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Beautiful Designs by Farmhouse Pottery The Inn at Weathersfield’s Culinary Delights WCTV on the Move
CONTENTS
34 34 48 Woodstock Community Television Farmhouse Pottery 64 The Inn at Weathersfield
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by Dian Parker A culinary delight.
by Meg Brazill TV made for you.
by Sara Widness The next generation of Vermont craft heritage.
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On the cover: James and Zoe Zilian of Farmhouse Pottery. Photo by Lynn Bohannon.
CONTENTS
41 59
70
27 In Every Issue
Departments
13 Editor’s Note 14 Contributors 16 Online Exclusives 79 Happenings 83 Advertisers Index 84 Last Glance
18 Around & About by Cassie Horner
26 At a Glance
Vermont Mac & Cheese Challenge.
27 Fantastic Finds by Meg Brazill Glad Rags.
41 Vermont Living by Meg Brazill
Vermont Fine Furniture, Woodworking & Forest Festival.
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59 Bright Ideas
by Amanda Yates The Olive Table.
70 Spotlight
by Lauren Seidman On the River Inn.
75 Seasonal Foods by Susan Nye
Tarentaise—a taste of the Alps.
Mountain View Publishing, LLC 135 Lyme Road, Hanover, NH 03755 (603) 643-1830
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Bob Frisch Cheryl Frisch Executive Editor
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Bob Frisch KEEP US POSTED. Woodstock Magazine wants to hear from readers. Correspondence may be addressed to: Letters to the Editor, Woodstock Magazine, 135 Lyme Road, Hanover, NH 03755. Or email us at: dthompson@mountainviewpublishing. com. Advertising inquiries may be made by email to rcfrisch1@comcast. net. Woodstock Magazine is published quarterly by Mountain View Publishing, LLC Š2014. All rights reserved. Reproduction in whole or part is strictly prohibited. Woodstock Magazine accepts no responsibility for unsolicited manuscripts, artwork, or photographs.
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E D I TO R ’ S N OT E
JACK ROWELL
Falling Leaves
As summer winds down, I’m always sad to see it go. Once the first frost sneaks in, I know I’ll miss the flowers in my yard, tending to my lawn (yes, even cutting the grass), and—perhaps most of all—hanging my sheets outside on the clothesline to dry. There’s just no other way to give them that wonderful, fresh smell, I don’t care how many fabric softeners you use. Fall definitely has its attractions too, I remind myself. I’ve loved raking leaves since I was very young, and I think it’s because of the fond memories I have of helping my dad clean up our yard at home, and it was a goodsized one. We had many old oak and maple trees, and thick layers of their fallen leaves covered every inch of our grass. We’d gather the leaves into huge piles, and the neighborhood kids and I would spend hours jumping in them and burying each other. Back in those days, no one had ever heard of bagging leaves. It was common practice to burn them, so when we’d had enough of playing in them, my dad would hold a match to the pile and light it. The fantastic aroma of the burning leaves, the crackling and popping of the fire, the beautiful colors of the flames, and the warmth it created bombarded our senses, and my friends and I jumped up and down, squealing with delight. It didn’t take much to make us happy! Maybe that’s why I still enjoy raking the leaves, but I very much dislike having to pick them up and bag them! Besides beautiful foliage and bright, crisp days, this season brings another school year, the return of football (Go, Pats!), and Thanksgiving. As you gather your loved ones for the annual feast, the staff and I wish you a fantastic fall filled with your favorite things. Enjoy!
Deborah Thompson Executive Editor dthompson@mountainviewpublishing.com
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C O N T R I B U TO R S
Lynn Bohannon is a photographer with a studio in Woodstock, where she loves to photograph and create. Her specialties are people and products, but her current passion is flowers. Among her favorite things to do are kayaking, cross-country skiing, and being the number-one groupie for her daughter’s band.
Lynn Bohannon
Meg Brazill is a regular contributor to regional New England magazines and teaches at the Writer’s Center in White River Junction, Vermont. A recovering punk rocker and performance artist, she lives with her daughter in South Woodstock. She is currently working on a book of short fiction when she’s not too busy living it.
Meg Brazill
Cassie is a writer, editor, and publisher, and the author of a historical novel, Lucy E.—Road to Victory. Her roots in Vermont go back almost 200 years and inspire her love of the natural world and history. She lives in Plymouth, Vermont, with her husband and two dogs—an English shepherd and a mini dachshund.
Cassie Horner
Dian Parker
Lauren is the author of the children’s book What Makes Someone a Jew? (Jewish Lights Publishing), and her narrative nonfiction has appeared in Litro magazine. When she’s not writing or editing, Lauren enjoys birding, hiking Mt. Tom, people watching on the Woodstock Green, and supporting local eateries. She is a New Yorker by birth but a Vermonter at heart.
Lauren Seidman
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Dian is a freelance writer for a number of New England publications. A passionate gardener and oil painter, she also reviews art and writes about artists’ studios and gardens. A graduate of the Royal Academy of Dramatic Art in London, she has worked professionally in theatre for 25 years as a director and teacher. Dian lives near Chelsea, Vermont, with her husband Jasper Tomkins, a children’s book writer and illustrator. She is currently working on a novel.
A former Woodstock Union High School English teacher, Amanda is currently the associate principal at the Richmond Middle School in Hanover, New Hampshire. She grew up in the area and enjoys spending time exploring small-town Vermont life through travel, road races, and other community events. Amanda lives in Brownsville with her family on their small farm.
Amanda Yates
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A RO U N D & A B O U T By Cassie Horner
Zack’s Place
Dine Around
A wonderful meal in a festive environment with lots of good company—these all come together at the series of events that makes up Zack’s Place Dine Around. The fun might feature a Hawaiian Luau, Texas Hold ’Em, an Ugly Sweater Party, Game Day, or a cruise on the Connecticut. The serious side is that the Dine Around is an important fundraiser, now in its sixth year, for Zack’s Place in Woodstock. The upcoming fall 2014 event is Oktoberfest at Cloudland Farm on Friday, October 24 at 5:30pm. There will also be a Dance Party at Suicide Six ski area on the Saturday night of Thanksgiving weekend, a fun and affordable event for families. Zack’s Place was started in 2005 for the 16-year-old son of Anne and Norm Frates Jr. (and stepson of Dail) who had cerebral palsy. It was founded by Dail and Norm. “He was so social, and he lived an active lifestyle so we wanted a place as an after-school venue,” says Dail. “Our goal was to have a place where people with special needs could come and enjoy a valuable day of recreation, education, and enriching programs.” It was an instant success and, following a capital campaign, has a permanent home on Central Street in Woodstock. »
Above and right: Kentucky Derby Day at Sonya Parriott and Doug Reed's.
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Left: Scottish Highlands Day at the home of Debbie and Dana Ennis.
“Our goal was to have a place where people with special needs could come and enjoy a valuable day of recreation, education, and enriching programs.”
Above and top right: Game Day at the Jaynes’s, July 2014.
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Above: Bike group at “Tour de Zack,” 2013. Left and below: Barn Party at Susan and Bill Copeland’s, September 2011.
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Dine Around came about because a Zack’s Place board member was familiar with a similar event in Gloucester, Massachusetts, that was a huge fundraising success for a nonprofit. “We find hosts for each event and do six to eight parties annually. Some of the events, such as Texas Hold ’Em, hosted by Tammy and Linwood Thompson (which raises $5,000 each year), stay the same. Some, such as the Game Day replicating a 1915 country club at Ron and Pam Jaynes’s (which raised $2,500), are new. Oktoberfest welcomes people to the big barn with its roaring fire to sit family style and enjoy beer from Harpoon Brewery and a mouthwatering menu of Warm Pretzels with Mustard, Vermont Cheese Platter, Sourdough Bread, Mixed Greens with Cider Vinaigrette, Cloudland Farm Sauerbraten, Hazelnut Gremolata, German Potato Salad, Warm Apple Strudel with Candied Hazelnuts, Ice Cream, and Caramel Harpoon Brewery Beer. The cost is $100 a person, and the preferred attire, of course, is lederhosen and dirndl skirts. For more information and to make reservations for Oktoberfest and other events, visit www.zacksplacevt.org.
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A RO U N D & A B O U T This sculpture by Jamie Townsend sits outside the children’s room at Norman Williams Public Library.
Art in Woodstock
The tradition of Sculpturefest continues in Woodstock, expanded again this year to include sculpture around the village. Visitors can find Ria Blaas’s colorful Hanging Spoons wafting in the breeze on a maple on the Woodstock History Center’s back lawn, and the gracefully powerful work of Woodstock Union High School graduate Paul Machalaba on the front lawn with the background of the early 19th century house. A short walk to the Norman Williams Public Library on the Village Green leads to the whimsical characters by Jamie Townsend posed outside the children’s room windows. Just up the street near the end of the Green on Church Street is a striking work by Herb Ferris on the lawn of the Blue Horse Inn. The village art has been in place since the summer and will continue through the fall. The Prosper Road Sculpturefest site is also open (from dawn to dusk) for this year. An additional site, at the King Farm in Woodstock, opened on Saturday, August 30. “The 2014 show is really elegant,” says Charlet Davenport, who founded Sculpturefest about 25 years ago with her husband Peter Davenport. “Some of the work is for sale. The show also leads to people meeting the artists and sometimes visiting their studios.” Sculpturefest was originally created to raise money for the arts council. It evolved into an annual event on the Prosper Road property as a way to use land for art. Some of the pieces stay up year-round, and people have been known to trek around the site on snowshoes. For more information and for directions to Prosper Road and the King Farm, visit www.sculpturefest.org.
Left: Barbara Kaufman created this piece displayed at the Woodstock Historical Society's garden. Right: Hanging Spoons by Ria Blaas are displayed on the back lawn of the Woodstock Historical Society.
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Another Jamie Townsend sculpture at the library.
Anello di Belleza by Paul Machalaba resides in front of the Woodstock Historical Society.
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A RO U N D & A B O U T
Woodstock’s Built Environment Photos by Jack Anderson
Familiarity can blind us to the beautiful details around us. Jack Anderson, historical preservation expert, has a mission to open our eyes to the many characteristics that make the architecture in our town what it is. On Monday, September 15 at 7pm at the Woodstock History Center, he will be talking about Woodstock’s Built Environment, using photographs of elements of the town’s buildings to show what they reveal about social, cultural, and economic aspects of the past and present. “My wife and I have been walking around the village studying buildings and noticing the many neat things about them that people don’t notice,” Anderson says. “And we ask the question: Are these features decorative or do they serve a purpose?” For example, on Pleasant Street a historic home has cedar shingles on the gable end in a variety of patterns such as triangles, curves, and squares. The shingles become both practical and decorative. “It’s all about texture, color, and shape,” he points out. Another example is the configuration of roofs in the village. “No one ever looks up,” Anderson observes. “But they should. You can often see original construction there that has been lost in the changes on the lower parts of the structure.” Looking up also yields observations about how many chimneys a house has, which can reveal information about how it was originally heated.
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Top: A highly detailed hip-roofed dormer (from the French dormir, “to sleep”). Dormers were often found in upstairs bedrooms. Above: A gable screen and beautifully imbricated shingles.
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Anderson, Windsor County Assistant Judge and past director of the Woodstock Historical Society, graduated with a Master in Science from the Historical Preservation Program at the University of Vermont. Quoting Chester Lieb, his former professor, he says, “Architecture is what we see when we really look at a building.� The Woodstock History Center is located at 26 Elm Street in Woodstock; the telephone number is (802) 457-1822.
Left: Tri-partie Tiffany stained glass window with garland-and-swag frieze. Above: A leaded stained glass window, interestingly retrofitted into a Federal Style Georgian plan home.
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AT A G L A N C E
Who doesn’t love this bubbly, creamy comfort food?
Above: Elixir Restaurant dishes out their specialty.
Above: VFCC volunteers Angie Underwood, Donna Taylor, and Erica Miller.
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Join your friends, neighbors, and cheese lovers of all ages at the Second Annual Vermont Mac & Cheese Challenge sponsored by Vermont Farmstead Cheese Company. The delicious event is set for Sunday, September 14 from 11am to 3pm at Artisans Park in Windsor, Vermont. Twenty-five top chefs and restaurants will be offering their yummy dishes for sampling, and you’ll receive a ballot to vote for your favorite to win the People’s Choice Award. Last year’s People's Choice winner was Harrington House, while First Prize and Kid’s Choice was awarded to Singleton’s Market. The Hanover Inn won Second Place, and Home Hill Inn took the Third Place prize. The event also features live music, a petting zoo, and a Harpoon Beer tent. Advance tickets are $12; tickets at the door are $15. Proceeds benefit Vermont Foodbank and Sustainable Woodstock. For more information or to purchase tickets, go online to vtmacandcheese. com.
FA N TA S T I C F I N D S
Glad Rags Counting to 100
Above: Sale chairman Christa Blanchard, a person dedicated to the success of the Glad Rags sale with 50 years of experience, organizes the boutique department.
By Meg Brazill Photos by Lynn Bohannon Woodstock doesn’t get many traffic jams or queues of people, but twice a year, a little before 9am, an excited group begins to jockey for position in front of the Masonic Temple, waiting for the doors to open. The occasion? The Glad Rags sale! For the past 50 years, on the fourth Saturday in April and October, Glad Rags has held a sale of new and used clothing, jewelry, and small household items. Its reputation for quality goods—and a convivial shopping experience—is known well beyond the Woodstock area, even outside the Green Mountain State. On Saturday, October 25, Glad Rags will open the doors on its 100th sale! » Right: Rain or shine, people line up to wait for the doors to open.
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Clockwise from top: Leigh Snell and Phoebe Standish man the ETC. department. Paul Otavsky and Larry Roberts size men’s pants. Customers check the price while Kitty O’Hara surveys racks. A customer shops in the Boutique. Wayne Thompson, chair of the men’s department, helps Joe Herrick.
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Donna Spaulding organizes the bags, belts, and shoes.
That’s quite an accomplishment for an organization run entirely by volunteers, and while they don’t have an office, they do have a website, so you can put Glad Rags on your calendar well in advance.
A Unique Event Glad Rags is unique for a number of reasons. “It’s not a group and it’s not a club,” explains out-going board president Harriet Goodwin. “We have sales twice a year, and we have an annual meeting that’s open to anyone. We work all week long before a sale, then go back to our lives until it’s time to regroup for the next one.”
Mark Your Calendar! Glad Rags accepts quality new clothing and clean, wearable, used clothing as well as jewelry and small household items for its twiceyearly sale. A nonprofit organization, Glad Rags is run entirely by volunteers, and the proceeds from sales are donated to local charities in the greater Woodstock area. Mark your calendar! Glad Rags’ sales are always held the fourth Saturday of April and the fourth Saturday of October. For details about donations or volunteering, please visit www.gladrags.org or inquire at gladrags.org@gmail.com.
It’s not unusual to find church or community groups that organize sales of clothing or baked goods, but Glad Rags has never had an organization behind it. It was started by a group of friends in 1964. “In some ways, it still is exactly that,” Harriet says. “It’s people— women and men and kids—from the greater Woodstock area.” They come from Pomfret, they come from Reading, from Bridgewater, Hartland, Plymouth, and Woodstock—the surrounding towns that make up the school district. “They’re from all walks of life, and they come together to put on a sale to benefit the community.” All the items sold at the sales are donated, and the proceeds are given to several local charities in the greater Woodstock area. Glad Rags accepts grant applications from organizations that contribute to the welfare of the greater Woodstock community (which encompasses the school district). For donations, Glad Rags asks for clean, wearable clothing; linens; small household items; and jewelry. Treasurer Phoebe Standish, who has worked at the sale for some 20 years, says that Glad Rags has a reputation for excellence and offers the highest-quality goods for sale. “It’s more like a store,” Phoebe says. » FA L L 2014
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FA N TA S T I C F I N D S
Clockwise from top: After a busy week preparing for the spring sale, volunteers pause for a photo. Trying on shoes: Do they fit? Local merchants contribute new goods for the sale. Shoppers browse the ladies’ tops.
That’s because of volunteers like Bonnie Atwood who work to make the sale a great success. Bonnie is known for her skill in turning a wrinkled jumble into a rack of lovely garments— spot-cleaned, pressed, hung, and ready to sell. Those are the kinds of duties volunteers take on. At the close of the sale, nothing is thrown out. “We go through everything,” says Phoebe. “If we don’t sell it at our sale, we give it to groups that 30
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serve the community, like SEVCA (Southeastern Vermont Community Action) or to LISTEN. Our leftover items were good enough to be selected for our sale.” They just didn’t find the right buyer, but now they’ll get a good home.
Coming Together and Staying Strong Glad Rags is about more than the money they make or what they give to community organizations. It’s also about the
work itself and the people involved in that work. Harriet Goodwin says that in this era when there’s less sense of community, it’s nice to have something that brings people together for meaningful work. “I come back year after year, sale after sale,” Phoebe Standish says. “It’s so rewarding.” Wanda Huff recalls that what she saw on her first day of volunteering stuck with her. “All these people get together, maybe only once a year, and they’re laughing and talking and sharing stories, and sharing history. An idea that started with just one person is still going strong hundreds of volunteers later. For me, the reason you come is the hope that this community will come together and stay strong,” she says. Glad Rags was started in 1964 by Liz Conners (whose husband owned the Volkswagen garage in town). She and her husband had adopted a child from Vermont Children’s Aid. It prompted her to organize a group of her friends to hold a fundraiser for the organization, which resulted in a clothing swap. At the time, Christa Blanchard worked for the Conners and helped at the very first sale; she’s been involved with every sale since, including the upcoming “century sale.” Christa has served as the heart and soul, chief organizer, headhunter, salesperson, and cheerleader for the organization over its 50 years. “It was called Glad Rags right from the beginning,” she says. “Over the years, a lot of people wanted us to change the name, but I was always afraid it would ruin it.” She might be right. The sale is more than just a sale; for some people it’s an event to plan for. “One couple and their kids literally arranged their vacation around it,” Phoebe Standish recalls. Leigh Snell remembers a group who came last fall from Worcester, Massachusetts, who told her, “This is our girls’ weekend out. We do it every year.” Harriet Goodwin says, “We get shoppers who drive up from Connecticut. They come to the sale in the FA L L 2014
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FA N TA S T I C F I N D S
A young shopper finds her treasure.
morning and go to lunch at the Woodstock Inn. They go back to the sale after lunch and grab the bargains. Some shoppers won’t even plan their daughter’s wedding on a sale day!” The sale’s reputation attracts customers from all over New England. Glad Rags is a great place to purchase clothing, jewelry, and other useful items. It’s also a great place to donate gently worn, quality clothing and goods. But to those who get involved, it’s much more. Originally started by friends, it’s now an organization that creates friendships and a lasting sense of community and coming together for a common purpose. If you’d like to join the fun, contact Glad Rags through their website. Or just come to the sale and shop. Everyone is welcome. Glad Rags’ 50th year & 100th sale! October 25, 2014 The Masonic Lodge 30 Pleasant Street Woodstock, VT 9am–12:30pm & 1pm–3pm 32
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The Inn at
By Dian Parker Photos by Jack Rowell
Weathersfield
A culinary culinary delight
Chicken-Fried Cavendish Farm Quail Legs with Wood’s Cider Jelly, Local Pea Shoots, and Smoked House Mayo.
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F
ood destination hotels are a hot item these days. People travel far and wide to eat farm-to-table foods— homegrown, healthy, and delicious. But when you combine autumn in Vermont with a charming 1792 inn and offer gourmet food— both casual dining and five-star, sevencourse meals—you’ve got a true gem. Just 20 miles south of Woodstock, my husband and I wended our way along country roads, passing farms, wildflowers, and grazing cows. Almost missing the sign, we turned down a tree-lined drive and got our first glimpse of the inn, looking very much like a Southern mansion with its imposing facade of two-story white columns and a wide porch. This unique inn and its 12 guest rooms are inviting and comfortable, with all the modern conveniences (flat-screen TV, gas fireplace, private bathroom). But its crowning jewel might be Chef Jean-Luc Matécat. Just 33, he is well on his way to becoming a renowned chef.
Around 1900, a two-story porch addition gave the inn its Southern style.
“I am married to my job,” he says, and it shows. He is passionate about his creations and devoted to preparing the finest-quality foods he can find and delivering them to diners with stunning presentations. Working with fresh produce and meats from the local farms well into the night to prepare his culinary delights, Jean-Luc is exacting. He even planted his own gardens in raised beds at the back of the inn. “I’m crazy for home-grown tomatoes!” he exclaims. The leeks he planted were his grandmother’s seeds from France. “All the vegetables I grow are heirloom.” His Parisian father, Patrick Matécat, was the longtime executive chef of The Common Man in Waitsfield and a former NECI culinary instructor. Jean-Luc’s mother is from Norwich, Vermont, and one of the reasons he is living in the Green Mountain State. “I graduated from culinary school in California and went to work at The Pearl restaurant in Nantucket for eight years. During the off seasons, I cooked in Thailand, France, and at Clio and No. 9 Park in Boston. But I always wanted to come back to Vermont. It was a lifestyle choice,” he says.
Creating an Experience The Weathersfield Inn has changed hands many times over the years. Marilee and Richard Spanjian, originally
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“
I graduated from culinary school in
California and went to work at The Pearl restaurant in Nantucket for eight years. During the off seasons, I cooked in Thailand, France, and at Clio and No. 9 Park in Boston. But I always wanted to come back to Vermont. It was a lifestyle choice.” —Chef Jean-Luc Matécat
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A woodstove helps heat the back tavern.
Marilee and Richard Spanjian.
from California, have been the owners for the past two years and are thrilled to be its innkeepers. “We looked all over the country to buy a cooking school. Our standards are high,” Marilee says. “I’m all about creating an experience. So a food destination inn with a cooking school in the country was perfect. We wanted to offer authentic, fresh, local, and innovative.” Marilee and Richard began looking for a new chef last year when their former chef had to leave. “We put out a search and 80 people applied. We narrowed it down to five chefs. Each one prepared a five-course meal for a jury of six, and the vote was unanimous for Jean-Luc,” Marilee says. Even though there are a variety of options for indoor dining, my husband and I decided to eat outdoors. An open fire pit is surrounded by Adirondack chairs, and beyond that a number of tables are bordered by beautiful grounds and forest. There is even a small pond for quiet contemplation. The night was cool, so Richard lit the heat lamps, and we lazed our way through a seven-course meal, taking three hours to savor its many delicacies.
Vermont Whey-Fed Pork Belly Confit, Inn at Weathersfield Summer Vegetable Succotash, and House-Preserved Lemon Aioli.
A Meal to Remember Our first course was Corn Soup with Vermont WheyFed Pork, Crème Fraiche, and Vanilla Oil. Our waitress, Emma, who’s been with the inn for four years, knew the food intimately, as had her two sisters who were also servers for years. The staff’s longevity is a testament to the inn’s conviviality. Jean-Luc presented each course. The next was Country-Fried Cavendish Farm Quail Legs with smoked aioli, radishes, and pea shoots from the garden, marinated in fragrant spices and Wood's Boiled Cider. The chef was The Lower Tavern.
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Above: Chef Jean-Luc instructs a class in The Hidden Kitchen. Left: Birch trellises designed by Woodstock’s floral designers Jasper & Prudence.
Cooking Classes at the Inn at Weathersfield }September 13: Heirloom Apples, with Ben Watson, author of Cider, Hard and Sweet. }September 20: Cooking with Surplus, with Ismail Samad, co-owner of The Gleanery, Putney, Vermont. }September 27: Indian Cooking, with Lini Mazumdar, co-owner of Anjali Farm, South Londonderry, Vermont. }October 25: Recipes from the Root Cellar, with Andrea Chesman, author of Recipes from the Root Cellar. }December 6: Colonial Cocktails, with Corin Hirsch, chef and author of Forgotten Drinks of New England. For an optimal, interactive learning experience, the culinary program is limited to 12 participants. • Class prices range from $60 to $79 • October 25 & December 6 classes and private dinner, $149 • Class, dinner, queen guest lodging, and breakfast, $429 ($499 for king guest room) Culinary Weekend Adventure includes one night’s lodging, two dinners, two breakfasts, and a class for two with lunch. • Single Student: $349 for queen guest room, $399 for king • Add Friday and/or Sunday night(s) and enjoy 20 percent off the regular room rate.
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humble and proud, as well he should be—each dish had such delicate flavors that I ate slowly, relishing every savory bite. Next, he offered a Cavendish Farm Guinea Hen Rillette, like a paté, served with crostinis, pickled red onions, radishes, and stone-ground mustard. While we ate, we sipped a velvety wine from the inn’s award-winning wine cellar. For the past 11 years, the Inn at Weathersfield has won the Award for Excellence from Gourmet Magazine. “We have over 90 labels in our cellar,” says Richard. One of my favorite dishes was the Vermont Fresh Tracks Rabbit Ragout with Hand-Rolled Cavatelli. The delicate taste was subtle and unique, not gamey at all. I thought we were through when Jean-Luc appeared yet again with a Slow-Roasted Vermont Whey-Fed Pork Shoulder in Wild Ginger Broth with new potatoes and fava beans, which my husband particularly loved. To top it all off, we enjoyed a delicious Roasted Almond Panna Cotta with Deep Meadow Farm Strawberries and an espresso. The food was rich, with perfectly sized portions, neither too much nor too little. We finished our dinner completely satisfied and contented. What a feast of delicacies!
A Culinary Classroom When I praised Jean-Luc’s exquisite dishes to Marilee, she said, “You also eat with your eyes, don’t you? JeanLuc has a calm confidence in and out of the kitchen. He grew most of the heirloom vegetables from seeds under grow lights in his office at the inn. He definitely has a green thumb.” There is also a stone-lined pit for roasting meat in the garden, and during the summer he offered a pitroasting class. The inn composts all organic materials from the restaurant to eventually replenish and enrich the gardens. When needed, fresh fish
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Oil paintings by local artist Amy Mosher add rich color to the dining room’s barn wood walls.
arrives daily from the pier in Boston. “I’m extremely proud of the fish here,” Jean-Luc says. The Inn at Weathersfield offers cooking classes in their on-site culinary classroom. The Hidden Kitchen is named after Marilee’s mother’s restaurant back home in California. The converted barn loft is equipped so that students have their own set of quality knives and cutting board and pair up to cook on portable propane stoves. It was beautifully designed by Marilee, with stainless steel tables and industrial stools, and a gorgeous new range for the instructor. Open year-round, the Inn at Weathersfield sits nestled in 21 wooded acres, with a towering pine amphitheater for weddings. Food & Wine Magazine named it “among the best B&Bs in America,” and Fodor’s cited the inn as “one of Vermont’s best restaurants” in 2013. Absorb the inn’s ambience and the warmth of its gracious innkeepers, and enjoy a truly memorable dining experience that is distinctive and unparalleled. The Inn at Weathersfield 1342 Route 106 Perkinsville, VT (802) 263-9217 www.weathersfieldinn.com
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VERMONT LIVING
Annual Vermont
Fine Furniture, Woodworking & Forest Festival
From forest to home By Meg Brazill Photos by Lynn Bohannon When we talk about Vermont’s local products, visions of artisanal cheeses and burgers from grass-fed beef fuel our imaginations. But there are other local products just as intrinsic to our lives: products made from wood. In fact, we use some type of wood product every day in our homes and at work—products so integral to our lives, it’s easy to overlook them despite their innate beauty. It might be as simple as the well-worn wooden spoon that hangs by the stove, as elegant as the four-poster bed where you dream at night, or as beloved as the table where your family gathers. » Left: Jordan Marvin of Vermont Wooden Spoon Company. Below left: Festival goers admire work by Rich DeTrano. Below right: Attendees enjoy watching demonstrations.
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More Trees Than Cows People think of Vermont as an agricultural state, but forest, not farmland, actually covers 78 percent of it. For centuries, Vermont has been home to people who make their living working in its forests and to artisans working in wood. Just over a decade ago, Vermont’s wood manufacturers had the insight to recognize that people might be more than a little interested in knowing about this aspect of Vermont’s landscape and want to discover how the wood products we use every day are made and learn about the forests where the wood was harvested. The idea grew to become a showcase for exhibiting fine furniture, wood products, and woodenware, as well as demonstrations in woodworking.
Meet Vermont’s Finest Now known as the Annual Vermont Fine Furniture, Woodworking & Forest Festival, the event takes place every September and celebrated its 10th anniversary last year. Along with the woodenware on exhibit by individual craftsmen and wood manufacturers, the festival is an opportunity to discover and 42
meet some of Vermont’s finest furniture makers, wood turners, toy makers, carvers, cabinetmakers, and basket weavers. Homeowners, designers, and architects can also meet manufacturers of wood flooring, doors, windows, and other wood products. At last year’s festival, guitarist Max O’Rourke played an inspired bluesy, jazzy mix just inside the entrance of Woodstock’s Union Arena. The addition of music and food, activities for kids, and hands-on demonstrations rounded out the weekend’s events. Nearby, a huge piece from a 400-year-old hemlock tree was on display at the national park’s exhibit area. The tree, which fell in the year 2000, attracted a lot of interest. But that was just the beginning. Several exhibitors, like Shackleton Thomas, set up a living room (or other space) so visitors could envision how the furnishings might look in their homes. Next to the exhibit, Charles Shackleton explained how the company’s Naked Table Project works. The table is completely nontoxic with the most minimal environmental impact. Since the project’s inception in 2008,
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Above left: Erin Lorentz, Festival coordinator, gets silly with Silly Sticks Glasses made by Maple Landmark Woodcraft. Above: Amoskeag Woodworking staff happily sell their millwork and flooring. Below: Jill DeTrano shows off one of Rich DeTrano's exquisite wood turnings.
Clockwise from left: An eclectic wood sculpture, with funky mirrors by David Hurwitz Originals shown in back. An attendee gives the spring pole lathe a whirl! 2013 attendees revel at the award-winning entries from the annual Vermont Woodworking Design Competition. Some of the fine hardwood furniture made by Copeland Furniture. Chessboard made by Rockledge Farm Woodworks.
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VERMONT LIVING Charles said, “The table has come to symbolize our community’s connection to our local environment and our ability to make something of it.” Students from Burlington College showcased an inspired exhibit of all-student work created in their program. Fine furniture and smaller pieces were included, a testament to the strong interest of a new generation in working with wood. A crowd gathered around Richard Montague (Montague Custom Woodturning & Teaching) where he worked his spring pole lathe, demonstrating wood turning. Richard has taught wood turning and technology for 40 years and has been a professional turner for 25. Hobbyists and professional wood turners alike are always fascinated by this simple but effective device. After their first showcase at Shelburne Farms in the Champlain Valley, the festival moved to a more centralized location in Woodstock where it became an annual event. By its second year, the number of vendors almost doubled; it now features more than 35 vendors with seven demonstrators. As many as 2,500 people have attended the event, according to Erin Lorentz, event manager for the festival. Some of the wood products visitors will find each year include toys and games, one-of-a-kind turned wooden bowls that show off their beautiful black cherry grain, and cutting boards with a checkerboard pattern created from the end grain of light and dark woods that inspire working in the kitchen.
A Buy-Local Renaissance from Food to Forests According to a report from the Vermont Wood Manufacturers Association (VWMA) and the Northeast State Foresters Association, “The economic importance of Vermont’s working forest has seen considerable attention of late. This recognition has seen a renaissance in the ‘Buy Local’ movement extending from food to forests.” 44
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A resurgence of interest in handmade and artisanal goods as well as craftsmanship has contributed to this renaissance. Vermont’s forests provide tremendous economic value to the state, from firewood to lumber, biomass to fine furniture, and carbon sequestration to clean water. Some aspects, such as clean water, are hard to put a price on, while others like jobs have a specific value. It’s
clear that manufacturing and forestrelated recreation and tourism contribute significantly to the state’s economy. Erin says Vermont Council on Rural Development statistics show that 97 percent of Vermonters value the state’s working landscape. People have a strong connection with that on the food level, but the VWMA wants people to make the same connection to forests and wood
Clockwise from top left: M.J. Amsden Furniture from West Rutland sells fine furniture and woodenware at the 2013 show. One part of the Vermont’s Working Landscape supply chain exhibit, which spanned over 50 feet at last year’s show. Shoppers browse through beautiful inlaid wooden jewelry made by T. Breeze Verdant of Brattleboro.
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A hollow wooden vessel made by woodturner Rich DeTrano of Ludlow, Vermont.
products. “Vermont’s woodland owners sustainably manage their forests so the trees reach their maximum potential. These are products you can feel good about and that will last for many, many generations,” she notes. Scott Duffy, owner of Rockledge Farms in Weathersfield, agrees. They source all their wood within a radius of 50 miles of their workshop. “We hand select every piece of wood used in our shop,” Scott says. He and his son Ian work on the family’s hill farm, which is over 200 years old, where their workshop, office, and showroom are located. “Furniture is our bread and butter,” Scott says, but it doesn’t stop them from making one of the handsomest chess tables available, as well as many other beautiful home accessories.
Take a Walk with a Park Ranger In tandem with the festival’s move to Woodstock, a partnership was formed with the Marsh-Billings-Rockefeller National Historical Park to hold the event in conjunction with the park’s Forest Festival weekend in September. The combined festival now takes place 46
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at the Union Arena and at the national park. A free, short shuttle ride will take you from the arena to the Forest Festival at MBR National Historical Park, where you can make your own walking stick, hike through the woods with a park ranger, or even foray on a horse-drawn wagon or carriage into the forest. Demonstrations at the park include a local sawyer using a portable sawmill to mill logs from the forest—the very beginning of the process of making different wood products—and building materials and furniture. It’s fascinating to see logs transformed into lumber while you’re watching—the foresters’ version of demonstrating where our food comes from. Visitors to the festival experience some of the finest craftsmanship Vermont has to offer. It’s great fun talking to the artisans, and it can be as educational as you want, or just an afternoon to enjoy and remember.
11th Annual Vermont Fine Furniture, Woodworking & Forest Festival September 27–28, 2014 Located at the crossroad of the Vermont Byway on Route 4 in beautiful Woodstock, Vermont Saturday 9:30am–5pm Sunday 10am–4:30pm Admission: $10 (age 18 and over), kids free www.vermontwoodfestival.org Union Arena Community Center 496 Woodstock Road (Route 4) Woodstock, VT Forest Festival Weekend at MarshBillings-Rockefeller National Historical Park 54 Elm Street Woodstock, VT www.nps.gov/mabi/planyourvisit/ forest-festival-weekend.htm Experience both events, a 30-minute loop by shuttle from Union Arena to the national park, with stops in historic downtown Woodstock and at the Billings Farm & Museum. Just park at one location for free and ride to the next!
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By Meg Brazill Photos by Lynn Bohannon
Woodstock I Community Television
n almost any Vermont town, people increasingly have world news,
culture, sports, and politics available at their fingertips 24/7 through the Internet. What there’s less of is access to local news and issues. The
TV made for you
consolidation of media has resulted in fewer media outlets than there
were just last century, notably television and radio, that provide local coverage. In a true democracy, an informed citizenry is essential, and to have that, people need access to information. It’s a subject Macy Lawrence, executive director and station manager for Woodstock Community Television (WCTV), believes in passionately. »
New digs! Station manager Macy Lawrence surveys WCTV’s new home at 62 Central Street, Woodstock.
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Above: Attorney Peter Vollers unveils plans for a new bicycle race event at the Village Trustees meeting. Right: WCTV’s move will help to repurpose the former jail building.
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Small Organization, Big Move Macy is also the cameraman, video editor, soundman, engineer, and sole employee of the local community access TV station, WCTV. For a small organization, it plays a vital role in providing local information and news coverage. Come September, WCTV will be in a better position to engage more people when it moves down the street from the basement of the Simmons House into the newly renovated Windsor County Sheriff’s Office and Probate Court building—sometimes referred to as the jail, which was formerly housed there. The 1,400-square-foot space is not only an increase in square footage but also has more headroom, providing a ceiling height more conducive to TV studio operations. That could prove key to creating a television studio on the premises. Until now, WCTV has had just enough room for editing and playback, and essential broadcasting equipment. Macy hopes the new space will provide the opportunity to produce shows at the station in a studio.
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62 Central Street Until 2002, the state of Vermont had leased the building for several decades to use as the Woodstock Regional Correctional Facility. In 2003, the building underwent extensive renovations. The Windsor County Assistant Judges engaged the architectural firm Smith & Vansant to bring back the
historic front portion of this 1936 masonry building. This required extensive demolition of jail-related facilities and the design of a new entry and independent office suites for the County Sheriff and the Woodstock District Probate Court. Now, WCTV has a long-term lease there. “The move, among other things, gives us a larger, better-quality facility that will allow individuals to produce a program of any length of their choosing,” Macy says. Under the guidelines established by the state of Vermont’s Rule 8.000, public access stations can’t tell you what you can and can’t produce, other than it has to be within the realm of public decency. “The whole basis of public access TV is to provide free speech, especially in the face of shrinking markets in commercial television,” Macy says. By nature, the programs are unfiltered and basic compared to commercial television.
That’s Entertaining, But Is It Enough? Community access television began as a way to allow the dissemination of people’s ideas. “It strengthens the democratic process,” Macy says. It’s needed now more than ever, as ownerships under Rupert Murdock, Gannet, Copley, and others have consolidated media outlets. Public media outlets have dwindled from dozens to a handful, and what was at one time hundreds of different sources. »
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Top left: Rock band warms up for summer concert on the Green. Left: Community service is central to WCTV’s mission. Below: Macy Lawrence edits video of a local theatrical production. Many hours are spent in postproduction.
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Above: WCTV supports the community’s cultural resources. Video promoting Sculpturefest 2014 is shown in production here. Right: Easy access. Macy uploads program content to the station’s website, www.WCTV8.com, providing easy access to non-cable customers.
While it might make good sense from a business perspective, consolidation results in the homogenization of ideas. To compound the problem, entertainment has supplanted local coverage and newsworthy events. Entertainment is popular and it sells, so commercial news outlets use it. It’s now so ubiquitous that it’s hardly noticed except, perhaps, by those who’ve been around long enough to remember. In short, television has supplanted in-depth thinking with entertainment.
Public access television was created as something of an antidote to this trend—to create a sense of community and locality, to provide people with access to the medium, and to allow them to create their own programming in an effort to disseminate their ideas. All history is local; all politics is local. The sense of community is the same—it happens here.
Keeping It Local WCTV films a wide variety of school and community events, and local government meetings that affect you and your town. In addition to local Select Board and School Board meetings, they cover performances and competitions including many presented by the Pentangle Arts Council, the Calvin Coolidge Memorial Foundation, the Woodstock History Center, Zack’s Place, Bookstock, the Ottauquechee Health Foundation, the Norman Williams Public Library, and community school and sporting events. WCTV8 welcomes and receives programming from local organizations with public service announcements, and from individuals who want to express their views on particular issues. WCTV8 programming goes directly to the living rooms of housebound seniors, many who might otherwise be unable to share in and enjoy the rich variety of events only offered on WCTV8. Although fees from Comcast subscribers fund most of their annual operating budget, additional funding is needed to add to, update, and maintain aging cameras, microphones, lights, editing stations, and broadcasting equipment.
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The Cable Communications Act of 1984 allows any community in the United States served by a cable TV company to collect a cable television franchise fee. In turn, those fees fund a public-access television cable TV channel. In addition, if a municipality desires it, the cable TV companies must make public, educational, and government (PEG) access channels available for the public access entity to distribute local programming. For Woodstock, Bridgewater, and Hartland, WCTV is that public access entity. Vermont has more than two dozen such stations. In this area, there are also stations in Springfield/ Weathersfield, Ludlow, and White River Junction. Service areas were originally divided up by school district, but some stations began almost a decade before WCTV, so some areas near Woodstock became affiliated with a different station.
Unedited Gavel-to-Gavel Coverage “We provide unedited coverage of events in the community so people can form their own opinions,” Macy says. “We don’t editorialize, and we do gavel-to-gavel coverage on all public meetings. In that sense, I think we play a fairly valuable role of providing unbiased information. It’s an integral part of the democratic process.” What you get from the newspapers is edited and filtered through the eyes of the writer and editor. Things have a particular spin. “Unfiltered coverage is more like raw data,” Macy adds. Charlie Rattigan, who was a cofounder of WCTV along with Kevin Forrest, agrees. Charlie credits Kevin with “the genesis of the idea to create a public access PEG TV station. It was entirely his idea.” At that time, Kevin was managing editor of the Vermont Standard, and he discovered that, by law, cable companies had to put aside money from subscriber fees to fund a public access (PEG) station. As he looked into it further, he discovered that sufficient funds had already acFA L L 2014
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Until recently WCTV produced all programs on location. The move to new facilities will provide opportunities for new kinds of programming.
crued in a fund for this purpose in the area. “Kevin asked if I’d be interested in participating and helping to create a PEG station in Woodstock,” Charlie says. He was and the work began. Kevin followed through on what was necessary to form a nonprofit organization, and they acquired 501(c)(3) status in 2002. Kevin Forrest passed away in 2010. Charlie Rattigan served as a board member for many years until a few years ago when he became active with Green Mountain Digital. He’s an awardwinning video producer for public television and for National Geographic, which helped make him an invaluable board member. He is currently executive director of the Vermont Institute of Natural Science (VINS). They hired Steve Schultz, who worked in media at Woodstock Union High School (WUHS), to run the station. The station was housed at WUHS, and it was believed that it would give students in the media class the opportunity to make television— real television with a purpose and a built-in audience. “And that we would produce school board meetings,” Charlie says. The school was too separate from the town’s activities, how54
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ever, and high school students didn’t have the time or interest to commit to producing television regularly; in addition, it was closed for the summer when school wasn’t in session. In order to better serve the community, Sherman Howe, who succeeded Charlie Rattigan as board chair, relocated the station to the Simmons House in 2005. Former board member Gerry Cronin became the new station manager, a position he held for the next five years when Macy Lawrence took on the position. Macy, a former professor at Boston University’s School of Public Communications, was actively involved in photographic education in the Boston area for many years before moving to Woodstock. Early on there was more emphasis on training people to use the equipment; now the emphasis is on producing television. Currently WCTV8 produces approximately 350 hours of original programming a year and reaches one to two thousand households via Comcast cable. Woodstock Community Television has recently expanded its broadcasting capabilities through the purchase of a digital broadcaster, allowing greater flexibility in programming.
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After the curtain closes, cultural and informational programs play on at WCTV8.com.
watch programs generated by WCTV8. The website displays program schedules and makes archived program information available at the viewer’s convenience. As a result, non-cable subscribers can also gain access to all of the WCTV-produced programming via www.WCTV8.com. “It’s available online, so even if you don’t subscribe to cable you can access the archives,” says Charlie. “To my mind, that’s a very important community service and central to what we do.” Charlie notes that it serves a community function where important board meetings are available from school board to select board to village trustees. “You have access to those as they happen as well as archivally. That kind of service to the community is probably WCTV’s strongest and most important function. No other media outlet can—or will—do that. The newspaper can, to some extent, but it’s filtered more.” A new facility will provide greater ability to bring the public to them. “Right now, we don’t have the equipment to train people on,” Macy says. “We have two working cameras and two editing stations that are almost always in use. While one is spinning 56
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and rendering, I’m working on the other one.” If they can start producing programs in-house and have the capability of doing a live edit, with three cameras running and one person switching, a show would be ready to put on the air when it’s done. Currently, you have to go out on location, shoot it, take it back to the station, and then edit it. “A live edit cuts down a lot of production time,” Macy adds. They’ve been able to work within their budget, but costs keep rising and the equipment is outdated. Comcast has also provided some additional funds over time to replace old equipment. “We’ll be buying more equipment, so we need community support to do that,” says Macy. Macy Lawrence points to the fact that everything is there, right on the website, to serve the rest of the community. “We derive no income from that, but it’s a good public service. If you’re in Florida for the winter, you can still see what’s going on in Woodstock,” says Macy. And if you’re here enjoying the beautiful fall, you can enjoy it here too. Woodstock Community Television, WCTV8 62 Central Street Woodstock, VT (802) 457-5800 WCTV8.com FA L L 2014
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BRIGHT IDEAS
Olive Table The
The very best, from Greece to Woodstock By Amanda Yates Product photos by Jennifer Bakos Other photos by Tom McNeill
The Olive Table is a labor of love for owner Dianne Hinaris. She is proud of the products her family produces, and she carries that energy and enthusiasm to her role educating others about olive oil and honey. When asked, Dianne will say that one of the surprising aspects of owning her family business is how much she has learned about olive oil—and how much fun it has been to share her knowledge with others. Probably even more surprising is how Dianne stumbled into starting her own business. 
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The Messenia
Dianne chats with customers at Summerfest in Woodstock.
region of Greece is known for its olive oil, and Takis’s cousin, Spyros Kotsovolos, has grown up harvesting olives. As Dianne attests, “It’s what everyone does.”
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A Serendipitous Error While the products sold by The Olive Table have been harvested and produced for over a century by Dianne’s husband Takis’s family in Greece, selling the olive oil and honey in the United States is fairly new. In 2011, she left her career as a financial service consultant to focus her attention on importing, marketing, and selling Takis’s family’s olive oil here in the United States. Every year the Hinaris family would send a drum of their olive oil to Dianne and Takis. One year, after some confusion two containers of olive oil arrived. With too much olive oil for their own use, the couple started taking it to friends’ houses for dinner instead of a bottle of wine or a housewarming gift. Each time they did, friends commented that they had never
tasted olive oil like it before, and Dianne came to realize that most people were simply not aware of how fresh olive oil should taste.
An Olive Oil Primer Takis Hinaris’s family lives in Messenia, a region in Southwestern Greece where his family has grown olives for generations and where they still harvest their olives by hand, a process that ensures the olives won’t be bruised during harvest. The Messenia region of Greece is known for its olive oil, and Takis’s cousin, Spyros Kotsovolos, has grown up harvesting olives. As Dianne attests, “It’s what everyone does.” Over the years, the Kotsovolos family has worked to remain true to the traditional ways of growing and harvesting olives, simple and free from pesticides. The Olive Table sells two varieties of olive oil, Private Reserve Extra-Virgin Olive Oil, which comes from her husband's family groves, and Organic Early Extra-Virgin Olive Oil, which is from his cousin's groves. Both are mono-varietals, meaning they come from one type of olive, the Koroneiki olives, known as the “queen of olives.” The difference in taste between the two olive oils is a result of their harvest dates. The Early Organic is harvested, as you might guess, earlier—by the end of October—when the olives are greener, which produces a sharper taste. Dianne suggests that you look for the tickle in the back of your throat; it connotes a fresh olive oil. The Private Reserve is harvested at a later date, in November or early December, and thus has a more buttery taste. Dianne says people are more familiar with the taste of the Private Reserve. She has learned a lot over the years about how fresh, quality olive oil should taste, and she has even taken a class in New York City with other olive oil experts to better refine her palate and increase her knowledge, which she brings back to her customers. » FA L L 2014
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Strategic Beekeeping When Dianne visited specialty stores to sell her olive oil, she would often have people ask her if she sold Greek honey. It wasn’t long before Takis’s family connected her with family friends—father and son beekeepers in Greece—to bring Greek honey to the states under The Olive Table label. The flavors of honey are subject to nature and thus change throughout the year. The beekeepers locate their hives in the mountains of Greece. They’re strategic about where they want the bees to pollinate, and this attention creates a purity of flavor in the honey. In Greece a popular way to eat honey is to add it to Greek yogurt, but Dianne suggests adding it to any food or beverage you want to sweeten.
Local Talent Helps Launch an International Business Dianne Hinaris brought her business to Woodstock, Vermont, not only because she and her husband hope to make Woodstock their permanent home in the future but also because she felt that Vermonters’ sophisticated tastes would 62
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The flavors of honey are subject to nature and thus change throughout the year. The beekeepers locate their hives in the mountains of Greece. They’re strategic about where they want the bees to pollinate, and this attention creates a purity of flavor in the honey.
have an appreciation for specialty food items. An added benefit Dianne found is all the local talent she has used to launch her business, from the graphic designer and photographer to her web designer. Dianne has been sharing her olive oils and honeys with small specialty stores like the Woodstock Farmer’s Market, FH Gillingham & Sons General Store, the South Woodstock Country Store, and the Woodstock Inn Gift Shop, among others. She has especially enjoyed bringing her products to her customers in these small venues because it allows her to share what she has learned and answer questions from interested buyers. As interest and demand for their products have grown, The Olive Table has plans to increase distribution, and they have made arrangements with the distributor Best of Vermont. Local fairs and festivals as well as working with food services like restaurants and inns are other ways Dianne plans to bring her products to customers. If you are interested in purchasing The Olive Table’s olive oil or honey, you can visit one of the stores listed above or visit Dianne’s website, theolive table.com.
Interesting Facts About Olives & Suggested Uses There is only one harvest and pressing of olives each year. It takes approximately five to eight years for an olive tree to bear fruit. Large olive trees produce, on average, three to four 100-pound sacks of olives a year. Uses include drizzling on fresh salads, cooked vegetables, chicken, or fish.
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By Sara Widness Photos by Lynn Bohannon
Farmhouse Pottery The next generation of Vermont craft heritage
W
e live in a universe where far-flung treasures are delivered to our doors. But what a delight it is to meet
the artisans whose coffee cups share our mornings. Knowing who creates our lifestyle essentials is meaningful and fun. Âť
Right: Zoe Zilian. Opposite: When visiting, you'll see pottery being made by hand in the workshop.
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Left: James and Zoe in front of their new store.
A young couple embodies meaningful and fun while welcoming visitors to Farmhouse Pottery, their pottery workshop and retail shop in West Woodstock. Dancing between potting at the wheel and the kiln, James Zilian explains the processes behind their durable American stoneware: pitchers and crocks, dinnerware, and small vases impressed with a potter’s stamp for posterity. Zoe Zilian, partner, wife, and designer, collaborates with him on her design concepts before each piece goes into production. Pottery is the heart of a lifestyle brand—and philosophy—emerging here. Farmhouse Pottery represents a style that moves seamlessly among locations. Think Upper East Side Manhattan condominium, designer villa in the Caribbean, a tony ski lodge in Aspen, or a table set for family and friends right here in Woodstock.
Beautiful and Functional A muted palette is accomplished by hand-dipping each piece into a glaze they call “organic milk” that drapes over part of a sand-toned clay. Without sacrificing heft, the pieces are light compared to other hand-thrown work. Farmhouse Pottery makes a
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You'll find handmade and crafted gifts throughout the store.
“Utility is one of the major objectives when we are designing. That the objects be useful is important to Zoe and me. We also strive for beauty and simplicity.” statement on a table without dominating the setting. “Utility is one of the major objectives when we are designing. That the objects be useful is important to Zoe and me. We also strive for beauty and simplicity,” says James. He credits Zoe for creating this lifestyle brand that wraps around
the pottery core. “We’re going to become recognized as one of New England’s well-known potteries,” he promises. “We have a really clear focus. Pottery will always be at the heart of the brand.” They are making their dream a reality: Young Americans can still make a good living using their hands.
A Clear Focus Visitors here are witnessing an evolution of product and aesthetic. A small, design-driven culture today, James and Zoe plan to steer away from ever becoming a production-driven concern. “You have to keep focusing on what you do really well, with someone at the helm FA L L 2014
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Stoneware crocks are stamped with the signature laurel icon.
who has a really clear focus on brand, brand management, and marketing,” James notes. The brand includes other natural, sensory, artisanal products. Displays of candles, aprons, and cookbooks flow artfully here, along with Zoe’s apothecary line (candles of American soy, body scrubs, body milks and lotions, and cold-pressed soaps). Locally sourced materials include canvas napkins,
waxed canvas bags, and totes. She calls this the Arcadian Collection, reflecting her childhood on the Maine coast. One apothecary collection, Cultivate and Garden, reminds her of sheets fresh off the clothesline. Another, Vermont Wood, is her rendition of earth, grass, and bark. They are also launching a furniture line made of ash by a furniture maker in Lyndonville. “Sourcing locally helps to sustain the
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community,” James says, pointing to New England-made wooden gift boxes protecting a pitcher and Vermont maple syrup. “Zoe could have had the boxes made overseas for less than a quarter of the cost. But this is a clear vision that we’re not going to bend on,” he underscores. “We’re very secure with what we do. We are the next generation of craft heritage for Vermont.” Their focus is also dedicated to America; the tools they use are crafted in this country. James grew up in a military family. He says patriotism is in the family DNA. “Everything we do creatively stems from that. Zoe and I right now are living the American dream. There are a lot of people who fought and died and gave us that,” he adds. “It’s a luxury we don’t take for granted.”
Truly Authentic They believe their products, now selling nationally, are ambassadors for Woodstock. Three years from now, they anticipate a larger retail space with a dozen or so employees and a much larger pottery workshop, “making us more of a destination. We would like to be a small department store of products that we’ve created or curated,” James says. On the premises would be a café that allows them to share more of their farm-to-table story. Their online store would be well recognized as a place for purchasing authentic pieces of New England. “Our customers love and appreciate these items because we’re doing it the right way—and the sustainable way. We’re being truly authentic, not just using the word because it’s catchy,” James says. “Our generation is looking for that. We want the hipsters from Brooklyn to come in the store and say, ‘Wow! This is good. We need to have this.’” Farmhouse Pottery 1837 West Woodstock Road (Route 4) Woodstock, VT (802) 774-8373 www.farmhousepottery.com
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S P OT L I G H T
On the River Inn Celebrating the best of Vermont By Lauren Seidman Photos courtesy of On the River Inn unless otherwise noted
S
Top: The 506 bar. Above: King room with river views.
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tep into any of the 30 guest rooms at On the River Inn, and there’s one thing you’re sure to notice—the view. Mountains flank a quiet bend in the Ottauquechee River, which curves around an expansive lawn and a peaceful pond. The only sounds are nature’s music: swishing leaves, burbling water, whistling breezes, singing birds. It is the quintessential Vermont landscape, and it is breathtaking. It was this view that inspired Paulina Raguz and her husband, Woodstock native Aaren Macksoud, to buy the former Pond Ridge Motel and convert it into the chic and charming On the River Inn.
“It’s a celebration of Woodstock in the design and décor, our interpretation of Vermont and the things we love about being here.”
International Standards, Local Character “We fell in love with the property. You’re five minutes from town, but you have all this,” Paulina says, gesturing toward the idyllic scene. Owners of five other hotels in Africa and Europe, Paulina and Aaren were not planning on beginning a new venture in Vermont, but they saw an opportunity to bring something different to Woodstock: a family-run hotel that balances international standards with local character and warmth. Conveniently located off Route 4 and just two miles from town, On the River Inn opened in March 2014. “We had a strong idea of what we wanted to do before we started,” Paulina says. “It’s a celebration of Woodstock in the design and décor, our interpretation of Vermont and the things we love about being here.”
True to Paulina and Aaren’s vision, every aspect of the inn is welcoming and comfortable. Guest rooms, available with one king or two queen beds, are simple yet elegant. Custom-made throw pillows adorned with Green Mountain sayings (such as “Hard Telling, Not Knowing” and “Moonlight in Vermont”) rest atop luxurious bedding. While some of these bright and airy rooms are furnished with an easy chair and ottoman, others feature a sofa that pulls out into a twin-size bed, ideal for a young child. Families may also reserve a spacious suite or connecting rooms. Modern bathrooms are stocked with locally made Whisper Hill bath and body products.
Top: The Ottauquechee River. Above: The farmhouse kitchen.
Rooms with a View And the highlight of every room is that majestic view. All guest rooms boast a private balcony or
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S P OT L I G H T
This page, clockwise from top: The Penthouse Suite. Penthouse bathroom. 506 Bistro. A vintage architect's drafting table in the reception area is flanked by antique post office boxes. Hand-cut fries with malt vinegar aioli.
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patio, complete with rocking chairs, to rejuvenate the soul and foster tranquility. Hotels often sacrifice the view in order to make more rooms; Paulina tells me, “We didn’t want to do that.” The spirit of Vermont permeates On the River Inn’s common areas, too. A large, open space serves as the inn’s friendly gathering spot and casual dining room. Guests may begin their day with breakfast—included as part of their stay—in the sunny country kitchen. Healthy and tasty treats like freshly baked pastries, granola and yogurt, and French toast and maple syrup from Aaren’s family farm are laid out on a wooden carpenter’s worktable. At an antique bar across from the kitchen, guests and locals can enjoy a VTini with Sapling Maple Liqueur, or a Honey–Basil Gin Fizz Ale, made with Long Trail Ale. Behind the bar is the bistro lounge. Open for dinner every night, the bistro offers seasonal comfort food prepared with local ingredients by executive chef Michelle Lee, former head chef at the Woodstock Farmer’s Market. Diners can
enjoy snacks or meals—like chili maple wings, UFO battered fish and chips, and pan-seared pork chops with apple clove mash—at a traditional dining table or while relaxing on a comfy leather couch or cozy chair. Deck seating overlooking the view is available in fine weather, and in the colder months, a beckoning fire warms the lounge. Ornamenting the entire inn are quirky, unique pieces that bring to life Vermont’s character and history. Old, local newspaper clippings hang framed on guest-room walls. Room numbers appear on vintage post-office box doors. A toy fire truck guards the country kitchen. In the lounge, an antique Remington typewriter sits poised to tell new tales. “The important thing for us is that the personality shines through,” says Paulina. And that personality goes beyond stylish rustic comfort; it’s also a commitment to clients that inn manager Josh Hardy, whose background includes managing a five-star resort, describes as “accommodating, genuine, and flexible.” »
Right: Manager Josh Hardy. Photo by Lynn Bohannon. Below: The King Suite.
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S P OT L I G H T
Exterior view of the Inn.
A Beautiful Place Year-Round Anticipating the services its guests will want or need, the inn offers two game rooms (one for toddlers and one for the kid in all of us), a library that can be used for meetings and other special events, an exercise room, and basic spa services. A gift shop sells local crafts as well as exotic merchandise from Asia and Africa. By autumn 2014, a sauna and pool will be open to guests and, in a villa adjacent to the main building, five apartments will be available for shortterm rentals. Fall foliage visitors can take advantage of scenic drives provided by the inn, and winter guests can skate on the pond or ski on the nearby cross-country trails. By next summer, guests will be able to play lawn games and fish in the pond or the river. For Paulina and Aaren, building this business has been a labor of love. “We think Woodstock is such a beautiful place all year-round, and a goal for us is to promote the destination throughout the seasons,” Paulina says. “It is a wonderful piece of Vermont that we need to celebrate and let people know about.” On the River Inn 1653 RT4 West Woodstock Road Woodstock, VT (802) 457-5000 www.ontheriverwoodstock.com
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SEASONAL FOODS
The Menu Alpen Macaroni and Cheese
Tarentaise
Potatoes Dauphinois with Heirloom Tomato
– A Taste of the Alps From Thistle Hill Farm in North Pomfret By Susan Nye
Has food ever transported you to a different place and time? Maybe an espresso awakened memories of a backpacking trip through Italy. Perhaps the first farm-fresh apple of the season returns you to the third row of Miss Gates’s second-grade classroom. For me, it was a taste of John and Janine Putnam’s Tarentaise cheese. It sent me back to Switzerland, my home for almost two decades. In 2002, John and Janine decided to transform their farm from a part-time passion into a full-time business. “We knew that if we wanted to make a go of it, we needed to move up the chain to a value-added product,” says John. “We decided on cheese.” For inspiration and help, the couple packed up their four kids and traveled through the Swiss, French, and Italian Alps. “We wanted to find a cheese that we loved and would do well in Vermont’s climate. The Alps seemed like a perfect match,” says John. They visited one small Alpine village after another, met countless cheesemakers, and fell in love with Mountain Gruyère cheeses. »
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SEASONAL FOODS
Alpen Macaroni and Cheese Fro m John Putnam, cheesemaker at Thist l e Hi l l F a r m This dish is made by feel and taste. Use m y r e c i p e o n c e , then throw it away and do it your way! Serves 6 or more 3 garlic cloves, cut in half 1 large white onion, chopped 5–6 Tbsp unsalted butter, divided 12–16 oz macaroni 1 small potato, peeled and diced ¼ cup flour 2 or more cups half & half, or a blend of cream and whole milk 4 oz ham, cut in small pieces 12 oz Thistle Hill Farm Tarentaise Cheese, shredded (4 cups) Several tsp (to taste) dry mustard (Coleman’s is best) Salt and coarsely ground black pepper, to taste ½ cup coarse bread crumbs
1 2 3
Preheat the oven to 350º. Rub a large casserole dish with garlic, and then mince the cloves. Sauté the onion in 1 to 2 tablespoons melted butter on low heat until translucent.
Cook the macaroni in salted, boiling water until al dente. Reserving the pasta water, drain and set aside. Par-cook the potato in the macaroni water for a few minutes, remove from the pot, and set aside.
4
Melt 4 tablespoons butter on medium-low in a heavy saucepan until it starts to foam; add the flour a little at a time, and whisking constantly, cook until it begins to brown. Continuing to whisk, slowly add 1 cup half & half. As soon as the sauce begins to thicken, add about two-thirds of the cheese, a bit at a time, whisking constantly until smooth. Season with mustard and salt and pepper.
5 6 7
Meanwhile, add the garlic to the onion and cook for 2 to 3 minutes. Add the ham and cook until warmed through. Add the potato, toss to combine, and keep warm on low heat. To assemble, put the pasta in the casserole dish and stir in the cheese sauce. Add the onions, ham, and potato, and toss to combine. Add the remaining cream; the casserole should have a liquid consistency. Sprinkle with the remaining Tarentaise and bread crumbs. Bake at 350º until bubbly and golden, 20 to 30 minutes.
“Communications were difficult,” John admits. “We didn’t speak French or German or Italian, and most of the people we met didn’t speak English.” Luck was with them in the village of Beaufort in the Savoie region of the French Alps. There they found more than a great cheese. They met a cheesemaker who spoke just enough English to share some of his knowledge and introduce them to Alexandre Pellicier. Although an apprentice himself, Alexandre agreed to come to Vermont and help them get started. 76
Thistle Hill Farm’s cheese is handmade in the tradition of the Tarentaise Valley from raw, organic milk from the Putnam’s grassfed Jersey cows. From the grass and hay that feeds the cows to the final cheese, the Putnam family does it all. The copper vat, essential for Alpine cheeses, was custom built in Switzerland for Thistle Hill. The farm’s cheese presses, molds, and cultures come from France.
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The result is an amazing cheese. Rick and Kathy Terwelp serve it to their guests for breakfast at the Jackson House Inn. Rick says, “The Putnams’ cheese is probably the finest Alpine cheese made in the United States. It is a perennial favorite with our guests.” He adds, “We like to serve it with a drizzle of orange blossom honey, a few thyme leaves, and a little cracked pepper.” »
Potatoes Dauphinois with Heirloom Tomato From Lisa Battilana, executive chef a t t h e Wo o d st o c k F a r m e r s’ M a r k e t Serves 6 1 Tbsp softened butter 1 cup heavy cream 1 clove garlic, thinly sliced 3 sprigs fresh thyme 2 lb starchy potatoes, peeled and sliced 1/8-inch thick 2 Tbsp cold butter, cut into small pieces 1 tsp salt ½ tsp pepper 1 cup grated (4 oz) Thistle Hill Tarentaise cheese 1 large heirloom tomato, cored and sliced
-inch thick
1 2 3 4
Preheat the oven to 400º. Butter an 8x11-inch gratin dish, or an 8x8-inch glass baking dish or 9-inch, deep-dish pie plate with the softened butter. In a small saucepan, bring the cream, garlic, and thyme to a boil. Remove from heat and set aside for 5 minutes. Remove the thyme twigs. Spread half the potatoes in the dish, dot with half the cold butter, and sprinkle with half the salt, pepper, and cheese. Top with the tomato slices.
Arrange remaining potatoes over the tomatoes, dot with remaining butter, and sprinkle with remaining salt, pepper, and cheese. Pour the cream mixture over the potatoes.
5
Set the baking dish in the upper third of the oven and bake at 400º for 30 to 40 minutes or until the potatoes are tender, the cream is absorbed, and the top is golden. Variations: substitute any of the following for the sliced tomato: 1 cup thinly sliced butternut squash 1 large sweet potato cut into
-inch slices
1 large onion cut into ¼-inch slices and sautéed in 2 tablespoons of butter until tender
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Executive Chef Lisa Battilana at the Farmers’ Market in West Woodstock loves Tarentaise. She says, “The Putnams produce a true farmstead cheese. Everything happens on the farm.” Lisa adds, “Their cheese is beautifully made. They are a wonderful family, committed to what they do and meticulous when it comes to quality.” Tarentaise is a delicious way to start or end a meal. Serve it with pears or apples, toasted nuts, and a little honey. Like all Gruyère-style cheeses, it is also wonderful in cooking. Try it this fall in a traditional French gratin, macaroni and cheese, or fondue.
What Are Farmstead Cheeses? The cheese is made from milk from herds or flocks raised on the farm where it is produced. Strict care and attention are paid to the purity, quality, and flavor of the milk. Production is primarily by hand. The cheese is ripened naturally, with an emphasis on developing a characteristic flavor and texture, without shortcuts or techniques to increase shelf life at the expense of quality. The cheese is produced with respect for the traditions and history of cheesemaking. Thistle Hill Farm Tarentaise is a true Farmstead cheese.
After spending almost two decades in Switzerland, Susan Nye returned to New Hampshire to write about cheese and chocolate and other things. Susan was named one of the Top 100 Foodie Bloggers of 2012 by BlueStar Range, and you can find many of her favorite recipes and stories about family and friendship at www. susannye.wordpress.com.
Thistle Hill Farm Vermont Farmstead Tarentaise Cheese North Pomfret, VT (802) 457-9349 www.ThistleHillFarm.com 78
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HAPPENINGS: FALL 2014 SEPTEMBER | OCTOBER | NOVEMBER
October 18–19
Autumn Wagon Ride Weekend Billings Farm & Museum, www.billingsfarm.org
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HAPPENINGS
October 11–12 Harvest Weekend Billings Farm & Museum, www.billingsfarm.org
13 | Classics Book Group: A Tale of Two Cities Norman Williams Public Library, www.normanwilliams.org, 10:30am
13 | Not Far from the Tree: Discover America’s Heirloom Apples with Author Ben Watson Weathersfield Inn, www.weathersfieldinn.com, 10am
SEPTEMBER
13, 20, 27 | Traditional Craft Saturdays
15 | Woodstock’s Built Environment
Through September 24, Wednesdays Wagon Ride Wednesdays
Billings Farm & Museum, www.billingsfarm.org
Woodstock History Center, www.woodstockhistorical.org, 7–8pm
Billings Farm & Museum, www.billingsfarm.org
Through October 17, Fridays Foodways Fridays Billings Farm & Museum, www.billingsfarm.org
September 9, October 14, November 11 What’s On Your Nightstand? Norman Williams Public Library, www.normanwilliams.org, 10:15am
12 | An Evening with Tom Rush Woodstock Town Hall Theatre, www.pentanglearts.org, 8pm
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September 27 11th Annual Vermont Fine Furniture, Woodworking & Forest Festival Union Arena Community Center, 9:30am–5pm Sat & 10am–4:30pm Sun
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Through September 21 28th Annual Quilt Exhibition Billings Farm & Museum, www.billingsfarm.org
16 | Advance Directives Workshop Norman Williams Public Library, www.normanwilliams.org, 5:30–7pm
September 17, October 15, November 19 Poetry Live Norman Williams Public Library, www.normanwilliams.org, 6:30pm
27 | Old Time Fair and Silent Auction Woodstock History Center, www.woodstockhistorical.org, 1–4pm
OCTOBER October 1–November 14 Exhibit: Creative Harvest Norman Williams Public Library, www.normanwilliams.org
4–5 | Pumpkin & Apple Celebration Billings Farm & Museum, www.billingsfarm.org
12 | Battle of Lake Champlain Woodstock History Center, www.woodstockhistorical.org, 2–3pm
24 | Oktoberfest Cloudland Farm, www.zacksplacevt.com, 5:30–9:30pm
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HAPPENINGS 25 | Recipes from the Root Cellar with Author Andrea Chesman Weathersfield Inn, www.weathersfieldinn.com, 10am
26 | A Family Halloween Billings Farm & Museum, www.billingsfarm.org
NOVEMBER 1–2, 8–9, 15–16, 22–23 Wagon Ride Weekends Billings Farm & Museum, www.billingsfarm.org
5 | Alec Hasting Reading Norman Williams Public Library, www.normanwilliams.org, 6:30pm
9 | History of the Upper Valley Woodstock History Center, www.woodstockhistorical.org, 2–3pm
15 | Exhibit: Anything Goes Norman Williams Public Library, www.normanwilliams.org
November 28–30 | Thanksgiving Weekend Billings Farm & Museum, www.billingsfarm.org
29 | Dance Party Suicide Six, www.zacksplacevt.org, 5:30–9:30pm
GET CONNECTED Get listed on the mountainviewpublishing.com BUSINESS DIRECTORY and you will also be included on our printed list in every issue of WOODSTOCK MAGAZINE. (See page 16.)
GET CONNECTED NOW! Email Bob Frisch at rcfrisch1@comcast.net, or call Bob at (603) 643-1830. Find out how you can connect with our readers. It’s easy, inexpensive, and another way to reach an affluent and educated audience.
SUBSCRIBE Share the wonder of our beautiful area and the latest news all year long with a gift subscription. Friends and family who have moved away from the area will be especially appreciative. Be sure to order a subscription for yourself, too! Send a check for $19.95 for one year (4 issues) to Woodstock Magazine, 135 Lyme Road, Hanover, NH 03755. Or conveniently pay online using PayPal at www.mountainviewpublishing.com.
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ADVERTISERS INDEX 506 On the River Inn ............................................29
Neal Wallace Dental.............................................56
Ambrose Custom Builders....................................33
Newhall Farm .......................................................62
America’s Mattress .................................................6
Ottauquechee Well Drilling .................................32
Artistree/Purple Crayon Productions...................32
Pentangle Arts ......................................................20
Antiques Collaborative ........................................78
Perry’s Oil Service .................................................63
Bentleys.................................................................74
Pi Brick Oven Trattoria/Central Street Café ..........3
Billings Farm & Museum ......................................57
Prime Time Communities .....................................15
Braeside Motel .....................................................77
Quechee Mobil .....................................................55
Brown’s Floormasters ...........................................58
R.E. Morgan & Sons ..............................................12
Carpet King & Tile ................................................68
Robert Wallace Real Estate........ Inside front cover
Charles Silva Jr. Builder/Designer.........................40
Shepard Interior Selections..................................81
Co-Operative Insurance Companies ......................5
Singleton’s Market ...............................................45
Crown Point Cabinetry...........................................9
Snyder Bassette Real Estate ........ Inside back cover
David Anderson Hill .............................................31
Stone Dental .........................................................39
Davis Alterations & Building................................69
Systems Plus Computers .......................................54
Dead River Company..............................................4
Terrace Communities ...........................................40
Elevation Clothing................................................39
The Carriage Shed ................................................31
Engel & Volkers ....................................................55
The Hanover Inn ...................................................47
Ennis Construction ...............................................46
The Inn at Weathersfield .....................................81
First Impressions Salon & Spa ..............................47
The Lincoln Inn .....................................................21
Five Olde Tavern & Grille .....................................69
The Lyme Inn ........................................................33
Frameworks Studio of Woodstock ......................73
The Quechee Club ................................................77
G.R. Porter & Sons ................................................61
The Quechee Inn at Marshland Farm..................57
GeoBarns...............................................................74
The Vermont Spot ................................................61
Gilberte Interiors ..................................................44
The Vermont Standard.........................................29
Gillingham’s ..........................................................12
The Williamson Group ...........................................1
Green Mountain Plumbing & Heating ................78
The Woodlands ....................................................53
Green Mountain Railroad ....................................68
Tip Top Café ..........................................................52
Henderson’s Tree & Garden Services ...................25
Twin State Door ...................................................63
Hull Maynard Hersey Insurance...........................13
Upland Construction ............................................58
Jake’s Quechee Market & Cafe ............................78
Upper Valley Haven..............................................30
Jancewicz & Son .....................................................7
Vermont Facial Aesthetics....................................81
Jeff Wilmot Painting ............................................54
Vermont Farmstead Cheese Company ................53
Junction Frame Shop............................................56
Visiting Nurse & Hospice of VT & NH ..................61
Kedron Valley Inn .................................................44
Vitt, Brannen, Loftus PLC .....................................83
Keepers, A Country Café......................................63
Woodstock Beverage ...........................................74
Landshapes ...........................................................46
Woodstock Chamber of Commerce ....................62
Maple Harvest Specialties ....................................69
Woodstock Farmers’ Market ...............................83
Mascoma Savings Bank ........................................17
Woodstock Home & Hardware ............................11
Mertens House .....................................................57
Woodstock Rec Apples and Crafts Fair ...............73
Mountain Meadow Golf & Event Center ..Back cover
Woodstock Rotary Penny Sale .............................52
N.T. Ferro Estate & Custom Jewelers ...................21
Zayas Jewelers ........................................................2
For more information about print and online advertising opportunities, contact Bob Frisch at (603) 643-1830 or email rcfrisch1@comcast.net. FA L L 2014
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LAST GLANCE
When the bold branches Bid farewell to rainbow leaves— Welcome wool sweaters. —B. Cybrill
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F I N D WO O D S TO C K M AGA Z I N E AT W W W. M O U N TA I N V I E W P U B L I S H I N G . C O M