FOOD - 2014 by Stuart Communications

Sum

mer 20

d o o F

Harvest | Cook Dine | Drink | Savor

CONTENTS 4

Herbal essence The River Reporter’s food columnist Laura Silverman grows many herbs in her garden. In this issue of FOOD, she focuses on the special delights of a summertime favorite—basil. The recipes she shares may surprise you.

By LAURA SILVERMAN

Restaurant Row Lakeside at Kauneonga In New York City, 46th Street is called “Restaurant Row.” In Sullivan County, restaurateurs are drawing crowds to Restaurant Row in Kauneonga Lake.

By TOM CASKA

From fast food to whole food, a healthy transformation The founders of Natural Contents Kitchen—selfconfessed former fast food junkies—tell why they changed their diet and how it led to starting their own food business based on healthy, local, farm-fresh ingredients.

By ISABEL BRAVERMAN

Beyond the vegetable garden What I learned this summer about preserving food

From the editor, Regular readers know that we at The River Reporter are big supporters of farmers’ markets, consumer supported agriculture and the farm-to-table movement that seeks to connect eaters with the farmers who grow our food and the local food entrepreneurs who add value to our local econony. Eating locally also helps promote sustainability and build local communities. We also believe that farmers deserve to earn a living wage for their work, from which all of us in this region benefit; just look at the beauty of our open spaces and farmland next time you take a drive in the country, and consider the health aspects of eating real food raised close to home by people who are your neighbors. About a year ago, The River Reporter created a monthly food section in the pages of this newspaper. Food writer and gifted cook Laura Silverman brought her talents and her recipes to a regular column, Relish Every Day. Today, in this, our inaugural issue of FOOD, she leads off this special supplement with her look at one of the summer’s most prized herbs (just one of many in her own garden) —basil. The recipes she selected to share with us might surprise you. In this issue, another of our regular columnists, Tom Caska (View from the Train), set out to discover one of Sullivan County’s most popular food destinations—Restaurant Row in Kauneonga Lake. Join Tom as he explores a handful of these local restaurants. Some of our readers will already know Danielle Gaebel and Jen Bitetto by their presence at Sullivan County’s farmers’ markets. But many will not know the story of how these former fast-food junkies tranformed how they ate, leading to the creation of their business, Natural Contents Kitchen. Staff writer Isabel Braverman sat down with them to hear their story. Also in this issue, River Reporter managing editor Jane Bollinger shares her experience of learning to can and preserve food at a three-day workshop at Cornell Cooperative Extension Sullivan County. Editor Fritz Mayer offers an overview of the proliferation of breweries, wineries and distilleries that have opened in Sullivan County in recent years. We sent our production manager Amanda Reed to the Wayne County Fair earlier this month to taste test funnel cake, and she returned not only with photos, but decided to offer a couple of recipes for how you can make funnel cake at home. And fi nally, we wanted to share a guest op-ed essay written by Chef Dan Barber, a celebrity chef known for his work at Blue Hill Farm and Blue Hill at Stone Barns Restaurants in the Hudson Valley. The essay was originally printed in The New York Times, and is reprinted here with permission. We believe his essay is genuinely thought provoking. We hope you enjoy—dare we say “devour”—this issue of FOOD. We hope you will join the conversation about eating locally. Jane Bollinger Section editor

Having always wanted to can food at home, the author signed up for a three-day workshop at Cornell Cooperative Extension

By JANE BOLLINGER

Whether it’s beer, wine or spirits, it’s now locally made

Cover photograph by Amanda Reed

A look at the striking proliferation of local breweries, wineries and distilleries

By FRITZ MAYER

Funnel cake You, too, can make this sweet treat that’s popular at county fairs. We have the recipe.

By AMANDA REED

‘What farm-to-table got wrong’ A thought-provoking op-ed essay by the chef and co-owner of Blue Hill Farm and Blue Hill at Stone Barns Restaurants in Pocantico Hills, NY

By DAN BARBER

2 FOOD 2014

FOOD, a special publication of The River Reporter, is published by Stuart Communications, Inc. Entire contents ©2014 by Stuart Communications, Inc. Mailing Address: PO Box 150, Narrowsburg, NY 12764 Phone: 845/252-7414 • Fax: 845/252-3298 Have a comment or idea for the magazine? Contact: Jane Bollinger at 845/252-7414, ext. 29 or jbollinger@riverreporter.com

Publisher: Laurie Stuart Section Editor: Jane Bollinger General Manager: Breann Cochran Production Manager: Amanda Reed Staff Writer: Isabel Braverman Ad Sales Associates: Eileen Hennessy, ext. 35, eileen@riverreporter.com Joanne Geraine, ext. 32, joanne@riverreporter.com Would you like copies for your place of business? Contact: Breann at 845/252-7414, ext. 21 or breann@riverreporter.com

Konrads Kitchen and Grill at the Crossroads

#2 Beaver Brook Rd., Yulan, NY 12792

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We would be pleased to host you special occasion in our dining room from 2- 75 persons. The Inn offers a charming and comfortable setting for the vacationer or for that extra room when family and friends come to visit

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Herbal essence By LAURA SILVERMAN

s summer winds down, the earth seems to exhale a long, satisfied sigh. Around these parts it’s already tinged with the faint nip of fall, though still fragrant with the rich scent of plants making their last stand. My herb garden explodes in August, the accumulated sun and heat fueling robust displays from the many varieties I grow: sage, chervil, cilantro, several kinds of basil, parsley, rosemary, wild fennel, thyme, tarragon, Vietnamese coriander, epazote (a pungent Mexican herb), za’atar (like a spicy oregano), marjoram, lemon verbena, anise hyssop, shiso and various mints. One of my favorite things to make with all this bounty is a simple dish of hot rice—usually something aromatic like jasmine or basmati—tossed with plenty of salted butter and a generous handful of most of those herbs, roughly chopped. The heat releases the plant oils and the velvety butter coats your tongue with them. I may have to make it again tonight. I could go on and on about the many ways to use all these fresh herbs, not only because they taste delicious, but also because they deliver wonderful health benefits. They’re full of natural chemical compounds known to be powerfully antioxidant, anti-inflammatory and antibiotic, and they’re loaded with vitamins. But in the limited space I have, I’m going to focus on just one: basil. It’s plentiful and readily available at this time of year, even if you’re not growing it yourself. Sometimes called “the king of herbs,” basil can actu-

There are more than 40 cultivars of Ocimum basilicum.

Photos by Laura Silverman

ally be a royal pain. If it gets hot weather, it generally behaves like a hardy and prolific annual, but it wilts almost instantly in the refrigerator. If you grow it in your garden, wait until the last possible moment to bring it into your kitchen. But if you’re buying a large bunch from the farmers market or grocery store, proper storage is essential. To keep basil fresh, trim the stems and place them in a glass or jar of water, just like cut flowers. If you remove any leaves below the water line, change the water frequently and keep it in a cool spot out of the sun, it can last for a week or more. As to how to use it, your options are legion. Basil is an essential component of Mediterranean cooking, where its spicy complexity is the perfect accent to everything from sweet tomatoes and peppery olive oil to nutty beans and fresh ricotta. This sweet basil—Ocimum basilicum (Ocimum comes from the Greek for “to smell”) —comes in many varieties, like the familiar Genovese with its broad, crinkled green leaves and others, like bush basil, with tiny ones. There is dark opal basil with purple leaves that are sometimes mottled with green, Thai basil, holy basil, lemon basil… In all there are more than 40 cultivars and almost as many subtly distinct flavors. They all belong to the Lamiaceae family of mints, so most have at least faint hints of that, but notes of anise, cinnamon and clove are also common. As much as we associate it with Italy, basil is actually native to India, where it has been cultivated for more than 5,000 years. It also plays a major role in the cuisines of Southeast Asia, in both savory and dessert

Peaches poached in rosé make the perfect ending to a summer meal.

4 FOOD 2014

Continued on page 6

paulie’s hot dogs

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403 Park Street Honesdale PA (next to the Wayne Hotel)

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Northern Italian Cusine

Ristorante & Pizzeria Home Of The BEST Pizza And the 25¢ wing

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3562 SR 55 • Kauneonga Lake, NY 845-583-4300 A RIVER REPORTER MAGAZINE 5

HERBAL ESSENCE Continued from page 4

preparations. The purple stems, flowers and narrow deep green leaves of my Thai basil plant all have a lovely sweet licorice undertone. I like to marry its heady perfume—which happens to stand up better to cooking than that of other basils— with the wonderfully floral taste of fresh peaches. Poach them gently in sweetened rosé wine and the herb-infused syrup covers the fruit in a luxurious satin cloak. Drop in a few fresh raspberries and top with a dollop of whipped cream if you like, though this comes dangerously close to gilding the lily. Of course there is no basil preparation more classic than pesto. The famous sauce from Genoa contains just basil, garlic and pine nuts pounded together, then mixed with olive oil and grated Parmesan. (I sometimes add a little pecorino cheese and lemon juice to balance out the flavors.) Alice Waters, the doyenne of authentic, fresh food, says it’s actually a bit ambitious to make a lot of pesto the traditional way—with a mortar and pestle— so use your food processor instead. If even that seems too daunting, then perhaps you’d like to try the deconstructed version I serve atop a carpaccio of translucent slices of raw zucchini. Shower this with lightly toasted pine nuts, thin shavings of Parmesan and loads of basil, cut into elegant ribbons. Drizzle the whole thing with good olive oil and inhale on a late-summer’s eve. If you do attempt a pesto, make a large quantity and freeze it. Thaw it in late November to mix into hot pasta along with a few soft chunks of potato and some crisp-cooked green beans. Or stir it into a steaming bowl of minestrone. I also like to spread pesto in a thin sheet and dry it thoroughly in my dehydrator

This carpaccio of zucchini is an easy, no-cook option. (a low oven also works). Crumbled up, this newfangled garnish can be stored in a tightly sealed container for several weeks, although it rarely lasts that long. I sprinkle it on everything, from rice and pasta to soup and salads, where it adds a rich and irresistible crunch. How else do I love basil? Let me count

The food processor makes quick work of a classic pesto.

6 FOOD 2014

the ways. In a roasted eggplant salad with lots of caramelized onions, olive oil and lemon juice—a recipe from the original “Silver Palate” cookbook that never gets old. Blended with rum and frozen strawberries for the Ruby Sipper, a very adult treat. In a salad of sliced green zebra tomatoes with ripe avocado and creamy

blobs of gorgonzola piccante. Coarsely chopped and added to a vegetable frittata, or used to flavor the yolks for deviled eggs. And, last, though by no means least, in a bright green frozen cocktail known as a basil pomada that hails from the Spanish island of Menorca, where the living is, clearly, very easy.

Pesto can be dried to create an unusual crunchy garnish.

Peaches & Herb Serves 4

1 1/2 cups water 1 cup rosé wine 1/2 cup honey A small handful of Thai basil sprigs, plus more for garnish A dozen small whole peaches, ripe but still firm Place the water and wine in a heavy saucepan over low heat and add the honey and basil, stirring to combine. Simmer for about 5-10 minutes.   Gently add the peaches and poach until tender but not falling apart (timing will depend on ripeness of your fruit). Slip in the tip of a sharp knife to check carefully for doneness.   When the peaches are done, use a slotted spoon to lift them out and place them in a large, shallow bowl. Slip off their skins and discard, along with any stems. Turn the heat up and boil the liquid until reduced by about half. Pour any juices that have collected in the bowl of peaches into this boiling syrup. When reduced, remove from heat, strain and cool.   To serve, drizzle peaches (cold or at room temp) generously with syrup. Garnish with fresh basil sprigs. Reserve any remaining syrup to use in cocktails, over ice cream or as a glaze for pork or poultry.

Basil Pomada, Menorca Style Adapted from Chef Alex Raij Serves 6

1 packed cup fresh basil leaves 1 cup sugar 1 cup fresh lemon juice 3 cups water 12 ounces gin (preferably an herbaceous one, like Plymouth or Bombay Sapphire) Combine sugar and basil in a food processor and process until very finely ground. Scrape basil-sugar into a small bowl and pour the lemon juice over. Set aside, stirring occasionally, until sugar melts, about 15 minutes. Then combine with water and gin in your ice cream maker*, and run the machine until the pomada is slushy, similar to a frozen margarita. Pour into a rocks, highball or margarita glass and garnish with a sprig of basil. *Don’t have an ice cream maker? Place the mixture in a shallow glass or metal bowl in your freezer and rake with a fork every 20 minutes or so until you achieve the right slushy consistency.

R e s s t ’ a e urant i l r a h C and Pizzeria II

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Got basil? Use it to make this delicious frozen cocktail.

77 North Main Street • Liberty, NY 845-292-1112 • 845-292-9951 A RIVER REPORTER MAGAZINE 7

Restaurant Row: By TOM CASKA

n any given day there is a gentle ripple on the water, as the ducks and geese gently roll with the wakes of slowly passing boats. The view is a wide expanse of sky, reflected below on the pristine lake that is framed by pines on the distant shore. The setting sun is promising quite a show, but the show is already going on. Your senses come alive, fi rst with the view, then the sound of music and fi nally the aroma of food fi lling the air. There is something special going on here. Restaurant Row on Kauneonga Lake is the happening place to be. Catering to a wide variety of tastes, this collection of establishments has something for everyone. Using local farmers’ produce and natural homegrown herbs, they all embrace the farm-to-table movement that is thriving here in the Upper Delaware Valley. Sitting on one of the many outdoor decks, family and friends gather to celebrate a collection of offerings sure to please even the fi nest of palates. Intimate settings for date night can be found at just the right corner table, one that is sure to make the evening a memorable one. All the restaurants are kid-friendly, too, and with all the action on the lake the children will never be bored. I have chosen to list these in “drive by” order coming up from 17B to make it easy for you to get your bearings.

Sorella Pizzeria and Restaurant

The friendly staff greets you as soon as you walk in, making you feel welcome. The décor reminds you of a 1950s soda shop with its clean and bright black-and-white tile floor. Your eyes will feast on the pizzas resting in the glass display case in front of you. Go there for the pizza, which is as close to real New York pizza as you can get. Stay for the wide variety of other Italian menu items. They have a lively karaoke night, when it is fun to hang out with friends. Friday nights there is a live band and $2 beers. Portions are very generous and the 25-cent wings are a great starter. We sampled a few different styles of wings, and we were hard pressed to say which style was our favorite.

Benji & Jake’s offers a party atmosphere and stays open late into the night. 8 FOOD 2014

Lakeside at Kauneon The Brick House

The decks overlooking the lake are just the place to be if you’re going to any of the row’s restaurants, but I liked the Brick House the best—great view and plenty of room. The menu is full of delectable items, but the wide variety of specialty gourmet burgers caught our eye. The staff was very attentive and the presentation of our meal topshelf. We really enjoyed the laid-back atmosphere of the warm afternoon; watching boats pull up to the docks was also a treat. Menu items include soups and sandwiches, which change weekly, as well as healthy platters with steaks, tuna, Italian dishes and gluten-free pizza upon request. Live music adds that special touch to any meal, so be sure to bring your friends.

Local Table and Tap

We brought a large group to the Local Table and Tap to celebrate a birthday and made reservations beforehand. Most of the row’s restaurants do not require reservations unless you have a large group or there is a concert going on at Bethel Woods. We were seated with a great view of the live music; this night Keith Newman was serenading us. We started with some mouth-watering calamari, wings and crab dip; there was plenty for everyone. The fi sh and chips were hanging over the platter when they arrived. Wild Scottish salmon, New York strip and the ahi tuna were all very generous portions. I had the heirloom tomato and burrata ravioli. The mixture of the oven-roasted tomatoes, fresh mozzarella, basil and pecorino topped with a skewer of shrimp were heaven. We didn’t have room for dessert, but from the looks of what came out to the other guests we surely missed a few nice treats. We did sample some of the craft beers listed on the chalk board. There is a view of the lake from every seat in the house, even if you don’t sit outdoors. Don’t miss the Mexican corn chowder, if they have it listed among their specials. Continued on page 10

Live music can be found at several of the restaurants in Kauneonga Lake, including this night when Keith Newman serenaded diners at Local Taple and Tap.

Piccolo Paese

RISTORANTE

NORTHERN ITALIAN CUISINE

A Fine Dining Experience ~ Indulge Yourself in the Freshest Ingredients

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BEST

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A RIVER REPORTER MAGAZINE 9

RESTAURANT ROW

The Fat Lady Café

Continued from page 8

Benji & Jake’s

Well, someone had to be the party house of the row, and the brother’s Benji & Jake have remembered their college roots, turning this two-story building into the party house of the block, which runs late into the night. I preferred being close to the fi re pit under the stars in the beer garden. The brothers have put together an eclectic menu including steaks, free range chickens, yellow fi n tuna and a list of appetizers that could be a meal on their own. Their specialty pies can be ordered in smaller 12-inch personal size and come with names like Drunken Chef, Holy Jalapeno, Death by Pizza and Laughing Goat, to name a few. Be sure to save room for some homemade old-fashioned sugar donuts or the brick oven brownie. On the night we went, our Brooklyn friends were treated to live music by The Sibling Band up from Brooklyn. We have been there for lunch, too, which was great, but night time is best in my book.

Restaurant Row in Kauneonga Lake has become a popular destination for diners seeking a variety of food choices and ambiance.

Diners will find pizza, Italian specialties and a variety of styles of wings at Sorella Pizzaria and Restaurant.

When we spoke to our friends Bonnie and George, they insisted on meeting us at the Fat Lady, one of their favorites on the lake, and we soon found out why. Walking past one of Zac Shavrick’s metal sculptures you get the feeling that the café does not take itself seriously, which it doesn’t. Nor will you fi nd a fat lady in the place; I guess the name goes with the motto “never trust a skinny cook.” They do take the cooking very seriously though. The décor of the café is very whimsical, and the deck is nicely tucked into a side of the lake that helps to block it from the wind when it blows. Of the restaurant’s many dishes, the most interesting was the Mediterranean menu—skewers of chicken, shrimp or fi let mignon with a choice of mezze. Mezze are small dishes that accompany the meal such as eggplant, cucumber, green onion and other vegetables and spices. Tzaziki sauce is served on the side along with an Israeli salad. I chose one of the specials, a crab chowder, followed by blackened farm-raised trout. Both were a taste treat that I shared with the others. All of the greens for the salads are locally grown; the vegetables are fresh cooked to lock in the flavor. There are also a number of vegetarian dishes on the menu, sure to please. This is the restaurant where old friends can sit, talk and catch up for hours over a fi ne dining experience, paired with a nice wine selection.

The author recommends the Mexican Corn Soup, if it’s on the special menu the day you dine at Local Table and Tap.

All of the restaurants mentioned in this article have full bars and a wide variety of craft beers. From soups and sandwiches to specialty gourmet burgers, the menu draws locals and weekenders alike to The Brick House.

The friendly atmosphere at The Fat Lady Cafe invites guests and their friends to sit, talk and catch up for hours.

Lunch and dinner, and as its name says, a selection of craft (and signature cocktails) are served at Local Table and Tap. Kauneonga Lake is located just off Route 17B, a short drive from Bethel Woods. Concert goers and locals can intermingle while enjoying the scene. Establishments offer a wide variety of craft beer, with many on tap. All have full bars with something to wet every whistle. All have Facebook pages that are very helpful. Local Table and Tap and Benji & Jake’s Have excellent websites and menu listings. Parking on the street can be daunting, and beware of the posted signs, because the police do write tickets. Thanks to the generosity of the local fi re department, parking is available in its expansive lot a short walk away. A golf cart shuttle, sponsored by the Bethel Business Association, offers rides to Restaurant Row, with the donations going to local veterans. The wide variety of choices and flavors will keep you coming back to Kauneonga Lake all year long. There are more establishments to explore in the area, which includes White Lake, but Restaurant Row on the lake is the place to be. See you there.

Sorella Pizzeria and Restaurant 3562 Rte. 55 845/ 583-4300 The Brick House 1 Horseshoe Lake Rd. 845/583-4947 Local Table and Tap 3 Horseshoe Lake Rd. 845/583-3020 Benji & Jake’s 5 Horseshoe Lake Rd. 845/583-4031

Artist Zac Shavrick’s whimsical sculpture welcomes diners to Benji and Jake’s. 10 FOOD 2014

Many of the restaurants in Kauneonga Lake offer outdoor dining with a view of White Lake and its shoreline.

Wild salmon was on the menu when the author dined with friends at Local Table and Tap.

The Fat Lady Cafe 13 Horseshoe Lake Rd. 845/583-7133

IL CASTELLO Pizzeria & Ristorante

“Brings you all the tastes of Sicily in gourmet fast food” We make our PIZZA DOUGH fresh daily…

Sauces are made from our unique recipe And we only use the FINEST BLEND of SPICES and CHEESES… All of our pizzas and entrees are bound to please your palate.

Hours: Mon.-Thurs 11 am – 10 pm Fri & Sat 11 am- 11pm Sun, Noon – 10pm OPEN 7 DAYS A WEEK Stop in today and enjoy our delicious Italian Cuisine Kids meals available. We offer Catering for all Occasions - off premises

If you want it, We will make it (48 hour notice, please)

Route 97 Barryville, NY (845) 557-6300 (845) 557-6400

The

1906

Restaurant & Steak House ++++ Restaurant

Best Steakhouse TRR

BEST

2013

Serving great food and fine wine in Callicoon on the Delaware since 1988

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Like us on Facebook Follow us on Twitter www.riverreporter.com

Yulan Road • Eldred, NY

Recipient of “Best Home Cooking” Award

EARLY BIRD SPECIALS DAILY Every day except Saturday and Holidays

Regular Dinners include Soup, Salad, Dessert & Coffee Closed Modays & Tuesdays

845-557-8548

A RIVER REPORTER MAGAZINE 11

From fast food to whole food, By ISABEL BRAVERMAN

s I got out of my car and started walking toward Natural Contents Kitchen, I could already smell the delicious concoctions cooking inside. The aroma breezed out of the open windows, fi lling my nose with something entirely satisfying. I was heading into the business that Jennifer Bitetto and Danielle Gaebel began in 2011 to share their health transformation. What started as a blog to document their experience and recipes has turned into a full-grown food production service. So, what was their health transformation? Jen and Danielle were self described “fastfood junkies,” eating out all the time at multiple fast food chains and often ordering Chinese food or pizza. When they cooked, they made some form of meat and a starch and maybe a vegetable—the standard American diet (SAD). At a young age, they were already developing health problems; Jen had digestion issues and Danielle was having gallbladder attacks. She went to a doctor who said she would have to get it removed, but then she went to integrated health practitioner Lynn Wright of the Healing Zone (which was in Hawley, PA at the time but is now in Lake Ariel), who said

she could change the problem with diet. She chose diet. Both Danielle and Jen got their blood tested by Lynn and the results showed sugar crystals (potential for diabetes), food sensitivities, blood parasites, anemia, spirochetes and more. Lynn told them, “If you want to gain control of your health, you have to change what you eat; you can’t eat like this anymore.” This began a lifestyle overhaul, and both Jen and Danielle began to change their diet. At fi rst they made weekly trips to Whole Foods in Paramus, NJ to stock up on what they considered healthy foods. Soon, they realized that they were traveling four hours round trip when the best resources were right here in Sullivan County’s farmers’ markets. They started exploring their options and were learning, reading and watching documentaries about healthy food. Danielle said shopping at the farmers’ market was “a very different way of buying food, like actually talking to the farmer who’s growing your food. We fell in love with it and were awe-inspired by everything we had learned and being around the farmers and food producers. That was the beginning of our journey.” Their journey began by removing certain things from their diet and adding others.

This vegan and gluten-free lasagna is a weekly staple on the menu (and one of NCK’s best sellers). Each week the bounty of local and regional farms dictates what the filling will be. The creamy sauce is crafted from cashew cream infused with farm-fresh herbs and garlic.

12 FOOD 2014

“We would start taking things out one piece at a time; and it did take time, it was not overnight,” said Jen. Some of the things they took out were gluten, sugar, fast food and soda, and they started drinking more water and eating breakfast, which they never used to eat. They said it took about a year to a year and a half to transition. As they made these changes, they became healthier and healthier—Danielle’s gallbladder stopped acting up, Jen’s digestion improved, they each lost around 40 pounds, and their children haven’t been sick. People noticed. “Everyone around us was sort of curious as to what the heck we were doing,” said Jen. “Family and friends were getting exposed and asking us questions and Danielle was making all this new great food. People would put Danielle’s food in their mouth, and there was this wow factor. We started the business as a concept of how to teach people to use [real] ingredients to make things. But I think everybody just wanted to have Danielle’s food.” They were so passionate about what they were learning and experimenting with that they thought, why not take action? They also wanted to be a part of creating the local food system and supporting their farmers. The food-producing aspect of Natural Contents was born. Danielle learned how to cook from her grandmother, so she was interested in cooking since an early age. She said, “When it became about needing to eat healthily, now I need to relearn things— keep the base knowledge of what I know, but relearn everything, because I cook totally differently than how I cooked before.” Her creations are creative, delicious and, of course, healthy. “I pull a lot of inspiration from things I fi nd online and in cookbooks,” she said. “And then I recreate things that we used to eat but in a different manner. Like the lasagna. It’s like, ‘how do you make lasagna and it still tastes good, but it’s gluten-free and it’s healthy?’ So we just play with it.” Their business requires a busy schedule. They have three full-time days in the kitchen and go to three farmers’ markets on the weekend, and on Monday they do the delivery route. Tuesday is supposed to be their day off, but ends up being spent doing business on the computer. I asked them how they stay healthy with such a busy life and they look at each other and laugh. “We’re still trying to figure out when to sleep,” said Jen. Although they already have healthy food prepared, they say it takes “conscious effort” to get enough sleep and exercise. They take family walks around Narrowsburg, where they live. Eating locally has a major impact on the

Danielle Gaebel, left, and Jennifer Bitetto are co-fou Weather Project. You can also find them at the Barryv

NCK makes a variety of plain and sweetened n nuts and seeds. In season, you’ll find fresh straw

a healthy transformation economy, community and sustainability. “There are so many levels of impact,” said Danielle. “When you support a local or regional farm or food producer, for every dollar you spend with them it multiplies; it’s the three dollar multiplier effect on the economy.” Jen adds, “You’re paying the farmer who lives down the road to live and have a family and give back to the community versus sending your dollar into Walmart-land; and where does it go?” Recently their business has grown even more; this summer they started having a stand at the farmers’ markets in Liberty, Callicoon and Barryville, and they will sell their veggie burgers at Callicoon Natural Foods in Callicoon, NY and Jo Rob’s Naturals in Honesdale, PA. As to their growing success, Danielle said, “It’s all happened organically, and that feels good. We’ve opened ourselves up, and we enjoy feeding people, and we enjoy supporting farms.” So if Indian red bean veggie burgers, blueberry jelly donut mini muffi ns and roasted veggie lasagna entices you, check out Natural Contents Kitchen. [Visit www.naturalcontents.com.] Photo by Herons Eye Communications

unders and radical homemakers. They are seen here vending at NACL’s ville, Liberty and Callicoon farmers’ markets.

ut mylks. Each jar is made to order, using freshly soaked organic wberry mylk, too!

The Code We Live By “Let food be thy medicine and medicine thy food.” – Hippocrates No GMOs… Just say no to the experimental diet. YES! Organic… Insure the eating of real clean food. Water & lemon water… Stay hydrated and detoxify daily. Sensible eating habits… How you eat is just as important as what you eat. Sugar watch… the impossible 30 grams or less per day. Eat naturally gluten-free foods… a help to nutrition and digestion. Eat less meat… Pasture-raised and fed non-GMO feed is preferred. Health advisor… Finding one is advisable. Farm connection… Find and support organic farms for vegetables, fruit, meat & dairy. Cook! Cook! Cook!

What is Natural Contents Kitchen?

“The Natural Contents Kitchen (NCK) provides prepared food that is delicious, seasonal and health conscious. Every week, a selection of farm-fresh food is offered from soup, hummus, salads, freshly made nut milk and granola to veggie burgers, quiche and meaty mains. Healthy Indulgences are also offered to ensure that everyone can have a healthy sweet treat. NCK proudly sources organic ingredients whenever available and never knowingly uses anything genetically modified. The majority of offerings are plantbased vegetarian but we do offer 100% grassfed beef and pastured chicken dishes as well. Everything on the menu is naturally gluten free. NCK’s sweeteners of choice are coconut sugar (low glycemic), honey (local and raw) and pure maple syrup (local). Artificial sweeteners, colors, preservatives, additives, refined sugar and flours are never used. Every Thursday, the Weekly Menu is posted and emailed. The items being offered are listed along with the list of ingredients, serving ideas and any dietary descriptions (i.e. naturally gluten free, vegan, dairy free, etc.) Orders are due for Barryville Farmers’ Market by Friday by 9 p.m., Saturday by 9 p.m. for Sunday Callicoon Market pick-up; and orders due Sunday by 9 p.m. for Monday delivery.”

Natural Contents Kitchen created this Garden Gazpacho, a refreshing and flavorful cold soup, utilizing the bounty of The Anthill Farm, Willow Wisp Organic Farm and Butchie’s Organic Farm. This was the featured soup a few weeks ago. It is 95% local!

A RIVER REPORTER MAGAZINE 13

Beyond the vegetable garden By JANE BOLLINGER Foodie: a person having an enthusiastic interest in the preparation and consumption of good food; epicure, gastronome

Canning is a science. It requires some specific equipment and learning a series of proceedures and rules to guarantee food safety.

In this photo and the one on the left, class members measure the precise amount of “headspace” between this salsa and the rim of the jar.

14 FOOD 2014

think I was always a foodie. As a child, I remember once choosing duck for my birthday menu. I’m sure my mother had never cooked a duck in her life, but, as always, she rose to the occasion. I was lucky enough to grow up in a time when mothers had the fulltime job of staying home and raising the children and in a family where Mom prepared three meals a day from scratch, or during school months packed real homemade lunches for us children. (The anticipation of a daily surprise in our lunchboxes was just part of our school day.) Like many moms of her day, mine spent much of her time in the kitchen preparing food for the family. I suppose my father was a foodie, too, long before the word was coined. It was his doing that we ate real food—not the processed, frozen TV dinners that millions of American housewives of the 1950s embraced for the convenience and for spending less time in the kitchen. Dad, who ate breakfast, lunch and supper at home, owned a small factory in the backyard, where a half dozen Pennsylvania Dutch women put up chow chow (his biggest seller), peach butter (yummy), and peaches and tomatoes canned for an organic farm that sold these under its own label. Mom canned only one thing—applesauce— from the apples on a tree in the backyard. They were Yellow Transparents, a cultivar variety introduced from Europe to the U.S. in the 1870s. Only this summer did I learn that my mother’s canning method for applesauce is no longer deemed safe. Here’s how I recall her method: boiling-hot applesauce (bubbling like lava) went into sterilized jars (taken directly from a pot of boiling water). With a sterilized ladle, the hot applesauce up to within a half inch of the rim, she poured boiling water from a tea kettle almost to the jar’s rim to fi ll the remaining space and push out air before sealing with just-sterilized lids. Here’s the kicker: Mom never “cooked” the jars, submerged in a boiling water bath. (This is called processing.) This summer, when I took a three-day intensive course at Cornell Cooperative Extension in Liberty, NY to study to become a Master Preserver, I learned how wrong my mother’s outdated canning method was. I also learned that my own canning efforts in recent years break the safety rules as well, not because I didn’t process the sealed jars in a boiling water bath (I did), but because the recipes I used had not been USDA-tested for canning. (At this point, I’d like to say that no one ever got sick from my mother’s applesauce or from my own sweetand-sour beet relish or canned eggplant caponata relish. Possibly we were just lucky.)

What I learned this summer about preserving food

The goal of all canning is to prevent spoilage by killing bacteria, molds, yeasts and/or the spores that carry toxins, some that are potentially lethal. (You’ve undoubtedly heard of botulism.) Killing most of these microbes is done by removing oxygen from the sealed jar by processing the sealed jars, submerged in a boiling water bath, long enough to raise the temperature of the jars and their acidic contents to 212 degrees F. Killing botulism spores in low-acid foods, however, requires raising the temperature of the jars and their contents to 240 degrees F, and the only way to do this is with a pressure canner. In addition, adjustments must be made for your altitude, because when altitude increases, water boils at a lower temperature; and because lower temperatures are less effective in killing bacteria, the processing time must be increased for boiling water canning. For pressure canning, the pressure is increased. With either method, when fi lling the jars, a certain amount of space (called “headspace”) must be allowed between the inside of the lid and the top of the food or its liquid. The amount of headspace depends on the type of food being processed. Some foods swell when heated and thus require more headspace. If fi lled too full, the contents could boil out during processing and prevent a proper seal. However, if too much headspace is left, the processing time may not be long enough to drive out the air, and a tight seal may not form. Each food has its own correct amount of headspace, so check the processing directions for each one. If you’ve never canned before, I recommend you start with high-acid foods (either naturally high in acid, or with added acid, like vinegar or lemon juice). These include many fruits, jams, jellies and anything you pickle. The acidity plus the high temperature during canning kills the microbes. For so-called “hot packing,” the food is first brought to boiling or near boiling, then (if the prescribed processing time is less than 10 minutes) put into sterilized jars; if the processing time is longer than 10 minutes, jar sterilization occurs during processing. After the jars are sealed, they are then processed in a boiling water bath of 212 degrees F for the specific amount of time spelled out in the tested recipe. If you decide to “raw pack” (for example, uncooked tomato quarters placed directly in a jar with some additional acid, such as lemon juice), you will need to process the filled jars in the boiling water canner for a longer period of time to remove the air and create a high-quality vacuum seal. The preservation method for high-acid canning is pretty straightforward. The important thing is to follow a proven, tested recipe. Even the kind of vinegar or the kind of salt you use makes a difference, so don’t experiment. [Here’s a source for USDA-tested recipes: nchfp.uga.edu/how/ can_home.html; click on “How do I….” and follow the prompts.]

Once you’ve mastered high-acid foods, low-acid foods are another matter, and they require pressure canning. In class, we pressure canned carrots, both “hot pack” and “raw pack,” as well as stewed tomatoes. We learned that when onions and peppers were added to the tomatoes, the mixture became low acid and thus required processing in a pressure canner. One of the reasons I wanted to take the Master Preserver course was to learn about canning low-acid foods. Just so you know: all meats and vegetables are low-acid unless they’re pickled, i.e. acidified. I also wanted to learn how to use a pressure canner—something I had never done before, having always been intimidated by the thought. With pressure canning, the pressure that builds up inside the tightly closed canner raises the water temperature well above boiling. However, both the class work and the hands-on experience of pressure canning (in the new Entrepreneurial and Teaching (EaT) kitchen at CCE Liberty) under the guidance of two outstanding teachers—Judy Price and Katherine Humphrey, who travel New York State to teach the Master Preserver class—my concern disappeared. I have come to the conclusion that anyone with enough interest and the willingness to learn and closely follow the USDA-researched rules and purchase the necessary equipment can learn to pressure can. That said, there are plenty of rules to learn, and this article is not the place to explain them. In addition to learning about high-acid and low-acid canning, the class learned and practiced pickling, making jams and jellies (which is trickier than I had thought) and watched a demonstration about how to can meat. The course work also covered nutrition information, the science of preserving food safely, how to prepare foods for successful freezing, how to dry foods (including use of a dehydrator) and other preservation methods such as vacuum packing, preservation with and without sugar, with and without salt and more. I would be remiss if I did not mention how much I learned, how much I enjoyed taking this class and how wonderful it was to share the experience with other canners and wouldbe Master Preservers. Now comes my big challenge. If I am willing to put in 40 hours or more of practice in preserving food at home by becoming proficient in canning, freezing and drying, and if I keep a log documenting what I do, I can apply to become a certified Master Home Food Preserver. I can’t help but think how pleased my mother and father would be that after nearly 50 years, I am following in their footsteps as a serious canner.

Class moved outdoors on the morning the stove’s ventilation hood stopped working. Kudos to teacher Judy Price, who improvised on the spot. Yes, you can pressure can on a gas grill!

The class learned how to make peach jam four ways— with full sugar, lower sugar, artificial sweetener and a no-cook freezer jam.

Class members proudly hold the certificates they earned, showing that show they passed the test.

Tomatoes, carrots, salsa, marinated peppers and dilly beans were just some of the items canned during the three-day class.

A RIVER REPORTER MAGAZINE 15

What I learned this summer about preserving food

ng is to prevent spoilmolds, yeasts and/or toxins, some that are ve undoubtedly heard st of these microbes is en from the sealed jar d jars, submerged in a g enough to raise the and their acidic conilling botulism spores ever, requires raising ars and their contents he only way to do this er. In addition, adjustyour altitude, because , water boils at a lower se lower temperatures ling bacteria, the proincreased for boiling ressure canning, the

when fi lling the jars, a e (called “headspace”) en the inside of the lid its liquid. The amount n the type of food being swell when heated and space. If fi lled too full, l out during processr seal. However, if too , the processing time h to drive out the air, t form. Each food has of headspace, so check ns for each one. d before, I recommend foods (either naturally dded acid, like vinegar include many fruits, ng you pickle. The acidrature during canning o-called “hot packing,” to boiling or near boilbed processing time is t into sterilized jars; if onger than 10 minutes, s during processing. ed, they are then proer bath of 212 degrees t of time spelled out in decide to “raw pack” omato quarters placed some additional acid, u will need to process iling water canner for to remove the air and cuum seal. The preseracid canning is pretty mportant thing is to ecipe. Even the kind of alt you use makes a difment. [Here’s a source s: nchfp.uga.edu/how/ on “How do I….” and

Class moved outdoors on the morning the stove’s ventilation hood stopped working. Kudos to teacher Judy Price, who improvised on the spot. Yes, you can pressure can on a gas grill!

The class learned how to make peach jam four ways— with full sugar, lower sugar, artificial sweetener and a no-cook freezer jam.

Class members proudly hold the certificates they earned, showing that show they passed the test.

Tomatoes, carrots, salsa, marinated peppers and dilly beans were just some of the items canned during the three-day class.

A RIVER REPORTER MAGAZINE 15

Whether it’s beer, wine or spirits, it’s now locally made By FRITZ MAYER

n 2008, the New York State Legislature passed the New York State Farm Distillery bill, which helped spur the growth of the production of spirits made by boutiques and private distillers in New York. Other laws were also passed, making it easier for boutique producers to enter the market of locally made beer, wines or spirits. Gov. Andrew Cuomo has embraced the beverage industry and has held two summits on how to promote it, which, among other things, has lead to the creation of a web-based one-stop shop for entrepreneurs who might wish to go into the business. The number of microbreweries, farm wineries, small distilleries and all other operations that produce varying amounts of alcohol are up 97% in New York State since Gov. Cuomo took office in 2011. At the website (esd.ny.gov/NYSBeverageBiz.html), browsers can discover a lot of information about obtaining various licenses; one could learn, for instance, that a license for a traditional brewery costs $4,000 per year, but a license for a microbrewery or farm brewery is only $320 per year. The current environment regarding the establishment of small breweries, wineries and distilleries has prompted many new facilities across the state, including several in this region.

The Catskill Brewing Company

The Catskill Brewing Company, located in Livingston Manor, has been in the planning stages for several years, and on August 16 had a soft opening, becoming the newest adult beverage producer in the region. The beer is also sold in local establishments.

Contributed photos

The grapes used in the wines from the Eminence Road Winery come from farmers in the Finger Lakes region of New York State.

The LEED-certified facility is open 5 to 7 p.m. daily to fi ll growlers, which are 32-ounce or 64-ounce containers specifically created to be fi lled or refi lled with beer produced on the premises. On days when beer production is not taking place, the brewery is also open to the public. The brewery is now producing three beers with more in the pipeline. From the website: “The brewery consists of 3,500 square feet for production, including the brew house and milling room, 12 fermentation and conditioning vessels, a bottling line, air conditioned storage, and a small tasting area, all in a vaulted, clerestory-lit space.”

Roscoe Beer Company

Open for business since May 2013, the Roscoe Beer Company sells beer produced in the Roscoe facility in 64-ounce growlers and kegs. It also has beer that is bottled and shipped downstate comes from a brewery in upstate New York, which brews it according to Roscoe’s recipe. Eventually, all of the brewing will be done at the Roscoe facility. The beer is also found in local establishments. The hours are Monday through Wednesday, 11 a.m. to 6 p.m.; Thursday through Saturday, 11 a.m. through 7

Eminence Road Winery in Long Eddy, NY has been making wine since 2008. The 2013 vintage, once bottled, should provide 1,000 cases of wine. 16 FOOD 2014

Continued on page 18

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A RIVER REPORTER MAGAZINE 17

BEER, WINE OR SPIRITS Continued from page 16

p.m.; and Sunday 11 a.m. through 5 p.m. From the website: “The Roscoe NY Beer Co. uses allnatural ingredients to maintain and stay true to the American beer-making traditions borne from European ancestry. Their flagship brew, Trout Town American Amber Ale, pours a deep amber color, with a clean nose, balanced hops and malt, and ends with a light citrus fi nish.”

Eminence Road Farm Winery

This winery started in 2008, and its fi rst vintage was only 200 cases. The 2013 vintage, when bottled, should fi ll about 1,000 cases. Co-owner Jennifer Clark writes, “Most of the wine now goes to Manhattan and Brooklyn, but we still love selling at local farmers’ markets… And we’re proud to be served in local restaurants like Hello Bistro, Henning’s Local and the Chestnut Cafe, and local shops including Callicoon Wine Merchant, Narrowsburg Fine Wines, Barryville Bottle and the Corner Liquor Store.” The owners are happy to show visitors around the facility, but want them to know that the accommodations are modest; they don’t serve meals or provide entertainment or have public restrooms. From the website: Eminence “makes small lots of dry table wine in a barn on the western edge of the Catskills using vinifera grapes from sustainably managed Finger Lakes vineyards. All wine is fermented by naturally occurring yeasts and bottled by hand, unfi ltered with the only addition being a minimal amount of sulfite for stability.”

Bashakill Vineyards

Bashakill Vineyards was started in 2005. The operation grows about 8,000 pounds of grapes on the South Road facility in Wurtsboro, and imports another 40,000 pounds of grapes from the Finger Lakes region. From the website: “The proximity to the Bashakill wetlands provides ideal conditions for grape growing. The moist, warm air off of the wetlands pushes the colder air off the vineyard and provides a blanket which protects the vines from the early frosts so commonly found in this region.” The organization built a 40-foot man-made cement cave recently to age its red wines in oak barrels from one to two years. The facility offers live music every Saturday and Sunday from 2 to 6 p.m., is dog friendly and people are welcome to bring food.

Continued on page 20

The first spirit produced by the Dancing Cat Distillery was Peace Vodka, a fitting product given that the facility is located a stone’s throw away from the Bethel Woods Center for the Arts, the home of the 1969 Woodstock Festival.

Beer from the Roscoe Beer Company may be purchased in growlers, which are refillable customized jugs created specifically for the sale of beer.

The Roscoe Beer Company has been open for business since May 2013 and now sells beer from its Roscoe facility and from an upstate brewer that bottles Roscoe Beer’s recipes.

From the Bashakill Vineyards website: “The proximity to the Bashakill wetlands provides ideal conditions for grape growing. The moist, warm air off of the wetlands pushes the colder air off the vineyard and provides a blanket which protects the vines from the early frosts so commonly found in this region.” 18 FOOD 2014

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A RIVER REPORTER MAGAZINE 19

BEER, WINE OR SPIRITS Continued from page 18

Prohibition Distillery

Brian Facquet, a distiller and founder of Prohibition Distillery in Roscoe, said the organization began distilling in 2010 and opened its new facility in 2013. Facquet said, “We’re about to add Spain and Italy,” to its international distribution operation. He said the distillery has a farm distillery license and two others. The tasting room opened in May 2013, and it’s now open year-round, 11 a.m. through 6 p.m. Facquet said the tasting room has attracted a lot of people and, “We’re helping to make in impact in the local economy.” The signature product is a vodka called Bootlegger 21, “named for the 21st Amendment that repealed the ban on booze in 1933. It is an elegantly crafted vodka, that calls New York its home.” Bootlegger 21 is found in a number of states in the Northeast, the South and on the West Coast.

Dancing Cat Distillery and Saloon

The distillery in Bethel, NY, not far from Bethel Woods Center for the Arts created at the site of the world-famous 1969 Woodstock Music Festival, is now part of a complex that includes the Dancing Cat Saloon, which features meals and entertainment, and the Stray Cat Art Gallery and the Store Next Door. The fi rst product from the distillery was Peace Vodka unveiled in 2011. Since then, the product list has blossomed into an array of at least eight products including Fearless Wheat Whiskey and Defiant Rye. From the website: “You can see the workings of a New York State Farm micro distillery in action during our distillery tours, including a view of our custommade copper stills, the work of European master craftsmen—a work of art that serves as a backdrop to the tasting room. There, you can also taste our craft spirits at the elegant art deco bar from the 1939 World’s Fair in Flushing, Queens. Check the website, www.dancingcatsaloon.com, for hours of tours, shows, dinners and other activities.

The Prohibition Distillery is located in a newly renovated 1929 firehouse is Roscoe. From the website: “Our distillery was inspired by the history of the United States, the people’s will,” which ultimately rejected prohibition.

photo by Peter Dollard

The newly constructed building for the Catskill Brewing Company in Livingston Manor is now open for business and open to the public.

The Catskill Brewing Company has been in the planning and building stage since this picture was taken in January 2010. The facility had a soft opening on August 16 and is the newest local provider of adult beverages in the region.

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20 FOOD 2014

The River Reporter’s 19th Annual THE BEST BALLOT IS BACK!

We have revamped our ballot and it’s better than ever! We ask that you simply vote for the people, places or businesses that you think are the BEST. Thank you for your participation and we look forward to receiving your votes. If there is a category that we are missing, let us know! We will publish our 2014 WINNERS in our annual Readers’ Choice Awards “BEST” supplement in January 2015.

Good Luck to all!

BEST PLACES FOR FOOD & DRINK

2014 READERS’ CHOICE AWARDS

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Brunch _________________________

New Restaurant ____________________

Kid’s Camp _______________________

Tuxedo Rentals ____________________

Budget-friendly ____________________

Pasta Dish _______________________

Kitchen & Bath Store _________________

Veterinarian Clinic __________________

Buffet __________________________

Pizza __________________________

Maternity Unit _____________________

Well Driller ______________________

Candy Shop ______________________

Off The Beaten Path _________________

Modular Homes ____________________

Women’s Health Center _______________

Cheeseteak Sandwich ________________

Outdoor Dining ____________________

Chinese Restaurant __________________

Overall Restaurant __________________

Coffeehouse ______________________

- Delaware County __________________

Deli ___________________________

- Orange County ___________________

Ambulance Squad __________________

- Golf Pro _______________________

Desserts ________________________

- Pike County _____________________

Amusement/ Fun Park ________________

- Musician/Band ___________________

Diner __________________________

- Sullivan County ___________________

Animal Shelter ____________________

- Photographer ____________________

Dinner _________________________

-Wayne County ____________________

Art Gallery _______________________

- Potter _________________________

Dinner Specials ____________________

-Region _________________________

Atmosphere ______________________

Local Products:

Early Bird Specials __________________

Ribs ___________________________

Bed & Breakfast ___________________

- Beer / Spirits ____________________

Family Restaurant __________________

Romantic Restaurant _________________

Bowling Lanes_____________________

- Cheese ________________________

French Fries ______________________

Salad __________________________

Canoe Livery______________________

- Eggs __________________________

Gourmet Restaurant _________________

Sandwiches ______________________

Campground______________________

- Meats _________________________

Grocery Store /Supermarket ____________

Seafood_________________________

Chamber of Commerce________________

- Maple Syrup _____________________

Hamburgers ______________________

Soups __________________________

Chicken BBQ (Volunteer) ______________

- Wine _________________________

Happy Hour ______________________

Steakhouse ______________________

Cider Mill ________________________

Meditation Center __________________

Health Food Store __________________

Vegetarian Food Restaurant ____________

Civic Club or Organization _____________

Movie Theatre _____________________

Home Cooking Restaurant _____________

Wine Selection ____________________

College _________________________

Museum ________________________

Hot Dogs ________________________

Wings __________________________

Community Festival or Street Fair _________

Neighborhood _____________________

Conference Center __________________

Pancake Breakfast __________________

OFFICIAL "BEST" BALLOT ENTRY FORM

Dance Studio _____________________

Parade _________________________

PLEASE PRINT CLEARLY

Day Trip ________________________

Penny Social ______________________

Jewelry Store _____________________

Fair ___________________________

Place to Hold a Prom ________________

Auto Parts Store____________________

Knit Shop________________________

Family Night Out ___________________

Places to Play Bingo _________________

Baby/Kids Store ____________________

Liquor Store ______________________

Farm Market______________________

Place to Take out of town guests __________

Boat Dealer/Rental __________________

Locally-made products ________________

Fire Department ___________________

Place to Take the kids ________________

Bookstore _______________________

Lumberyard ______________________

Golf Course ______________________

Playhouse Theatre __________________

Car Dealership ____________________

Medical Equipment __________________

Historic Site ______________________

Post Office _______________________

Clothing Store _____________________

Motorcycle Shop ____________________

Horseback Riding ___________________

Private School _____________________

Collectibles Store ___________________

Music Store_______________________

Hotel __________________________

Radio Station _____________________

Consignment Shop __________________

Novelty Shop _____________________

Law Office _______________________

Resort __________________________

Electronics _______________________

Outdoor Recreational Vehicles ___________

Library _________________________

Shopping Area ____________________

Farm Equipment Retailer ______________

Pet Store ________________________

Live Music Venue ___________________

Ski Lodge _______________________

Flooring Store _____________________

Place to Buy Art ____________________

Local __________________________

Special Area Attraction _______________

Florist __________________________

Pottery Studio _____________________

- Artist _________________________

Sullivan Renaissance Project ____________

Furniture Store ____________________

Speciality Store ____________________

- Author ________________________

Wedding Reception Location ____________

General Store _____________________

Sporting Goods Shop_________________

- Celebrity _______________________

Winery _________________________

Gift Shop ________________________

Tattoo/Ear Piercing Shop ______________

- Farm _________________________

Youth Center ______________________

Hardware Store ____________________

Vintage Shop _____________________

- Getaway _______________________

Youth Program ____________________

BEST PLACES TO SHOP Antique Store _____________________

Home Décor ______________________

Mortgage Company _________________

BEST OF OUR COMMUNITY

HOW TO VOTE: Pleast print clearly your choices for “THE BEST” from the categories listed. Best choices are limited to Delaware, Orange, Pike, Sullivan and Wayne counties. You may also VOTE ONLINE: www.RiverReporter.com/BEST HOW TO ENTER: NO PURCHASE NECESSARY. Additional ballots are available at The River Reporter of¿ce at 93 Erie Ave, Narrowsburg, NY. Ballots MUST be complete and include full name, address and phone number of voter. All ballots must be received by December 18, 2014. Employees of The River Reporter and Stuart Communications are permitted to vote but not eligible to win prizes. Entries that are late, damaged, illegible or missing voter’s name will not be eligible. One entry per person. Mechanically reprouced or Photocopied entries are not eligible. A business, organization or person may win no more than three (3) categories. Winners will be chosen based on the number of votes received by December 18th, 2014. HOW TO WIN PRIZES: All ballots will be included in a random drawing for prizes. Drawing will be held in January 2015. No duplicate winners. BEST Winners will be noti¿ed in January 2015.

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A RIVER REPORTER MAGAZINE 21

Funnel cake By AMANDA REED

ried foods are a staple at any county or state fair. From deep fried pickles or Oreos®, there isn’t much you can’t fi nd fried, if you look hard enough. The funnel cake, a must-have at every fair, is commonly thought to have its American origins in the Pennsylvania Dutch region where they served this deep-fried dough during harvest festivals and holidays. The German immigrants poured the batter through a funnel into hot oil, creating their twisting, looping masterpieces. Though this dessert seems to be the quintessential American treat, the origins have been traced back to medieval times. The recipe back then called for yeast or sourdough batter to be poured through a bowl with a small hole cut in the bottom. When it was fi nished cooking, it was then doused with salt and sugar, creating a fritter cake, with both sweet and salty tones. Whatever the true history of funnel cake, one thing is for certain... they weren’t concerned with the fat or calories contained in this delectable treat. Depending on the size of the funnel cake you chow down at the fair (or at home), it could range anywhere from 350 to a whopping 800 calories on average. Of course, the amount of fat varies, too, with the top end usually being around 50 grams per cake.

This shouldn’t dissuade you from trying to make your own deep fried heaven at home though. Smaller cakes (think shortcake sized) topped with fruit would make a healthier dessert. The process is really simple and once the oil is hot, takes only minutes to make. Once you’ve mastered the basics (and are feeling a little daring), funnel cakes can be used to replace a variety of things in your diet (if, of course, your waistline can handle it). Funnel cake burgers have seen a recent uptick in popularity, with varieties like maple and bacon topping the charts. Something about two small funnel cakes encasing a patty of beef attracts just as many people to a food stand as the chocolate-covered bacon fad of last year. The most important part about the funnel cake is the ability to experiment with the recipe. Funnel cakes covered with ice cream, chocolate and butterscotch are creative takes on the basic treat. It can also be garnished with more exotic things like jalapeño pepper glaze or a sweet-potato pie mix. Adding flavor to the batter takes the basic cake even further. Maple in the batter and bacon crumbles on top make a unique breakfast-flavored treat. However you enjoy your funnel cake, remember, it’s just as easy to make at home as it is to stand in line at the fair and wait for your treat.

Two simple takes on the recipe follow:

What You Need

1-1/2 cups flour 1/4 cup granulated sugar 1-1/2 teaspoon baking powder 1/2 teaspoon baking soda 2 eggs 1 cup milk 1 tsp. vanilla Oil, for frying 1/4 cup powdered sugar OR Pennsylvania Dutch Version 1 large egg, beaten 2/3 cup milk 1 1/4 cup all-purpose flour 2 Tablespoons sugar 1 teaspoon baking powder 1/4 teaspoon salt Powdered sugar

Make it

SIFT flour, granulated sugar, baking powder and baking soda into large mixing bowl; set aside. Beat eggs, milk and vanilla in bowl with whisk until blended. Add to flour mixture; mix well. HEAT about 3 inches cooking oil to 375°F in large saucepan or deep fryer. Slowly pour about 3 Tablespoons batter into hot oil in a free-form lattice pattern. Cook 30 seconds on each side or until golden brown on both sides. Drain funnel cake on paper towels. Repeat with remaining batter, allowing oil to return to 375°F between batches. SPRINKLE with powdered sugar.

Make it Easy

Use a plastic squeeze bottle to pour the batter into the hot oil. Cut the tip wide enough to form a steady stream of batter for shaping the funnel cakes. Be sure to use a thermometer to check the temperature of the oil. Frying at too low a temperature will cause the funnel cakes to absorb too much oil, while too high a temperature will cause burning. TRR photos by Amanda Reed

22 FOOD 2014

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7 Fund Raiser 7

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A RIVER REPORTER MAGAZINE 23

What farm-to-table got wrong By DAN BARBER [Editor’s note: This op-ed essay is reprinted here with permission of the New York Times. It was written in the spring by Dan Barber, chef and co-owner of the Blue Hill Farm and Blue Hill at Stone Barns Restaurants in Pocantico Hills, NY. He is the author of the just published book “The Third Plate: Field Notes on the Future of Food.”] OCANTICO HILLS, N.Y. — It’s spring again. Hip deep in asparagus—and, soon enough, tomatoes and zucchini. Farm-to-table advocates fi nally have something from the farm to put on the table. The crowds clamoring for just-dug produce at the farmers’ market and the local food co-op suggest that this movement is no longer just a foodie fad. Today, almost 80% of Americans say sustainability is a priority when purchasing food. The promise of this kind of majority is that eating local can reshape landscapes and drive lasting change. Except it hasn’t. More than a decade into the movement, the promise has fallen short. For all its successes, farmto-table has not, in any fundamental way, reworked the economic and political forces that dictate how our food is grown and raised. Big Food is getting bigger, not smaller. In the last five years, we’ve lost nearly 100,000 farms (mostly midsize ones). Today, 1.1% of farms in the United States account for nearly 45% of farm revenues. Despite being farm-to-table’s favorite targets, corn and soy account for more than 50% of our harvested acres for the fi rst time ever. Between 2006 and 2011, over a million acres of native prairie were plowed up in the so-called Western Corn Belt to make way for these two crops, the most rapid loss of grasslands since we started using tractors to bust sod on the Great Plains in the 1920s. How do we make sense of this odd duality: a food revolution on one hand, an entrenched status quo on the other? I got a hint of the answer a few years ago, while standing in a field in upstate New York. I was there because, many years before, I’d decided I wanted local flour for my restaurants. I chose Lakeview Organic, a grain farm operated by Klaas and Mary-Howell Martens. Klaas was growing a rare variety of emmer wheat (also known as farro), nearly extinct but for the efforts of a few farmers. Milled and baked into whole wheat bread, the emmer was a revelation— intensely sweet and nutty. I spoke routinely about the importance of local grain and the resurrection of lost flavors. I was waving the farm-to-table flag and feeling pretty good about it, too.

24 FOOD 2014

TRR photos by Amanda Reed

Visiting Klaas those years later, hoping to learn what made the emmer so delicious, I realized I was missing the point entirely. The secret to great-tasting wheat, Klaas told me, is that it’s not about the wheat. It’s about the soil. In fact, on a tour of his farm, there was surprisingly little wheat to see. Instead, Klaas showed me fields of less-coveted grains and legumes like millet, barley and kidney beans, as well as cover crops like mustard and clover, all of which he plants in meticulously planned rotations. The rotations dictate the quality of the soil, which means they dictate the flavor of the harvests as well. They are the recipe for his delicious emmer. Each planting in the sequence has a specific function. Klaas likes his field rotations to begin with a cover crop like the mustard plant. Cover crops are often grown to restore nutrients depleted from a previous harvest. Plowed into the soil after maturity, mustard offers the added benefit of reducing pest and disease problems for subsequent crops. Next Klaas will plant a legume, which does the neat trick of fi xing nitrogen: grabbing it from the atmosphere and storing it in

the plant’s roots. Soybeans are a good choice; or kidney beans, if the local processor is paying enough to make it worth his while; or cowpeas, which he harvests for animal feed. If there’s a dry spell, he’ll forgo beans altogether and pop in some hardy millet. Oats or rye is next; rye builds soil structure and suppresses weeds. Only then is Klaas’s soil locked and loaded with the requisite fertility needed for his wheat. As much as I cling to tried and true recipes, Klaas doesn’t. Depending on what the soil is telling him, he may roll out an entirely different rotation. If there’s a buildup of fungal disease in the field, the next season he’ll plant a brassica like cabbage or broccoli, followed by buckwheat, and then barley. Barley is among Klaas’s favorite crops. In addition to cleansing the soil of pathogens, it can be planted along with a nitrogen fi xer like clover, further benefiting the soil. Once again, the soil is ready for wheat. Standing in Klaas’s fields, I saw how single-minded I had been. Yes, I was creating a market for local emmer wheat, but I wasn’t doing anything to support the recipe behind it. Championing Klaas’s

wheat and only his wheat was tantamount to treating his farm like a grocery store. I was cherry-picking what I most wanted for my menu without supporting the whole farm. I am not the only one. In celebrating the All-Stars of the farmers’ market— asparagus, heirloom tomatoes, emmer wheat—farm-to-table advocates are often guilty of ignoring a whole class of humbler crops that are required to produce the most delicious food. With limited American demand for local millet, rye and barley, 70% of Klaas’s harvest was going into livestock feed for chickens, pigs and dairy cattle. In general, Klaas earned pennies on the dollar compared with what he’d make selling his crops for human consumption. And we were missing out as well, on nutritious foods that are staples of the best cuisines in the world. Diversifying our diet to include more local grains and legumes is a delicious fi rst step to improving our food system. Millet and rye are an easy substitute for rice or pasta. But that addresses only the Continued on page 26

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WHAT FARM TO TABLE Continued from page 26

low-hanging fruit of Klaas’s farm. More challenging is to think about how to honor the other underutilized parts of his rotations—classic cover crops like cowpeas and mustard, which fertilize the soil to ensure healthy harvests in the future. Today, the best farmers are tying up valuable real estate for long periods of time (in an agonizingly short growing season) simply to benefit their soil. Imagine if Macy’s reserved half of its shelf space at Christmas for charitable donations. A noble idea. But profitable? Not so much. By creating a market for these crops, we can provide more value for the farmer and for our own diets, while supporting the long-term health of the land. In Klaas’s field, I bent down and ripped off a green shoot of Austrian winter peas. I took a bite. Inedible? No, delicious! Thirty acres of the most tender and sweet pea shoots I’d ever tasted. (Harvesting the leaves would somewhat reduce the amount plowed back into the soil, but the plant’s soil benefits would remain.) In the distance I could make out a field of mustards. Klaas plants Tilney mustard, similar to the spicy green you fi nd in a mesclun mix. I realized I wasn’t just looking at a cover crop. I was looking at a salad bowl. Back at the restaurant, I created a new dish called “Rotation Risotto,” a collection of all of Klaas’s lowly, soil-supporting grains and legumes, cooked and presented in the manner of a classic risotto. I used a purée of cowpea shoots and mustard greens to thicken the grains and replace the starchiness of rice. As one waiter described the idea, it was a “noseto-tail approach to the farm,” an edible version of Klaas’s farming strategy. It’s one thing for chefs to advocate cooking with the whole farm; it’s another thing to make these uncelebrated crops staples in ordinary kitchens. Bridging that divide will require a new network of regional processors and distributors. Take beer, for example. The explosion in local microbreweries has meant a demand for local barley malt. A new malting facility near Klaas’s farm recently opened in response. He now earns 30% more selling barley for malt than he did selling it for animal feed. For other farmers, it’s a convincing incentive to diver-

sify their grain crops. Investing in the right infrastructure means the difference between a farmer’s growing crops for cows or for cafeterias. It will take the shape of more local mills (for grains), canneries (for beans) and processors (for greens). As heretical as this may sound, farm-to-table needs to embrace a few more middlemen. Perhaps the problem with the farm-totable movement is implicit in its name. Imagining the food chain as a field on one end and a plate of food at the other is not only reductive, it also puts us in the position of end users. It’s a passive system— a grocery-aisle mentality—when really, as cooks and eaters, we need to engage in the nuts and bolts of true agricultural sustainability. Flavor can be our guide to reshaping our diets and our landscapes, from the ground up.

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26 FOOD 2014

Real Real Farmers. Food.

Real Local.

Sullivan County’s largest year-round farmers’ market...

The Callicoon Farmers’ Market Sundays, 11am-2pm | Callicoon Creek Park | through November 16 Sundays, 11am-2pm | Delaware Youth Center, 8 Creamery Road November 23 & 30, Every Sunday in December, January 4 & 18, February 1 & 22, March 8 & 22, April 12 & 26

All Markets Open Rain, Shine or Snow 866-270-2015 www.SullivanCountyFarmersMarkets.org

RESTAURANT & SHOPS

Pennsyltucky Grill

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Complimentary Soup, Salad, & Dessert Bar with appetizer & 2 main dishes *Tuesday, Wednesday & Thursday

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Glass — Wine. Bar. Kitchen.

We feature the largest selection of imported & domestic wines and spirits in the county

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Thank you for voting us “Best Liquor Store”

WHITE LAKE

Serving affordable meals since 1966

J Open 7 Days a week K J Burgers, Grilled Sandwiches K J Fajitas, Specialty Salads K J Quesadillas, Steaks, Pastas and more K J Outside Patio Dining K J Tourist Information Center K J 1800s School House K J Koi and Duck Ponds K J Full Service Pub with Daily Drink and Food Specials J

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Live Music, Thur. Fri. & Sun. Exclusive Offer Reserve your Sunday night stay at Ledges Hotel for Blues, Brews & BBQ and get a $60 food credit at Glass. Mention this code when reserving: TRRLedgesBBQ2014 Located at Ledges Hotel 119 Falls Avenue, Hawley, PA 18428 Phone: 570-226-1337 | info@ledgeshotel.com ledgeshotel.com

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A RIVER REPORTER MAGAZINE 27

Lunch & Dinner Thursday | Friday | Saturday Dinner Reservations Necessary 570-253-3013

Gourmet comfort food served in a beautiful setting High Tea By Reservation 118 Willow Ave. Honesdale, PA 18431 Like us on Facebook