Connecticut East Winter 2017

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The Other Connecticut

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Eastern Connecticut has more to offer than first meets the eye, and we intend to tell our readers all about it. We want our audience to explore the region’s natural resources, awaken senses with arts and culture, savor outstanding culinary experiences, and treasure new favorite places. Connecticut East covers Windham, Tolland, Mystic and New London counties plus attractions close enough for a day trip or overnight.

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Welcome to the first issue of C ONNECTICUTEAST – featuring all things east of the Connecticut River.

We are ‘the other Connecticut.’

The Charles W. Morgan Photo courtesy of Mystic Seaport

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Connecticut East is published twice a year with a Fall/Winter issue and a Spring/Summer issue. Our mission is to provide readers with in-depth stories and exceptional photography that capture the people and places that make eastern Connecticut a spectacular place to live & explore.

20,000+ copies are distributed complimentary to businesses throughout eastern Connecticut and beyond. We want to personally thank the businesses who supported this first issue and remind our readers to shop local! We hope you enjoy this first issue and look for the next issue in Spring/Summer 2017.

Jim & Kelly Tourtellotte

HOW TO REACH US: Office: 860.963.0414 • Cell: 860.382.3832 Email: Kelly@gdbpublishing.com www.ConnecticutEast.com

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Featured in this Issue: 4 6 10 12 15 18 20

Michael Saari Iron Forger, Pomfret/Mystic Farm-to-Table Restaurants, Eastern Connecticut Maugle Sierra Vineyard, Ledyard Spicer Mansion, Mystic Holiday Shopping Made Easy, Eastern Connecticut Cato Corner Farm, Colchester Classy Holiday Events, Eastern Connecticut

Cover photo courtesy of Maugle Sierra Vineyard

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www.michaelsaari.com

Michael Saari–Blacksmith, Ship Smith, Sculptor and Sailor “There is nothing – absolutely nothing – half so much worth doing as simply messing about in boats.” Kenneth Grahame, Wind in the Willows.

BY NANCY P. WEISS

original blacksmiths, including New Bedford smith, Louis Temple, who in 1848 invented a harpoon now called the Temple Toggle that led to a revolutionary doubling of the whale catch, led Saari to a sense of kinship with Temple and the other blacksmiths, who were the foundation of the success of the whaling industry. The last ship smith shop in New Bedford closed in 1924. In 1944, the Driggs Shop was moved to Mystic Seaport, where it is open to visitors. Saari used his understanding

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or Woodstock artist Michael Saari, there is nothing half so much worth doing as melding one’s talents as a blacksmith, ship smith, sculptor and sailor into a formidable career palette. Saari recently completed half a decade of work restoring and often recreating from historic documents, the metal work on the Charles W. Morgan, the last remaining wooden whale ship docked at Mystic Seaport. Then, he grabbed his tools and headed north to share his skills at the Wooden Boat School. Saari’s career path tacks closely to creativity and boats.

“I was a sailor long before I was a blacksmith,” said the 59-year-old resident of Woodstock, CT, who can claim to have salt water in his veins. Both of his grandfathers were sailors in their native Finland, where one ran a fleet of coastal schooners on the Baltic Sea. Saari and his brother restored and raced in an English craft, called a Firefly, where he learned the intricacies of sailing and the importance of fully functional hardware that later informed his work at Mystic.

In 2014 when the Charles W. Morgan was towed down the Mystic River to New London for its final outfitting, Saari made the braces for the whaleboat divits and countless miscellaneous fittings. As part of a team of 30 people at the Henry B. DuPont Preservation Shipyard, he had reproduced the harpoons, 4

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cutting tools, lances, row locks, killing lances, cutting spades, axes and other metal items.

He did extensive research at the Nantucket Whaling Museum, where he also handled and studied the items he reproduced.

“Getting to hold the original artifacts gave me insight into how they are put together,” Saari said. His connection to the

of metal working and whaling to reproduce thousands of items for the Charles W. Morgan.

Michael Saari was on board as part of the team from Mystic Seaport as the Morgan began its 6 week voyage to visit ports of call on the East Coast, including stops in Martha’s Vineyard, Provincetown, the Massachusetts Maritime Academy, and the Stellwagon Bank

National Marine Sanctuary. There, harking back to the Morgan’s early days, humpback whales...whales majestically dove and surfaced alongside the Morgan.

At each stop, he provided demonstrations of ship smithing to crowds of visitors interested in getting a taste of the effort that was required to restore the last wooden whaleship.

The project was a pioneering effort to reclaim the spirit of the old ship by moving it from its status as a museum relic to a functioning ship.

The restoration team was committed to authenticity, including using natural rope hemp.

The tour was a rousing success. At every stop the Morgan enlivened the harbors and brought history to life. From the cramped quarters below decks, where Saari crafted everything from the small latches that kept the corridor doors from slamming, to fashioning the truss assembly, which attaches to the 50foot yard to the main mast bearing the huge sails, 6-foot chain plates to run support lines to the masts, the Morgan and its crew did almost everything the original sailors did, except, of course, hunt down the giant mammals that were the source of valuable whale oil and other products.

Saari benefitted from the influence of many talented teachers and mentors.

As a graduate of Marianapolis, the Philadelphia College of Art, the International Teaching Center for Metal Design in Aachen Germany, and with an MFA from Southern Illinois University at Carbondale, he is well versed in history, theory and creating art. “I never stop learning. The Wooden Boat Center offers me another chance to practice art, craft and teach in a special environment,” he said.

enthusiastic students. Saari took a course himself in boat lofting (transferring lines from drawings to create actual wooden parts) and gave a demonstration at the Wooden Boat Show on blacksmithing using tools he made for the restoration of the Charles W. Morgan.

Michael Saari combines his many experiences from his work at Mystic Seaport and at the Wooden Boat School with his own unique point of view.

“I’ve got a couple of sculptures – a horse, an abstract whale, and whaling tools to incorporate into a new piece.

The idea of using them as references for what I will create later on keeps simmering in my imagination. Inspiration comes from many places and I look forward to what I will do next,” Saari said.

As a resident of eastern Connecticut, Michael Saari uses his Woodstock studio to fabricate items that reproduce the tools

made by a long ago blacksmith from New Bedford or assembling a sculpture that may be installed in the future in a public park or

a private collection. He finds the area gives him the freedom to do his art on his own and to connect with other creative people. For Michael Saari messing around in boats fills his life with endless possibilities. www.michaelsaari.com, www.mysticseaport.org Photos courtesy of Mystic Seaport & Jim Tourtellotte

The venerable Wooden Boat School in Brooklin, Maine provides a fine place for Saari to again use his myriad skills. At the 36-year-old institution, students of all ages and backgrounds work with experts on aspects of designing, constructing, restoring and maintaining wooden water craft.

Located on the grounds of the Wooden Boat magazine, the school is the embodiment of combining manual skills of boat building with an understanding of the beauty combining function with form. Michael Saari is part of a distinguished faculty roster that works with CONNEC T IC UT E A S T

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FARM TO TABLE DINING Whether you hail from the coast or the Quiet Corner, these three restaurants are worth a trip to savor farm-fresh food prepared with ingredients grown on the local farms that make our part of the state both beautiful and delicious.

La Belle Aurore

BY CRIS CADIZ

La Belle Aurore, Niantic

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he “farm to table” trend was barely a grumble in the bellies of eastern Connecticut foodies when Dawn Bruckner opened La Belle Aurore ten years ago. A decade later, her charming little restaurant in Niantic is still going strong and attracting even more diners who care about fresh, locally sourced ingredients.

Dawn and her husband moved to Connecticut from Washington, D.C., where she worked as a personal chef.

There she fed her family organic, fresh and locally grown food, which was fairly easily obtained. Living in eastern Connecticut where she was surrounded by farmland, she expected the same to be true. “When I got here I realized [farm to table] was a new concept, a fad.

At first the famers were a little reluctant to sell to me because they thought I wanted a deal or that they would have to deliver. But in a couple years, we developed really great relationships with some farmers and the [local food] movement made its way to this area.”

At first, local diners were a little puzzled and assumed La Belle Aurore was fancy and expensive and/or strictly vegetarian.

None of which was true. “No, we are just serving locally grown food,” Dawn had to explain. Following a trend or even starting one was never her intention. Farm fresh ingredients have always been a fundamental

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part of her cooking. “As a chef I simply think those are the best ingredients to use.”

Dawn’s passion for local and organic food became even more important when she had children. From experience she has learned that kids love fresh, healthy food as much as adults. “That’s what their taste buds enjoy,” she says. “I have a lot of high school kids come work for me. They come in with their fast food bags, and after working with me for a year and trying different foods, they don’t have a taste for it anymore.”

Sourcing ingredients at La Belle Aurore has gotten easier over the years as more small farms have been established. “I would like to buy from as many farmers as possible and now I have more than I need. It’s an embarrassment of riches,” she says.

Local pork, chicken, seafood, produce, and dairy are all represented. “I change the menu every week,” says Dawn. “I find out what the farmers have and I build a menu based on that. It’s great for me because it’s fun, creative, and I’m not making the same thing over and over. For regular customers it’s awesome because they always have something new to choose from.”

Like many farm to table restaurants, La Belle Aurore’s menu is not huge. It does feature a good variety of small plates/starters and entrees that also can be purchased in half portions (good for smaller appetites and the budget). Depending on what’s available

seasonally, entrees range from vegetarian dishes to chicken, fish, shellfish, lamb and duck. Brunch features a delicious balance of savory (eggs, hash, breakfast meat) and sweet (pancakes, waffles, French toast).

Recipes are simple and made from scratch, letting super-fresh, seasonal ingredients speak for themselves.

La Belle Aurore also hosts events throughout the year, most of which involve food and all of which are designed to encourage community. “Meet the Farmer” dinners highlight one farmer’s products with a special menu. These meals usually involve multiple courses of small plates served at a communal table. Guests are encouraged to talk and ask questions of the farmer, who also might give a talk.

Other foodie events include wine and beer dinners but, because creativity is important to Dawn, she also hosts “Maker’s Events.” Community members offer to teach or demonstrate an artistic talent or craft, such as needle felting, making terrariums, painting, and collage. Guests get to participate and everyone enjoys a working dinner.

“It’s a way for people to get together and enjoy community, eating and doing,” says Dawn. www.labelleaurorect.com / 860.739.6767

Cafémantic, Willimantic Cafémantic on Main Street in Willimantic, began life as a coffee shop opened by young entrepreneur Andrew Gutt in 2009. In December 2012, chef Jonathan Hudak joined his former RHAM High School classmate to turn the small cafe into a full service restaurant.

After graduating from Eastern Connecticut State University, Gutt had stayed in Willimantic, while Hudak, a few years older, had traveled and gained experience in the food industry. Their entrepreneurial spirits drew them back together. “Andrew always wanted to expand the place but he wasn’t sure what that meant,” says Jon. “I was working at Grants in West Hartford as chef de cuisine. I started consulting for Andrew but I got so wrapped up in his project it was hard for me to step away. We got our first review in the Norwich Bulletin in 2013 and I’ve been here full time ever since.”

Cafémantic

“I always wanted to do something with small plates,” Jon says. “It puts the diner in control of how much money they are spending and what kind of experience they want.”

When Cafémantic first opened, they tried to be very sensitive to value, offering halfpours of wine and as many menu items from $4 to $7 as they could. “If you just wanted a quick snack, you could get out of here for under $10,” says Jon. “Or if you wanted to make it a big night and try everything on the

menu, it could be a 20-course tasting menu.”

Today, the menu is still “tapas” style, featuring a delicious array of Snacks (like Marinated Olives & Feta or Roasted Bacon Wrapped Dates), Cold Plates (such as Spicy Big-Eye Tuna Tartare or an Artisanal Cheese plate) and Warm Plates (Herb-Roasted Hanger Steak or Russet Potato Gnocchi). The menu is designed to combine several dishes to make a full meal and sharing is encouraged. Prices range from $5 to $17 and the

8 5 main

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ARM TO TAB

lunch menu includes salads and sandwiches.

“We didn’t set out to be farm to table,” says Jon. “People started calling us that and we gained a reputation for using local farms.

My job as a chef is to get the best ingredients possible at a reasonable price. Nine times out of ten that’s going to be a local product. It naturally lines up with the shortest trip from the farm and that’s usually the best food.”

A few years ago, Cafémantic participated in an RSA (restaurant supported agriculture) program organized through the Coventry Farmer’s Market.

putting the food on the table. When we first started, people around here were thankful they had a place to go where it was fromscratch cooking--just having a homemade soup was really appreciated.”

Jon and Andrew’s entrepreneurial spirits have not waned. In addition to running Cafémantic, they also offer a catering brand

“We’d get this huge mystery box every week and a sheet that told us which farm things came from. It forced us to use things I might not normally cook. Like, what was I going to do with 20 pounds of bitter eggplant?”

The RSA program doesn’t exist anymore but Jon credits it with helping them connect with many of the farmers they use now.

In fact, Cafémantic’s relationship with some of their farm sources has grown to actually include the restaurant in the growing process. “The past two years we have worked closely with a few farms during the winter to help order seeds,” says Jon. “Being involved on that level made everyone more aware, from the servers to the young cooks.

They start to think about what it really takes during December and January to get the product in the door in July.”

“One thing we are seeing now is people taking more of an interest in where their food comes from,” says Jon of the local farm to table movement. “I started washing dishes on Mother’s Day twenty years ago and I can see a huge swing of people’s interest in understanding what it takes from getting ingredients from good people you can trust to 8

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called “A Moveable Feast,” offering full-service catering both off-site and at their new location at 750 Main in Willimantic. This refurbished former deli has event space plus a kitchen where they offer “Food Lab,” featuring hands-on cooking classes taught by foodies, chefs, and culinary professionals.

“Curate” is Cafémantic’s dinner series.

These events range from more expensive, multi-course meals--like their autumn Heirloom Dinner--to events like a summer Street Food Festival. “It’s our way to not just limit ourselves to the small plate concept, to do other things and have fun with it,” says Jon. www.cafemantic.com / 860.423.4243

Roots Down, Woodstock Born and raised in Killingly, Adam Trifone studied fine art in Manhattan, business in Boston, and finally got a psych degree in Boulder, Colorado before he returned to eastern Connecticut to open Roots Down in

Woodstock as chef/owner. Adam also worked in the food industry, doing everything from serving to bartending, eventually becoming general manager of stadium concession catering in Atlantic City. While living in Boulder, he decided to attend culinary school, something he had always wanted to do.

“I went to a farm to table program, which is very unique. It taught me how much I don’t know about food,” he admits. “I am still learning constantly. Traditionally in the restaurant industry there is so much that is pre-made and so many shortcuts that have become commonplace.” Adam’s experience at culinary school led him to create a restaurant that highlights both sourcing ingredients from local farms and freshly prepared, made-from-scratch dishes.

Open since July of last year, Roots Down has garnered a steady flow of local regulars and out-of-town guests looking for a new stop on the foodie circuit. Recent reviews in the New York Times, in addition to Connecticut Magazine awards for Best

New Restaurant & Hidden Gem have added to the attraction—especially for those who don’t mind a scenic drive to Woodstock, Connecticut, for great food.

Roots Down is located at the former site of Rustica, which was owned by Adam’s mother but run by a series of chefs. After Rustica closed and the building was empty for several years, Adam decided to put his food industry experience and culinary

school background to the test. “The biggest thing I have tried to do aside from sourcing locally is trying to make everything from scratch,” he says. “I’m trying to doing things that people either don’t have time to do or don’t know how to do. And hopefully expose them to something that’s interesting to them.

To me that’s what restaurants should be. I want dinner to be an actual event, not just a prelude to a movie or something else.”

Roots Down has a diverse menu, from your basic American favorites like juicy burgers to tastes of cuisines from around the world. Diners can enjoy everything from Vietnamese pho noodle soup to pulled pork chimichangas to Greek moussaka to fish tacos…or a simple but hearty plate of homemade spaghetti and meatballs. Menu items change with the season; a sweet & spicy watermelon lobster soup is one such late summer specialty that doesn’t last long.

chases up to 80% from local farms during the height of the growing season.” Roots Down pays tribute to these local sources by listing farm names on small chalkboards around the restaurant. Adam hopes to supplement his local sources by growing some of his own produce in the future. www.roots-down.net / 860.315.5614

Photos courtesy of La Belle Aurore & Roots Down Cafémantic photos by Jim Tourtellotte

Publicity for Roots Down has generated a draw for diners who will travel for the quality of ingredients and because everything is made on premises. “Even if they are coming from a metropolitan area, it is an interesting restaurant to come to and worth the trip,” says Adam. What he would like to see is more locals. “That’s our biggest challenge.

Unfortunately, there’s a perception that we are very expensive,” says Adam, who suggests that locals take a look at his menu. “We offer a $3 or $4 soup of the day, half-salads, burgers. We have just two menu items over $30 and many entrees under $20. That’s comparable to a lot of local restaurants. I think because of what we represent, people just assume we are pricey.”

Roots Down also offers a weekly Happy Hour every Wednesday through Friday, 4-6PM. You can get a $6 quarter pound hamburger with local beef and homemade buns and discounted draft beer. “It’s basically the same price as a McDonalds burger and you get hand cut fries,” says Adam.

As a farm to table restaurant, Roots Down has filled a niche in the Quiet Corner for this increasingly popular dining trend.

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Maugle Sierra Vineyard As Paul Maugle settles into a comfortable leather chair in the Tasting Room and Hospitality Center of the vineyard he and his wife Betty own in Ledyard, he gives the impression of a man of the world, who has chosen his path carefully. With a Ph.D. in Food Science and Nutrition from the University of Rhode Island, Maugle is well-suited in background, temperament and training to grow and produce wines on the 97-acre property that is the site of Maugle Sierra Vineyard, named in combination of his surname and Sierra, his wife’s maiden name.

BY NANC Y P. WEISS

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rowing up in Norwich, Maugle was interested in seeing the world. As a young man, he joined the Peace Corps, where he met Betty, a native of Columbia. Together they moved around the planet as Paul’s career took them to far flung locales.

His expertise in aquaculture, vitamins, and functional foods, and his skill at both the academic and corporate levels brought him recognition, adventure and the chance for Betty and him to develop their taste in wine and understanding of viniculture.

After decades of traveling, Paul Maugle was ready to visit the places from his past and perhaps write a book. Betty, who loved Connecticut from the moment she first visited, wanted to return to Norwich and reconnect with family and friends. As they looked for an appropriate place to plant a vineyard, they discovered an 18th-century farm with breathtaking long distance vistas and the right soil for Paul to establish specific varieties of grapes.

Paul and Betty were selling grapes to other vineyards when they decided in 2007 to build a wine cellar. In 2008, Maugle Sierra opened to the public on weekends. With Betty’s sense of style and interior decoration,

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“People come here to have a good time.

Life is stressful and they need to unwind.

A glass of wine and some music help our patrons step away and recharge their batteries,” Paul said.

the couple converted an indoor swimming pool area to the Tasting Room. The wine cave is beneath the floor and a wide deck opens up to sunset views along the distant hills. Every weekend live music fills the air as visitors are invited to bring picnic suppers to enjoy with Maugle Sierra wines.

The atmosphere at Maugle Sierra is laid back, but sophisticated. Outdoor seating is grouped to take advantage of the view of the orderly rows of grapes. Inside a long Mahogany bar provides space for wine tasting and for the purchase of bottles to enjoy on site or to take home. A large fireplace dominates the end of the room with seating to enjoy a snowy afternoon.

While location and a comfortable ambiance make a vineyard inviting, it is the wine that matters most. Paul and Betty were interested in creating a product that was a bit different. Because of occasional subzero temperatures, they planted hearty St. Croix and Marquette red varietals and St. Pepin, a late-frost white. They grow 60% of the grapes used in their wines and the rest are from vineyards within 50 miles of the winery. A taste of New England!

With an annual production of 2,500 cases and twelve different wines, the company sells popular white wine blends and red varietals. Rendezvous, a mix of Riesling, Chardonnay and Cayuga is the best-selling white with Sunset White, a dry Riesling, a strong second. Dessert wines, called Aura (Late Harvest Vidal), Que Sera (Syrah) Espíritu de St. Croix and Seduction (St. Croix and Souzao) provide rich flavors, especially when served as “shooters” in locally made chocolate cups.

“We are the only winery offering chocolate shooters. We call it the essential two food groups: wine and chocolate,” Maugle said with a chuckle.

Paul and Betty open the vineyard to special events and weddings.

Group wine tastings are popular as corporate events and as something a bit different for families and friends.

Paul notes that 2015 was an excellent harvest and 2016 promises to be even better.

Hot dry weather concentrates the taste of the grapes, which are harvested though a combination of hired workers and volun-

teers, who become a part of each year’s vintage. After the harvest, Paul and Betty hold a special private dinner to thank those who participate.

In a reflective moment, Paul Maugle considered the expanse of his international career and his current role as vintner. He said: “The vineyard grows on you. The more

you are here, the more you like it. Now I know the other people who grow grapes and run vineyards. It is hard work, but it is also mellow and friendly. I like operating on a small scale. It is homey.”

The vineyard is at 825 Colonel Ledyard Highway (Route 117) Ledyard, CT. Reach them at 860.464.2987 or visit their website: www.mauglesierravineyard.com Photos courtesy of Maugle Sierra Vineyards

Wines To Warm Your Heart!

Maugle Sierra Vineyards, A Specialty Winery Nestled In South Eastern Coastal Connecticut Open Year Round Open Wednseday-Monday now through November Live music Friday Evenings 6 - 9 PM, and Sunday Afternoon from 3 - 6 PM 825 Colonel Ledyard Highway (On CT Route 117) • Ledyard, CT 06339 860.464.2987 • pdm-a@comcast.net www.mauglesierravineyards.com CONNEC T IC UT E A S T

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Why some are calling Spicer Mansion the most exclusive hotel on the East Coast!

Step in to the Spicer Mansion in Mystic and be transformed into a rock star, a hedge fund billionaire, or merely a lucky visitor to one of the most elegant properties on the East Coast. Welcome to the Spicer Mansion, the opposite in every way from the self-service world of today.

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BY NANC Y P. WEISS

he boutique hotel, located on quiet Elm Street, near Mystic Seaport and the bustling retail scene on Main Street, is housed in an elegant 1853 mansion, built by Sea Captain Elihu Spicer. The house went through a series of alterations and changing fortunes, until it was purchase by Gates Realty Holding, a family business with roots in northeastern Connecticut and a home in Stonington.

The house blossomed under the professional expertise of Ocean House Management, who operate the nearby Ocean House Inn, Watch Hill Inn and Weekapaug Inn in Rhode Island. The Ocean House Design Group transformed the house into an attractive mix of period elegance with modern touches. The two front parlors, called the Blue and Rose Salons, feature comfortable seating, polished parquet floors

and remarkable paintings, all with seaside themes on loan from the Maritime Gallery and Mystic Seaport. The works are for sale.

Guests enjoy continental breakfast in the salons, and cocktails and canapés are served in the elegant spaces before dinner.

$95 per person (not including a 20% service charge and tax ). Backman sources her food from local farms and on the day of the interview for this piece was elated by the prospect of serving Stonington red shrimp, a crustacean that is rarely available and in

and “a little bit of theatre” as well. She never repeats a canapé and surprises her guests by offering up a little jewelry box of confections at the end of the meal. A cheese course, not counted among the six courses, is served at a round table in the middle of

Climb the gracious stairway to visit the charming bedrooms. Eight rooms feature Matouk linens, Duxiana mattresses, comfortable furnishings and access to 21st century amenities such as high-speed technology. Complimentary refreshments, laundry and pressing services exemplify the personal attention of mansion staff, who both in training and temperament are focused on providing impeccable service. Rooms 1-5 are named after the ships Captain Spicer commanded. Three suites, the Spicer, Mallory and Mystic, offer guests space to spread out and settle in. The Belvedere, a version of the famed “Widows’ Walk” where womenfolk watched the seas for sight of their returning loved ones, is now a cozy retreat at the summit of the hotel with striped chairs and distant views. Guests can enjoy cocktails or after dinner drinks in the aerie loft or rent the space for an intimate dinner.

Beyond the elegant building, the beautiful views and the classic furnishings, the most striking aspect of the Spicer Mansion is the staff. From the moment one arrives, there is an attractive, attentive professional at every turn. Louis Shapazian, the Innkeeper, is a graduate of Johnson & Wales University. He started his career at the Ocean House, worked in hospitality in the West and returned to his roots in New England. He is devoted to what he calls “luxury hospitality,” which seems to sum up the general atmosphere. Sharpazian oversees a staff of 20-25, many from the area.

He wants to make the Spicer Mansion part of the community through holding open houses and fund-raisers for area charities.

Chef Jennifer Backman operates the restaurant and oversees a changing menu that is based largely on local products. The fine dining six-course meal is priced at $119 per person with an optional wine pairing at

limited supply. She uses locally sourced food in her words, “not because it is popular, but because it is the right thing to do.”

Chef Backman avoids trends and makes real food. In the six-course tasting menu she has fun with textures and flavors, although she asserts that the diner always knows what they are eating.

She adds unexpected nuances to the dishes

the dining room, with house made crackers and four different cheeses, two of which are from nearby Cato Corners and Beltane Farms. Glistening Baccarat crystal sparkled on handstitched Italian linen tablecloths, adding to the air of sophistication and comfort.

Food and Beverage Manager, Charlotte Berdensey, a native of Gales Ferry, creates the cocktail list and the wine pairing menu as soon as

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she learns Chef Backman’s selection for the evening meal. She creates cocktails with seasonal touches and uses as many regional spirits as she can. Ashford’s Westford Hill Distillery products feature prominently. The wine list is “small with a French focus,” says Berdensey, also a Johnson & Wales graduate, who cut her teeth at the Ocean House, after a few years in Singapore and Thailand studying Pan Asian cuisine. Nearly every diner chooses the wine pairing option, to which Berdensey adds an extra ten-year-old tawny port with the cheese course.

The glories of Chef Backman’s kitchen and Charlotte Berdensey’s skill as a somme-

lier are not limited to guests at the hotel.

The public is invited to dine Wednesday through Sunday. Sunday Lunch, perfect for experiencing a three-course version of that evening’s menu, every Sunday.

Reservations are a must.

Candice Traskos, Group Director of Communications, described the world of the Spicer Mansion as a “bespoke experi-

Now accepting applications for Spring and Fall 2017.

Visit woodstockacademy.org/admissions for more information

ence,” tailored to the needs and interests of the guests. From the complimentary BMW sedans guests can use to zip around town to private tours of Mystic Seaport, classes at the O’Neill Theatre, or helicopter flights to Block Island, it feels as if anything is possible. Guests can also access the amenities at Ocean House and Weekapaug Inn, which includes access to Ocean House’s private beach.

The Spicer Mansion is unparalleled in eastern Connecticut and beyond for its high quality food, excellent service, elegant surroundings. Some are calling it the most exclusive hotel on the entire East Coast.

While the superlatives are true, the boutique hotel is also warm, welcoming, staffed by dedicated professionals who want every guest to feel special. Guests are invited to step into a different reality, that is brimming with reminders of Captain Spicer’s era updated to meet the needs of the guests of today. www.spicermansion.com

Photos by Chip Reigel, courtesy of Spicer Mansion

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Holiday Shopping Made Easy & Made in CT The holiday drumbeat has begun: Shop Local! Shop Local! Shop Local! Why heed the call? There are many reasons: supporting your entrepreneurial neighbors, keeping money in the local economy, creating and keeping local jobs, helping build and maintain a unique and enjoyable civic space …. The list goes on. One of the best reasons, however, is finding distinctive merchandise that shows character and quality.

BY CRIS CADIZ

“Y

ou are going to find something

completely unique when you shop

locally made goods,” says Kristen Skelton, who makes and sells colorful fabric & felt accessories through her company Milo and Molly. She is also a founder of THE NUTMEG COLLECTIVE, Connecticut’s largest network of handmade artisans and vintage collectors and curators. www.nutmegcollective.com

This network of small businesses began as a Hartford-based Etsy group, on the popular online handmade shopping site. It eventually grew to include artisans in other areas of the state and became a community sharing friendship, business resources and a place to market and sell their wares. “We wanted to encompass the local vibe and the community feel, so we became The Nutmeg Collective. We never could have guessed that by trying to find the best craft shows, we would actually build the most amazing maker community.”

“If you are looking for something different, something personalized or customized, then a local maker is where it’s at,” says Kristen. “The creativity of our local makers is just incredible. Additionally, you are supporting an individual business, not a multimillion-dollar chain. Most small local makers are just a one- or two-person operation, and when you shop with them, your dollars directly support their business and their families.”

“Unless you are a craft show or market enthusiast, finding local makers can be difficult, which is why we formed the Nutmeg Collective,” says Kristen. “We wanted to provide the public with a central source for locally made goods where people could explore and know for sure that all of our businesses are located in Connecticut.

Once you find a local maker, they can also be a great source for locating other makers because we are passionate about supporting local.”

Vanessa Felie, another Nutmeg Collective leader and owner of the paper arts & crafts business QUEENVANNA

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Small Potatoes

CREATIONS, adds, “To find local makers, I attend craft fairs and holiday markets.

They’re hosted by local churches, schools, civic groups or other small businesses. The family-owned pharmacy in my town sells a variety of handmade items from soaps and earrings to birdhouses and calendars.”

Taking some time to explore your own town and other destinations could reveal hidden treasures. Putnam and Willimantic in the Quiet Corner and New London, Stonington and Mystic on the shoreline feature historic, walkable downtowns with a variety of small businesses that feature local artisans and carry local products. SMALL POTATOES in Norwich (www.smallpotatoescraftsandgifts.com) is a source for unique

gifts and prides itself as a creative outlet for many local artisans. THE VELVET MILL in Stonington (www.thevelvetmill.com) is home to a vibrant community of artists and craftsmen, including over 50 studios and businesses. There’s also an onsite brewery, juice bar, and cheese store.

Folks who start holiday shopping early in the season can take advantage of outdoor marketplaces. PUTNAM PEDDLER’S MARKET (www. putnampeddlersmarket.com)–a “curated, urban style marketplace” in downtown Putnam –is a new seasonal source for handmade and vintage goods plus live music. Community events and street festivals like Putnam’s First Fridays and Willimantic’s Third Thursdays in addition to

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farmer’s markets, craft shows, and holiday church fairs are also interesting sources for locally handmade products.

The MADE IN CT EXPO allows shoppers to meet the people behind the products. Held outdoors at the Farmington Polo Grounds in late spring, it features food, body products, crafts, art, jewelry, fashion and home décor. Organizer and founder Rob Craven says the shopping-local experience introduces attendees to some of the state’s most creative entrepreneurs. The 2016 show featured over 300 Connecticut entrepreneurs, artists and vendors and drew over 15,000 attendees. (www.facebook.com/ madeinctexpo)

“For the online-savvy shoppers, I can recommend ETSY as a source to find local artisans,” says Vanessa Felie. “They have a ‘Shop Local’ feature that helps shoppers narrow down to specific towns within a

state. Also, the Nutmeg Collective’s webpage (www.nutmegcollective.com) is an excellent source to find handmade goods in CT. We are a finely curated group and have members who make small and large items, in a wide range of prices. Many of our members sell not only online, but in person all over the state.”

The CONNECTICUT STORE features only CT-made products at its retail location in Waterbury but you can also buy online at shop.ctstore.com. Products include Wiffle® balls and bats; Bovano glass enamel sculptures; John Garret Thew weathervanes; Woodbury Pewter vessels; ornaments and accessories, and buttons from the historic Waterbury Button Company. Products range from less than $20 to over $100.

Another good website for Connecticut grown goods (and to learn about Connecticut agriculture) is buyctgrown.com. Here you can find clothing & blankets, gift baskets, handmade soaps, jams, jellies, preserves and pickled fruits & veg, maple syrup, honey,

wine, beer, gift certificates and more on the site’s CT Grown Gift Guide.

If you are short on time to explore, here’s a brief list of interesting Connecticut-made products you can find online or in bricks & mortar stores in our state.

MUNSON’S CHOCOLATES has 11 retail stores in Connecticut has proudly made fresh chocolate confections in its Bolton, CT, factory since 1946. www.munsonschocolates.com Photo courtesy of Munson’s Chocolates

Photo courtesy of The Velvet Mill

The Connecticut Blanket Project was developed by The Connecticut Sheep Breeders Association Inc. Every year, beautiful, warm blankets are made from wool grown and gathered from small sheep farms throughout the state. Blankets can be purchased from KINDRED CROSSINGS (www.kindredcrossingsfarm.com), a 5th generation family farm located in North Franklin, as well as other farms throughout the state.

MEB’S KITCHENWARES in Woodstock produces beautiful and functional woodenwares, including kitchen utensils, cutting boards, vessels and much more.

Meb Boden, Tom Vaiciulis and their small staff handcraft each piece from top grade New England hardwoods.

Products are available online, at shows and they also make custom pieces. www.mebskitchenwares.com

Located in the Quiet Corner, MISTY HIGHLAND FARM AND KINGDOM KIDS FAMILY FARM are small family businesses that raise animals and make goat milk soap by hand. Goat milk soap benefits people with sensitive skin because it doesn’t contain additives like alcohol, petroleum and preservatives. Find an online store and list of local retailers at www.sparrowsoaps.com.

Photo courtesy of Kindred Crossings

The oldest established preserve company in the state, WOODSTOCK HILL PRESERVES has been making fresh homemade fruit preserves for over 35 years, all produced in small batches from Connecticut-grown fruit. In addition, their kitchen uses 100% renewable energy. Shop online or in many stores www.woodstockhillpreserves.com.

One reason East Hampton is known as Belltown USA: the BEVIN BROTHERS MANUFACTURING CO. has been producing bells there since 1832, selling everything from

hand bells to cowbells to sleigh bells. This 6th generation family business even survived a devastating fire in 2012, rebuilt their historic factory and is still selling bells. www.bevinbells.com

Our state is now home to 25 wineries and vineyards, each with its own unique wines. Try some on the CONNECTICUT WINE TRAIL or buy as gifts at www.ctwine.com. Suds lovers should check out the CT Beer Trail for state breweries, brew pubs, and more at www.ctbeertrail.net.

Why else should you shop local and CT-made? You won’t encounter parking nightmares, long lines or Black Friday rampages. You will find friendly faces and helpful, knowledgeable staff. And most of these “boutique” shops are also quite affordable. Have Fun! Small Potatoes & Woodstock Hill Preserves, photography

by Winter Caplanson, Connecticut Food & Farm

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CATO CORNER FARM Cato Corner Farm in Colchester produces remarkable cheese. Drive down the leafy roads of the rural town to a family farm where the mother-son team of Liz MacAlister and Mark Gillman enjoy a partnership that allows them to control the process of cheese making from start to finish. The operation is based on hard work, a commitment to quality, an understanding of both the science and the art of crafting a food product, tempered with a dose of good humor, cheerful staff, and the atmosphere of a real working farm.

their website asserts. The cows and their calves graze on fresh grass augmented by hay and grain in winter. Liz was determined to preserve the farm forever and placed it under easements from the Natural Resources Conversation Service Grasslands program for the pastures and Connecticut Farmland Trust for the entire farm.

“The heart of the operation is the cows and the pastures. We have very good milk from healthy animals who eat a good diet.

nothing about Gillman’s demeanor betrays any sense of urgency or pressure. He leads the cheese production, supervising the staff that makes and ages the cheese and making many batches himself; he manages the wholesale side of the operation, and he takes care of the finances. He has his finger on the pulse of the complexity of finding non-GMO grain, an expensive proposition, as well as knowing how to cater to the taste of consumers, that ranges from nutty, hard cheeses

Good cheese starts with good milk. All of our cheeses are made with raw

to sharp, aromatic softer cheese.

The team that makes the cheeses is as diverse as the flavors. Dan George, a native of Wolcott, introduces the word, “affinage,” meaning the way one ages and cares for cheese, to describe the important process of bringing a young cheese to its finished state.

Dan is one of the public faces of Cato Corner Farm, running the retail shop every weekend and keeping social media buzzing with

BY NANC Y P. WEISS

T

he family moved to the farm in 1979.

Liz MacAlister began making cheese in 1997 after taking formal coursework and developing local markets for her product. In 1997 Mark Gillman left his job as an English teacher to partner with his mother in transforming the milk from their 45 largely Jersey cattle into a wide array of cheeses.

Every Tuesday morning the corporation, that is mother and son, meet around the kitchen table to assess the direction of their enterprise. Liz is in charge of the 45 cows that produce the raw milk that goes into the cheese. She oversees the milking that occurs twice a day and manages the pastures on which the animals graze. The cows do not receive growth hormones, sub-therapeutic antibiotics or animal based feeds, as

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milk, which meets the highest standards for health and safety,” Gillman said.

Mark, whose curly red hair is controlled by a hairnet when he is in the cheese cave, is a clear-eyed, well-spoken entrepreneur, who is complimentary to the staff that crowd the small retail space where the cheese is sold.

Although he has been working since dawn,

stories and photos from the farm.

“I care a lot about food and culture and, for me, cheese is at the intersection of artistic experience as it is a mix of science and cultural traditions,” George said.

Katie Mark, from Glastonbury, runs the Colchester Farmers’ Market booth for Cato Corner and is also an assistant cheese maker.

She majored in nutritional science in college and sees her job as a way to learn a rare skill while working in the food business. Another cheese maker, Amelia Bidwell, has a background in anthropology and architecture. She is interested in the various ways milk plays a role in societies. I don’t meet Heather and Pat - they are down in the cave tending to cheese when I visit.

The cheese cave is a cool, orderly place located directly beneath the retail store. Mark Gillman notes that every cave has its distinctive molds that give the cheese its personality.

Some of the cheeses rest until they are turned at the proper times.

Others, like the popular Hooligan, are washed by hand. Gillman has developed his palate to the point where he can appreciate the subtleties and depth of flavor. He can identify a well-made cheese.

Cato Corner Farm produces 1,000 pounds of cheese a week, all from their own milk. While production is key to creating a memorable cheese, marketing is equally important. There are ready buyers in New York City, so every Saturday a truck sets out before sunrise for three venues, where the cheese is sold all day. Restaurants are also eager for locally sourced products, so Gillman has found ways to provide cheeses to them as well. Farmers’ markets in eastern Connecticut are flourishing and Cato Corner has booths in Colchester and Coventry on Sundays. As demand continues to grow, more wholesalers and distributors also carry the product.

Awards provide a seal of approval, and Cato Corner cheeses are garnering many.

They received the American Cheese Society Award for tasty Dairyere and national recognition for Hooligan, a particular favorite of restaurants. They are also winners of awards from CT Specialty Foods.

As Liz MacAlister and Mark Gillman look toward the future, they have many plans. They would like to expand their retail offices and find more pasture land for their cows. Mark would like to make yoghurt and more soft cheeses.

He would enjoy offering more pairing experiences with locally made beers and wines. The possibilities of refining the cheeses they offer and adding new ones keeps the work interesting as does the ability to respond to the variations in the cheeses based on the time of the year and the grasses the cows consume.

The names of Cato Corner Farm’s 26 cheeses reflect the humor and literary background of the owners. Bloomsday is named for Joyce’s Ulysses, and Drunk Monk is washed in beer from Willimantic Brewing. Womanchego needs no explanation. Myfanwy is patterned after a Welsh miners’ cheese (and named from Myfanwy Price from Under Milkwood) and is available once a year.

At a time when many products are promoted as “artisanal” or “locally produced” few can equal the integrated approach of Cato Corner Farm, where the cows graze peacefully near the cheese store and a mother-son team keep a watchful eye over the happy business of creating quality cheese for those lucky enough to taste it.

For information contact: info@catocornerfarm. com or call 860-537-3884. The website is: www.catocornerfarm.com.

Photography by Colin Sullivan

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November 25 & 26 “Light Up City Hall” & Winterfest in downtown Norwich This year features the 25th annual lighting ceremony with entertainment on the Friday evening after Thanksgiving that kicks off the following day’s Winterfest. www.norwichct.org

CLASSY

November 26, 2PM

You don’t need to believe in Santa to know holiday time can be magical. Forget the stress of the season, dress up (or bundle up!), head out into the frosty air and experience the grown-up joys of Christmas.

November 26, 3PM

H O L I DAY E V E N T S

BY CRIS CADIZ

Mystic’s Holiday Lighted Boat Parade in Historic Downtown Mystic Thousands gather at the Mystic River Park to watch Santa arrive followed by festivities in the Park and the lighting of the Christmas tree at 6pm. www.mysticchamber.org New London’s Celebration of Lights and Song, Parade Plaza Free holiday concert and entertainment tops off an exciting day of Small Business Saturday shopping and activities. www.newlondonmainstreet.org

November 25 & 26 at 6:30PM and November 26 & 27 at 2PM Michael Bolger’s Nutcracker at STAGE 136 in downtown Putnam A contemporary fun twist on the holiday classic. Tickets available at www.stage136.com.

November 25 - December 23 37th Annual Lantern Light Tour at Mystic Seaport “The Nut-Cracker Sweets,” is set on Christmas Eve in 1876 and inspired by “The Nutcracker.” The play unfolds through six scenes of seasonal whimsy by local playwright Anna Maria Trusky. www.mysticseaport.org

December 1, 2016 - January 8, 2017 The Magic of Christmas, Florence Griswold Museum, Old Lyme Enjoy Miss Florence’s Artist Trees, designer Fantasy Trees, and the Florence Griswold House decorated for a 1910 Christmas.

Christmastime Teas, hands-on crafts for adults, and local artisans. www.florencegriswoldmuseum.org

Friday & Saturday nights in December until Christmas

Photo courtesy of the Florence Griswold Museum

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Elizabethan Evenings at the Golden Lamb Buttery in Brooklyn Featuring entertainment by the Madrigals singing group and the Buttery’s traditional Elizabethan Pork Normandy dinner, as well other options. Prix-fixe of $80 per person. www.thegoldenlamb.com

Friday, Saturday & Sunday, December 2 – 18 “A Christmas Carol” at The Bradley Playhouse in Putnam provides a new view of this traditional story, infusing the Dickens’ classic with a Steampunk twist. www.thebradleyplayhouse.org

Kindred Crossings

December 3, 8PM Boston Pops Holiday Concert at UConn’s Jorgensen Center for the Performing Art, Storrs “Celebrate the magic of the season with ‘America’s orchestra.’ Perfect for music lovers of all ages, this beloved annual concert is just bursting with holiday music favorites.” www.jorgensen.uconn.edu

Kindred Crossings is a local, family farm dedicated to the production of healthy, naturally raised livestock that you can place in your pastures or on your dinner table with trust!

December 3 – 18, 1, 4 & 6PM Stonington, Mystic Ballet’s Nutcracker Spectacular, follows the enchanting adventures of Clara with a time-travel twist through dance, special effects, and an interactive set…“not typical ballet.” www.mysticballet.org

What you can buy from the farm:

Fresh quality grass fed meat right off the farm Belted Galloway Cattle ~ Shropshire & Texel Sheep CT Blankets made with our sheeps’ wool (no chemicals or dyes) make for wonderful gifts!

December 9, 8PM & 11, 3PM 20th Anniversary Christmas Concert, Christ the King Church in Old Lyme Con Brio Choral Society, Con Brio Festival Orchestra and Guest Soloists will perform J.S. Bach’s Christmas Oratorio plus more celebrated Christmas music. www.conbrio.org

Kindred Crossings • 868 Route 32 • North Franklin, CT 860-642-4243 • www.kindredcrossingsfarm.com

(Located in southeastern Connecticut, just 10 minutes off Route 395)

December 10, 6PM

December 10 & 11, 1:30 & 7PM Eastern Connecticut Ballet presents The Nutcracker at the Garde Arts Center in New London New York City Ballet sensation Sara Mearns returns for another breathtaking season with ECB and Eastern Connecticut Symphony Orchestra in Connecticut’s seafaring Nutcracker. www.gardearts.org

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December 18, 7PM, 7:30 & 8PM Winter Solstice Luminaria Walk, Denison Pequotsepos Nature Center, Mystic Explore the winter beauty of our trails lit by the soft glow of luminaria. Guided walks at 7pm, 7:30pm and 8pm. Followed by a roaring campfire, hot cocoa/coffee, and carols. www.dpnc.org

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Ackert Electric has been providing satisfaction for all of their customers since 1993.

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