JANUARY 2021

January 2021 Volume 7 . Issue 2 golocalmagazines.com

roaring acres

alpaca farm in suffield, ct

Scandinavian gift shop

Family Owned since 1964 De Nardo’s family restaurant

Check it out

studio k’s glass castle

2 GO LOCAL JANUARY 2021

new this month JANUARY 2021 . VOLUME 7 . ISSUE 2

ROARING ACRES ALPACA FARM

13

Happy !

1 2 y t n e w T

Looking for a feel-good way to spend some time this winter? Then get yourself and your family and friends over to Roaring Acres Alpaca Farm in Suffield, Connecticut!

There you can meet and mingle with new friends with adorable names like Twinkle, Tundra, Virgil, Picasso and Cassie. Yes… all 100 of the alpacas here have names....

The All New

6

A NOTE

12

SUPER SLEDDING SPOTS

13

ROARING ACRES ALPACA FARM

From The Editor Get Outside and Play in the Snow!

Feed the Animals and Visit the Shop

SCANDINAVIAN GIFT SHOP 19 Family Owned Shop Since 1964 Hours: Mon-Thur 12–10 Fri & Sat 12–12 Sun 12–9

Four Seasons by the Lake Restaurant & Banquet Hall Big News for Breakfast Lovers! Now offering our Amazing Breakfast Menu every Saturday & Sunday from 8-11 am!

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51 Old Springfield Road • Stafford Springs CT • (860) 851-9445 • fourseasonsstafford.com GOLOCALMAGAZINES.COM 3

JANUARY 2021 . VOLUME 7 . ISSUE 2

22

GO LOCAL PICKS

23

Studio k’s glass castle

27

Local Snapshot

28

go eat

29

de nardo’s

34

Local Einstein

35

final countdown

Cool Stuff Just Outside Your Door

19

Stained Glass Design & Fabrication Allison Billeter

Carrot Ginger Soup Family Run Italian Restaurant in East Longmeadow Put Your Thinking Caps On 7 International Places for Take Out

23

4 GO LOCAL JANUARY 2021

29

GOLOCALMAGAZINES.COM 5

a note

FROM THE MANAGING EDITOR . G. MICHAEL DOBBS

This is the first edition of Go Local for the new year 2021. While 2020 certainly battered us all, I have hope that 2021 will be a recovery year for all of us.

Part of the that recovery involves strengthening the damaged economy. We have all seen it and most of us have felt it. Job losses, inventory issues, unemployment compensation, and evictions have made the news all year-long and it will continue.

The vaccines give us hope for reaching a point at which we could define as “normal.”

While Reminder Publishing actually bucked the industry trend by not having any layoffs – all of us did take unpaid furloughs– and expanding with the addition of two more weekly newspapers, we understand the pain our colleagues felt at many other news outlets across the country.

Part of our situation was helped by having a local advertising base with many essential businesses that remained opened. We deeply appreciate all of those businesses that supported us while we were supporting them.

So, what does all of this have to do with the magazine you’re holding in your hands?

Go Local was conceived as a lifestyle publication that would exclusively feature interesting stories of residents in Western Massachusetts and northern Connecticut, as well as businesses and attractions that are worthy of a road trip – whether to another town or perhaps just down your street.

The emphasis has always been, and will always be, on our neighbors and their successes.

Go Local reflects the community at large and its entire staff hopes it is embraced by that community.

Supporting local businesses is fun and builds a large “neighborhood,” but it has other advantages. According to the official blog of the Commonwealth of Massachusetts here are some of the positive effects: • Local businesses are more likely to utilize other local businesses such as banks, service providers, and farms.

• For every $100 you spend at local businesses, $68 will stay in the community.

• Independent retailers return more than three times as much money per dollar of sales to the community in which they operate than chain competitors. Independent restaurants return more than two times as much money per dollar of sales than national restaurant chains.

• Small businesses employ 77 million Americans and accounted for 65% of all new jobs over the past 17 years.

MANAGING EDITOR G. Michael Dobbs

CREATIVE

Beth Thurber, Manager . Leigh Catchepaugh Elizabeth O’Donoghue . Susan Bartlett

DESIGN Michelle Johnson, Manager

ADVERTISING

Barb Perry, Advertising Manager . Jeanette Lee Lisa Nolan . Kim Barba . Roxanne Longtin Miller Nancy Holloway . Matt Mahaney . Paula Dimauro Scott Greene . Terry O Donnell Flora Masciadrelli . Victoria Owen Evan Marcyoniak . Michael Hedges Carolyn Napolitan, Sales Assistant Fran Smith, General Manager 

THE GO LOCAL COMMUNITY

WESTHAMPTON

soutHAMPTON

The blog also noted several simple habits people can develop: • Try the menu at a local restaurant for lunch or dinner • Purchase a birthday present at a local gift shop • Join a local gym • Visit a local nursery or hardware store for your lawn and garden needs • Get your car serviced at a local mechanic • Visit a Massachusetts farmer’s market to purchase the ingredients for your family dinner. There are Buy Local groups throughout the state advocating locally grown food products.

Let me add another habit you could acquire, visit the businesses featured in our stories and consider supporting the folks who advertise here.

With the end of the pandemic is still months away, it is more important than ever to keep our consumer dollars as close to home as possible in order to keep the recovery in our cities and towns moving forward.

If you’re inclined to make New Year resolutions, consider making this one: spend as much as you can locally. If you need some suggestions for local businesses, you know where to find them each and every month.

Thank you for reading Go Local.

6 GO LOCAL JANUARY 2021

- G. Michael Dobbs, Managing Editor

A CREATION OF

CONTACT US! 280 North Main Street • East Longmeadow, MA 01028 Tel: 413.525.6661 • Fax: 413.525.5882

GOLOCALMAGAZINES.COM Send local story ideas to: Michelle Johnson: mjohnson@repub.com

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GOLOCALMAGAZINES.COM 11

winter wonder

GET OUTSIDE THIS WINTER AND PLAY IN THE SNOW!

Super sledding spots

The great outdoors is the perfect place to have some winter fun with members of your household.

Hit the snow with your sleds and saucers at one of these local sledding spots!

AGAWAM • Agawam High School, off Cooper Street

EAST LONGMEADOW • Franconia Golf Course, at the corner of Melwood and Westwood Avenue

EAST WINDSOR: • Broad Brook Elementary School, Rye Street • “The Hill” on Apothecaries Hall Road, Broad Brook

ELLINGTON • Ellington Middle School, Middle Butcher Road

FLORENCE • Look Memorial Park, N. Main Street

ENFIELD • Enfield High School, behind the school off Route 5

LONGMEADOW • Blueberry Hill School, Blueberry Hill Road

SPRINGFIELD • Forest Park: “Barney Hill” near the Barney Estate, or the Amphitheater • Veterans Memorial Golf Course, South Branch Parkway • Mary Lynch Elementary School, North Branch Parkway 12 GO LOCAL JANUARY 2021

SOMERS • Mabelle B. Avery Middle School, Vision Boulevard

SOUTH WINDSOR • Nevers Road Park, below the Rotary Pavilion • “Collins Hill,” on west side of Nevers Road

SUFFIELD • Sunrise Park, hill across from pavilion parking lot, Mountain Road

WESTFIELD • Westfield Technical Academy, Smith Avenue • East Mountain Country Club, East Mountain Road

WILBRAHAM • Fountain Park, Tinkham Road • Wilbraham Monson Academy, Main Street

!

VICKI MITCHELL

L

ooking for a feel-good way to spend some time this winter?

Then get yourself and your family and friends over to Roaring Acres Alpaca Farm in Suffield, Connecticut! There you can meet and mingle with new friends with adorable names like Twinkle, Tundra, Virgil, Picasso and Cassie. Yes… all 100 of the alpacas here have names, as do the mini donkeys, the Painted Desert sheep, and the fattest pig around…Morty!

You can wander the farm pastures (wear appropriate footwear) and feed the very friendly alpacas with the bags of food provided, visit the other animals, and definitely stop into the boutique store on-site! There you will find all things alpaca related, from the softest hats, gloves, scarves and blankets to (reversible!) slippers, plush toys, key chains, other novelty items, and gorgeous skeins of soft yarn for your own projects. In the warmer months, you will also be able to purchase the farm’s own eggs and honey from “Jake’s Bees.”

The owner of this happy empire is Alison Mnich, who, along with her husband John and three adult children, consider all of the animals as family. “We do our best to treat them like family,” says Mnich, “and give them the best possible lives that we can. Many guests wonder how we can tell them all apart, but if you spent the amount of time with them that we do, you would understand how different they all are from each other GOLOCALMAGAZINES.COM 13

and it’s really interesting to see how they mature over the years. They each have their own unique personality that really sets them apart from each other.”

When asked how she got started with Roaring Acres, Mnich explained, “Initially, we got chickens so that I could provide farm fresh eggs to my family. I’ve always had a love for animals, and we had the land, so I really wanted to get some type of farm animal. Unfortunately, I do have an allergy to horses, so that was out of the question for me. Alpacas are hypoallergenic, so my husband and I decided to get a few alpacas as a hobby. Alpacas are a herd animal and do best in groups of three of the same gender (mixing genders in the same pen, when full grown, is not the best choice) so when we first started we got 3 females and then 3 males. Eventually, we got some more and started to breed a little bit, and we really just started growing the farm from there! Some of our animals have kind of fallen into our lap. Our vet usually recommends us when people have farm animals, mostly roosters, that they cannot keep any longer. Our pig, Morty, was rescued by a family friend from an apartment in Syracuse, NY. The mini horses were found by a family member and re-homed to us. Some of the animals we just thought would be really neat to have, which is how we ended up with the Painted Desert sheep and mini donkeys.”

Taking care of the farm and all of the animals is a “team effort,” according to Mnich. “We have 14 GO LOCAL JANUARY 2021

a lot of reliable helpers, as well as myself, who are out there every day to take care of the animals. We do get a lot of interest from students in the agriscience program at Suffield High School who would like to do their Supervised Agricultural Experience with us, as well.”

A visit to the farm, according to Mnich, entails “a check-in table outside of our boutique, which is where we greet our guests upon their arrival. We have a quick safety waiver for them to sign, and then we give them our tips on how to make their experience the best it can be with the animals, as well as how to have a safe visit in our pasture. We will give guests a bag of feed and let them into the pasture with our mother and baby alpacas… depending on how busy we are, we either give a personal tour, which we prefer, or allow guests to explore the pastures while we have staff members around to ensure safety and answer questions.” The feed consists of a mixture of Mazuri grain, sweet feed, and fiber enhancer.

“We do not allow guests to bring their own animal feed for the safety of our animals. Chickens will eat anything, so usually when guests are feeding the alpacas the chickens will be around, eating anything that falls. We do not allow guests to feed the mini donkeys or mini horses.”

The alpacas are sheared every May, with each animal yielding 6 to 8 pounds of fiber, which is sent to several mills for processing. Some of the items for sale in the boutique are made at these mills, and some of the yarn is also available in the shop and provided to outside knitters for hand-knit items. Mnich makes the nesting balls and dryer balls herself, and they also stock several fair trade items from Peru.

It’s clear how much Mnich and her staff are dedicated to caring for the animals and their visitors. However, she acknowledges that it can be difficult working in the harsh elements. “Animals need to be cared for no matter what, so it does get a little tough during temperature extremes or in the heavy rain/snow, but it’s worth it in the end. It helps having friendly smiles working out there with you!

I really enjoy getting to know all of the animals. I love their uniqueness and quirkiness. Most people don’t get to experience so many different personalities, especially in animals, on a daily basis. I consider myself very lucky to be able to have these animals to share these experiences with.”

Roaring Acres Alpacas is located at 685 Hale Street, Suffield, CT Visiting Hours are generally between noon and 4:00.

Call or check Facebook for updates.

The farm is closed during inclement weather. www.roaringacresalpacas.com 860-463-0485 GOLOCALMAGAZINES.COM 15

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A Huge Thank You to all who supported us by Buying Local throughout the Holiday Season!

IT’S A NEW YEAR and we are here!

Come Shop!

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21 0 2

ROARING ACRES ALPACAS

Happy New Year!

VISIT OUR BOUTIQUE!

You make the resolutions, we’ll take care of the shipping!

We carry a variety of warm, soft & beautiful Alpaca products such as Hats, Gloves, Blankets, Nesting Balls, Sportman Socks and NEW THIS YEAR: Soaps and Dryer Balls made right here at the farm!

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16 GO LOCAL JANUARY 2021

Alan R. Cohen, Richard A. Cohen,

Proprietors

Hours of Operation: Mon-Fri 9-6 Sat 10-2

Bring your family and hand-feed the Alpacas!

Admission is FREE!

685 Hale Street, Suffield, CT 860-463-0485 roaringacresalpacas.com Open Saturdays, and By Appointment

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18 GO LOCAL JANUARY 2021

!

“I

VICKI MITCHELL

am delighted…just thrilled to pieces!” declares Siv Harvey about her granddaughter, Olivia Trueb Smith, taking over the Scandinavian Gift Shop she originally opened in 1964. “She’s doing her own thing and doing a great job!”

When Harvey first got married, she and her husband received many beautiful gifts from Scandinavia, her birthplace.

Her husband was impressed by the beauty and simplicity of the Scandinavian style. One day, he spotted an empty storefront near their home in Ellington, Connecticut, and asked his wife if she would be interested in opening a gift shop. Harvey was definitely interested,

and the new store was originally stocked with Royal Copenhagen china and Orrefors crystal, Scandinavian figurines and greeting cards. The variety of merchandise offered grew and changed over the years, and eventually focused on holiday décor and specialty food items.

While honoring the shop’s reputation for all things Christmas, new owner Smith plans to expand the shop’s yearround appeal, saying, “My main goal is to keep to our roots but also expand, so I have branched out into environmentally friendly companies, which is a very Scandinavian lifestyle. I just brought in MudPie for our kids’ clothing line, and

am looking to bring in other brands, as well. Scandinavia has some amazing minimalist toy lines that I would love to branch into. I will have other gift items too, for weddings/newlyweds and general gifts. I am tossing around some ideas on what I would like to do with the green house on the property.”

The food items continue to be quite popular. “We sell everything for your Scandinavian smorgasbord. We have Korv (sausage), herring (pickled fish), Swedish meatballs, Swedish and Norwegian cheeses, candies and all things lingonberry. We have a local bakery that bakes our Swedish coffee bread, limpa and bullar,” GOLOCALMAGAZINES.COM 19

explains Smith. Also spotted on the shelves were Glogg, knackebrod (a famous crisp bread) and a variety of other snacks, both sweet and savory.

When Smith, who was born and raised in Ellington, was asked how she came to the decision to take-over her grandmother’s shop when she retired last year, she said, “we are a family in which traditions run deep…both the Scandinavian Gift Shop and the new property it is located on have held so many traditions for families. I love that we have been able to keep that going.”

Smith remembers dressing up as Saint Lucia (a Christian martyr whose Feast Day is celebrated in December) for her grandmother’s shop when she was a child, and began working there as a clerk in 2015. When her grandmother retired last January, they began working together so she could “learn the business and add some of my own flair to her beloved legacy.”

Smith’s mother, Mary Ellen Trueb, was born the same year the original store was opened. She was basically raised there as a child, and began helping out as soon as she was old enough. Smith says of her mother, “She currently is right by my side helping me. I have my full time job (at CIGNA) so my mom helps with tasks during the week and is a cashier when the store is open. I couldn’t do it without her.”

Smith, married last June, also credits her husband, Drake, with playing a major role in the success of the new shop. “We purchased the property at the end of 2019 and renovated the building from January to September,” she says. “He works for the Barn Yard as a carpenter. It’s because of him that the building has made such a transformation and is so beautiful.”

In addition to the gift shop itself, the property also 20 GO LOCAL JANUARY 2021

includes a small cottage, which now houses the Whole Harmony Tea shop. Smith says, “I couldn’t be more honored that they decided to open up shop on our property. They are wonderful people with amazing products.” They are currently serving teas, lattes, and other warming drinks outside in a cozy area near a fire pit. They also offer “to go” items.

Another small building adjacent to the gift shop is being used by family friend Bonnie McCabe, owner of Floral Accents. She “has an amazing talent,” says Smith. They have coordinated on one joint venture so far, “Winey Wednesday,” and look forward to planning many more joint events in the future.

As Smith says about her new property and all of its possibilities, “I have always been so drawn to the property, and loved everything about it. It broke my heart when it was left empty. It is such a happy place and I couldn’t possibly find a better spot for the store. She continues, “I love seeing all the new and returning faces. I find such joy in people enjoying our property and the products we have. I think we all need a happy place, especially this year, and it seems that we have been able to provide that for our customers…we are thankful for all the love and support we have seen so far. We really can’t thank our customers enough and we hope we can continue to be a place people look forward to visiting and want to stay a bit.”

The Scandinavian Gift Shop is located at 149 Rockville Road in East Windsor, Connecticut Scandinaviangiftshopct@gmail.com 860-872-0273

GOLOCALMAGAZINES.COM 21

go local picks

COOL STUFF JUST OUTSIDE YOUR DOOR AND ONLINE!

USING FOSSILS TO REBUILD CT’S PAST WITH DINOSAUR STATE PARK (KIDS) WEDNESDAY, JANUARY 27, 2021 AT 12 PM EST – 12:45 PM EST WWW.CTWOODLANDS.ORG/CFPA-EVENTS For this fun, interactive webinar for kids, we will be joined by the educators at Dinosaur State Park to show how we use fossils and other ancient evidence to recreate the past environments of CT. How did the state of Connecticut look when dinosaurs roamed? What about mastodons?

Tune in to find out!

Registration required.

Please register at www.ctwoodlands.org/CFPA-events

OLD MAP COMPANY HISTORIC MAPS, CHARTS AND PRINTS HANOVER, MA VISIT: ETSY.COM/SHOP/OLDMAPCOMPANY Looking for a unique gift or a special piece of artwork to hang in your home or office? This shop on etsy carries thousands of historic maps from all over. Whether you want to remember a favorite vacation spot, where your family grew up or a place you long to travel - this shop carries it.

22 GO LOCAL JANUARY 2021

STUCK STICKER COMPANY STICKERS THAT STICK WITH YOU TOLLAND, CT VISIT: ETSY.COM/SHOP/STUCKSTICKERCOMPANY Take a peek at this local sticker designers shop on etsy. Megan has many, many designs to choose from on her shop page but don’t stop there - she can custom create stickers for you with your favorite sayings or even a spotify scan code design from that song you can’t stop singing!

! KEITH O’CONNOR  NATE BLAIS

T

he year 1991 was a big one for Rich and Robin Kohler, owners of Studio K’s Glass Castle, which specializes in the design and fabrication in the art of stained glass.

How they got to own the studio and retail shop in Somers is a long story.

“Rich and I were getting married and looking for gifts for our wedding party, and we were thinking maybe something in glass. We were looking in many different shops, and while we were in Somers we saw that The Glass Castle was having an open house. While I was poking around, Rich was watching a demonstration on stained glass art basics and thought it was a craft he would really enjoy learning,” Robin said, who covers the business side of the operation.

After returning home from their two week honeymoon to Disney World and Cape Cod, Rich took a five-week beginner class and every other class that was offered and afterwards was ready to take a giant leap into his new hobby.

“At the time we were living in a onebedroom apartment in Vernon. It was very small, but I needed a place to work and I was determined to set-up a shop in our apartment. So, one day, I built a table that extended from the dining room to the living room that would hold my saw, grinder, and other equipment and kept adding to it. And, before you knew it, I had an operation going,” Rich said.

It was later that two precipitous calls from Shannon Mason - who owned The Glass Castle where Rich had taken his classes while developing a friendship along the way with her - would further his pursuits in stained glass.

“Shannon called me and asked if I would like to work part-time in her store and also help to teach classes.

It was a great opportunity for me to gain more experience, which I did for several years until 1994. That’s when the opportunity arose for me to rent a basement commercial space, which I GOLOCALMAGAZINES.COM 23

jokingly called a dungeon because of the shape it was in. I couldn’t pass it up and moved all my equipment there and opened a retail shop. And, it was just in time because I saw the divorce coming with the mess I had made at home,” Rich joked.

“It was fun, but I was working a part-time job and keeping the studio open part-time and Robin and I decided I needed to find something full-time. Then out of the blue I received a call from Shannon who was moving to Kansas with her husband, Paul, and wanted to know if I was interested in buying the store. That was back in 1998 and we bought the business. Shannon is still our landlord and we remain great friends,” he added.

Today, Studio K’s Glass Castle offers custom glasswork for walk-in customers as well as with contractors requiring glasswork for a window, door, lamp, room divider, sidelight or cabinet door. The studio also includes a retail store and offers instructional classes.

Rich noted he was “blessed” to have another glass worker walk into his life in 1997.

“Scott St. Lawrence was a teenager at the time and his art teacher brought him into our shop. She saw so much promise in him and as a young student he already had tremendous skills and she wanted him to further excel. We took him on and, honestly, we were the lucky ones,” Rich said.

24 GO LOCAL JANUARY 2021

A skilled artist, St. Lawrence now does most of the studio’s design and fabrication work, while Rich concentrates more on the retail business as well as the repair work.

When customers enter the store with a project for Rich and Scott - whether it is a custom window, door, lamp or decorative hanging - they become part of the process.

“Customers usually come in with an idea and something sketched on paper that they want made. Scott then gets to work creating a pencil design, which can easily be changed if there is something they don’t like. We then start scouting the store with them to pick out the glass they want us to use. And we invite them in anytime to see the progress on their project,” Rich said.

Their retail business is one of the few remaining glass shops in the Northeast that sells supplies after many have closed, Robin noted.

In addition to all kinds of stained glass and pattern books, the store carries a full line of tools, grinders, saws, lamp hardware, bevels, bead making supplies and more. They also stock pre-owned, “gently used” tools and equipment.

“When we first purchased the store, business was booming. Then the age of the internet took over and people suddenly discovered that they could order supplies online and have them delivered right to their door. So, that hurt sales at our retail shop, and hurt so many mom-andpop stores,” Robin said.

“Things eventually got better, but it’s still not the way it used to be. And then the recession hit. We lost a lot of customers,” Rich said.

One thing that helped to bring extra money into the business was a tool that Rich developed.

“It’s called a Fid’l Stik and we sell it all over the country,” he said about the tool which is used to burnish copper foil around the glass edges before soldering them together” Rich said.

But you will find more than just supplies in the store, especially for those who don’t want to “create their own.”

“We have a full complement of finished hangings, a really big assortment of panels and lamp, as well as gift items, for customers to look over and choose from,” Rich said.

For those do-it-yourselfers, Studio K’s Glass Castle offers instructional classes. Their popular Beginner Level Stained Glass class consists of five weekly sessions from 6:30 to 9 p.m., and you will complete at least two projects, then GOLOCALMAGAZINES.COM 25

walk away with the skills needed to continue to the next level. Tuition is $175 and students will need to also purchase a tool kit for $150.

“We have a fully-equipped training room including a sand blasting system, and classes are small, usually three to four students, so you get the attention you need,” Rich said.

“Our instructor, Jan Ryan, has been with us for 20 years. She is very patient and loves to teach, and our students love her,” he added.

The next Beginner Level Stained Glass class is planned for early this year. Check the studio’s webpage for more info or call them at 860-7499010.

“I think people appreciate that stained glass is an Old World art that has really lasted all these years. Beyond that people just love the reflection of colors on their walls as well as the privacy that a window hanging provides,” Robin said.

According to The Stained Glass Association of America, many histories of stained glass begin with Pliny’s tale of the accidental discovery of glass by Phoenician sailors. Their website explains the legend recounts shipwrecked sailors who set their cooking pots on blocks of natron (soda) from their cargo then built a fire under it on the beach. In the morning, the fire’s heat had melted the sand and soda mixture. The resultant mass had cooled and hardened into glass.

But, the association noted that Pliny was not very scientifically reliable and claims it is more likely that Egyptian or Mesopotamian potters accidentally discovered glass when firing their vessels. The earliest known manmade glass is in the form of Egyptian beads from between 2750 and 2625 BC. Artisans made these beads by winding a thin string of molten glass around a removable clay core.

If you have a question for Rich, his wife has a suggestion on how to best reach him.

“Rich isn’t tech savvy when it comes to computers. So, instead of emailing him, I suggest calling my husband directly. He’s a people person and really enjoys the one-on-one connection,” Robin said.

Studio K’s Glass Castle is located on 48 South Road, Route 83, in Somers, Conn. Hours are Tuesday from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m., Thursday from 10 a.m. to 6:30 p.m., and Sat. from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m.

For more information, visit studioksglasscastle.com or call 860-749-9010.

26 GO LOCAL JANUARY 2021

local snapshot  Allison Billeter

GOLOCALMAGAZINES.COM 27

go eat

! RECIPE SUBMITTED BY NATHAN BLAIS

Carrot Ginger Soup Healthy, sustainable eating/lifestyles seem to be on a predicted upward trend for 2021- and since it’s winter, soup season is upon us!

1 tbsp EVOO 1 cup diced white onion 3-4 diced garlic cloves 1 1/2 tsp grated ginger 2 heaping cups of chopped carrots 3-4 cups vegetable broth 2 tsp turmeric powder Honey (optional) Salt + pepper to taste Coconut milk (for garnish) Parsley (for garnish)

In a Dutch oven, add oil to the pan and cook your onion with salt and pepper for about 6 minutes then add in your garlic and carrots and cook for another 8 minutes, stirring occasionally. Next, stir in your ginger and add your vegetable broth-reduce the heat and simmer the carrots until they are soft, about 30 minutes. Let soup cool slightly before adding to a blender and blending until smooth. Give it a taste and adjust seasonings if necessary.

Finish with a drizzle of coconut milk and some fresh chopped parsley.

NATHAN BLAIS I’m a photographer from Springfield. I combined my love for cooking and photography and turned it into a career. Check out my instagram @nateblais!

28 GO LOCAL JANUARY 2021

! KEITH O’CONNOR  NATE BLAIS & DE NARDO FACEBOOK

A

love for one another, their pursuit of good food, and the opportunity in America that awaited them brought Salvatore and Carmela De Nardo from Bracigliano, Italy to Springfield in 1982, where they would eventually open De Nardo’s Family Restaurant in East Longmeadow.

When the couple made their trip from Italy to America, they brought some of their traditional family Italian cooking recipes with them that now make up a menu of fresh oven baked pizzas to assorted pasta dishes and grinders.

What makes a De Nardo’s pizza and many of their pasta and other dishes different from the competition is the ingredients, noted Marco De Nardo, who is the restaurant’s head cook

manager.

“We like to make it authentic Italian as much as possible, and we bring in as many products from Italy as we can. Our sauce (Mutti) comes from Northern Italy and has no additives.

My family owns an olive grove in Italy, so my father is very picky about the Italian olive oil we use, as he used to make his own olive oil,” De Nardo said.

“You know you have good olive oil when you put a little of it in the palm of your hand and move your hands together really quick for a few seconds.

It breaks the oil down and if you can smell the olives you know it’s a good oil,” Salvatore De Nardo said about a trick his father taught him.

De Nardo’s is truly a family restaurant from the customers they call family to a staff that in addition to GOLOCALMAGAZINES.COM 29

Salvatore and Carmela includes their sons Marco and Andrea, who share kitchen duties with their parents. Their late son, Franco, was also active in the restaurant. The couple’s daughter, Cristina, runs the front of the house, including the dining room and take out. Also, Salvatore and Carmela’s brothers, sisters, cousins, nieces and nephews have always been there to help when needed from delivering food, working in the kitchen, or serving tables.

“As kids we would always be at the restaurant to help our parents with putting together pizza boxes, washing dishes, and cleaning tables. It wasn’t until our teens that we became more interested in the business,” De Nardo said, who attended Johnson and Wales University in Rhode Island for restaurant management and later earned a degree in accounting from Western New England University.

The De Nardo Family Restaurant menu consists of a variety of tasteful options from their delicious pizzas and calzones to pasta, chicken, veal, eggplant and seafood meals, as well as a variety of sandwiches, grinders and wraps.

In addition to their “Build Your Own Pizzas,” Combo and Vegetarian, De Nardo’s offers some 13 specialty and gourmet pizzas to choose from including Meat Lovers, Clam, Margarita, BBQ Chicken, Steak Stir Fry and the MacDaddy topped with hamburger, 30 GO LOCAL JANUARY 2021

pickles, cheese, onions, shredded lettuce and thousand island dressing.

“Our most popular pizzas are Combo, Buffalo, California, and, of course, Cheese. Our Combo pizza, which consists of pepperoni, hamburger, and fresh peppers, has always been a big hit.

Our Buffalo pizza, which is bleu cheese dressing and crispy chicken tossed in buffalo sauce, really became a hit in the late’90s to early 2000 with the perfect combination of chicken, buffalo sauce and bleu cheese. Our MacDaddy pizza is a new favorite.

Of course, you can’t forget the popular Cheese pizza. We’ve been using the same cheese (Grande Cheese) from when my father started in the ’80s and we refuse to change, mix, or blend our cheese.

We can make either thick or thin crust, whichever you like, with our special dough,” De Nardo said.

Beyond the pizzas, the most popular dishes at De Nardo’s Family Restaurant are their Chicken and Veal Parmesan, Chicken Francaise, as well as Eggplant Rollatini and the De Nardo’s Special, which is a veal, eggplant and ham topped with sauce and mozzarella cheese.

“Every dish is prepared daily with fresh ingredients,” De Nardo said.

Even the pizza business has its busiest seasons.

“Halloween is a big pizza day for us, when many people, after getting out of work, stop in to pick up a pizza before going out trick-or-treating with their kids or to Halloween parties. Then we’re very busy from Thanksgiving to Christmas, but it dips a bit toward the end of January early February, after the holidays. Many people would think that Super Bowl Sunday is our big pizza day, but it’s our wings that GOLOCALMAGAZINES.COM 31

are popular,” De Nardo said.

Like many businesses, especially restaurants, De Nardo’s Family Restaurant has felt the effects of the coronavirus pandemic.

“When the pandemic first hit, we were scared and worried. We wanted to try to stay ahead of the curve and we were in contact with our local health department to figure out what we could or couldn’t do. We couldn’t have people come in and sit down for a meal, which hurt us on our busier nights.

However, we figured we would attempt to build upon our already strong takeout business. So, we started offering family style meals that fed some four to six people at a discounted price. My father refused to close our doors. He wanted to try to wait out the virus while continuing to serve customers who supported our family and helped sustain our business for the past 37 years. Our dining room is now open again with limitations on our capacity in order to help keep everyone safe,” De Nardo said.

De Nardo and several of his cousins toured Italy in the past years, and during one of their trips visited the restaurant, where the elder De Nardo baked his first pizza.

“When we returned home, we joked with my father that it was a hole in the wall, but the restaurant has actually been around for some 60 plus years,” De Nardo said, who noted the pizza business is much different in Italy.

“Pizza isn’t something eaten at lunchtime in Italy.

Restaurants are busier from 7:30 p.m. to 2 a.m. when people go there to socialize and have a pizza,” he added.

De Nardo’s delivers to customers in East Longmeadow and Longmeadow and some other surrounding towns with a $10 minimum purchase required. Depending on the size of the party or function, De Nardo’s caters throughout Western Massachusetts and Northern Connecticut.

De Nardo’s Family Restaurant is located on 39 Maple St. in East Longmeadow, Mass.

Regular hours are Tuesday through Thursday from 11 a.m. to 10 p.m., Friday through Saturday from 11 a.m. to 11 p.m., and Sunday from 11 a.m. to 10 p.m.

The restaurant is closed on Monday. (At the time of this writing, due to the high number of coronavirus cases in Massachusetts, Gov. Charlie Baker signed an executive order requiring certain businesses to close at 9:30 p.m. However, those diners who enter a restaurant before that time can finish their food and drinks, but must be off the premises by 10 p.m.)

For more information, visit denardosrestaurant.com or call 413-525-3600.

32 GO LOCAL JANUARY 2021

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local einstein

TEST YOUR KNOWLEDGE - NO GOOGLING!

WHAT IS THE BIRTHSTONE FOR JANUARY? [A] [B] [C] [D]

3

SUPER BOWL I HAPPENED ON JANUARY 15 OF WHAT YEAR?

Topaz Ruby Garnet Emerald

[A] 1965 [B] 1967 [C] 1970 [D] 1972 ON AVERAGE, TEN INCHES OF SNOW EQUAL S HOW MUCH RAIN?

WHAT IS THE LONGEST RUNNING SOAP OPERA STILL IN PRODUCTION? [A] General Hospital [B] Days of Our Lives [C] The Bold and the Beautiful [D] The Young and the Restless

5

[A] One inch [B] Two inches [C] Three inches [D] Four inches

WHERE DID MARTIN LUTHER KING, JR. DELIVER HIS “I HAVE A DREAM” SPEECH?

WHY WAS ELVIS’S MANSION CALLED GRACELAND? [A] His mother’s name was Grace [B] It was already named when he bought it [C] His favorite actress was Grace Kelly [D] His favorite song was Amazing Grace

[A] Memphis, TN [B] Atlanta, GA [C] Selma, AL [D] Washington DC

7

WHAT POEM BEGINS WITH THE LINE…”ONCE UPON A MIDNIGHT DREARY, WHILE I PONDERED, WEAK AND WEARY?”

8

JANUARY HAS 31 DAYS. HOW MANY OTHER MONTHS HAVE 31 DAYS? [A] Six [B] Five [C] Four [D] Three

[A] Paul Revere’s Ride [B] The Raven [C] The Dance of the Dead [D] The Ghost

[A] Cavatappi [B] Farfalle [C] Conchiglie [D] Fusilli

34 GO LOCAL JANUARY 2021

# CORRECT

IQ

RANK

ANSWERS:

8-9 5-7 2-4 0-1

160 110 50 3

Prodigy Egghead Meh Simpleton

1)C 2)B 3)A 4)A 5)D 6)B 7)B 8)A 9)C

NAME THIS NOODLE…

The Final Countdown

7 International Places for Take-Out MILL’S TAVERN & GRILL

SARAPE’S RESTAURANT

Find pork dishes such as Javali a Portuguesa and Secretos de Porco Preto; seafood such as Frutos do Mar and swordfish Grelhado; chicken dishes such as Frango a Francesa and Frango Marsala; and beef such as Bife a Mateus and Espetada Mixta. Also soups, salads, and a children’s menu.

Featuring Mexican dishes such as Mole Poblano, Puerco en Pipian, Steak ala Mexicana, Burrito Picadillo, Filete de Pescado Empanizado, and tamales. Also, nachos, quesadillas, tacos, salads and grinders.

14 WORCESTER STREET, LUDLOW, MA WWW.FACEBOOK.COM 413-583-6773

IRON CHEF ASIAN CUISINE 923 SHAKER ROAD, LONGMEADOW, MA IRONCHEFLONGMEADOW.COM 413-567-8001

Serving Chinese and Japanese dishes such as sushi, sashimi, tempura, teriyaki, pad thai, curry noodles, and shrimp or scallops with garlic sauce.

Also, moo shu pork, lo mein, fried rice, wontons, and more.

BOMBAY ROYALE 1 ROUNDHOUSE PLAZA, NORTHAMPTON, MA BOMBAYROYALEMA.COM 413-341-3537

Featuring Indian specialties including Fish in Banana Leaf, chicken and other tandooris, lamb kebabs, vegetable tandoori, chicken Ammwala, biriyani, and goat curry. Also, various breads such as paratha, naan, and poori.

95 HIGH STREET, ENFIELD, CT SARAPESRESTAURANT.COM 860-745-7781

GRAPEVINE PIZZERIA & RESTAURANT 753 MAPLE ROAD, LONGMEADOW, MA GRAPEVINELONGMEADOW.COM 413-567-6266

Featuring Greek specialties such as Spanakopita, Souvlaki, Moussaka, Tyropita, gyros, stuffed grape leaves, and hummus with pita. Also, pizza, burgers, sandwiches, salads and additional entrees.

BASIL’S AMERICAN ITALIAN GRILL

VILLA OF LEBANON

Italian dishes include veal Voldastava, seafood Cosa Nostra, orchard stuffed pork loin, eggplant rollatino, lasagna, Basil’s chicken supreme, and more. Also, salads, burgers, sandwiches, nachos and wings.

Featuring Middle Eastern specialties such as baba ghanouj, falafel, kebeh, mujadara, muskaa, and gyros. Also, pizza, sandwiches, salads and fresh fruit juice drinks.

64 WEST STAFFORD ROAD, STAFFORD, CT BASILSOFSTAFFORD.COM 860-684-9000

575 JOHN FITCH BLVD, SOUTH WINDSOR, CT VILLAPIZZASOUTHWINDSOR.COM 860-757-3411

GOLOCALMAGAZINES.COM 35