www.berlincitizen.com
Volume 22, Number 26
Book on sunken ship inspires local songwriter By Sean Krofssik Record-Journal staff
Rich heard about the book from his brother, Captain Don Rich.
By Jesse Buchanan Record-Journal staff
about the SS Central America, which sank in 1857. Rich co-wrote “Ship of Gold” with Middletown's Dean Coutsouridis, front.
“I was with my brother on the water heading to Block Island and he said I need to read Ship of Gold,” Rich said. “When I got home, I went to the library and I couldn’t put it down.” By December, Rich had written the lyrics and met Coutsouridis in the studio.
“We collaborated,” Rich said. “We got a cello player and came up with an interesting arrangement. “We’ve gotten good local reviews from friends, family, acquaintances and local musicians.” See Songwriter, A17
“It took first place. After that, everybody has been asking me to do them,” she said. The Berlin resident started making pies for friends and family, then started selling them at the Southington farmers market and the Apple Harvest Festival. In a few weeks, she plans to open a bakery on Main Street in Southington. “Once I have this location, I’ll be able to produce a lot more,” Lastrina said. She’s finishing work at the storefront in the Dollar Tree Plaza at 190 Main St. that will be home to Nonnie’s Pies and Creations. Lastrina’s grandchildren call her “Nonnie” and she said if she ever had a bakery, she’d name it that. One of Lastrina’s classics — pistachio pie — has been honed over 25 years with frank appraisals from family members.
Berlin resident Nella Lastrina, owner of Nonnie’s Pies and Creations, a new bakery setting up in a space at 190 Main St. in Southington. Photo by Dave Zajac, Record-Journal
“They can be brutally honest,” Lastrina said. “Then I got it to the point where they said, ‘Don’t change anything.’” She’s often tinkering with recipes, but has gotten good reviews on creations such as chocolate peanut butter pie and coconut cream pie. Lastrina described baking as a passion and said she loves to see people enjoying her food. “It’s unbelievable the joy it brings me,” she said. See Nonnie’s, A16 R232002
The 73-year-old Kensington resident released the single “Ship of Gold” — which he co-wrote with Middletown’s Dean Coutsouridis. The song has received great response since its Aug. 10 release. On Reverbnation Nation, the single had 54,000 plays in two weeks — nearly double the amount of listens of his previous best. The tune as well as Rich’s other music are streaming on Apple Mu- Kensington resident and songwriter Dayton Rich, sic and Spotify. back, recently released a song inspired by a book
Four hundred people and 30 tons of California gold were lost.
Pies, cakes focus for ‘Nonnie’s’ bakery Baking was a hobby for Nella Lastrina until last year, when her son-in-law brought one of her pies to an informal contest at ESPN.
Songwriter Dayton Rich’s latest single was inspired by a best seller about sunken treasure.
Ship of Gold was inspired by Gary Kinder’s New York Times best seller, “Ship of Gold in the Deep Blue Sea.” The Ship of Gold refers to the SS Central America, which sank in 1857 in a hurricane off the Carolina Coast.
Thursday, August 27, 2020