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Give the Gift of Hearing this Holiday Season

Our hearing keeps us in touch with people we love, especially around the holidays. If you or someone you know struggles to understand conversation, has tinnitus or ringing in the ears, needs the TV louder, or is always saying “what?”, consider giving the gift of hearing. Due to today’s technology, in one quick visit you can see your options, have a listening demonstration, and leave with better hearing.

One of our Hearing Specialists will provide a professional examination of your ears and assess your hearing. Specialized testing will determine how well you understand speech, particularly in background noise.

In the event that you have a hearing loss, you will have the opportunity to evaluate hearing aids that have been accurately and professionally tuned specifically for your hearing loss. Your instrument will be chosen from several different brands based upon your specific needs, value, sound quality, and reliability.

6 Locations to Serve You – Locally owned and operated for 48 years IMPORTANT NOTICE: We participate or process most insurance and discount plans, including Medicare, Medicare supplements, Anthem, United Health, Aetna, and all current and retired State of CT and Federal employees.

Left, executive sous chef Michael McHugh; right, James Beard award-winning executive chef David Standridge, the talent behind The Shipwright’s Daughter in Mystic. Photo by Lisa NichoLs

James Beard award-winning chef David Standridge steers the local culinary industry in a

FROM THE EDITOR

ALICIA GOMEZ

Dear readers,

As snow (hopefully) starts to dot our Connecticut shoreline and we rediscover solitude after the warmth of the holiday season’s family festivities, I find myself reflecting on my 2024 resolutions.

My main resolution for 2024 was to read at least ten books— and I happily surpassed my goal with 15! To bring things full circle, I thought it would be fitting to include a winter reading round-up featuring the talented authors of our shoreline. Perhaps you’ll find inspiration for your own reading resolutions in the upcoming year.

While you’re cozied up with a good book, this issue invites you to explore more artists who make up the heart of our community. We’re thrilled to share a story about culinary artist David Standridge, who brings local flavors to life. We also offer a recap of this year’s Shoreline Arts Trail, where our towns transform into open galleries as 45 local artists, working across mediums from textiles to pottery, welcome us into their studios. We also highlight a scholarship fund that underscores the extraordinary talent and dedication found here.

For a bit of lighthearted debate, we’ve got an article comparing New York, New Haven, and New London pizza styles. Find out why New Haven has been recently named “The Pizza Capital of the United States.” Vote for your favorite style in our poll on our new On the Shoreline Facebook page. Don’t forget to follow us for updates, discussions, and more great content!

Here’s to 2025 and another year of stories, traditions, and discoveries.

Warmly,

Alicia Gomez

THE DAY PUBLISHING COMPANY

860-442-2200 theday.com

SHORE PUBLISHING 203-245-1877 zip06.com

PRESIDENT AND PUBLISHER

Timothy C. Dwyer 860-701-4379 t.dwyer@theday.com

ASSOCIATE PUBLISHER, SHORE PUBLISHING

REGIONAL ADVERTISING DIRECTOR, THE DAY

Louvenia Brandt 860-701-4247 l.brandt@theday.com

SHORE PUBLICATIONS EDITOR

Laura Robida l.robida@shorepublishing.com

SPECIAL SECTIONS EDITOR

Alicia Gomez a.gomez@shorepublishing.com

LAYOUT EDITOR

Barb Dunn b.dunn@theday.com

ADVERTISING SALES

Paul Blanco p.blanco@theday.com

Laura Carpenter l.carpenter@shorepublishing.com

Victoria Courtney v.courtney@theday.com

Khaleed Fields k.fields@theday.com

Lori Gregan l.gregan@shorepublishing.com

Jack Hyzak j.hyzak@shorepublishing.com

Christina Johnson | cm.johnson@theday.com

Betsy Lemkin b.lemkin@shorepublishing.com

Kristen Lennon k.lennon@theday.com

Lisa Martin l.martin@shorepublishing.com

Jim Schiavone j.schiavone@theday.com

ADVERTISING DESIGN/PRODUCTION

Heidi Carrier, Kara Conlon, Jennifer Corthell, Chris Dobbins, Alan Ellis, Nicole Martini, Richard Swanson

ADDITIONAL CONTRIBUTIONS BY Cris Cadiz, Jennifer Carmichael, Elle Rahilly

The views and opinions expressed in each article are those of the respective authors and do not necessarily reflect the views and opinions of On the Shoreline, The Day Publishing Company, or Shore Publishing.

on the cover A squeeze of lime is the finishing touch on a tuna and green crab fried rice dish at The Shipwright’s Daughter in Mystic. Photo by lisa nichols

Honorable mentions

December–January

Every year, The Day asks readers to submit photos for a chance to be featured in our annual southeastern Connecticut calendar. We get hundreds of entries, and it ’s difficult to narrow those down to our favorite 36 for voting.

There are a number of reasons a photo might not make it to the top three for each month. We have strict guidelines for photo content and quality. Photos that use filters, contain people or pets, contain a single focal point (such as a flower or butterfly), are not

representative of the area (a close-up of shells on the beach with no water, sand, or sky), or are not a horizontal orientation all have to be filtered out—no matter how beautiful the image might be. We also screen photos for quality to ensure they fall within our printing parameters.

This year, we’ve decided to share some of our favorites that didn’t make it to the finals for one reason or another. We hope you continue to share your photos with us each year.

East Haddam Swing Bridge, East Haddam. Photo by hENRy GRANGER

Harkness Memorial State Park, Waterford. Photo by Ivy LouIsE PLIs

North Stonington. Photo by DIANE CRIDER

Waterford Beach, Waterford.

Photo by EvAN NovosAD

Olde Mistick Village and Mystic River, Mystic. Photo by thomAs WIECzoREk

North Stonington.

Photo by DIANE CRIDER

Deep River. Photo by kELLy sChILLER

cozy up

with these winter reads from the shoreline

By Alicia Gomez

Seeking the perfect winter escape?

Here is a roundup of some books from our very own talented shoreline authors.

The Notes by Catherine Con Morse

(Random House Children’s Books, 2024) Genre: Young Adult Fiction

Why it’s a winter must-read:

With its themes of selfdiscovery, cultural identity, and young love, this introspective journey is perfect for curling up with during quieter winter days.

Look on the Bright Side

IFn Catherine Con Morse’s debut novel, Chinese American teen musician Claire Wu juggles academic and cultural pressure, first love, and her blooming musical career at her southern performing arts boarding school. Meanwhile, she starts getting notes about her teacher, Dr. Li, a mysterious but fascinating teacher. Morse, who lives in the Connecticut River Valley, crafts a beautiful, relatable, coming-of-age tale.

by Kristan Higgins

(Penguin Publishing Group, 2024) Genre: Fiction, Romance

ake dating is a beloved trope in romance books— who doesn’t enjoy watching real romance bloom through flirty banter and awkward situations? Look on the Bright Side puts a fresh twist on this concept. Lark Smith, whose life has gone off track, meets a renowned surgeon whose ailing grandmother wants to see him settle down. In exchange for pretending to be his girlfriend, he’ll help her get back into oncology after she was dismissed for being “too emotional.” But, as Lark grows closer to his family, especially his brother, she discovers unexpected solace. Kristan Higgins, the author, is from Durham.

Why it’s a winter

must-read:

With seasonal depression affecting so many, it’s essential to focus on the bright side and try to find the humor in life’s pitfalls. This heartfelt story shows how messy detours are part of a beautiful journey.

Say Yes! to Your Creative Self

(Three

Chairs

Why it’s a winter must-read:

Whether your passion lies in cooking, painting, writing, knitting, or decorating, this book offers the inspiration to rekindle your hobbies and reconnect with yourself.

by Mary O’Connor

Publishing, 2024) Genre: Nonfiction, Self-Help

Have you ever thought, “I’m not creative?” Say Yes! to your Creative Self is here to prove otherwise. Mary O’Connor guides readers through the entire creative process, from preparing your mindset to exploring your senses, helping uncover hidden creative potential. O’Connor lives along the shoreline and has been a docent at the Florence Griswold Museum in Old Lyme.

Husbands & Lovers by Beatriz Williams

(Random House Publishing Group, 2024) Genre: Historical Fiction

Husbands & Lovers delves into the lives of two women, separated by 70 years and thousands of miles but connected by a single heirloom.

Mystic, 2022: Single mother Mallory Dunne must confront a former lover to save her son’s life.

Cairo, 1951: Hungarian refugee Hannah Ainsworth, married to a wealthy man, finds herself entangled in an affair with a spy.

Beatriz Williams currently lives in Lyme.

Why it’s a winter must-read:

With the dual storyline, this novel brings the warmth of Mystic, a familiar coastal New England setting, while transporting readers to a distant, long-ago world.

Sleeping with Ghosts by Jennifer Payne

(Three Chairs Publishing, 2024) Genre: Poetry

Why it’s a winter must-read:

In its reflective tone and exploration of love, loss, and memory, this book is the perfect companion for nights when the mind wanders and the heart

Known for her work meditating on the external world, Jennifer Payne invites readers to look inward. In the wise and reflective collection, Sleeping with Ghosts, Payne creates and presents poems that reveal and introduce “ghosts,” bringing the reader “into the heart and mind of a poet.”

Payne is the owner of Words by Jen, a creative services company based in Branford. She is a member of the Arts Council of Greater New Haven, the Guilford Art Center, and the New England Poetry Club.

HOLIDAY HIGH TEA HOLIDAY HIGH

Shoreline Arts Trail Open Studios

meet the

ARTISTS

by Cris Cadiz

il painter Eileen Eder considers it an honor to host visitors during the annual Shoreline Arts Trail Open Studios Weekend. She is one of 45 artists from Guilford, Branford, and Madison to welcome guests into their usually private workspaces for this event.

“After working all year alone in my studio or out in the landscape, having the public come in and compliment my work is a gift that energizes me through the year,” says Eder.

The Shoreline Arts Trail comprises professional artists who work in a variety of media, including painting, ceramics, glass, jewelry, sculpture, textiles, collage, and woodworking.

“Our select, juried group is not overwhelming,” Eder says, comparing the event to similar area open studio events. “The public can be assured they are visiting artists with a track record of quality work. Most of our members are full-time artists or artisans who exhibit locally and nationally. Several are also art teachers.”

Now in its 24th year, the Shoreline Arts Trail Open Studio Weekend has become a popular way to explore the Connecticut shoreline’s artist community, drawing hundreds of art lovers each year. Visitors can meet the artists, ask questions, see works in progress, and purchase local art ahead of the busy holiday shopping season. Though the event happens in November, artists from this collective are available by appointment throughout the year. Contact information is available at shorelineartstrail.org.

Eder’s Guilford studio (eileeneder.com) has had many repeat visitors over the years.

“The event inspires me to have new and interesting paintings. I want my studio to be worth the time to visit, especially now that so much is online,” she says. “Many of us will have work in progress so the public can see our process. We also are happy to have families with children come and learn. If people can’t make it to an artist’s studio, they can contact the artist and visit anytime during the year. Often, I have visitors make a date to come back before the holidays for a gift for their spouse or for themselves.”

Robert Parrott and Anita Griffith of Griffith & Parrott Pottery (potteryct.com) are a married couple with adjacent studios in Madison. They are both full-time studio potters with very different styles. Parrott’s pottery is primarily highfired stoneware glazed with a landscape motif using wax resist. His work is widely exhibited and held in private collections throughout the United States and abroad.

“Our work is completely different from one another’s,” says Griffith, whose pieces are whimsical, colorful, and functional.

Griffith encourages open studio visitors not to feel selfconscious about engaging with the artists: “Remember, we invited you in and will be very happy to see you.”

Fiber artist Carol Grave of Branford weaves on a large floor loom, creating fabric landscapes inspired by the works of “the Masters” and local artists. She is also an art quilter who makes textiles and recycled-material collages.

“I believe in happy accidents and mixing elements; some of my works combine fabric, yarn, found objects, and paint,” Grave says. She urges visitors to explore the open studio’s website ahead of the Arts Trail to see which artists or art forms intrigue them.

Watercolor painter Steve Plaziak of Guilford (splaziak.faso.com) enjoys the open studios weekend as a time to reflect on his work and view it objectively. As a “spur-of-the-moment” painter, he captures ephemeral moments such as “diamond light on the water” or “a burst of

Morning on Whitfield Street, oil painting.

Creek Outlet, oil painting.

Tea set.

Majolica bowl. Photos courtesy of aNita griffith

Photos courtesy of eiLeeN eder

color from autumn leaves.” He participated in the tour as a visitor for a few years before joining the Shoreline Arts Trail collective.

“Speak to the artists, learn more about their process,” Plaziak advises visitors. “It’s an impressive community and a fun weekend.”

Nikki Travaglino’s hyper-realistic acrylic paintings are inspired by her experience growing up as a mechanic’s daughter in a family that owned gas stations.

“I was always around cars… specifically hot rods and muscle cars. I saw the beauty in the shapes and lines of the cars and began to appreciate and draw them,” Travaglino says. “Over the years, I’ve captured thousands of photos at car shows and enjoy painting the chrome and reflections in the paint.” Travaglino’s studio is in Madison, and her website is chromeandcoastlines.com

Even with a curated group of just 45 artists, having a plan is helpful for the two-day event. The Shoreline Arts Trail website includes artist bios, images, and links to artists’ websites. Google Maps for each town with studio locations are also available to help visitors plan a driving route. Visit shorelineartstrail.org for more information. 3

1 4

shipwright’s captain THE

By Elle Rahilly

SJames Beard award-winning chef David Standridge steers the local culinary industry in a sustainable and community-focused direction

ustainability and fine dining don’t often go handin-hand, but chef David Standridge and his crew at The Shipwright’s Daughter are shifting the culinary tide with deliciously unconventional foods. The Mystic restaurant’s award-winning menu is infused with eco-friendly catches like green crabs, sugar kelp, and slipper limpets for a unique twist on timehonored dishes.

“I always fill the kitchen with the best ingredients I can get and then figure it out from there,” says Standridge, awarded “Best Chef Northeast” for 2024 by the James Beard Foundation. Standridge lets the area’s bounty shape the tide-to-table restaurant’s menu, which

changes daily. Rather than ordering specific ingredients, the chef asks local growers, farmers, and fishermen to provide him with whatever is ample or ready for harvesting that day.

“This is what we have to do as a food culture,” the chef explains. He notes that much of the food consumed today travels long distances and is often grown in less-than-ideal ways. “If a crop can be grown that’s delicious and great for the environment, then we just need to eat it.”

The James Beard Awards were first presented in 1991 in honor of the pioneering American food personality James Beard to recognize the country’s luminaries in the culinary world. Best Chef awards go

“Here, you can really connect with the people doing the farming and the fishing, and I think that connection is where the soul of a cuisine comes from.”

David Standridge

LEFT Local scallops are served atop a bed of green crab fried rice. Photo by Lisa NichoLs

A BOVE Chef and owner David Standridge with his executive sous chef Michael McHugh. Photo by Lisa NichoLs

to those who set high standards in their culinary skills and leadership abilities while helping to create a sustainable work culture in their respective regions and contribute positively to their broader community. The Best Chef Northeast category brings in nominees from across New England. Standridge’s award marks Connecticut’s first James Beard win since 2006.

Standridge moved to Mystic and opened The Shipwright’s Daughter in 2020 following significant tenures at top-tier restaurants, including New York City’s Eleven Madison Park and L’Atelier de Joël Robuchon.

“I’ve always loved New England and wanted to end up here eventually,” shares the New Jersey native. “I used to sail a lot with my dad in my late teens and early twenties, and Mystic was a big stopping point for us on our way to Maine.”

A desire to connect with the source inspired Standridge to bring his talents to the shoreline. “You can get anything you want from around the world in New York, but nothing really comes from there,” he says. “Here, you can really connect with the people doing the farming and the fishing, and I think that connection is where the soul of a cuisine comes from.”

When a local family member connected Standridge to an opportunity in Mystic, he took to social media to see which local suppliers were doing good work in the community. Two of the chef’s first discoveries were soy sauce brewer Bob Florence and seaweed farmer Suzie Flores of Stonington Kelp Co.—who, with her husband Jay Douglas, owns and operates a regenerative ocean farm in Fishers Island Sound specializing in sustainable sugar kelp cultivation. Sugar kelp is a native seaweed that absorbs carbon and nitrogen (which suffocate aquatic life) from the water as it grows. On the plate, it delivers a nutrient-dense food packed with fiber, vitamins, and minerals.

“Once I learned about the environmental benefits of growing kelp and the nutritional benefits of eating it, they had me sold,” says Standridge. Flores brought him out on the boat to help harvest kelp, and it quickly made its way into the heart of the restaurant’s menu.

“When we first got it, we started using it to kind of sneak it into people’s diet—in an aioli, or as a powder, or a stock, or a soup or something,” the chef shares. Ultimately, the chef wanted the kelp to take the center plate. “Like someone might wrap scallops in bacon, we wrap them in kelp,” he continues. “We fry it and use it as a crispy topping on top of pasta to give it that salinity and crunchiness.”

Today, Standridge tries to buy enough of the winter crop during the short harvest period (roughly late March

BELOW Strandridge works with greencrab.org and other chefs to help build demand for green crabs and raise awareness of the local impact.

prepared slipper

like a

ABOVE A winter crop, sugar kelp starts growing in November and is harvested in the spring.

Photo by eLizabeth eLLeNwood

BOTTOM Pans of

limpets. These prolific mollusks have a specially adapted shell that looks

slipper when flipped upside down. Photo by Lisa NichoLs

RIGHT The main dining room at The Shipwright’s Daughter. Photo courtesy of the shiPwright’s daughter

to June) to last him the entire year. Throughout the season, he will use a lot of fresh kelp and then dry and pickle the rest. The preserved kelp goes into crudos (raw fish), broths, and even desserts—including an ice cream sundae with candied kelp, crunchy kelp, and kelp caramel.

“The kelp kind of brings saltiness and a little bit of umami flavors into the caramel,” Standridge explains. “We did an espresso flan with sugar kelp caramel; that was a big hit.”

Standridge also works closely with local fishermen like Jason Jarvis of Westerly, Rhode Island, to effectively utilize the diversity of local seafood while minimizing waste. According to Standridge, Jarvis is a fellow champion of sustainable fishing practices.

“He’s just one of those guys who works very sustainably and harvests the right fish,” says the chef. “He was willing to get me a

lot of fish and other species of aquatic life that were a little more sustainable, harder to get, and less sought after.”

Standridge asks Jarvis to tell him when he’s going fishing and lets Jarvis know how many pounds of fish he can take. Whatever the fisherman catches is what the restaurant will end up using.

Through Jarvis, Standridge began to source slipper limpets, a local sea snail with a slipper-shaped shell seen scattered all over beaches along the shoreline. “They’re one of my favorite seafoods to eat, actually,” the chef shares. “And they’re prevalent to the extreme. Our clam guys have to dig through layers of them just to get to the clams.”

Standridge has started incorporating more into the restaurant’s menu with signature dishes like the “sea-scargot,” a local spin on escargot that Standridge says has been a real crowd-pleaser.

LEFT Standridge incorporates fresh catches into every facet of the menu, including the oyster ice cream sandwich. Photo by Lisa NichoLs

A BOVE E xecutive chef David Standridge at Platform by the James Beard Foundation in New York City. Photo by Lisa NichoLs

T OP RIGHT The main entrance of The Shipwright’s Daughter, located in the heart of downtown Mystic. Photo by Lisa NichoLs

B OTTOM RIGHT Slipper limpet squid ink spaghetti. Photo by Lisa NichoLs

Jarvis also introduced the chef to green crabs, an invasive species that came from Europe in merchant vessels hundreds of years ago and has become a huge focus for The Shipwright’s Daughter due to its environmental impact.

“They don’t have a lot of predators; they compete with local crabs for food, and they pull out the eelgrass at the root—which is coastal protection for us against flooding and storm surges, as well as a natural habitat for other animals,” Standridge explains.

Green crabs usually dissipate in the cold water and return in the summer. Now that the waters are warmer than ever, the populations aren’t reducing in the winter.

The Shipwright’s Daughter was the first restaurant in Connecticut to start cooking with green crabs. Standridge has been instrumental in pushing it on a larger scale across the culinary industry.

“They’re wonderful to cook with, but American chefs just aren’t as exposed to them,” says the James Beard winner, who shares that the crab’s roe is a delicacy in France. “They have a beautiful flavor, similar to one you would get from a crab or lobster bisque.”

Squid ink rigatoni with slipper limpets. Photo by Lisa NichoLs

The crab’s small size makes harvesting its meat difficult, so Standridge uses the crab for different stocks at the restaurant, which are added to fish curries, pasta sauces, and other dishes like local scallops with green crab fried rice.

“That’s probably our most popular entrée,” Standridge shares. “We sell about a thousand of those a month, and a dollar from every dish sold goes to GreenCrab.org. So, it’s really helping them expand their operations.”

Standridge has been working with GreenCrab.org to help broaden the market for green crabs. This past spring, he conducted masterclasses to introduce local chefs to techniques for cooking with sugar kelp and green crabs in a commercial environment.

“That’s one of the things about the James Beard Awards that really helps,” he says. “Because when you win, there are about a gazillion other chefs out there who want to win, so people start looking very closely at what you’re doing.”

While most of the tide-to-table restaurant’s menu comes from the sea, Standridge utilizes Westerly Farm Co-op for farm-to-fork ingredients. “I kind of built the menu based on the percentage of what we should be eating—mostly local, sustainable fish, a lot of vegetables, and a little bit of beef,”

says the chef. Beef appears in just a couple of dishes on the menu, including grass-fed ground beef from local supplier Golden Farms.

Standridge says it was challenging to get people to buy into the restaurant’s avant-garde cuisine upon opening. Still, he viewed the challenge as an opportunity to support the local blue economy while educating visitors to the shoreline. The tide began to shift when the Connecticut Restaurant Association awarded The Shipwright’s Daughter “Restaurant of the Year” in 2022.

“People started to know who we were,” Standridge says. “We started getting more press, and I was like, okay, this is building towards something now.”

He attributes much of the restaurant’s success to the staff and feels lucky that the people who stayed bought in.

“What I found is, the kind of people who want to come and work here are people who also value doing something good for the community,” Standridge reflects. “Our staff has been very happy to get behind it, and they’re amazing.”

Second in command in the kitchen is executive sous chef Michael McHugh, who has been there since the beginning. Standridge describes him as the backbone of the kitchen, go -

ing above and beyond to make things work throughout the pandemic and the more challenging years. Leading the front of the house is general manager Claire Procaccini, who started as a bartender during the restaurant’s most chaotic time. Standridge says she jumped in with both feet and has since risen to general manager, which is one of Standridge’s favorite success stories.

Standridge’s wife Kathleen has also played a huge role. A sommelier by trade, she joined the team in the second year and took over the wine program. As a talented storyteller with a deep understanding of the restaurant’s mission, Kathleen also directs the company’s marketing. In fact, she named the restaurant.

“We wanted to pick a name that would pay homage to Mystic’s nautical history but also indicate that we were kind of the next generation,” Standridge explains.

“Our ownership group is pretty amazing and forward-thinking,” says Standridge. The family-run company, which also owns the Whaler’s Inn in Mystic, stood by the restaurant even when it was losing money. Standridge confesses he questioned their sanity but says they are being rewarded for their patience. “They are the best bosses I’ve ever had, that’s for sure,” the chef adds.

Outside the kitchen, Standridge serves on the Eating with the Ecosystem board. He has also been recognized as a leader of the James Beard Foundation’s Smart Catch—an education program created by chefs, for chefs to increase the sustainability of seafood offered on menus. Standridge also teams up with other local chefs to help get the word out, including hosting a kelp dinner this year at Max Fish in Hartford, as well as one with James Wayman of Nana’s Bakery & Pizzeria and Grass & Bone Butcher Shop and Table, both in Mystic.

Looking ahead, the chef anticipates that consumers will need remain willing and open to trying new foods and be flexible with their diets as the shoreline’s natural habitat and wildlife continue to shift with climate change. At The Shipwright’s Daughter, Standridge says diners can expect to see dogfish on the menu, a small shark he describes as delicious and super sustainable.

“We kind of took over the sustainability label, and other chefs have really followed suit,” says Standridge. “And that’s what we wanted to happen. I would love to see the local restaurant industry as a whole kind of go in this direction—where the tourists are leaving better than they came, understanding a little more, and really supporting the community.”

The Shipwright’s Daughter is located at 20 East Main Street in Mystic. Hours are Monday through Friday from 8 to 10 a.m. and 5 to 9 p.m.; Saturdays from 8 a.m. to 10 p.m.; and Sundays from 8 a.m. to 9 p.m. Call 860-536-7605 or visit shipwrightsdaughter.com for more information and menu updates.

The Shipwright’s Daughter CHOWDER

Butternut squash, smoked mussels, fines

herbes

Makes 4 servings

INGREDIENTS

3 lbs. fresh mussels

1 cup extra virgin olive oil, separated (½ cup for mussels, ½ cup for chowder)

1 bottle white wine, separated (½ for mussels, ½ for chowder)

¼ cup smoking chips

1 cup butter

Several sprigs fresh thyme and one bay leaf, tied in a bundle

2 cups white onion, finely diced

1 cup celery, finely diced

DIRECTIONS:

1 cup Yukon Gold potatoes, peeled and finely diced

2 cups butternut squash, diced small (use the top part of the squash for the small dice and the seeded bulb for the large dice that will be pureed)

Salt & pepper to taste

2 cups steaming liquid from the mussels

3 cups nice fish stock (can substitute clam juice)

1.5 - 2 cups large, diced butternut squash

1 cup heavy cream

¼ cup mixed chopped fresh herbs (dill, tarragon, parsley, chives)

1. Clean the mussels under running water, removing the beard (the small bit of seaweed that sticks out of the shell).

2. Heat a lidded pot large enough to hold all the mussels with room to stir. Heat ½ cup of the olive oil, then add the mussels. Stir to coat with oil and return to simmer on high heat.

3. Add half of the bottle of wine and cover. Steam until mussels are open, stirring occasionally, for about 5-10 minutes. Remove the mussels to a tray and place them in the fridge to cool, reserving 2 cups of the steaming liquid.

4. When cool, shell the mussels and smoke them in the smoker of your choice for 15 minutes with heavy smoke. Cool and set aside.

5. In a large sauce pot, heat the butter and remaining olive oil. When the butter is melted and bubbling, add thyme and bay leaf, and stir to scent the oil.

6. Add the onion, celery, potatoes, and small diced butternut squash. Season liberally with salt and pepper. Sweat on medium heat, stirring often, until tender.

7. Add the remaining wine and simmer for 3 minutes. Add the mussel steaming liquid and fish stock, and simmer until tender.

8. Strain out the vegetables and return the liquid to the pot. Cook, reducing the liquid by onethird. Add the large, diced squash and simmer for 20 minutes, until tender. Add the cream and simmer for an additional 20 minutes.

9. Puree the liquid into a smooth base.

10. Combine the veggies into the base, add the smoked mussels, and heat to a simmer. Add the chopped herbs and serve.

TIS THE SEASON FOR GRATITUDE

college BEYOND

The Chapman Foundation provides scholarships for students choosing paths besides traditional college

By Elle Rahilly

For most high school students in the United States, a view of the future often includes college. However, many other paths, such as attending a technical or trade school, can be taken. Most scholarships available to students can only be applied to a traditional college or university, but the William H. Chapman Foundation offers unique opportunities to those seeking alternative education options.

The William H. Chapman Foundation was chartered in 1952 and has since provided more than $5.7 million in scholarship funding to New London County students pursuing post-secondary education in academics and trades, including vocational and certificate programs. Initial funding was provided by the sale of the William H. Chapman Technical High School in New London (now Bennie Dover Jackson Multi-Magnet Middle School) to the city in 1951.

Local businessman William Henry Chapman founded Chapman Tech at the turn of the twentieth century. It was the first high school in New London and one of the first trade schools in the region.

“Chapman was very conscious that not everybody wanted to go to college, especially during that period of time,” says Caroline Driscoll, who has been with the foundation since 1975 and currently serves as the awards administrator. “So, he decided to create a trade school.”

According to Driscoll, college is not necessarily the best fit for every high school student. “Not all students learn best or function best that way,” she says. In fact, trade jobs like solar installers, makeup artists, and wind turbine service technicians are all among the fastestgrowing careers in the United States, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics.

While many vocational trade skills can be learned on the job, Driscoll notes that post-secondary education offers job seekers a guaranteed foundation of knowledge.

“Traditionally, trades were learned by apprenticing,” Driscoll says. “That still happens to some extent, but even the trades have become so technological now. There’s a lot of engineering, law, and permitting involved. And if you’re going to be a tradesperson, you’ve got to know all that.”

Today, the foundation provides awards ranging from $1,000 to $2,500 to an average of 120 students annually. Recipients are chosen based on an application that includes academic performance, financial need, extracurricular activities, and community involvement. There are no age, sex, race, religion, college, or field of study restrictions. Extenuating circumstances are also considered.

“We feel that everybody deserves a chance,” shares Driscoll. “We’ve got a lot of kids who don’t have a home or

SCHOLARSHIP

UNIVERSITY TRADE SCHOOL

are really doing everything they can to keep that home together while they also go to school, and we try to take all of those things into consideration.”

According to Driscoll, the application’s 650-word essay component allows the foundation to get to know each student.

For some applicants, the foundation provides more than just financial support. Driscoll works with students to help guide them down the best path for their future.

“An awful lot of these students will be the first in their family to go to school,” she says. “And it’s a huge labyrinth that you’ve got to get through—filling out applications, finding financing, and making decisions. That’s a lot.”

Driscoll serves as the initial intake for all scholarship applications the foundation receives, which she then distributes among the other 11 members of the board of directors. All 12 board members are responsible for reviewing and ranking applications, each requiring review by at least three board members. Scholarship funding is awarded annually, meaning students can apply each year for a maximum of four years.

For the 2022–23 school year, the foundation awarded a total of $213,400 to 118 students from 24 towns across southeastern Connecticut and beyond. 26 of those students attended the Science and Technology Magnet High School of Southeastern Connecticut in New London, one of several tech high schools in the county that follow the model laid out by Chapman Tech.

One notable Chapman scholar is the late Lucille Showalter, who founded the New London Maritime Society and also taught at Mitchell College and New London Adult Education for years. Many recipients of Chapman scholarships have gone on to pursue fulfilling careers in fields ranging from culinary and cosmetic arts to medical and mechanical services, engineering, social services, and more.

2024–25 scholarship applications launched on December 1 and are open through April 1, 2025. Visit williamhchapmanfoundation.org for more information and to download the application. Completed applications must be mailed to Post Office Box 1321, New London, CT 06320. For questions, reach out to Caroline Driscoll at 860-443-8010 or chapmanfoundation@yahoo.com.

ABOVE Oil portrait of the late Lucille Showalter, founder of the New London Maritime Society, painted by New London artist Michael J. Peery. Photo courtesy of the day

RIGHT Historical documents establishing the William H. Chapman Foundation. Photos by eLLe rahiLLy

Book by Marshall Brickman and Rick Elice Music by Bob Gaudio Lyrics by: Bob Crewe

By Jennifer Carmichael

New highway signs now proudly declare Connecticut the “Home of the Pizza Capital of the United States.” While locals know this title is well-earned, it might surprise those from neighboring New York, renowned for its iconic pizza. For many, the kind that resonates is New Haven style, celebrated for its unique take

on the classic pie. However, venturing further down the shoreline to New London reveals a vibrant community of pizzerias embracing Greek-style pizza, also known as New London-style. There are definite distinctions and rich histories of these three beloved pizza styles—and all are delicious.

NEW YORK-STYLE

A New York pie is 18 inches in diameter and features a thick, foldable crust that’s soft and pliable

Food writer Ian MacAllen, author of Red Sauce: How Italian Food Became American (Rowman & Littlefield, 2022), devotes an entire chapter to pizza, exploring how Italian immigrants, particularly those from Naples, introduced it to New York. He notes how Lombardi’s in the Little Italy section of Manhattan is credited with selling the first pizzas in America in 1905. The pizzeria’s website describes its original pizza as “smoky-crusted, coal oven-baked pizza topped with purist tomato sauce, fresh whole milk mozzarella, and basil.”

“In contrast to Italy, where wood-fired ovens are the norm, the early pizza ovens in the U.S. were primarily industrial bread ovens,” says MacAllen . “And the preferred fuel was coal. It’s hotter, and the pizzas cook faster. So, while a Neapolitan pie is 9 or 10 inches, a New York pie is 18 inches in diameter—a product of having a big oven.”

MacAllen says New York and New Haven have Neapolitan roots, which is why the two pizza styles are very similar—a circleshaped dough with cheese and tomato. But the New York-style features a thicker, foldable crust that’s soft and pliable compared to New Haven’s.

NEW HAVEN-STYLE

Known as “apizza,” New Haven-style pizza is characterized by a thin, crisp crust with a chewy inside and accompanied by a savory tomato sauce, blend of minimal cheeses, and few toppings

New Haven-style pizza will soon celebrate its 100th-anniversary thanks to Frank Pepe, who immigrated from Italy to New Haven as a teenager in 1909. After serving in World War I, he returned to New Haven in 1919, where he first worked in a pasta factory and later in a bakery in the Wooster Square area. There, he began crafting ‘apizza’ (pronounced ah-beets), a traditional pizza style from his native Naples. In 1925, he opened the first Frank Pepe location at 163 Wooster Street. Here’s where New Haven-style pizza originated. The restaurant’s website states that they have been “crafting original New Haven-style pizza for nearly 100 years” and notes that its approach is simple: the best ingredients on the best dough, every time.

“New Haven has the best pizza in the country,” says Rep. Rosa DeLauro (D-CT), who represents Connecticut’s New Haven-centered third congressional district. “Ask anyone from Connecticut, and they will tell you Connecticut pizza, or ‘apizza’ as we call it, is the best pizza in America. There is something special about the way New Haven pizza is made—some say it is coal fire; some say brick ovens—for some, it is the char; others say it is the water used to make the dough.”

“Personally, I believe it is the generation after generation of dedication to the craft,” DeLauro continues. “I was proud to declare in the Congressional Record that New Haven is the Pizza Capital of the United States.”

Famous for its coal-fired pizza, Pepe’s style influenced many others in the region and beyond. Through the years, the pizzeria itself has expanded to 17 locations. Other top pizza parlors in New Haven include Sally’s Apizza and Modern Apizza, both making “apizza,” characterized by a thin, crisp crust with a chewy inside and accompanied by a savory tomato sauce, blend of minimal cheeses, and few toppings.

“There are a bunch of places in New York that are advertising themselves as New Haven-style pizza. It’s having a cultural moment and trending right now,” MacAllen says.

NEW LONDON-STYLE

The crust is thick and crunchy, with more toppings than traditional Neapolitan-style pizza

About 50 miles east of New Haven, Greek-style or New Londonstyle pizza is abundant due to the area’s cultural influence and history. The crust is thick and crunchy, with more toppings than traditional Neapolitan-style pizza.

“Ninety percent of all the pizza places in the area at one point were all people from Epirus in Northern Greece,” says Nik Matsas, owner of Supreme Pizza, which has been in business since 1979 in Waterford, right over the New London city line. His grandfather’s original pizza place, Oakdale Pizza, is still operating and managed by his aunt in Oakdale, while another aunt runs Stonington Pizza Palace, which has been a Stonington staple for 30 years.

“My mother is one of the most prolific and well-known pie makers,” continues Matsas, who points out that the movie Mystic Pizza, starring the actress Julia Roberts, was filmed in a Greek-style pizza shop in Mystic. “We shape it more precisely to fit the pan, just like the traditional northern Greek spinach and cheese pies.”

Sam Vafidis, owner of New London-based Ocean Pizza, immigrated to the United States from Greece at 17 but returned for a few years to serve in the U.S. Army. Afterward, he returned and joined his family’s restaurant, Ocean Pizza. Vafidis notes that they’ve used the same pizza recipe since the business opened in 1962. “Why change it? The customers are happy, and we sell a lot,” he says.

“We also offer a delicious Greek spinach pie on the menu,” Vafidis continues. “It’s made with a blend of eggs, feta cheese, and spinach, all topped with mozzarella.”

MacAllen notes, “You can probably create a map and draw a line across Connecticut and see where people eat New London Greekstyle pizza and New Haven style in the same way you can draw a line between those that root for the Yankees or the Red Sox.”

Frank Pepe’s Pizzeria Napoletana is available at eight different Connecticut locations. Visit pepespizzeria.com for more information.

Supreme Pizza is located at 27 Boston Post Road in Waterford. It is open Monday through Saturday from 10 a.m. to 7 p.m. Visit supremepizzact.com or call 860-443-8177 or 860-443-3219 for more information.

Ocean Pizza Restaurant and Seafood House is located at 88 Ocean Avenue in New London. It is open seven days a week from 10:30 a.m. to 8:45 p.m. Visit oceanpizzarestaurant.com or call 860-443-0870 for more information.

ABOVE Supreme Pizza’s anchovy fresh tomato pizza. Photo courtesy of suPreme Pizza BELOW A classic New London-style pizza from Ocean Pizza. Photo courtesy of oceaN Pizza

TOP RIGHT Supreme Pizza, located in Waterford, sits almost on the Waterford-New London border. Photo courtesy of suPreme Pizza

BOTTOM RIGHT Ocean Pizza is located on Ocean Avenue in New London. Photo courtesy of oceaN Pizza