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The Abington Journal♦Clarks Summit, PA
WEDNESDAY, SEPTEMBER 19, 2012
Taste of the Abingtons
Small plate, big flavor BY KASEY LYNN Abington Journal Correspondent
Eight-time Taste of the Abingtons participant State Street Grill, 114 South State Street Clarks Summit, will contribute a Pumpkin Spice Risotto with roasted tomatoes and spiced walnuts to the Rotary event this year. “We’ve been a part of this since the beginning,” manager Devon Holcomb said. State Street Grill is looking forward to the event. The Taste of the Abingtons will take place Sept. 23 from 5 to 8 p.m. at Nichols Village Hotel and Spa. Many restaurants will contribute, which gives opportunity to all attendees to sample varieties of foods. The State Street Grill is always involved in fundraisers on and off site and hosted a few successful events this summer, according to Holcomb. The restaurant loves to be involved. “We enjoy giving back to the community because of our loyal customers that come daily, weekly, monthly or yearly,” said manager Holcomb. The Pumpkin Spiced Risotto dish that will be served at the Taste of the Abingtons is a preview to the State Street Grill’s new fall menu. “The Pumpkin Spice Risotto will be featured as a small
Want to go? What: Rotary Club of the Abingtons Eighth Annual Taste of the Abingtons When: Sept. 23 from 5 to 8 p.m. Where: Nichols Village Hotel and Spa, 1101 Northern Boulevard, Clarks Summit Cost: $25 (Proceeds benefit numerous Rotary projects) Tickets: Available from any Rotary Club of the Abingtons member or by calling 586.3135 Participating vendors: A Little Pizza Heaven, Alfredo’s Restaurant, Arcaro & Genell Restaurant, Atami, Bazil Ristorante, Camelot Restaurant and Inn, Cangiano’s, Carmen’s Ristorante, Cooper’s, Fern Hall, Fire and Ice on Toby Creek, Gerrity’s Supermarket, Gertrude Hawk’s Chocolate, Glenburn Grill, Ingred’s Swedish Meatballs, Iron Piece Catering, Just Call Jane Catering Kiki’s Kreamery, La Tonalteca, Mannings, Nichols Village Inn & Spa, Perkins Restaurant, Quaker Steak, Sidel’s, State Street Grill, Weis Markets, Wood Grille.
plate option on the new fall menu,” said head chef Sara Trauger. The fall menu will include returning customer favorites, as well as new cocktails and martinis. The State Street Grill is open 7 days each week with varying hours for brunch, lunch and dinner. The restaurant also provides catering. State Street Grill will feature a Pumpkin Spice Risotto dish at the Taste of the Abingtons. ABINGTON JOURNAL/ KASEY LYNN
History: ‘The Band-Aid House’ According to current co-owner Sam Kamenitzer, the land of Fern Hall was originally deeded to Samuel Meredith, the first treasurer of the United States, a transaction completed by Benjamin Franklin. Today, she and her husband Ed Kamenitzer jokingly refer to Franklin as their ‘real estate broker.’ • The property was purchased in 1823 by Sylvester Johnson, of Connecticut. He and his wife Louisa Wood Johnson then raised their family at that location. Three of their sons, Robert Wood Johnson, James Wood Johnson and Edward Mead Johnson, founded Johnson & Johnson Pharmaceutical Co. At the turn of the century while he was president of the company, James built Fern Hall as his “Country Cottage.” Young neighbors often referred to it as “The Band-Aid House.” • Built from local Pennsylvania stacked field stone, the inn offers 24 rooms with nine bathrooms and nine showers. At the time of construction, showers were a European commodity, rare in America. Most of the original bathroom fixtures are in place today. • The Kamenitzers discovered Fern Hall while visiting their daughter at camp about 13 years ago. They are now the first owners outside the Johnson family in almost 190 years. “We feel like the shepherds of a piece of history and architectural treasure,” Kamenitzer said.
Business run by C.S. native ranked among INC.’s ‘fastest growing private companies’ Inc. magazine recently ranked Gilligan & Ferneman, LLC No. 427 on its 31st annual Inc. 500|5000, aranking of the nation’s fastest -growing private companies. The list represents a look at America’s independent entrepreneurs. Companies such as Microsoft, Zappos, Intuit, Jamba Juice, Zipcar, Clif Bar, Vizio, Oracle, and others gained early exposure as members of the Inc. 500|5000. “One of the keys to our growth has been our ability to change and adjust our technology as the needs arose. When our company was featured on the Dr. Oz show, we had to quickly ramp up to meet the expected response without acquiring additional expense. We were able to do this due to our use of Internet technologies,” said William Gilligan, Company Chief Technology Officer, and a 1979 graduate of Abington Heights High School. Recently relocated to a new office and warehouse in Kissimmee, Fla., Gilligan & Ferneman, LLC, builds, maintains and markets a series of online shopping destinations. The company focuses on locating and delivering comfort-related items such as wicking sleepwear, temperature regulating bedding, bamboo apparel and items designed to “help purchasers sleep better, wake more re-
freshed and remain comfortable throughout the day,” according to the business website. “I think the hardest part was keeping up with all the orders coming in. Managing the people to handle the shipping and customer service questions involved with 873 percent growth has been an interesting experience to say the least,” said Michael Ferneman, Company COO. To make the cut for the 2012 Inc. 500, unveiled in the September issue of the magazine, companies had to have achieved a minimum of 770 percent in sales growth. The companies on this year’s Inc. 500 employ more than 48,000 people and generated more than 40,000 jobs in the past three years. Complete results of the Inc. 500|5000, at www.inc.com/500.
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A look ‘inn’side Fern Hall blends history, diversity
BY ELIZABETH BAUMEISTER lbaumeister@theabingtonjournal.com
O
ne of Chef Donna Vannan’s first memories of cooking took place in her grandparents’ kitchen when she was five years old watching her Uncle Matnor from Malaysia make curry. “I had never smelled or tasted anything so exotic in my life,” she said. “To this day, curry is one of my absolute favorite foods to explore and cook.” Vannan, 45, of Clarks Summit, grew up on a farm in Australia, where she learned to cook from her mother and grandmother at an early age. Since then, she said she’s been lucky to know “amazing people, both chefs and non-kitchen professionals,” from whom she observed and learned. She now works as the full-time chef at Fern Hall Inn, in Clifford, which is owned by Ed and Sam Kamenitzer. “The ‘New American’ menu created fresh each day by Chef Donna Vannan,” Sam Kamenitzer said, “is beyond great expectations...She is as close to ‘Farm to Table’ as it gets...using herbs, veggies and fruits from our gardens and orchard, and local produce, meats and fish fresh daily to put her own Australian signature on all our dishes.” Vannan said she loves working at Fern Hall Inn and finds it an inspiring location to cook. “The place has so much history, beauty and a feeling of home,” she said. “I feel like it was built with the intention of being a place of gathering and entertainment. I feel like there must have been many, many amazing meals served there, and I love the thought of putting my footprint in the history of that.” Fern Hall is home to not only the restaurant and bed and breakfast, but also the Scottish Glen Golf Course and a boat house on the shores of Crystal Lake. Vannan said some of the things she likes most about the inn are its
ABINGTON JOURNAL PHOTOS/ELIZABETH BAUMEISTER
Indoors and out, Fern Hall Inn is full of architectural and historic wonders and surprises, such as a multi-compartment old fashioned ice box, antique bathroom fixtures, and this elevator, above, used by the original owners. history (which traces back to a deed transferred to Samuel Meredith, the first treasurer of the United States, by Benjamin Franklin) and beauty. “The energy of the place and the land around it have called to me since I first laid eyes on it,” she said, “and I am so excited for the opportunity for myself and my family to be a part of it.” She said her husband, Ian Vannan, who is a musician and stay-at-home dad to their two children, Scarlet Zen, 11, a student at Abington Heights Middle School and Floyd Terrance, 2, DJs there, spinning his classic vinyl records Sunday afternoons during weekly -themed barbecues. Over the summer, the inn hosted Australian Outback BBQs on the patio. “In fall and winter,” Vannan said, “we will be offering fantastic Sunday feasts in our dining room in front of the fire with entertainment.” She said there will also be theme nights during the week.
Food from Outback, out back and all over
ABOVE: Chef Donna Vannan, 45, originally from Tasmania, Australia and now residing in Clarks Summit, stands in the garden she maintains at Fern Hall Inn.
Chef Donna Vannan, 45, of Clarks Summit, originally from Tasmania, Australia, brings family recipes as well ideas influenced from all over the world to the table at Fern Hall Inn. One example is the Australian burger “with the lot” (choice of beef, turkey or veggie burger served on a bun with pineapple, fried egg, pickled beet, lettuce, cheese, tomato and onion, all held together by a large steak knife). Vannan cooks with ingredients from the garden she maintains at Fern Hall, which includes old huckleberry bushes, tomatoes, eggplants, peppers, radishes, herbs. “Our food is creative and different and really is homemade,” she said. “I scour the farmers’ markets and local purveyors ...and really try to bring people the best dining experience I possibly can.”
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Fern Hall Inn was purchased by Ed and Sam Kamenitzer, the first owners outside the Johnson family, of Johnson & Johnson Pharmaceutical Co. fame, since 1823.
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