. Photography by Scott Erb and Donna Dufault

Most of us would consider water and air essential to life, but not necessarily bread. I mean, any food will do, right?

Wrong. It’s not an overstatement to say that bread is, quite truly, the essence of life. Looking back 30,000 or more years ago, evidence recorded by the National Academy of Sciences suggests our was used for the production of unleavened bread in prehistoric times.

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The starches were likely made from the roots of ferns and other plants, which were peeled and dried before they were ground and mixed with flour and water to form a paste, then cooked over hot stones.

Since prehistoric foodies relied mostly on animal proteins and fat, cereal grains were only used now and then and weren’t considered a dietary staple until about 20,000 years later. And, as we know from Middle East and biblical history, unleavened bread was very much a necessary element of daily nutrition.

But, the question raised by we foodies now becomes, “How did unleavened bread transform into the airy, soft bread we use today?”

According to research conducted by the History Channel, innovations in bread-making included leavening, or adding yeast to the pasty mix of flour and water. Yeast, as many of us know, consumes the sugar in the grain. Carbon dioxide is then created from this interaction, resulting in the formation of bubbles that expand the bread, giving it that airy, fluffy appearance and texture. So, without yeast to make it rise, bread remains in the familiar form of a pita or tortilla.

Another development credited for the creating of bread as we know it is refined flour. Back in the prehistoric period, grains were, as we pointed out, ground by hand with rocks, resulting in coarse, whole-grain bread, which are dark and fairly indicative of old-world Italian and other European breads. It is said that in early Mesopotamia, a milling process was created using circular, flat stones. These stones were stacked, one on top of another, with the grain in between. The stones were then continuously and laboriously turned by hand to crush the grain into fine, nearly powderlike flour, which then became very popular and commonly used.

Later advancements include the sifting of flour to further refine its texture by removing wheat germ and bran granules.

Naturally, bread was baked at home or purchased as a whole loaf, which was commonly large and round, and a little difficult to carry. Pieces were torn and distributed by hand until the use of cutlery at home became more and more common. Later, in the early 1900’s, the first mechanized bread slicer was developed by Otto Rohwedder, a jeweler who eventually convinced factories to install his slicer and sell the bread pre-sliced. There was some doubt as to whether bread would be accepted by the general public in sliced form, but this doubt was overwhelmingly negated when it became apparent in 1928 that 90% of consumers preferred their bread factory-sliced.

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Beach Pea Baking Company

Thankfully, however, early foodies harkened back to the robust and hearty texture as well as the earthy, grainy flavor of whole-grain breads, which have become increasingly popular throughout recent decades.

Thereafter, typical white “American” bread became the custom. Thankfully, however, early foodies harkened back to the robust and hearty texture as well as the earthy, grainy flavor of whole-grain breads, which have become increasingly popular throughout recent decades.

So, how many different types of bread are there? Well, it is not clear, but some research indicates over 200 bread names falling into several categories, from yeasted bread to flatbreads (unleavened) to corn bread to buckwheat bread to sweet buns, and ranging from every country in the world.

Yes, each country actually has their own versions (plural) of bread depending upon their cultural observances and heritage, ranging from Jamaica’s Bammy flatbread to Ireland’s Barmbrack yeasted bread, or China’s Bing flatbread to Ghana’s Bofrot doughnut, Russia’s Borodinski flatbread, Portugal’s Broa cornbread, Serbia’s Cesnica soda bread, Egypt’s Aish Merahrah, Turkey’s Yufka, the UK’s Crumpet savory griddle cake, Japan’s Curry bread, China’s green onion pancake, Norway’s Flatbrod, Iceland’s Flatkaka, Germany’s Dinkelbrot and Zwieback, France’s Crepe pancake, Italy’s traditional Easter bread, Columba Pasquale, and, famousas-it-is, Focaccia.

Indeed the world is full of countries and breads that represent those lands’ traditions and cultures as strongly as do their national anthems. Bread is, after all, so individual and absolutely pertinent to all of the world’s nations and peoples that, without doubt, the absence of it would not only result in nutritional deprivation, but would fully strip the world of its various ethnic identities and diversity.

The results would be, well … rather milk toast.

FNE.

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A Baker on a Mission Written by Kelley Lynn Kassa Photography by Scott Erb and Donna Dufault

M

Mariah Roberts is a baker on a mission. She and her husband Tom own Beach Pea Baking Company, located in Kittery, Maine; together they are committed to making high-quality breads and more, at an affordable price.

“We make everything in house, and everything is all natural,” said Mariah. “We try to balance the economics and the health aspects of everything so that we can keep our food at a price point that both the town worker and the guy in the fancy car can afford.

Everybody deserves to eat well, and to eat real food.”

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Assorted Croissants

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When Mariah says everything is homemade, she means everything.

They roast of all their own meats, make every salad dressing, create their own stock—even the noodles in the chicken soup are made in-house. “We take every little step needed to do each component well. It takes patience and caring about each detail, but eventually the bigger picture evolves – just like baking,” commented Mariah.

It’s those traditional, artisan breads that really demonstrate Mariah’s passion for quality products that are good for you. “We approach bread-baking like it is pre-1950,” explains Mariah.

What that means is that it takes Beach Pie Baking Company’s bakers three days to make each loaf of bread.

The process is traditional and not often done anymore. The bakery preferments its dough and gives each

batch an overnight retard, resulting in a long fermentation period. As Mariah explained, fermenting dough creates shorter gluten strands, making it healthier than most breads. She combines this technique with low-protein wheat (usually Sir Galahad from King Arthur Flour), which also results in still-shorter gluten strands.

“There’s a lot of talk about how bad gluten is for your body, and it’s blamed for a lot of different things,” said Mariah.

“But nobody is talking about how time plays into the results. If you are trying to mix, bake, and eat a loaf of bread in the same day, you are going to have long, stretchy strands of gluten that are difficult for the body to digest. Think of it as you would a steak. If you marinate the steak overnight before cooking, it tends to be more tender. If you let your bread ferment, you get a better product, too.”

Mariah Roberts

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Sometimes this means you can’t always get what you want at Beach Pie Baking Company. “You could call to order 25 baguettes for tomorrow and I will basically tell you ‘no.’ Since it takes us three days to make bread, that one order would wipe us out. So I’d encourage you to mix up the order and not just get baguettes.”

What you are not likely to find, though, are pan loaves of bread. “Our style is European-style baking. We’ll do a multigrain, but it will be a batard, not a loaf.

One of the few pan loaf breads they do make is brioche.

But Beach Pie Baking Company offers more than just traditional, rustic breads. They also have cakes, desserts, other baked goods, soups, salads and sandwiches. And they take the same care and approach to them, ensuring the highest quality and using somewhat non-standard techniques.

One great example of the bakery’s approach is the story of their cupcakes.

“We resisted cupcakes for many years because we are not into fad baking,” commented Mariah. “We gave in when we decided to make the cupcakes out of pound cake and fill them with whipped cream. The cake tastes as good as the filling.”

The bakery’s focus on quality means they don’t cut any corners. There’s no “speeding up” of the process. They make as much as they can, and if they sell out, they sell out. But with daily offerings of between 10 to 12 different artisan breads, it’s likely you’ll find something you like. Or just grab a homemade sandwich, cookie, cupcake or cake.

The options are many.

Beach Pea Baking Company 53 State Road, Rt. 1 Kittery, ME 03904 207-439-3555 www.beachpeabaking.com

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Assorted breads

Making Pains a market destination in Hyannis

B

Written by David G. Kmetz Photography by Scott Erb and Donna Dufault

Bread: known as the “staff of life” down through the centuries and for good reason. What other basic foodstuff elicits such sighs of delight as well-made fresh bread right from the oven or a rustic brick kiln? That warm crunchy crust and meltingly soft interior releasing steam when first opened and a scent from the gods...sigh indeed. Though fans of the real thing often had to search beyond their local market for many years, bread like this was worth the extra miles and effort.

Not so the fortunate citizens within travel distance of Pain d’Avignon, which was one of the first business efforts in the southern New England area to return to legitimate traditional artisanal baking craft and quality. Founded in 1992 by Serbian transplant Vojin Vujosevic along with several of his Yugo-

slavian buddies and based on the French boulangeries Vujosevic recalled from his youth, Pain d’ Avignon represents the culinary baking heritage and pastry traditions of Old World France, now brought to the lower Cape in Hyannis.

Their legacy is a long one - the yeast starter dates back over 23 years, created during the first Bush administration.

Yeast is a living, breathing entity, consuming sugars and making carbon dioxide, which causes the bread to swell and rise.

It is deeply affected by temperature, humidity, altitude, and perhaps even more by the environment in which it lives - the bakery itself. Any baker knows this intuitively, if not consciously.

Like brewing and cheese making, bread requires the intermingling, assemblage, and release of latent energy in chemical continued on page 24

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reactions between water, flour, yeast, enzymes, bacteria, and the atmosphere in which they thrive. Also, time: Vujosevic says it averages 24 hours of prep for each loaf baked. “It can’t be rushed - the quality suffers, and the results are unsatisfactory.”

The bakery side of the business is a major operation, with 130+ employees at the height of the summer season. They bake at least 20 varieties of breads, bagels, display breads (used for presentations at special occasions, all edible), croissants averaging five examples daily, and most recently, crackers. Their most popular items are the cranberry-pecan and brioche breads, chocolate croissants, raspberry streusel pull-apart bread, and house made kettle-cooked potato chips. All told, the bakery produces more than 200 varieties of artisan breads, pastries, and “goodies,” with distribution and deliveries to over 350 locations across New England.

Though much of the ingredients are sourced locally, including their fruits, cranberries, eggs, onions, and herbs, plus poultry from nearby Blue Ribbon Farms in Yarmouth, the incredible quantity of flour they use every week dictated that they import from a major mill based

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in North Dakota.

After fire damaged their original store in 2007, the group used the loss as a chance to establish a new home, offering a bakery and a café, serving breakfast, lunch, and dinner. Café-Boulangerie opened in late 2008. Today, Vojin and wife Donna manage the business operation, while co-owner Toma Stamenkovic oversees sales. Celberson Lemos heads the production team as head baker, with Mario Mariani serving as general manager of the bakery, café, and restaurant.

Their French bistro menu is rife with

classic French dishes, melded with contemporary international flavors. They are committed to using only the freshest ingredients of the best quality, while supporting local farmers and purveyors. To complement their “fait maison [homemade] cuisine,” breads and patisserie, cheeses, pâtés, olive oils, sandwiches, salads, and to-go items, they offer a wonderful assortment of French wines, French and Belgian brews, and compelling cocktails at their Red Bar. “Our bakery’s trademark has always been quality, taste, and authenticity, and the same is true for Café-Boulangerie.

To complete your dining experience, one can expect excellent, attentive service; superb music; contemporary Parisian ambiance; and a fresh bread loaf to take home and enjoy,” said Vujosevic.

The most recent addition to the team, replacing the very talented and wellrespected head chef Rebecca Arnold, is executive chef Matthew Tropeano, a native of nearby Randolph, Massachusetts. Before coming to Pain d’Avignon, Tropeano had started very young at an Italian restaurant in Millis (Ristorante Primavera), then trained at Newbury College in their culinary program while also doing nighttime work at the famed— and now infamous—Bay Tower Room in Boston, where he was elevated to sous chef in a short six months.

In 2002, Matthew moseyed down to Texas for a spell at Nana in Dallas as saucier, then back up to Manhattan for a decade, including a lengthy impressive stage as executive chef at La Grenouille, one of the highest rated traditional French restaurants in the city.

Following a brief stint at Le Silhouette in Hell’s Kitchen (how sweet!), the young

Master Baker Cleberson Lemos

continued on page 68

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Seven Stars Bakery: A Passion for Baking Written by Kara and Marni Powers Photography by Scott Erb and Donna Dufault

T

The vision and inspiration behind Seven Stars Bakery date back to Lynn William’s love and passion for baking bread on the West Coast.

After attending culinary school and sparked by a desire to create, she dove right in at Artisan Bakers in Sonoma. There she met fellow bread aďŹ cionado Jim Williams.

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Durum round bread

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Originally from Southern California, Jim gained experience and knowledge in the craft by training alongside avid bakers in the area. The two quickly became baking buddies and in 1999, when Lynn decided to move back to her East Coast roots with the aspiration to start her own bakery, Jim joined the adventure.

He agreed to help her start the business for a few months, and without either of them having much retail experience, their drive was to focus on what they loved: baking. Named after a pub Lynn frequented while living in England in her 20s, Seven Stars Bakery opened its doors on Providence, Rhode Island’s Hope Street in 2001.

With a local following from the get-go, the success of the bakery was instant. It flourished as did Lynn and Jim’s relationship. More than a decade later, the two are now successful owners of three bakeries in the greater Providence area and, incidentally, are married and have two young daughters.

In the beginning, Jim was the lead baker. For the first two years, he was the one kneading the dough by hand. “He is more the baker,” Lynn admits. They use a low, slow fermentation process. With a small amount of yeast, they usually mix in the morning and shape later in the day—the majority of which is done by hand. Finally, the dough is proofed and baked in a traditional deck oven.

With a grueling baking schedule, Lynn and Jim decided to step up their business in 2006 by creating a prime production location in Pawtucket. As Lynn put it, “We either had to go smaller or grow. We couldn’t keep doing what we were doing.”

With the new spot, they also decided to expand their stores. They opened the Providence Broadway location in June 2007 and the Rumford location in May 2009. They also

Olive batard

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outsource to many grocery stores in and around Providence and Boston.

While Lynn enjoys the manageable amount of retail stores they source and their group of 85 employees in Pawtucket, she can’t help but think about growing even more. “I am a big fan of projects,” Lynn admits. “I like to solve problems and figure out what works best.”

This curiosity and creativity has clearly translated into their thriving, successful business. So what’s the secret? Their philosophy: to keep it simple and, most importantly, to stay focused.

Lynn remembers the overwhelming suggestions at the beginning to go bigger and to add a deli. “You have to stick to who you are. We are a bakery and have also accepted our role as a coffee shop.” But they aren’t just any coffee shop.

Lynn researched the local roasters and sought out certified baristas to craft the delicious blends.

So if you find yourself venturing into Seven Stars Bakery, you won’t find a lengthy list of sandwiches or gluten-free options. Instead, you’ll find incredibly fresh artisan breakfast pastries, an assortment of gigantic cookies and macaroons and thoughtfully prepared breads, such as sourdough baguettes, French rye, and toasted walnut and raisin to name a few.

You may have to wait in line, but don’t be discouraged.

Between the friendly staff, wafting aromas and all that potential baked loot, it’s well worth the wait.

Seven Stars Bakery 820 Hope Street Providence, RI 02906 401.521.2200 www.sevenstarsbakery.com

Walnut raisin

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The

Quest

for

Baking Perfection Written by Bradley Schwarzenbach Photography by Scott Erb and Donna Dufault

S

Students of historic legends—and Monty Python—are likely familiar with King Arthur’s quest for the Holy Grail. While most stories of the quest, Excalibur and Merlin are likely apocryphal, one thematic element always remains the same: King Arthur was a strong, pure and true leader.

Realizing the virtues of this bygone English monarch were the same as its products, King Arthur Flour received its name and symbol of quality.

“That’s us,” said PJ Hamel, expert baker at King Arthur Flour.

“We strive to make the purest ingredients possible.”

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Sourdough baguette

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Hamel and the Vermont-based flour company are on a quest of their own: “We want to educate the world about how to create a great baking experience.”

Artisanal baking is in the DNA of King Arthur Flour. Founded in 1790, they’re the oldest flour company in the U.S. “We were founded simply because there wasn’t enough wheat around, so we had to import it from England,” Hamel explained.

For the past 223 years, the quest has endured to produce not only baking ingredients of an unparalleled quality, but to ensure the traditions and knowledge of exceptional baking don’t get lost in a sea of technology and convenience.

In Norwich, Vermont is King Arthur’s onsite Baking Education Center, where bakers of all ages and skill levels, from the aspiring to the experienced, can learn the art of baking. “We see baking as a sharing thing. That’s why we offer classes.

Very rarely do we cook a batch of brownies just for ourselves,” Hamel said.

But the quest extends beyond the borders of Vermont and New England. King Arthur Flour takes the baking show on the road with free demos at hotels across the country. It also sponsors baking contests at state and county fairs from Connecticut to Washington State.

Committed to ensuring the core knowledge of artisanal baking is never lost, King Arthur created the “Life Skills Bread Baking Program” and has brought baking skills to more than 190,000 American schoolchildren since 1992. In a 50-minute presentation, a King Arthur Flour instructor holds a Whole wheat dough with overlay 4 pieces

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demonstration on the bread baking process. Students then take home the materials and bake two loaves—one to devour and one to donate to a local community organization. “[Baking is] very much a generational thing. So many recipes are passed down and carried on,” Hamel said. “The program is our effort to pass that on to the next generation and give them the tools necessary to continue the art. We help them bake the bread and then they donate their hard work to local shelters.”

But King Arthur Flour’s quest isn’t just sharing, it’s in the product too. “The foundation of King Arthur Flour is pure food,” Hamel said. “We have never added to or bleached our ingredients. We have a non GMO stance in all our ingredients. There are never dyes. Never any preservatives.”

And the output of those ingredients is as delicious as it is pure. “A really great bread can be simple,” Hamel said. “But it’s the little details that can make it hard and we want to help people overcome those. Baking is such a visceral experience. Water, flour, yeast, salt—all over the world people are eating this. And we’ve been eating it for thousands of years.”

Tree whole rye and simple syrup

King Arthur Flour 135 US Route 5 South Norwich, VT 05055 802.649.3361 www.kingarthurflour.com

Baker Martin Philip

Head Baker: Jeffrey Hamelman

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Raisin bread

Putting the Art in Artisan: Breadmaking at Hungry Ghost Bread Written by Jodie Lynn Boduch Photography by Scott Erb and Donna Dufault

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“It’s a conversation with the dough.”

This offhand remark by Jonathan Stevens, co-owner of Hungry Ghost in Northampton, MA, distills his definition of artisan breadmaking to its essence.

For Stevens, whose bakery has been shortlisted three times for a James Beard award, making bread is more art than science. He is not, he says, one of “those guys who walk around with thermometers in their pockets.” While he does know the science, he doesn’t consider his approach scientific.

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“It’s about craft, using your hands, and using your instinct,” Stevens said. He believes that’s true for anything deemed artisan, and he emphasizes the following distinction: “‘Artisan’ is not branding.”

This one-time folk singer—one of his rituals is putting music on whenever he puts bread in the oven—came to the bread business in an unconventional way. He began baking as a stay-at-home father who built a bread oven in his basement, developed connections with local CSA farms, and sold bread out of his home. It was a solo enterprise where he learned by doing.

Stevens has no formal culinary school training, but he did engage in peer education. He speaks fondly of time spent with groups led by Alan Scott, a mason famous for reworking old bread ovens, at the former army barracks-turned-artists’enclave at Marin Headlands. “Everyone shared with everyone else,” he said. “It was truly a communal education.”

The next iteration of Stevens’ breadmaking venture took him to Holyoke, where he partnered with a nonprofit and built a bread oven. From there he opened Hungry Ghost Bread together with Cheryl Maffei. The memorable name derives from Buddhist theology and means a spirit of insatiable desire. It’s a fitting name for a business that raised the necessary capital (over $10,000) via bread futures. This idea, sort of a precursor to Kickstarter, involved selling bread in advance for less than the in-shop asking price. Today the bakery uses bread future accounts in lieu of credit cards.

Hungry Ghost is an advocate of keeping it local—so much so that several of their loaves are baked with ingredients that are 100% New England-grown. They get wheat, rye, and

barley flour from Four Star Farms in Northfield, MA, which also grows whole grains, cornmeal, and hops.

The space itself has undergone an evolution since opening in April 2004. The old oven, a remnant of which still remains (complete with tiles painted by local kindergartners), brought with it a number of challenges. It was a black oven with a fire directly in the chamber, not a white oven with a firebox off on the side. That design meant they had to work with what they had in terms of temperature variability and bake times. It was inefficient, and they found themselves running out of bread and having to tell people to come back.

Then, in 2011, they bought a new oven from Spain—one so big they knocked down the walls and expanded the

“It’s about craft, using your hands, and using your instinct.

Artisan is not branding” bakery to house it. This new oven is well-insulated, packed in with diatomaceous earth like a swimming pool, and provides even temperatures. Hungry Ghost produces 300-400 loaves a day. And on holidays? Try 800 loaves the day before Thanksgiving. Whatever doesn’t sell is donated to the Survival Center or Food Not Bombs.

The bread menu changes from time to time, but some of the regular selections include French, 8-Grain, semolina fennel, double wheat and raisin, rye, country, Kamut-spelt, rosemary, challah, and integrale. The latter employs a French technique in which the bran is fermented and then reintegrated in the flour. New to Hungry Ghost since the expansion is pizza in the evenings and pastry offerings.

Like any superior culinary creation, the bread at Hungry Ghost has a secret ingredient. In this case it’s … time. “Let it develop a personality,” Stevens said. The bread is naturally leavened, which means it’s subjected to a slow rise overnight. The dough is retarded in a walk-in cooler, then after a single rise, it’s fired up right away. Stevens doesn’t let it come to room temperature; he takes it out, forms it, and puts it in.

When all is said and done, it’s the hands-on part that rounds out Stevens’ understanding of what makes something artisanal. “There’s a lot of artisan bread that never touches human hands,” he said. “It’s the human factor. That goes from the miller to the customer. Customers could even meet the farmer if they are here on the right day.”

Hungry Ghost Bread 62 State Street Northampton, MA 01060 413.582.9009 www.hungryghostbread.com

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Jonathan Stevens and Cheryl Maffei

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Would like to thank Chef Brian Treitman of B.T.’s Smokehouse for his Car Bomb Bread Puddin’ recipe.

Stop in today and try one!

5 /1-'*175'

392 Main Street Sturbridge, MA 01566 508-347-3188 www.btsmokehouse.com

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Magazine

Passion for Food–

and a Flying Rhino on a Magic Carpet

Written by Isabela Bessa Pelto Photography by Scott Erb and Donna Dufault

Italian, Asian, Mediterranean, Indian, Mexican… many are the influences found on the Flying Rhino Café menu. “Since we started, we didn’t want to go under a label. We wanted to have a unique concept to serve a little bit of everything—the kind of food we ourselves like to eat,” said owner Paul Barber.

Open for lunch, dinner, and late night meals 7 days a week since 2000, the Worcester restaurant is finishing a $100,000 interior renovation. “It’s important to keep the business fresh,” said Barber.

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Above: Old School Tuna Right: Flying Rhino owner Paul Barber with wife Melina

“We are passionate about food, we love this restaurant, and we’ve been here on Shrewsbury Street for almost 14 years with wonderful feedback from our customers. That’s moving us on.”

The “us” refers to his wife and co-owner Melina, an art teacher whose talented hands created Flying Rhino’s paintings and murals. As for the renovation, it includes a 30-foot long bar with a custom-made background, new carpeting, changes to the bathroom, and new banquette-style booth seats.

The many questions about the origin of the restaurant’s name are always a great opportunity to start a good conversation between customers and restaurant employees. Barber explains: “Flying Rhino express the idea of a bold and robust animal that goes around on its magic carpet to get different recipes around the world. These influences are present in our dishes and we’re always changing, improving.

About every six months the menu changes to adapt to the season. Chef Christopher O’Harra is in charge of picking out the dishes that will stay and to innovate with new unforgettable tastes. Barber points out that they’re always offering new drinks as well, and that thinking outside the box is the key having had success all these years. continued on page 42

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In the fall, Chef O’Harra came up with duck farrotto made of faro grain cooked in a risotto-style, served with pulled duck breast and roasted duck leg and topped with crispy crackling. Also recommended is the Shrewsbury Street Swordfish – pesto-marinated swordfish over black rice with roasted cherry tomatoes, fresh buffalo mozzarella, wilted spinach, and toasted pine nuts.

If you want a “decadent on the top” choice, try the lobster ravioli with lobster cream sauce full of lobster meat, shrimp, and scallops topped with parmesan and fresh basil. Meat lovers will find a choice of short rib and the steak frites – grilled sirloin topped with tomato bacon jam, rosemary butter served with parmesan truffle fries. Chris is also proud of the chipotle salmon cooked skin-on over crab meat and andouille sausage jambalaya with chipotle butter and tomatillo vinaigrette.

Paul and Melina met while in Boston at college, when he was studying Hotel and Restaurant Management.

The Flying Rhino is one of the fruits of their marriage--and the result of their hands literally being in the business, as Barber likes to say.

Flying Rhino Café 278 Shrewsbury Street Worcester, MA 01604 508.757.1450 www.flyingrhinocafe.com

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Chef Christopher O’Harra

Photos courtesy of paulsrobinsonphotography.com

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Foodies of New England

Exploring the World of Food at Taste Trekkers

Written by Kelley Lynn Kassa Photography by Scott Erb and Donna Dufault

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“You guys are going to be full by the end of tonight,� Taste Trekkers organizer Seth Ressler told the nearly 250 who attended the inaugural food tourism conference. The event brought together world-renowned chefs, industry luminaries, product vendors, and food enthusiasts in Providence on September 21, 2013 to talk all things food. And to eat, of course.

The conference, held at the Providence Biltmore, started with the Mayor of Providence, Angel Tavares, welcoming the crowd to the city and reminding the attendees that Providence was recently named the number three U.S. city for foodies by Travel + Leisure.

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Tavares also introduced Taste Trekkers’ keynote speaker, Matt Jennings of Farmstead. Jennings is nationally recognized, with a list of accolades, and is known for both his artistry cooking with pork and his commitment to sustainability. “Serious food travelers geek out on the details,” shared Jennings. “The when and what they will be eating and where.”

Which gets us back to the actual food at Taste Trekkers. The conference consisted of 12 breakout sessions, many of which included food samples. The sessions ranged from demo of butchering a lamb to one showcasing the chocolate of Madagascar. One highlight was a session from Trace and Trust, an organization that helps chef know where their products come from, on how to share that information with their diners.

The session was led by Gaspar Catanzaro of Trace and Trust, and featured Dave Johnson, executive chef of Local 121, and Ben Sukle, owner and executive chef of Birch. In addition to talking about the importance of provenance and using by-catch, they handed out samples of ceviche and pork sandwiches.

The breakout sessions were followed by a diverse two-hour adventure at the Tasting Pavilion. More than 35 vendors participated in the tasting, and attendees were offered cheeses from Farmstead and Narragansett Creamery, ceviche and pisco sours from Los Andes restaurant in Providence, honey from the American Honey Tasting Society, Backyahd IPA from Foolproof brewing, and much, much more.

“It was a fun time. The conference had practically every type of food and beverage group, and it really opened my eyes to what some of the local purveyors offered,” said attendee Jeff Cutler, a foodie and blogger from Hingham, MA. “Some of my favorite sessions included the local prosciutto farmer and the folks talking about blogging about food. I think the best booths in the Tast-

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ing Pavilion were the ones that offered a unique perspective on food service and the food experience. And of course, everyone loves beer and cheese. “ Once attendees had their fill of food and drink, they headed off to the panel discussion on culinary tourism. The session was led by Gail Ciampa, the food editor of The Providence Journal, and featured Danielle Brodhagen from the Ontario Culinary Tourism Alliance, Jose Duarte, chef and owner of Taranta in Boston, Cindy Salvato, president and owner of Savoring Rhode Island, Joyce Weinberg, owner of City Food Tours,

Frank Martucci, National Vice President United States Bartenders’ Guild

Meghan Sheradin, executive director of Vermont Fresh Network and Sai Viswanath, chef of DeWolf Tavern in Providence. Chef Jose Duarte summed up food tourism: “Food tourism goes beyond just dining out at an ethnic restaurant.

It’s about understanding the flavors and the culture. It’s about understanding the why of what you are eating.”

Kristen Adamo, vice president of marketing and communication for the Providence Warwick Convention & Visitors Bureau, shared her thoughts on the event: “We saw the Taste Trekkers Conference as another step in the evolution of Providence as a top culinary destination. The city has received national acclaim for the depth and breadth of our culinary talent, and we are home to one of the country’s top culinary schools, Johnson & Wales University. Taste Trekkers allowed us to reach an audience that really understands the relationship between food and travel. The city of Providence embraces culinary tourism wholeheartedly, and we were pleased to host a group of like-minded thinkers. We look forward to the next Taste Trekkers.”

What is food tourism? The World Food Travel Association defines it as “the pursuit and enjoyment of unique and memorable food and drink experiences, both near and far.” Or, as Chef Jose Duarte of Taranta Restaurant in Boston’s North End and participant on the Taste Trekkers’s panel discussion on food tourism says,” Food tourism goes beyond just dining out at an ethnic restaurant. It’s about understanding the flavors and the culture. It’s about understanding the why of what you are eating.”

Sounds like your kind of food adventure? Taste Trekkers will be coming back to Providence on October 4, 2014.

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“History of...”

Written by Jodie Lynn Boduch Photography by Scott Erb and Donna Dufault

Jodie Lynn Boduch, owner of Much Ado Marketing, serves as Social Media Director and Staff Writer for the Foodies team.

She’s an adventurous explorer of the culinary landscape and enjoys writing about food. Educated in both business and history, she has big plans to put the latter to good use for this column.

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5RVHPDU\

Let’s get the Scarborough Fair reference out of the way up front, because I am pretty sure some of you had a certain Simon & Garfunkel tune floating through your mind now. Parsley, sage, and thyme are rather envious, but they will indeed all make it into History of… sooner or later.

Part of the mint family, rosemary (meaning “dew of the sea”) is native to the dry, rocky areas of the Mediterranean coast. The versatile herb’s needles are as distinct as its flavor and fragrance. Rosemary is often used in poultry dishes, potatoes, marinades, and even cocktails. Its oil extract is often used in medicine as a digestive aid and topically for treating several skin conditions.

And that distinctive scent? French hospitals have a history of burning rosemary with juniper berries to purify the air and prevent infection. Its clarifying properties don’t end there: rosemary is also believed to strengthen memory, which brings us to…

Remember Rosemary?

The tie to memory goes back to at least ancient Greece, where scholars often wore a rosemary garland on their heads to help their memory during examinations. (A big Foodies thumbs-up goes to any college student brave enough to try that during finals at the end of the semester.)

The herb is associated not just with remembering but also with remembrance. The funeral custom of casting rosemary on a coffin lowered into a grave dates back to ancient times; funeral flowers today often incorporate rosemary as well. It represents the idea that the departed will not be forgotten.

Henry VIII’s 4th Wife, Shakespeare, and Napoleon Rosemary wasn’t just found in the headdress of exam-taking Greek scholars.

Brides, too, wore wreaths comprising rosemary to symbolize love and loyalty continued on page 50

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(which is therefore consistent with the idea of remembrance).

Anne of Cleves, the fourth wife of Henry VIII, is said to have worn such a wreath at her wedding. Given that she was not beheaded, maybe rosemary signifies good luck, too…

The cultural importance of Shakespeare made symbolic use of rosemary in five of his plays, most famously to illustrate Ophelia’s grief over her father’s death in Hamlet. A disturbed Ophelia hands rosemary to her brother, saying “There’s rosemary, that’s for remembrance; pray, love, remember,” which gave rise to the phrase, “rosemary for remembrance.”

And then we have Napoleon. The Little Corporal was quite the fan of rosemary water as a fragrance: In the first three months of 1806, the imperial perfumer (don’t you wish you could put that on your LinkedIn profile?) reported that Napoleon used 162 bottles of rosemary water. Apparently Empress Josephine asked him to wash in it prior to entering her bedchamber. According to French legend, if a man disliked the scent of rosemary, he’d be an inferior lover. If averaging 1.8 bottles of rosemary a day doesn’t say I Heart Rosemary, nothing does.

Rosemary: Protector from Evil and Herald of Happiness If you grow rosemary in your garden successfully, heave a sigh of relief. European folklore suggests that it only grows in the gardens of the righteous: in Spain it’s revered as one of the bushes that sheltered the Virgin Mary during the flight into Egypt. Growing rosemary, in turn, is said to offer protection from evil spirits. (There’s nothing to suggest that the status of garden gnomes is affected.) Sicilian legend maintains that fairies in the form of snakes dwell within the branches of a rosemary plant. Conclusion: wear gloves while pruning rosemary in Sicily.

As if protection from evil weren’t enough, rosemary can also be a herald of good things to come. In medieval times, it was customary to spread rosemary on the floor at midnight on Christmas Eve. People would walk on it and the scent of rosemary would fill the air. Those who could smell it would have a year of health and happiness. Next time you see rosemary in a Christmas wreath, breathe deep and hope for the best.

Lyrical Rosemary So, remember (with or without the aid of rosemary) how I mentioned Scarborough Fair in the beginning? Now that you know the historical correlation between rosemary and memory, the lyrics from the song—which was an Elizabethan ballad, by way—no doubt have an “ohhh…” quality:

Are you going to Scarborough Fair?

Parsley, sage, rosemary and thyme Remember me to one who lives there, For she once was a true love of mine.

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Grass Fed Revolution: The Virtues of Grass-Fed Meat & How to Cook It Written by Eric Kalwarczyk Photography by Scott Erb and Donna Dufault

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ood old well-intentioned William heads down to the local farmers market and stops at farmer Bob’s grass-fed beef stand. “Hi,” says Will, “I’m looking for some nice grillin’ steaks for tonight.” “Oh sure,” says Bob, “on special, fifteen dollars a pound.” “Wow!” gasps William taken aback. “That seems like a lot!” “Well, it’s local, it’s grass fed, and it’s healthier than commercial beef. It’s just the best, best, best!” “Oh well, then gimme four nice ones,” replies William as he hands over the bulk of his wallet.

With bovine parts safely stashed aside, William sets out for home, his carnivorous mind daydreaming and spinning with grass-fed glory.

The gleaming Weber grill out back calls out for its master. The backyard grillmeister William cracks the propane, pushes the igniter, with the temperature control cranked to the max. The yellow flame leaps up, the smell of burning carbonized bits waft into the air — the stuff always stuck to the grill from the last meal. He runs the wire brush up and down the metal bars and readies himself for the task at hand.

The steaks are ready, perfectly seasoned: sea salt, black pepper, a little olive oil. The grill is ready, red hot, as William lays down the steaks. The sizzle, the steam, the smell is enough to get the mouth watering and the belly grumbling.

Are they ready?

Are they done?

They must be done by now, they smell so good—off the grill, onto the platter, and into the house to await the side dishes and the family.

Executive Chef Eric Kalwarczyk

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“It’s chewy Dad, it’s dry Dad, it’s just not good Dad,” the kids resound, as a well-intentioned William sinks slowly. He slouches dejectedly into his dining room chair secretly vowing to shun all things grass fed and return to the commercial feed-lot stuff he is so accustomed too.

Don’t be like William.

This is the meat of a different animal.

Let’s return to the subject of farmers markets. It’s nice to see more of these things popping up every year. It means there are still people out there who cook their own food, as opposed to getting their nutrition only from fast food and prepackaged grocery store meals. Because the growing season is so short in New England and vegetables are usually the main items sold at the markets, local meats are one item that generally can be found year round.

The way I see it, there are three main reasons why someone would purchase a local grass-fed product over a feed-lot supermarket one.

Buy local to support your neighbor, local agriculture, and farm to table, social responsibility etc. Also in this category would be a person’s concern for the quality of life of the livestock.

Health reasons: Grass-fed is touted to be lower in fat and cholesterol and higher in omega 3s as well as vitamins A and E. Flavor: Here is where it gets subjective. Advocates of grass fed argue that the taste is the way “beef used to taste.”

It may have a slight “gamey” flavor or a richer beefier flavor. There is no argument that it will not be the same as corn-fed, feed-lot beef. A steak that has a USDA grading of choice or prime has what’s known as marblization, where fat is interwoven within the muscle. As this meat is cooked, the fat softens. As the eater chews, the meat breaks apart more easily than leaner cuts. This creates a better mouthfeel on the palette: the meat tastes more moist and tender. continued on page 54

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However, with a grass-fed product you don’t necessarily need to do more chewing. With proper techniques, awesome results are possible.

If you do chose to go down the grass-fed path there are a few things to be aware of: Cost. Local food costs more. To most this is a real headscratcher as to why something that comes from ten states away costs less than something that comes from ten miles away. This has less to do with transportation costs than economies of scale. Midwest feed lots are run more like a giant machine than a farm. A local farmer may process only a few animals at a time as opposed to the big packers who kill thousands of animals a day. You should expect to pay at least twice as much as you would pay in some grocery chain.

Ease of preparation. Grass fed is very unforgiving and can dry out in the blink of an eye. You need to be careful, especially with items like grilling steaks and burgers: these should not be eaten above a medium doneness. Pick up a decent probe thermometer and monitor carefully: a temperature above 140 degrees is going to dry out. Look for 120 degrees for rare, 135 for medium, somewhere in between for medium rare, and let the meat rest for five minutes before eating.

Someone who prefers well-cooked meat should try braising as opposed to grilling or roasting.

Getting down to brass tacks, when it comes to cooking this stuff, you need to take a cue from the southern barbeque mantra of low and slow. This doesn’t mean smoking and cooking it until it totally breaks apart. Low temperature cooking allows for the muscle to relax more, also it may speed up the natural enzymes that help to break down and tenderize the meat.

Most local meat is sold frozen, so make sure you allow enough time for it to thaw: the best thawing method is in the refrigerator. If you are using a marinade, make sure the meat is totally unfrozen before adding it to the marinade, as leaching of liquid from the thawing process will dilute the marinade. Grass-fed beef usually benefits from some marination.

The tannic acids in red wine are known to break down the collagen between the muscle fibers, creating a more tender product. Adding healthy oil (i.e., olive oil, avocado oil) to the marinade may help to compensate for the lower amounts of fat found in grass-fed beef.

To roast meat, set your oven at a low temperature; most home ovens can be set as low as 175 degrees. This will cook the meat very evenly and with less moisture loss than higher temperature roasting. The downside to this method is it will take a much longer time to cook. By the same token, it gives you a much larger window of time, thus reducing the chance of over cooking.

When braising or cooking in liquid the same principal holds true. Let’s say you throw a pot on the stove and crank the

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temperature. You may end up with meat that is dry, even though it was cooked in liquid. An even worse result could be a meal that totally disintegrates because you let it go too far. It’s best to simmer only on a stove top, or even better to braise inside the oven in a roasting pan or Dutch oven.

A cooking method known as sous-vide lends itself well to this sort of product. Unfortunately it is not practical for the average home cook. With sous-vide, the meat is first seasoned and then vacuum-sealed inside a plastic bag. The sealed item is then placed in a low, temperature controlled water bath for a certain time. Usually a special unit is needed to keep constant temperature; however, it is possible to do this in a pot of water on top of the stove with a good thermometer and a vigilant cook, carefully watching. The idea is the slowcooking and the vacuum seal prevents moisture loss. This method works well if executed properly.

Like many aspects of our modern society, agriculture and food production are mostly controlled by enormous corporations. If enough people do their part and seek their sustenance outside of conventional means we hopefully can keep these giants in check. Happy Cooking!

Eric Kalwarczyk is the Executive Chef for the Inn at Woodstock Hill in Woodstock, CT. www.woodstockhill.com.

Porter Braised Beef Ragout with Shiitake and peas over Pappardelle

Porter Braised Beef Ragout with Shiitake and Peas over Pappardelle Ingredients: 2 lb beef in 1 inch cubes (preferable shoulder or chuck meat, but any cut will work) 3 medium carrots, peeled and large diced 1 large onion, chopped 1 tsp. anchovy paste 3 cups of dark porter beer 2 cups of V8 juice 1 cup ground peeled tomato or tomato puree 2 tsp. chopped garlic 4 cups of beef or chicken stock ½ cup sliced shiitake mushrooms ½ cup sweet peas 2 tbsp. chopped flat leaf parsley ½ cup of nice grating cheese like parmesan or romano shredded or shaved 1 pound pappardelle pasta or other wide, flat type noodle Salt and pepper to taste ½ cup cooking oil Season beef with salt and pepper. Add oil to no-stick pan on medium high heat. When oil is hot add beef in batches and brown on all sides. Drain any excess oil then deglaze pan with porter. If you are going to roast in same pan, leave the liquid in; otherwise add porter-liquid along with beef to your roasting pan or Dutch oven. In same pan add onion, garlic, anchovy paste, V8, tomato puree and stock cover and place in 350 degree F oven for one hour. Remove pan from oven add carrots and stir return to oven for two more hours.

When beef is done or nearing done you can cook pasta according to directions.

In sauté pan heat a little butter then add shiitakes and sauté over medium heat until they soften (about 3 minutes). Add peas and cook about three more minutes then reserve.

Pomegranate Marinated Beef on a Salad of Spinach, Arugula, Grilled Asparagus, and Roasted Yellow Beets The marinade: ¼ cup Braggs liquid amino or regular soy sauce ¼ cup pomegranate molasses 1lb of beef round Combine aminos and molasses in a bowl add beef and coat evenly with marinade. Refrigerate for 24 hours. Heat oven to 175 degrees and put beef on a roasting pan and cook for 3 to 4 hours until temperature reaches 130 to 135 degrees.

The Beets: Peel four yellow beets, wrap in tin foil and roast in 400 degree oven for one hour.

The asparagus: Trim the woody ends off of one pound of asparagus. Lay asparagus flat on a sheet pan and spray with cooking spray season with a little salt and pepper. Lay asparagus on a hot grill being careful to turn them and not overgrill them (3 to 4 minutes).

The dressing: 2 Tbsp. apple cider vinegar 1Tbs. pure maple syrup Dash or two of Worcestershire sauce 5 Tbsp. olive oil Salt and pepper to taste In a bowl add all ingredients but oil. Whisk ingredients then slowly whisk in oil.

Arrange salad; Combine spinach and arugula on a plate, lay 3 or 4 asparagus spears up the center. Slice beets ¼ inch thick and arrange slices on one side of plate. Slice beef as thin as possible and lay slices on other side of plate.

Dress salad lightly and serve.

Check beef for seasoning. You may or may not need more salt, depending on how salty your stock is; add some black pepper for sure.

To plate, lay pasta on plate or bowl top with a good portion of beef mixture (about a cup). Sprinkle mushrooms and peas over beef then finish with parsley and shaved cheese.

Pomegranate marinated beef on a salad of spinach, arugula, grilled asparagus, and roasted yellow beets

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BREAKFAST

LUNCH

DINNER

COCKTAILS

Welcome to Livia's Dish, the ultimate in exquisite Italian/Mediterranean cuisine.

Our dishes are prepared with the freshest seafood and meats and are matched perfectly with a new world of herbs, spices and culinary techniques.

Our family friendly restaurant offers a relaxed, comfortable atmosphere including free Wifi.

Whether it’s for breakfast, brunch, lunch or dinner, come see what makes Livia’s Dish truly – “A Unique Dining Experience.”

1394 Main Street Worcester, MA 01603 508-926-8861 www.liviasdish.com

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Gluten Free

Gluten-Free

ARTISAN BREAD, At Last Written by Ellen Allard Gluten Free Diva www.glutenfreediva.com Photography by Scott Erb and Donna Dufault

Ellen Allard, the Gluten Free Diva, is an over-the-moon enthusiastically hip and motivational Certified Holistic Health Coach who helps clients banish the bloat and embrace gluten free lifestyle changes that enable them to fall madly in love with the food that unequivocally loves them back.

A graduate of the Institute for Integrative Nutrition, Ellen is a recipe developer, food writer, food photographer and videographer (www.glutenfreediva.com/blog/.)

She passionately promotes optimal health through informed food choices and whole plant-based foods. She loves all things food and health and is happy to talk to you about the same!

After my Celiac diagnosis in late 2006, I went gluten free. I learned how to read labels and differentiate what contained gluten and what was on the safe list of foods to eat. I discovered that buckwheat, despite its name, was gluten free and was wonderfully suited for making pancakes and breads. I became a chemist in the kitchen, blending and mixing flours heretofore unheard of by me, experimenting with every imaginable combination that I would then use for baking gluten-free sandwich bread. I made friends with vegetables that I’d never even considered eating before going gluten free, like kale and fennel and kohlrabi. I developed the courage to advocate for myself when eating at restaurants or friends’ houses. After a year, my new gluten-free existence became par for the course. I had adjusted to this new way of life.

Except for one thing: artisan bread. Crusty on the outside, white and pillowy on the inside, dunked in soup or smothered with butter, I loved artisan bread— and if push came to shove, I would’ve given up many other beloved foods if allowed to eat this for the rest of my life. Alas, it was not meant to be…at least not the wheat-based kind.

Post diagnosis, I would somberly stand at the bakery at my local Price Chopper supermarket and watch as the beautiful artisan breads came out of the oven: round or oblong, with seeds or without seeds. Intoxicating aroma, the taste still on my lips, I longed for what once was.

And then it happened without my even noticing. Something clicked. After a few months, I stopped torturing myself and, instead, walked past the bakery without nary a nod to the spell it held me under in my prior gluten-filled life.

Yet, in the back of my mind, I still daydreamed about eating the beloved crusty bread of my past. Fast forward eight years. As a result of years of online research and experimentation, I decided to venture into the arena of glutenfree artisan bread baking. Wanting to create recipes that my health coaching clients and cooking and baking class students could use, I set out to create recipes that didn’t require buying and housing the many different gluten-free flours and ingredients that gluten-free baking usually requires. I decided to focus on 3 different gluten-free flour options. Cup4Cup is a blend of glutenfree flours specifically blended to be used as its name indicates: to replace wheat flour, cup for cup. But what people don’t realize is that you can also use gluten-free bread mixes in a very similar way: as a source of blended gluten-free flours. Thus, two additional options are King Arthur Gluten Free continued on page 60

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Bread Mix and Bob’s Red Mill Gluten Free Hearty Whole Grain Bread Mix. My Cup4Cup and Crusty Artisan Rolls recipes are right here; for my other artisan bread recipes (and many more gluten-free ideas!) visit my website: www.glutenfreediva.com.

Prior to going gluten free, I remember eating a wheat-filled dark-crusted raisin-studded crisp roll that I bought every time I visited Whole Foods in Cambridge, MA. I’ve dreamt about it since then. And now, I no longer have to dream. It is that roll that inspired me to doggedly pursue the creation of the gluten-free artisan bread recipes that I share in this issue. My life, at least from a gluten-free bread perspective, is now complete. I am a very happy Gluten Free Diva.

Gluten Free Crusty Artisan Bread (Cup4Cup Gluten Free Flour Blend) Ingredients: 1 ½ cups Cup4Cup gluten free flour + extra for dusting counter 1 tsp baking powder 3/4 tsp salt 1 tsp rapid rise yeast 1 tbsp sugar 1 cup water, about 100 degrees Preheat oven to 450 degrees. While it is preheating, place a medium or large cast iron oven-safe covered pot into oven. As an alternative to the cast iron pot, you can bake the bread on a large preheated cookie sheet or pizza stone.

Add yeast and sugar to water. Cover with plastic wrap and wait for bubbles to appear on the surface. This indicates that your yeast is fresh.

Whisk the Cup4Cup gluten free flour with the baking powder and salt. Add the proofed yeast, sugar, and water mixture and mix until blended. It will be very sticky and wet, and appear to have the consistency of papier mâché.

Dip a rubber spatula into water and use it to scrape down the dough as needed. When fully blended, wrap the bowl tightly with plastic wrap and place in a warm spot for 30 minutes, while the oven and cast iron pot are preheating.

After 30 minutes, gently scrape dough onto surface dusted with Cup4Cup flour. Using slightly damp and floured hands, shape the dough into a small, dome-shaped round loaf. Use a sharp knife or pizza cutter to cut two lines (creating a plus sign) into the surface of the dough.

Remove the preheated cast iron pot from oven, and then remove the lid. When moving the dough into the cast iron pot, use a floured hard spatula to ease it off the counter and into your hands. Gently cradle the dough and then drop it into the cast iron pot. If necessary, you can re-carve the lines. If using a cookie sheet or pizza stone, you can shape the dough on a piece of parchment paper dusted with flour and then move the parchment paper onto the cookie sheet or pizza stone.

Replace the cover once again onto the pot and place cast iron pot into preheated oven. Bake for 30 minutes then remove lid and bake for another 15 minutes. Remove from pan and place on cooling rack. Wait until it has reached room temperature to eat, as gluten-free bread can be sticky and tacky when it first comes out of the oven.

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Gluten Free Crusty Artisan Rolls (Bob’s Red Mill Gluten Free Hearty Grain Bread Mix) Ingredients: Entire package from Bob’s Red Mill Gluten Free Hearty Grain Bread Mix + rice flour for dusting counter 2 tsp baking powder 2 tsp salt 1 tsp rapid rise yeast ½ c. raisins zest of 1 orange 2 c. water, about 100 degrees 2 tsp apple cider vinegar Preheat oven to 450 degrees. While it is preheating, place 3 medium or large cast iron oven-safe covered pots into oven.

As an alternative to the cast iron pots, you can bake the rolls on a large preheated cookie sheet or several pizza stones.

In a stand mixer, on a low speed, blend the package of Bob’s Red Mill Gluten Free Hearty Grain Bread Mix with the baking powder, salt, yeast, raisins and orange zest.

In a separate cup or bowl, mix the water and apple cider vinegar. With the stand mixer on a low speed, add the liquid, slowly increasing the speed to high and then mixing for 3 minutes. It might be very sticky and wet, and appear to have the consistency of paper mache. Dip a rubber spatula into water and use it to scrape down the dough as needed.

When fully blended, scoop out 12 rolls of dough (+/- depending on the size roll you desire). Use extra flour on your hands if the dough is too sticky to handle. Place rolls on a large cookie sheet, cover with plastic wrap and place in a warm spot for 30 minutes, while the oven and cast iron pots are preheating. It helps to spray the underside of the plastic wrap with vegetable spray to make it easier to remove the plastic wrap before baking the rolls.

After 30 minutes, gently scrape dough onto surface dusted with rice flour. Using slightly damp and floured hands, shape the dough into small round rolls. The amount of dough you use for each roll will dictate the number of rolls this recipe yields. Use a sharp knife or pizza cutter to cut two lines (creating a plus sign) into the surface of each roll.

Remove the preheated cast iron pot from stove, and remove the lid. When moving the rolls of dough into the cast iron pots, use a floured hard spatula to ease each one off the counter and into your hands. Gently cradle the dough and then drop it into the cast iron pot. If necessary, you can re-carve the lines. If using a cookie sheet or pizza stone, you can shape the rolls and place on a piece of parchment paper dusted with flour and then move the parchment paper onto the cookie sheet or pizza stone.

Replace the cover once again onto the pots and place into preheated oven. Bake for 30 minutes then remove lids and bake for another 15 minutes. Remove from pan and place on cooling rack. Wait until the rolls have reached room temperature to eat, as gluten free baked goods can be sticky and tacky when they first comes out of the oven.

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Boston Post Dairy & The Gervais Family Farm - A Vermont Family Farmstead Written by Peggy Bridges Photography by Scott Erb and Donna Dufault

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n the small Vermont town of Enosburg Falls, tucked neatly in the beautiful green mountains, lies a quaint little farmstead known as the Gervais Family Farm. On approach to the farmstead, visitors can take in a breathtaking view of Jay Peak as well as catch a glimpse of the swirling waters of the nearby Missisquoi River. Upon arrival, members of the Gervais family greet their guests with the ease of the friendly Vermont country lifestyle.

Robert and Gisele Gervais started farming in 1962. They raised a family of 15 (11 boys and 4 girls). In 2007 they purchased a second farm, now known as the Boston Post Dairy, with their four daughters and later added a cheese making operation and a small retail store to the dairy. The large family has divided the two farming operations such that the boys operate the Gervais Farm, leaving the four sisters to run “the girls’ farm” under the name of Boston Post Dairy. Over the years, the Gervais family has continued to expand their farming operations to a current milking heard of 2,000, the milk from which is shipped to the St. Albans Co Op Creamery in St. Albans, Vermont for processing. On the Gervais farm the boys team their love for traditional farming with technological advances that make the farm highly self-sufficient. They process manure from their cows with a methane digester that produces electricity for the entire home farm as well as heating their water. The Gervais Family Farm received well-deserved recognition for their unique operation last year when they won Vermont Farm of the Year, otherwise known as the Green Pastures Award, from New England Dairy Promotions.

Anne, Theresa, Susan, and Annette are proud of their dairy operation, and they ought to be. This year they won three Cheese Society Awards; one Gold for their Eleven Brothers cheese, and two Silver for their Très Bonne and Smoky Gouda cheeses. When they entered into competitions at The Eastern States Exposition (also known as “The Big E”) in East Springfield, Massachusetts, they won three gold medals for their Eleven Brothers and Très Bonne cheeses, as well as their Bon Pere cheese, which is their first cow and goat milk blended cheese to take an award.

The sisters create these cheeses with the yield from their 100 cows and 90 goats. All of their award winning cheeses are made with goat’s milk or a blend of cow and goat milk, and are made only with the milk produced at the Boston Post Dairy. Using only their own milk to produce their cheeses enables them to use the term “farmstead” cheese for their products. Visitors can actually watch the cheese making operation through specially installed windows at the dairy made for the viewing public. And after seeing how it’s done, visitors can purchase the cheeses as well as other products made on the premises such as goat’s milk soaps and maple products in their small retail store.

The Gervais family attends farmer’s markets, shows, and festivals from June through the harvest. Their products can be purchased at any of these events, as well as online from their web site at www. bostonpostdairy.com.

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Robert and Gisele Gervais

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chef decided to move closer to home, somewhere he and his wife could raise their two young children in a quieter, more mellow environment. Having summered on the Cape “for as long back as I can remember,” Chef Matthew began looking around for a spot suitable for both the family and his traditional French culinary chops. The chef knew of Pain d’Avignon for many years, and a friend in the food business recommended he stop by to introduce himself.

Initial discussions were “touch and go” by Chef Tropeano’s admission, as he toyed with the idea of opening a B&B in the area. But steadier heads prevailed, and Tropeano joined the august staff of Café-Boulangerie in March 2013. Bringing such stout knowledge and experience in classic French bistro cuisine for one so young (he just turned 34), the café looks to be on a sound and reliable culinary course in the months and years to come. Much of the menu has been left in place with

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just a few subtle tweaks to dishes as is chef’s wont.

There will be special offerings for the Christmas and New Year’s holidays, among them: Poularde de Noel - a whole-roasted chicken (from Miss Scarlett’s Blue Ribbon Farm in Yarmouth) loaded with truffles and a chestnut and sausage house-made stuffing (made with Pain D’Avignon’s signature housebaked bread) Champagne Oysters - Barnstable oysters (caught by Chef Matthew himself) topped with caviar and served with a champagne granite.

Asked who has inspired him in his

culinary journey, Chef Matthew replies: Chef David McMillan (currently Executive Chef at Meddlesome Moth in Dallas, TX).

So whether it is a craving for a fresh warm buttery croissant and café latte, brioche loaf or just to sit and sip a vin rose with your plate of oysters, mussels or foie gras in the café next door, Pain d’ Avignon can both sate the appetite and nourish the soul.

Bon appétit!

Pain d’ Avignon is open seven days a week: Counter Service Daily 7am-6pm (Kitchen closed 4pm6pm), Dinner Served Wednesday (live music), Thursday & Sunday 6pm - 10pm / Friday & Saturday 6pm 11pm.

Closed Monday & Tuesday nights.

Pain D’Avignon 15 Hinckley Road Hyannis, MA 02601 508.778.8588 www.paindavignon.com

Vinland A Written by Sandy Lashin-Curewitz Photography by Scott Erb and Donna Dufault

storm is brewing in wintry Portland, Maine. Vinland owner and chef, David Levi, has planned a savory invasion to bring natives and tourists back to a wild lifestyle of feeding off the (Vacation) land.

The 32-year-old former poetry student and teacher has soaked up the wisdom of numerous mentors of the literary and culinary worlds. He harnessed the power of social media with a Kickstarter campaign for funding. His passion for food—100% locally sourced, organic, gluten-free, and wild—is fueled by a bold list of core values: “The Vinland Manifesto.”

“We are part of a food revolution,” he claims. Levi believes that great food is inextricably linked with ecology, building the local economy, and teaching good nutrition.

Schooled in such traditional cooking techniques as fermentation, drying, butchery, and smoking, Levi says, “I worked with Stefano Falorni and Dario Cecchini in Italy, who taught me how to honor the entire animal, using everything to the utmost.”

Lacto fermented oat flatbread with chicken liver mousse with red onion and lemon

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Chef David Levi

Skeptics wonder how Levi will keep Vinland’s promises in a land where the warm months can be counted on one hand. He sites Faviken, in Järpen, Sweden, covered in snow from October through April. “If they can do it, I know that we can, too,â€? he declares. Constraints often fuel creativity. Levi has created yogurt whey in place of lemon, and “soyâ€? sauce using mushrooms. “Our beverages will be based on local ingredients and producers to the utmost, using only ethically-sourced and top quality ingredients throughout,â€? clariďŹ ed Levi on Kickstarter. “Our Fair Trade, organic coffee and tea will come from our friends at The Speckled Ax, Tandem, and the Little Red Cup Tea Co. Our wine is from Devenish and Crush, both of which specialize in artisanal, organic, and wild fermented wines.

Our beer and spirits will be entirely regional.

We will showcase local mead and cider, including from our friends at U.F.F.�

Most of Vinland’s meats and seafood are available year-round. “Some seafood is best in winter,â€? Levi says and went on to describe a tender, cappacuolo pork cutlet, popular in Italy, marbled and avorful, cooked medium-rare in its own fat.

It is obvious that Levi delights in experimenting to meet the challenges he has set for Vinland. Though he seems as much inventor as chef, he assures, “We want our dishes to be beautiful, but we don’t want to be overly complex.â€? Just try his carefully crafted atbread that tastes like “a great version of a Cheese-It.â€?

Familiar root vegetables get a makeover as Levi plays with textures and avors.

The humble parsnip is juiced and the pulp dehydrated to make our for parsnip shortbread. He adds maple sugar to the recipe. A bite can miraculously taste of verboten spices nutmeg and cinnamon.

Levi reached back to memories of Chinese high school classmates in New York City, and time he spent in Iceland, to create one of his signature “Little Bites.� Airdried hake, cod, or haddock is sliced “extremely thin� and served with butter and seaweed for a mild, pleasant snack.

Not satisďŹ ed with sating appetites, Levi endeavors to educate foodies and newbies who discover his website, www.vinland.me, with book suggestions and cooking classes. Clicking on the cover of In Defense of Food, by Michael Pollan, reveals a virtual college degree’s worth of texts and talks by some of the most notable authors on food, nutrition, and gastro-philosophy. “I’m hoping to show that we can ďŹ ght to save our imperiled world while, and even in part by, eating really, really well,â€? he says.

Vinland 593 Congress Street Portland, ME 04101 207.653.8617 www.vinland.me

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Pasta (and Life): 101

Pane e Pasta... bread & pasta!

A pair that goes together like...

Peanut butter and jelly, Chocolate and marshmallows, Pork chops and applesauce...

(Thanks, Peter Brady) But seriously.

Written by Christopher Rovezzi Photography by Scott Erb and Donna Dufault

Chef Christopher Rovezzi started in the restaurant business at age 11 washing pots and pans at his dad’s restaurant in Worcester, MA. When his dad closed the doors to the original Rovezzi’s Restaurant it forced Chris out into the culinary world to continue his training. He attributes much of his success to the 3 years he spent under Chef Tommaso Garguillo.

Chris re-opened Rovezzi’s in 2002 in Sturbridge, MA and has happily provided the community with his take on Italian and Medditeranean cuisine ever since. Chris is a two time winner of “Worcesters Best Chef” competition and also “Iron Chef” Champion of 2012. Known for lusty, hearty dishes that are simply prepared, his focus lately has been artisinal hand made pastas.

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Any good Italian knows that a hearty bowl of cavatelli bolognese is not TRULY finished until a piece of fresh bread is ripped from the loaf and the inside of the bowl is meticulously swabbed, wiping the last remnants of oil- glistened meat sauce from the ceramic vessel. The bread becomes not only a delicious part of the meal but also tool to help clean up after dinner.

As a chef, I have witnessed folks enjoying my pasta thousands of times. But there is a familiar scenario that occurs once in a while where the diner runs out of my foccacia before the dish is finished. At this point the funniest thing happens: All action stops. The individual ceases to move, or speak, or emote in any way other than to signal to the server that before he can proceed with his meal, he MUST have more bread.

The dense foccacia arrives and as an engineer balances a scale, he grabs the appropriate size piece that will offset the weight of the fork in his alternate hand.

Then, like an orchestra conductor leading a symphony, he becomes ambidextrous. His two hands move in rhythmical motion stabbing the pasta onto the fork while scooping up sauce with the bread so that seamlessly, one immediately after the other they enter the mouth where the pasta and the sauce reconnect perfectly with the added sumptuousness of the bread.

Balance Indeed The first pasta I made by hand was cavatelli. The first sauce I ever poured over it was sausage bolognese. The first type of bread I ever baked was foccacia. It seems serendipitous that these things are enjoyed in my restaurant 35 years after I was taught these most simple of recipes and the complex magic that occurs when they accompany each other.

Ricotta Cavatelli Ingredients: 3 cups (1 pound) all-purpose flour 1 pound ricotta cheese 2 large eggs, lightly beaten DIRECTIONS Put 2 1/2 cups of the flour into a bowl, make a well in the flour, and add the cheese and eggs.

Gradually work the mixture together, adding more flour if necessary, to make a soft but not sticky dough. On a lightly floured surface, knead the dough until it’s smooth. Let the dough rest at room temperature, covered with an inverted bowl or wrapped in plastic, for 30 minutes.

Cut the dough into quarters. Working with one quarter at a time, on a lightly floured surface, roll the dough into a rope 1/4 inch in diameter.

With a knife, cut the rope into 1/2-inch pieces.

With your index and third fingers held together, gently press down on each piece, beginning at the top and moving down toward the bottom, dragging your fingers toward you and causing the pasta to roll over on itself. You can also repeat this process on a ridged wooden gnocchi board.

Bring a saucepan of salted water to a boil and add the pasta. Cook until the cavatelli are al dente, 6 to 8 minutes. They’re done when they float.

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BEST in RUSTIC DINING

The Duck Farmhouse to Table in a Rustic Setting Written by David G. Kmetz Photography by Scott Erb and Donna Dufault

If Shrewsbury Street in Worcester is known as “Restaurant Row” these days, it has a strong competitive bookend set along the main drag in Sturbridge, about 20 miles west. Long recognized as an antique shop Mecca in Central Massachusetts due to its proximity to the fabled Brimfield Flea Market and Old Sturbridge Village, this modest country town now boasts over twenty restaurants, catering to nearly every culinary taste and budget. Thai, Japanese, sushi, smoked BBQ, Chinese, Modern American, New England fare, traditional seafood, quality pizza and subs, breakfast and coffee stops, ice cream shops, updated Italian/Mediterranean and a smattering of chain franchises.

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One of the more popular dining destinations gracing busy Route 20 is (or, rather, was) The Whistling Swan/Ugly Duckling Loft combination. Set in a converted mid-19th century Greek Revival home and barn, with its easily recognized two story Ionic columns facing the street, it has been a favorite for locals, tourists, and antique hunters for over three decades— a very strong run by any measure in the highly competitive, fickle restaurant and hospitality industry. Positive reviews included The New York Times and a feature article in Colonial Homes magazine, drawing celebrities, actors and politicians from all over the Northeast.

Fast forward to 2010, when local business entrepreneurs Table 3 Restaurant Group purchased the property and began to consider renovations and updates.

Table 3 General Manager Dan Gonya states, “We saw an opportunity to take a well-respected and established institution and bring fresh energy, innovative menu options and exemplary customer service to the venue. Our customers had all kinds of experiences here—engagements, anniversaries, graduations, parties, or sometimes just dinner with friends. In the beginning days and months of running the restaurants, we recognized a pent-up demand for many people to come back and reconnect.”

With renovations complete, the restaurant was launched in the spring of 2012 as The Duck. The decision was made to leave the classic pub-style menu of The Ugly Duckling upstairs, with a focus on quality ingredients and first-class execution, plus enhancing the barn-like ambience of the space with splashes of earth tone colors and rustic accessories. The lower space formerly used by The Whistling Swan is now home to Italian-American themed Avellino, named after the ancestral Italian town of Table 3 Executive Chef Enrico “Rico” Giovanello.

A major highlight of the new Duck menu is the “Farmhouse” entree section. Based on sustainable, natural, organic locally or regionally sourced meats and produce, the current samplings include grass-fed beef from Brimfield, humanely raised New York State duck breast, hormone free open air poultry from highly-respected New Jersey based purveyor D’Artagnan and locally caught responsibly harvested sea scallops from Georges Bank.

The new Head Chef of The Duck is Nicholas Zammarelli, a 2009 Salter College graduate (earning top honors no less).

Starting with stints at Old Sturbridge Village as rounds cook, line cook at The Whistling Swan & Ugly Duckling Loft before

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renovations in 2009-2010, Chef de Cuisine at Feng’s Asian Bistro in Millbury from 2010-2011, Gheppetto’s Grille in Ware through early 2012, Chef Nick landed back at The Duck, as Sous Chef under Chef Robert Fecteau.

Chef Zammerelli recalls coming home from school or work every day passing by The Whistling Swan/Ugly Ducking Loft and saying to himself, “I will be the Chef there someday!”

Patience, talent, and hard work have paid off and the patrons are getting a better dining experience from his passion and persistence.

The idea for the Farmhouse offering grew from Chefs Fecteau and Zammarelli seeking local sources of produce, cheese, and meats for their popular monthly craft or microbrew dinners. They began to run various local products as specials, test marketing the concept. The response was immediate and highly positive for anything local and organic. Popularity of these new offerings has been confirmed by the order tally as the Farmhouse entrees have rapidly taken at least five spots in the top ten served at the restaurant. The Farmhouse offerings have been available since the summer and were fully integrated into the menu about three months ago.

Among the most popular dishes from the Farmhouse side of the ledger are: Painted Hills Short Ribs (Oregon pasture raised, all vegetarian diet), “barn dance” polenta and braised vegetables Black Canyon Filet Mignon (western ranch-raised angus, grass fed), port demi-glace and three potato gratin Pan Seared Rohan Duck Breast (humanely raised, NY Catskills, all natural), duck glace, cranberry rice pilaf Maple Glazed Georges Bank Seared Scallops (local waters, responsibly harvested), butternut squash risotto, cider vinaigrette, house made pancetta and sauteed swiss chard Butternut Squash Ravioli (local artisan handmade pasta), fresh sage, farm roasted butternut squash, local parmesan cream Wonderful offerings indeed! But have no fear, besides the elevated aspirations of the Farmhouse creations, The Duck continues to showcase their Loft Classics, attuned to the more traditional rustic ambiance The Ugly Duckling was well known for.

One of the more rewarding and enjoyable tasks facing the chefs and managers has been visiting local farms and developing a mutually healthy working relationship with area purveyors and food artisans.

“The availability of what we can source over the last few years has grown so rapidly. I think there is already a large existent market and one that will only expand as people truly care about the sources of the food they are eating.” says Gonya. “It doesn’t take an expert to see and taste the difference between a factory-raised hormone-filled cow and one grass-fed and aged, or a locallycrafted cheese. Having increased access to these better, healthier products only inspires our chefs and the entire team to be more creative and sensitive to the enjoyment and recreation of a wonderful dining experience. We are in a very good position now and I only expect that foundation to grow as we find yet new sources and ideal ways

to offer them to our loyal—and new— customers.”

The Duck 502 Main Street Sturbridge, MA 01518 508.347.2321 www.theducksturbridge.com www.table3restaurantgroup.com

Chef Nicholas Zammarelli

Pan Seared Rohan Duck Breast

River Rock Farms Top Sirloin

Alaskan King Salmon Rosette

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BEST in RUSTIC DINING

Sharpe Hill Vineyard Take a Trip Back in Culinary Time Written by Bradley Schwarzenbach Photography by Scott Erb and Donna Dufault

You’ll start to realize that you’re in store for a unique rustic dining experience as you wind your way farther from the highways and main roads of northeastern Connecticut. The fast food joints, convenience stores, big box chains, and civilization fade away as you drive deeper and deeper into the hidden corners of Pomfret.

But then, finally, it appears, and it will all have been worth the wait.

Sharpe Hill Vineyard doesn’t do things the easy way. Not a corner is cut—including the path to its location. And Executive Chef Catherine Vollweiler has absolutely no problems with that.

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Filet Mignon with fresh vegetables

Executive Chef Catherine Vollweiler and Jill Vollweiler

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“Simply, I wanted to build a world class winery in Connecticut,” she said. “This is where it needed to be.”

It was on the 111 acres atop Sharpe Hill that she built her masterpiece 22 years ago, a stunning re-creation of an 18thcentury New England homestead, complete with a woodfueled grill on which all entrees are prepared. “See, I was actually born in the 18th century, but they brought me back,” Vollweiler said.

The preparations and meals at Sharpe Hill Vinyard are as real and rustic as the landscape Stepping onto the grounds of Sharpe Hill is very much like stepping into the past. Rolling hills with lines of maturing grapes decorate the landscape. Closer to the main wine tasting and restaurant building, rows of organic gardens provide all of the in-season vegetables served in the dining room.

The kitchen, too, is a step back in time. “I’ve kept my kitchen small. Everything is an arm’s length away,” Vollweiler said. The kitchen bustles with activity and there is, indeed, extremely limited room for a visitor. The design is very much the opposite of the more modern cooking spaces with room for fancy gadgetry and high-tech conveniences. There’s not a microwave or heat lamp to be found. “My steaks are all above steakhouse prime and my lobsters are never put in a tank to sit… It’s truly an American interpretation of a European dining experience,” Vollweiler said.

Finally, the dining room itself caps off this rustic New England winery and restaurant’s singular dining experience.

Hand-painted frescoes pepper the walls (all courtesy of the late local artist Will Cady Perkins) and, like the kitchen, it’s a cozy experience on the top floor of the main building, with only room for 40. Also, to ensure that every diner has an expectation-exceeding experience, Sharpe Hill only does two seatings a day, three days a week, Friday through Sunday.

“We only serve three days so we can ensure that the food we serve is the best and freshest possible,” Vollweiler said. The menu isn’t all foreign or exotic, though it changes with the seasons. The day I stopped by, such classic dishes as Chicken with Herbes de Provence and Filet Mignon mingled on the menu with Spicy Jamaican Jerk Chicken and Creole Shrimp.

“Our cuisine is a little bit of everything,” Vollweiler said.

Vollweiler admits that she’s had a love affair with food all her life and enjoys projecting her food and wine dreams onto those 111 rural acres in Pomfret, Connecticut. “New England is great,” she said. “I’m proud to be here. New Englanders are smart and know really good food.”

The preparations and meals at Sharpe Hill Vineyard are as real and rustic as the landscape. If you do go, Vollweiler’s best advice is, “Don’t be in a hurry. It’s an experience of great wine and great food.”

The restaurant is open for lunch and dinner Friday through Sunday. Hours change seasonally. By reservation only, call 860-974-3549 x10.

Wine tastings are available from 11:00AM to 5:00PM Friday, Saturday, Sunday.

Sharpe Hill Vinyard 108 Wade Road Pomfret, CT 06258 860.974.3549 www.sharpehill.com Foodies of New England

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BEST in RUSTIC DINING

Gibbet Hill Grill Rustic Beauty Written by Stacy Horowitz Photography by Scott Erb and Donna Dufault

Picture a bucolic pasture with cows grazing peacefully outside of a red-shingled barn. The sun has just set as patrons leisurely walk around the trails that wind their way around the pasture. Inside, patrons let their eyes wander over white ceramic plates, tin stars and blue-checkered tablecloths that are reminiscent of a rustic cottage kitchen.

Welcome to the Gibbet Hill Grill in charming Groton, MA. The unique moniker is named after the British Gibbet—a public execution gallows situated on a hill. Local folklore has it that the Gibbet Hill site was used for hangings; its documented “came-to-be” restaurant story is much more interesting.

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In the early 1900s, General William Bancroft planned to build a retirement center on the hill but was only able to build a bungalow before running out of money. In 1918, the bungalow on the hill was turned into a private sanitarium and a foxhunting club before a fire destroyed most of the property.

Over the years it passed through many hands and became best known as being a rundown barn until it was eventually put up for sale in the late 1990s.

Fast forward to 2000 when Steven Webber, a Groton native himself, couldn’t stand the thought of residential building on the Gibbet Hill property and bought both the 338-acre farm and the adjacent 188-acre orchard. The land was commissioned as a preservation site as a result of the Webber family’s passionate efforts to preserve Groton’s natural scenic beauty.

Today siblings Josh, Jed, and Kate Webber run both the Gibbet Hill Grill Steakhouse as well as the function hall next door, the Barn at Gibbet Hill. The latter is often rented gratis to community events and affairs. Both venues are housed in renovated New England-style barns that were built at the turn of the century. One of the property’s original features is a farmhouse built in 1690 that currently stands next to the driveway.

Although the restaurant is only 50 or so minutes away from Boston, the dining experience embodies a cozy country escape from the moment patrons see the warm glow of the tea lights that illuminate the 100-year old silo.

“The difference between Gibbet Hill and other rural and suburban restaurants is that we literally grow the food outside.

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We have a farmer on staff, our own cattle, a greenhouse, and a hoop house where food is heated up from solar rays from inside a tunnel made up of pipes,” said Jed Webber. Other artisanal touches include the bread, which is outsourced from a local Nashoba, Massachusetts bakery. The restaurant also employs its own pastry chef for melt-in-your-mouth dessert delights such as the perfect-for-winter eggnog crème brûleé with spiced cranberry biscotti, pumpkin bread pudding with creamy chocolate ganache, and seasonal sorbet.

The Gibbet Hill Grill has always exemplified a countryside farm-to-table initiative, between having their own farmer on the premises and outsourcing to an abundance of local farms. Vegetables such as kale, squash, and Swiss chard are currently in season and are on the current menu as creamed kale and butternut squash. The restaurant grows over 40 varieties of heirloom tomatoes, onions, and peppers.

As for the menu: Think of the best barbeque you’ve ever been to infused with gourmet meats spiced with all the comforts of home. Offerings include duck confit Sliders with pear chutney and polenta fries, and Venison Stew with Escarole, buttermilk grits, and apple. For local New England flavor, try the jumbo crab cake with remoulade and hot pepper puree, Wellfleet clams and seared scallops with cavatelli, kale, and prosciutto splashed in garlic aioli.

Local meat at Gibbet Grill grew out of a 1947 land purchase when someone purchased the farm and hired a local farm manager to breed black Angus cattle. The Gibbet Hill Farm burger, one of the most popular menu items and Jed Webber’s favorite, uses beef from the farm’s own cattle.

The Gibbet Hill Grill has always exemplified a countryside farm-to-table initiative The restaurant is open every day at 4 pm and only serves dinner. There is also a gluten-free menu, which is a fantastic custom made sampling of the regular menu.

The dining experience doesn’t end after dinner.

The trails that run around the Gibbet Hill property include a splendid view of Groton and nearby Mt. Wachusett, Mt. Watatic, and Mt. Monadnock.

Steven Webber received a standing ovation at a town hall meeting when he announced he was buying the Gibbet Hill land. Groton and its surrounding communities continue to applaud the unique dining experience Gibbet Hill has to offer.

“How many dining experiences include being able to able to gaze out at the rolling pastures, cattle and our own farms outside the window as they eat?” asked Jed. Gibbet Hill Grill 61 Lowell Road Groton, MA 01450 978.448.2900 www.gibbethillgrill.com

Executive Chef Tom Fosnot

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Food for Thought

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SOUP

It’s easier than you think

Written by Peggy Bridges Photography by Scott Erb and Donna Dufault

Peggy Bridges is a high school Business and Graphic Arts teacher.

She is a Yearbook Advisor and Editor, and her writing has also been published in a national educator’s magazine.

Peggy is a firm believer in healthy living and an active lifestyle. She enjoys many outdoor activities with her husband and children.

Her recipe for a perfect afternoon is a hike with her family and lunch on a blanket served from a picnic basket packed with great food and bottle of good wine.

When I think of winter I think of brisk walks in the crisp, clean air all bundled up in a scarf, gloves, and layers of clothing while I watch the frosty breath come from my mouth. I think of how pretty the snow looks on the treetops and on the mountains in the distance. And after I enjoy the great outdoors I look forward to warming my hands by a cozy fire and warming up on the inside with a bowl of hot, homemade soup.

Soup from a can just doesn’t compare. It’s not as flavorful, it’s usually unappealingly salty, and there’s almost never enough for everyone to have a second serving. There’s just something so enticing about seeing and smelling a big pot of homemade soup simmering on the stove. For a very long time I thought making homemade soup was something I’d never be able to do well.

Soup seemed like some sort of a magic potion that only my mother knew how to make. She always made turkey soup from the leftover Thanksgiving turkey.

It was one of those great Thanksgiving treats that we all looked forward to when the holiday approached. I just assumed it was such a special, complicated recipe that it was something I’d never be able to successfully duplicate, so I didn’t try to. Then one day I found a cookbook called “The Big Book of Soup” — and the mystery was solved.

I found that soup isn’t as difficult to make as I had thought. Even making your own broth isn’t that hard, although you can still make some delicious soups with broths and stocks that you can buy in the grocery store. I usually like to make my own broth, but sometimes I don’t want to go to that amount of work, or just don’t have the time. Personally, if I need to purchase broth, I prefer the lower sodium ones. I actually think it tastes better than regular broth; overly salty flavor is one of the things I dislike most about canned soups. The excessive sodium is also unhealthy, being closely tied to high blood pressure. You can easily find basic recipes for broths and stocks online at sites such as www.cooks.com or www.allrecipes.com, or in The Big Book of Soup from the Taste of Home series by Reader’s Digest ( I like to refer to it as my Soup Bible.) If you’re feeling as though making your own broth sounds daunting, don’t let it discourage you altogether. You don’t have to make your own broth or stock from scratch to make a good soup that’s both tasty and satisfying. Once you start experimenting and gain a little confidence, the possibilities are virtually endless.

When I began exploring my new soup cookbook, I found more soup recipes than I had ever imagined existed. As I said, soup making takes some experimentation. After you try a few recipes, you start to get accustomed to what seasonings add what type of flavor to your soups, and you adjust things to continued on page 90

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Butternut Squash Bisque (my own variation of a recipe by Dianna Wacasey, Houston, Texas — from The Big Book of Soup) This recipe is one of my favorites, especially at harvest time.

Ingredients: 1 medium butternut squash, peeled, seeded, and cut into 1-inch cubes ½ cup orange juice 1/3 cup packed brown sugar 1 tsp. ground cinnamon 1 cup sliced leeks (white portion only) 1 tart apple, peeled and chopped ½ cup chopped onion ¼ cup butter 4 cups chicken broth ½ cup light cream salt and pepper to taste Preparation: In a covered roasting dish, toss the squash, orange juice, brown sugar, and cinnamon.

Cover and bake at 450 degrees for 40 minutes.

Mash warm squash with a potato masher and set aside.

In a large kettle, sauté leeks, apple, and onion in butter until tender. Add broth; bring to a boil. Stir in cooked squash; cook for 5 minutes. Add cream, salt, and pepper. Allow to cool slightly.

In a food processor, puree the soup in batches until smooth. Return all soup to the pan and heat through, but do not boil. Serve warm.

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suit your own tastes. This is one of the major advantages to making your own soup: you get to make it just the way you like it instead of having to settle for just so-so flavor. You can omit ingredients that don’t appeal to you, and you can add ingredients that you think will enhance the flavor. On top of this, you end up with a sizable batch of soup that will feed several people and usually still leave some left over for another day.

Personally, I really enjoy having soup and salad for lunch during the work week. It’s so easy to just fill a container with soup that I can heat up at work.

Another interesting tidbit about soup is that we tend to feel more satiated when we’ve had a hot liquid rather than cold foods. Soup has been recommended as a part of some weight loss strategies partly for this reason. For me I know it’s a great way to get a lot of vegetables and feel satisfied without having the bread that comes with a sandwich, although I must admit a nice warm piece of crusty bread is a tempting accompaniment to a bowl of hot soup.

One of the other things I never realized until I started looking for more soup recipes was just how many categories of soup exist. It goes way beyond your standard chicken noodle. There are also cream soups, bisques, chowders, chilis, soups with pork and beef, bean and lentil soups, stews, and even fruit and cold soups. If you start trying out a few recipes, you’re sure to discover some that you find yourself making quite often. You may even develop a couple of your own variations that you can write down and add to your recipe box.

Either way, it’s really worth trying to make at least a couple of basic soups to start out. You’ll gain confidence with each recipe, and I can almost promise you’ll never regret taking on the challenge. Here are a couple of recipes you might like to start out with.

Chicken Noodle Soup (by Diane Edgecomb, Humboldt, South Dakota from The Big Book of Soup) This is a great basic chicken noodle soup recipe that anyone can make.

Ingredients: 1 broiler/fryer chicken (3 to 3 ½ pounds) 2 ½ quarts water 1 cup diced carrots 1 cup diced celery 1 tbsp. salt 2 tsp. chicken bouillon granules ¼ cup chopped onion ¼ tsp. dried marjoram ¼ tsp. dried thyme 1 bay leaf 1 ½ cups uncooked fine noodles Preparation: In a large kettle, place the first 11 ingredients.

Bring to a boil; skim foam from broth. Reduce heat; cover and simmer for 1 to 1 ½ hours or until chicken is tender.

Remove chicken from broth; allow to cool. Remove the chicken from the bone; dice. Skim fat from broth; bring to a boil. Add noodles; cook until tender. Return chicken to pan; adjust salt to taste. Remove bay leaf before serving.

Ground Beef and Vegetable Soup with Cheese Tortellini (my own personal recipe) This hardy soup is a great way to use ground beef.

Ingredients: 1 lb. ground beef 2 cans fire roasted diced garlic tomatoes (undrained) 1 zucchini squash, cubed ½ of a 16-ounce bag of frozen corn 1 bag dried cheese tortellini 1 tbsp. Better than Bullion Beef Base 4 cups beef broth 2 cups water 1 small onion, chopped 1tbsp. minced garlic 1 bay leaf 1 tsp. salt Preparation: Brown the ground beef in a large kettle with chopped onion and garlic. Drain if fat remains. Boil the tortellini according to package instructions and steam the squash 6-7 minutes. Add the beef broth and water to the ground beef mixture, then add the beef base, bay leaves, and salt.

When the zucchini and tortellini are done, add them to the pot. Simmer 20-25 minutes before serving.

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Northern New England Winter Food Traditions

Written by Christine Whipple Photography by Scott Erb and Donna Dufault

raditions make us distinct. Food is an important part of New England traditions. Please read on to learn more about winter food traditions in a few of our states from people who have carried them down through generations.

Anita, in Lubec, Maine shared a childhood memory: “On Campobello Island and Cape Breton, Mother Goodie comes on New Year’s Eve, filling stockings with special treats. I used to think it was all over New Brunswick, but it’s an island thing! On New Year’s morning, what we’ve treasured is the navel orange at the bottom of the stocking, reminded how expensive and RARE oranges are. My auntie told us that, as a little girl 90 years ago, she used to look at her orange until it was rotten and she couldn’t even eat it!”

T

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Whether you are looking for a meal after a White Mountain hike, stopping for dinner along the Kancamagus highway, or as a dinner guest of someone raised with red flannel hash, you might find a dish in front of you that looks like a red flannel shirt.

A few years ago a Vermont friend brought me to a sugar shack to try sugar on snow. Served on weekends during February, March and early April, some sugar shacks consider it a winter treat, others a rite of spring.

I was confused when handed a bowl of snow, drizzled with maple syrup, a plain donut and a pickle. The warm maple syrup drizzled over snow or crushed ice firms into a taffy-like consistency. The donuts are dipped into the syrup. The sour pickle cuts the sweetness. A Vermont resident will recite, “Sweet and sour, sweet and sour.” The donut is considered savory.

Making Sugar on Snow has been a Vermont Maple syrup harvest-time tradition for generations. A picture hangs at the Trapp Family Lodge in Stowe, of the von Trapp family at a sugar on snow party in 1943. Seasonal sugar on snow parties are still held throughout Vermont.

Do you have traditions to share? Please post them on our Facebook page: www.facebook.com/FoodiesofNewEngland.

Berksan’s family ran a generations-old business in Istanbul selling confections, cookies, chips, and other goodies.

Perhaps this helped cultivate an appreciation for variety: Café de Boston has over 100 items on the menu. Stations include breakfast, create-your-own salads, hot/cold entrees, sandwiches (American-style as well as global offerings such as Turkish doner, beef kofte, and swordfish kebabs), pizza, pasta, soups (including the eatery’s signature Turkish red lentil), made-to-order crepes, smoothies, and—if you have room—dessert.

Mary from New Hampshire looks forward to red flannel hash when the temperature drops. Her mother and grandmother served it after corned beef and cabbage dinners, utilizing leftover corned beef, potatoes, cabbage and onions.

She often serves it for breakfast.

Most red flannel hash tales are set in lumber camps: the dish looks something like a red flannel plaid shirt. The story that Mary’s grandfather told was about “a woman, angry with her lumberjack husband, who came home late from work one night. She threw his red flannel shirt into the dinner hash.

He liked so much, and was so sorry to make her angry, that he cut enough wood to keep them warm for the rest of the winter. By the next night, she had forgiven him and substituted his flannel shirt with beets.”

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Healthy at Home

Recipes by Elaine Pusateri Cowan Photography by Scott Erb and Donna Dufault

www.elaineslife.com Elaine strives to create beauty everyday. Whether sheâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s designing web pages or interiors, preparing appetizers or entrees and even reďŹ nishing furniture or making art, she always looks to satiate her appetite for all things artistic.

As an artist, foodie, interior designer and amateur photographer, Elaine believes in the quality of a sustainable life, not just living well. Her strong sense of duty to integrate such sustainability into every aspect of domestic life begins with perhaps the most basic of all elements: diet. She believes that anyone equipped with a stocked pantry and local produce can whip up quick, fresh, and delicious meals every night.

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Shiitake Mushroom and Brussels Sprout Soup in a Bread Bowl The fun for this scrumptious and hearty soup began back in the early Spring when I planted the Brussels sprout seedlings. I am so thrilled to be able go from garden to table for you in this issue of Healthy at Home!

If you think you don’t like Brussels sprouts, think again.

These are not boiled into blandness like the ones from childhood, before any liquid touches these baby cabbages, they are immersed in multiple layers of flavor. The first layer consists of slightly caramelized onions, shallots and garlic—seasoned with fresh thyme, sage, and tamarind pulp. The next layer is a pint of shiitake mushrooms, these help to ground the dish with their earthy, woodsy flavor. Finally, the tender baby Brussels sprouts leafy layers are added to absorb all of the flavors into their core, without ever getting soggy: they are such little givers.

When the soup is complete, it is ladled into a cradle of a warm bread bowl. Soup doesn’t get much more satisfying, and to top things off, no dishes! I chose not to make bread for this issue, I thought I would leave that up to the pros, so pick your favorite bread dough recipe from this issue and make it a day in advance.

I rose to the challenge for the folks that have been asking for a totally vegetarian recipe. Having a challenge is catalyst for creativity in the kitchen, and in this recipe it made all the difference to the richness in flavor. I used tamarind as an alternative to a Worcestershire sauce which has anchovies in its base. Tamarind is such an interesting leguminous fruit.

Tamarind’s flavor is both sweet and sour. If you cannot find it in your local grocery store, most all Asian markets carry fresh tamarind. Based on looks alone, I can’t help but think the first person to try tamarind had to be one brave soul. Tartaric acid found in tamarind tops its nutritional benefits by acting as a powerful antioxidant which helps to protect the body from harmful free radicals.

Another ingredient that champions your DNA is the beloved Brussels sprout, and they also help to lower bad cholesterol. The American Cancer Society has written that there are “anti-tumor, cholesterol-lowering, and virusinhibiting effects in compounds” in shiitake mushrooms.

Healthy? Check. Hearty? Check. Relatively quick? Check.

Scrumptious? Check-Check! Enjoy!

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Serves 6 (generously) Soup Ingredients: 3 tamarind pods 1 medium onion 1 shallot 3 cloves garlic 5 sprigs of fresh thyme 2 sprigs of fresh sage 1 teaspoon pepper 1 teaspoon of sea salt 1 pint of shiitake mushrooms 1 pint of Brussels sprouts ½ cup of brown rice 7 cups of vegetable stock 1 cup of cannellini beans DIRECTIONS Prepping the Tamarind: 1. Prepare the tamarind by first cracking the hard outer shell 2. Remove the stringy fibers 3. Remove the seeds 4. Place the fleshy fruit into a small shallow pan

Bread Bowl

5. Cover with water and simmer

1. A day ahead, make your favorite bread dough

6. Once some of the water has evaporated, add a little vegetable stock and loosen any large chunks with a wooden spoon

2. The morning of, take the bread dough out, place in an oiled bowl and cover with towel and allow to rise

7. Set aside Soup Directions:

3. Once risen, knock it down again, divide into 2-4 balls, pinching the bottom until it is as round as a ball-reference the photos

2. Chop onion, shallot, garlic

4. Oil small sauce pans, the heavier, the better and place the dough ball in the pan and allow to rise again to almost double in size

3. Sauté in olive oil: onion, shallot until onion is translucent

5. Preheat your oven to 375

4. Add thyme, sage, salt and pepper- I ground the pepper very fine because I like the peppery bite, If the pan becomes too dry, add a little olive oil

6. Fill a large heavy pan with water and place on the bottom rack of the oven

1. Clean Brussels sprouts off of the stalk

5. Stir in tamarind pulp 6. When the above ingredients begin to slightly caramelize, add the mushrooms a little at a time, keep moving them around in the pan until slightly browned on the edges 7. Add the Brussels Sprouts and Rice, incorporate well, stirring for 2- 4 minutes

7. Bake bread on the top rack for approximately 30-40 minutes, when the top begins to brown it’s a safe bet that they are done 8. Allow to cool, cut the top of the bread as seen in the photos- do not “dig” out the entire inside, you want the bread bowl to support the soup

8. Add the veggie stock and simmer for 45 minutes

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PɑǸɨȐɕɕȨǸ New Bedford’s very own Urban Winery Written by Julie Grady Thomas Photography by Scott Erb and Donna Dufault

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hat’s in a winery?

Traditional models dictate that one must purchase land (at no small cost), plant vines (at no small cost), wait years for those vines to thrive (at no small cost), equip the vineyard (at no small cost), make wine (at no small cost) and sell it (at a cost to you).

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While that may be true for the most part, Marco Montez, owner of Travessia Urban Winery, has proposed something different.

“It’s very expensive, especially today,” he said of starting a winery literally from the ground up. “In America, land prices are very high and farmland—for vineyards—is actually very rare. To start from nothing, it takes lost of money and lots of years.”

But instead of burying his dream, Marc did some research and discovered the pragmatic pleasures urban wineries have to offer.

From Vine to Telecommunications back to Vine “It may seem strange, but urban wineries are everywhere,” he divulged, and he’s not wrong. Google it and you’ll find the first page of results geographically staggering: Vancouver, Kansas City, Portland, Brooklyn, Cincinnati, Dallas, Albuquerque.

“This happens even in France. In Oakland, California, there are over 20 urban wineries alone. They just bring in the grapes from Napa or Sonoma.”

So, why New Bedford?

Twenty-three years ago, Marco emigrated from his native Portugal all the way to New Bedford, Massachusetts. “I’m connected here. I went to high school here. This is the city that welcomed me into America, so why not New Bedford?”

After graduating from UMASS Dartmouth in electrical engineering, he started his professional career in high-tech telecommunications, not winemaking. The journey to open Travessia in 2008 was more of a rediscovery than anything else.

Growing up in Portugal, he helped his family every year with the grape harvest, and according to Marco, grape stomping wasn’t something rustic, it was necessary. Wine there was made in a truly artisanal way—it was the only way.

Admittedly, Marco wasn’t fully aware of his enthusiasm for winemaking as a child. “Honestly, I started the winery while I was still doing telecommunications. I was 33 when I finally found my passion, when I rediscovered it,” he said.

Not having the money to instantly start up a winery didn’t stop him; he simply skipped the first step. “Owning my own vineyard is still something I want to do in the future, but a lot

of things out there are out my control. That’s why I try to live in my own world, with my own rules and my play my own game.”

It’s a pretty excellent game.

Cold Climate Winemaking In New England, it’s clear that we have four seasons, four seasons that don’t always play by the rules—even Marco’s rules.

Still, if you think winemaking is out of the question, you’re wrong.

Massachusetts has 28 wineries registered with The Growing Vine and New England boasts over 100. “Wine has been made in Massachusetts for the past 30 years,” Marco explained. “But we still have a lot to experiment with, a lot to discover.”

Weather, soil, grape variety—they all manifest in the taste of the wine.

Cold climates, for example, have shorter growing seasons and therefore yield grapes that are less ripe and more acidic. Massachusetts is no different.

“Even when ripe, the grapes [here] are naturally much higher in acidity than, say, California,” Marco said. “There, they are the opposite problem: low acidity and high sugar content.”

In the end, you just need to know how to play up and pay against your weaknesses, something the Marco recognizes and embraces. “In Massachusetts, we do really well with white wines, sparkling wines and rosés because it’s those wine, which are fresh and refreshing, that come from a naturally high acidity.”

While traditional reds can be made in cold climates—every three years or so the weather cooperates and Travessia bottles a lovely local red pinot noir—it doesn’t mean they should.

“Each winemaker has to be comfortable with what they do,” he rationalized. “You can buy tannins and add color, but there’s a point where the wine no longer is reflective of the place where it’s grown.”

While there’s no clear right or wrong, it’s all about maintaining regional character at Travessia, not placating trends. “I don’t want my wine to taste like California wines. There are great wines made out there but, for me, wine is a regional product and we can make quality wine with the grapes that grow in this region.” continued on page 102

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Those grapes don’t just grow in this region; they grow 10 miles away from the winery. Marco purchases the grapes from Running Brook Vineyards in Dartmouth and Westport Rivers in Westport.

While his wines can be found in select stores in in Massachusetts as well as a handful of restaurants, it’s best to walk straight into the winery and chat with Marco yourself. “The least expensive wine is $15 and I know it’s higher than the average bottle in America,” he confessed. “I know it’s not a cheap bottle of wine for most people and I respect and appreciate everyone who comes in an buys my wine. I don’t take their money for granted, that’s for sure. Those people, they keep me focused on quality.”

At the time of this interview, Travessia has been in business just over five years and it isn’t only because of the quality, local wine selection. It’s because of the approachable and passionate Marco Manzo and his willingness to engage with and commit to not only the soil and weather of Southeastern Massachusetts, but to its farms, its vines and its people.

For more information, please visit www.travessiawine.com.

Travessia Urban Winery is located at 760 Purchase Street, New Bedford, MA 02740. Tel: 774.929.6534. Email: info@ travessiawine.com. Open Wednesday through Saturday from 12:00pm to 6:00pm and Sunday from 12:00pm to 5:00pm.

Choices, Choices…

New to the Massachusetts wine scene? Don’t fret. Here are some top picks at Travessia.

Vidal Blanc – The vidal blanc is a hybrid grape created to fend off disease, but happened to grow very well in cold climate regions such as Canada and New England. With an appellation at 100% Massachusetts, it was voted the Best White Wine at the 2012 Boston Wine Riot, this uncommon wine is sure to be a crowd pleaser at $15.

Pinot Noir Rosé – Thought pinot was just for reds? Think again. In Massachusetts, the grapes won’t ripen to perfection unless the weather is phenomenal. Wet weather means an early harvest and instead of dumping in additives, Marco utilizes this climate to create a very unique, fresh rosé. At $16 a bottle, 100% Massachusetts appellation and a medium-dry finish, don’t hesitate to try it.

Bandido – This is the only wine on the list that is not made from Massachusetts grapes. This red comes from 100% tempranillo grapes from Lake County, California. It’s unrefined and unfiltered, so expect some sediment over time. At $25 a bottle, it is the most expensive wine on offer.

In addition, Travessia has a Chardonnay and Riesling both of which boast 100% Massachusetts appellation.

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Authenticity Trap In the U.S. and all over the world, wineries are allowed to blend up to 15% of grapes or juice or even finished wine from other venues into their own local product without telling the public.

“At this point, 90% of my wines are made with local grapes. I do have a couple reds that are made with West Coast grapes grown in California and Washington in order to satisfy my customers who drink nothing but red wines,” Marco unabashedly admitted. “But no grapes from foreign origins are blended with our local fruit for our Massachusetts wines. You can’t just grow everything everywhere and not being clear on where my products come from is a practice I personally oppose.”

More than the Average Urban Winery Travessia is a micro-winery, meaning it produces 1,000 cases a year as opposed to a small winery, which produces 10,000. “I never really want to be a big winery,” Marco affirmed. “I just want to make good wines that sell—hopefully.”

And sell they do. Travessia may be small in stature, but it offers hands-on learning, tasting, tours and a killer wine club. On an average tour, you’ll learn about the ins and outs of the equipment used as well as the entire process.

Tastings happen daily, but if you’re a large group be sure to call ahead. “If we’re open to the public, we’re tasting,” he said. Travessia also hosts unique tasting events such as an exclusive tasting of extremely young wine—just two months old. “They’ll be from the tanks and still cloudy,” he noted. “It’s about giving people a different perspective.”

Owner Marco Montez with photographer Scott Erb

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Coming in the next issue of Foodies of New England!

New England Fruit

6HFUHWV WR *OXWHQ )UHH 6XFFHVV 7UDYHO ZLWK VQDFNV $VN TXHVWLRQV 'R ZHHNO\ PHDO SODQQLQJ (DW ZKROH SODQW EDVHG IRRGV %H JUDWHIXO Ellen Allard, Gluten Free Diva, is a Certified Holistic Health Coach trained at the Institute for Integrative Nutrition in NYC. She teaches people who are gluten free the tools for skipping right past the overwhelm and frustration of “What CAN I eat?” so that they can enthusiastically embrace the foods they CAN eat!

Email support@glutenfreediva.com to inquire about private and group coaching programs.

Farmer’s Markets

www.glutenfreediva.com

New England Farm Feature

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Advertise with Foodies of New England 508-479-1171

Foodies

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Sweet Sensations “Good bread is the most fundamentally satisfying of all foods; and good bread with fresh butter, the greatest of feasts.”

— James Beard

E Written by Alina Eisenhauer Photography by Scott Erb and Donna Dufault

As the Executive Pastry Chef and Owner of Sweet - serving up cakes and cupcakes during the day, and cocktails, appetizers & desserts in the evening has earned Alina Eisenhauer many accolades.

In addition to being a successful chef and entrepreneur, Alina has been featured on three of Food Networks most popular competition Shows; Chopped, Cupcake Wars and most recently winning the premier episode of Sweet Genius.

Alina’s custom cakes have earned her a celebrity following as well as an appearance on Bravo TV’s hit show The Real Housewives of New York City.

Sweet 305 Shrewsbury Street Worcester MA 01604 508-373-2248 www.sweetworcester.com

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ver since I was a child I have adored good bread. My mother baked all of our bread growing up and one of my favorite things was (and still is) to eat freshly baked bread, warm out of the oven, with butter and honey. Bread is probably the single best example of the magic that we call baking – you can start with the same four ingredients; flour, water, yeast, salt and just by changing the ratios and the method you can create numerous different kinds of bread. Bread is at first glance fairly simple to make and really anyone can do it, but to make great bread, world class bread, requires practice and patience. Much of good bread baking comes down to feel…knowing what the dough should look and feel like. Even with the most accurate measurements bread dough can vary each time you make it because different brands of flour absorb water at different rates and even the weather and level of humidity in the air can affect your end result.

The great thing about bread baking is that the ingredients are fairly inexpensive; it fills your house with wonderful smells and even if the results aren’t perfect not much is more satisfying than a loaf of freshly baked bread that you have made yourself.

Basic Italian Bread Ingredients: 2# 8oz Bread Flour .75 oz. instant yeast .75 oz. salt .75 oz. sugar 1# 8oz Luke warm water

DIRECTIONS 1. Place the ďŹ&#x201A;our, yeast, sugar and salt in the bowl of your stand mixer and mix on low speed until combined.

2. Add the water - mix on low speed for 1 minute and medium for 6 min. Dough should form a ball and pull away from the sides of the bowl.

3. Transfer the dough to a lightly oiled bowl and spray the dough with a thin coating of cooking spray. Wrap the bowl with plastic wrap and set aside to proof in a warm, draft-free place for 45 minutes.

4. Punch down the dough and turn forming it back into a ball, cover and let rise another 45 minutes or until doubled in size.

5. Remove the plastic wrap, punch down and divide into 2 rectangular pieces.

6. Flatten the dough with the heel of your hand.

Roll the dough up tightly, sealing the seam well after each roll. The dough should be elongated and oval-shaped, with tapered and rounded (not pointed) ends.

7. Preheat the oven lined with a pizza stone to 425 degrees F. Alternately, an inverted baking sheet may be used in place of a pizza stone.

8. Place the dough (seam side down) on a bakerâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s peel heavily dusted with semolina ďŹ&#x201A;our, or cornmeal, or alternately on an inverted baking sheet. Allow the dough to proof, loosely covered with a damp towel, for 30 minutes, or until doubled in size. Using a razor blade or sharp knife, score 3 (1/4-inch deep) slashes across the top of the dough at a 45 degree angle.

9. Spray the dough generously with water from a water bottle and place in the oven on the baking stone. Immediately close the oven and bake for 3 minutes. Open the oven door and spray the dough again with the water bottle. Close the oven door and bake for an additional 3 minutes before spraying the dough for a third time (the spraying of the dough will ensure a crisp golden brown crust). Bake the dough for 35 minutes or until a hollow thud is heard when you tap the bread on the bottom. Allow the bread to cool slightly before serving.

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Brew Review

Major Beer Style: Ale Major Style Category: Scottish & Irish Ale Major Sub Style Category: Strong Scotch Ale (Wee Heavy) What is a Scottish Ale? This category of beer as defined by the Beer Judge Certification Program (BJCP) includes Scottish Light, Scottish Heavy, Scottish Export, Irish Red Ale and Strong Scotch Ale. The color spectrum for each of these respective styles ranges from light and reddish coppers to deep amber and dark copper or brown. The aforementioned Scottish Ales are very similar in aroma, color, and mouthfeel. Minor variations can be found in alcohol content and hop bitterness. The easy-drinking Irish Red Ale distinguishes itself from the group with its vibrant reddish copper color and medium body.

The Strong Scotch Ale is clearly identified via its dark brown color with ruby highlights. It is also contains the highest alcohol content of the family of ales.

The alcohol content for each respective style ranges from 2.5% to 10% ABV.

Written by Matt Webster Photography by Scott Erb and Donna Dufault

Matt Webster is a craft beer enthusiast, educator, event goer, blogger, restaurant adviser, private dinner consultant, celebrity video show host and above all, proudly passionate about all things beer.

What is Strong Scotch Ale (Wee Heavy)? The strongest version of the Scottish Ales, this beer would consistently be sold as a 120 or 90 shilling, which at that time in history was the price of a specific barrel of beer. In the great land of Scotland, where the temperature won’t rise above 50 degrees for over half the year, oats and barley grow plentiful. Hops, however, do not.

The geographic location and landscape in Scotland is hardly conducive to growing this perennial bine. Hence, hops were purchased from England at a premium price. This did not sit well with Scottish brewers as they chose a variation of eclectic spices such as bog myrtle, dandelion, ginger, dogwood and spruce. They also chose to brew more malt forward beers which were fermented at much colder temperatures that of their neighbors to the south.

The alcohol content ranges from 8% to 12% and is best served at 50 – 55 degrees F. Our Choice: Great Divide Brewing Company Claymore Scotch Ale (Denver, CO) – www.greatdivide.com.

Why did we choose this beer? Brewed and packaged on a year round basis, this is the perfect beer to sip on during the cold winter nights. Big, malty and sweet with rich toffee-like flavors, this beer is at the top of the range of the Scottish Ale category. Further distinguished by a subtle roasted character, a touch of smokiness and a hint of peat.

Where can you find it in a 6-pack?

KJ Baarons, Mass Liquors, Austin Liquors, Julio’s Liquors, Marlborough Wine & Spirits, Wegmans Where Can You Find It On Draft or In The Bottle*: The Dive Bar, The Rail Trail, The Horseshoe Pub, Armsby Abbey ***Note: This beer may not always be available at the above locations at all times.

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Chefs Flex Their Culinary Muscles at Best Chef: Foodies Vote Same Choices as Judges

Written by Domenic D. Mercurio, Jr. Photography by Scott Erb and Donna Dufault

About a year ago, on January 27, 2013, Mechanics Hall was filled to the beautiful, historic ceilings, as over 1,000 “foodies” gathered to taste the creations of some of the very best chefs in the Central and Metro West regions of Massachusetts.

The event occupied all levels and rooms of Mechanics Hall, and featured nearly two dozen culinary experts and their teams, as they competed for the top three spots of the competition in the Judges’ Choice Awards.

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Those finalists then competed live on stage in a timed mystery basket final round — Iron Chef-style — using Thermador kitchen equipment and a full pantry of ingredients. The crowd was attentive and engaged as Dan O’Sullivan from Sonoma Restaurant in Princeton, Al Maykel III from EVO Dining in Worcester, and Brian Treitman won the 1st, 2nd, and 3rd place Judges’ Choice honors, respectively. These incredible and innovative chefs then brought their “A” game in front of TV cameras and a live crowd, opened their mystery baskets of ingredients, and had at it, with all the stress of a live, command performance.

Interestingly, these chefs, for the first time in the event’s history, all won the popular vote (called the People’s Choice Award) in the same order!

Ultimately, Chef Maykel took the top honor and was congratulated by the all-star judges’ panel, which included Barry Sexton from Food Network’s Dinner Impossible; Alina Eisenhauer from Sweet, who appeared on Food Network’s Chopped, Cupcake Wars, and won on Sweet Genius; John Lawrence from Pepper’s Fine Catering; Christopher Liazos, a local culinary icon and former owner of the Webster House Restaurant; Barbara Houle, food columnist and writer of the Telegram & Gazette’s Table Hoppin’ feature; and Tim Quinn, former Iron Chef winner and chef at Sodexo; and Christopher Rovezzi, last year’s Iron Chef champion and chef/owner at Rovezzi’s Ristorante in Sturbridge.

Pepper’s Fine Catering is managing the chefs’ needs in the kitchens and on stage, as well as judges’ requirements. John Lawrence, Executive Chef and owner of Pepper’s Fine Catering, and a WBC judge, indicated, “This event has quickly become the premier event for local Chefs to ‘put it on the plate’ for 1,000 potential future customers. WBC attracts foodies from all of central MA and is a sure way to garner exposure for chefs and bring them in the door at their restaurants.”

The night was kicked off by event hosts Jen & Rick from the WXLO Morning Show, who were co-Masters of Ceremonies. “The Iron Chef final round is really exciting, and you can feel the stress that the chefs are under,” pointed out WXLO’s Jen Carter. “The fact that they have no idea what they’re going to prepare or what ingredients they’ll use until they open the Mystery Basket is really unnerving,” she added.

Judges Alina Eisenhauer and Barry Sexton both have experience competing before national audiences on Food Network. As they kicked off commentary during the Iron Chef portion of the event, taking the foodies in the capacity crowd through every stage of it, Judge Eisenhauer observed that, “All three chefs exhibited a strong sense of calm and professional ability in front of the crowd. They were really able to think quickly and put their ducks in a row.”

Iron Chef finalists Dan O’Sullivan, Al Maykel and Brian Treitman.

2013 WBC judges: Tim Quinn, Alina Eisenhauer, Barbara Houle, Christopher Rovezzi, Christopher Liazos, Danny Morgan and Barry Sexton. Not pictured, John Lawrence.

continued on page 112

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“The Iron Chef final round was really exciting – it looked like something we would pull off on the Dinner: Impossible show,” commented Judge Barry Sexton. “All the competitors were worthy, but I thought Chef Al Maykel (who will be joining the judges’ panel for this year’s event) was clean, neat and organized to a high level.”

The Worcester’s Best Chef Competition also offers an International Wine, Whiskey and Beer tasting, a champagne sobering demonstration, therapeutic massage, one-on-one recipe consultation with competing chefs, paparazzi guest photography on entrance, and valet parking.

While the purpose of the event is to showcase the region’s culinary talent in live competition, the Worcester’s Best Chef competition also raised some proceeds for the Worcester Technical High School’s Culinary Arts Program, which helps to continue higher culinary education for inner-city high school students.

To date, the event raised funds for that program and Veteran’s Inc.’s efforts to

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feed veterans in need, as well as provide shadowing opportunities for culinary students who assist chefs during the competition, which has led to employment.

Now in its 7th year, the Worcester’s Best Chef competition set out to highlight Central Massachusetts as a culinary destination by promoting the area’s finest epicureans, and it succeeded. Worcester’s Best Chef has come be known as the event to attend when one wants to seek the Best of the Best Chefs all in one night, all in one place.

-FNE.

Whiskey Under Loch & Key

Written by Ryan Maloney Photography by Scott Erb and Donna Dufault

Ryan Maloney has over twenty five years experience in the spirits industry. He is the founder of The Loch & K(e)y Society and the creator of www.lochandkey.com a forum based whisk(e)y website.

Ryan was just inducted into the Keeper of the Quaich Society in Scotland, one of whisky’s highest honors. He can also be heard on WCRN AM830 on his radio show “It’s The Liquor Talking”. However, Ryan is most recognized as the owner of Julio’s Liquors in Westborough MA, where amongst other accolades he has been three times awarded “Retailer of the Year”.

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Pickin’ & A Grinnin’

M

y job involves some unusual aspects than that of a typical liquor store owner and picking barrels is one of them.

I frequently get asked when I tell people I pick barrels “do they ship the whole barrel to you?” or “how do you get the whisk(e)y in the bottle from the barrel?” Well, the answers are “no” and “the whisk(e)y comes to me already bottled,” but the questions did get me thinking about the best way to show everyone the barrel-picking process.

I knew I could not bring all of the readers along, however I thought though words and pictures you might “virtually” accompany me. So, I invited photographer extraordinaire Scott Erb along with my radio show co-host from “It’s The Liquor Talking” Randall Bird down to the George Dickel Distillery in Tennessee to help choose the next exclusive bottling of whisk(e)y for The Loch & K(e)y Society.

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PASTA A Global Staple in History Written by Tom Verde Photography by Scott Erb and Donna Dufault

T

he story goes, when Arab conquerors landed in Sicily in 827 CE, they brought along a food hitherto unknown in

Italy: pasta.

But wait: what of Italian native son Marco Polo’s first encounter with noodles in China in the 13th century? Not so. In his journal, Polo noted that Oriental noodles were “as good as the ones I have tasted many times in Italy,” meaning he was no stranger to pasta. While the Arab legend may be just that, there is evidence to suggest that pasta may have first arrived in Europe and the Italian peninsula via the Middle East, some twelve centuries ago.

While the Chinese may have made fresh pasta (pasta fresca) as early as 206 BCE, dried pasta (pasta secca) – the kind commonly found on grocery store shelves – can only be made with gluten-rich, durum (aka semolina) wheat, to which the Chinese did not have access at the time. Gluten is critical because it helps pasta hold its shape when cooking and enables it to dry into hard, reconstitutable shapes.

Durum was, however, a native grain of the Fertile Crescent (modern Iraq), emerging there around 7000 BCE. From there it spread to Europe, where ancient Greek and Roman medical writers sang its praises. But was it used to make pasta?

Yes, and no. Greek laganon – a broad, flat sheet of baked or fried dough made with flour and oil – is often cited as a pasta prototype, along with its Latin/Roman derivative, laganum (from which we likely

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get lasagna). Yet classical references indicate a food that was still not quite pasta secca, as none of them discuss drying or boiling semolina dough.

But the Jerusalem Talmud, a Jewish law book from the late 4th/early 5th centuries, does contain the earliest such reference. Discussing the lawful use of unleavened, boiled dough it states: “As to making vermicelli [itria] on the festival, if it is for drying them, it is forbidden. If it is for the pot [cooking right away], it is permitted.”

Thus, by around the middle of the first millennium, the people of the Middle East were boiling, drying and preserving long strands of dough called itria, a word which survives as itriot in Hebrew, itriyya in Arabic, and as tria in southern Italy, all of which mean the same thing: pasta.

“Tria is what they traditionally call pasta in Calabria, in Naples, and in many of the towns and villages in central Sicily,” says anthropologist and Sicilian native, Franco La Cecla, author of Pasta and Pizza. He says Sicilians generally agree on who introduced pasta to the island: the Arabs.

“The Arabs developed most of the irrigation and agricultural techniques in Sicily during the great waves of conquest in the 9th century,” says La Cecla.

“It is commonly known here that they also brought with them the methods for making pasta.”

Indeed, the earliest written reference to pasta and pasta-making on Italian soil comes from the Arab medieval geographer, al-Idrisi. Describing the coastal towns of northern Sicily, he remarked on “a delightful settlement called Trabia,” east of Palermo, where “ever-flowing streams propel a number of mills. Here there are huge estates in the countryside where they make vast quantities of itriyya [pasta] which is exported everywhere: to Calabria, to Muslim and Christian countries.” Idrisi’s description

indicates a thriving industry with an expansive trade network which, by the 14th century, stretched as far north as Genoa, and beyond, and explains how how pasta likely entered Italian cuisine.

(The earliest known document in Italian that clearly mentions pasta was, in fact, the 1279 will of a Genoese soldier which included a “barixella una plena maccaronis,” i.e. a chest full of macaroni among his possessions.) Mean-

while, recipes composed in Baghdad in the 8th and 9th centuries are the first to feature pasta dish recipes, referring to it sometimes as lakhsha, from the Persian word for “slippery.”

While die-hard Italian food fans may find the idea of pasta’s Middle Eastern origins a lot harder to swallow than a forkful of spaghetti, the Arab world may well have been responsible for the pasta on their plates.

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Wines of Distinction

Brunello di Montalcino: Italy’s Big Man on Campus

Written by Domenic Mercurio, Jr. Photography by Scott Erb and Donna Dufault

Known in restaurant circles as The Wine Guy, Domenic is focused on food and wine education.

Domenic’s enthusiasm and passion for food and wine, propelled him into a local TV wine education series, The Wine Guy, in which he took viewers on a tour of California and Italy’s wine regions and historic destinations.

In addition to being the editor and publisher of Foodies of New England magazine, Dom is the host of Foodies of New England, a dynamic and educational TV show. The show features New England’s best, award-winning chefs, and their signature recipes.

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Arguably, Italy’s most well-known red wine is Chianti, a wine named after the very region that produces the Sangiovese (from the Latin “sanguis Jovis,” or blood of Jove) grapes used to create it.

Chianti — commonly known for its straw-covered flask-shaped bottles that are still available today — is also made of other “minor” (or blending) grapes such as Canaiolo Nero and Malvasia Nera. However, it is mandatory that all of these grapes must be grown inside the Chianti district of Tuscany, or the wine will not be allowed to bear the famous name from whence it hails — “Chianti.”

Although Chianti enjoys its reputation as Tuscany’s (and Italy’s) most recognizable red wine, it is not the most extraordinary to come out of either land.

No, indeed, that distinction belongs to Brunello di Montalcino. As its name indicates, Brunello (“the little dark one”) comes from (“di”) another popular and respected Tuscan wine region called Montalcino — a classic Tuscan hilltop village about 20 miles south of the city of Siena.

Larger in area than Chianti by about 30 square miles, Montalcino is known for production of the same basic grape varietal that has made Chianti so famous, the Sangiovese, but with a twist — Brunellos are made from Sangiovese Grosso grapes.

Although grosso in Italian means “big,” it’s a bit of a misnomer, since Sangiovese Grosso grapes are not markedly bigger than the Sangiovese grapes used to make their Chianti kin. In fact, it is said that the smaller the berry, the more structured and concentrated the juice will be.

So, if both wines come from Tuscany and are made from related grapes, why does Brunello enjoy such an elevated reputation and fetch a much higher price than Chianti?

Well, it starts with what the Italian government calls D.O.C.G. status, or Denominazione di Origine Controllata e Garantita, which designates that the Sangiovese Grosso grapes must originate from the Montalcino region, that the Brunello wine must be produced according to minimum standards set forth by the D.O.C.G., and that the wine must be aged a minimum number of months in barrel, and rested a minimum amount of time in bottle.

All of these regulations mandated by D.O.C.G. ensure the highest possible quality, and are created for the benefit of the wine consumer. Unfortunately, these regulations also force vintners to incur more production expenses, which are commonly passed along to importers, distributors, retailers, restaurants,

and ultimately, the wine-drinking public.

Chianti, like Brunello, bears the D.O.C.G. mark. But for Chianti wine, D.O.C.G. regulations aren’t quite so demanding as for Brunello. Primarily, far fewer hectares of land are devoted to the growth of Sangiovese Grosso (used in Brunello) than that of normal San-

giovese grapes used for Chianti wines.

This shorter supply of Brunello grapes is one of the factors that drive prices up for esteemed wines.

In addition, the Sangiovese Grosso vines are typically grown on southfacing, hillside-sloping tenute, or small parcels of land. This limited, particular terroir is generally located in small microclimates that allow for cooler temperatures at night and hot, dry sun in the day, resulting in elevated levels of sugar and acid, which are perfect for hearty, food-oriented wines like Brunello. Yet this rich, well-situated land only allows for so much growth, albeit high quality.

Because of the fewer number of grappole, or grape bunches, winemakers must take greater care in their handling and pressing of the grapes, and there is little room for mistakes or waste.

This also affects the ultimate pricing of Brunello wines, since there is much less yield, or juice, available.

In addition, barrel time for Brunello is greater than for Chianti. The Brunello Riserva must be aged 36 months by D.O.C.G. standards, but Chianti Classico Riserva is only required to spend 24 months in barrel. These are typically French oak barrels, are only used 2 or 3 times before they are retired for new barrels, and cost a pretty penny.

Such is the case at the La Velona winery in Montalcino. Their Brunello di Montalcino undergoes painstaking oversight by its winemakers and staff, and is vinified in stainless steel vats, then aged in large, Slovenian oak casks for 36 months, followed by another 6 months of aging in small, 25-gallon French barrique barrels, and, finally, rested for 24 months in the bottle before it can be released. The result is a thrilling wine loaded with dark fruit, smoke, tar, incense, and new leather.

Located between Castelnuovo dell’Abate and Monte Amiata Scalo, La Velona winery is situated below Velona’s continued on page 122

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Castle, which overlooks the vines planted in predominantly clay soil over only 12 hectares, all of them being Sangiovese Grosso and situated at an altitude of 280 meters (around 800 feet) above sea level, an ideal position for the vineyard.

The vines are planted at a distance of 2.6 meters by 80 centimeters from each other: this means 4,700 plants for every hectare. The trellising system

for the vines is “spurred cord,” and this helps to better distribute the vines on the shoots while at the same time favoring optimal methods of agriculture and quality. The winegrowers have carefully studied the southwest positioning and very purposefully planted the vines with solar positioning in mind.

The climate is hot and dry in the summer, with light precipitation in spring and fall. The winters are rigid and the

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206 Southbridge Road • Rt 12/20. N. Oxford, MA. 508-832-9705 • www.janthonysgrill.com

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summer, which lasts between 60 and 90 days, is characterized by a virtual absence of precipitation. The unusual breeze during the afternoons and evenings in the warm season protects the grape clusters from diseases and mold.

The grape clusters reach complete maturation during the last ten days in September and the first week of October when the harvest starts, which is done entirely by hand with careful selection of only the best clusters.

La Velona is a textured, multi-dimensional Brunello that shows off marvelous richness and dimension in its fruit.

Licorice, iron and menthol add layers of complexity and nuance to the round, enveloping finish. This is truly a fabulous effort from La Velona. It’s exhibiting good fruit and a soft tone at the moment, but will open nicely and drink best 2016 through 2028. Available in select states, La Velona can be found through their east coast importer, Global Wines, Inc., in Worcester, Massachusetts.

La Velona’s 2008 Brunello di Montalcino is Foodies-approved at 91 points — Powerful, smoky, complex, full-blown Italian greatness.

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Federal Hill Pizza, Making Nonna Proud Written by Julie Grady Thomas Photography by Scott Erb and Donna Dufault

Like anything else, pizza is only ever as good as what you put into it.

At Federal Hill Pizza in Warren, Rhode Island, itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s no different.

A World Champion from Rhode Island The Federal Hill neighborhood in Rhode Island is famous for being one of the most Italian neighborhoods in the state, let alone New England.

So, you would very correct in assuming Federal Hill Pizza (FHP) is rooted in Neapolitan authenticity and creates pizza as an art form.

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“The reason why the pizza’s so different is every particular item on this product, you can taste separately,” states owner and pizza perfectionist William Manzo, Jr. on FHP’s website.

You might be familiar with William, even if you’ve never walked into his restaurant. He’s a World Pizza Champion and travels extensively throughout the U.S. and all over the world.

It’s clear that William is social media-friendly. FHP posts videos where he talks you through recipes and explains his philosophy. There’s even a YouTube channel dedicated to the restaurant.

Not camera shy, William is a straight talker with lots of energy.

Behind his thick-rimmed glasses, he exudes a passion for pizza that might just be unparalleled. Perhaps that’s why we’ve seen him on local television programs as well as on the Food Network. His energy is contagious.

Starting off as a bus boy in Rhode Island at 17, William has come a long way. From his humble beginnings he’s since worked in restaurants in Las Vegas, Maine, and even Italy.

Now, as the owner and CEO of FHP, William has taken his restaurant to the next level by offering such items as pizza dough and pizza shells at wholesale and retail value.

In just over two years, his products were in over 200 supermarkets in Rhode Island, Massachusetts, and Connecticut.

Pizza Dos and Pizza Doughn’ts Pizza maybe ubiquitous in the U.S., but great pizza is harder to find. William’s natural curiosity and energy keep FHP going, but one of the keys to its success has been to keep it fresh.

“The main goal is to buy the best ingredients we can and take them to the next level,” William explains on the website. “Fresh tomato, fresh continued on page 126

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cheese, real olives, and real onion…we just take our time and never overpower the pizza or the burgers or the pasta or everything else we do.”

While some believe pizza dough can also be used interchangeably to make bread, the dough at FHP is best used for pizza, calzones, and dough boys. After numerous trips to Naples, Italy and countless hours in the kitchen as a child with his nonna, William perfected FHP’s authentic Neapolitan pizza dough—its specialty.

Staying true to William’s words, “Keep it simple, only use the best ingredients and always strive for perfection,” the dough is made with flour, water, yeast, and salt. That’s it. However, there are options for the health conscious, and FHP offers white and whole-wheat pizza dough as well as a gluten-free option. In fact, there’s an entire line of wholesale gluten-free products from gnocchi to tiramisu and even lasagna.

Federal Hill Pizza is located at 495 Main Street, Warren, RI 02885. Website: www.federalhillpizza.com.

Tel: 401.245.0045. Open Monday through Wednesday from 4:00pm to 9:00pm, Thursday from 4:00pm to 10:00pm, Friday and Saturday from 11:30am to 10:00pm and Sunday from 11:30am to 8:00pm.

6WDUW <RXU 'D\ 2II 5LJKW With our signature danishes in a variety of flavors, using authentic European recipes and methods.

We also offer fresh fruit scones, muffins, coffee cakes, and sweet breads.

You’ll also want to try our biscotti, assorted butter pound cakes (classic and combination of spices), Parisian macarons, individual desserts and gourmet cookies.

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Worcester, MA 508-852-0746

www.thecrownbakery.com

Serving Worcester for over 50 Years!

Wedding Cake Specialists Best of Worcester 2013!

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William Manzo

Pasta, Pizza & Burgers…

Oh My! FHP has a fantastic menu—end of story. But, what happens when you’re faced with such delectable Italian delights? Here are just of some our top picks: Pasta – Simple, basic, perfect, and a must-taste is the ravioli and truffle oil finished with basil and pecorino romano cheese.

Design That Impacts The Eye & Connects The Brand

Appetizers – More than just tomatoes on bread, the bruschetta al pomodoro works on every level. Each ingredient sings, from the grilled piadina flat bread to the red onion, the basil, the cherry tomatoes and even extra virgin olive oil and red wine vinegar.

Brick Oven Pizza – This is tough. You honestly cannot go wrong. There’s Mama’s Pizza, The Roman, and The East Street, but The Niko gets a glowing recommendation due to its symphony of flavors with mozzarella cheese, garlic-infused olive oil, grilled chicken, and spinach topped with pecorino Romano cheese.

Burgers – Again, a mouthwatering selection, but in the end, the Dublin Burger is hard to beat with its Guinness-infused cheddar, caramelized onion, Virginia slab bacon, and field greens. Then again, there’s always the 62’ Cadillac Burger: Michigan cheddar cheese, spicy mustard, mayo, Bermuda onion, and North Carolina style BBQ sauce all on white bread.

Richard Bridges Design is a graphic design studio specializing in brand identity, product packaging, collateral, and advertising, incorporating contemporary design solutions with sophisticated elegance.

Call today to learn how we can help your business grow.

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Liberating Libations

Written by Adam Gerhart Photography by Scott Erb and Donna Dufault

Adam Gerhart has been bartending since he was 17. Growing up in upstate New York along the Hudson River, he worked his way up from washing dishes in the restaurant industry and worked in all positions a restaurant has to offer. Adam feels that learning-bydoing is the best training method, and considers it a very big reason for his success.

Making a guest’s experience memorable and giving them a quality drink is where Adam’s passion lies.

Adam believes that, if he and the people around him are having fun, it’s not work. He also feels passionate about turning someone’s day around by putting exactly what they want in front of them, and creating that special drink that makes them say, “Wow.”

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5XVWLF ,QIXVLRQV One of the themes for this issue of Foodies of New England is rustic dining— “rustic” meaning of or relating to the countryside, rural, or having a simplicity and charm that is considered typical of the countryside. When I think of rural, countryside, and simplicity, I can’t help but think of American heritage. And behind the bar it doesn’t get more American than Bourbon.

This winter I will be featuring Bourbon infusions which not only define American, countryside, and simplicity. It also warms the soul in the cold harsh months of the winter.

Let’s start with Bourbon itself. It is made from a minimum of 51% corn and then a blend of wheat, rye and or malted barley, creating the “mash.” It is then fermented and distilled and then placed in American charred oak barrels to age where it gains its color and flavor from caramelizing sugars in the wood.

Bourbon matures the longer it ages—but over-aging, just like over-infusing, can wreck a good bourbon. In 1964 Bourbon was recognized as a distinctive product of the United States by the United States Congress and 95% of it is produced in the good state of Kentucky. It doesn’t get more American than that.

Now infusions, fitting the theme nicely, are quite simple at heart. And what better way to infuse, age, store and serve them, than in—a Mason jar. The Mason jar was invented in 1858 by Philadelphia tinsmith John Landis Mason (also American!) These jars create an airtight or hermetic seal that allows for perfect infusion atmosphere and it keeps well—and looks cool and rustic too!

Most all Bourbons are unique in flavor and have different notes depending on the specific ingredients that are used and how the Bourbon itself oxidizes and matures. But most common brands of Bourbon can be used in infusing.

As far as the type of infusion it is quite up to the infuser. You may use almost any ingredient you can dream of, but some work better than others. Each berry, bean, nut, fruit, spice, pepper, or whatever is used will vary in infusion times, but the fun is in the tasting and experimenting. Fruit usually takes less time (3 days to a week) to infuse, as where nuts, spices, and beans usually take longer (about 3 weeks). The longer you infuse, the better the flavor—but don’t push it.

I love to experiment with infusions. There are so many different possibilities and combinations. You can use fruit with spices, peppers with heat, nuts with brown sugar, you can mash them, you can roast them, you can make syrups, mix them, shake them: there are so many fun things to try. Or you could just keep it simple which is the route I learned to like. Just one citrus or one ingredient sometimes is the best flavor without overpowering the spirit of the Bourbon itself.

Infusions should be sealed in a Mason jar, stored in a cool dark place, shaken every day or so, and tasted (of course: the best part!)

BLOOD BULLEIT UNFASHIONED In a Mason jar: 1 cup of Bulleit Bourbon 2 Blood oranges sliced and slightly muddled Age for about 2 to 3 weeks to taste.

Use a coffee filter to remove all fruit and debris two or three times.

Then in a NEW Mason jar: 1 maraschino cherry Half a teaspoon of sugar Dash of Orange Bitters Muddle all together Fill with ice 2 oz of Infused Bourbon Shake, return to Mason jar Splash of soda Zest and flame a blood orange peel And garnish with a couple blood orange wheels Simple, classic, American, rustic feel next to a roaring fireplace will make your winter much more cozy and bearable. Cheers!

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Gift Shop open 7 days, 10-5 Free Icon Exhibit Located in Store www.StAnneStPat.org St. Anne Shrine 16 Church Street Fiskdale, Massachusetts 01518 Telephone 508 347-7338

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Well, we are safe and strong, for now we sit Beside a hearth where no dim shadows flit, Where nothing cheers nor saddens, but a fire Warms feet and hands — nor does more aspire.

— Henry David Thoreau

Gibbet Hill Grill in Groton, MA

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