Table Hoppin

TABLE HOPPIN’ Pickles get Salem Cross Inn out of a jam

BARBARA M. HOULE

Most days you’ll find Josh Chaffee of Warren at his maintenance job at Salem Cross Inn in West Brookfield. For a few days this summer he wore a different hat, making pickles for the business. Sweet, crunchy bread and butter pickles that are served alongside sandwiches and burgers on the Salem Cross menu.

“This was by far our biggest year for cucumbers,” said Salem Cross general manager Nancy Salem, explaining how the inn’s garden at times seemed to grow out of control. “With a cuke dilemma, Josh said, ‘I know what to do. Make pickles.’ He went into the kitchen and made these amazing pickles,” said Salem. “We only hope our supply will last long enough to take us into November.”

Chaffee loves to cook and annually freezes and pickles produce from his own garden. Early on, he was given a recipe for homemade pickles from his “Aunt Judy,” who got the handwritten recipe from his grandmother. Chaffee has made the pickles ever since, omitting peppers from the original brine recipe and adding a spice or two of his own. He doesn’t share the recipe, he said, preferring to keep it in the family.

Chaffee has worked at the inn for three years. At home, he stocks his kitchen shelves and freezer with food he’s prepared during the summer and fall. He recently picked the last of his tomato crop, making tomato sauce for winter months. The slow-simmered sauce has a fresh, vibrant flavor and makes his homemade lasagna the best, he said, and the perfect option for large family get-togethers (pre-COVID-19) or even a weeknight dinner. His pickled garden medley signals the end of summer.

Chaffee takes pride in the work he does, said Salem, and also is a passionate home cook.

Nancy Salem and siblings Richard, John, David and Robert (Bo) Salem and Martha SalemLeasca and Heather Salem, all of the Henry Salem family, own and operate the Salem Cross Inn, which celebrates its 60th anniversary in 2021.

When it comes to dining at Salem Cross, guests will discover operational changes as a result of COVID-19. The business strictly adheres to state regulations on mask wearing, social distancing, sanitation, etc.

Guests currently have the option of indoor and outdoor seating. I recommend taking advantage of outdoor reservations while you still can. Being seated at one of the tables on the lawn (side and back of inn) offers a spectacular view of the landscape and is very serene. Early autumn is a magical time of year in New England, especially at this historic landmark.

Food and service also hit high marks. It’s mind-boggling how wait staff juggle trays of drinks, walking up and down the lawn without spilling a drop.

Salem-Leasca describes the lawn gazebo as a special place, or a private dining room for up to six people. Guests have told the owners that outdoor dining at the inn is like a Sound of Music experience, she said. Some garden flowers still are in bloom, fresh herbs are picked daily and Salem Inn’s cattle can be seen roaming the fields. There’s a lot to take in, said Salem-Leasca. “Some days there’s quite a show out there.”

Salem Cross Inn is notably known for annual events, such as the popular Drover’s Roast, Fireplace Feast, Thanksgiving Dinner and Christmas festivities. It’s also a popular wedding venue and tourist attraction.

“COVID-19 put a damper on a lot of our events,” said Nancy Salem. “As for weddings, couples are rescheduling into next year, and we are very lucky to have smaller weddings scheduled for the remaining year.

“There’s so much space that we aren’t able to use,” said Salem. “We have socially distanced tables in all our dining areas and comply with all the rules surrounding food and alcohol. We especially appreciate that our guests tell us that they feel very safe dining here,” said Salem. “We want everyone to be safe and comfortable. Both guests and employees.”

Plans for Thanksgiving Dinner at Salem Cross are in the works, according to Salem, who said holiday updates would be posted early next month at www.salemcrossinn.com.

Current hours are 4 to 8 p.m. Thursday, Friday and Saturday; noon to 6 p.m. Sundays. Call (508) 867-2345 for reservations and more information. FYI: Chefs incorporate produce from the garden and fresh herbs into the farm-to-table menu. Maybe, just maybe, homemade apple pie will be on the menu on your next visit. Salem Cross was once home to the “The Best Apple Pie in New England,” an annual contest where contestants used the inn’s beehive oven to bake their pies. Some of the recipes have been featured on the inn’s menu. We should note that Salem-Leasca is an apple pie expert, having worked the contest for years.

As the days shorten and the leaves turn, enjoy a taste of New England at the historic Salem Cross Inn.

Webster House cookbook coming out this fall

The Webster House Restau

rant cookbook should be available to the public this fall, according to the committee members who have worked tirelessly to make the late Chris Liazos’ dream cookbook a reality.

Liazos passed last year after a battle with pancreatic cancer. He and his late wife, Helena, owned and operated the former Webster House Restaurant in Worcester for more than 30 years.

“The cookbook is one written by employees for the loyal customers, former employees and anyone who has interest in a feel-good story about life behind the scenes in a restaurant,” said cookbook committee member Deborah Alcorn.

“The Webster House Cookbook,

Recipes, People, History” has more than 250 pages, 60 of which are devoted to just desserts, said Alcorn. Photos in the book date as far back as 1939, she said.

Liazos had taken on the cookbook project before his death, outlining plans at cookbook committee meetings held in his Worcester home, where there was endless food talk and tastings. It was his wish that proceeds from the book would be given to a local charity, such as the Worcester County Food Bank, said Alcorn.

The cookbook committee includes former Webster House Restaurant employees Alcorn, executive chef Joan St. Denis Clarico, Cindy Garvin, Ann Robert and Ray Young. Gloria St. Denis and Rod

Nancy Salem, Joshua Chaffee and Martha Salem-Leasca near the garden as Chaffee holds a jar of his homemade pickles made from cucumbers in the Salem Cross garden.

CHRISTINE PETERSON

Lee also are on the committee.

Stay tuned for more cookbook information. It definitely will be a local best seller as Liazos was beloved by family and friends. He also was a community leader and generously supported Worcestersponsored events.

I especially look forward to the book and the dessert recipes, some of which Liazos forwarded to me before he passed. The recipes got me back into the test kitchen!

Big E food favorites available in drive-thru

Eastern States Exposition

announced Big E food favorites would be available at a Food-To-Go Drive Thru at The Big E grounds in West Springfield, sponsored by Westfield Bank.

Drive-Thru will operate Sept. 22-27; Sept. 29-Oct. 4; Oct. 6-11; Oct. 13-18. Hours of operation are 11 a.m. to 7 p.m., Tuesday through Thursday; 10 a.m. to 8 p.m. Friday; 9 a.m. to 7 p.m. Saturday and Sunday.

Different vendors will bring their iconic Big E foods to the fair grounds. There is a $5 per vehicle entry fee and reservations for a specific time slot must be made online in advance. Food purchases are not included in the vehicle entry fee. All vehicles will follow a one-way route through the fairgrounds, passing by each vendor. A bypass lane will be available along the route. The Drive-Thru is open to standard passenger vehicles only. Visit www.thebige.com for more information. Special offers will be announced on social media.

“It’s clear The Big E will be missed, and this is our way of creating a safe, socially distant opportunity to present the genuine foods people have come to know and love, and continue to create memories for our guests,” said ESE President and CEO Gene Cassidy. “This is the real thing.”

A maximum of 50 cars per hour within two-hour time slots will be registered each day. All time slots are final.