holiday in the country 2010 eastern edition

8/8/2019 Holiday In The Country 2010 Eastern Edition

1/14

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


2/14

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


3/14

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 women, 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


4/14


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.

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6/14

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



7/14

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.


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8/14


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:


9/14


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


10/14


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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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.


12/14


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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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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