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tripping:

Touring Connecticut’s Wineries

Contents 6

fall 2015 volume 2

Features

6 Everything but the Squeal: A Guide to Raising Pastured Pigs

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Andy Billipp’s Hand-Forged Knives: Rustic, Refined, and Useful

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An Organic Farmer’s Tips for Growing Great Garlic!

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Mushroom and Wild Rice Soup: Warm, Rich, Earthy, and Satisfying

36 Mercado Catering & Food Truck: A Lesson in Local Inspiration

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Lucky Girl’s Favorite Pies for Harvest Time

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B.F. Clyde's: America’s Oldest Steam-Powered Cider Mill

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Our Top Picks for Your Thanksgiving Table

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Autumn Day Tripping: Touring Connecticut’s Wineries

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A Chef’s Take on Fall Comfort Foods

In Every Issue 46

5 Letter from the Editor 106 Contributors 107 Recipe Index

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Letter From the Editor

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Fall 2015

“A cooperative spirit enjoys a better harvest.”

- T.F. Hodge

Welcome!

We harvest when the crop is ripe. Garlic cures, now, hung in bunches in the barn’s rafters; hay bales are stacked in the loft; freezers are filled; and pantry shelves are lined with gem-toned jars of canned tomatoes and Concord-grape jam.

Ideas reach fruition, too, as do projects. For a dozen years, the primary work of the 501c3 that also oversees Connecticut Food and Farm has been operating the Coventry Regional Farmers’ Market, which concludes its run at the end of October.

Started as a seed of an idea of creating something unlike anything else in Connecticut, the Market grew to become an award-winning national phenomenon drawing more than 5,000 customers per day and providing a critical direct-sales outlet for farmers and makers. It has been a linchpin for connecting our state’s food producers to consumers who believe in what they do.

Endings also hold the promise of beginnings. From the most perfect specimens of our crops, we save the seeds. In doing so, we not only make possible the bounty of another harvest; but what we grow gets a little better than before.

Our 501c3 focus now turns fully toward our green-and-growing Connecticut Food and Farm project which calls to action everything we’ve learned about telling the stories of the local food movement to people who support it. A “Kitchen Cabinet” of farmers, chefs, food makers, photographers, writers, and designers all contribute to Connecticut Food and Farm Magazine.

The magazine is presented ad-free through the support of a single generous sponsor, Whole Foods Market, so our energies can be poured into creating great content.

I hope you devour this delicious autumn issue.

If you have a story idea or would like to lend your talents to this passion project, please e-mail me at winter@ctfoodandfarm.com.

Winter Caplanson, Editor in Chief

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Fall 2015

Everything but the Squeal: A Guide to Raising Pastured Pigs

by Michelle Firestone Winter Caplanson Photos

T

hree piglets are sleeping peacefully in their house while three others are lounging in the sun. A seventh piglet is grazing in the field.

It is a typical summer day on Proctor-Hall Farm in Andover, CT, the quaint country setting where brothers Dan and Scott Warren raise high-quality, humanely raised pigs.

“It’s important to know where your food comes from and to raise animals responsibly,” said Scott. “It’s better for everyone to have their food come from a local source.” Scott recently shared some advice on how to raise pigs for those who want to follow in his and his brother’s footsteps: Buying a Pig It is best to buy a pig from a local farm rather than a commercial operation, Scott said. Pigs currently cost about $100 each. Piglets must be weaned and should be six weeks old before purchasing.

Pig Antics Just like dogs and humans, pigs are social animals and should never be raised alone.

Each pig has its own unique personality. Don’t be alarmed if they tug on your jeans or shoelaces; they’re just being playful. Pigs also love to be scratched! Because they lack sweat glands, they must roll around in the mud to cool off on a hot day. However, despite that habit, pigs are considered to be very clean animals. And, regardless of the temperature, they sleep next to each other.

Grub When pigs are hungry, they make quite a scene, begging for food by squealing. Their water should be checked throughout the day, especially when it is hot. They’ll eat nearly anything. “For the most part, pigs can eat any natural vegetation including grass, hay, vegetables, and fruit,” said Scott. One exception is raw potatoes which are difficult for pigs to digest and can make them ill. It is

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“It’s important to know where your food comes from and to raise animals responsibly,” said Scott.

up to the farmer whether he or she wants to raise their pigs on grain, grass, scraps, or a combination of the three. Scott advised that if pigs are only getting grain, they should be fed one pound of grain per month of age, every day.

per pound. Other pig favorites include corn, watermelon, and tomatoes. There’s no need to cut up corn or other foods that are tough to chew, as pigs have strong teeth that can tear through anything.

“If pigs are raised on pasture, they only need to be fed once a day. Otherwise, they should be fed twice a day.” His favorite places to buy pig grain in Eastern Connecticut are Mackey’s in Willimantic, Agway (several locations statewide), and CCC Feeds and Farm Supplies in Manchester.

Housing Pigs need a three-sided shelter bedded with hay. If you are in the country and have young piglets, lock up the shelter at night until they are large enough to defend themselves from predators such as foxes, coyotes, fisher cats, and bobcats. It’s also important to have sturdy fencing around the pigs’ house and grazing area. Pigs are master escape artists and if there is a hole in the fence, they will find it.

Buying in bulk at CCC Feeds and Farm Supplies costs 20 to 25 cents per pound while buying the grain in bags costs 30 to 35 cents

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Pigs are master escape artists and if there is a hole in the fence, they will find it.

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Pig Lingo There are many different names for pigs depending on their age and gender:

Boar: a male adult pig with intact testicles.

Barrow: a young, male pig.

Shoat: any pig that weighs less than 120 lbs.

Hog: any pig that weighs at least 120 lbs.

Sow: a female pig that has farrowed

(produced a litter) at least once.

Gilt: a young female that has not farrowed.

This Little Piggy Went to Market...

According to Scott, if they are raised on pasture, it takes between seven and eight months for pigs to grow to 250 pounds – the ideal butchering weight. There are several butchers in the area, some of which are certified by the United States Department of Agriculture. Processing costs around 40 cents to $1.00 per pound based on the hanging weight of the pig: the weight of the animal after it’s been slaughtered and the guts and intestines have been removed. While some butchers wrap the meat, others will not.

Where to Sell Pork Chefs at several local restaurants are using locally-raised meat in their dishes (Firebox in Hartford, Millwright’s Restaurant and Tavern in Simsbury, The Engine Room in Mystic to name a few). There are also a number of farmers’ markets throughout the state seeking meat producers. Learn more about the farmer’s markets in Connecticut at www.farmersmarkettrail.com.

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Rustic, Refined, and Useful:

Andy Billipp’s Hand-Forged Knive

by Jennifer Shaff Jepsen Diane Diederich Photos

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es

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Of all the knives on the market, che

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ef knives get used the most.

ANDY BILLIPP HAS A YEAR’S WORTH OF

orders for his Gyuto-style, hand-forged Billipp Brand Chef Knives. See one and marvel at its beauty; hold one and instantly know that this beautiful, balanced, organic tool is meant for serious work. The blades of Billipp Knives are seamless, clean, strong, and forge-welded through a complex process of heating, hammering, grinding, and finishing. The hammer marks and the shape of the blade prevent food from sticking, and each perfectly-balanced blade gets a whole day of hand-sanding and finishing. “A chef knife will get used every single day by its customer… I like that challenge,” he says.

Billipp credits his parents - both artists for inspiration. “There was always something being made in my household,” he says, “a lot of access to art supplies.

I made a lot of swords.” This boyhood craft lent itself to Andy’s need to make his art useful and expressive; these two forcesinfluence his life. After a brief stint hand-forging hunting knives, Andy switched to Gyuto-style chef knives because of their constant use. Even though he has only been at it for five years (first in Colorado, then in Newington, CT), his success is evident in his backlog of orders. Feeling the way their balance belies their actual weight explains why Andy’s knives are in demand.

See one and marvel at its beauty; hold one and instantly know these beautiful, balanced, organic tools are meant for serious work.

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Billipp is modest about his work but purposeful in his explanation of his forging methods. In jeans and a tee shirt, his calm presence, his desire for organized workstations, and an honest and useful end product make Andy’s knives clear extensions of his personality. Since he and his wife moved to 61-acre Eddy Farm in Newington, CT, he has continued knife-making even while running the farm and farm stand. He laughs at his own admission of enjoying hammering hot metal, smiles because he knows the physicality of blacksmithing pulls him into this complex process, and acknowledges the part of him that enjoys the physical work of using tools to create more tools.

Standing in the old farm machine shop and examining long, thin bars of metal, Andy has to touch the material he discusses. Converted into his forge, the shop has large machines spaced safely about on the cement floor. It’s not spacious, but there’s room to work safely and furnace the steel into its most basic form before heading to his workshop. Most of the equipment in the forge was surprisingly found on Craigslist. For example, Andy has a 100-year-old power hammer from a woman who moved her blacksmith studio from Connecticut to Idaho.

Rather than transport the massive piece, she sold it to Andy. His anvil and several other tools were left on the farm.

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Prior to devoting most of his time to kitchen knives, he blacksmithed fireplace screens, hooks, and potracks. As a metal worker, he makes what he needs.

In the back of the forge next to the stairs, Andy lifts the end of one steel bar so it rises off the step as he explains that “52100” steel (also used to make massive ball-bearings in locomotive engines) is the most in-demand for knife makers. The second variety that Andy uses, Damascus, is made from several hundred layers of steel that he forge-welds together by repeatedly stacking, heating, and pounding. The forge itself – essentially a heavily-insulated box “that you shoot a flame into” – maintains a temperature up to 2,000°F. His language is specific when discussing the techniques: knowing the difference between shades of temperature, using different hammers, and “moving” metal instead of “pounding” it.

His language reveals a pride in his work and a desire to have his art understood. Yet, when asked why he forges knives instead of cutting them in the stock-removal style, he admits, “I’ve always liked forging because of the process…hitting hot metal is just so cool… everyone wants to be the blacksmith.” Andy has a serious dedication to his craft’s traditions then just as easily steps back and laughs at himself. “To pound on stuff is sweet.”

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“The reason I forge is that it is very visible on

Andy refers to the next heat-treating step as the most difficult; since the steel has already been “moved,” the knife has taken its basic form. In this step, “the things that are happening in the steel that make it a success are not visible.”

He uses a programmable ceramic oven to get consistent results as he hardens the knife, setting temperature and times. Afterward, Andy plunges the knife into an oil specifically designed to quench the hot metal and pull the heat out without altering the structure of the steel. Next, he does some of the rougher profiling on the knife to clean up the edge and to stamp it with his brand name. The stamp, by the way, was also purchased on Craigslist.

Andy’s workshop, in another building across the farm, has a rough wooden table in the middle and a clean workbench along two walls. Above on one wall, varied long belts of what appear to be colored sandpaper are hung, but Andy explains that these are actually strips of cloth backing covered by different gradations of ceramic grit. He starts the grinding process with belts of larger grit on his motorized grinder then moves up to the finer ones to buff the deeper scratches. He then sands the knife at another clamp with sandpaper and various sanding blocks. “What I want is a seamless and clean finish,” which describes the finished product perfectly. He admits to spending a whole day hand-sanding and finishing the blade alone. The result looks “organic,” as he says: smooth near the edge, rough towards the top from the hammering – a.k.a., the firescale.

As he puts it, “the story of how the knife was made is evident in the piece.” In the last step, Andy shapes the wood handle and attaches it to the blade with a custom-designed brass bolster to strengthen the knife. Once attached, 20

Fall 2015

the knives. Obviously, this was made by hand; The marks from that process are still on it."

Andy shapes the handle on the grinder, works his way through the machine grits, and finishes by hand. Once he cuts an elegant leather sheath, it is ready to be shipped to the customer.

The physical joy of heating, pounding, grinding, and refining steel along with the pride in producing traditional, functional art is what drives Andy to continually hone his craft. “The reason I forge is that it is very visible on the knives. Obviously, this was made by hand; the marks from that process are still on it." They are geometrically beneficial, as well; the marks and the shape of the blade prevent food from sticking as the knife slices.

His Gyuto chef knives become easy extensions of the hand.

Andy Billipp strives to make knives that make for beautiful, balanced, organic, useful tools that reveal their past — which in effect, mirror his artistic journey. The rougher surface at the top of the blade symbolizes the small boy pointing a wooden sword; the smooth, sharp, well-finished tip represents the blacksmith.

“If you’re buying a handmade piece, it ought to show in some way that it wasn’t made in a factory. But how do you show that without having mistakes in it? I like the rustic style of things. I want to strike a balance between rustic and refined.” His response to his yearlong waiting list? Andy says, “people want to buy the knives, so I’ll keep making them.”

Andy Billipp’s hand-forged Damascus-Clad or Mono-Steel Gyuto Knives are available at: www.Billippknives.com.

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Andy has a serious dedic steps back and laughs

cation to his craft’'s traditions then just as easily at himself. “To pound on stuff is sweet."

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An Organic Farmer’s Tips for Growing Great Garlic!

by Wayne M. Hansen Amy Benson, June Mita, Winter Caplanson Photos

Amy Benson

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arlic is a perennial but it is grown as an annual planted in the autumn. It is not difficult to grow, but, as with almost everything, attention to detail reaps the best results.

Generally speaking, there are three easilydistinguished types of garlic: Soft Neck, Hard Neck (also referred to as Stiff Neck), and Elephant. Soft Necks are most commonly found in the supermarket; larger cloves surround smaller cloves in a bulb. Hard Necks feature four to eight larger cloves around a central stem. Elephant garlic, which is more closely-related to leeks, has very large bulbs and the cloves also surround a stem. Being much milder than true garlic, it is best when roasted, baked, or even sliced raw in a salad.

Many varieties of Soft and Hard Neck are out there but there is only one style of Elephant garlic. Try two or three varieties to see what you like and what works best for you. I find the Porcelain or Continental varieties such as German Extra-Hardy are easy to grow and give great results.

SOIL PREPARATION: Good garden soil with a pH of seven or greater is best. Bury any green-manure crop a couple of weeks before planting. I try to apply compost to the bed and linseed meal, green-sand, and Azomite to the row.

SEED SELECTION: As a rule, plant the largest cloves selected from the largest bulbs. Save the smaller cloves for kitchen use or plant for spring greens. Bulbs 2” or larger in diameter work best.

Remember that garlic acclimates; seed from a local source is often your finest bet. If you try seed foreign to your region, for example from the West Coast, replant it for a couple of years, even if it doesn’t do well right away. “Pop” the cloves one day or less before planting.

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PLANTING: I try to plant during the last two weeks of October; this allows some root growth and minimum top growth before the ground freezes. Too much top growth can lead to winter kill when the truly cold weather hits.

I plant cloves with the root end down and the base about 3” below the surface. I space the cloves 5” apart in rows 1' apart. I use a six-foot dibble board for even spacing and to save time in a large planting. (I plant about 3,500 row feet.) Smaller plantings can be punched out with the handle of a hoe.

For Elephant garlic, I place the cloves 1’ apart in rows 18” apart. Make sure that the root end of the clove is down. It will grow upside-down with the stem coming up in a J-shape and the roots like an umbrella. The energy required for that reduces the bulb size.

June Mita

“ Minced and stored in the refrigerator, garlic scapes are a nice addition to salads or dressings and they make a dynamite pesto."

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I cover the holes using a wheel hoe with a small cultivator shovel on each side of the row, pushing dirt up over the holes. I mark varieties plainly on a stout steak and mulch right away with 4” – 6” of loose straw (more on Elephant garlic).

EARLY SPRING CARE: After the harshest weather is over (commonly in late March), check to see that all the bulbs are sending up leaves; some varieties will show before others. If the majority is up but there are gaps in the spacing, check to see if the leaves have grown sideways under the mulch. If so, just lift them upright.

At 3” or so of top growth (usually in April), spray with Neptune’s Harvest Fish Hydrolyzate, or fish with kelp. Doing this every three weeks or so has worked well for me as garlic likes plenty of nitrogen. Blood meal is a good source; spread between the rows.

LATE SPRING CARE: Irrigate if it is a dry spring. I use drip lines atop the straw. Stop irrigating about mid-June.

Scapes, flower buds that grow up out of the stems of Hard Neck and Elephant garlic, should be snapped or cut off to get good bulb size. The scapes appear around the second week in June. I begin to take them off as soon as they are a couple of inches above the top leaf before the buds have swollen too much.

Minced and stored in the refrigerator, garlic scapes are a nice addition to salads or dressings and they make a dynamite pesto. Add them to cooked dishes late in the preparation as their flavor fades quickly with heat. Scapes are excellent raw in sour cream as a dip. They will keep a few weeks or longer refrigerated in plastic, whole, or minced; minced will freeze for winter holiday dips. Sheep and goats go wild for them, as well.

Be sure to keep weeds out of the garlic plot. Like other alliums, garlic does not compete well with weeds. Straw mulch will keep most of them down, but occasional hand work may be necessary.

HARVEST AND STORAGE: Garlic top growth ends about June 22 in the Northeast; at that point, the energy goes to the bulb. David Stern of the Garlic Seed Foundation advises harvesting within 30 days after that date. He also explains that most people harvest too early and that when garlic is at its harvest peak, the bulbs will show a tiny space between the stem and the cloves. You can only know this by cutting through a bulb. I have always gone by the “six green leaves rule.” When the sixth leaf from the top begins to brown,

June Mita

“ Be sure to keep weeds out of the garlic plot.

Like other alliums, garlic does not compete well with weeds."

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Farm to Hearth Bread at Cafemantic, Winter Caplanson Photo

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it’s ready. In my experience, this takes place during the second and third weeks of July.

With a garden cart at hand, plunge a spading fork alongside the garlic row and pull back to loosen the plants. Do this for a few feet then pull up the bulbs by the stalks and brush away any clumps of heavy dirt.

Stack the bulbs in the cart and move into storage. Your storage shed/container should never, ever be left in strong sunshine.

Using loops of twine, gather six or eight plants into a bunch and secure it at one end of the loop, a second bunch at the other, then hang the two connected bunches over a nail.

Garlic needs a well-ventilated spot out of direct sunlight. Another suggestion from David Stern is to wash the bulbs under the spray from a hose nozzle. Dunking in a bucket is likely to spread any disease present. Spraying is done before hanging.

This leaves the garlic whiter and saves cleaning.

After the garlic is hung, particularly in humid conditions, a fan can help. I use a 20” window fan in each of the three bays of my carriage shed to keep the air moving.

If you choose to wash the bulbs, I feel using a fan is especially important. The bulbs are cured enough for storage when the stem is dry .5” above the clove tops.

using twine at any time. Most varieties of garlic will store four to eight months, or longer; after curing, Elephant garlic often lasts longer still.

I usually cut and store them in clean onion bags at 55° to 65° F in a well-aerated area out of direct sunlight. You can also store garlic with the stem on if you have room, or braid bunches. I recommend braiding Soft Necks soon after harvest while the tops are still pliable. Hard Necks can be braided

For further study, read Growing Great Garlic

by Ron L. Engeland and become a member of the Garlic Seed Foundtion. To learn more about festival listings, recipes, and growing tips, or to receive the Foundation’s newsletter The Garlic Press, visit http://www. garlicseedfoundation.info/.

June Mita

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by Amelia Lord Winter Caplanson Photos Food Styling, Melinda Kuzmak, Garnet Leigh Designs

learned to cook when I was about twelve years old.

My mother, knowing responsibility was good for kids, assigned each of her children a separate part of the house and through some mysterious prescience, settled me in the kitchen. I should probably thank her every day for that decision, because I quickly entrenched myself in the world of bubbling pots and searing pans. While my sister devoted herself to becoming an expert in the laundry room, and my brother sorted out the garage and mowed the lawn, I explored the spice cabinet.

I don’t know what was running through the minds of other middle-schoolers, but I was usually contemplating how I could bring life to the wizened carrots in the bottom of the crisper drawer, (I glazed them with orange juice.) or daydreaming different flavor combinations. Based just on their smells, would coriander pair well with cumin? Being serious and introspective, I set about experimenting; every success and faiure added to my burgeoning kitchen knowledge.

Through teaching, I try to convey to people the techniques of cooking – the craft – which is a thing much larger and more enduring than merely following a recipe. With a grasp on technique, a person has access to an infinite number of combinations and iterations and can create what pleases him or her the most. Longing for roasted curried squash but only have carrots or sweet potatoes? They’ll work. One must have presence in the kitchen, paying attention to everything that is happening and opening up one’s senses. Onions will tell you when they are finished sautéing by their smell; celery likes being chopped and lets up a satisfying “shunk” with each downward thrust of a blade; steaks announce their doneness with a gentle prod.

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love this soup; it’s warm, rich, earthy, and satisfying.

It’s also quick, especially if you decide to cook the mushrooms simultaneously alongside the vegetables in a separate pan. It means one more dish to wash, (Although you’re cooking right? Hopefully, it isn’t you.) but makes short work of getting dinner together.

There’s the idea that for a good soup, you must have a good stock. I’m not an ascriber to this philosophy, exactly. I find using chicken stock here muddies the flavors slightly; I prefer a cleaner finish. Feel free to reserve the soaking liquid from the rehydrated mushrooms as the cooking fluid (straining first to remove any grit), and top off with water. There will be plenty of flavor from the ingredients alone. If you really can’t resist using stock, go ahead and boil some onion skins, cloves of garlic, half a stalk of celery, and some parsley stalks with a bay leaf for about 15 minutes. Strain, use, and be content. Whatever you do, please resist the temptation to use a shelf-stable container of chicken-, vegetable-, or beef-flavored water from the grocery store. They make everything taste the same and they are an unnecessary expenditure.

You can make this soup using only fresh mushrooms but I love the extra depth of flavor and richness that comes from cooking with dried, as well. Mince the stems of the fresh mushrooms and cook them along side their rounded tops. Test the stems of the dried mushrooms after rehydrating. If they are tender, chop the mushrooms and use them in their entirety. If the stems are tough (which can be the case particularly with Shiitake), you can discard them or save them for homemade stock.

Dried Black Trumpet mushrooms are gloriously delicious and my favorite to use, although dried Shiitakes (easy to find in massive bags at Asian markets) or any “gourmet mix” are fine.

Although I’m not huge on staunch recipes, I understand their necessity and I encourage you to be fairly free with the one below. My students learn how to trust their instincts and develop basic practices to guide them through the kitchen. A flexible approach to quantity will yield approximately the same result, as it’s a forgiving recipe. Adjust it as you like after giving it a try.

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Half of a medium sized carrot, peeled and chopped

3 shallots, minced

3 cloves of garlic, minced

One stalk celery, chopped

3 c. chopped mushrooms (I use a combination of White Button and Portabello.)

1 large handful of dried mushrooms

1 tsp. fresh rosemary, minced

1/2 c. cooked wild rice

Butter

Salt and pepper

1 bay leaf

1 glass of dry white wine (optional)

Water

4 Tbsp. fresh parsley, roughly chopped

Boil the water and pour over the dried mushrooms in a heat-resistant bowl.

Steep for 15 minutes and chop.

In a large sauté pan or heavy-bottomed pot, melt two Tbsp. of butter over medium

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heat. Sauté the shallots, celery, carrots, and garlic until all but the carrots are soft and translucent. Remove all from pan and set aside. Melt another two Tbsp. of butter in the same pan. When bubbling, slightly add the fresh mushrooms in sections, being sure to never crowd the pan. The aim is to sauté rather than steam. It usually requires two steps to get through all of the mushrooms. Once all the fresh mushrooms are cooked, add in both the chopped, rehydrated mushrooms and fresh rosemary and cook alongside the rest of the pan’s contents for about five minutes. Stir in the white wine, nestle in a bayleaf, and add the shallot mixture and cooked wild rice to the mushroom pan. Pour in the reserved water from the dried mushrooms and enough water to not quite cover the contents of the pan. Salt and pepper to taste. Bring to a low boil, reduce heat to a simmer, cover, and cook for 20 minutes. If you feel there is too much liquid, turn up the heat and leave uncovered. A few minutes will allow some of the water to evaporate and will further intensify the flavors. Season to taste.

Garnish with fresh parsley and serve.

Feeds 4-6

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Mercado Catering &

Food Truck:

A Lesson in Local Inspiration

by Kelley Citroni / Carla McElroy Photos / Maya Oren Video

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It

is a scientific fact that runny egg yolks are Mother Nature’s dipping sauce.

By their very ilk, they improve everything upon which they’re served. A flawlessly cooked over-easy egg binds every other item on the plate in its gorgeous, golden viscosity. Such is the case with Mercado Catering and Food Truck’s signature dish: Duck Fat Potatoes with Bacon Chimichurri and a Farm Fresh Egg. While their menu is constantly evolving to celebrate seasonal ingredients, this gem stays put. Looking to expound upon something that had already captured his palate, Mercado Co-Founder and Owner/Operator Chef Roy Riedl drew inspiration from his former co-worker Chef Helton daSilva of Barcelona Wine Bar, who commonly cooked potatoes in duck fat. “They blew my mind,” said Riedl. “They provide a better flavor profile; they stay soft and creamy on the inside and have an impeccable crust. I knew I wanted to use them as a base for a Mercado dish.”

Originally served with a simple jalapeno Confit – spicy Jalapeno peppers, high-quality extra virgin olive oil, and garlic – it was certainly tasty, but Riedl wasn’t completely in love. So, in classic, left-brained, gastronomic style, he started daydreaming. He pondered the combination of French fries and vinegar and why it appealed to so many. The acidity in Chimichurri – a staple condiment in the Basque region of Spain – provided the tang, reminiscent of vinegar, which Riedl sought to showcase. And the bacon part?

That’s just because he had bacon on hand when he was formulating the recipe. I can only speak for myself, of course, but I’m absolutely fine with that explanation.

"At the onset of Mercado’s birth, Roy and Heather envisioned owning a catering business whose menu options were dictated by the seasons..."

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As he and his wife, Mercado Co-Founder Heather Riedl, prepared for the Connecticut Farm & Folk Festival last summer, Roy wanted to add an element that paid tribute to the event’s location and the business’s hometown: G l a s t o n b u r y. The answer? Local eggs! Gently crack one of those puppies on the flat top; while it's sizzling, layer crispy duck fat potatoes and bacon Chimichurri, then slide the eggs atop.

Sprinkle with some freshly-chopped chives and you’ve got yourself a dish you won’t even share with your own children. (I’m serious; my dad legit wouldn’t give me any.)

I digress. Every artist can name someone, some event, or sometime that stirred something in them early in life. For Riedl, it was his paternal grandmother, of German descent. While he admits it wasn’t her specific dishes that sparked his interest in cooking, it was the concept of community and provision. "Just before her passing, she told me that all she wanted to was to cook a Christmas dinner for the whole family. That stuck with me,” he said.

After earning his Culinary Arts degree from Johnson and Wales University in Providence, RI, Riedl found a place for himself in the local food culture by working as the Sous Chef at Barcelona Wine Bar. As part of his orientation, he spent a week grazing his way through Spain with the restaurant’s Culinary and Beverage Directors. While the ingredients themselves left a lasting impression, it was more so the Spanish approach to cooking that resonated the loudest.

Its bare-bones methodology and stress on technique became etched in Riedl’s memory and served as a theology after which Mercado was modeled.

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There are growing pains that cause stress and worry and there are serendipitous achievements that affirm your work touches people; that they want more.

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At the onset of Mercado’s birth, Roy and Heather envisioned owning a catering business, whose menu options were dictated by the seasons, which used a commercial kitchen space for preparation. The truck came after the fact with the intention that it would serve as a means of sampling and promotion for potential private-party customers. That notion has since pulled a 180. After deciding that the kitchen wasn’t conducive to catering, the Riedls chose to move in a different direction. “You shut the door or you find another way, right?” commented Roy. They bought a truck, called a friend to help customize it, and got to work.

They’ve had so much success with the truck – specifically in the farmers' market and festival scene – that it seems hard to believe that they didn’t see it coming.

It’s the best part about running a fledging business, Roy explained. There are growing pains that cause stress and worry and there are serendipitous achievements that affirm your work touches people; that they want more. Roy uses the truck itself as an example. “I chose my equipment to mirror a production line, just like it is in restaurants. I have an 18” flat top, a fryer, and six burners. Some trucks have twice that,” he said. His set-up lends itself well to the cooking portion and has presented some limitations in the vending part. “I’m learning why trucks have the gear that they do, versus commercial kitchens.” I found his candid advice refreshing: “I try and teach other up-andcoming small business owners that there are always going to be moments when you feel like you’re winging it. You learn as you go.”

Roy gives a tremendous amount of credit for his feats to Gutt Family Farm on Addison Road in Glastonbury. Not only has he known the

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family since childhood, he lives near them now, as well. It’s not just that they have, according to my favorite, trustworthy Yelper, “the best corn in the state,” they only sell what they grow or raise: stunning pick-your-own wildflowers, brightly-colored zucchini and yellow squash, tender eggplant, crunchy cukes and green beans, a variety of peppers, fresh herbs, and eggs – all at an old-school farm stand that still uses the honor system! In a business climate where some farm stands sell items they do not make or grow on-site, it’s paramount for Roy and Heather that Gutt Family Farm steers clear of that practice. As he was searching for a more tactful way to describe the Farm’s stringency, Roy gave up and kept it real: “They just give a shit, you know?”

I do know, Roy. That’s why Mercado’s Blistered Shishito Peppers with Sea Salt, Pork Belly Sliders, and Grilled Corn & Heirloom Tomato Salad have already made a fan out of me. As Mercado's popularity grows, so will the workload and logistics. But I’m not worried about Roy and Heather’s ability to navigate the twists and turns of a growing audience and an ever-changing menu. When Roy and I had a chance to speak last month, one of his hands was holding the phone, the other was feeding a baby, (His sixmonth old son was happily babbling in the background.) his voice was telling me his story, and his mind was on all three. Roy’s ability to juggle his focus with agility and efficiency makes him an asset in the kitchen, no doubt. But I think it also proves that he was meant to be there. www.mercadofoods.com

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Learn more about Mercado and see Chef Riedl in action.

Click here for exclusive video by Mojalvo.

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Lucky Girl's Favorite Pies for

Harvest Time

By Jessica Giordani, Lucky Girl Bakery Winter Caplanson Photos

Food Styling, Melinda Kuzmak, Garnet Leigh Designs

Autumn may be my very favorite season for baking (and eating ! ) pies.

The days are shorter, the nights a bit cooler, and there is a bounty of beautiful fruits and gourds just waiting to be bathed in warm spices and tucked away in buttery, flaky pastry dough. Fall baking tends to be steeped in tradition. As we gather with family and friends to celebrate holidays and harvests alike, we reach for well-loved recipes.

Dog-eared cookbooks and faded handwritten notes on treasured slips of paper guide us in creating the comfort food that we lovingly bake and share with one another.

While we crave the warm familiarity of time tested family recipes, pies give us freedom.

The two-part construction (pastry dough + sweet or savory filling) urges us to play with flavors and textures without feeling ruled by the exact proportions involved in baking a cake. With a bit of practice, you’ll make lovely piecrusts and then you’re free to play.

Add herbs and spices to your dough! Spirits to your fillings! Citrus to your whipped cream! Chocolate everywhere! The possibilities are limitless, and the results are delicious.

Cranberries, bourbon, and pumpkins are some of my go-to fall ingredients for baking.

The following pies get baked again and again for both my family and my customers between September and the New Year:

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Pie Doug h

This recipe will make enough dough for all three pies. You can easily cut the recipe in half or freeze any well-wrapped, unused dough for up to three months.

5 c. all-purpose flour Scant ¼ c. sugar ¼ tsp. nutmeg 1 tsp. kosher salt 2 c. (4 sticks) cold, unsalted butter, cut into 24 pieces 1 c. very cold water

In a large bowl, mix dry ingredients. Toss cold butter in flour mixture. With a pastry blender, cut butter into the dry ingredients. If you don’t have a pastry blender, this is not a problem!

Use your fingers to crumble the butter into the flour. Stop when the bits of butter range in size from oats to peas.

Sprinkle chilled water over the mixture and fold together with a bowl scraper. The dough will look moist and shaggy. Try to handle your dough as little as possible. Your finished dough should have visible pieces and streaks of butter throughout; this is what makes a beautiful, flaky crust! Press and knead the dough into a large disk (You may break it up into portions at this point.) and wrap tightly in plastic wrap.

Refrigerate for at least one hour to rest.

Spiced Pumpkin Pie with Pecan P raline Makes one 9” pie

Prepare the Crust: Roll 1/4 of the pie dough on a lightly floured surface and fit into pie plate. Leave a 1” overhang so that the edge can be decoratively tucked under or crimped. Chill prepared pie plate until ready for use.

Filling:

2 c. pumpkin purée*

¾ c. packed light brown sugar

¾ tsp. cinnamon

½ tsp. nutmeg

½ tsp. ginger

1 tsp. sea salt

¾ c. heavy cream

½ c. whole milk

3 large eggs, beaten

2 tsp. pure vanilla extract

Preheat oven to 375°F. Combine all ingredients for pie filling and whisk together until well blended. Pour into prepared piecrust and bake for 15 minutes. Reduce oven temperature to 355°F and bake for an additional 40–50 minutes until filling is set. Let pie cool before pouring on Pecan Praline topping. * You can use either canned solid-pack pumpkin purée for this recipe or homemade purées of Sugar pumpkin, Butternut squash, Blue Hubbard squash, or a variety of other gourds. If using a homemade purée, be sure to strain it well to eliminate excess liquid so that the pie filling will set correctly.

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Pecan Praline Sauce

6 Tbsp. butter ¼ tsp. salt (if using unsalted butter) ¼ c. heavy cream ½ c. packed light brown sugar 1 tsp. pure vanilla extract ¾ c. chopped pecans

Combine sugar, butter, heavy cream, and salt in a saucepan and bring to a simmer over medium-low heat. Whisk occasionally as the mixture simmers; cook for three to five minutes until mixture is bubbling and thick. Remove from heat and stir in vanilla and pecans. Pour over whole pie or serve warm with individual slices.

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Cranberry Tart Makes one 9” pie

This zesty cranberry tart is one of my all time favorites and is a breeze to make.

The tart crust is blind-baked and the filling is prepared on the stovetop.

Prepare the Crust:

Filling:

Roll 1¼ of the pie dough recipe on a lightly floured surface and press into a 9” tart pan. Press dough along the crimped edge of the tart pan to remove any excess and place in freezer until dough is firm. Meanwhile, grease a sheet of aluminum foil, large enough to cover your tart pan, with a thin coating of butter. Press the prepared foil tightly against your chilled dough.

Bake the wrapped dough for 20 minutes.

Remove the foil. If the center of the dough appears to have puffed up underneath the aluminum foil, press it down firmly with an oven mitt, then remove the foil. Return to oven and bake for an additional 10–15 minutes until crust is golden brown. You may use any additional dough and either a knife or cookie cutters to make decorative leaves or other shapes to arrange on your finished tart. Simply bake on a cookie sheet alongside the tart shell (15 minutes or so) and remove from oven when golden brown.

1 c. sugar ¼ c. water ¼ c. orange juice 3 c. cranberries (1 12-ounce bag) Orange zest 3 Tbsp. cornstarch or arrowroot powder ¼ c. dark raisins ¼ c. golden raisins ¼ tsp. ginger ½ tsp. cinnamon ¼ tsp. nutmeg Pinch of ground clove ¼ tsp. allspice ¼ tsp. sea salt

Preheat oven to 375°F. In a large saucepan, combine sugar, water, and orange juice over medium-high heat and stir until the sugar is dissolved. Reduce heat to medium and add cranberries, raisins, and orange zest. Cook five to seven minutes until the liquid is simmering and some of the cranberries have popped. Add spices, sea salt, and cornstarch or arrowroot to the fruit mixture and stir continuously for an additional two to four minutes until the fruit has thickened. Pour into prepared tart shell and arrance decorative cutouts on cranberries.

Cool before serving.

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Chocolate Bourbon Pecan Pie Makes one 9” pie

Prepare the Crust: Roll 1/4 of the pie dough recipe on a lightly floured surface and fit into pie plate. Leave a 1” overhang so that the edge can be decoratively tucked under or crimped.

Chill prepared pie plate until ready for use.

Filling:

3 large eggs ¾ c. light corn syrup or golden syrup 3 Tbsp. sugar ¼ c. packed light brown sugar 3 Tbsp. butter, melted 1 tsp. pure vanilla extract ¼ c. bourbon (Be sure to use something you would like to drink!)

1 c. (8 oz.) of dark chocolate, chopped (60-70% cocoa) 2 c. of pecan halves

Preheat oven to 375°F. Whisk together eggs, syrup, and sugars until well combined. Add melted butter, vanilla, and bourbon to mixture. Line the bottom of prepared piecrust with the chopped dark chocolate and then cover with pecan halves.

Pour mixture over nuts and chocolate and bake for 15 minutes. Reduce oven temperature to 350°F and bake for an additional 40 – 50 minutes until filling is set.

Serve warm or cooled with whipped cream.

If you’re feeling adventurous, spike your whipped cream with a few tablespoons of bourbon!

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B.F. Clyde’s: America’s Olde Steam-Powered Cider Mill

By Laura Graham

Tali Greener, ERTD

est d

D/Mystic Country Photos

Sharp

fall breezes rustle the vibrant yellow and orange leaves overhead.

Sunlight falls across the late 19th century wooden buildings making the view painting-like.

Stone walls, fall foliage, colonial structures; B.F. Clyde’s Cider Mill in Old Mystic is why people come to New England.

When you step into the mill, you immediately sense the tart, slightly musty smell of crushed apples and fermentation. Visit on the weekends and you can see the cider being made. Apples are loaded from a truck up a conveyor belt and sent down through a chute. Inside overhead, belts whiz around pulley wheels powered by a steam engine that chugs off to the side. The massive cast iron press squeezes the apples that are held in place in large wooden racks. The sweet cider runs off and is collected in troughs that surround the press.

This is the real thing. Four generations later, Benjamin Franklin Clyde’s family continues to keep the business thriving. Fifth and sixth generations already work within the business that was founded in 1881. With no refrigeration, hard apple cider was standard table fare at that time and by 1898, Clyde had earned enough money from selling his cider that he was able to buy his own property and equipment and build his mill.

The statistics are daunting. Only 30% of family businesses are passed to the next generation, 12% to the third generation and 3% to the third. B.F. Clyde’s Cider Mill is the oldest continuously-operated manufacturer of hard cider. So how have they done it? How have they stayed the same, yet evolved to survive from 1881 until 2015? Through the kind of entrepreneurial wit that makes a great story.

Sales were going strong. B.F. Clyde and his wife Abby had their business figured out. Apples arrived by freight train to the station in Mystic and hauled by a team of horses for the threemile trip back to the mill. They sold hundreds of barrels locally and as far as New York City. Then Prohibition arrived. Businesses went bankrupt, doors closed; but not Clyde’s. Pressing apples to make hard cider begins with making sweet cider. This in turn, ferments to make hard cider, which if left to age becomes vinegar.

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R i ta R i ve r a

When you step into the mill, you immediately sense the tart, slightly musty smell of crushed apples and fermentation.

In 1920, home canning and preserves were the norm and so was pickling. Clyde’s wife Abby, who handled the sales part of the business, relabeled the hard cider “vinegar stock.” What was left in barrels as hard cider was certainly not intended to be consumed before it turned to vinegar. Twice federal agents came to inspect and then arrest Abby for bootlegging, but she was never convicted. She stood her ground and told them not to touch a single barrel of her product. Miraculously they never did, and business went on.

When Prohibition ended on December 5, 1933, however, there was a bigger threat. Beer had gained popularity and hard cider sales dropped.

There was a sales slump until 1950 when the business was handed over to the next

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generation. B.F. Clyde’s great grandnephew and his wife Jack and Barbara Bucklyn took it over and they ran it until 1997. In that time, Clyde’s Cider Mill became a New England travel destination.

In 1997, B.F. Clyde’s great granddaughter Annette and her husband Harold Miner took the reins. Annette and Harold met when she was eleven and he was twelve; family lore says the day they met, Harold went home and told his mother that he met the prettiest girl he had ever seen. They married when Annette was 18 and today, they have three children and six grandchildren. All of their children work full-time at the business, and their eldest granddaughter started full-time this summer. (Even the younger grandchildren work

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part-time.) Annette has been at the Cider Mill her whole life. Her mother used to keep her as an infant sleeping in a laundry basket next to her while she worked; now Annette’s grandchildren work at her side.

When Annette and Harold’s first grandchild arrived, they noticed that parents worried about their children drinking unpasteurized juice. So, Clyde’s made the switch to pasteurizing their sweet cider. They've survived by staying in touch wih the times.

Today Clyde’s sells 18 different kinds of hard cider. In the world of craft beer and kombucha, hard apple ciders are booming, but Clyde’s tries to avoids being trendy.

Their ciders are the straight up, traditional, non-effervescent type. Their ABVs (Alcohol by Volume) run from eight to 12% and are aged in oak bourbon barrels. The most popular are the Original Hard Cider and the Black Out Hard Cider which is fermented with raisins, giving it a darker color and richer taste. Other limited edition flavors include Pumpkin Spice, Apple Blueberry, and Apple Strawberry.

Clyde’s also sells a variety of traditional products that include local preserves and honey, maple syrup, and fudge. Annette and her family are at work before dawn to make pies, apple dumplings, turnovers, and their famous apple cider doughnuts, all of which pair up well with their Sweet Apple Cider Slushies. Hot, Mulled Sweet Cider is served as well.

B.F. Clyde’s Cider Mill is open seven days a week, September 1 to October 31, 9:00 a.m. to 6:00 p.m.; November 1 to mid-December, 9:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m.

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Thanksgiving Connecticut Food & Farm Chef Scott Miller

Member of the Connecticut Food and Farm “Kitchen Cabinet�

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Executive Director of Connecticut Food and Farm Winter Caplanson & Amy Benson Photos

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We have a bounty of incredible local farm foods and CT-made products from which to choose. What does the Connecticut Food and Farm team select for their own Thanksgiving feasts? These are our TopPicks: the best of the best, CT-grown and made, and where to find them.

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1. Turkey: White Gate Farm White Gate Farm raises only 100 turkeys a year: Broad Breasted Bronze and Broad Breasted Whites sent to them as day oldpoults. They are fed only organic feed, grass, and bugs and they have their own designated pasture and shade-covered structure. White Gate uses the most humane methods to process their turkeys on-farm themselves and then freezes them.

Weights range from 12 to 24 lbs.

To reserve a turkey, simply e-mail info@whitegatefarm.net with your name, desired turkey weight, e-mail address, and phone number. (Also, ask about preordering side dishes, pumpkin pies, and apple crisp made in the farm kitchen.)

Reservation is secured with a $50 deposit.

Cost of turkeys is $6/lb. At turkey pick-up time, customers choose from among the weights available.

The farm store is open Wednesdays and Saturdays, 9:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m., at 83 Upper Pattagansett Rd., East Lyme.

Also shop for their own USDA Certified Organic produce including potatoes, sweet potatoes, winter squash, Brussels sprouts, spinach, and more.

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2. Fresh Vegetables: Sub Edge Farm and The Feast & Fiddle Harvest Market The weekend before Thanksgiving offers two notable opportunities to buy directly from Connecticut farmers: On Saturday, pick up a selection of classic autumn vegetables for your feast at Sub Edge Farm’s one-day Thanksgiving Farm Shop at 1990 Town Farm Rd., Farmington.

They will have Butternut squash, Sugar Pie pumpkins, kale, cabbage, beets, carrots, a few kinds of potatoes, lettuce, arugula, Bok Choi, Napa cabbage, radicchio, escarole, Tatsoi, turnips, Sub Edge eggs and honey, plus local apples and cider! Tastings and tours are offered, as well. Watch the farm’s Facebook page for hours and directions.

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On Sunday, join 30 producers from the Coventry Regional Farmers’ Market at their Feast & Fiddle Harvest Market from 11:00 a.m. – 2:00 p.m. at the historic Bellingham Ballroom at the WindhamCounty Courthouse, Willimantic. On the wooden stage, Dan Foster will perform Old Time, Celtic, and Scottish Fiddle and the Irish Dance Academy, Scoil Rince Luimni, will dance. The event will be brimming with fresh, locally-grown foods for your holiday weekend!

3. Oysters: The Fish Market There was a time when no Thanksgiving meal in America was complete without oysters. Oysters on the half shell, oyster stew, oyster stuffing –– oysters everywhere.

In 1621, when Governor Bradford of Plymouth Colony set apart a special day for public praise and prayer in thanksgiving for a bountiful harvest, there is little doubt that oysters were included among the food items in the holiday’s first year.

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For all of our seafood, we rely on a good fishmonger to get us the freshest and best product. There is none better than Paul Butterfield at The Fish Market in Willimantic at 1307 Main St. Look for Noank oysters around Thanksgiving or ask Paul what’s best when you arrive.

He’ll happily give you a shucking lesson, if you’re new to this!

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4. Cornbread and Sausage for Stuffing: Stanton Davis Farm & Firefly Farm Cornbread Stuffing with apples, sausage, thyme, sage, and pecans: it’s the recipe our friend Chef Donna Fisher has been making every Thanksgiving since 1979.

We opt to make our own cornbread earlier in Thanksgiving week with non-GMO Johnny Cake Corn Meal from Stanton Davis Farm at 568 Greenhaven Rd., Pawcatuck.

(Use your favorite recipe for cornbread or try Chef Sean Brock’s unsweetened cornbread recipe, a favorite of Brandon Scimeca, executive chef at Interlaken Inn at 74 Interlaken Rd., Lakeville.)

The Davis family has been growing distinctive White Cap Dent corn in Pawcatuck since 1654, saving seed each year to replant as the Native American tribes of the region did before them.

This is available at the Stonington Village Farmers’ Market, which operates in November, indoors, Saturday Mornings at the Velvet Mill on Bayview Ave., or through CT Farm Fresh Express, a delivery service which also offers our preferred sausage for stuffing: Firefly Farms’ (at 96 Button Rd., North Stonington) Breakfast Sausage from forest-raised, Heritage breed pork.

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5. Connecticut Cheese Plate: Cato Corner Farm, Oak Leaf Dairy, and Woodstock Hill Preserves Among our favorite Connecticut cheese makers are Cato Corner Farm, (178 Cato Corner Rd., Colchester) making aged cow’s milk cheeses, and Oak Leaf Dairy, crafting fresh and aged goat’s milk cheeses (68 Bogg Lane, Lebanon).

Also, we are currently obsessed with Woodstock Hill Smoked Fruit Preserves.

Woodstock Hill is the oldest preserves company in Connecticut (651 Brickyard Rd., Woodstock) but remains among the most innovative. This summer, they introduced a line of preserves made with fruit gently smoked over aromatic wood: Smoked Peach Bourbon Chipotle, Smoked Mango Pineapple, Smoked Cherry Bomb, Smoked Strawberry with aged Balsamic Vinegar, and Smoked Pear Preserve.

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Amy Benson

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Smoked Cherry Preserve pairs wonderfully with a mild, creamy cheese like Cato Dutch Farmstead or fresh Chevre from Oak Leaf served on a water cracker or plain sourdough bread.

Serve Smoked Pear Preserve with Cato Bloomsday or Oak Leaf Aged Goat’s Milk Cheddar and some toasted almonds.

Try serving the cheese on a slice of a crisp Bosc pear with the preserve spread on top.

Mark suggests serving Cato Corner Aged Bloomsday with Smoked Mango Pineapple Preserve. The cheddar-y bite of the cheese

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balances the fruit flavor nicely. Serve on a slice of apple - something crisp but with moderate sweetness like Empire or Rome; this combo handles walnuts well.

Cato Corner Hooligan is a fabulous pairing with Smoked Peach Bourbon Chipotle Preserves. The cheese is strong enough to handle the pepper heat and still shine through.

Finally, serve Cato Corner Black Ledge Blue with Smoked Strawberry with Balsamic Vinegar Preserve and a slice of raisin-walnut sourdough. Try to sneak a slice of an Empire apple between the cheese and the bread!

Cato Corner and Oak Leaf Dairy cheeses and Woodstock Hill Preserves will all be available at the Feast & Fiddle Harvest Market.

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We charged cheese maker Mark Gillman of Cato Corner Farm with creating some Thanksgiving cheese plate suggestions showcasing all three makers. Here are the results:

6. Wine: Sparkling Wine Estate Bottles, Silver Label, Hopkins Vineyard Crafted in the traditional Champagne method from a blend of estate-grown, hand-picked Seyval Blanc and Vidal Blanc grapes, Hopkins Silver Label Sparkling Wine is dry, crisp, and well-balanced with hints of hazelnut and fresh bread. Enjoy a glass prior to dinner with smoked salmon, red onions, capers, lemon slices,

and dill on pumpernickel toast. It pairs well with Manchego, Comte, Gruyere, and Brie cheeses. Each elegant bottle is about four years in the making and only 50 cases are produced annually. It is best found at the winery at 25 Hopkins Rd., New Preston or purchased online.

7. Beer: Delicata Squash Saison, Black Hog Brewery

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We “sample” plenty of Connecticut brews, but we’re inordinately smitten with Black Hog Brewery. Count on them for well-crafted ales with a focus on quality, consistency, and drinkability. They often include seasonal, local produce and ingredients in their batches.

FLS (Farmland Series) which features Rosemary Dunkel, Peach Gose, Delicata Squash Saison, and Autumn Nugget.

The Delicata Squash Saison is our Top Pick for Thanksgiving; more than 200 lbs. of Delicata squash from Waldingfield Farm, Washington will go into this brew.

Come fall, their year-round beer offerings, Easy Rye’Da (session rye IPA), Ginga Ninja (red IPA with ginger), Granola Brown (American Brown Ale), and Nitro Coffee Milk Stout are supplemented by seasonal beers including THC (The Hop Collective) single hop American Pale Ale series and the

Purchase growlers at their brewery and tasting room at 115 Hurley Rd., Building 9A, Oxford, open on Wednesdays 4:00 p.m. – 6:00 p.m.; Fridays 2:00 p.m. – 7:00 p.m.; Saturdays 12:00 p.m. – 6:00 p.m.; and Sundays, 12:00 p.m. – 4:00 p.m.

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8. Spirits: Westford Hill Distillers Organic Rime Vodka Honestly, before we tasted this, we had no idea a vodka could be so much better than all others. Produced with the same care as Westford Hill’s fine brandies, Rime is 100% organic and gluten free with no glycerin or “flavor bridges” typically found in factory-produced commercial brands.

Rime Organic Vodka is widely distributed in CT, MA, and RI at fine wine shops and restaurants. Rime infused with fresh or roasted cranberries is ideal for Thanksgiving cocktails. Check Westford Hill Distillers' (at 196 Chatey Rd., Ashford) Facebook page for cocktail and culinary recipes this holiday season or try Bartender Derek Vitale’s recipe as served at Max’s Oyster Bar (964 Farmington Ave, West Hartford).

Fall Jacket 1.5 oz. Rime Vodka 1.5 oz. local cider .5 oz. Amaro .5 oz. lemon juice .25 oz. Saint Elizabeth Allspice (dram) 1 tsp. Sugar in the Raw Syrup 2 dashes apple bitters Combine and shake with ice. Pour into a tall Collins glass. Garnish with an apple slice and a cinnamon stick.

9. Pies: Lucky Girl Bakery This small-batch bakery in Preston (22 Old Shetucket Turnpike) turns out some of the most delicious desserts we’ve ever had. Take a gander at their Special Order Thanksgiving Pie Menu: Mexican Chocolate with Gingersnap Crust, Classic Pumpkin with Pecan Praline, Salted Caramel Apple, Pumpkin Tiramisù, Cranberry Mince, and Chocolate Bourbon Pecan.

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Additional sweets for order: Spiced Pumpkin Whoopie Pies, New England Hermits, and Salted Caramel Sauce. Pick-up is available at the bakery or at the Feast & Fiddle Harvest Market at 2299 South St., Coventry.

10. Granola Over Ice Cream: Pure Love Granola & E konk Hill Turkey Farm Pure Love Granola has an earthy, toasty flavor and is *just* sweet enough. It’s made by hand with premium ingredients like organic coconut oil, organic coconut sugar, and pure CT maple syrup from Fabyan Sugar Shack. Over Ekonk Hill Turkey Farm’s ice cream flavors like Black Currant, Sweet Corn, Pumpkin, or Indian Pudding, we scatter one of Pure Love Granola’s November special granola choices: Toasted Almond, Espresso Cacao Hazelnut, Blueberry Pecan, Sugar Pumpkin Spice, and Bourbon Butter Pecan with tart dried cherries.

Look for Pure Love Granola at ShopRite Canton and West Hartford, the Old Wethersfield Country Store, The Fresh Monkee, Blue State Coffee, Act Natural Health & Wellness, Hardcore Sweet Cupcakes, Hastings Farm, and the Feast & Fiddle Harvest Market.

Ekonk Hill Turkey Farm Ice Cream is available at their farm store packed in pints and quarts at 227 Ekonk Hill Rd., Sterling.

(Mailing address and GPS identify the address in Moosup.) Check their website for hours. If you make the trip, also shop for Ekonk’s pasture-raised meats: turkey, beef, pork, chicken, lamb, goose, and goat.

Ekonk is also an excellent source for your Thanksgiving turkey!

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11. Coffee: Shearwater Organic Coffee Roasters The mellow, smooth roast of Shearwater Organic Coffee Roasters (101 Corporate Dr. B106, Trumbull) hits us just right and is bound to please a wide range of coffee lovers at your place, too! They offer a full line of single-origin coffees and blends year-round, but our pick is Toasty Hearth, a signature blend of rustic, full-bodied Sumatra and sweet, fruity Ethiopian coffees.

Shearwater is the only USDA Certified Organic Coffee Roaster in Connecticut.

They specialize in handcrafted, smallbatch coffee roasting to produce the most wonderfully aromatic, flavorful, naturally sweet, and bitter-free coffee. Shop online, visit their Trumbull roastery and tasting room, or purchase at retail outlets throughout the state.

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12. Ready-to-Eat: Cafemantic & Max Catering Because sometimes cooking the whole feast from scratch looks less than doable…

Who does the cooking is less important than the Thanksgiving gathering itself, and we are glad to know there are locally-sourced, scratch-made menu options to take home from famed Connecticut caterers.

Add something extra to your Thanksgiving dinner with Cafemantic’s (948 Main St., Willimantic) freshly-prepared holiday menu. Order in advance online and pick up the day before. All orders include heating and serving instructions. They offer everything but the turkey portioned for 12, including appetizers, breads, sides such as Sour Cream Yukon Gold Potato Puree, Roasted Root Vegetables, Rosemary Herb Roasted Fingerling Potatoes, and Brussels Sprouts with Applewood Smoked Bacon, soups, and specialty desserts: Pumpkin Meringue Tart and Apple Cheddar Galette. Look for an announcement of this year’s Thanksgiving offerings on Cafemantic’s Facebook page or at www.ctfeast.com.

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Want a chef to cook your whole feast?

Max Catering offers an Old Fashioned Turkey Dinner with all the fixin’s, for 6–8 or 13–15 people. Turkey, gravy, stuffing, cranberry chutney, sides such as roasted winter squash and root vegetables, mashed sweet potatoes with CT maple syrup, and classic green bean casserole, dinner rolls, and a pie. Want more? A La Carte items include House-made Crab Cakes, Smoked Berkshire Ham, and Truffle Mac and Cheese. Inquire about delivery in the Hartford area!

The entire Connecticut Food and Farm team wishes you happy cooking, a meal to remember in a place you love best, with the people who mean the most to you.

Happy Thanksgiving!

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By Christy Colasurdo Winter Caplanson, Paula Deutz Photos

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Over the past 20 years, winemakers in the Northeast have made notable inroads ramping up production quality and incorporating farm kitchens, tasting rooms, live music, and events to attract wine aficionados.

“Connecticut wines have been underappreciated more than underestimated,” says Renée Allen, a wine educator and director of the Wine Institute of New England. “So many people are still unfamiliar with what Connecticut has to offer by way of wineries and wines. Although the popularity of the whole local movement has had the positive side effect of increasing awareness about local wines, there is still room for more education. I think the wines have improved more dramatically than the perceptions of them have.

I always tell people, if you haven’t tried Connecticut wine in the last few years, it’s time to try it again.”

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Allen says Connecticut wineries are making the case for themselves that they can compete with other notable wine-producing states. She points out that several Connecticut wines have recently won awards in national and international competitions. "Clearly, these wines are thought to be as good as those from other parts of the country."

Paula Deutz

The winery and vino tourism business in Connecticut has been growing at a steady clip for more than a generation, bringing in $38 million in annual revenues according to the most recent report from the University of Connecticut.

This September, as the hills blaze into hues of burnt orange and amber, wine lovers can hit the road on a tasting tour at some of Connecticut’s 33 picturesque vineyards, many dotting the pastoral landscape of the Litchfield Hills (and others), perched against the backdrop of the Long Island Sound. September to October

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is the ideal time to visit with harvest festivals, live music, pig roasts, wine classes, tastings, and other attractions designed to turn you into an oenophile.

Both The Connecticut Wine Trail and the Connecticut Farm Wine Development Council Passport Program will help you chart your itinerary.

Be sure to call each winery before visiting as many farm wineries are by appointment only and some close down on weekends for weddings and private events.

Below, we stop by a few Connecticut vineyards and brought back the lowdown on what’s happening for fall and which varietals and blends the owners are drinking right now.

As far as coastal wineries, our faves are all in Stonington with the exception of Chamard Vineyards in Clinton, a lovely vineyard with an alluring farm bistro just minutes from outlet shopping. Our other coastal picks include Jonathan Edwards Winery, Stonington Winery and Saltwater Farm Vineyard — a sprawling historic coastal vineyard bordered by tidal marshes, a cove, and vistas on Long Island Sound. At Saltwater, there are 100 panoramic acres – 15 of which are planted with six varieties of grapes. Which varietals top owner Merrily Connery’s current hit list? The 2013 Estate Cabernet Franc, the 2014 Estate Chardonnay, and the 2013 Pinot Noir. Connery notes, “We grow only varietals; no hybrids.”

If you’re still sipping Rosé as the weather grows cool, you’re not alone, Connery says, “We find that many enjoy Rosé year-round. In fact, she says Saltwater’s 2013 Cabernet Rosé is one of the top wines she’s enjoying right now in addition to the vineyard’s 2013 "Gold Arc" Chardonnay,

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2012 Cabernet Franc/Merlot Blend, and 2013 Estate Merlot.

On top of this, Saltwater Farm Vineyard’s events, including a fall harvest celebration and live music, are held at the vineyard’s beautifully renovated WWII-era private airport hangar which makes Saltwater an enormously popular wedding destination.

Amy Senew of Haight-Brown Vineyard, one of Connecticut’s oldest vineyards set amongst the Litchfield Hills, says her team has been planting Seyval Blanc and Chardonel (two white hybrid grapes) instead of new varietals, and they’re both worth a sip. Since late 2011, Haight-Brown has been employing experienced winemakers from South Africa with bachelor’s degrees in viticulture and/or oenology, including award-winning winemaker Jacques van der Vyver. Senew notes, “they have several years of experience working at large South African wine farms in the Stellenbosch region. This has been very significant for us, and a true differentiator from many of the family-run wineries. Our winemakers have been trained in the science of winemaking versus having only practical experience.”

As summer winds down, Senew says she’s still enjoying the 2014 Railway White. “It received a Silver at the 2015 Finger Lakes International Wine Competition and is made with two of our grapes in stainless steel. We used some Nouveau techniques, resulting in a dry but very fruity white wine; we pair it off its acidity.”

Senew, who has achieved a Sommelier designation, places a premium on education. She notes, “We really try to provide our customers with an unpretentious education of wine and cheese.

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We offer wine tasting classes as well as a whole series on pairing.” In addition to education, the team spent the spring of 2015 renovating the inside of the winery and the event spaces to meet demand for more private, catered events.

Recently, HBV paired up with Fascia’s Chocolates and the Railroad Museum of New England to create a series of monthly Friday night wine and chocolate trains, which include a cocktail hour, a tour of the Chocolate Factory, and a sunset stop over the Thomaston Dam. What’s more, Haight is planning its 44th Annual Harvest Festival, September 19-20.

At Sunset Meadow Vineyards in Goshen, currently producing 15 different grape wines, owner George Motel explains, “We grow and produce all our wines on site. We’re proud of the fact that our wines are estate-grown.”

Heading into fall, Motel is excited to introduce a 100-percent apple wine made from apples grown at nearby March Farms in Bethlehem, CT. Sunset is also introducing a line of reserve wines, which George explains, “are aged and processed in a fashion that will please the most discriminating wine drinker.”

Another of Sunset’s winners: Midnight Ice, one of only two ice wines in Connecticut, which bowled over the judges at the CT Specialty Foods Wine Awards.

The foliage season begins in late September and the views and colors from the 35-plus-acre vineyard are truly spectacular "through the end of October.

Motel encourages visitors to hit The CT Wine Festival at the Durham Fair September 25 – 27 that features a number of local wineries pouring and talking about 100-percent Connecticut-grown wines; it is a quintessential autumn outing that will allow oenophiles to sample a variety of local wines in one stop.

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Comfort is the Cure Written and Photographed by Jennifer Marcuson

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A cozy sweater, a heavy, knitted blanket, a glass of red wine by the bonfire with friends and family; the smell of falling leaves, apple crisp in the oven and warm cider on the stovetop; kids jumping in leaf piles, football games, and back to school shopping; hikes through the woods and acorns on the ground.

There is something simply magical about fall in New England. If you grew up here, you know exactly what I’m talking about.

Being a self-proclaimed foodie and having been born and raised in Connecticut (and spending my whole life living throughout the Northeast U.S. and Quebec), I was thrilled when I was approached by Connecticut Food and Farm Magazine to interview my incredibly talented brother, Chef and Partner Greg Marcuson of Cure in Unionville, CT, about fall comfort foods. With the opening of Greg’s restaurant, time was limited and I wondered if perhaps I was putting too much on his plate by adding this to his queue. But he was excited and honored to share his thoughts and a couple of mouth watering interpretations with the Connecticut Food and Farm Family.

CFF: As a chef and New Englander, what does the word “fall” bring to mind?

GM: Warmth, family, cool nights, hot days, starting to use the fireplaces again, foliage, and the harvest.

CFF: Why do you think we identify autumn with comfort and warmth?

GM: It’s the time of change: death before the rebirth. As a farmer, it’s the last harvest, the last final fruits of all of your labor. Leaves change and fall. Fruit tumbles and rots so the seeds can sow themselves and come back in the spring. It’s a time to reconnect to the earth.

CFF: When you think about what happens from summer to fall and how farming and food change, how does that change your cooking?

GM: In the summer, we have an abundance of fresh local fruits and vegetables at our disposal. We don’t need to worry about from where we will get produce. Come fall, it’s time to start thinking about preserving, fermenting, pickling, and freezing. It’s time to store your fresh veggies properly so you can ride them out through the winter: radishes, onions, corn; you name it.

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CFF: Do you agree that in the present day, people generally don’t want to outsource for their produce anymore?

GM: Oh God, yeah. And that’s why we (at Cure), to the best of our abilities, get our ingredients locally. We want our guests to know where their food is coming from and to feel connected to it. And you know, yeah, I do reach halfway around the world for one of my products (Honolulu Fish Company), but I know the name of the captain, the boat, and the time and date the fish was caught.

It’s purchased – if up to quality standards – by the company, filleted on a refrigerated dock, vacuum-packed in ice, and shipped immediately overnight. It is caught today and on my doorstep tomorrow.

CFF: What foods appeal to your customers at this time of the year, and how are local ingredients incorporated? What’s available in the fall in Connecticut?

GM: Pumpkin, Acorn squash, late harvest corn, soups, local cheeses, and good breads.

Think warm, plentiful, sweet, and savory.

On the colder nights, people crave sweeter gourds like Butternut squash and Long Island Cheese pumpkin, otherwise known as Cinderellapumpkin. When you cut into one of those pumpkins you see sugar crystals everywhere! Carrots, parsnips, and kale are popular, as well. Sage and rosemary outlast everything else in my herb garden, so I play with those a lot in my fall dishes.

CFF: What are some of your personal favorite seasonal foods?

GM: I love pumpkin and late harvest corn.

Apples – Honey Crisp to be specific. My favorite! I love to start playing with cinnamon, nutmeg; hearty, warm spices and braising meats, come colder weather. Braised lamb shank and roasted root vegetables, parsnip purée (hit it with a little cardamom).

I love bourbon in my Cheese pumpkin as a marinade, candied nuts, sweet and savory; roasting squash and gourds and toasting the seeds make for a nice textural addition to dishes that otherwise have a fairly softer texture.

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"I love the rustic muted earthy tones of fall; we see them everywhere and it is directly reflected in the kitchen and on our plates."

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"On the colder nights, people crave sweeter gourds like Butternut Squash and Long Island Cheese pumpkin, otherwise known as Cinderella pumpkin.

When you cut into one of those pumpkins you see sugar crystals everywhere!"

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CFF: Do you have a favorite childhood fall comfort dish? How does that play into your inspiration as a chef?

GM: Mac and cheese; we have one here on the menu. It has house-made bacon and caramelized pearl onions, Gruyere, aged cheddar, parmesan and Stilton blue, and some nice toasted buttered bread crumbs on top that add a little bit of depth and saltiness.

CFF: What do you think first triggers people to crave fall foods?

GM: In the summer we are out a lot, traveling, camping, and vacationing at the beach. Come September, it’s back to school, re-rooting, and preparing for the New England winter. Comfort food, to me, is the stuff that warms the soul when it starts to get cold again. The days are getting shorter, the apples have all fallen, and the leaves are starting to change color. You need a sweater on at night. I love the rustic muted earthy tones of fall; we see them everywhere and it is directly

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reflected in the kitchen and on our plates.

I think autumn in New England may possibly be one of the most exciting, nurturing, and rewarding times to be a chef because of that re-connection.

Chef Greg’s approach to autumn comes through on Cure’s seasonal menu. An example is the Duck Leg Confit with Sweet Potato and Date Hash. The hash is made with brown butter, sage, and maple syrup topped with a sunny side duck egg from Sub Edge Farm and has crispy sage for garnish.

The perfect beverage pairing is Cure’s Roasted Beet and Smoked Sage Cocktail made with freshly-roasted beet juice, smoked sage, Honey Crisp apple, warm local cider, and Anejo tequila.

The Cure team shared their recipe for Caramelized Bourbon Butternut Squash with Roasted Beets served on a bed of Griffin Farmstead Goat Yogurt, rosemary burnt honey, and toasted Butternut squash seeds.

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Caramelized Bourbon Butternut Squash with Roasted Beets!

Yields 4 Ingredients: 1 c. Griffin Farmstead Goat Yogurt 1 c. bourbon ½ c. light brown sugar 3 medium Bull’s Blood beets (red beets); washed (We source from

Step One: Roast Beets Preheat oven to 400°. Roll beets in ¼ c. of olive oil and salt. Place beets in a roasting pan and cover with aluminum foil and roast for 45-60 minutes depending on size of beets. Using a fork or toothpick, stab the center of the beet to be sure it is tender through.

You should be able to push through with no resistance. Set aside to cool.

Step Two: Marinate Butternut Squash

1 Butternut squash

Peel squash, split base and scrape out seeds. Rinse the seeds with water and reserve. Cut the squash into 1/4" slices. Boil the slices in lightly salted water for two to three minutes. Remove slices and cover with brown sugar and bourbon. Cover and set aside for 30 minutes.

¼ c. plus 1 Tbsp. olive oil

Step Three: Roast Seeds

¼ c. honey

Toss squash seeds in 1 Tbsp. of olive oil and a few pinches of salt. Spread them evenly over a baking sheet and toast in the oven at 400° for about five minutes or until golden brown. Set aside to cool.

Maizey’s Market Farm Stand in Farmington.)

¼ cup kosher salt 1 Tbsp. Champagne vinegar 1 sprig of rosemary

Step Four: Roast Squash In a roasting pan, place the rounds flat and cook at 400° for 10-12 minutes or until caramelized and tender (but not mushy).

Step Five: Dice Beets Cut the skin off of the cooled beets and discard skin.

Medium dice the clean beets into ½” cubes. Toss in Champagne vinegar.

Step Six: Rosemary Honey Pour honey into a small sauté pan. Break sprig of rosemary into four pieces and add. On medium heat, cook until honey turns dark amber, constantly stirring as it cooks. Immediately remove from pan into a small bowl.

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Step Seven: Plating Place Âź c. of yogurt in center of plate and spread out slightly with the back of a spoon to make a bed.

Layer three to four pieces of squash in the center of yogurt; spoon the beets on top. Drizzle 1 Tbsp. of honey over the entire dish. Sprinkle squash seeds on top and garnish with one piece of rosemary.

Enjoy - preferably with a glass of oaked Cabernet Sauvignon!

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Contributors

Amy Benson Freelance web and graphic designer. She has had an eye for photography since college.

Winter Caplanson Connecticut Food and Farm, is lead photographer and linchpin at Connecticut Food and Farm. Her camera is a backstage pass to some of the most exciting experiences the local food scene has to offer.

Kelley Citroni is the editor of and a contributing writer to Connecticut Food and Farm Magazine. She can also eat more pizza than you.

Christy Colasurdo is a writer and local foods enthusiast who recently published The Connecticut Farm Table Cookbook, a celebration of the relationship between farmers, chefs and food producers in Connecticut.

Paula Deutz isn't horsing around when you see her with camera. Besides art and photography, she is also a Private First Class with The First Company Governor's Horse Guards in Avon, CT. Diane Diederich prides herself in her ability to tell a story without words. Whether she is shooting models, weddings, business stock, food, or editorial, her unique perspective shines through with her bold use of color, humor, and clean composition.

Michelle Firestone is a reporter at The Chronicle newspaper who loves to play with her swine in her free time.

Jessica Giordani is the owner and baker at Lucky Girl Bakery. She believes a daily dose of coffee, pie, and dog hugs are the secret to happiness.

Laura Graham of Pawcatuck, Connecticut and Assisi, Italy, is the owner of Drink with Food, a sales and marketing company that helps small suppliers in the food and beverage industry get better distribution.

Tali Greener has been a professional photographer for 15 years, the last 10 in and around Connecticut. Whether she is photographing newborn babies or baby goats, high school football or a country fair, Tali is most interested in capturing the emotion and the light that make each moment unique and beautiful.

Jennifer Shaff Jepsen.de is a writer, teacher, spouse, and mother - but not necessarily in that order.

Amelia Lord has made a lot of messes in a lot of kitchens and looks forward to making more (and always, always cleans up after herself). She teaches students her own brand of intuitive, technique-based cooking in the hopes that they will eventually ignore her and do it their own way.

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Jennifer Marcuson runs her own photography business in both Quebec, Canada and New England, specializing in lifestyle, wedding, and food/restaurant photography. Some of her absolute favorite things are: bonfires, eating beach plums, picnics at the park along the Saint Lawrence Seaway, babies, love stories, and adorable old couples who hold hands in public.

Carla McElroy is a photographer of all things beautiful, specializing in capturing the essence of children and pets. She is a lover of dogs, silliness, and food.

Scott Miller His earliest memories are of wanting to be a chef and standing on a chair to cook with his grandmother. He became one of Connecticut’s most celebrated chefs and now is a managing partner of Max Catering & Events, working to localize catering fare and deliver memorable experiences to the public.

June Mita is a writer and photographer from Tolland, Connecticut. Her photos have appeared in Connecticut tourism brochures and have won numerous awards from art shows and local fairs.

Rita Rivera, owner, Love & Pop, graphic designer, writer, and illustrator shipwrecked in Cover Design Connecticut. Three hour tour, indeed. Loves soda pop, comics, cupcakes, and the Bee Gees.

Lisa Nichols, owner, Right Click Design & Photography, Vermont farm girl by birth and Magazine Design luck, world traveler alongside artist-husband, perpetual student, and lover of photography and all things design.

Recipe Index Soups Mushroom and Wild Rice Soup, p. 36 Main Courses Carmelized Bourbon Butternut Squash with Roasted Beets, p. 106 Drinks Fall Jacket, p. 83 Desserts Pie Dough, p. 50 Spiced Pumpkin Pie with Pecan Praline, p. 52 Cranberry Tart, p. 55 Chocolate Bourbon Pecan Pie, p. 56

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