Made-to-order gourmet dinners available for takeout Thursday through Saturday.
Check back often as our menu changes weekly!
A Top 5 Orthopedic Practice in Connecticut as ranked by Castle Connolly Now in Newington!
Step 1 Step 2 Step 3
Choose a fellowship-trained orthopedist.
Go where minimally invasive is highly valued.
When choosing an orthopedic or spine specialist, you deserve best-in-class care along with a great patient experience. Take the
Vintage Pet Rescue Heroes Change the Narrative
Where is Greg Drinking - Bodegas Ponce Blanco, 2023 18 The Cheesemonger - The Language of Cheese 48
“The stormy March has come at last, With winds and clouds and changing skies; I hear the rushing of the blast That through the snowy valley flies.”
Wait a second, I just did this? For twenty years, I have sat down at the keyboard at this stage of production to bang out a quick note of appreciation and have thought these words to myself. It goes by fast folks. We hope you all are taking in the scenery.
This latest March installment is filled with the type of stories I enjoy sharing the most. Your friends and neighbors exercising their vision and passions mostly for the sake of doing it. Human creativity seems to be an individual reaction to the world. As an example, I will use Vintage Pet Rescue. People viewing life through their individual lens and thinking, “Hey, how come nobody...?” Then boom, not just a single problem solved but a consciousness about an issue raised.
If there was one thing that I would wish for every person is that they are able to locate and identify something in their life that resonates. A hole that needs to be filled outside themselves and the satisfaction that comes from that. The rest becomes the mission. Not “the fun life job” recreational types of passions, as those are what we strive for when we are not on our mission. That is healthy downtime. Those are for ourselves.
No matter if it is painting the most beautiful picture or giving someone the best hairstyle, something that rings out beyond its creator. It is the feeling I get when I am out and about and someone asks, “What do you do.” Then I tell them I publish INK. Then they seem to always say, “I love that magazine, I have kept every one.”
Mission accomplished. Thank you and enjoy!
Advertising Contributors
Jeffery Lilly founder / publisher
William C. Bryant
By Rona Mann
Photos Courtesy of Merrily Connery of Saltwater Farm Vinyards
n hockey and soccer, it’s called a “hat trick, although it doesn’t just reference sports.
By strict definition, a “hat trick” is three successes of the same kind and can apply to any circumstance from hockey to, well, a vineyard. The people who grow the grapes, uncork the bottles, and pour the wine at Saltwater Farm Vineyard in Stonington as well as Kingdom of the H awk in North Stonington know all about hat tricks. They don’t have to practice them, they’ve got it down pat, and for the last 17 years, they’ve been perfecting it with brides, grooms, and families.
Weddings were never on their radar when in 2001 Michael, a retired Manhattan attorney, and Merrily Connery, a successful real estate broker bought land in Stonington that had once been the site of a 108-acre farm. As a matter of fact, nothing was on their radar for their purchase at the time, they were just intrigued by the ad in the Wall Street Journal that spoke of coastal marshes bordering the land, white egrets circling overhead, the sun rising each day over neighboring hayfields, and most of all, the World War II-era airplane hangar dating back to 1937 located on what at one time had been an active community airport.
The Connerys rarely rush into anything, so they tossed around a lot of ideas as to what they would do with this unique property until one day they said aloud, “Could we grow grapes here?” Knowing absolutely nothing
about viniculture except what they enjoyed pouring in their own glasses, they had the soil tested, found it quite favorable for growing a variety of grapes, and set about learning all they could about harvesting grapes and producing exceptional wine. They asked for help from experts on the North Fork of Long Island and willingly received it as the community of vineyard owners is close-knit and very responsive, accessible, and supportive of one another.
Several years before Saltwater Farm Vineyard was built, before the grapes reached optimal harvest, and before the tasting room was ready to open to the public, two of Michael and Merrily’s friends came to visit. Mike and Julia were overwhelmed by the natural beauty outside this sprawling venue that didn’t even have windows in place yet! “They were planning on getting married shortly and asked if they could get married here,” Merrily said.
It was 2007, and the building was far from finished, but Michael put in sod, laid stone on the unfinished terrace, covered the open area with plastic, and on a beautiful September day Mike and Julia were married at the old airplane hangar with egrets circling overhead and a sun that rose every morning over the neighboring hayfield. That might have been the end of a sweet story, except…
...except word-of-mouth, the very best (and sometimes worst) advertising in the world, took over, and like a speeding locomotive, nothing could or would stop it. The phone started ringing, the emails came pouring in, and suddenly
Michael and Merrily Connery found themselves in yet another business where they had no prior experience.
“We booked one more wedding that year,” said Merrily, “and in 2008 we booked six more without even trying.”
When asked if they resented being thrown into the business of weddings when the original intention was solely to operate a vineyard and make memorable wine for people, Michael answered quickly. “Oh no, it just opened our eyes to new possibilities,” while Merrily added, “It all just evolved.”
By the time Saltwater Farm Vineyard officially opened their tasting room to the public in 2010, the Connerys had already hosted a bevy of marriage celebrations and were learning the ropes with every one of them.
“We always ask the bride who calls or emails how she heard of us or found us,” begins Merrily, “and almost always it’s word of mouth. Someone’s been to a wedding here and has seen the individual and personal attention we give to each event.”
This is not a wedding factory where every single one is exactly the same and only the names and faces change. No, not at
all. When Merrily and her managers, Jess and Greg meet with a bride, groom, mother, father, uncle, maid of honor, and anyone and everyone else connected to a prospective wedding, they do one thing right off the bat...they LISTEN. They want to make everyone comfortable, they want to give them a tour of the property both inside and out and show them the myriad of possibilities from decorating to seating, but that comes after the listening. The people at Saltwater or Kingdom want to
know every detail of their client’s priorities, wishes, and dreams to be realized, and also what they don’t want as much as what they do want. “Today’s brides are very savvy, they have done their homework,” Merrily adds. “They know what they want. They’re here because they don’t want to be married in a banquet hall or their father’s golf club.”
“It’s all about them,” says Michael. Some bridal parties want the traditional, while
others, like the bride we had in 2023, want to wear all black. We are very open to everything. We create a welcoming atmosphere, we’re very transparent. The venue, of course, speaks for itself, but we want to make them part of our family.”
Merrily even shares that while weekends are the most sought-after days to hold a wedding, “We’ve done a wedding at Saltwater Farm every day of the week.”
To make the process even easier, when someone first inquires about a wedding, Merrily sends them a template giving them an idea of what each venue can offer. Saltwater can comfortably accommodate 250 guests while Kingdom has a maximum of 130. Each template details a rundown of the layout both inside and out, the views, the fireplaces, dressing room, stage, dance floor, tables, chairs, suggestions for where to have the ceremony if the couple wishes to be married at either vineyard and suggestions for vendors. While both Saltwater and Kingdom work exclusively with four area caterers (contact information is on each vineyard’s website), there are also suggestions and recommendations for florists,
photographers, hotels, DJs and bands, hair and makeup, invitations, lighting, cakes, and more.
What the small, intimate Saltwater and Kingdom family likes most of all about sharing their exquisite vineyards for someone’s big day is that time that comes months or years after when the couples, their families, and friends continue to come back to visit their “Vineyard Family.”
You can have class without having stuffiness.
You can have tradition and still have fun.
You can have fun and throw tradition to the wind.
You can have whatever you want because it’s YOUR wedding, and for this lifetime event Saltwater Farm Vineyard or Kingdom of the Hawk
are all yours. But the one constant that remains is this: once you’ve planned everything with Mike and Merrily and Jess and Greg, you’re part of their family, and that relationship is not over when the last wine glass is drained, the musicians pack up, and the lights are dimmed. You will be welcomed every time you come back in the future to show them those outrageous photos from your honeymoon, to bring in your first puppy, to
help you welcome the next generation, to bring new friends and old along with you, and to reminisce. This isn’t something they say just to get business. This is who these people are...the real deal. It’s why they bought the land, why they didn’t just have a builder throw up a structure fast, why everything was done purposefully with care, and why they take tremendous pride in their grapes, their venues, and the way in which they take care of you and your guests.
You don’t just marry a person, you marry into a family, and at King dom and Saltwater, you always get the hat trick: the bride, the groom, and the family.
Because sometimes when you buy an empty airplane hangar, you can fill it with a whole lot more than just a bunch of planes.
For more information on either venue: (347) 675-3566
saltwaterfarmvineyard.com kingdomofthehawk.com
What is Greg Drinking?
Bodegas Ponce Blanco 2023
Corned beef and cabbage is not the national dish of Ireland. In fact, it did not originate from the Emerald Isle at all. Once you have digested this scarcely known food fact it is easier to understand the true origin story of the briny beef and cabbage meal that is so often waiting in a crock pot for hungry parade participants and observers alike. It is with that openminded approach that I introduce to you a complimentary beverage concept for the festive days of St. Patrick and the American Diaspora that embraces it: Bodegas Ponce Blanco 2023.
Wine is expansive and immersive. It draws from equal parts science and art, it magnifies the importance of the ground we stand on and the elements that flow around us. So when it comes to a month usually marked by dark spirits and darker beers, it might surprise you that there are perfect corked offerings to toast with during the longawaited shift towards springtime. This Spanish wine feels like it came out of nowhere, discovering your potluck like so many Spanish Armada vessels arriving on the shores of Ireland in the 1500s. It is important to keep in mind the delicate balance of pairing food and wine since this month is best known for the aforementioned salted meats and buttery potatoes. This straw-colored beauty has everything you need for the welcoming and parting glasses in your future. It is modest on the nose with simple notes of fresh almond croissant and a little flint. But do not be lulled into assuming this wine lacks a sense of self, for the first splash across your tastebuds will have you whistling“Viva la Quinta Brigada”so fast it would make Francisco Franco’s head spin! It has a medium body to support the salinity and citrus zest that will be as perfect with a salmon fillet as a beef stew. Moreover, the plum and jasmine flavors will be even more enhanced by the proteins and carbohydrates in question. It has lemon-rind energy that never quits and will leave you feeling like the sun is shining warmly on your face even when March is still feeling more dreary than dreamy. The name Ponce comes from the relatively new stewardship of Juan Antonio Ponce, who has emerged as a leading figure and force in the Spanish biodynamic wine movement. Trained in this environmentally sound but technically laborious style of vineyard management in
France, he devotes everything to these high-altitude vines and the arid climate in which they have survived almost a hundred years. He uses a combination of neutral oak barrels and foudres (large wooden vats) to allow for some softening of the otherwise wildly acidic juices without losing too much of what makes them unique and memorable. Lower in alcohol at 12.5% ABV, this is a wine that can and should be enjoyed at any number of green-adorned celebrations. This is another recommendation by the staff of Cove Ledge Wine & Spirits in Stonington Borough, chiefly my lovely ‘niece’ Kelsey Ferguson!
Let’s return to St. Patrick’s Day in the United States. The holiday traveled across the Atlantic with the hopes and dreams of immigrants who had seen unfathomable oppression and loss. In America they found themselves not as readily welcomed as they might have hoped, struggling for anything that could give them a taste of what they were missing at home. Largely concentrated in cities, initially they found a cheaper Eastern European alternative to the Irish bacon more often blended into their Colcannon and other mashes. Like so many American traditions, it was born out of the hopes and dreams of people willing to risk everything to give a better life to the people they cared about the most.
There are so many aspects of life that are outside of our control. Where we are born and to whom, how we will be raised and educated, all the way to our health and happiness. It can feel so random. The Irish word sláinte means health, a theme that is common in most languages when raising communal glasses. I would be remiss if I did not take this opportunity to thank my uncle and aunt Chuck and Nancy Schroder for recently sponsoring my taking and passing of the level one sommelier course and exam, an achievement that only furthers my passion for this article (talk about luck of the Irish)! From my family to yours, may the road rise to meet you and the wind be at your back!
Gregory Post is a sommelier and manager at Saltwater Farm Vineyard, affiliated with Kingdom of the Hawk Vineyard.
PARADIS STUDIO
“I have no doubt that I would choose Studio Paradis again without hesitation for any future projects. Their ability to collaborate, understand our vision, and deliver exceptional results sets them apart from the rest.”
-Studio Paradis Client
Jeanne Rosier Smith, Resilience , Pastel, 10 x 30”
David Dunlop, River Wreath , Oil on aluminum, 30 x 30”Jonathan McPhillips, The Repair Docks , Oil, 18 x 24”
Vintage Pet Rescue Co-founders Marc and Kristen Peralta.
ometimes, it’s all about being in the right place at the right time. Such was the case for 14-year-old Petunia found wandering the streets of North Providence, Rhode Island in September 2024. After being picked up by Animal Control, no one claimed the Chihuahua and she wasn’t adopted at the shelter. Petunia was then transferred to Vintage Pet Rescue (VPR) in the nearby town of Foster. After a flea bath and nail trim, the already-spayed canine was adopted one week later and renamed Daisy.
Jada’s saga is more complicated. Unable to care for the 12-yearold, diabetic Yorkie any longer, her owner surrendered her to VPR in June 2024. Also, because she wasn’t spayed, Jada developed huge mammary tumors, which were luckily benign. After recovering from surgery, Jada was adopted in August.
These are just two of over 1,000 VPR stories about dog rescues so far. Most are senior dogs, but not all. Some have disabilities like Joey, a puppy born without front legs, and others like Jett, a Labrador-mix, that needs wheels to get around.
Co-founded by Kristen and Marc Peralta in 2017, the entire cage-free basement of their home (a converted Episcopalian Church) is dedicated to their “new intakes/adoptable dogs,” and where the volunteers and adopters interact, said Operations Manager Alex Petrarca in a December 2024 email.
“It's a big, open concept and there is a kitchen and a slider where they (dogs) have access to a big backyard. There are three or four built-in ‘apartments,’ as we call them, where dogs who want their own space and alone time can feel free to go in (they're just a few short walls with gates on them and they each have a dog bed and some wall art in them). The dogs that are Kristen and Marc's personal pets (and the occasional big dog we take in) all live upstairs in the main part of the house.”
Petrarca said VPR initially began as a retirement and hospice home for seniors and the Peraltas kept all the dogs they took in. However, “as the rescue grew, it turned into a more traditional rescue. Now, it is very rare for them to keep any of the dogs and they are almost all adopted out.”
Most of the dogs are owner-surrenders, she said, which are “usually displaced because their owner passed away or went into a retirement home where they couldn’t take them or people are no longer able to afford or care for their aging dog.”
Other canines are transferred to them from other rescues and shelters, Petrarca explained, because they know that senior dogs have a better chance of being adopted at VPR, or they’re not equipped, or have the resources to tend to dogs’ medical needs.
On VPR’s website video, Marc Peralta said they want to switch the narrative about senior pets. Instead of being sad, he said, “This is a happy place.”
He refers to his wife as the “heart” of VPR. Hardly “ever off,” Marc said Kristen is managing up to seven loads of laundry daily and cleaning floors after as many as 12 “accidents.”
He said they also couldn’t care for all their dogs without the help of volunteers who interact with them, ensure their nails are clipped and their ears are clean.
“We do this, because we want to make the world a better place for senior dogs and also for the people who love them,” said Kristen Peralta on the same video.
Besides sunbathing, napping and walking in the yard, dogs can also opt to go on walks or stroller rides at VPR. Adopted
“There are some (dogs) that actually love to put clothes on. It’s very cute,” Kristen said, adding that one in particular loves to be bathed and blow-dried.
Marc, who works a full-time job outside of VPR and travels two to three weeks monthly, said the characteristic that makes these senior dogs such great pets, is “they’re lazy.”
Kristen agreed. “They are ready to just lay next to you and snuggle and nap.”
On a day in late December 2024, Petrarca said they were caring for 33 dogs, but the number changes daily depending on new intakes, surgeries and adoptions.
“There is no set limit on how many dogs we can have at one time, but just when Kristen thinks she has found the limit, it keeps getting pushed further and further.”
Even though 20 dogs is a more manageable number, Petrarca said there are always dogs who need them. For example, sometimes VPR is in “limbo,” since some dogs have to wait months for procedures before being ready for adoption.
“A dog is the only thing on earth that loves you more than he loves himself.”
Over the past several years, VPR has rescued between 200 and 270 senior dogs annually and about 90 percent of them are adopted, Petrarca said. In 2023, they took in 262 dogs and adopted out 245. By December 2024, they rescued 200 dogs and adopted out 177.
She said they no longer have a foster program, as it was too difficult logistically for Kristen to manage.
According to the VPR website, there is no fee to adopt dogs, but donations are accepted. VPR relies 100 percent on individual donations to operate, Petrarca said, adding VPR spends “over half a million dollars a year on vet bills, food, and supplies.”
Asked if the organization helps people who are having trouble paying food and vet bills, Petrarca said they sometimes cover a one-time medical bill for owners who are on
josh Billings
In early January, Vintage Pet Rescue showed Jackson on Facebook with a fresh haircut and a new jacket enjoying his walk, announcing, “We’re still dealing with some complications from his eye removal, but this handsome boy will be looking for a home very soon.”
Vintage Pet Rescue of Foster, Rhode Island announced on Facebook its first intake of 2025, who already has a scheduled vet appointment for a full checkup. “Meet Lola. Unfortunately her owner could no longer care for her so she joined our crew this weekend. Lola has a lot going on. She’s around 15 years old, extremely overweight and definitely has a UTI.”
“Thrilled to announce that little Gigi is spending New Years Eve in her new home! She’s going to be loved and spoiled for the rest of her days!”
a low or fixed income and their pet has had an emergency. “We do not ever want to see a pet surrendered or euthanized, because (of) financial reasons, so if we can help keep the pet with their family, we do so when we can.”
She said they have no plans to add cats to the mix, as that would require an entirely separate space from the dogs, which they don’t have. Plus, they would need another 20 volunteers and another $500,000 annually.
“Doing this rescue model with cats is also really difficult, because you can’t really just throw a bunch of cats who don’t know each other into an open room together.”
Petrarca highly recommended an “excellent” cats-only rescue that do “incredible work” that is situated about one-half hour away from VPR called “Scruffy Paws.” And while they aren’t exclusively for senior and special-needs cats, they do take in many. Describing people who operate rescues as “heroes who step up to the plate to help those who have no voice of their own,”
Petrarca said, “it really is beautiful that people like that exist,” because it is a huge undertaking that requires 100 percent dedication.
For more information about VPR, go to vintagepetrescue.org or email woof@vintagepetrescue.org.
Alex Petrarca with her dog Muesli (a senior, but not a Vintage Pet Rescue). Petrarca is operations manager at Vintage Pet Rescue in Foster, Rhode Island. Photo courtesy of Alex Petrarca
This life-sized human dummy named FARC sometimes helps to ease separation anxiety in dogs at Vintage Pet Rescue in Foster, Rhode Island. At other times, FARC is simply a comfy bed for canine residents. Above: Home of Vintage Pet Rescue.
NORTHERN LIGHTS
Inuit Prints, Drawings, & Carvings, 1950 - 1990
Drawn from the collection of late Stonington resident James Houston, a life-long champion of Inuit art, this exhibition celebrates the skill, imagination and vital humanity of artworks that continue to captivate viewers around the world.
ON VIEW THROUGH May 4, 2025
Lyman Allyn ART MUSEUM
Celebrating the power of art since 1932
CONTR
IBUTING SPONSOR
www.LLyymeA
Hours: T Gallery Tuuesday–Sund
ArtAssociation.org ay 10 am–5 pm or by Appointment
625 Williams Street New London, CT 06320 860.443.2545 Exit 83 off I-95
February 28–April 10, 2025 O p or Weather l | Spring Ahead | We r r Not | Ab ening Reception: Sunday, March 2, 2–4 xuberant,
Concurrent S UMINOUS P L PA
Jane Penfield S
stracted p m how: ASTELS olo Show
Art: Candice Weigel Spier, Representing
Deb Cotrone, Spring Blossoms, oil; Liane Philpotts, E
Lucy Qinnuayuak (Inuit, 1915–1982), Four Birds, 1965. Stonecut print on paper. Courtesy of Alice Houston.
t doesn’t make a sound all by itself.
The actual combustion process of fire does not produce a sound. What one hears is flow noise - turbulent movement of various hot gases as they escape. The crackling, popping, and roaring sounds associated with fire are caused by the surrounding air being heated and moved rapidly, but the deadly flames move swiftly and silently.
So, it was only a popping sound that Randy Bell heard that cold winter evening February 5, 2016, as he and his wife, Ann were watching the late news on television. They didn’t realize at the time that shortly thereafter, they would become the breaking news on subsequent broadcasts this snowy, awful night in Connecticut.
By Rona Mann Photographs By Jeffery Lilly
Bell heard the popping, and when he looked out the window at the foot of snow in his yard what he saw would be forever locked in his memory and his mind’s eye. He blinked incredulously at the sight of his woodshop behind the house fully engaged in a roaring fire. A fire that would eventually swallow up the stickered wood boards (lumber stacked with wooden spacers between layers to help dry the wood evenly), the timber frame of the structure, all his tools, furniture, books, a bottle collection, and over 3000 vinyl record albums, all mementos of a full and diversified life well-lived. But when the fire took the woodshop, it also took with it his career because Randy Bell was a professional woodcarver, and his life’s work, his dreams, his plans, and everything he had pursued for years were now reduced to ashes.
So...how do you begin again? How do you start to rebuild? How do you stop the silent screams within your body and your mind?
“It’s like when someone dies. It’s definitive. You move on. You don’t get over it, but you get through it.” Then Bell pauses for what seems like a very long time, and his gaze goes outward staring into space, no longer a part of the present moment until he snaps back adding, “When it’s gone, it’s gone.”
And so, Randy Bell went on. Bell still makes and restores furniture, but he has an additional career he says that really keeps him going. The home in which he and Ann live is circa 1790, and it’s safe to say, it needs a bit of work. Ongoing work. “The original other part of the house which no longer exists may have been around 1690,” says Bell. “But because it’s no longer here, any historical records are sketchy at best.” Still, it keeps him busy as he flits from one project to another, always taking his time, doing his research, asking advice from those who know of such things.
“The pain deepens us, burns away our impurities and petty selfishness. It makes us capable of empathy and sympathy. It makes us capable of love. The pain is the fire that allows us to rise from the ashes of what we were and more fully realize what we can become.”
Damien Echols, Life After Death
Bell never started out in life to become a furniture maker. Growing up on the northernmost part of Cape Cod he had not much of an inkling as to what he wanted to do in life until he met a friend and neighbor, Professor Keyes, a kindly nuclear physicist who lived in the next town, Truro. Truro was the location of a state-of-the-art radar site built by the MITRE Corporation which was given a contract from the U.S. Defense Department. The purpose was to detect incoming Russian bombers, and young Randy Bell thrilled to hear the Professor’s stories. When he saw that Keyes was the owner of a 1928 Rolls Royce, Randy immediately decided to become a nuclear physicist as well. Then he found out to do so you had to be good at math. Oh. And so, Randy Bell once again went on.
This time he decided to follow in his mother’s footsteps, teaching. Although she did not own a 1928 Rolls, Bell became a teacher after acquiring a B.S. degree in Liberal Arts and a Masters in Special Needs Education. “A teacher is like a well,” said Bell. “Students draw from that individual, and it is their feedback that replenishes it. But special needs is different, there is no giveback. The teacher must do it all.” Randy did it all for more than ten years, but for someone who is both right-brained and left-brained, the creative in him rose to the surface. It was time to leave academia, at least on this side of the desk. And so, Randy Bell went on.
“I took Shop in high school,” Bell began, “and I was terrible at it. But I always wanted to build. I especially liked wooden boats and antique things. By 1985, however, I came to realize that people would rather have a nice table than a wooden boat, so I set out to learn how to do that.”
Bell’s journey took him to Boston, to the much revered and wellaccredited North Bennett Street School, a private vocational school offering full-time programs in bookbinding, carpentry, jewelry making and repair, locksmithing and security technology, piano technology, violin making and repair, and cabinet and fine furniture making. It was the latter discipline that caught Randy Bell’s attention because “Everything that was taught and built at North Bennett was
museum quality.” He enrolled in the two-year program and did a lot of “learning by watching those who knew more and were so very good.”
It was clear he was on the right path because in a very short time he “knew more and was so very good.” Along the way, Randy
also had the good sense to marry a wonderful woman, named Ann Cornell. She was a research scientist who for a time worked at the Marine Biological Laboratory in Woods Hole, Massachusetts with thoughts of becoming a marine biologist. But Ann had greater talent and was pushed to go on to bigger and better. After securing both a Masters and a Ph.D., Ann is now a prominent research scientist who is currently waiting for a patent on her invention for an in vitro method for diagnosing central nervous system injury...it’s a concussion test kit that would greatly benefit those with football and other related sports injuries.
“Would you like a tour of the house?” Randy offers. What a loaded question! Here’s a man straight out of central casting - tall, slender, with white hair, a Santa beard, twinkling eyes...a perfect specimen of a New England Yankee, and he’s about to take us on a tour of what one would assume would be a museum-like home filled with beautiful antique furniture, perfectly placed.
Wrong! It’s a real home, so there’s real dust. And there just happens to be fine crafted furniture from the Federalist period, Bell’s favorite. Named for the Federalist Era in American politics extending from the late 1700s into the early 1800s, pieces in this style are characterized by sharply geometric forms, contrasting veneers, and geometric inlay patterns on flat surfaces. Bell’s work as a furniture maker is precise and exquisite, but the way it’s set here and there in the old house is random and deliciously livable. Every wall is covered by a painting, every bit of floor space has something placed on it. A Grateful Dead shirt that would be his son George’s Christmas present is unceremoniously draped over an Art Nouveau chair.
Yes, Randy Bell did indeed go on...and likely will continue to do so for many years to come. Because even though the fire was devastating and significantly altered his life, Randy Bell found something even greater in the ashes.
He found himself.
Want some more information? Need a furniture repair? Want to meet a real live New England craftsman? You may reach Randy at (860) 395-7646
atching my apple tart bake in the oven, I felt a sense of wonder fill the kitchen. I was only twelve years old at the time. By then, I had already gone through the rite of passage that every kid experiences: baking chocolate chip cookies, brownies, snickerdoodles, the beloved snowball cookies, the elusive buttery shortbread, and the delicate almond lace cookies. But this was different; it was a tart made with Pâte Sucrée Crust and frangipani, a velvety almond cream, with apples thinly sliced in a beautiful design glazed with apricot jelly. I remember being so proud of such a daring dessert while watching my father devour every delicious bite.
Traveling home from White River Junction in Vermont, my husband and I decided to meander back to New Hampshire along River Road. River Road straddles the Vermont/ New Hampshire line along the banks of the Connecticut River. A beautiful bucolic drive in the country. After cruising a few miles, my husband clamors, "Let's grab a bite somewhere. I'm hungry." I quickly grabbed my phone and started scouting for a place to eat. That's when I remembered King Arthur Baking Company. I exclaimed, "Let's go to King Arthur Baking Company. They have a cafe, and then we can shop for baking tools." My husband smiled; he knew I'd have my cake and eat it too! So, we set the GPS for our new destination.
Since its founding in 1790, the King Arthur Baking Company has provided American bakers with flour for all sorts of delicious treats. As the first flour and food company in the newly formed United States, its history is uniquely American. Indeed, King Arthur Baking Company has helped shape American Baking and bakers.
The story begins with Henry Wood importing flour from England and establishing his
Pictured above Amelia Simmons, author of “American Cookery," introduced ingredients like cornmeal, pumpkin, and molasses. This cookbook is notable for being the first recorded source of the cupcake recipe, created as a single-serve cake for her solitary birthdays.
enterprise on Long Wharf, Boston. He then founded the Sands, Taylor, and Wood Company. He sold flour in quantities ranging from a half barrel to a barrel. Later, he changed the name to King Arthur Flour for the 1790 Boston Food Fair to introduce its "new and improved" Excalibur flour. Its unique name is attributed to its namesake and what it stood for, King Arthur and the Knights of the Round Table—purity, loyalty, honesty, superior strength, and dedication to a higher purpose. That purpose or pledge is to offer high-quality flour and products while committing to assisting customers with their baking experience. Today, the flour is all made from U.S. wheat; none is from genetically modified wheat.
The release of a cookbook by an American for Americans in 1796, twenty years after the political turmoil of the American Revolution, sparked a second gastronomic revolution. The American Cookery, by Amelia Simmons, was the first cookbook published in the United States in Hartford, CT. Forty-seven pages of British heritage are tweaked to highlight this newly formed country. It contained recipes for the stuffed goose, stuffed leg of veal, poultry, stews, and roast lamb. As the title suggests, "the best modes of making pastes, pies, puffs, tarts, puddings, custards, preserves, and all kinds of cakes." Yes, cakes! The cakes best express what this country had to say about its new cuisine and way of life, but most of all, the new citizen cook. The simple cookbook clarified the distinction between British and American "Yankee" cultures. In other words, The American Cookery represented yet another Declaration of Independence – an unusual accomplishment for a simple cookbook.
Did you know that "stressed" spelled backward is "desserts"? (I know, it's a dad joke!) I heard that last night while binge-watching the 10th season of The Great British Baking Show with judges Paul Hollywood and Prue Leith—irony served up with a cherry on top 250 years later. As I watched, I imagined myself competing. Don't get me wrong—there is no way I could ever compete on the show. I don't have the necessary skills. However, while watching, I realized that Baking has an enormous following that existed long before "following" was a thing.
King Arthur Baking Company is not just a store or delightful menu with goodies at the cafe. It offers so much more. Upon entering through the back entrance of the shop and cafe, I noticed a large room enclosed in glass with tables and baking stations. It is a schoolroom for baking and training classes. Educating is not new to King Arthur Baking Company; they did this as far back as World War 2, urging women to make bread with a free booklet while employing teachers to offer instruction nationwide. That evolved into one of the two
baking schools. The flagship store, bakery, and school opened in 2000 in Norwich, Vermont; the other opened in Skagit Valley, Washington State. In 2004, it became an employee-owned company, ensuring its dedication to good and trusting hands. King Arthur Baking Company offers classes to professional and home bakers alike. All skill levels are accepted, and both campuses offer live-attended, online, and on-demand streaming classes.
You can learn to cook all kinds of delicacies: Chinese dumplings, pizza, flatbreads from India, and empanadas. Advanced lamination techniques, artisan bread-making intensives. Cakes from beginning to end, pies, bagels, baguettes, cream puffs, and eclairs...the list is endless. The commitment to Baking extends beyond selling products to customers. It is devotion to a trade that is more of an art form and a dedication to inspire everyone with the joy of passionate Baking. After two hundred fifty years, the King Arthur Flour Company recently changed its name to King Arthur Baking Company. The change primarily represents the broader aspects to which they are committed. In fact, they have a dedicated full-time staff for grassroots outreach with their Bake for Good Kids program, which teaches Baking and how to use it to do good in the world.
While browsing the store, I covet a broad range of tools, from rolling pins to frosting tips to silicone pads to every pan, pot, gadget, mix, extract, sugar, and mold needed to create my baked goods. All while being lulled and intoxicated by the smell of fresh baked goods.
It doesn't end there. The website contains tips and recipes, baking guides with step-by-step instructions, a blog, and books. They even have a baking hotline, so when your cookie crumbles, you can pick up the phone or chat online to their professional bakers.
As I was trying to decide between Madagascar, Tahitian, or Mexican vanilla extract, I was distracted by a grandmother and her granddaughter trying to determine the difference between them. I give the granddaughter a warm smile and lean in closer, saying, "You know, you can't lose with any of them. All are delicious." The grandmother looks at me and smiles. She says she is delighted to be here and has wanted to visit King Arthur Baking Company for years. "It's a Mecca for Bakers," she exclaims. "Where are you from?" I inquire. "Dallas, TX," she responds. Then, she explains that she is spending Christmas in Vermont this year with her entire family of twelve. The grandmother leans in and softly confesses she steered the group to Norwich, Vermont, and the surrounding area so she could check off one of her bucket list items: visiting King Arthur Baking Company.
During 2020, with the outbreak of COVID-19 firmly entrenched in households across America, Baking surged significantly. The flour aisle stood eerily vacant, a ghostly reminder of its usual abundance. Only a fine, powdery white residue remained on the shelves, whispering of the numerous bags that once occupied the space.
For many, Baking offers a diversion and something to do when anxious. Baking has been something I fall back on when the painting is going well and I need a break from the anxiety of finishing. Or when I find myself stuck with a blank canvas. I find it soothing. Of course, it is a science but also an adventure. I could mix this and that, then wait and add this in a special order, heat it, and watch it change shape and size. There is alchemy in Baking, along with flour, sugar, eggs, and butter. You need tenderness, consideration, and patience. The surprise and pleasure of this science is that it bears fruits. The fruit of joy, satisfaction, and ––a kind of magic.
Baking connects us to something more profound that comes from working with your hands. Making something useful. Life today is far too impermanent. Our places of work often lead to no tangible outcomes of accomplishment. Baking is sensorial and mindful. The olfactory is stimulated by the aromas of baked goods, which are linked to happier times, the tactile sensation of kneading dough in your fingers, and listening to a pie bubbling when it is pulled from the oven. The reward and enjoying the results of your efforts is the "frosting on the cake."
I'm with the grandma. Visiting King Arthur's Baking Company should be on anyone's bucket list who loves to produce homemade baked goods.
French Apple Tart with Frangipane
One of the most essential steps to this Tart is pre-cooking the apples to release most of the liquid. Nothing worse than a soggy French apple Tart. For the frangipane, I blended almonds into a nut flour using a regular blender since my mom didn’t have a Cuisinart at that time. I remember my frangipane turned out a bit gritty, but it was still delightful, and I don’t think anyone minded. Today, you have options, you can buy almond flour and almond paste. Happy Baking!
Ingredients
Pâte Sucrée (Sweet Shortcrust Pastry) 9.5-inch tart pan.
1/2 cup of unsalted Butter room temp
1/4 powdered sugar
1 Egg 1/4 teaspoon of kosher salt
3/4 All-purpose flour
Frangipane (Almond Cream) Filling
1/2 cup of flour
1 jumbo Egg room temp
1/2 cup of granulated sugar
1/2 teaspoon of almond extract
Apple Filling
7 Honey Crisp Apples, peeled cored ( you can also use Granny Smith) 3/4 cup of sugar
1/8 teaspoon of salt
Juice of a half Lemon
2Tbs of Butter melted
3/4 tsp cinnamon
Glaze
1/4 cup of apricot jam
2-3 Tbs water
Instructions
Pâte Sucrée
•Cream the Butter and sugar. •Add the egg and Mix.
•Combine dry ingredients and add them to the bowl in 2 additions.
•Mix just until combined. •Gather the dough, shape it into a flat, round disk, and wrap it in plastic wrap. •Refrigerate for 30 minutes. If the dough chills over an hour, let it sit out for 20 - 30 minutes to soften.
•Roll the dough out into a 12-inch circle on a lightly floured surface.
•Fold the dough gently in half and place it in the 9.5-inch tart pan, pressing it into the pan along the bottom and sides.
•Remove the excess dough along the edges with the palm of your hand.
•Prick the bottom with the fork and freeze for an hour.
•Preheat oven to 350 F and line the tart with parchment and pie weights.
•Bake for 25 minutes ( not fully cooked)
•Remove the pie weight and cool completely.
Frangipane
•Cream Butter and sugar together until smooth.
•Add the almond flour and Mix. Finish mixing in the egg and almond extract. The frangipane should have a spreadable consistency. As mentioned earlier, mine was a bit gritty but still spread okay.
Apple Filling
•Peel, Core, and slice apples 1/16 ( I did this all by hand, but you could use a mandolin.)
•Mix the apple with the sugar, lemon juice, salt, and cinnamon and place in a large skillet. Cook over medium heat and let the juices reduce for 5- 10 minutes. The apple should be bendable and softer but not mushy.
•Remove the apples and allow them to cool for about 20 minutes.
Assemble the tart
•Preheat oven to 350 F
•Pour frangipane into the cooled tart shell and smooth it to be even.
•Place the apples in the tart shell, with the flat end of each apple slice sticking down into the frangipane. (The outer/curved side of the slice should be on top.) Overlap the apples by 1/3 to 1/2 all the way around the tart. Continue until the tart is full. (See image. )
•Brush with 2 Tablespoons of Butter and sprinkle with two tablespoons of sugar and 1/2 teaspoon of cinnamon.
•Bake for 30 to 40 minutes until the edges of the tart are golden. Place a piece of foil if the apple begins to burn on the edges. Lightly cover until fully cooked.
•Remove the tart from the oven and place it on a cooling rack. •Meanwhile, warm the apricot jam and water in a pot until the jam is melted.
Use a pastry brush to give the apples a shine.
•Allow the tart to cool for an hour before setting it fully.
Best eaten within two or three days. The crust will begin to soften thereafter. Taste great with Ice cream or fresh whipped cream for serving. Enjoy! I know that my dad did!
www.kingarthurbaking.com
The Cheesemonger
Deana
Simmons, The Cheese Shop of Centerbrook
The Language of Cheese
By Deana Simmons
The Cheese Shop of Centerbrook
If you think cheese is intimidating, you are right. Cheese can be intimidating, especially when there are so many varieties. Soft, hard, semi-hard, semi-soft, double cream, triple cream, washed rind… you get the idea. But would you be surprised to learn it’s not the cheese itself that’s most intimidating, but rather the language used around cheese? So often it’s these complex terms and references that have even the most sophisticated cheese lovers scratching their heads. What does it all mean? Terms like Affineur and Weeping are common amongst cheese mongers, but to the cheese enjoyer, these words mean very little. Here we’ve created a cheat sheet of common cheese-related terms to help simplify the definitions and let you explore confidently the world of cheese.
Affineur – The Affineur is the person who oversees and cares for the cheese during the aging process.
Annatto – Ever wonder where those bright orange cheeses get their color. Annatto is an orderless, tasteless, extract that derives from the achiote seed and it is used to color cheese.
Bloomy Rind – A bloomy rind is the white, edible rind that’s formed by spraying Penicillium Candidum mold. This allows the cheese to ripen from the outside in. Brie and Camembert have bloomy rinds.
Double Crème – A soft, fresh cheese containing a minimum of 60% butterfat.
Eyes- Holes in cheese (Swiss Emmenthaler) formed by trapped gas. Gas trapped due to fermentation during the curing process –this forms the eyes or holes. Eyes can vary in size from cheese to cheese.
Fermier – A French word for farm produced cheese. Farm produced cheeses uses milk produced only on that farm.
Maturation – Simply another word for aging. Maturation, or aging influences flavor, texture and complexity.
Pasta filata - Italian spun paste, cheese makers heat the curds, then stretch or knead them before shaping (mozzarella, provolone & scamorza)
Paste – The interior of cheese beneath the outer rind.
Raw Milk – Cheese made from unpasteurized milk, allowing the natural bacteria and enzymes to influence the flavor. Raw milk cheese is allowed in the United States if it has been aged 60 days or longer.
Rennet – Enzymes used to coagulate milk. Rennet can be animal, vegetable or microbial based.
Terroir – A French word used to describe the natural environment in which grass, flowers, herbs, etc. are grown. This could include soil, climate, and altitude. The characteristics, taste and flavors impart to the cheese by that of which the cow, goat and sheep have eaten.
Thermalization – Heating milk to less than 160 degrees F for fewer than 15 seconds prior to cheese making.
Triple-Crème – A fresh, soft, cheese containing a minimum of 72% butter fat.
Tyrosine - Ever wonder what those crystals are in aged cheeses? It’s Tyrosine. Tyrosine forms when the protein in the cheese breaks down during the aging process. Amino acids (Tyrosine) cluster together to form hard crystals.
Veining – The mold in blue cheese
Washed-rind – Cheese bathed in brine, whey, beer, cider, wine, or brandy during the ripening. It helps the growth of B linens bacteria and gives the cheese its pungent aroma and salty flavor. It also gives cheese its reddish-orange rind. Chaumes and Eppoisse are both washed rind cheeses.
Weeping - Weeping is the release of moisture from the eyes of Swiss-style cheese. It is the breakdown of proteins during the ripening process.
So, get out there and start exploring with confidence. Have fun. It is cheese. And cheese is an adventure for all your senses.
Did you know? The longer cheese ages, the less lactose it will have. The rule of thumb is anything aged over 12 months will have little to no lactose.
