NNY Living Food Issue 2017

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AUTUMN 2017 nnyliving.com Volume 6 No. 4

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ART

NNY HISTORY

NNY FOOD

FEATURE

Artful Living: Duane Smith

Alexandria Bay’s Bill Johnston Pirate Days

Healthy recipes by Live Yum

What’s Brewing in Northern New York?

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34th Annual McElheran Visiting Artist

Martin Hayes & Dennis Cahill 9/16/17 Two of the world’s leading artists in traditional Irish music.

18th Annual Ranlett Organ Recital

Tickets On Sale Aug.15

Rachel Laurin 10/15/17 National Players’ Alice in Wonderland 10/21/17

A 21st-century staging of Alice's journey through Wonderland for the whole family.

Third Cania Family Visiting Artist

Vienna Boys Choir 12/6/17 “Bright, light voices through the centuries.”

—The New York Times

Windscape 2/9/18

An "unquintet," vibrant and ever-evolving.

Canadian Brass 3/9/18 THE “Kings of Brass”

A singular sound and vision, meant to lift the spirit.

Maresca Family Endowment for the Arts

Corning Incorporated Foundation

The Sweetgrass Foundation

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Brian Blade & The Fellowship Band 4/14/18

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CONTENTS

AUTUMN 2017 Volume 6, No. 4

ON THE COVER | A plate of Grilled Lucki 7 Farms Pork Tomahawk with cilantro wasabi creamed potatoes, candied ginger apple chutney and finished with a Sweet Soy Gastrique is photographed at St. Lawrence Spirits Chateau. |

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Out & About NNY events calendar NNY Food Feature Vegan and vegetarian dishes trending in NNY

STORY 24 COVER The ‘Art’ of plating in fine dining restaurants

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NNY Heathly Eating Healthy recipes from Live Yum

artist Duane Smith

Tastes 32 NNY The craft beverage

Online @ nnyliving.com

industry is on the rise in NNY

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Art Feature 34 NNY Artful Living: profile on

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[ EDITOR’S NOTE ] This has been a difficult issue of NNY Living to keep on although, truthfully, you can even hold the potatoes. track.

What is becoming a trend, according to an article Every time staff sat down to discuss the direction of the by freelance writer Nicole Caldwell, is the new emphasis magazine, one of us inevitably said, restaurants are placing on vegan options on their “You know what? All of the sudden, menus. A salad no longer cuts it, as diners have I’m hungry. I need to step out and become much more sophisticated about plantgrab something to eat.” based foods, including the origins of those foods.

We quickly determined the culprit: Nicole also takes a look at the growing craft It was all of the pictures of deliciously beer industry in the north county. Here, I’m a little prepared dishes we were looking at, bit more in my comfort zone (nothing goes better trying to figure out which ones best with wings than an icy draft.) You don’t have to exhibit the art of “plating.” be a beer connoisseur to sample local offerings to Plating wasn’t a concept I was figure out what you like, and the options seem to familiar with; if I look at my dinner increase constantly. And if you can’t find one to and see a lot of white space around your liking, you can always choose to brew your where the food usually goes, I ask, own beer.

“Where’s the rest of it?” But plating Finally, writer Marcus Wolf takes us on the is a technique taken very seriously by grounds of the historic Mid River estate on restaurants and their chefs, who take Grindstone Island for this issue of NNY Premier great pride in blending the combinaProperties, which begins on page 41. The tions of tastes, colors and textures property, located on the island in the middle of Brian Kelly to prepare an exquisite and visually the St. Lawrence River, is on the market for $2.75 appealing meal. million.

Judging by the pictures I looked at, several chefs in the Looking at pictures of Mid River and daydreaming about north country have nailed the “visually appealing” part. In a leisurely day along the river was probably less conducive this issue, freelance writer Norah Machia talks to a few chefs to getting work done than looking at the food pictures, but at to find out how they also use creativity to make the dishes least none of us decided that we needed to immediately “step delectable. out” and get on a boat. Or maybe I just wasn’t invited along.

Another aspect of dining with which I’m not wholly familiar is the trend toward vegetarian and vegan meals. I’m Enjoy, more of a meat-and-potatoes, pizza-and-wings kind of guy

[ CONTRIBUTORS]

Editor & Publisher John B. Johnson

Co-Publisher

Harold B. Johnson II

Magazine Editor Brian Kelly

Associate Magazine Editor Holly C. Boname

Editorial Design Holly C. Boname

Daytona Niles, Amanda Morrison, Chris Lenney

Neal Burdick is the retired editor of St. Lawrence University Magazine and a freelance writer who lives in Canton. In this issue, he writes about his trip to England and how there is a ‘North Country’ to be found there as well.

Lenka P. Walldroff is a former museum specialist, conservator at the National Gallery of Art in Washington, D.C., and curator of collections for the Jefferson County Historical Society.

She writes about Alexandria Bays Bill Johnston Pirate Days.

Nicole Caldwell is a writer and editor based out of Redwood, NY. Her work has appeared in Mother Earth News, Martha Stewart Living, Thrillist, Playgirl and many other publications. Reach her at nicole. caldwell@betterfarm.org.

Circulation Director

Katie Machia is a Watertown native and sophomore at the Fashion Institute of Technology in New York City. She writes about everything from the outdoors to fashion. In this issue she features hot trending recipes.

Kari Robertson is a former art educator who has a pottery studio and gallery in Rutland Center, at KariZelsonRobertson.com and on facebook at Kari Zelson Robertson Art. Contact Kari at Kari.Zelson.Robertson@ gmail.com

NNY Living (ISSN 2165-1159) is published five times a year by Northern New York Newspaper Corp., 260 Washington St., Watertown, NY 13601, a Johnson Newspaper Corp. company. © 2011-2017. All material submitted to NNY Living becomes property of Northern New York Newspaper Corp., publishers of the Watertown Daily Times, and will not be returned.

Director of Advertising Michelle Bowers

Ad Graphics, Design

Brian Mitchell, Heather O’Driscoll, Scott Smith, Todd Soules, Rick Gaskin Mary Sawyer

Subscription Rates Five issues are $10 a year and 10 issues are $15 for two years.

Call 315-782-1000 for delivery.

Submissions Send all editorial correspondence to hboname@wdt.net

[ MARKETPLACE ] A U TU M N 20 1 7 | N N Y L IV IN G

John B. Johnson Jr.

Michelle Graham is the wellness director for the Downtown Watertown YMCA. She lives in Watertown with her husband and children. In this issue, she writes about falling into success.

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Chairman of the Board

Photography

Ali Townsend is a student at Hobart & William Smith Colleges who interned with NNY Magazines. She is currently studying writing and rhetoric. In this issue she writes about a brewery in Watertown during the years of prohibition.

nnyliving.com

1000 Islands River Rat Cheese .....9

Hospice of Jefferson County .......15

The Golden Cleat ...........................9

Clayton Dental Office ....................9

Jefferson-Lewis Board of

Cedar Hedge Farm ................17, 33

Realtors .....................................39

The Orchestra .............................15

Community Performance Series ...3

LP Builders ................................39

Curtis Furniture ...........................33

Nortz & Virkler, Inc. ....................33

Waite Motorsports ......................43

D.L. Calarco Funeral Home Inc. ..32

O.D. Greene ................................42

Waite Toyota ..............................42

Dr. Guitar Music ..........................33

Pearl’s Pastry Shoppe .................33

Excellus ........................................4

RiverMagic ...................................9

Foy Agency Insurance .................33

Saint Lawrence Spirits Chateau ..32

HighTower The Morgia Group .....14

Tailwater Restaurant and Bar ........8

Tunes 92.5 .................................32

Watertown Savings Bank ..............2 Wood Boat Brewery ......................9

Advertising For advertising rates and information in Jefferson and Lewis counties, email mbowers@wdt.net, or call 661-2456 In St. Lawrence County, email blabrake@ogd.com, or call 661-2507 Printed with pride in U.S.A. at Vanguard Printing LLC, Ithaca, N.Y. a Forest Stewardship Certified facility.

Please recycle this magazine.

[ ARTS. MUSIC. CULTURE. FAMILIES. ]

AMANDA MORRISON n NNY LIVING Andy Greene pulls the cord to launch a pumpkin from his trebuchet during the fifth annual punkin chunkin in Clayton.

SATURDAY, SEPTEMBER 23

10th Annual Cape Vincent Oktoberfest, noon to 5 p.m., Cape Vincent Village Green, Broadway Street, Cape Vincent. The Cape Vincent Chamber of Commerce will host Oktoberfest with a beer garden, featuring authentic German beers and wineries.

A German band will be performing complete with authentic dancers. Food for the day will feature a wide variety of traditional Bavarian fares: including bratwurst, sauerkraut, German potato salad, black forest cake, apple strudel, etc. sold by the Cape Vincent Fire Dept. on the Village Green. Children's entertainment including, a petting zoo, bounce house and crafts, is $5. For those who wish to sample all of the beers and wines available the entry fee includes a Commemorative Sampler.

Cost: $5 entrance fee. Information: Cape Vincent Chamber of Commerce, (315) 654-2481.

The Clayton Chamber of Commerce will once again hold their annual fall event that brings in crowds to downtown Clayton to watch as pumpkins are launched into the St. Lawrence River.

Punkin Chunkin festival, now in its sixth year, includes local teams who build catapults that launch pumpkins of various sizes off of the downtown Frink Park docks into the river to see who has the longest ‘chunk’. The event features an adult division and kids division to include all ages in the fun.

At last year’s launch, Tricia L. Bannister, executive director of the 1000 Islands-Clayton Area Chamber of Commerce, said trebuchets launched pumpkins faster and farther than any previous year, with a few fired at more than 100 miles per hour.

This year’s event will also feature a farmer’s market with vendors from across the north country, face painting for the kids, a BBQ competition and BBQ meals in the O’Brien’s parking lot. Businesses throughout downtown will also be open for visitors.

Punkin’ Chunkin’ will be held on Saturday, October 21 from 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. at Frink Park on Riverside Drive in downtown Clayton.

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SATURDAY, SEPTEMBER 23

Stan Bach & Martha Strouse Memorial Ride, 9 a.m. to 5 p.m., O’Brien’s Restaurant, Clayton. This year will be the final ride.

The ride will start at FX Caprara Harley Davidson in Adams Center. Registration will start at 9 a.m. and ride will depart at 10:30 a.m. Ride ends at O’Briens Restaurant for lunch, raffles and auctions. Everyone is welcome to participate back at O'Brien's. This years proceeds are going directly to three

Punkin’ Chunkin’ Festival Returns to the Waterfront in Downtown Clayton

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[ ARTS. MUSIC. CULTURE. FAMILIES. ]

families battling cancer - Keith Strouse, Mark Mason and Vicki Guyette. If the weather does not permit, we will use Sunday the 24th as a rain date. Cost: $20. Information: O’Brien’s Restaurant, (315) 686-1110.

SUNDAY, OCTOBER 1

Daniel Briggs Memorial Walk, 10 a.m. to 1 p.m., Thompson Park, Watertown.

Memorial walk to honor Daniel Birggs

who committed suicide on March 3, 2014, after years of being bullied. The proceeds from the walk will benefit the Daniel Briggs Fund for Integrity through the Northern New York Community Foundation, which offers grants to area schools for character education and bullying prevention programs. The goal is to raise $5,000 this year. Anyone who raises $30 or more will receive a T-shirt.

Food, raffles and a silent auction will

take place. Cost: free and donations to be made to fund. Information: Facebook. com/amy.leonardbriggs.

SUNDAY, OCTOBER 8

8th Annual Harvest Festival, noon to 4 p.m., West Main Street & Market Square, Sackets Harbor. The annual event will feature vendors, a chicken bbq, family activities and more. Cost: free. Information: sacketsharborny.com.

SATURDAY, OCTOBER 21

5k Color Fun Run/Walk, 8 a.m. to noon, South Jefferson High School, Adams.

The South Jeff Classes of 2018 & 2021 & SOS are working together with the LaFargeville Class of 2021 to help our local families in need. Proceeds will be donated to the Rohde Center in Adams and Gwen's Food Pantry in LaFargeville in memory of Andrew Stevenson and Enzo Greenwood-Coinco. Pre-registrations and sponsorships must be in by October 5th by 2 p.m. RACE DAY: 8 a.m. to 9 a.m. registration (shirt & bib numbers will be ready for pick up at SJ High School at the Red Barn. 9:30 a.m. 5K Color Fun Run/Walk begins. Cost: pre-registered, $15 with t-shirt included; day of race, $20 t-shirt included but size not guaranteed. Information/registration: jmesler@ spartanpride.org.

FRIDAY, OCTOBER 27 THROUGH SUNDAY, OCTOBER 29

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Circus of Horrors, 7 p.m. to midnight, 59 Main Street, Potsdam. Potsdam’s 4th Annual Haunted House will show you the best (worst?) attractions of the carnEVIL including happy clowns who would love nothing more than for you to stay as dinner. All proceeds benefit the Clarkson University Physician Assistant program’s medical mission trip to the Dominican Republic, which provides much-needed healthcare for low-income, rural areas in the Dominican Republic. Cost: TBD. Information: facebook.com/potsdamhauntedinfirmary.

TELL US ABOUT IT — Have an event you would like to include in NNY Living? Email us at nnyliving@wdt.net with the details or visit nnyliving.com and click Events.

[Your Ad Here] Want to advertise your Clayton Business to over 50,000 readers throughout Jefferson, St. Lawrence & Lewis Counties?

Call Teresa Cantwell at 315.661.2325 or email tcantwell@wdt.net

“Good goods as special as the River�

Committed to improving the patient experience with cutting edge technology and compassionate care!

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Vegan Dishes Find a Home on Fine-Dining Menus Throughout the North Country

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By NICOLE CALDWELL

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DAYTONA NILES n NNY LIVING Johnston House Chef Christopher Polan showcases three vegetarian/vegan dishes including: Veggie sushi rolls, Baked Stuffed Acorn Squash, and a Gluten-free, Dairy-free Peach Tart.

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egans and vegetarians in the north country will log hundreds of miles throughout the year in order to patronize restaurants with savory options stretching beyond a simple salad, pasta with red sauce, or having to be that customer, asking for customized meals that aren’t on the menu.

But these days, vegetarians and vegans in the north country don’t have to make pilgrimages to Kingston or Syracuse—there are plenty of options here at home. Chefs throughout the tri-county area are taking on the challenge of catering to vegans and vegetarians with dishes flavorful enough to please even the most discerning omnivore.

There are a number of reasons people are more open to plant-based eating nowadays, whether they be for the environment, health or animal welfare. But we can add a new excuse: Chefs in the north country are making vegan and vegetarian meals that are just plain delicious.

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DAYTONA NILES n NNY LIVING Veggie sushi roll with avocado, cucumber, daikon, carrots, peppers and sticky rice rolled in toasted nori, sprinkled with black and white sesame seeds, served over seaweed salad with sriracha and mango coulis.

[ NNY FOOD FEATURE ] Veganism is on the rise.

Veganism is the consumption of all plantbased foods. That means no meat dairy, eggs, gelatin or even honey. Vegetarians generally will no meat, but will consume animal-based foods, such as dairy, eggs or honey.

The meteoric rise of vegans in the United States (up 500 percent since 2014) has shifted the food landscape in this country, from offerings at supermarkets to what is listed on menus at restaurants and diners. Even meat processors have jumped into the plant-based game, with companies like Tyson foods in 2016 buying stakes in vegan protein company Beyond Meat, which makes vegan meat substitutes.

The spike is largely attributed to health factors, specifically that cutting out meat and dairy from the diet can lower instances of heart disease, reduce blood pressure, promote overall wellness, and help with weight loss. But giving up meat also helps to conserve water, reduce carbon dioxide emissions, and prevents deforestation globally.

But it makes it a whole lot more fun to give up meat (or to enjoy an occasional vegan or vegetarian meal) when the food is delicious.

DAYTONA NILES n NNY LIVING Gluten-free, dairy-free peach tart with walnutdate crust and whipped coconut cream.

W IN TE R

DAYTONA NILES n NNY LIVING Baked acorn squash stuffed with red quinoa, jasmine rice, roasted corn, poblano peppers, lime and cilantro, served with spicy tomato oil.

Vegans can now dine out without being limited to a house salad.

Gone are the days of vegans banging their heads against walls after being reassured that there’s surely a salad on the menu.

No matter where you live in the tricounty area, an increasing number of seasonal and year-round restaurants will cater to plant-based eaters without leaving you feeling hungry or unsatisfied. Thailand in Watertown offers tofu and mock duck dishes, while Bombay Duck Pickle Café in Carthage has a daily rotation of home-cooked meals that always includes vegetarian (if not vegan) options.

It’s easy enough to eat vegan at any of the Japanese restaurants throughout the north country, and most Italian places have some pasta dish that’s vegetarianfriendly. But more and more, innovative chefs at premier restaurants throughout the north country are going the extra mile to thoughtfully include vegan meals that stand up on their own as go-to dishes, whether you’re a strict plant eater or can derive great pleasure from a wellprepared steak.

Just ask the chef staff at The Chateau in Clayton, or the 1844 House in Potsdam.

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DAYTONA NILES n NNY LIVING Christopher Polan, executive chef at Johnston House Restaurant located in downtown Clayton, creates vegan and vegetarian dishes each night featured on the menu at the restaurants signature Namaste special.

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[ FOOD FEATURE ] Stop in at the Dirty Gringo in Ogdensburg, or pay a visit to Bonnie Castle in Alexandria Bay. Whether you’re sitting outside in the summer at the Johnston House or dining indoors mid-winter at the 1000 Islands Harbor Hotel, chefs are making space for plant-based meals that are delicious, nutritious, and often include locally sourced produce.

Vegan food has been totally underrated for far too long.

“I've been cooking professionally since I

was 16, but it wasn’t until I moved to New York City after college that I got to work in vegetarian restaurants in the Village and Lower Manhattan,” said Chris Polan, head chef at the Johnston House in Clayton.

Polan gave up eating meat when he was a teenager. “I went completely vegan maybe about 20 years later,” he said.

“Like most vegans I know, I had a hard time giving up cheese.” Now 56, Polan takes pride in serving up delicious vegan

and vegetarian fare right alongside omnivorous dishes for the most discerning palates.

“The biggest misconception about vegan food is that most people seem to think it's going to lack flavor,” Polan said.

“And EVERYONE worries about getting enough protein. I eat very well, I don’t feel deprived of anything, and at 6'5" and 240 pounds, I'm far from undernourish ed.”

At Johnston House, Polan’s vegan offerings are hardly paltry—or, for that matter, lacking in protein.

“I'm lucky to be working for people who let me do my thing,” Polan said.

“Our nightly Namaste feature was inspired by local authors Liz Price-Kellogg and Kristen Taylor. I love that it’s become so popular and I really enjoy trying things I wouldn’t normally get to do.” That ever rotating, vegan special leaves nothing to be desired—particularly meat. One night, it might be a vegan pad Thai with zucchini, carrots, snow peas, scallions, beansprouts, onions, peppers, garlic, ginger and tofu. Another night, you might get half hots stuffed with jasmine rice, red quinoa, corn, poblanos, lime, cilantro, and onion, sprinkled with nutritional yeast and served with spicy tomato oil.

Local farming culture is a great resource for innovative, plant-based dishes.

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“Many restaurants and chains now offer vegetarian options, so it’s easy to get a great meal if you are vegetarian,” says 45-year-old Patrick Leibacher, executive chef at Harbor Hotel in Clayton. “But for vegans it’s a little bit harder. Most menus have vegetarian options, which can easily be made vegan. We try to accommodate vegan costumers as much as possible and always have something available to do so. Dairy or egg can be removed from a dish to make it vegan friendly. Sometimes when you remove an ingredient the dish might need something else to boost it up a notch.”

Originally from Huettwilen, Switzerland, Leibacher has worked at 1000 Islands Harbor Hotel since its opening in July of 2014. He’s found that local farms help to boost flavors in plant-based dishes while supporting local agriculture.

“With all the farms around here in the north country, some of them organic,

[ FOOD FEATURE ] there is a nice variety of very nice fruits and vegetables during the summer month at our disposal,” he said. “This leads to inspiration and new development of new recipes from which we can make wonderful dishes, be it for vegetarian or vegan.”

Leibacher’s signature vegan entree on the Harbor Horel restaurant’s dinner menu is an Asian-inspired dish with vegan rice noodles tossed with fresh vegetables, nuts, cilantro and mint with a sriracha broth. Leibacher’s inspiration for that dish is the same local source of inspiration Polan draws from at Johnston House.

“The idea is actually from the book For the Love of Food and Yoga from Liz Price-Kellogg and Kristen Taylor here in Clayton,” Leibacher said. “I did alter it a bit to make it different… I asked if it would be a possibility to use a dish from their book and put it on the menu. I was very intrigued by the recipe as it did give me a new perspective on vegetarian and vegan food.”

North country attitudes toward vegetarian fare are shifting.

BRAHMS & BEETHOVEN

Sat. 10/21/17 at 7:30 pm • Potsdam | Sun. 10/22/17 at 3 pm • Watertown

WINTER WONDERLAND Fri. 12/15/17 at 7:30 pm • Potsdam | Sat. 12/16/17 at 7:30 pm • Massena Sun. 12/17/17 at 3 pm • Watertown

THE MASTERY OF BACH Sat. 1/27/18 at 7:30 pm • Watertown | Sun. 1/28/18 at 3 pm • Potsdam

STRAVINSKY & MENDELSSOHN Sat. 4/28/18 at 7:30 pm • Potsdam | Sun. 4/29/18 at 3 pm • Watertown

AMERICAN POPS AND THE SILVER SCREEN Mon. 7/2/18 at 7 pm • Potsdam | Tue. 7/3/18 at 8 pm • Watertown

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“I loved living and working in New York,” Polan said. “It was a great learning experience, as I was exposed to so many great cultures, different foods and philosophies. Moving back to the north country was challenging. It's only been fairly recently that I've noticed a shift in people's attitudes toward veganism. Obviously, as demand grows, restaurants will try to provide more vegan options. It's been a slow process, but things seem to be changing. With all the media attention to things like wheat gluten, GMO's and factory farming, people are more informed and are making smarter choices.”

“It's always been important to me to do whatever I can to make the customer happy, whether it's providing vegan options or dealing with various allergies,” Polan said. “I know all too well what it feels like to look at a menu and not see anything I can eat.”

“One of the most challenging things about vegan cooking is also one of the most rewarding. Showing people that you don’t have to sacrifice flavor and yes, you're getting enough protein! Never mind the fact that they're saving a life and helping our planet, if it just tastes good, it’s a start. I'll take it.”

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[ NORTH COUNTRY NOTES ]

England Offers Diverse “North Country” Perspective

By NEAL BURDICK

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he sign said something about “Welcome to the North Country.” But we couldn’t tell for sure, because we tore past it on a train going 125 miles an hour.

That should provide a clue that we weren’t in New York’s North Country, which may or may not include the Adirondacks, depending upon whom you talk to.

Other states have a North Country: Maine does, and Wisconsin, and Minnesota. So does England. That’s the North Country we happened to be in when that sign flew by our train window.

While there on vacation last summer, we discovered that England’s North Country and New York’s are a lot alike in many ways, but also exhibit significant differences. But first, it behooves me to point out that the British, and presumably everyone else (more on that in a minute), were there on “holiday.” “Vacation” is a uniquely American word, and our region can legitimately take some credit for being its birthplace. After the Civil War, when the country finally began to emerge from the guilt complex the Puritans had been strangling it with for two centuries, about such evils as having a little fun once in a while, it gradually became fashionable, for those who could afford it, to “vacate” the hot, steamy, shall we say unsanitary big cities of the East Coast and escape to the mountains for a couple of weeks in the summer.

The Adirondacks, and later the Thousand Islands, were among the first destinations, allowing us to claim “pride of place” in the origin of the concept.

Be that as it may, our one-week exploration of a corner of England’s North Country hardly makes us experts, but here are some observations anyway: Each North Country overlaps with another, perhaps better-known, regional label: the Adirondacks here, the Lake District there. I did not learn whether the British fight constantly over where their North Country is, or whether or not it includes this or that mountain or lake or resort, like we do.

Each was constructed by the last Ice Age, and features rocky terrain and long, narrow lakes. England’s largest lake, Windermere, closely resembles the Adirondacks' Long Lake in shape and mountain vistas.

England's mountains’ glaciated ruggedness is determined more by latitude and climate (transported to North America, the Lake District would be in the middle of Hudson’s Bay) than by altitude—England’s highest summit, Scafell Pike, tops out at barely 3,000 feet, compared to Mt. Marcy's 5,344, but it’s known as a demanding above-treeline climb nonetheless.

Public trails are more commonplace there, partly because they frequently cross private land, which, unlike here, no one seems to object to. Trailhead parking is generally non-existent and there’s no signage beyond a weathered wooden post with “Public Footpath” and an arrow— destinations and distances are usually not provided—but the trails are tremendously well made, a yard-wide tread of crushed stone with no protruding roots or discouraging mudholes. Our state Department of Environmental Conservation could learn something from England's trail managers, though in the DEC's defense it lacks the human and fiscal resources to do the job, which doesn't appear to be the case in England.

The regions' economies are comparable, driven by tourism, agriculture and small business. England’s tourism industry, though, seems even more tethered to summer than ours. The Lake Windermere environs reminded us of Lake Placid on a busy summer weekend – buses, cruise boats, crowds, no place to park -- but there's no famous winter season there (does anyone go to England to ski?). They make up for this by packing everybody into two months, and by promoting themselves globally. We heard dozens of languages, and the Oriental presence was so large that signs appeared in both English and Chinese. This is one opportunity the North Country is missing.

Another is that sheep and beef cattle, in profuse numbers, make for more yearround economic diversity than can be

found in the North Country. Sheep and our region seem like a natural match. Why do we not have more livestock if other forms of farming are so difficult?

Transportation is different also. We had no need for a car, getting around easily on a fast, coordinated train, bus and even ferry system that offered frequent service in even the smallest villages. This would be impossible in the automobile-dependent North Country. That's partly because England is more compact and densely populated (the entire country is smaller than New York and Pennsylvania combined), but it's also partly because folks actually get together and plan. The main town on Lake Windermere was called upon daily by thirtyfour passenger trains. Compare that with “service” to comparably-sized Lake Placid, which consists of one train a day in each direction whose nearest stop is an hour away.

And the tracks into Lake Placid are being torn up to appease the snowmobile crowd.

Again, an opportunity is being missed.

One other difference that was hard to miss was the age of the buildings. We wandered around a castle that was 800 years old. All right, it had fallen down, but that was thanks to its having been attacked and abandoned a few centuries ago. We also visited a church that dated to 1190, and was perfectly healthy and in daily use.

Our hostess, my wife's cousin, practically apologized because her house was only 175 years old. Here, we think anything half that age ought to succumb to urban renewal.

Perhaps the biggest difference that we observed, though, was in land use. England has little wild land as we think of it. Even in the hill country, aside from its national parks every available acre is given to human purposes. And yet development is so tightly monitored, with expectations of clustering, for example, that there is no sense of sprawl, over-building, lack of open space, or shoreline degradation. That's because the people accept management instead of throwing tantrums about Big Government. We could take a lesson from their ways, and from their public-spirited attitudes toward those ways.

[ HEALTH & WELLNESS ]

Falling into SUCCESS:

By MICHELLE GRAHAM

I

s fear holding you back from being your best self? What can you do this fall that can lead you in the direction of being the very best you can be and perhaps even tackle a fear that you have? A fear of one kind or another can truly hold us back from accomplishing big things. Some fear can be associated with the unknown while other fears like different types of phobias can be very limiting and require medical attention. Fear of the unknown is normal, a natural human instinct and if we truly dig deep we can often tackle the fears that hold us back. A quote by John Allen Paulos is the perfect example “Uncertainty is the only certainty there is and knowing how to live with insecurity is the only security”.

Finding ways to cope with small fears can truly propel us to tackle new and very exciting challenges. How can you tackle your fears this fall and move you in the direction of life-long change? Below are some ideas that can help you overcome your fears and anxiety.

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. PRACTICE TAKING A

TIME-OUT. Clarity of mind can be a beautiful thing. What can you do during your hectic day that can take you away from fear or worry and help you to gain perspective and decrease anxiousness?

Could you practice Yoga, Tai Chi, take a run or walk, read something inspirational or perhaps meditate? Find ways to celebrate being in the moment. Stop to recognize an amazing sunset a beautiful child or enjoy a simple conversation with a friend and listen really LISTEN. Enjoy each moment and be present in that moment. We seem to rush through our days and never take time to enjoy the small moments that come and go at an alarming rate. In a word SLOW DOWN. BE PERFECT PERHAPS THERE ARE OTHER POSSIBILITIES.

Recognize other possible solutions to something that may be troubling you or cause you fear. Discuss your fears with a friend or colleague. I love to plan, I love having my day planned out but I also recognize even a well-planned day can take on a different direction and then with no warning my whole day and plan changes. Have a willingness to go with the flow, have a will-

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. DON’T OBSESS OVER THINGS THAT YOU CANNOT CONTROL.

As much I crave control in all things I recognize I am not always in control. Many things can control the day. Set yourself up for success even simple things can garner success. Be ready to conquer your day, part is planning and part is finding inner confidence to carry out the task. Practice, practice, practice, if you are someone who gets nervous before a presentation then put in a place a way to get better at this task.

Take a class to help improve in an area of weakness find a mentor but most important how can you get through your fear?

spoken by another.

Pursue the things that make you anxious. These are the moments that we find inner growth and our dreams can become reality. Take your fears and find simple mindful, thoughtful ways to overcome them. If one plan to overcome a fear does not work reach into your bag of positive thinking and use a new plan. Failure leads to growth, which later turns to success. Find and build small success, these can lead to BIG results. A beautiful quote

by OSHO states that “Courage is a LOVE affair with the unknown”. Find your courage today and then the only limitations are those you place upon one-self. Fly high friends.

4

. START SMALL AND BUILD

CONFIDENCE ON THE LITTLE THINGS, and then before you realize

it you are taking on bigger and bigger challenges and facing bigger fears. What is one small challenge that you have? Can you implement a plan to build success? Have a systematic approach, all small successes lead to one big triumph. Conquer fears one at a time. Adding too much to an already full plate can be overwhelming. Take on one and only one challenge or fear at a time.

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. HOW DO YOU HANDLE STRESS AND CHANGE? Are

you up all night with worry or have you put into action a way to deal with the things that cause you stress or strain. Can you put your fear into power? A power to continually move you in the path to overcome challenges. Reflect with kindness about yourself, act in a way that brings results and examine and then acknowledge every success along the way. Often our inner thoughts are the ones that cause the most harm not necessarily the words

Jan Virkler ~ Jeff Van Arsdale 7153 Olmstead Road, Lowville, NY 13367 Featuring Artisanal Feta & Chevre Farm Cheese. Available At: Colwell’s Farm & Garden Market GLENFIELD Barkeater Craft Brewery LOWVILLE Croghan Meat Market, CROGHAN 1000 Islands River Rat Cheese Store CLAYTON The Cheese Store Jeff. Co. Bulk Milk Co-Op WATERTOWN

Email: cedarhedgefarm@frontier.com www.cedarhedgefarm.com 315-376-3621

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. A PLAN DOES NOT HAVE TO

ingness to embrace change in your day. As much as I enjoy planning I also enjoy sometimes flying quite literally by the seat of my pants. Spontaneity can be fun and often some of the best successes are not planned at all. These are the moments we grow and gain insight and yes these moments can even make us anxious and fearful. Sit back and imagine the possibilities. Make a loose plan and realize that no day is perfect.

These moments give us confidence and help us gain introspection.

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[ NNY FOOD FEATURE ]

By Kristen Taylor and Liz Price-Kellogg

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Photo provided by Live Yum

[ NNY FOOD FEATURE ]

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he beginning of the autumn season is one of our favorite times of the year. The colors of the foliage, the qualities of the air, and the harvests are abundant and spectacular. The fall season is also a time of change and transformation. While there is so much to celebrate, we may also find ourselves feeling unsettled and a bit out of balance. The science of Ayurveda teaches us that this is vata season. The elements of air and space are dominant as the temperature turns cooler and this may have an effect on our nervous system, mental health, and also sleep patterns. While it's important to welcome change, it is also critical that we stay grounded.

We invite you to use your mat to celebrate fall's winds of change. Practice grounding breath work techniques and yoga postures to bring a sense of calm to body, mind and spirit. We'd recommend trying Nadi Shodhana Pranayama (Reverse Nostril Breathing) and Ujjayi Pranayama (Victory or Ocean Sounding Breath). Yoga postures or asanas that are grounding and stabilizing include your Warriors (Virabhadrasanas I, II & III), Tadasana (Mountain Pose), Utthita Trikonasana (Extended Triangle Pose), and Savasana (Corpse Pose).* Off your mat, connect with people who calm you, eat warm or room temperature meals using locally sourced ingredients when possible (reap the rewards of the fall harvest), spend time in nature, meditate daily inviting time to move from activity to silence, and remember that above all else, make choices that are the most nourishing for you!

Below we share three fall-focused recipes! Bon Appetit and Namaste! Love, Kristen & Liz

TAHINI BROCCOLI SALAD Live Yum! Enjoy this heart-healthy, dairy-free, tahini-based broccoli salad as a delicious alternative to mayonnaise-based broccoli salads. Tahini is made from toasted sesame seeds and is a major component in hummus and baba ghanoush. Tahini is rich in vitamins and minerals, offers a healthy dose of calcium, promotes healthy cell growth and helps us maintain vibrant skin. Broccoli is a great fall-focused veggie and a good source of folate (folic acid) and antioxidants. Bon Appetit!

What you’ll need: 1T sesame seeds 1 cup raw cashews Himalayan salt (to taste) 2T pure maple syrup Dash cayenne pepper ½ cup tahini ½ cup water 2T olive oil

3 medium cloves garlic 6T lemon juice 3T tamari 3 cups broccoli florets 1 15 oz. can chickpeas (drained and rinsed) ½ cup white onion (diced) 1 carrot (diced) ¼ cup dried cranberries (less sugar added)

1. Toast sesame seeds in a medium skillet over low-medium heat until golden brown and fragrant. Transfer seeds to a plate and allow to cool.

2. In same skillet, toast cashews over low-medium heat, sprinkling with salt to taste throughout process, until golden brown and fragrant. With about one minute to go, add the maple syrup and cayenne and combine for one minute. Transfer nuts to wax paper and allow to cool.

4. In a large mixing bowl, combine broccoli, chickpeas, onion, carrot, and cranberries.

5. Pour dressing over broccoli mixture and combine.

6. Allow salad to marinate for 30 minutes (tossing occasionally) before serving.

7. Plate salad and top with toasted seeds and cashews before serving.

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3. Combine tahini, water, olive oil, garlic, lemon juice, and tamari in a food processor. Blend until smooth.

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[ NNY FOOD FEATURE ]

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Photo provided by Live Yum

[ NNY FOOD FEATURE ]

AUTUMN APPLE SHRUB Yes, shrubs are plants, but they are also vinegary syrups that may be paired with soda water or used in cocktails. The idea of a “shrub” was introduced hundreds of years ago as vinegar was sometimes used to preserve fruits before modern refrigeration. Shrubs were popular cocktails in Colonial America and, recently, there has been a resurgence of popularity for these thirst-quenching, vinegar-based drinks. We have quickly become enamored with the process of creating shrubs out of seasonal fruits and herbs. The final products paired with soda waters, and the occasional liquor, are incredibly refreshing. This shrub may be kept in the refrigerator in a sealed container for about 1-2 weeks. Recipe makes 2 ½ cups of Shrub Syrup.

What you’ll need:

3 cups apple with skin (cubed) 1 sprig rosemary 1” nub of fresh ginger (sliced) 1 cup apple cider vinegar 1 cup organic cane sugar 1 cup water 1 bottle soda water 2-3 oz. gin

Autumn Apple Shrub Syrup: 1. Combine apple, rosemary, ginger, vinegar, sugar, and water in a saucepan. Bring to a boil and then begin to simmer for 20-30 minutes.

2. After about 5-10 minutes of simmering, remove saucepan from heat and mash apple mixture with a cast iron potato masher. Return to simmer for remaining time.

3. Remove mixture from heat and strain shrub liquid into sealable glass container. Cool mixture completely to room temperature before sealing. Place in refrigerator for at least one hour or overnight before using.

Autumn Apple Shrub Sundowner: For a fun, rave-worthy cocktail, combine 1 ½ oz. Autumn Apple Shrub Syrup with 2 oz. gin and 2-3 oz. soda water over ice in a highball glass. We like to use Saint Lawrence Spirits Downbound Gin in this drink!

And, we love supporting another local business! Stir well. Garnish with an apple slice dusted with ground cinnamon and a sprig of rosemary. Enjoy responsibly and in moderation!

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Autumn Apple Shrub Spritz: For a completely non-alcoholic, every-day beverage, combine 6-8 oz. soda water with 1 oz. Autumn Apple Shrub Syrup over ice. Stir well, serve, and enjoy!

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[ NNY FOOD FEATURE ]

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Photo provided by Live Yum

[ NNY FOOD FEATURE ]

THAI PIZZA This vegan pizza is an excellent and delicious option for everybody, but especially those looking to incorporate more plant-based nutrients and less meat and dairy into their diets (this is often a challenge in the pizza world)! The Wood Boat Brewery in Clayton is now offering this vibrant, vegan pizza on their menu (along with our Live Yum Hummus and Falafel Pita). Visit the Wood Boat Brewery to try these Live Yum offerings and support a great local business! You may mix the peanut sauce together ahead of time and store it in the refrigerator for a few days (make it thinner at any point by slowly adding water until you reach your desired consistency). We suggest offering this on a grainy, thinner crust homemade or store bought dough or naan.

What you’ll need:

Toppings

1 cup peanut butter (creamy) 1T sesame oil 2T tamari 5T seasoned rice wine vinegar 2T garlic chili paste (Asian style) 1T maple syrup 4T water Store-bought or homemade pizza dough or naan

Optional Post-Heat Toppings

Peanut Sauce

¼ cup red onion (thinly sliced) 1/2 cup broccoli florets (chopped) ¼ cup red bell pepper (thinly sliced) 1 tsp. olive oil

3 scallions (white and light green parts thinly sliced) ¼ cup fresh cilantro (chopped) 2T sesame seeds Peanut Sauce (thinned with water to drizzle) Chopped peanuts

1. Preheat oven to 400°F. 2. Prepare Peanut Sauce by combining all ingredients. Set aside until use.

3. Top a grainy store-bought or homemade pizza dough with enough Peanut Sauce to well cover the dough.

4. Mix the toppings with the 1 tsp. of olive oil and add the Toppings mixture to the pizza.

5. Bake on a baking sheet or pizza stone for 10-12 minutes or until vegetables begin to char.

6. Once out of the oven, top pizza with Optional Post-Heat Toppings. We suggest all!

7. Serve immediately and enjoy!

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Liz Price-Kellogg and Kristen Taylor, of Clayton, co-founders of Live Yum and authors of the book ‘For the Love of Food and Yoga: A celebration of mindful eating and being’ provide healthy recipes each issue. They are dedicated yogis, mothers, and seekers of well-being. They are passionate about growing in and sharing their passions, joys and loves of living a healthy and spiritually sound lifestyle. You can follow both Liz and Kristen by following their blog!

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The

[ COVER STORY ]

FINE ART of PLATING:

Northern New York chefs aren’t playing they’re creating

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Tin Pan Galley owner Andrew Hanzlian stands in the garden behind the restaurant, where many of the ingredients and garnishes used at the restaurant are grown.

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north country chef recently noted that “people eat with their eyes,” and the better the presentation of the food, the better it tastes.

It’s an old adage, but one that many have agreed upon over the years – how food appears on a plate is connected to a person’s desire to consume it, along with a sense of how well it tastes.

Many north country chefs practice the art of food presentation, also referred to as “plating,” to enhance the appeal of their appetizers, main dishes and desserts.

The “plating” technique involves creating the right combination of tastes, colors and textures to present a visual feast that heightens both the look, and the aroma, of the food being served.

Successful food plating is both an art and a science, and the skilled chefs who practice it say a combination of creativity and strategy is key to achieving a successful food aesthetic.

Some chefs claim it starts with selecting the right plate, and it’s often a white one to provide a neutral background for a combination of colorful food creations – such as brightly-colored fruit or deep green vegetables.

A mix of textures is also part of the approach, and one way is to combine foods with crunchy and smooth textures. There is also the aspect of “creating height” on the plate – for example, stacking asparagus against a mound of mashed potatoes, or adding a chocolate slice atop a piece of cheesecake.

Several north country chefs recently shared their thoughts on the importance of “plating” to create the best possible visual feast for their customers.

TIN PAN GALLEY, 110 WEST MAIN ST., SACKETS HARBOR

For Andy Taylor Hanzlian, owner of the Tin Pan Galley, the food plating process starts in the backyard of his West Main Street restaurant.

Nearly 28 years ago, he started planting several garden plots filled with large assortments of herbs and edible flowers, and these have continued to be a staple to many of his dishes over the decades.

Mr. Hanzlian grows what he calls the “common stock” of herbs used to flavor or garnish a plate, including garlic, sage, rosemary, basil, thyme and parsley.

But one can also find other items in his gardens, such as cardoon (a celery substitute), and several varieties of mint, including the classic chocolate mint used as a garnish for the restaurant’s popular cheesecake recipes.

Only fresh whipped cream is used on desserts at the Tin Pan Galley. While a chocolate mint garnish may be paired with a slice of cheesecake, a chocolate “spike” (homemade with dark, milk or white chocolate) is also added on top of the dessert.

“This is done to add height, because a taller dish has more presentation to it,” Mr. Hanzlian said.

Other examples of food plating desserts at the Tin Pan Galley include the traditional crème brulee, served with a biscotti, and a mocha macadamia mousse torte that is served in a pool of raspberry sauce.

A popular main dish at the restaurant that illustrates the plating process of blending colors, textures and tastes is the Asian Marinated Chilean Sea bass.

The bass is served over a sticky rice timbale with fresh seaweed salad in a pool of lobster sauce. The seaweed salad is placed on the corners of the plate, and the lobster essence sauce is spread around the fish, he said.

“The presentation of the food is very important,” Mr. Hanzlian said. “It must be visually appealing. And it must taste as good as it looks.”

Tin Pan Galley owner Andrew Hanzlian garnishes the Portobello Stacker with a purple basil leaf and flower from a garlic chive fresh from the restaurant’s garden.

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St. Lawrence Spirits Chateau executive chef Christian Ives prepares his signature La Fee Rouge Absinthe Scented Lobster Bisque.

Served with Candied Fennel Lobster Ceviche, Creme Fraiche & Caviar.

While the goal of food plating is to balance the taste, texture and color, “in the end, taste is paramount,” said Christian Ives, chef at St. Lawrence Spirits Chateau, Clayton.

“If it doesn’t taste good, no amount of garnish will save it,” he said.

The process of plating food has a direct effect on the taste of the food itself, he said.

For example, one specialty dish at the Chateau is Kumamoto Oysters, which include a balance of flavors, “all of which must stand on their own to be recognized,” Mr. Ives said.

“Each oyster is topped with an orange miso mignonette, wasabi pea dust and crystallized ginger,” Mr. Ives said. “For one bite, that’s a lot to take in, especially with such bold flavors. Balancing them is critical.”

When a customer first tastes one of these oysters, “the sweet/salty brine from the oyster opens the palate, followed by bright orange miso and a touch of acid from the mignonette,” he said.

Then “the oyster itself takes center stage with its delicate texture and folds, which are lightly contrasted with a subtle crunch from the wasabi pea dust,” Mr. Ives said.

“The oyster is down and as you exhale, the crystallized ginger comes forward with a refreshing breath to cleanse the palate,” he said. “Each ingredient is layered, and all have their moment to shine.”

The chateau grows its own fresh produce, herbs, and flowers, and also buys direct from local farmers who supply pork, eggs, chicken, and organic produce, goat and beef.

Another key component to successful plating is the stemware and the plates themselves, which Mr. Ives called the “canvas.”

“For example, you wouldn’t want to plate a dish that has a black garlic demi glacé on a black plate,” he said. “The rich color would be lost and not stand out as it would on a white plate, accentuating its color and sheen.”

Another plating technique is using odd numbers of food items to help center the plate, because “just like a bullseye, the guest’s interest will be drawn towards the center of the dish,” Mr. Ives said.

“If the dish doesn’t look appetizing, your brain will trick you into believing so,” he said. “If you’re looking for a high end dinner in a nice restaurant, and the dish is haphazardly put together and looks awful, you’re probably not going to enjoy it.”

Although “it could be a stunning work of art, if it doesn’t taste good, the beauty will not contradict the palate,” Mr. Ives added.

“I love plating food,” he said. “I’m an artist at heart, and whether it’s a plate, cedar plank or a block of slate, it is my canvas.”

Triple Stack Of Sesame: Grilled Sourdough, Layered With Seared Yellowfin Tuna, Wakame, Sriracha, Bacon, Shaved Red Onion, Tomato, And Wasabi Aioli.

THE ST. LAWRENCE SPIRITS CHATEAU, CLAYTON

Grilled Lucki 7 Farms Pork Tomahawk with Cilantro Wasabi Creamed Potatoes, Candied Ginger Apple Chutney and finished with a Sweet Soy Gastrique.

Sorbet Trio: Consisting of Coconut Ginger, Mango & Blueberry Lemon. French Blue Lavender Blueberry Ice Cream.

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The butter is melted using a torch for the Tailwater Lodge entree 20-ounce bone-in rib eye steak with mashed potatoes, asparagus, sweet vermouth carmelized onion butter.

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Tailwater Lodge Chef John Grainger displays his favorite entree of north country southern fried chicken with mashed potatoes, maple bacon collard greens, orange honey corn muffin, and local maple syrup.

THE TAILWATER LODGE, 52 PULASKI ST., ALTMAR

The Tailwater Lodge caters to a variety of customers, including many visitors who travel to the Tug Hill region to fish on the well-known Salmon River in the fall and spring, and ride the snowmobile trails during the winter months.

The facility also hosts many conferences and weddings, along with offering meals on a daily basis to local customers.

Head chef John Grainger said the Tailwater Lodge menu offers a variety of food to meet the needs of its varied customers – everything from “comfort food” to “new age items,” along with special vegan and gluten-free dishes.

Part of the technique with food plating is to “let the food speak for itself,’ said Mr. Grainger.

“If it looks great, it will taste great,” he said.

While creativity plays a role, it’s also important not to get too carried away, because “the food presentation has to be identifiable,” he said.

“You don’t need to go too crazy,” he said.

“You want a variety of texture, color and height on the plate, but sometimes less is more.”

“The plate needs to look clean, not cluttered,” Mr. Grainger added. “Our overall focus is on the quality of the food, cooking it the right way, and making it look good.”

“We really focus on the ingredients first,” many which are locally sourced, he said.

The right presentation of the food is important to enable the customer to appreciate the taste and flavor of the dish, Mr. Grainger said.

For example, a high-quality steak may just need to be grilled with salt and pepper for seasoning, but its flavor will be enhanced with melted butter, and that is part of the

presentation.

This is sometimes accomplished with a tool in the kitchen – a small blow torch to partially melt a butter patty on top of a steak (although the entire patty is not melted, because you still want the customer to know it’s butter, he said).

“We can use this same technique for our crème brulee,” Mr. Grainger said. “It can make something look very shiny or pretty.”

On a plate with a steak, Mr. Grainger will stack asparagus on a mound of garlic mashed potato so the dish is not “flat.” The green vegetable will also add color by contrasting with the white potatoes, he said.

“Color is one of the biggest things, and we always use white plates” to avoid a clash of colors, he said.

A popular dish at the restaurant is the “North Country Southern Fried Chicken,” (a boneless chicken breast with the drumette attached – also known as a frenched breast of chicken). This specialty is brined with a combination of garlic and sage, butter and salt.

The chicken is paired with fresh collard greens and onion, a homemade orange and honey cornbread muffin, a side of roasted garlic mashed potatoes and a side of locally produced maple syrup.

“This is an example of comfort food,” said Mr. Grainger. “It’s one of our best sellers.”

The restaurant also offers a mix of colors and textures in a new vegan dish, a pasta made from zucchini, topped with smoked tomato broth, pesto, roasted mushrooms and bell peppers.

The method of food plating can even be applied to one item, Mr. Grainger said.

For example, the Tailwater Lodge offers an appetizer of homemade buttermilk-battered onion rings, served with a dipping sauce.

Parsley is sprinkled around the edge of the plate for a garnish.

“There is contrast on the plate with the green parsley,” he said. “Otherwise it would look rather blah on the plate.”

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DAYTONA NILES n NNY LIVING Duane Smith grows fig trees in his own backyard, he has been growing them for years and he likes to incorporate them in his art and in his cooking.

[ NNY ART FEATURE ]

Artful Living Duane Smith :

Synthesis

By KARI ROBERTSON

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philosopher artist who has been called “a fig whisperer.” A relentless observer of life forms searching for pieces of knowledge from which to grow a dream. A citizen scientist who brings far flung times and cultures to Northern New York through agriculture. An art educator who markets to his students with a sign in big bubble letters “COMING SOON… THE ROMAN EMPIRE!” and later seduces them, their teachers and families into creating dreams and solving problems of their own. A businessman, plant seller, relationship builder. In Duane Smith, check the following box: All of the above.

“It’s stone soup. I’m just throwing in my stone,” says Duane, “Only my stone’s really polished. It might attract a little attention, but ultimately that soup is going to be built by everybody…”

When people become excited about a topic, Duane calls it “vibrating.” That’s what he does, and wants it for others, “to get motivated, to find whatever it is in them to bring, in their lifetime, to humanity.” The setting of art in education is uniquely positioned to help individuals to find their own problems and solutions.

He watches as his students choose to work harder, ask questions, to get emotionally connected to their work.

In Bloom’s Taxonomy, “synthesis” is the highest order of thinking. Duane says that is where all education should be aiming, toward combining curiosity with knowledge and vision.

Duane Smith’s curiosity about the natural world goes back to his childhood. He grew up in the Sicilian section of Syracuse. “Dominic lived to the left and Tulio to the right and they both had big, beautiful gardens. You could see all this problem-solving going on. Tulio was really proud of his little irrigation channels. He would water it in one spot, and proudly say, ‘See, I’m done for the week!’ Neighbors handed you food and that was kind of the glue of the community. They shared their produce, Sunday homemade pasta meals.”

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ing a fig forest of everyone’s favorites,” he says with a laugh. The collection is the result of connections he has made with other growers and his ability to propagate new plants. Another part of his solution is three large metal tanks that are sunk underground. They keep a steady temperature. He will soon be tucking his fig library into these cozy tanks for the winter.

“Greek nobility would open the temple walls to allow all to enjoy the feast. Sharing the Vasilica Sica kept the peace”. That the fig tree is culturally and historically significant suits Duane’s philosophy that we must study other cultures to help us to find our way.

Often, Duane gets new samples by bartering. If you have something rare, you have bartering power. “I am like a librarian, collecting things. In this case it happens to be the fig. And then you taste them! So sweet!” Smith is beginning to explore potential outlets for his crop. “It’s taken me this long to get them to produce on a larger scale…. And chefs want them.”

Sono deliziosi! (They are delicious) Smith calls the fig growing, “An oddity, a little sliver of all the other stuff.”

While he does offer fig trees to serious collectors only, his everyday business is selling other plants. They include various grapes, blueberries, currants, raspberries, rhubarb, honeyberries/haskap apple trees.

In his quest to deal with the cold, Duane has become connected with agricultural scientists around the world.

He gets emails from growers in Russia, China, Canada, looking to purchase from him--which he cannot do because of quarantine laws. However, “the very fact that Russians and Chinese correspond with me lets me know that this is pretty powerful stuff. We have valuable germ plants and there is a market for them.”

Duane’s advice for others who want to live an artful life: “Be patient with yourself. Drive your own life. Other people might try to solve your problem, and by doing so, can prevent you from doing it. The solution is the way that YOU solve it, not the way someone else solves it. Stay excited about the world. Look at other cultures which are closer than we think. Go outside of your own paradigm for a while. Let yourself be delighted by experiences and discoveries that feed your soul.”

DAYTONA NILES n NNY LIVING FROM LEFT: Duane Smith has a passion for growing figs and incorportating them into his artwork and art education. He grows them at home and spends many hours perfecting the art of the perfect fig.

RIGHT: Duane Smith stands with his charcoal art that sits among his fig trees that he has been growing for years at his home.

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Learn more at: www.SeawayColdHardyGrapes.com Visit the farm at 29250 Route 11 Evans Mills, NY 13617 The equation for this series on Artful Living in NNY: Curiosity + Passion + New Perspectives + Action = Artful Living

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Originally a biology student, Duane switched to art. “The reason that I loved art was the energy and dedication of the professors I worked with.” Professor Mike Fox’s message was personal, that you have to fight for your freedom.

People might not always like what you do (or what you draw) but you must do it!

You must create from your own vision.

In the early 2000’s, Duane was getting curious about cold weather viticulture (grape growing and wine making) here in Northern New York. This brought a new thesis question, a problem.

“Facts were not adding up in my own state. Why was there not more research into fruit growing in Northern New York?

And then, I get this epiphany. Further north, in Quebec, they have dairy and they’ve got wine. And professors at Cornell are not even aware of it. So, that really pushed me forward.” `He began to study the microclimate and cool weather viticulture successes in Quebec and at the University of Minnesota. He also saw patterns of commonality between our area and China and Russia. No one here was thinking this way.

He began to test, defining his problem, and realized it was bigger than he even imagined. He was seeing something that “apparently no one else was seeing.”

The tiny pebble that Duane threw into the vat, around 2001, was to place an advertisement in the Pennysaver. He was looking for local people who might want to explore cold hardy viticulture. It brought only two responses. They were from Nick Surdo and Steve Conaway, who eventually began their own successful wineries in the north country. As the locals and tourists know, the winery trail has grown exponentially since then.

Also in about 2000, Duane ran across an article about a fig grower in Connecticut, Aldo Biogiatti, who was pushing the limits of cool weather fig tree growing.

Relatively exclusive to the warm climate of the Mediterranean, figs are the oldest known cultivated fruit and have been with mankind for 3,000 years. They are revered for their legendary flavors. Duane called Aldo to ask him a few questions about it. He was delighted when Aldo actually sent him an Abruzzi fig tree, which he still has. “That personal contact amped it up,” said Duane.

Seventeen years later, Duane has two large greenhouses full of all kinds of figs named after generations of families and places of origin. “Pretty soon I’m grow-

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[ FOOD FEATURE ]

A Sweet Restart as a Business is Reborn

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By NICOLE CALDWELL

ground to summer resort area meant a sigust nificant spike in visitors, but also in danger: about fires were a frequent and dangerous reality anyon an island lit by candles and lanterns. The one who’s stepped Thousand Island Park Hotel in 1890 burned foot on Wellesley Island to the ground in less than 45 minutes. since 1913—including the likes of Abbie Even after electricity arrived at TI park Hoffman, George Boldt and family, and in 1892, firefighters struggled to combat the any number of politicians, noteworthy spate of fires that swept through the park’s musicians and famous actors—has likely wooden structures. A single fire in 1912 engulfed 12 boathouses and a boat shop. also stepped foot inside The Guzzle.

Another fire took out the Columbian Hotel That iconic, classic American ice cream (already rebuilt from a previous fire), a chashop in Thousand Island Park served up sweet treats to residents and tourists alike pel, seven businesses, almost 100 cottages for a century and a year before burning and three schools. down in 2014, only to be rebuilt bigger and Something had to be done. brighter three years later.

So in 1913, a “fireproof” building at the Some things, especially those holding sacred spaces in our collective, cultural imagination, just can’t be destroyed.

Standing at the helm of such an icon is no small task.

“Whenever you undertake something that’s been undertaken before there’s always that added level of pressure,” said Laurel Zarkosky, who now runs Guzzle with her husband, Mark.

“You know how important it is to the community, and how much people are looking forward to it.

Especially here, people have been missing it for three AMANDA MORRISON n NNY LIVING years. Watching that fire was Customers enter the Guzzle, which has recently reopened after burning down. devastating. There was that added level of, ‘OK, we put 1,001 percent corner of St. Lawrence Avenue and Raininto everything; but if there are any extra percentages, we need to throw them in there bow Street East was constructed of cement blocks. That structure, over the years, too.’ We want people to feel the love that we housed the park’s post office, fire departhave crafting everything here.“ ment, grocery story and quaint little ice cream shop called, simply, “Guzzle.”

A CLASSIC ICE CREAM SHOP, For the next century, kids enjoyed their HOUSED IN A “FIREPROOF” first taste of ice cream at the Guzzle and BUILDING, WAS BUILT TO LAST. bought their first penny candies. Families Thousand Island Park was established met there after church, or convened there on as a campground site in 1874. By 1877, Friday afternoons. Everyone on Wellesley campsites were being forsaken for permaIsland (and over much of the north country) nent structures. Around 500 lots were built has some classic, nostalgic memories of on, with 50 new cottages on average being times at the Guzzle. All are good. added each year. Transitioning from camp-

“It was really a gathering place for kids— they’d ride their bikes over, leave their bikes out front, get candy, Swedish fish and ice cream,” Laurel said. “Mark and I both have experiences with it as a child. I used to play sports every day—softball on Mondays, Wednesday and Fridays, and soccer Tuesdays and Thursdays. The noon siren went off and we would all hunt for cans and get them redeemed so we could get popsicles or penny candy or whatever. A lot of kids [around here] have stories like that.”

“Without question, the appeal or love of the Guzzle has been the sense of community that was always felt by TI Parkers and their guests, just like one really big family,” said Robert Bornhurst, an 85-year-old native of Syracuse who has been coming to Thousand Island Park for 38 years. “It included all ages from newborns to 100-year-olds. Everyone knew everyone else, and everyone shared the same interest of welcoming and camaraderie in making sure that all had a pleasant time while at ‘our park.’ The Guzzle was the focal point where it all began every year. It became the heart and soul of our community. Even first-time renters could share in the excitement and happiness that was felt by us.”

In 2014, that fireproof building housing the Guzzle proved mortal after all. Fire inspectors attributed the fire, which engulfed the entire commercial building, to an electrical blaze “with origin undetermined.” A massive rebuild plan was enacted with support from the community to not only remake the space, but to maintain the history of what that space meant to the people who frequented it.

And that all rested on getting the Guzzle back.

A FAMILY TRADITION. Laurel grew up spending summers on Wellesley Island. “My parents still have a house here,” she said. “We were really fa-

[ FOOD FEATURE ] miliar with it, the ice cream and the candy.”

Mark grew up just over the bridge. His parents owned PJ’s River Rat Café at Fishers Landing, and he graduated from Thousand Islands High School in Clayton. Mark went on to earn a degree from RIT with a focus on restaurant management. Since then, he’s opened and managed restaurants for a variety of companies. More recently, he and Laurel began talking about opening up a restaurant of their own. When they heard the Guzzle needed people to run it, they jumped at the opportunity.

But they also had real stakes in it. The pressure was on to recreate a place not only beloved by the husband and wife, but by their entire community. Laurel and Mark set about designing the menu, painstakingly picking out ice cream flavors, and designing the new logo.

“They did a great job with invoking the feelings of the old guzzle and matching the feel,” Laurel said of the newly constructed building. “The little character things, like the tin ceiling and the coloring are great. And yet it’s still modern.”

“It was a great framework to start out with,” Mark agreed. “And it was up to us to take over the look of the place and the culture. For us, we’re excited to have our 15-month-old growing up here. She’s going to be able to see what goes on and grow up in this industry like I did, while also enjoying all the activities Laurel enjoyed when she was growing up.”

It’s hard to say if such a community mainstay would have had such a smooth opening had it not been pulled off by members of that same community.

“We really put our heart and soul into getting this operating,” Laurel said. “There was construction equipment heading out 4:59 p.m. the day before Memorial Day, and we were sliding the ice cream window open.

The upstairs got finished in July. It’s amaz-

ing to see it evolve so quickly.”

A COMMUNITY STAPLE, REIMAGINED. “The Guzzle has always been a central gathering place for Thousand Island Park,” said Thomas Brown, 47, a Boston resident who has been coming to TI Park for 13 years with his husband, 61-year-old Tom Mousin.

“That it has served ice cream makes it all the more delicious… and the BBQ ribs on Saturday are the absolute best I’ve ever had!”

“It was always wonderful that such a popular gathering place was centrally located at the Four Corners, an easy walk or bike ride from anywhere on the park,” Mousin agreed.

With an upstairs seating area for quiet workspace or conversation, a large dining area on the first floor with classic ice cream counter, and outdoor seating to boot, the huge, reimagined space has something for everyone—no matter their age. The new space is huge, to be sure. The newly designed Guzzle “seemed huge,” Bornhurst said, “with bright garish lighting, not the small cozy, inviting nook of its predecessor.

My thought was just give it a chance.. The menu was wonderful, and the meals very tasty. The wait staff was friendly, upbeat

and most helpful. They did a great job in putting it all together and working as a team, helping each other out. They became the welcoming ambassadors to TI Park and once again there was the excitement and caring that I feared had been lost.”

“The new concessionaires, Mark and Laurel, have made the new Guzzle a place where old friends and new friends come together, including residents of other communities along the Saint Lawrence River,” Brown said. “Jonathan Taylor’s design of the building—with its open concept and its orientation to the outdoors—ensures that TI Parkers will continue the tradition of welcoming neighbors near and far to our little piece of heaven.”

That the Guzzle had a strong summer economically is icing on the cake for Laurel and Mark, of course. To them, it’s all about keeping something so dear to them, alive.

“The kids smile because they’re so excited about the candy, or the families gather for food,” Laurel said. “We had a family of 43 or 45 one day. It’s neat to see how the community and members of the larger community really embrace the spot and really appreciate it like we do. That’s been one of our greatest sense of wonderment.”

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It is a great time to buy or sell real estate.

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WATERTOWN DAILY TIMES FILE PHOTO

Brewing a special taste one pint at a time

BY NICOLE CALDWELL

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he north country’s love affair with all things local—from furniture to food and wine—has in the last several years seeped into the craft beer market. Today, New York state boasts more than 340 micro, farm and restaurant breweries. And much to tri-county beer enthusiasts’ delight, you can hardly turn around anymore without learning about a new craft brewery opening up around the corner, or expanded options (and markets) for craft beers we’ve grown to love.

From Lowville to Potsdam, the brewers share a common love of crafting fine beers of every variety to delight all brands of drinkers, whether you fancy your IPAs poured into a flight in a tasting room, keep growlers on-hand for refill at any number of retail craft beer stores, or straight out of a tap in your favorite north country barroom or restaurant.

THE NORTH COUNTRY IS STEEPED IN LOCAL BREWERIES. Every corner of St. Lawrence, Lewis and Jefferson counties are now boasting premier breweries, beer-themed events, and even competitions.

New shops have been popping up to bring the brewery to your shopping basket, too. Watertown alone is now housing Bear World, Griff's and Bottle Caps, among others, all of which cater to the craft beer sector.

From the Black River Brew and Music Fest in Watertown to home brewery tours and tastings in Massena, every season seems to bring with it more chances to learn how to brew your own beer, sample new local varieties, or even compete alongside fellow brewmasters for statewide notoriety.

NORTH COUNTRY BEERS ARE UNLIKE THOSE FOUND ANYWHERE ELSE. Just as Tri-County residents have taken a renewed interest in locally sourced food from the North Country’s robust farming community, so too have brewers taken a distinct interest in the unique flavors and smells of the region and applied them to custom beers.

Local beer brewers love to rely on local ingredients.

At BarkEater brewery in Lowville, brewer and co-owner Dean T. Richards taps local produce like honey, apples and maple sap. Ryan Chaif, co-owner at Skewed Brewing Company at Salmon Run Mall in Watertown, has said rural smokestacks have inspired his flagship beer, the Breaking Out Stout.

Throughout the region, you can expect your favorite, regional beers to be heavy with Oktoberfest-style flavors reflective of the changing, falling leaves outside; and, soon enough, holiday brews loaded with malts and smoky overtones that will evoke memories of sitting fireside under some blankets.

Peaches and apples from local farms, maple sap from nearby trees, and hops grown down the road? These are elements of beer you just can’t get from some import.

“It’s real important to show that the north country has its own products,” Gersten said. “And show it can compete with the rest of the state and world—and we can produce outstanding products.”

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FOR BREWERS, IT’S ALL ABOUT STAYING AHEAD OF THE GAME. “The hardest part about brewing is staying ahead of the game,” said Andy Gersten, Sackets Harbor Brewing Company’s 47-year-old brewmaster. Gersten has been making beer for 20 years.

“I got into brewing in my early 20s,” he said. “There wasn’t a lot of good craft beer then, so you had to make it yourself.

I started working in the industry in ’97 as an assistant, and worked my way up the ladder. Filtering and brewing are my favorite aspects of brewing.”

Gersten is most excited about Sackets Harbor Brewing’s diversity. “We have everything from an Irish style stout to a west coast-style double IPA, to a German-style Kolsch,” he said. His favorites? The 1812 Light Kolsch, Malicious Intent Double IPA, or the 1812 Amber. Sackets Harbor Brewing Company has been producing its own beer since 1995.

“The big difference in locally produced product as to an import is that the local is fresher and you can get it most of the time right at the breweries,” Gersten said.

“I select the malt and hops I use based on the style I’m creating. I get malt and hops from all over the world; from Czech to Germany, Belgium, England and the USA.”

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What makes a beer a craft beer?

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he craft beer business is booming.

According to the Brewers Association, small and independent American craft brewers contributed $55.7 billion to the United States economy in 2014, providing more than 424,000 jobs across the country.

While craft beer is growing in popularity, even the most ardent craft beer

O.D.

drinkers may not know just what qualifies a beer for craft beer status. Defining craft beer can be difficult, but the Brewers Association says there are certain criteria that American brewers should meet before they can be characterized as craft brewers. · SIZE: Craft brewers are small, with CraftBeer.com saying breweries cannot

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OPEN 7 DAYS A WEEK Hours M-F 7-6, Sat. 8-5; Sun. 8-3 O.D. Greene Lumber & Hardware, as a company, will be guided by the ethics and belief of the owner, management and every employee, displaying honest and integrity in all our endeavors. Our Goal is to create customer service that is not just the best, but legendary.

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produce more than six million barrels of beer per year. · INDEPENDENT: Ownership also determines if a brewer can be characterized as a craft brewer. The Brewers Association says that, to be considered a craft brewer, no more than 25 percent of the brewery can be owned or controlled (or equivalent economic interest) by an alcohol industry member that is not itself a craft brewer. · TRADITIONAL: Craft brewers must have a majority of their total beverage alcohol volume in beers whose flavor derives from traditional or innovative brewing ingredients and their fermentation.

Those requirements are more stringent, but there are some additional characteristics that help to define the craft brewing industry. For example, the Brewers Association notes that many craft brewers are heavily involved in their communities. Such involvement may involve craft brewers sponsoring local events, but may also include philanthropy, product donations and volunteerism.

Innovation is another hallmark of craft brewers. Craft brewers often offer their own interpretations of classic beer styles, giving these styles unique twists.

That departure from the norm is what draws beer drinkers to craft beers.

The craft beer business is booming and has revolutionized how people think about and consume beer. More information about craft beer is available at www. brewersassociation.org. ~M.S.

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OUTER WASHINGTON ST. WATERTOWN NY 315-788-6022

WaiteToyota.com

Let's Go Places

SEASONAL INFLUENCES AND THE HOME BREWER

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iving in Northern New York gives us the opportunity to experience many seasonal changes. Such changes allow the “Brew Lovin” homebrewers an opportunity to experiment with each season’s flavor profile.

As each season’s harvest of spices and fruits becomes available, homebrewers think of ways to incorporate them into a new seasonal style or existing recipe. During the summer, for example, they might enjoy saisons and Belgians since the yeast works better at higher temperatures.

During winter, however, they may be stuck brewing lagers because these brew well at lower temperatures. Since purchasing a controlled fermentation vessel can be too costly for most homebrewers, using a yeast that cooperates well with the seasonal temperatures can be much more affordable.

Because twenty percent of brewery sales originate from the sale of seasonal beers, creating these profiles for each season has become more than just an art form. It has become a great way for breweries

and even some homebrewer to tap into the seasonal market.

Each season brings a variety of styles and flavor profiles: • SUMMER will bring light and

crisp flavors providing styles with fruity beers, shandys and wheat beers. Sours are the upcoming new style that is becoming popular with consumers. A good summer suggestion would be Sixpoint Gose and Naragansett Shandy.

• FALL will bring those Thanksgiv-

ing spices with maltier and heavier bodies in the beers, with flavors like maple and pumpkin that can be found in Oktoberfest style beers and wet hop IPAs.

• WINTER provides warmth and heavy body, malty, high alcoholby-volume (ABV) beers which are relished in the cold weather season.

Consumers can be found loving Belgian strong dark ales, porters and stouts.

• SPRING brings freshness of light crisp malty sweetness, turning consumers to saisons, bocks and biere de garde with fresh hopped beers. A favorite is Troegs Cultivator Helles Bock or Allagash Saison.

Following the seasonal trends, and seeing first-hand what the consumers prefer has helped generate a unique and varied selection at craft beverage stores like Bottlecaps Beverage Craft Beer & Home Brew Supply on Arsenal Street in Watertown. The popularity and growth of Home Brewing in the local area prompted a Home Brewing Seminar that took place on September 20. Following the event, a beer competition will be held this fall, where at home brewers can submit their best brews.

Deadline for entry is Oct. 29.

For more information contact Mary Miles at Bottlecaps Beverage Craft Beer & Home Brew Supply, 315- 681-4053.

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IT’S A PIRATE’S LIFE FOR ME AMANDA MORRISON n NNY LIVING Alex Mosher throws "pirate treasure" into the crowd during Bill Johnston's Pirate Days in Alexandria Bay.

By LENKA WALLDROFF

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here are few locals or tourists alike who have not heard of the Thousand Islands’ most famous (or infamous?) adopted citizen- Bill Johnston. While every year, Alexandria Bay set aside the first two weeks of August to fete his memory with a pirate invasion that doubles as a wonderful excuse to dust off the old Halloween costume, engage in a bit of revelry, and a water fight or two on the St. Lawrence River, the celebration is based a bit more on historic enthusiasm than history itself.

Understandable when it comes to a Bill Johnston, as fact and fiction have combined over the years to make rather strange bedfellows. In fact, so much fiction has been promoted as fact over the course of history concerning Commodore Johnston that it has become increasingly difficult to separate the two. Here then, dear readers, is my earnest attempt to do so.

Bill Johnston was one of a twelve children born to British Loyalist parents sometime around 1780. After this point, historic accounts diverge. Some claim that he was born at Trois Rivières, Canada, (up Montreal way) in 1782; others contend that he was actually born in the American colonies and moved with his family to Ontario in 1781 to escape the Revolution (as Loyalists, his parents wanted to hear none of the “independence from the Crown bit.”) In either case, he was born sometime around the American Revolution and grew up in Ontario, just outside of Kingston, on what became the family farm.

His early professional life was rather varied, apprenticed to a blacksmith for a number of years, he eventually transitioned to potash manufacturing, and by his mid-twenties, set about a mercantile career, ferrying goods across Lake Ontario on his schooner. By many historic accounts, while much of his cargo was legitimate— that is, declared and taxed — much of it (mostly tea and rum) wasn’t quite on the upand-up. However, the smuggling trade proved profitable and after a few years, Johnston had put aside enough money to purchase a storefront in Kingston, becoming one of the city’s more “legitimately” prosperous merchants. So legitimate, in fact, that sometime around 1807 he even married and began a family.

So how does one go from a respected uppermiddle class merchant to a swashbuckling pirate? Was it another professional vagary, or perhaps boredom with the staid life of a businessman? Alas, it had more to do with the

British and the War of 1812.

Mr. Johnston’s shipping activities attracted the suspicion of a British military commander who, in May of 1813, had Johnston arrested for spying. A bit of a spat ensued, which then led to the British confiscation of Johnston’s property. It might be said that while his parents were British Loyalists, Johnston had inherited a more fiery and independent spirit. By means of historic psychoanalytical conjecture, it is commonly believed that he was so outraged by the unjust confiscation of his property that he vowed revenge on the British. In either case Johnston apparently pledged himself to the American commander of the United States Navy in Lake Ontario, effectively becoming both an exCanadian- American patriot as well as a bit of a nuisance to the British Navy. Johnston spent the next two years spying on the British, attacking their supply boats, robbing mail couriers, burning ships, and supposedly participating in the battles of Sackets Harbor and Crysler's Farm.

You know, pirate-y things.

Eventually the war ended and by the 1830s, Bill had settled in (the American side of) the Thousand Islands. He established a waterfront shop and continued smuggling tea and rum to Canada. By some historic accounts, his income was padded by the U.S. government in exchange for useful information on Canadians smuggling goods into America.

Life was good- and then that little-known conflict called the Patriots’ War began. The Cliff’s Notes version for the uninitiated: beginning in 1837, a group of Canadians staged a series of rebellions against the colonial authority of Upper and Lower Canada (known today as Quebec and Ontario.) Led by the first mayor of Toronto, William Mackenzie, the rebels declared an independent “Republic of Canada” on Navy Island and “invaded” Canada numerous times over the course of the ensuing year. After losing the American Revolution some fifty years prior, the British were in no mood for colonial temper tantrums and quickly suppressed the uprising.

Much more befitting to a Hollywood movie (cue Braveheart!), and therefore somewhat suspect in terms of accuracy, one historic account claims that Johnston was apparently drawn into the short-lived conflict as much by the British destruction of Mackenzie’s supply ship The Caroline (during which an American sailor was killed), as by his own temper- fueled by his personal history with the British. In either case, his role in the Patriots’ War was brief and is only mentioned here as it led to his most famous his-

[ HISTORICALLY SPEAKING ] toric exploit- the destruction of the British steamer the Sir Robert Peel.

It unfolded thusly: in May of 1838, the Canadian rebels hatched a scheme to hijack the Peel as it stopped to refuel on Wellesley Island, planning to use it to shuttle their own troops to Canada. Well, to quote poet Robert Burns: “The best-laid plans of mice and men, go oft awry.” Things did not proceed according to plan and, unable to restart the stalled steamer, Commodore Johnston , who by now was Admiral of the Rebel’s Eastern Navy—although the rebels had no navy at all, much less an Eastern one— ordered the steamboat looted (it was carrying 20,000 pounds sterling in military payroll) and burned. Apparently, and not without a touch of melodrama, the whole scene was accompanied by shouts of “Remember The Caroline!” The burning ship was then pushed out into the St. Lawrence River where it sank. The hull remains a popular destination for scuba divers today.

The Sir Robert Peel episode not only earned Johnston the “pirate” moniker, but it nearly ignited an international kerfuffle between the Americans and the British.

Fearing reprisals from the British for what could arguably be a violation of the neutrality agreement

that ended the War of 1812, the American authorities sought to have Johnston and his men arrested.

Heavy rewards were offered for the apprehension of the men by both the Canadian and U.S. governments. Johnston supposedly hid in caves along the St. Lawrence River for a time - the source of the famous story where his daughter, Kate Johnston, smuggled supplies to him while he was hiding on Devil’s Oven Island. It may be of interest to note that Kate herself refuted the story in an interview with the Watertown Re-Union newspaper in February of 1873.

In either case, Johnston was eventually captured and indicted for arson in the first degree. Defended by no fewer than four lawyers, a jury deliberation of only two hours brought in a verdict of “not guilty.”

Twelve of Johnston’s men were ultimately arrested and held in the Watertown jail for nearly six months before they were eventually released on their own recognizance.

They were never subjected to a trial.

Johnston is reported to have spent the remainder of his years in a relatively quiet retirement- at least for a pirate, reverting to his old standby of smuggling, and eventually opening a tavern. On 12 April 1853, Johnston was appointed as keeper of the Rock Island Lighthouse located just north of Clayton. He died in 1870.

struck in the treaty

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WATERTOWN DAILY TIMES PHOTOS Bill Johnston Pirate Days 1963, 1968 & 1969.

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[ FOOD TRENDS ]

Viral Food Trends Growing in Taste

By KATIE MACHIA

One minute it’s all about avocado toast, and the next thing you know, sweet potato toast is slowly creeping into restaurant menus and toasters everywhere. In the past few years, the rise of food that looks more like art than something you can eat, has sky rocketed. Every time you browse online, there’s a new article about the latest food trend because people are creating newer and wilder

plates every day.

There has been an influx of “viral” food trends on Facebook, Instagram, and Pinterest featuring many delicious-looking foods.

While it can be fun to make these recipes, it can be even more fun to eat them. Here is a breakdown of the most viral dishes we’ve seen so far in 2017 from some of the best food bloggers on the internet.

ACAI BOWLS Acai Bowls, a Brazilian dish Acaí na tingela, is made with frozen and mashed acai pal fruit. This serves as the base for the dish. Granola, fruit, seeds, and syrups are added on top. These are also frequently called “smoothie bowls,” as the finished product looks like a smoothie served in a bowl. In this recipe, Downshiftology prepares a bowl with mixed berries.

DOWNSHIFTOLOGY.COM

INGREDIENTS 2 packets unsweetened frozen acai 1 cup frozen mixed berries 1 banana 1 cup cashew milk 2 tbsp almond butter 1 scoop collagen peptides (optional)

TOPPINGS bee pollen chia seeds coconut flakes mixed berries hemp seeds (optional) cacao nibs (optional) INSTRUCTIONS 1. Place all the acai bowl ingredients together in a high-powered blender and blend until smooth.

2. Pour into two bowls and top with mixed fruit and a variety of toppings.

POKE BOWLS Poke has made its way to the east coast from California. A raw fish salad that can be mixed with various add-ins ranging from, you guessed it, avocado to seaweed salad. The dish can be finished off with anything from soy sauce to sesame ginger.

In this recipe, Jessica Gavin shows us how to make an Ahi Tuna Poke Bowl.

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INGREDIENTS 1 pound sushi grade ahi tuna cut into 3/4 inch cubes 1/4 cup soy sauce 1 teaspoon rice vinegar 1 1/2 teaspoons Sesame oil, La ourangelle 3/4 teaspoon red pepper flakes crushed 1/3 cup green onions thinly sliced 1/2 teaspoon sesame seeds plus more for garnish

2 cups brown rice or white rice, cooked 2 cups salad greens INSTRUCTIONS 1. In a medium sized bowl combine ahi tuna, soy sauce, rice vinegar, sesame oil, crushed red pepper flakes, green onions and sesame seeds. Stir to combine. Serve immediately or refrigerate covered for up to 2 hours before serving. Toss to recombine in the sauce before serving.

2. Add cooked rice, salad, poke and desired toppings to each bowl.

3. Substitute tamari for soy sauce if you need a wheat free alternative.

4.You can cut cubes of firm tofu and marinate for at least 30 minutes before serving if you are looking for a vegetarian protein.

JESSICAGAVIN.COM

[ FOOD TRENDS ] SWEET POTATO TOAST Sweet Potato toast is a fun spin on your traditional toast you make with bread.

It can be a healthier alternative packed with healthy vitamins and nutrients for you to power through the day. The best thing about sweet potato toast is all the different foods you can throw on top of it.

Scrambled eggs, peanut butter, avocado, even beans. Neurotic Mommy shows up five variations of the dish.

INGREDIENTS 2 medium sweet potatoes, cut lengthwise in 1/4" slices 1 tbsp almond butter, handful of blueberries, handful of pomegranates handful of shredded coconut 1 kiwi, sliced 1 plum, sliced and handful of pomegranates 1 tbsp of peanut butter, 1 banana, and handful of dairy free chocolate chips

INSTRUCTIONS 1. Wash and cut the sweet potatoes lengthwise about 1/4" thick.

2. Put toaster on highest setting and toast sweet potato slices until soft on the inside and brown on the outside. It will resemble a roasted marshmallow in texture. Repeat this step until sweet potato toasts are cooked through about 2 to 3 times in the toaster.

3. While your slices are being toasted prepare all the toppings you wish you use.

There really is no exact measurement for any of them so I gave you round about what I used. You can use more or less of any topping desired.

4. Once Sweet Potato Toast is done top with all the fixings, serve immediate and Enjoy!

NEUROTICMOMMY.COM

STREET TACOS What might seem like a funny dish to make it on the list of new foods, Street tacos have been reinvented this year as a food you can find on almost any menu. Cauliflower tacos, shrimp tacos, and even lettuce wrap tacos are just a few of the newer types to try. Inspired Kitchen shows us how to make a simple street taco with chicken.

INGREDIENTS 4 tomatoes sliced into wedges 4 tomatillos 1 peeled yellow onion sliced into wedges 8 garlic cloves 1 jalapeño sliced in half, seeds removed 3 tablespoons of olive oil 1 chipotle pepper in adobo sauce 1 teaspoon of cumin

1 teaspoon of dry oregano 1 whole chicken broken down into parts 2 cups of chicken stock Kosher salt and fresh cracked pepper to taste 1 peeled, seeded and diced avocado 1 cup of crumbled cotija cheese INSTRUCTIONS 1. Preheat the oven to 400°.

2. Place the tomatoes, tomatillos, onions, garlic and jalapeños on a non-stick cookie sheet tray and toss in 2 tablespoons of olive oil, salt and pepper and roast in the oven at 400° for 30 to 35 minutes or until everything is lightly charred.

3. Mash the ingredients along with the chipotle pepper, cumin, oregano and salt and pepper using a mortar and pestle until smooth. Set aside.

4. Next, season the chicken on all sides with salt and pepper and in a large rondeau over high heat with 1 tablespoon of olive oil sear the chicken until golden brown on both sides.

5. Add the tomatillo mixture along with the chicken stock and cover and simmer over low heat for2 hours. Remove the skin and bones from the chicken and shred. Keep warm.

ZUCCHINI PASTA INGREDIENTS 1 tablespoon olive oil 1 pound zucchini 1 teaspoon all purpose chef's shake INSTRUCTIONS 1. Heat olive oil in a large cast iron skillet 2. Add zucchini noodles and seasoning 3. Stir for 3-5 minutes for tender noodles 4. Serve

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Spaghetti squash is a thing of the past, it’s all about zucchini pasta now. Once the vegetable gets shaved down into small spirals it can be combined with a flurry of different spices and garnishes to give it more flavor. This dish can be mixed with a variety of sauces, from your generic red sauce to a creamy pesto sauce. Elena’s Pantry shows us how to make basic Zucchini noodles with minimal seasoning.

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[ HISTORICALLY SPEAKING ]

“Real Beer” Brewed in Watertown During Prohibition

By ALI TOWNSEND

By NICOLE CALDWELL

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n the years of Prohibition, one north country brewery earned a great amount of attention for its dark beer and illicit brewing practices.

The Northern Brewing Company in Watertown utilized a cold-filtering system to create beer with high levels of alcohol. During this time, the brewery was legally allowed to produce and sell what was then referred to as “near” beer – a beverage containing less than two percent of alcohol. Owners Frank Winslow and John Dempsey, however, capitalized on the demand from speakeasies and other underground alcohol joints to produce “real” beer.

This illegal brew received praise as the company became renowned for its malty, full-bodied, European-style brews, with high alcohol content and “a head you could stand a spoon in.”

By using the special filtering process and cold vats, Northern Brewing Company was able to provide people with the heavy beer they longed for. Specialties included Watertown Cream Ale, Old Style Lager and Jefferson Lager Bear.

In a 1988 interview with the Watertown Daily Times, Watertown resident Samuel Frazitta, then 84, recalled, “It was a great beer. It had a real kick to it and it tasted real good.”

The popularity of real beer spread rapidly, calling for an increase of production and smuggling. Most of the illegal shipments were run by mobsters from all over the state– ranging from New York City to Utica. Eventually, the U.S. Coast Guard was positioned in northern waters to patrol smuggling. The trade occurred on the St. Lawrence River and Lake Ontario as bootleggers and dock runners worked through Canada and Watertown.

Due to improvements in the filtering process, one that eliminated the use of boilers, and therefore the strong scent of heated yeast and hops, northern breweries remained successful for years. However, the local real beer business was no secret. In 1925, The New York Times was discussing the north country’s shady trade, referring to Watertown as a “hub of illegal shipments.” Whether the attention was good or bad, Northern Brewing Company had earned itself a name.

Three years later, Prohibition Chief Romaine Merrick was assigned to the north country and claimed to have received word

of the largest distillery in New York, pinning it to Watertown. The papers immediately denied and defended their city, stating that the only alcohol business here was a small brewery producing the legal near beer. Little did they know that sometime between 1919 and 1928, the owners of the brewery had constructed a secret cold-distilling operation worth $50,000. This system included a pipeline that connected the vats to a separate and sophisticated bottling operation. This was concealed in a nearby garage a few yards away from the basement.

Owners, workers, and customers of Northern Brewing Company could only manage to keep quiet for so long as Winslow and Dempsey found themselves in jail shortly after Merrick’s announcement and the official uncovering of their high-alcohol operation.

The two Chaumont residents were accused of shipping real beer out of their near beer cold storage area in the dead of night.

Many hints were given to the federal officials and local police, leading them to the eventual discovery of the cold vat brewery, originally owned by a share of Syracuse men.

The first of these clues came in 1925, as a railroad car was found containing 100 barrels of highly alcoholic beer. Although the barrels were dumped, no one person was found responsible and therefore the only punishment was the temporary closure of the business for six months.

After this incident, Winslow and Dempsey took over as brewery officers of the company.

The two men requested to keep the filtering units in order to run a cooling storage business. Because of the unfamiliarity with coldfiltered beer, they were allowed access and possession of the refrigerated vats. It wasn’t until their arrest that anyone understood why they would need such equipment.

These strange occurrences led to an investigation into the seemingly small and modest brew house on Poplar Street. Once a search warrant was issued, federal officials immediately raided the property. Initially, they were puzzled, as padlocks to the basement were untouched and there were no signs of entry to the lowest level of the building. Their confusion dissolved as a false door gave way to the illegal brewing area.

Despite the discovery, Winslow and Dempsey remained ignorant: “Although they owned the brewery, they claimed they had no knowledge of the tanks, which made investigation deputy Prohibition Administrator Lowell Smith chuckle in amuse-

ment,” according to the 1988 Watertown Daily Times story.

Following their arrest, those involved in the shipment and delivery of real beer were also taken in by authorities. Northern Brewing Company had officially come to an end.

In 1928, a Watertown Daily Times article announced, “At 11:30 this morning, the last drop of high-test beer at the Poplar Street plant gurgled out of an open spigot in a vat and disappeared into a sewer outlet in the basement of the building.”

Once Prohibition laws were lifted and beer with alcohol levels above two percent were permitted, Northern Brewing Company reopened its doors. In 1933, the brewery was continuing its unique filtering process and producing beer like before.

Unfortunately, the company only lasted two years before failing.

While some placed the blame for this on competition from larger breweries, others believed the demise could be traced back to the brewery’s use of untreated Black River water.