Download - Holiday In The Country 2010 Eastern Edition
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November 24, 2010
Special Section to: The Valley Gazette I The Stratford Star I The Milford Mirror I The Amity Observer I The Trumbull Times I Fairfield Sun I The Huntington Herald I The Monroe Courier I The Easton Courier
ArrangementbyStewartFlowersinWilton,photobyBryanHaeffele
Holiday
Countryin the
Holiday ShoppingIts A Gender Thing
Make The Season BrightWith A Visit To Plaskos Farm
Galaxys Holiday CookiesAre Out Of This World
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2 Holiday in the Country Hersam Acorn Newspapers November 24, 2010
by Joanne Greco Rochman
Last year, I asked my husband to help with
the holiday shopping. We divided the re-
cipient list fairly, with the same number ofmale and female gifts. We decided to shop
for the first three females on our lists and
headed to the mall. We agreed to meet
back at the car in two hours at the latest.
Three gifts in two hours? I asked myself.
It sounded reasonable.
My first gift was for an artist friend.
I went crazy looking for the per-
fect scarf for her. It had to look
you know artsy. When I
finally crossed that off my list,
I was surprised at how
much time I
spent on
one scarf.Next, I went
to the jewelry
counter. I saw
two pairs of
earrings that
were lovely,
but since I couldnt
make up my mind which pair
I liked better, I circled the entire
jewelry counter a couple of times
to make sure that something else
wasnt more fitting.
Finally, I found a bracelet that
was perfect. I still had one more gift
to get, and time was running out. I dashedover to the handbag department, hoping
to quickly find a pretty, little evening bag
for my sons girlfriend, but there were so
many pretty little bags that I couldnt make
up my mind. Finally, as I glanced at my
watch and realized my two hours were just
about up, and saw that the checkout line
was pretty long, I picked the bag I thought
most reflected the girls personality
and bought it. I barely made it back to
the car on time.
To my surprise, my husband was already in
the car, relaxed, sipping coffee and listening
to Mozart on the iPod. He told me it took himless than a half hour to get his gifts. Impos-
sible, I said, convinced that he never left
the car except to get some coffee. But sure
enough, when he opened the trunk, there
were his three gifts. My conclusion was that
men shop faster than women.
It was only when we
started wrapping the
gifts that I discovered
how drastically different
men and women shop.
As I tucked delicately
designed tissue paper
around that pretty
scarf and reached forthe matching wrap-
ping paper, my hus-
band was finishing up
by sticking ready-made
bows on his pre-wrapped
gifts. I found the gifts all
around the same place,
he announced proudly. A
luscious box of candy, a
gorgeous box of handker-
chiefs and a divine bottle
of cologne didnt need
more than a bow.
Well, of course he shopped
with blinders on. He missedall the incredible displays in
the store, and he shopped
in only one department. I
couldnt even say that he
hadnt given any thought
to his gifts, because the
first gal on his list was a
chocaholic, the second
was always sniffling
because of her aller-
Holidayshopping
ITS A GENDER THING
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November 24, 2010 Holiday in the Country Hersam Acorn Newspapers 3
gies and the third was always flaunting
some new fragrance. Thats when I knew
I had to do some research.
I went to the Web and, sure enough, there
was plenty of research on the shopping
patterns of men and women. On a mar-
keting site called Knowledge @ Wharton,
I saw in print what I had already suspect-
ed. The Wharton study said, Women
are happy to meander through sprawling
clothing and accessory collections or de-
tour through the shoe department. They
like to glide up glass escalators past a
grand piano, or spray a perfume sample
on themselves on their way to, maybe,
making a purchase. For men, shopping is
a mission. They are out to buy a targeted
item and flee the store as quickly as pos-
sible. Furthermore, studies showed that
men are more likely to respond to more
utilitarian aspects of the experience
such as availability of parking, whether
the item they came for is in stock and the
length of the checkout line.
I asked Trumbull resident Jill Angotta
how she and her husband shop for theholidays. We make up a list, determine
how much to spend on each gift
and then we shop, she said.
However, she added,
the ideas for the gifts
are usually left to me.
She also said that they
had tried the divide and
conquer approach, but that
didnt work too well. If the
gift is for females, then its
up to me, she said. If its a
guy, hell do something easy
like a gift card, or go to the
liquor store for a gift bottle of
wine.
I have to give him credit, though, she
continued. Hes a good guy and does
help out whenever he can, she said,
pointing out that since she works full-
time as the director of special services
at Sacred Heart University, and is also
studying for her EdD (Doctor of Educa-
tion). Her husband understands how lim-
ited her time is and helps out as much as
possible.
Husband Donald Paul Angotta said he
tends to do as much shopping as he pos-
sibly can on the Internet. The computer
and I are good friends, he said with a
laugh. I subscribe to the one-click
Amazon program. When asked if his
wife were not so busy, would he let her
do it all? He didnt hesitate, If I could I
would, he said. His sense of humor was
in good form. Interestingly enough, he
also said that he tends to buy more ex-
pensive gifts than she does. That way I
have to buy less, and Im done with it.
His secret is out.
The moral of this story is men shop differ-
ently than wom- en, so hold onto that
thought and brace yourself
for holiday shopping.
by Lois Alcosser
Heres a stunning book that combines
photographs of delectable food, inter-
views with farmers dedicated to the best
that nature has to offer, comments from
great chefs, and their recipes. Har-
vest to Heat, Cook-
ing with Amer-
icas Best Chefs,
Farmers and Ar-
tisans (Taunton
Press, Oct. 2010)by Darryl Estrine
and Kelly Kochen-
dorfer is a book that
anyone (change that
to most everyone)
would like to own. If
you care about food,
where it comes from
and beautiful ways to
present it, its a book
youll savor.
Darryl Estrines photo-
graphs are like paintings, a n d
peppered through the book are conver-
sations with farmers, fishermen, cheese-makers, bakers, people who raise organic
beef cattle, dairy cattle, lambs, chickens,
pigs and turkeys, whose names may be
unfamiliar but whose practices are chang-
ing the way we think about food.
A nice surprise on pages 219 and 220
Annie Farrell and Betsy Fink of Wiltons
Millstone Farm are featured as organic
producers of tomatoes, corn, beans,
herbs, grass-fed beef, chicken, eggs. (An-
nie Farrell, the Veg Lady, gave directions
for a backyard vegetable garden in the
May issue ofHome.) Millstone Farm sup-
plies organic produce to Westport chefs
Bill Taibe of LeFarm and Michel Nischan
of The Dressing Room, who says, Any-
one who readsHarvest to Heatwill be as
compell ed to cook from it as I
am.
In her foreword, Al-
ice Waters, owner
of Chez Panisse, in
Berkeley, Cal., one
of the first restau-
rants to use local,
seasonal, organic
produce, writes,
Harvest to Heat
embraces the
incredible re-
gional diver-
sity of our
country while
so l id i fy ing
the connec-
tion between
land and plate. It represents a
new generation of cookbooks, for a new
generation of cooks.
This is not just a coffee-table book of
pretty pictures. Its filled with the words,
ideas, feelings and creativity of those
whose lives are devoted to the joy of
growing, cooking and eating the best
that food can be. There are sections with
recipes for: starters, salads, soups, main
courses, sides and desserts. In each sec-
tion, you get to know the farmers who
grew the food and their chef customers.
Harvest to HeatA GROUNDBREAKING
LOOK-AND-COOK BOOK
EllenSilve
rman
Harvest continued on page 12
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4 Holiday in the Country Hersam Acorn Newspapers November 24, 2010
PLASKOS FARM
Happy
holidays for93 yearsby Robin E. Glowa
Every day feels like a holiday at Plaskos Farm. From the
time the farm opens in March, offering bright, colorfulEaster plants all the way through Christmas Day, there is
so much to celebrate at this bucolic Trumbull treasure.
Were the oldest working farm in Trumbull, says John
Plasko Sr. Ninety-three years ago, my parents came
from Czechoslovakia and bought the land in Trumbull
to start a farm. Back then there was no electricity; each
farm had to pay for a telegraph pole, John recalls.
The family continued to modernize the farm as the years
went by. The farm land was expanded to include a 22-
acre plot just up the street, where potatoes, sweet corn,
peppers, tomatoes, squash, melons, onions and broccoli
are cultivated. Adding
a full nursery, country
store and bakery turnedPlaskos Farm into a des-
tination spot for fresh,
local produce as well as
wonderful baked goods.
Bakery specialties are
apple, pumpkin, bum-
bleberry, coconut cus-
tard, pecan, and choco-
late silk pies, to name a
few; breads and luscious
teabreads, triple berry
and peach melba be-
ing quite popular; three
Christmas decorations, ornaments, wreaths, poinsettias are here in abundance.
Wayne Ratzenberger photos
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Visit Our Showroom
GarageDoors
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by Robin E. Glowa
Its so much fun here around the holidays,
Mike Friedman says enthusiastically. We
decorate and make it really pretty. Mike
and Dan Katz, owners of Ash Creek Saloon
in Black Rock and Norwalk, especially love
welcoming patrons during the holiday sea-
son.
Mike and Dan have been delighting cus-
tomers in their warm and welcoming old-
time saloon-like setting for 18 years. We
almost consider ourselves a real fall and
winter destination spot, with the holidays
being a particularly nice time to stop in,
says Mike. When its cold out, people defi-
nitely want good comfort food in a cozy
environment.
The Ash Creek Saloon is well loved by
locals, and is a wonderful discovery for
newcomers. The charming, rustic setting
with mahogany bar, antique tin ceilings, a
multitude of Western memorabilia and a
deliciously diverse menu make for an im-
mensely appealing dining experience.
We dont have to be the latest, most trendy
restaurant, Mike says. Were interested
in being consistent and being the local,
hometown restaurant. CT Magazine voted
us Best Neighborhood Restaurant, and that
is really what we pride ourselves on be-
ing local, being part of the neighborhood.
Serving lunch, dinner and a bar menu,
the Ash Creek Saloon has repeatedly won
awards for the succulent, mouth-watering
ribs and barbecue. But were so much
more than barbecue, Mike adds emphati-
cally.
Those tantalizing ribs are available as an
appetizer, along with tangy chicken wings.
Served with regular, hell-fire or gold-rush
sauce, wings will warm you up when its
damp or chilly out. Rio Grande nachos
smothered with chili, jalapenos, scallions,
black olives, tomatoes, sour cream, salsa
and plenty of melted cheese are terrific.
Baked macaroni and cheese, a house spe-cialty, oozes delicious, creamy cheesiness.
Comfort often means soup, and the Ash
Creek Saloon offers four rich, hearty
black bean; French onion, bursting with on-
ion flavor and luscious broth; frisky chicken
tortilla; and sweet corn chowder, garnished
with crisp bits of bacon and aromatic basil.
A splendid choice of salads includes bounti-
ful Cobb, a melange of grilled chicken, fresh
spinach, romaine lettuce, crunchy bacon,
hard-boiled egg, creamy avocado slices and
gorgonzola cheese; a French Rustic Tuna,
a tasty twist on the classic Nicoise, with
pan-seared tuna, crisp green beans, potato,black olives and tomatoes. Simple savory
favorites are the Caesar, an iceberg wedge
drizzled with blue cheese dressing, and a
house salad. Each salad can be further em-
bellished with grilled or blackened chicken
or shrimp, coconut-crusted chicken or fried
calamari.
Sandwich lovers will be superbly satisfied
with the saloons hearty meatloaf sandwich,
crusty French dip, Tuscan chicken panini,
or luxurious lobster wrap. All sandwiches
are accompanied by crispy Idaho fries, on-
ion rings or Ash Creeks fantastic sweet po-
tato fries, served with molasses. We were
really the first place around to offer sweet
potato fries, Mike says. People went crazy
for them, and now they are a staple of our
menu.
Many patrons flock to Ash Creek to enjoy a
barbecue feast. Babyback pork ribs, burly
beef short ribs, moist roasted chicken, ter-
rifically tender beef brisket and shredded
pork are served with cooling coleslaw and
a choice of potato, pork and beans, onion
rings or sweet potato fries.
ASH CREEK SALOON
Great food and great fun
Come in from the cold to enjoy comfort food and a cozy atmosphere.
WayneRatzenberger
6 Holiday in the Country Hersam Acorn Newspapers November 24, 2010
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Barbecue makes wonderful party food,
Mike notes. We cater holiday parties on-
or off-site, or we can simply drop off large
barbecue orders, as well. We also provide
hors doeuvres and full dinners, along with
a staff for holiday gatherings. We offer dif-
ferent packages at different price points.
Delectable dinners at the saloon include
seafood entres, such as gorgeous honey-
glazed salmon, roasted trout with a luscious
lemon caper sauce and lobster fettucine,
freshly prepared pasta tossed with rich
chunks of lobster in a spicy tomato sauce.
Meat lovers will enjoy the center-cut pork
chop with a bright cranberry sauce; New
York strip, grilled beef tenderloin; or Cajun
top sirloin. Golden brown, southern-fried
chicken and Copper Creek chicken, a juicy
roasted half-chicken served with a lemon ja-
lapeno sauce, will satiate poultry fans.
Sweet tooths may be indulged with Texas
blackberry bread pudding, topped with
vanilla ice cream; homemade apple crisp,
made with apples simmered in cinnamon,
topped with brown sugar and walnuts;
deep, rich Moms chocolate cake with choc-
olate frosting; warm Georgia pecan pie; or
Ash Creek Saloonacy, a Heath Bar fudge
brownie, piled with vanilla ice cream, hot
fudge sauce and whipped cream, a tower of
decadence recommended for two!
Mike adds, After all these years in busi-
ness, weve learned that if you make people
feel welcome, they are going to come back
again and again. We want our customers to
be satisfied. Our staff is a great group, some
of them have been with us for many years,
and they take great care of our customers.
We like to give back to our customers,
continues Mike. During the holidays, lots of
people like to purchase our gift certificates.
When you buy a $50 gift certificate, we give
you a $10 gift certificate for yourself. You
can purchase as many as you like up until
December 24th. You give a gift and get a
gift. Now thats great fun!
Ash Creek Saloon is at 2 Wilton Avenue in
Norwalk, 203-847-7500, and 2895 Fair-
field Avenue in Black Rock, 203-333-2733;
ashcreeksaloon.com.
November 24, 2010 Holiday in the Country Hersam Acorn Newspapers 7
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8 Holiday in the Country Hersam Acorn Newspapers November 24, 2010
by G. Lisa Sullivan
Call me crazy, but as much as I love to
bake, I dread the thought of making Christ-
mas cookies. Like most people, I have a
million things to do in preparation for the
holidays, and making cookies is at the very
bottom of my list (right there with making
my own wrapping paper).
Fortunately, Connie Grant, owner of Gal-
axy Cookies, is more than happy to make
Christmas cookies, as well as virtually any
other holiday or themed cookie you can
imagine, so I dont have to. Whether I
want a dozen custom-decorated snowman
sugar cookies for Christmas Eve or Hanu-
kah at our house, or a box of Connies fa-
mous Toffee Crater Crunch cookies to give
to our mailman, I know I can pick up the
phone or jump on the Internet to order
whatever I need.
I have been buying cookies from Connie
since she first opened her business more
than five years ago, and in that time, I
think Ive become something of an ex-
pert on the subject....from purchasing her
cookies for teachers gifts to bringing my
daughter to a childrens cookie-decorat-
ing birthday party at Connies shop (and
lets not forget the extensive research Ive
done eating Connies delicious cookies).
If youre looking for a unique gift for that
special someone this holiday season, then
Galaxy Cookies is just the place for you.
GALAXY COOKIES
Holiday treats are out of this world!
Order early, since most of Galaxys holiday cookies are made-to-order.
NHSO-Shelton sponsored by:
-
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November 24, 2010 Holiday in the Country Hersam Acorn Newspapers 9
Recipe For Success
Connie, a Darien native, began baking when
she was just a child, starting with her Easy-
Bake Oven when she was five years old. Af-
ter a decade-long corporate career, Connie
decided to cash in her 401(k) and start her
own business. I knew I wanted to do some-
thing creative that would involve baking,
she recalls. I knew I could bake, and I could
drive, so I put the two together and decided
to launch a cookie-baking service with local
delivery.
Working with her mother (and part-time
resident baker and delivery person), Julia,
Connie settled on Galaxy Cookies for her
business name, knowing she could create
all types of baked goods around the plan-
etary theme. Mom and I sat down and
came up with galactic cookie names, Con-
nie says, and I created our slogan, Out of
This World!, which is what I expected the
cookies to be.
With a trademarked name, Connie opened
her shop in November 2003 in Westport. I
wanted a location where people could notonly come and buy homemade cookies
made with all natural ingredients, but also
sit down and have a cup of coffee (iced or
hot) and a hot, just-out-of-the-oven treat.
In April 2010, she relocated the store to 12
Knight Street in Norwalk, midway between
the Merritt Parkway and I-95. Within walk-
ing distance of the Fat Cat Pie Co., an an-
chor store in the area, the shop is ideally lo-
cated for holiday shoppers looking to either
purchase cookies as a gift or simply take a
break from their busy holiday schedules.
Homemade For The Holidays
Connies cosmic drop-cookie creations
include Cosmic Chocolate Chip, Celestial
Snickerdoodle, Toffee Crater Crunch, Big
Dipper Double Chocolate, Oatmeal Rocket
Chip and Bing Bang Peanut Butter, to name
a few. Im always looking for new ideas for
cookies, she says. The Oatmeal Rocket
Chip actually originated with a client who
wanted a chocolate chip oatmeal cookie for
his business, I told him he had to come up
with the name, and he did!
The shops custom holiday decorated sugar
cookies, which start at $3.50 per cookie,
feature candy canes, snowmen, Christmas
trees, Santa hats and Stars of David. Many
of my customers order a mix the drop
cookies and the sugar cookies for platters
and trays, says Connie, who does the ma-
jority of baking herself, while her trusted
assistant, Gabriella, focuses on decorating.
Cookie bouquets can also be ordered, with
assorted drop cookies baked on stems
and bundled into a flower box.
Clients purchase Connies cookies as host-ess gifts, party favors and for holiday cen-
terpieces and office parties. You can order
initial cookies, which are great for small
gifts, or even for wedding favors, she says.
The custom cookies can be individually
wrapped in cellophane and a bow (one less
thing for you to do!).
Spreading Holiday Cheer
A number of area businesses order Connies
cookies to serve in their stores during the
holidays, and her customers often buy the
cookies to give to the staff at their doctors
offices, or the retail stores they frequent. I
have a standing weekly order for the West-
port Country Playhouse, which buys dozens
of cookies each week, Connie says.
With most of her cookies made to order,
Connie recommends that customers place
orders early, particularly during the holi-
days. We also ship cookies to other states,
so I advise my clients to plan ahead, she
says.
The Cookie of the Month Club, with drop
cookies offered in three-, six- or 12- month
increments, makes an excellent holiday gift,
as do the shops cookie decorating kits ($10)
and gift certificates.
We also do kids birthday parties here, with
the children decorating the letters of their
names and some shapes, Connie explains.
Parents can also bring their kids here to
decorate cookies (3 for $6) as a rainy/snowy
day activity, or during vacation.
On Saturday mornings (and Sundays,
through the holidays), Connie makes some
kind of breakfast treat, like croissants, blue-
berry muffins or cinnamon-rolled cupcakes
for people to have with their coffee. I want
people to think of my shop as a cozy, invit-
ing place to hang out, she says. I love be-
ing around people, and like one of Santas
elves, Im always here baking anyway.
For more information: 203-810-4752; galaxy-
cookies.com.
All is Calm...
203-732-4719
TUES-SAT 11-6 PM
-
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10 Holiday in the Country Hersam Acorn Newspapers November 24, 2010
by Lois Alcosser
That knife you use to slice a tomato or mince garlic
may not seem very exciting, but after a visit to the
Wsthof Cutlery store on Wilson Avenue in Norwalk,
the subject of knives, as described by store manager
Andrea Arnold, becomes dramatic.
Andrea is Swiss and ran a restaurant near Zurich for
many years. It was called Arvini, and we served sea-
sonal pastas. I used to work with Wsthof knives, and
now I sell them. Its much better than the restaurant
business. Americans eat dinner early, but in Swit-
zerland, dinner is at 9 or 10 p.m., so the restaurant
A cut aboveHOLIDAY MEALS
WITH WSTHOF KNIVES
Andrea Arnold demonstates the proper way to use a honing steel.
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November 24, 2010 Holiday in the Country Hersam Acorn Newspapers 11
didnt close till one in the morning.
Wsthof Cutlery has been a family business
for seven generations. Located in Solingen,
Germany, the business started in 1814,
and now is one of the largest in the world.
Andrea made a point of describing the
Wsthof factory immaculately efficient,
environmentally friendly. The water goes
out cleaner than it came in, she says. Our
workers are treated well, respected like
members of the family.
Wsthof makes two kinds of knives
stamped and forged. Stamped knives are
made from a large piece of metal and re-
quire seven steps. Forged knives are finished
by hand and require 40 steps. Wsthof has
more than 350 different styles, sizes and
shapes of forged knives. The most popular
knife is a cooks knife, which has a wide
blade. It comes in numerous blade sizes,
from four to 14. It can do just about every-
thing cutting, slicing, dicing, mincing.
There are boxed sets that make wonder-
ful gifts; a starter set contains eight to 23
pieces. The knife connoisseur will want
specialty knives, such as a paring knife or
a serrated bread knife. There is a serrated
tomato knife, which will slice a very ripe to-
mato without losing any juice. At the tip is a
prong to pick up the slices.
The choice, use and caring of knives be-
comes a culinary art, and Andrea knows
from experience that a good knife the
right knife makes you a better cook. A
good knife can make someone want to start
cooking again, she says. Take a paring
knife, for instance. There are different sizes,
different handles. Its essential for small
jobs, like removing the eyes from a potato.
There is a paring knife with a hollow ground
blade for cutting sticky fruits. The knife is
made to create an air pocket between the
blade and the fruit so it will cut easily, with-
out stickiness.
Knives become very personal, favorite pos-
sessions. When I go anywhere to cook,
I take my own knives with me, says An-
drea.
The care of knives is also a culinary art.
Honing and sharpening are two different
things. A honing steel will straighten the
edge of the blade, which can sometimes
curve (almost invisibly) with use. It should
be held perpendicular on a flat surface. The
blade should touch the honing steel at a 20-
degree angle.
Good knives should never be put in the dish-
washer. Its like the Atlantic Ocean hitting
it over and over again, dulling the blade,
Andrea explains. Knives should be sharp-
ened once a year; Wsthof sells easy-to-use
sharpeners, or will do the sharpening for $2
a knife. Andrea emphasizes that cooking
with a dull knife is more dangerous than a
sharp knife.
At first glance, Wsthof knives may seem
expensive. I dont like the word expen-
sive, says Andrea. When you think that
you can get 20 to 30 years of wear from a
good knife, thats about one cent a slice!
At the Wsthof store, knives are especially
affordable, because they may have a tiny
scratch or something very minor that keeps
them from being sold in regular stores. Of-
ten, no matter how hard I look, I cant find
anything wrong, Andrea observes.
Ideally, the person whos going to use the
knife should select it. When a husband
comes in to buy a knife for his wife, I suggest
that he bring her in. A mans hand is larger
than a womans, so how can he choose the
right size and handle shape?
Wsthof has a fabulous Web site which de-
scribes every single knife they make.
And, if you want a cutting-edge conversa-
tion with Andrea, shes at the store Monday
to Friday from 10 to 4, Thursday till 6.
Wsthof Trident Cutlery is at 355 Wilson Av-
enue, Norwalk, 203-852-8000.
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12 Holiday in the Country Hersam Acorn Newspapers November 24, 2010
In the salad section, you find out about
Tim Stark, who started by growing 3,000
tomato plants on the roof of a Brooklyn
building and now owns a 58-acre farm that
grows 100 varieties of tomatoes, which he
sells at the Union Square Farmers Market
in New York City. One of his customers is
Chef Daniel Boulud of Daniel restaurant in
New York, who shares his recipe for stuffed
cherry tomatoes with zucchini and yellow
tomato vinaigrette. You realize that salad is
not just a delivery vehicle for getting dress-
ing into your mouth, says Chef Boulud.
Ridge Shinn, beef farmer in Hardwick,
Mass., says unequivocally, Grass-fed cows
make the best burgers. Period. His mission
is to prove that grass-fed cattle produce a
more flavorful meat than their grain-fed
relatives, and in the process are a boon to
the environment. Chef David Shea of Ap-
plewood restaurant in New York, gives his
recipe for Braised Short Ribs with red wine,
onions and carrots. It makes you hungry
just reading it.
Though Alice Waters says she loves the pu-
rity and simplicity of the recipes, which let
the ingredients shine, many of these reci-
pes may seem quite ambitious (especially
for someone whos used to three-ingredient
recipes). But the photographs are so mag-
nificent, theyd tempt the most average of
cooks to try Chef Charlie Palmers Duck
Meatballs with Pomegranate-Orange Glaze
and Pureed Parsnips or Chef Maria Hines
Individual Chocolate Ganache Cakes. Many
recipes require precision. When it says to
use 10 chives, about 8 inches long, cut onto
1/4 inch pieces, theres a reason.
Starting with devotedly grown, local, or-
ganic ingredients in tune with the season,
preparing delicious, nourishing meals is a
reward in itself, which can happen daily.
But whether or not you use the recipes,
your attitude toward the food you shop for,
prepare and eat becomes more thoughtful,
more respectful, more attentive to one of
lifes essential, sensual pleasures.
However you use it, Harvest to Heatwill
heighten your appreciation of food.
The next time you scramble eggs, youll
scramble them with reverence.
Annie Farrell of Millstone Farm in Wilton works with Chef Bill Taibe of LeFarm in Westport to supply the rest aurant with a diversity of fresh produce.
Darryl Estrine photo
Harvestcontinued from page 3
Pre-Lit Christmas Trees
CTS MOST COMPLETE CHRISTMAS CENTERCollectibles & Ornaments
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November 24, 2010 Holiday in the Country Hersam Acorn Newspapers 13
every year, busloads of schoolchildren
come to enjoy a hayride around the maze
as well as navigating their way through
the labyrinth of cornstalks. When parents
jokingly mention getting lost in the maze,
John urges them not to worry, and then
tells them they can look forward to hot
chocolate and a donut the next morning!
The children also enjoy a visit with thefour miniature Sicilian donkeys. Every-
one loves the donkeys, says John. A visit
to Plaskos Farm in fall is beautiful piles
and piles of bright orange pumpkins are
available for sale, along with hardy mums
in a rainbow of colors. We even have a
scarecrow-making event, notes John.
We supply hats, clothing, everything you
need to make the scarecrow.
Christmas is the crowning glory in a year
of holidays at Plaskos Farm. The general
store is filled with gorgeous ornaments
for sale, as well as many other holiday
gift items. We set up two huge Christmas
trees in the store and decorate them. We
have hot chocolate, hot cider and coffee
its really festive, John says. We sell
Christmas trees, and we have only two
prices: $19.99 and our premium trees
are $29.99. We have the trees brought
down from Vermont, and they are a won-
derful cross between Frasier and Balsam.
You get the beautiful Frasier needles and
that terrific Balsam smell. Poinsettias,
roping, kissing balls, wreaths and boxes
filled with fragrant greenery are available,
also.
Make happy holiday memories with a
visit to historic Plaskos Farm.
Plaskos Farm, 670 Daniels Farm Rd in
Trumbull; 203-268-2716; plaskosfarm.com.
Plaskocontinued from page 5
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14 Holiday in the Country Hersam Acorn Newspapers November 24, 2010