INK MAGAZINE - FEBRUARY 2020

A guide to finer living in Connecticut & abroad.

Vol 15 Issue 170

inkct.com

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5 February 2020 Vol. 15 Issue 170

Feature Stories

Departments

The Lace Factory

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Your Destination Wedding or Special Event.

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The Stork & Fashion Exchange The Evolution of Style.

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Hopping Around CT - Epicure Breweing Company

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Cardinal Points - Walrus Changes His Mind

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Music Mirth and Mojo - A Conversation with Keb Mo

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The Cheesemonger - Butterfat and Lactose

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On the Vine - Wines of Sicily (Sicilia)

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Thompsons Chocolate

Life on Sugar - CaKE for Cupid

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141 Years Making Magic

February Events - What’s Goin’ On?

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WELCOME! If you are reading this then chances are you have been here

before. If you have been here before then you know that the magazine you are holding in your hands is different than previous iterations. For me personally this change is more of a coming home than a departure.

When I designed the original INK it was essentially a square. The reason

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Markham Starr

for this change now is based on many issues of practicality. I believe that

Cultural Phographer

everything about it is for the better. We will be stretching out and kicking the tires familiarizing ourselves with our new space. We hope that you enjoy watching this process. Our best to you!

J. Lilly founder / publisher

Contributors

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Quilt Master Ed Johnetta Miller Humanity, Heart and Textile

Angela Carontino - admin/traffic Susan Cornell - editorial Charmagne Eckert - editorial Alison Kaufman - Music Mirth & Mojo Heather Kelly - Life on Sugar Mark Seth Lender - Cardinal Points Art LiPuma - On the Vine Rona Mann - editorial

Carolina Marquez-Sterling - design Melissa Nardiello - design Barbara Malinsky - editorial Paul Partica - The Cheesemonger Vincent Scarano - editorial Kate Tolmie - photography John Tolmie - Crusty Old Diver Joe Urso - design

Advertising Contact us to receive our media kit with detailed advertising information.

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Stand Up for Animals The realization of a Dream.

Bob Houde - Advertising Director bob@inkct.com 860.303.6690

Jacki Hornish - Litchfield jacki@inkct - 860.488.0393

Cheryl Powell - Greater Connecticut cheryl@ink-pub.com - 860.608.5749

Richard Malinsky - Shoreline richard@inkct.com - 215.704.9273

Rona Mann -Greater Connecticut six07co@att.net - 401-539-7762

Submit Events Listings to: Angela Carontino - events@inkct.com

On the Cover: “In the Longboats” by Markham Starr All content of INK Publications including but not limited to text, photos, graphics and layout are copyrighted by Inkct LLC Reproductions without the permission of the publisher is prohibited. Inkct LLC is not responsible for images or graphics submitted by advertisers which are not copyrighted or released for use in this publication.

visit inkct.com

Inkct LLC - 71 Maple Avenue, Old Saybrook, CT 06475 - email: submissions@ink-pub.com - visit www.inkct.com

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BE ORIGINAL Original Art | Original Gifts | Original Lifestyle

Everything here is made by LOCAL artists and artisans.

Original Fine Art

Local Pottery

Silks & Weaving

Woodworking

Soaps/Candles

Journals/Cards

Tables/Benches

Earrings/Jewelry

Needle Felting

Artistic Frames

Custom Mirrors

Turned Bowls

Cuting Boards

Forged Iron

Natural Soy Travel Candles by Cottagewicks

22 Darling Road, Salem 860.608.6526 Winter Hours: Thurs-Sun Noon-5pm thru March

GALLERY • GIFTS • CLASSES Visit online at salemredhouse.com to view or register for upcoming classes

Valentine Gems

February 7- 29, 2020 Opening Reception Friday, Feb. 7, 5-8 pm

Del-Bourree Bach

Patt Baldino

David Dunlop

Susan Powell Fine Art 679 Boston Post Rd., Madison, CT 203 . 318 . 0616 www.susanpowellfineart.com

Jeanne Rosier Smith

Sarah Stifler Lucas

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Destination Wedding? Special Event?

It's at The Lace Factory!

by Rona Mann / Photos courtesy The Lace Factory The space was always special.

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onstructed in 1874 at the edge of the Connecicut River, it was originally the home for the Deep River Lace Company, which for many years, produced some of the most beautiful lace in the world. The machinery, crochet needles, and photographs from that period are still displayed in the foyer, but the workers are long gone; their machinery and their voices silenced. Instead, in their place are the sounds of laughter, music, and unbridled joy. Instead of the smell of sawdust, there are delicious aromas of French cheeses, sizzling steaks complemented by a variety of sauces, fruit tarts, shrimp scampi, vegetarian paella, artisan bread. Perhaps even a butlered tray of lobster grilled cheese hor's d 'oeuvres!

This is The Lace Factory at Deep River Landing, now a destination for weddings, parties,

corporate, and private events. Typically when someone is invited to a destination wedding, it means getting on a plane, often flying thousands of miles, and spending a lot of money to make the journey. Happily, this is not the case with this destination... it's right here in Connecticut, conveniently located, accessible from both Interstates 91 and 95 as well as Rt. 9. And if you want to save guests the hassle of driving, they can take the newly refurbished Essex Steam Train or come by private trolley. These may be exclusively reserved for any event through the very knowledgeable people at The Lace Factory.

"The very knowledgeable people" are a husband and wife couple, living right on the premises with their unforgettable dog, "Moose." Once meeting them, you'll soon realize that the care your event receives

is thoroughly hands-on and very, very personal. It took Andrea Isaacs and Angus McDonald, Jr. quite some time to find this gem and even longer to make it their own."

Still, we persevered," said Isaacs, a woman who seems to know how to get what she wants and does not settle for less. She is precisely the kind of person you want to plan your special event as no detail gets by her. Every event is unique unto itself, personally designed

by Andrea and her very experienced staff.

Isaacs and her husband, Angus, did not fall into this business. They knew what they were doing

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and how to get it done. Andrea has owned Cloud Nine Catering in Old Saybrook for more than 25 years, garnering an outstanding reputation and has made them preferred vendors at area venues. But she yearned to have her own space, a place close to the water that would afford plenty of room and plenty of character. It took several months, but on a tip from her sister-in-law, Andrea and Angus finally found the old lace factory and deemed it precisely right to complete their vision.

It took a lot of work, a lot of resources, and even more ingenuity as the couple set about to create an event space no one would ever forget, while still maintaining the original integrity and charm of the space. They added kitchens, completely re-did baths, put in new oors, and upgraded the electric..." over and over and over," laughed Andrea.

Although The Lace Factory has only been a venue for weddings for 10 years, it's the years of catering experience and attention to detail that make each wedding, party, or corporate event an individual standout. "We make it easy for wedding couples and their families because we have a package that includes the room, the courtyard, the grounds, the attended parking, staff, linens, tables and chairs...and yet we give them plenty of individual choice." Cloud Nine is the only caterer at The Lace Factory, but talk about choice! From plated dinners to stations, buffets, and family-style service, the catering menu runs 14 pages with some of the most innovative concoctions, new takes on traditional favorites, and desserts that will tempt even the most satiated of guests. Leaving no stone unturned, and making it

easy for the bridal couple, the wedding cakes are designed to specificity by Cloud Nine and are always crowd-pleasers.

The 1880-style bar sits at one end of the vast warehouse that is unique for wedding receptions, parties, benefits, and corporate events. With a wonderfully rustic space that gives the hosts 5400 square feet to make

13 their own, according to Andrea, "it can become anything from rustic to country chic to pretty darn sophisticated." Clients are given several hours before each event to decorate at will, limited only by their own imaginations. Isaacs refers people to the company website, where one finds galleries of images showing just what can be done within this legendary space.

The Lace Factory can easily hold up to 225 partygoers, so the sky is the limit! Bridal couples may take their vows either in the courtyard or across the street at the scenic boat landing; the possibilities are endless. The Lace Factory puts a new face on what events can and should be. From the iron beams suspended from the incredibly high ceilings to the strings of small lights twinkling overhead to the barn doors, the period restrooms, and staff affording a ratio of one server for every ten people.

magnificent Connecticut River and two beautiful decks, this smaller space, which can accommodate up to 49 people, is just perfect for more intimate gatherings.

There is an additional room – The Riverview Room - perfect for private events such as rehearsal dinners, showers, and perhaps an after-wedding brunch, even if you don't get married here! With direct views of the

Although Andrea is nearly booked with weddings for 2020, you may wish to inquire about the 2020 Wedding Couples Package.

Those corporate planning parties can and should find a perfect venue at The Lace

Factory with the same attention to detail and personal styling that makes every party a memorable one.

Those lace workers of long ago toiled hours at the old factory across from Deep River Landing, theirs being an exacting, customdesigned, and detail-oriented craft. So isn't it nice to know that more than two hundred years later, the work being done at The Lace Factory is still exacting, detail-oriented, and always custom-designed. Little has changed, actually. The work is still exquisite, the people are still dedicated to what they do, the train still stops just steps from the front door, and the river continues to flow upstream, as it always has...and will for years to come.

The Lace Factory is located at Deep River Landing.

Book your event (860) 526-4445 www.thelacefactory.com

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The Evolution of Style

Why The Stork & Fashion Exchange is Still a Hit after 24 Years!

by Rona Mann / Photos by Jeffery Lilly Cathy White doesn‘t sit still for very long...and she likes it that way.

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he is constantly in motion in her perfectly oganized, clean as a whistle, sweetsmelling consignment shop, The Stork & Fashion Exchange in Westbrook, where smart shoppers choose not to pay retail prices. Rearranging clothing so that the styles “pop,” positioning jewelry to catch the eye of the customer, dusting, displaying, meeting and greeting, and always – always smiling. Most of all, Cathy White does not sit on her laurels; she lets her legion of customers, amassed over some 24 years, do the bragging for her. White’s too busy “learning something new every day.”

That, she says, is the primary reason for the success of The Stork & Fashion Exchange.

“It’s evolution. Fashion has changed tremendously in the last 24 years, as have customers and also the way in which they purchase items and resell them. I have always worked to keep on top of that. I read everything, I take classes, I scour the internet, I talk to my customers. I can honestly say that even though we are a consignment store, we are always ahead of the trends before retail grabs hold of them. I am constantly looking at the market both here and around the world.”

To fully appreciate Cathy White’s talent and business acumen, you need to know some history. Twenty-four years ago, she opened

Owner, Cathy White and Manager, Daniell Harwood

The Stork Exchange on Main Street in Old Saybrook, a consignment store selling only maternity clothes, baby clothes, and accessories. “There were no Smartphones, and the internet was not a big deal. Many people didn’t even have a computer.”

After ten years in Saybrook, White moved her business to its present location on the

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Post Road in Westbrook. Not only did she expand her s p a c e , b u t s h e g rew h e r m a r k e t i n g , tweaking both her business plan and inventory in the process. Now called The Stork & Fashion Exchange, the consignment shop added an entire

women’s clothing department, as well as beautiful brand new jewelry to complement the clothing and complement the affordable prices.

Each time the economy changed, White changed her thinking and added to the shop. “I have always been pro-active to changes happening around me and like to be ahead of the curve, not a follower.”

Within a short time, The Stork & Fashion Exchange was women’s clothing, shoes, new and consigned prom and evening gowns, designer handbags and accessories, children’s clothing, teen clothing, jewelry, and one of the largest assortments of toys found in any consignment store statewide.

Featuring the enormously popular Melissa and Doug line of wooden, educational, made in Connecticut toys, moms, dads, and grandparents love to buy these because they are guaranteed to last a lifetime.

Both new and consigned designer wedding gowns and veils were soon added, which opened up an entirely new market for The Stork & Fashion Exchange. Known as the Connecticut Bridal Exchange, brides are drawn in by the magnificent array of gowns

and completely captivated by the affordable prices that accompany them!

With the explosion of social media, the desire for customers to “choose to buy second hand not just for price, but because it’s ecofriendly,” coupled with changes in styles and a variety of ways to shop, means Cathy White is again hard at work. “I’m very nimble,” she laughs. “As things change, so do we.”

Now, The Stork & Fashion Exchange is very active on social media. “It changed everything, customers are very visual now, so we are as well,” White adds. She also added an online store on the shop’s website so customers may shop 24 hours a day, 7 days a

19 week, and pick up their purchases later.

Additionally, they can check on their personal account, if they have chosen to consign. With “proactive” being Cathy White’s middle name, The Stork & Fashion Exchange is now conducting the hottest sales on Facebook Live.“It’s a live video streaming feature just like QVC and The Home Shopping Network,” White says. To ensure its success, she has hired someone who will exclusively handle this crucial part of the business, plus all social media for the store.

Sure, The Stork & Fashion Exchange still has maternity clothes and baby accessories, but oh my, how it’s grown! White firmly believes in giving back as well, so she has created Community Shares Sundays.“The last Sunday of every month, we will donate 100% of all our red slash items to local charities. We are therefore urging our customers to let us

know their favorite area charity that they recommend we endow with this program.”

Yes, The Stork & Fashion Exchange has undoubtedly evolved, but so has their customer. “ I always refer to our customers as the ‘circle of life.’Young mothers come here and shop while their babies play. As they grow, we have clothes and accessories just

for them. We have recently expanded our juniors’ and teen boys’ departments catering to Gen Xers and Millennials with names like Vineyard Vines, American Eagle, J.Crew, and Ralph Lauren...definitely, not their mothers’ brands!

Boomers will enjoy a great line of casual, dressy, and outerwear, and grandparents can find styles that aren’t “too young” for them. We all love it when one of my former baby customers comes in to pick out her wedding gown. It is truly a circle of life store.”

As much as The Stork & Fashion Exchange has a strong and active online and social media presence, they are still a brick and mortar store and will forever remain that way. “We still believe strongly in old fashioned customer service. We like knowing YOU, knowing your name, your likes, and dislikes, your grandchild’s name. With all the social media and online business out there, it is the old fashioned customer service that means the most.”

Twenty-four years is a long time to be in business.

Still, to Cathy White, it’s been no time at all, for she has delved into the evolution of both what she is selling and to whom she is selling it.

She never took either for

granted, and every day, she has been fully committed to both. “It doesn’t matter what you’re selling,” White has said in the past.

“You have to know the market, you have to price it right, and you have to give great customer service.”

That’s probably why at The Stork & Fashion Exchange emblazoned on the shirts they wear, stenciled on the vehicles they drive, and their sole mantra day in and day out has always been, and always will be, “Friends Don’t Let Friends Buy Retail.”

You can visit The Stork& Fashion Exchange at Follow them on both Facebook and Instagram Call them at (860) 399-4636; out of state, (800) 449-9983

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opping Hopping Around CT.

Photo by Andrew Pigg

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picure Brewing Company opened its doors at 40 Franklin Street in Norwich on June 8, 2017, but the inspiration for the brewery came years earlier as Rob and Jobina Miller and Jason and Jenny Vincent, four of its six owners, vacationed together on the Vermont beer trail. Epicure, meaning “the finer things in life,” is modeled after quaint European pubs that are an extension of your living room with games and food and conversations. As you walk into

By Jim Lalumiere

Epicure’s expansive taproom, you will see a rotating display of local artwork on the walls, a handmade wooden bar that seats 15 people, and brewing equipment in the back of the room.You will see church pews alongside tables from an old strip club that is the “Saints and Sinners” area where you can hang out with friends away from the crowd.

Separation of church and state, if you will.

You won’t hear televisions blaring. You’ll listen to music and people chatting about sports and life. And beer. The beer is what brought them there.

On any given day, as you sit down at the bar, you can order multiple styles of beer. Fan favorites range from the easy-drinking Stay Pretty Blonde to the roasty Lightning Struck Twice Oatmeal Stout. IPAs are the bestselling style in America, so you can always tip back a Damned Yankee IPA or Good Old Tom New England IPA. The hazy, juicy beer style that has swept the nation was a trend that wasn’t initially “welcomed” at Epicure, but

Photo by Kyle Scheiper

brewmaster Ken Thiffeault nailed the beer, and Good Old Tom has become one of the bestselling beers at the bar. The Epicure train of thought is “beer for the everywoman/everyman.” They want anyone to be able to come into their bar and find something they like. Jobina told me a story of a woman who came in and swore she’d never find a beer she liked. Her friends agreed. Jobina asked her if she enjoyed coffee. The woman said yes, and was offered a Lightning Stuck Twice stout. Two pints later, Epicure found themselves with a new beer drinker at their

Photo by Andrew Pigg

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Photo by Kyle Scheiper

Photo by Kyle Scheiper

bar. Beers are available on draft and in cans and growlers to go. While I was there, there were 4-packs of cans of GBGB Sour Cherry Ale and Stay Pretty Blonde available for takeout.

Ken started as a homebrewer more than 20 years ago and honed his craft on a homebrew system. His Photo by Andrew Pigg house was struck twice by lightning, unfortunately burning to the and his wife Kerrie, both of whom are ground the second time. His homebrew co-owners of Epicure. Epicure has stories system survived the blaze and now resides behind it. The beers, the labels, the building. above the entryway to Epicure. His The building initially housed the Norwich Lightning Struck Twice stout is named Bulletin, and before that, The Thumb deli. after the accident that transplanted him The Thumb is one of Epicure’s newer stouts, while Eye Candy is a nod to Rob Miller. When he’s not fixing or building things around the brewery, Rob is a sight to be seen behind the bar, pouring beers and chatting up customers.

One great thing about Epicure is that they want you to interact with each other. Put your phone down, talk to your neighbor, pick Photo by Jeffrey Blayman

up a deck of Uno cards, or jump into a game of cornhole. Get to know each other. There is no kitchen at Epicure, but that doesn’t mean you’re going hungry. There are menus in the aforementioned pews for local restaurants. Order some peanut butter wings from Billy Wilson’s (trust me on this one). Craving some cheese and bread with your beer? Bring some with you to the bar, as the mug-club members do on Friday nights. You can also take advantage of the local food trucks like Uncle D’s Blazing BBQ and Cousins Maine Lobster (offering lobster grilled cheese and lobster mac & cheese). If you’re looking for a private event, they can help you out too. The space can be rented in the off hours for anything from showers to holiday parties.

Epicure Brewing Company, where everyone may not know your name, but they do probably know your song. One of the many perks of Mug Club members at Norwich’s brewery is that they have their own entry music. They can cue up the song remotely using the Touch Tunes app and have the song playing as they waltz through the door. So, if you’re sitting at the bar, and “Ice Ice Baby” comes on the jukebox, you know Rob Backus isn’t far behind. sour.

Jim Lalumiere, lover of all that is hoppy, malty and sour.

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SHOP • DINE • EVENTS • THEATER

Free Valentine’s Day Wedding Ceremonies in the Meeting House Friday, February 14th 10 a.m. to 2 p.m.

SHOP SMALL. SHOP LOCAL.

Hours: 10:00 a.m. - 6:00 p.m.

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26 purple-browns all blending into the land where they recline.

On the shallow side of Forlandsundet the head of a bull walrus appears. Tooth Walker, his Walking Teeth strong where they show above the water and lined along the length of them and ivory-bright. His skin wrinkled like a parchment map of all the places he has been shows his age, and the bulk of him and his many scars a measure of his station. He paddles unconcerned towards Poolepynten.

Runs aground. Rests. Then continues, laboring under the load of his Greatness.

Walrus Changes His Mind

Shumph! Sharumph!

Towards me.

Rump humph!

At speed on short strokes below the surface that cannot be seen.

And grounds.

Fumph!

Close.

And comes closer.

From the midst of the herd another walrus raises his head in greeting, the meeting of their eyes a nod of recognition.

Fumf Farumph!

Poolepynten, Svalbard

And the small waves break against Tooth Walker’s chest.

He looks, both sides, from his left to his right.

© 2019 Mark Seth Lender All Rights Reserved

All as it should be.

A finger of glacial till points into the fjord; on Svalbard, at Poolepynten Point, where the walrus haul out. The place is low but the slope is steep, for a walrus, and once the effort is made the herd prefers to stay there.

Do Not Disturb.

That is all they want.

They drowse. And stretch. A flipper like an open hand reaches into the air as if making shadows on a non-existent wall…. Then scratches the chin... The cheek…. Then lets the hand fall. The walruses in their tans and

And then Tooth Walker sees… me.

And stops, and lifts, and Shows! His! Tusks!

And… Lowers his head.

What? What!

But changes his mind! Up! The ring around the white of the eyes Blood Red!

He leans. He looks.

And…

The eye that was soft and dark grows wide, then soft (not sure of what he’s seen), then on the double take, wide again!

Subsides.

And turns away.

And his breath blows!

Tooth Walker swims, returning as he came, through the sea. And pulls, and tugs, and lugs himself out rejoining the herd. They raise their tusks to him and he greets them, one by one. But again, and again, his gaze returns to let me know:

He finds his draft and swims.

He has not forgotten exactly where I am.

And turns back!

And out he goes!

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Field Note:

Walrus are very large animals and they are temperamental. When that bull turned and came towards me I remained perfectly still and let myself relax (or rather, relaxed as much as I could under the circumstances), hoping he would perceive an absence of threat. A reasonable assumption - on both our parts - because this particular walrus had no memory of being hunted. Atlantic walrus exist in Svalbard only because they are not hunted, completely protected throughout the archipelago since 1952.

Despite which I was also trying to decide if I would risk laying down the camera, long lens, tripod (small fortune in equipment) or just get the hell out of there.

The principal danger in such circumstances, other than a miscalculation (his or mine) is a previous negative encounter. Maybe the walrus had been harassed. Maybe someone panicked and

fired a bear banger in his direction. There was every likelihood he would rely on prior contact in his assessment. And you do not want to be on the bad side of a walrus.

It is impossible to come as close as this to walrus in Hudson Strait. There, walrus know us for the enemy

we are. There, the Inuit have hunted them nearly to the point of extinction. If at one time they did so for food, they now have more compelling reasons. The only walrus I ever saw in Canadian waters in six years of searching was on Diggs Island. It was a young walrus, probably not old enough to breed. Some Inuk engaged in the traditional native practice of “harvesting wild foods” had chain sawed off his face for the tusks.

And left the remaining 1800 pounds to rot.

Mark Seth Lender’s fieldwork and travel are arranged exclusively through Destination: Wildlife TM. If you would like to visit the places Mark has been, you can contact them at: www.DestinationWildlfe.com.

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Chocolate

141 Years Making Chocolate Magic

By Charmagne Eckert / Photos courtesy Thompson Chocolate Co. The bedroom door inches open, and a small bare foot stretches stealthily forward. Another follows, then two more with a mu ed giggle and a “shush,” as the children tiptoe down the hall in the pre-dawn light. At the top of the stairs, they pause. Then as though on cue, the sun spills through the window above the landing, illuminating gleaming gold, blue, rose, and violet ovals nested around the equally luminous—“Easter Bunny! He came! Guys, come see!”

Chocolate eggs, bunnies, chicks, hearts for Valentine’s Day, a chocolate Saint Nicholas, red, green, and silver orbs tucked into an advent calendar, hefty gold coins for Hanukkah, all beautifully wrapped in foil, have brightened holidays and brought smiles for generations.

And much of that lovely gli琀er comes from the Thompsons Chocolate factory in Meriden, Connecticut.

Thompsons has produced 昀ne chocolates since 1879 when William H. Thompson discovered an aptitude for the burgeoning chocolate trade.

He opened his 昀rst confectionery shop in the up and coming town of Meriden. William Thompson, it seems, was a pragmatist, se琀ing o昀 in 1871, at the age of 17, from his small hometown of East Haven, Connecticut, for Philadelphia in search of a viable livelihood suited to a young man of modest means. In Philadelphia, commerce was 昀ourishing, and among the fastest developing markets of the time was that of confections—most notably a newcomer to the American palate—solid chocolate. Traditionally chocolate had been consumed only as a drink, but recent innovations, including the development in 1847 of sweetened chocolate in compacted form, were opening a world of possibility to enterprising individuals who saw the new potential for chocolate.

Thompson had found his vocation, and became an apprentice to Stephen F. Whitman, among the 昀rst and most respected of Philadelphia’s confectioners. His tenure with Whitman was followed by employment with other candy producers where he further developed his business and confection making capabilities.

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Upon returning from Philadelphia, Thompson opened his 昀rst shop in Meriden at 75 West Main Street and, with his bride, occupied the apartment above the storefront. While there were several other establishments selling sweets in Meriden in the late 1800s, Thompson set himself apart by emphasizing the manufacture of quality confectionary, along with outstanding customer service. In a competitive market, Thompson added ice cream, utilizing the techniques of blending sugars and 昀avorings that he’d mastered for candy, to enhance his frozen products. Home delivery of ice cream was available, and the cold, creamy treat would arrive, packed in salted ice, ready to serve—whether scooped from the tub or as a fancy molded ice cream to grace the table for a special occasion. As the business developed, Thompson expanded and modernized. In 1900, the sign of W. H. Thompson graced the quintessential candy and ice cream parlor, located on Colony Street. Boasting the latest in ice cream making machinery, beautiful Victorian scroll woodwork with seating for up to 115 patrons, and gleaming metal and glass display cases where rows of candies could be viewed and selected.

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Thompson was not alone in recognizing chocolate as a hot commodity. By the turn of the 20th century, packaged chocolates were being factory-made for sale in pharmacies and other venues. They were no longer the exclusive domain of the confectioner’s shop.

Chocolate, as we all know, melts—delightfully on the tongue—but not so pleasantly if one is trying to manufacture in the deep heat of a New England summer. Thompson was increasingly crafting molded chocolates and gaining a reputation as a reliable maker and supplier of chocolate 昀gures—notably the new milk chocolate that was growing in popularity.

In 1919 Thompson introduced refrigeration in his new factory facility. This eliminated the need to shut down manufacturing for July and August when temperatures were too high for the chocolate to cure correctly. By the onset of World War I, Thompson’s salespeople were busily promoting the business, and his candy was 昀lling retailers all along the eastern seaboard. It was at this point that another candy maker, Schra昀t’s, put in a large order of chocolate soldiers with Thompsons, prompting Thompson to bring on more workers and expand his operations—elevating the business to what it is today.

The times that followed were varied; as with all industries, the confectionary business fell hard during the Great Depression, and with the changing temperament and priorities of subsequent management, the company went through several transitions. But what remained, as it does to this day, is a dedication to quality, an awareness of market realities, and perhaps most of all, a genuine commitment to the community.

Thompsons Chocolates, located at 80 South Vine Street, Meriden, Connecticut, since 1973, currently employs 90 some workers and produces over 2 million pounds of chocolate annually. The factory 昀oor is busy, workers chat and move with calm competence through their tasks. Peering into the top of a mixing vat, labeled with the name of a well know candy company for whom a selection of molded Easter eggs is being prepared, reveals glorious swaths of creamy milk chocolate. It cascades o昀 wide paddles as the chocolate is stirred and brought to the optimal temperature for molding. Molding machines are at the ready, rows of egg-shaped casts waiting to receive the melted chocolate before conveying the molds through the long cooling tunnels.

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Then out into bins where the eggs are collected for their tumble in the polishing machines where any burrs of chocolate remaining from the molding process are removed, leaving perfectly formed, satiny eggs. Next on to the foiling process where vast amounts of gold, blue, pink, violet, and green orbs spill into bins. From there, the wrapped eggs travel into hoppers that feed into chutes, magically counting out the correct amount of eggs into cellophane bags. Next, they are sealed, labeled, then checked by workers who 昀nish the process with a hand-tied bow. The result is a beautiful gleaming treat, ready for the retail shelf. Hollow bunnies are hand wrapped, the foil faces lined up with the features pressed into the chocolate, and with a few deft moves, the worker has 昀nished the Easter classic. Thompsons is a pleasing blend of e cient manufacturing techniques and the sheer delight of the fact that their product is nothing less than delectable chocolate.

With an eye to the growing health-conscious market, Thompsons produces Adora, a tasty calcium supplement, that can be found at health-oriented retailers large and small, as well as on the company website. Another feature to keep in mind is the retail shop, located at the front of the factory, where caramels, nut laced bark, and sessional specialties may be found alongside the molded, foil-wrapped delights. Here too, one can 昀nd inspiration for items to add a unique touch to a special occasion. Customized labeling, color schemes; a chocolate coin can even be imprinted with a personalized logo for a company anniversary or other milestone event. And remember, much of the molded, foil-wrapped chocolate found under well-known brands, is actually manufactured right here in Connecticut by Thompsons. So next time you spot a shiny molded holiday 昀gure, or a bag of jewel-toned chocolate balls, check the label. The odds are good it was produced right here in Meriden, Connecticut, at Thompsons Chocolate factory.

Historical Source: Robillard, Rob. Sweet Success— A History of Thompson Candy. 1997

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Thompsons Chocolate Factory is located at: 80 South Vine Street Meriden, CT 06451 (203) 235-2541 hç?€ps://thompsonchocolate.com/

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MARKHAM STARR

Cultural Photographer

By Caryn B. Davis

Markham Starr cares. He cares about what we are losing culturally with every cannery that closes, with every farm that can’t stay a昀oat, and with every 昀sherman that can no longer make a living utilizing tried-and-true techniques that are hundreds of years old. He has spent most of his career photographing, 昀lming, and recording these traditions before they vanish forever.

“The trap 昀shermen out of Point Judith were disappearing pre琀y rapidly, so I started going out 昀shing with them, photographing them at sea and onshore. I wanted to record this disappearing culture,” he said.

Starr spent months following three trap 昀shing boats, the Maria Mendonsa, the Amelia Bucolo, and the North Star as they went about their work. Unlike trawling, in which a net is dragged through Starr’s penchant for preservation was enhanced when he began the water or along the sea昀oor destroying it and killing every working at Mystic Seaport Museum in Mystic, Connecticut, 昀sh caught, trap 昀shing is a less invasive method that had been during the 1970s. He started as a carpenter restoring ships practiced for hundreds before leaving to try of years. It’s a process his hand at building “The trap fishermen out of Point Judith were that 昀nds its roots in post and beam houses. the 昀oating traps used After this hiatus, disappearing pretty rapidly, so I started going out by the Romans who he returned to the fishing with them, photographing them at sea and went tuna 昀shing in the museum. He eventually started documenting onshore. I wanted to record this disappearing culture” Mediterranean. restorations instead of “The Rhode Island performing them, 昀oating trap is unique in New England 昀sheries. Like weirs compiling photographs, footage, and reports on what parts of the used elsewhere along the New England coast, 昀oating traps are ship had been repaired, replaced, or refurbished, and why. passive 昀shing devices held in shape by a series of buoys, lines, When the museum acquired Roann, an Eastern rig dragger initially and anchors, allowing them to be located on the open ocean. It’s a built in 1947 in Maine for catching 昀ounder, cod, and haddock, green 昀shery. They are located near land rather than o昀shore, and the 昀sh are returned to the ocean unharmed. Traps also produce Starr ventured to Point Judith, Rhode Island, on a fact-昀nding a high-quality product as the 昀sh are simply scooped from the mission. He wanted to learn more about the vessel which had spent ocean without damage,” explained Starr. “These traps once time in those waters before coming to Mystic. This was a turning point for Starr, who picked up a camera to start documenting the covered the Rhode Island coastline but were long ago outdated with the advent of the modern 昀shing trawler. Today, just a few commercial 昀shing industry and essentially has never stopped. trap companies still operate.”

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“It used to be most towns in New England had a mill, and everyone worked there, so there was a communal touchstone everyone was aware of and focused on. Today, like on my street, I have neighbors that work in Boston or at home on computers.

Nobody knows what anybody else does,” said Starr.

Starr has amassed a vast body of work documenting this waning 昀eet. He published a book through the Wesleyan University Press in 2015 entitled In History’s Wake: The Last Trap Fishermen of Rhode Island. It features 132 black-and-white photographs along with text and quotes from the 昀shermen. He also created a one-hour 昀lm by the same name with on-camera interviews, which can be watched on Vimeo and youtube.

“I like li琀le communities people go by and sort of know what goes on in them but not much more than that. People who take the Block Island Ferry out of Point Judith know there is 昀shing there.

Still, they don’t know the whole story,” said Starr, who also notes how unusual it is today to have the whole town like Point Judith with people devoted to the same goal. In addition to the 昀shermen, people work making nets, supplying bait, selling 昀sh, and manning the 昀sh markets.

“It used to be most towns in New England had a mill, and everyone worked there, so there was a communal touchstone

everyone was aware of and focused on. Today, like on my street, I have neighbors that work in Boston or at home on computers.

Nobody knows what anybody else does,” said Starr.

Two years before the trap 昀shing project, Starr published another book, called End of the Line: Closing the Last Sardine Cannery in America.

Instead of having months to shoot this book, he had two days and was lucky to have been granted access considering 200 other photographers before him had been denied.

After hearing on NPR the last sardine cannery in the United States was closing in Maine, Starr impulsively drove 7 hours to Prospect Harbor to Bumble Bee Foods, a.k.a Stinson’s Seafood, ultimately to be turned away. However, the manager took a shine to Starr after learning about his knowledge and passion for 昀shing and boats.

So he allowed him to present his case in a wri琀en proposal as to why he should be able to photograph there. Two months later, he was given permission.

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“This was an iconic cultural industry, but like everything in Maine, it disappeared, like their shipbuilding and timber industries,” said Starr. “I photographed the whole process. The cannery was literally taken apart. It was fully automated except for the 20 women who put every sardine into the cans by hand.”

He soon discovered that farming is a 24-hour a day job, 365 days a year, with li琀le or no time o昀. And even with working that hard, farmers are desperately struggling to make ends meet, especially with the price of grain and land being so expensive in Connecticut, for example.

Jobs were lost, and so was a way of life that ended 135 years of sardine 昀shing and packing in the state of Maine.

The book showcases 200 duotone photographs with interviews throughout. It’s just one of 12 books that Starr has published thus far, and he is not slowing down. He is currently working on a 昀lm about women in the commercial 昀shing industry.

Another project close to Starr’s heart was documenting the last dairy farms in his hometown of North Stonington. He points out that in 1945 there were over 4,000 farms in Connecticut but now there are less than one hundred. And when he 昀rst produced his book Down on the Farm: The Last Dairy Farms of North Stonington, nearly 10 years ago, there were 300 farms left in the state.

Starr spent a year on four family-owned farms that date back to the 1800s. He wanted to experience a yearly cycle to understand be琀er how the farmers and farms functioned, what challenges they faced, and what it takes to keep them running.

“It’s another culture that is disappearing. I became interested in how these multi-generational farms have managed to survive when others fell,” Starr said.

“I like small cultures that are separate from what everybody else is doing. My goal is to leave a very dense record documenting a very particular time of a very particular place, and it all goes to the Library of Congress,” he said.

In this way, others can bene昀t from his work, and now there is a historical record of these bygone eras or soon to be bygone eras.

For more information, log onto www.markhamstarrphotography.com.

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Music, Mirth & Mojo

A Conversation with Keb Mo A profile by Ali Kaufman

I had the great fortune to interview Kevin Roosevelt, perhaps better known as Keb Mo, some years back. I was thrilled when the opportunity to sit down with him presented itself again during a stop he made at the Garde Arts Center in New London on his Jingle Bell Jamboree tour. Moore took the stage in a plaid

Photo by Tom Bombria

wants to live life to the fullest and share what he is finding out along the way. His 2019 release, Oklahoma, reflects that with songs like, “Don’t Throw It Away,” which is one of the two songs on the album that he does with Taj Mahal.

Rosanne Cash lent her talent to “Put a Woman in Charge,” and the last cut on the album is

At 68 - I know, I don’t believe it either either Keb is upping his game with a trainer to keep pushing himself to stay fit and well. “Taking care of your temple” is how he put it and went on to explain that it is a multi-layer of benefit that permeates other areas of life. He is also stretching himself in the acting world, to which he is no stranger. Among many film, TV, and stage credits, one that stands out is the Hallmark movie he made in 2017 titled, Signed, Sealed, Delivered. He took this project, he tells me with a smile, because of his friend, Martha Williamson, well known television writer/

Photo by Tom Bombria

Christmas suit and red high tops, a look that only he could pull off. The full house was treated not only to the music and banter on stage, but was gifted a code to redeem a copy of his first ever Christmas album, Moonlight, Mistletoe & You. That gesture seems so indicative of his nature to make people happy while making himself happy at the same time.

There is a calm about Keb, no airs, just a really good guy on a super cool journey. He clearly

sure to become a favorite for couples, “Beautiful Music,” a tender duet with Keb’s wife, Robbie Brooks Moore. Oklahoma garnered a Grammy nomination for Best Americana Album, this win would be Keb’s 5th. His gratitude for being recognized in such a wide field of talent is evident and keeps spurring him on.

Photo by Jeremy Cowart

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Photo by Tom Bombria

producer, and her insistence that he must! His take on future roles is about, “Expanding and seeing what’s possible,” he noted without a whiff of ego in his pursuits.

INK, Ali Kaufman, and Keb Mo

Keb’s guest spots on the lineup of special event shows are always a high point. Last year he was part of Love Rocks NYC, a start studded fundraiser held at the Beacon Theater that raises money to feed those who experience food insecurity. He takes these gigs seriously and told me, “These are usually a one song and done deal; it’s not the Keb Mo Show, so it’s important for me to be all about my song. I need to learn not only the song but the history, really get down in it,” and that he does.

He also mentioned that these events can be a great way to reconnect with other artists that he hasn’t crossed paths with in a while, and that can spark new projects. Keb has also been on the Experience Hendrix Tour and shared how much he enjoyed getting to learn so much about Frank Zappa from his son Dweezil, who was on the same run. Did you know that Frank was completely self-taught?

Last year, Keb celebrated a 50 year high school reunion with his

class of 1969 from Compton High in Los Angeles.

His face lit up as he spoke with genuine fondness about his friends and how great it was to see that they had gone on to do amazing things with their lives as well. This is a man who cares about connections, and through his music allows us to feel that we are connected to him. If you have been a long time fan, I assure you that your adoration is not misplaced, and if you are new to Keb Mo’s catalog, welcome! You have A LOT of great stuff to explore.

Keep up with Keb’s tour schedule, music, videos, and more by going to Also, Love Rocks NYC is back at the Beacon Theater on March 12!

Photo by Jeremy Cowart

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Humanity, Heart and Textile Art: Quilt Master Ed Johnetta Miller

by Laurencia Ciprus

extile Artist Ed Johnetta Miller’s work is a beacon in the brilliantly curated Afrocosmologies Exhibition at Hartford’s Wadsworth Atheneum. Finessing the corner of her quilt – Spirit of the Cloth (c.1993) – she sneaks a peek at the underside of her masterpiece – now part of the museum’s permanent collection. Her smile is like Christmas: stirred from the soul and welling up her eyes. I was so in love with this quilt... so nervous the first time I saw it on exhibit and hadn’t seen it in years. It dazzles against the wall.

Tribal fabrics in primary colors are deftly puzzled together – punctuated by 100-year-old silk Kente cloth striping the double-faced quilt: a prayer honoring African ancestry. The antique cloth is very special...a treasured gift from the Kente Weavers during my time in Ghana, working with Aid to Artisans. They asked me to go back and make something with it to ‘do us proud.’ I never started as a quilter...it just evolved as I instinctively made my way with a love of textiles.

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“I was so in love with this quilt...so nervous the first time I saw it on exhibit and hadn’t seen it in years.“

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Born in Spartanburg SC, her childhood sparked flames of creativity refusing to extinguish. Dad’s brush with racism in the segregated South urged the family North to Providence, RI. The move opened doors of possibility bolstered by a connection with her Aunt Dora, who was a role model and mentor. She recognized rare potential in her niece who was mesmerized by drawing and fashion. Ed Johnetta’s creative promise and uncanny color sense pointed to a future as a distinguished artist. Aunt Dora was very special...taking me to museums and galleries – empowering me to feel that I belonged there. That’s when I fell in love with fabrics and tapestries and began to sew and crochet. I loved textiles – especially silk and beading.

Ed Johnetta had her sights on RISD, but her parents worried about the risks of an art career for their Black daughter. She detoured: earning a business degree from Bryant College and met Jim Miller, who was studying at Brown. The couple married, and while they moved for Jim’s career, Ed Johnetta gained experience working in community agencies, improving the lives of people. From instructing steelworkers in Lackawanna to read safety guidelines to teaching needlework skills to unwed mothers in Buffalo. It proved to be a foundation for a dazzling future as an educator, artist, and humanitarian.

Miller steadily flourished after her first weaving course at the Buffalo Y; moving on to advanced studies with a European instructor at NY’s Cooper Square. The artist found her creative voice. Jim took a position with Trinity College and life accelerated once at home in Hartford. Ed Johnetta’s weaving and textile programs evolved. She wove at the Wadsworth until they dropped their studio classes and then at GHCC. In 1995, she founded The Hartford Artisan’s Center on the Oak Hill School’s Campus and continues to work with women and youth as an arts educator to this day.

Now we’re heading up the stairs to her home studio on a cozy/rainy Sunday. Oh: let me tell you about Desmond Tutu! Framed articles about Ed Johnetta from the New York Times and photos of the artist with Actors Phylicia Rashad and Levar Burton lead you upstairs. Anyway, I first met him at Trinity college 20 years ago. Bishop Tutu came down the aisle and patted my son on the head. Twenty years later, I’m with Michigan State in Capetown for the Women of Color Quilters Network but thought, ‘oh, he won’t come.’ But he DID and suddenly Bishop and Mama Tutu are standing

51 right next to me; right in front of my quilt. Mama hugged me. ‘Father Tutu, I met you at Trinity College, and he said, ‘I know.’ Then I attended his 85th birthday party. Who would have imagined? The travel I experienced is amazing.

I met Carolyn – who was an Ambassador in this arena, and one thing leads to another. Suddenly, I’m in the permanent collection at the Renwick and did a workshop. When I went to the Renwick with my husband and saw my quilt, I almost passed out. The second visit to the Renwick was with my mother and sister who were stunned by the piece... my mother said, ‘I made you shelve this talent.’ My Aunt Dora would say, ‘It comes full circle’.

Ed Johnetta is as modest as she is legendary. Rites of Passage II in the Renwick’s Collection is a meticulous story of African culture and diaspora.

Blacks and blues rendered in embroidered cotton, indigo, batik and, silk gain added dimension with a frieze of cowrie shells.

Carolyn is Dr. Carolyn Mazloomi, the Founder of Women of Color

52 Quilter’s Network. The former Aerospace Engineer and Quilter, who later became Miller’s mentor and business partner, encouraged her to marry her wovens with quilting to effectively push her past limits into a new language and artform. There was a call for artists for an exhibition curated by Mazloomi and the two began a dialogue. The show was mostly quilters, and I was a weaver...I needed a 3D product to submit and created a padded coat constructed from my wovens along with fabrics I gathered during my travels. It was the artistic leap for Miller.

The coat, entitled Many Cultures Collide, proved a huge success ¬– as did the exhibition – traveling on to the Smithsonian. It also formed a permanent bond with Dr. Mazloomi. ‘You have an amazing sense of color, Ed Johnetta. I’m going to be your mentor.’ I travel for her and do panel discussions like the one at FIT. She’ll call me, and then I’m off to Tokyo! It’s all so free-flowing like the problem-solving process of quilting. I do a lecture called, ‘Quilting is Free-flowing’ about the improvisational nature of the process.

Miller went on to connect with a member of the US State Department, which led to a post as an Envoy to the Ivory Coast and a commission for her 7’ x 15’ quilt, now installed in the Permanent Collection of the US Embassy, Cotonou Benin, West Africa.

Dr. Maz and I talk often...when we get together it’s like visiting my Aunt Dora. When Carolyn Crump joins in (another artist and portraitist of distinction), we stay up all night in Maz’s studio. This is how I learned how to do faces.

Up in the studio, the rain riffs across the roof, and we play with the abundant stacks of fabrics hugging the

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photo transfer. I feel so fortunate: I JUST got this piece back when it was almost thrown out.

It’s an abundant artist’s life. Across town in West Hartford, paint is drying on 60” x 60” graphic renditions of her quilts now wrapping the circular exterior of a building on the campus of The West Hartford Art League. It was a nine-year vision that finally materialized with the additional boost of grant funding and zoning nods. The Mariposa Museum at Oak Bluffs, MA, hosted her this past summer as the opening speaker for the exhibition And Still We Rise: Race, Culture, and Visual Conversations, from the Women of Color Quilters Network. Her fabric boas accessorize women in holiday photos across the internet, and there is the bustle of family with creative grandkids coming up with the same artistic DNA as Miller.

walls. There are Japanese obis and kimonos splayed softly. Look at these... aren’t they remarkable? I so admire the Japanese. I love NY and Chicago, but JAPAN: Kyoto, Yokohama and, Tokyo is incredible. Then, there are Hawaiian techniques...its endless. There is also a quilt resting on one of the worktables, and we unfold it together. It is brilliant. Ed Johnetta found old class photos while teaching at Noah Webster School and created a magnificent tribute quilt incorporating the traditional pictures of the children via

Her latest FB post is a vivid pastiche of a work-inprogress with bold color field planes. Working on my new quilt that must be done by early September 2020, 72” x 84”. This one will be heavily quilted. Pray for me. There is no need to pray: the world loves you, Ed Johnetta Miller, and continues to celebrate your gifts!

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He Put on His Boxing Gloves and Knocked Out a Shelter Realization of a Dream:

STAND UP FOR ANIMALS

by Rona Mann

Before

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veryone loves a good story, especially one with a happy ending.

You’re sure to find a happy outcome to this story, but not a happy “ending,” since the ending has not yet been written. Nor hopefully, will it ever be, for this story is about a dream realized. It’s about beginnings for animals who heretofore might have had a different outcome without the efforts of some very exceptional people who refused to accept roadblocks. It’s also a story of beginnings for those who choose to take these animals into their homes and hearts, giving them a wonderful life for all the years they have together.

The story begins in 2002 with an attorney/businessman in Westerly, Rhode Island, who was not happy. All his life Larry Hirsch loved

animals. Adopted them, protected them, loved them, and spent considerable amounts of money on their health, shelter, well being, and happiness.

But Hirsch was discontent because the existing animal shelter that served the greater Westerly area was old and ill-equipped. Housed in a landfill compound, it was small, dark, and could not accommodate many animals. Hirsch, a physically active, well-respected member of his community who attended college on a boxing scholarship, had the heart, soul, and drive of a fighter. So he put on his gloves and set to work to correct the situation. “He decided he was going to build a new shelter for the town, and that was that,” said Lina O’Leary, President of the Board of Directors at what is now Stand Up for Animals. O’Leary went on to report that Larry Hirsch single-handedly began the daunting task of trying to find a

58 group of like-minded people who could raise funds for the new shelter. “The town of Westerly simply did not have the means,“O’Leary said. “So Larry personally went to a small group of private citizens, asked them to join him in raising the needed capital, and set out to build a brand new shelter that would be bigger, better, and serve the needs of all animals.” Hirsch was joined in his efforts by the then Town Manager, Joe Turo, who said, “You build it, and we’ll give you a 99-year lease.”

It took seven years, but in 2009 Stand Up for Animals opened their doors to a magnificent, sparkling, well lit, fully equipped new shelter after having raised $2.8 million through private donations, a federal grant engineered by Senator Lincoln Chafee, and ongoing support from the Rhode Island Federation, capping off a successful capital campaign. “They actually were short some $300k,” said O’ Leary, “but people on the board believed in it so much that they stepped up and personally served as guarantors for loans from local banks so the project could be completed on time.”

Today, Stand Up for Animals is entirely debt-free, funded by endowments, grants, donations, and wise investments made by the board. In addition to spacious dog kennels, there is a cat adoption room. It is a “sanctuary” for cats who are not adoptable for various reasons of health and behavior. It provides a place they can socialize with others, safely venture in and out, enjoying a full and satisfying life.

Unlike most shelters throughout the country, there is a surgical suite where two on-site vets perform every Friday.

“If there’s a medical need,” Lina O’Leary says, “we don’t have to put an animal in a carrier and drive them to a vet, which can be traumatic. They are attended to right here, which omits a good deal of stress for them.”

59 The shelter is a whole lot more than just a place to adopt pets; it is a multi-use facility, serving both the people and the animals of the community. It is as much a place of education as it is of nurturing animals. To that end, Stand Up for Animals (SUFA) was built with a full-service community room used for board meetings and to involve the community in educational events. Additionally, SUFA has partnered with the Ocean Community YMCA and holds ongoing one week summer camp sessions at their facility. This gives young people an opportunity to meet with veterinarians, canine police, and the local animal control officer to better understand their roles in protecting and caring for animals.

But the education of a community does not stop there. SUFA has also hired a “human educator,” Jane Deming, who has amassed an extensive background in working with animals.

As former Director of Humane Education for the Humane Association, Executive Director of the

Providence Animal Rescue League, and with extensive experience in zoo management, Deming holds classes at local elementary, middle, and high schools to teach and bring to children the message of “animals have feelings too,” along with a good bit of practical learning. In 2019 Deming held some 43 classes locally, reaching 1350 students.

In 2017 SUFA wanted to expand its services further and promote joy, socialization, and a place to exercise. SUFA worked with the Town of Westerly, transforming a conservation area on the same parcel of land as the shelter into a

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spacious dog park. Thanks to a generous behest from the will of Captain Bruce G. Ladd, the park is divided into three separate areas for large dogs, small dogs, and the shelter dogs.

Although SUFA is now debt-free, there is an ongoing need for fundraising to perpetuate all they maintain. Events range from bowlathons and golf tournaments to scavenger hunts, a Christmas rock concert, pet photo calendars, an upcoming Murder Mystery night, and more. Events listed on SUFA’s website are always geared for a broad demographic, so every member of the community can find something to enjoy.

Adoptions are strictly regulated and not a one time visit. “It’s a process,” O’Leary says. “We determine the needs of the animals against the needs of the person

61 or family wishing to adopt. How much time can they give? How much exercise? Are there other pets already in the home?

We always put the pet’s best interests at heart.”

SUFA stands ready to be an ongoing resource as well with obedience training, financial assistance if needed, food drives, and support of local food pantries.

And it all started with one man who refused to accept the status quo, was determined to do something about it, and started talking to just a handful of local people. He put on his boxing gloves, entered the ring, faced a daunting opponent in the form of millions of dollars, and scored a knockout punch. It was for the Town of Westerly, the community, and most special of all, for those who have four paws and no voice. Stand Up for Animals is not

just a state-of-the-art facility, but according to Hirsch, “a hub for animal welfare. It was my goal, my dream, and it’s been realized. If I never do anything else in my life...” ...and then Larry Hirsch stops talking.

For more information, visit Stand Up for Animals and see this hub for animal welfare. The address? 33 Larry Hirsch Lane in Westerly (what else would you possibly call the road)? www.standupforanimals.org (401) 348-9595

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A Guide to Finer Living

Capturing the Connecticut experience one story at a time...

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The

Cheesemonger

By Paul Partica, - The Cheese Shop, Centerbrook CT

Bottom line, most people are much happier eating something 30% fat versus 60% fat.

• Butterfat in Milk Milk is sold with different amounts of butterfat content: whole milk, 2%, 1% and non-fat. However, the percentage of butterfat content in the milk that cows produce can differ between breeds. This amount will vary from 3.5% to as high as 5% or more. The amount of fat in milk will also depend on the time of year the milk is produced. Cows that graze on fresh spring and summer grass may yield more butterfat and slightly sweeter milk than cows eating drier matter during fall and winter. However, nutrition can vary and there is no set rule here as to what season is best for more butterfat. Cows in both early and late lactation produce more butter fat than cows in mid lactation.

Butterfat and Lactose in Milk and Cheese • Butterfat in Cheese Most often cheese gets a bad rap when it comes to how fattening it might be compared to other foods. This is especially true with the creamy Brie style cheeses. The truth of the matter might surprise you.

Let’s first consider how cheese is labeled and classified in its relationship with butterfat. There are four categories concerning percentage of fat.

Single Crème Double Crème Triple Crème Skimmed Milk

45% matière grasse or m.g. (Dry Matter) 60% matière grasse or m.g.

75% matière grasse or m.g.

Less than 45% matière grasse or m.g.

This is most common with French cheese. Domestic labels might read in dry matter or IDM. So, you might assume for example that a double Crème cheese would be 60% fat by volume. Here’s the problem, they can only measure butterfat in dry matter or solids with the liquids removed and since most cheeses are over 50% water you need to divide the fat percentage on the label by two to determine the amount of actual butterfat in the cheese. Therefore, a double crème 60% cheese is only 30 to 31% fat in its present form.

One common assumption is, the creamier looking the cheese the more fat. The firmer the cheese the less fat. This would be wrong. All cheese is in a constant state of evaporation. The less water in the cheese the more concentrated the fat. If you compare two cheeses, a hard Gouda and a ripe Brie, the gouda labeled with the same butterfat as the Brie will have the higher actual fat content.

Notice the photo of Fromager D”Affinois soft-ripening cheese. This is one of our most popular items in the store. You will notice that in the upper right side you will see 60% Fat in dry matter. On the left side you will see 31% fat total. That’s the actual fat content in its present condition. There are not many cheeses that show this.

Milk types with lower butterfat content simply have varying amounts of butterfat removed. This is accomplished by letting milk sit, then skimming off the cream which rises to the top. Whole milk is basically milk straight from a cow where nothing has been done to alter its butterfat content. Often, butterfat is removed expressly for cheese-making consistency since the steady percentage of fat in the milk results in a consistent-tasting cheese.

As a point of interest, if you read the signage on a 2% milk carton it may state that it contains 38% less fat than whole milk. This wording can create the illusion of a big difference in fat content. Although the numbers are technically correct, this is actually taking a product – milk straight from a cow – that has less than 4% fat to begin with, down to 2% percent, a difference of about 1.5% of the total volume of milk.

• Lactose in cheese Many people assume they cannot eat cheese because they are lactose intolerant. It’s important to find out whether you are lactose intolerant or allergic to dairy products. For those of you who have been diagnosed as being truly lactose intolerant there might be good news. You may need to re-think omitting cheese from your diet.

Lactose intolerance is the inability to digest lactose sugar in milk. In order to understand this, let’s first look at milk and cheese making.

Cow’s milk is approximately 87% water, 3-5% fat, 3 1/2 % protein, 5% milk sugar and an assortment of vitamins and minerals. Lactose is the main sugar and it’s made up of dextrose and galactose. Digesting is the process of splitting up the lactose into these two sugars. This is accomplished with the help of an enzyme produced naturally in humans called lactase. This later ferments and becomes lactic acid.

Some people do not create lactase, hence the problem. Almost all cheeses become lactose free after six months.

People have different reactions to various foods so it is best to see what works for you. If you do have a problem it could be a dairy allergy problem, not a lactose intolerance issue. Fat content varies among animals. Cow’s milk has a slightly higher amount of lactose then goat’s milk. However, in its concentrated cheese form the difference is insignificant.

Paul Partica, The Cheese Shop www.cheeseshopcenterbrook.com

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By Art LiPuma, General Manager SeaSide Wine & Spirits, Old Saybrook

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Wines of Sicily (Sicilia)

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icilia is an island near the front boot of Italy, situated southwest of the country. The small island produces a substantial amount of wine despite the limited area to grow grapes. Due to its southern region, the climate is warm. However, summers can get very hot and is mostly dry with very little rainfall, ideal conditions for wine growing.

Other attributes are the rough terrain, rocky soils, and hilly steep slopes that produce rich and robust grapes hence producing excellent quality wine. With this area, you get more vineyards than any other region in Italy. Initially, they produced a large quantity of lower quality wines. The focus has now changed, though, and more top-quality wines have resulted, albeit with lower output.

One of the ďŹ nest growing areas of Sicilia is Monte Etna. This is home to one of the world's active volcanoes. The vines grow from the base to as high as 3,300 feet above sea level, which makes the growing area among some of the highest in Europe. Recently more development has been completed using the volcanic soils for growing vines in hopes of producing full-bodied wines. Also, with the colder climate from mid to the top of the growing area, the wines produced are quite age-worthy. One of the white grapes is Carricante, which provides a drier style wine with a mineral quality. Inzolia, Grillo, and Chardonnay are the other popular white grapes. Chardonnay, however, doesn't hold up well in most parts of Sicilia due to the extensive heat of the island. The main red grape is Nerello Mascalese, a medium-bodied with rich, complex fruit and a relatively dry finish. Other reds are Cesanese, Nero d'Avola, Frappato, Syrah, and Petite Verdot.

Another area for growing grapes for wine production is Faro, which is also a large producer of Nerello Mascalese. The warmest growing area

is Eloro. Temperatures can reach 100 degrees for periods of time, and with little rainfall, this is the driest area on the island. Thus only the most robust vines survive. The main grape of this area is Nero d'Avola, a medium-bodied red with good fruit components and a dry but not tannic finish. This well-known red grape is the most widely cultivated red grape grown in Sicilia.

The area of Marsala is the home of its namesake Marsala wine, which is fortified and made to compete with the other fortified wines of the world, Sherry and Port. This was developed by a British wine importer by the name of John Woodhouse, who lived in Sicilia.

Marsala was first produced as an ageable fortified wine. Still, there are quite a few inexpensive ones to use in recipes. The largest producer is Florio. The grapes that make up this wine are mostly Grillo. It is also sometimes blended with Inzolia, Catarratto, and Damaschino grapes.

Moscato, a popular grape grown throughout the world, is grown in the southern area of Sicilia as well. This grape is used to make sweeter wines, including dessert wines. The area of Cerasuolo di Vittoria produces a wine with Nero d'Avola and a red grape called Frappato, which is similar to the light somewhat fruitiness of Beaujolais.

Sicilia does produce some exciting and high-quality wines. There are much fewer producers now, but don't let that stop you from purchasing some of their crisp whites or full-bodied reds.

Art LiPuma Cheers!

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LIFE ON SUGAR

CaKE for Cupid Written by: Heather Kelly, Director of Operations, NoRA Cupcake Company Cake Photo by: Winter Caplanson, Connecticut Food & Farm Cupcake Photo by: Leeanne Griffin, Hartford Courant/CTNow.com

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alentine’s Day can be a contentious topic for some - single, committed, or unsure. Who is Hallmark to tell you that there needs to be a designated day to spoil the one(s) you love? We’re not here to dive into the deepness of how Cupid came to be - we just want to help you spoil your sweeties with the gift of sugar. February 14th is our busiest day at the bakery every year and requires months of menu planning and prep ahead of time. We tweak our offerings every year, but a mainstay is RED VELVET. Red velvet debuted in the Victorian era, the beauty of this confection is upstaged only by its melt in your mouth texture. The cocoa powder used in a large variety of the early red velvet recipes is mostly responsible for the “velvety” texture. In the 1800s, the higher acidity found in natural cocoa combined with buttermilk and the coarse flour led to the red coloring and crumb-like texture.

While the Victorian era may have been a time of luxury where natural cocoa was available, adjustments had to be made around the time of World War II. This is where beet juice came into play, which some modern-day recipes still call for. The deep red coloring of the sweet root vegetable adds to the vibrancy of the cake. As an added bonus, beet juice can also contribute to the soft texture and can keep the cake from coming out too dry. Who would’ve thought??

As we made our way into modern times, food coloring became the way to achieve that the deep red hue. As we say in almost every CaKE Life column, there’s no right or wrong way to go about it when baking at home. Whether it’s cocoa powder, food coloring, beet juice, or a combination of all three, it’s all up to personal preference and availability of ingredients.

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David Dial, the editor of ‘Spiced’ blog, sums up the elusive flavor profile better than we can- “I hate to use the word ‘velvety,’ but that’s what it is. It’s a soft cake. Fluffy, depending on the recipe, with just a hint of chocolate. It’s one of those things; you don’t realize it’s chocolate until someone tells you. Of course, there’s the bright red color, which now comes from food coloring, but aside from the cake itself, the really distinguishing feature is the cream cheese frosting, with a slight tang. These seem to go really well together.”

While we switch it up when it comes to our Valentine’s Day offerings, there is no arguing that a traditional cream cheese frosting is the best way to top a red velvet cake. We like to add a little southern flare to our traditional red velvet cupcakes that we offer in-store - by coating the frosting in shredded coconut flakes and toasted pecans. A little bit of crunch from the nuts and a touch of sweetness with the coconut balances out the sharpness of the cream cheese frosting.

If you’ve got a red velvet lover in your life - we’ve whipped up a new flavor this year that will win them over this Valentine’s Day. HEART of DARKNESS is our red velvet cupcake, dark chocolate ganache filling, black chocolate buttercream frosting, covered in ruby red sugar, and topped with a black heart. We’ve also revamped our top-selling Boss Chick cupcake (a red velvet Moscato cake with pink cream cheese buttercream and gold sugar) into a vegan and gluten-free allergen-friendly option, just in time to celebrate Cupid.

Whether you’re looking to discuss the commercialization of red velvet and Saint Valentine over the past centuries, or just want to pick up some sugar, we can assist you with both. We’re slingin’ cake all over the state at our bakery in Middletown, our storefront on Bank Street in New London, and our Lil’ NoRA Cupcake truck brings the CaKE to you.

Keep an eye on our social media @noracupcakeco for our full Valentine’s Day menu. Whether you’re a firm believer in all things cupid, a protestor of Singles Awareness Day, or looking for an excuse to drink champagne for Valentine’s Day, eat some CaKE and enjoy it! XOXO

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JANUARY EVENTS

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February Events at Scotch Plains Tavern

February Events at Water's Edge Resort & Spa

Super Bowl Sunday: Come enjoy Happy Hour specials during the game or cater your party at home with one of our wing platters to go!

Valentine’s Day: Dining and Drink Specials, Reservations Recommended.

VALENTINE'S DAY WEEKEND SPECIALS

Live Music:

February 15th - Winter Gala Featuring Sugar - Dinner Dance Party Cocktail Hour: 6PM | Dinner Show: 7PM Cabaret Dinner Show $55++

Saturday, 2/1 – Out of the Basement from 7:30pm Wednesday, 2/5 – Keith Cooper and Trish Radil from 5:30pm Thursday, 2/6 – Sweet Tea Daddy from 6pm Friday, 2/7 – Primetime from 7:30pm Saturday, 2/8 – Big Nasty from 7:30pm Sunday, 2/9 – Nosmo Kings from 1pm Wednesday, 2/12 – Sweet Polly from 5:30pm Thursday, 2/13 – Christopher John from 6pm Friday, 2/14 – Don’t Tell Lisa from 7:30pm Saturday, 2/15 – Back in the Day from 7:30pm Sunday, 2/16 – Ross & Bost from 1pm Wednesday, 2/19 – Borderline Genius from 5:30pm Thursday, 2/20 – FrankenPhil from 6pm Friday, 2/21 – Mix It Up from 7:30pm Saturday, 2/22 – The Smoove Series from 7:30pm Sunday, 2/23 – Tyler Marshall from 1pm Wednesday, 2/26 – T. Ray Taylor from 5:30pm Thursday, 2/27 – 2 Cat Zoo from 6pm Friday, 2/28 – Mixed Signals from 7:30pm Saturday, 2/29 – Blues on the Rocks from 7:30pm

February 14th - 16th - Couple's Four Course Prix Fixe Dinner - $130 per couple

UPCOMING TRIBUTE SHOW Saturday, February 1 - A Tribute to Tom Petty Saturday, February 8 - A Tribute to Johnny Cash Saturday, February 22 - A Tribute to Cher & Lady Gaga Cocktail Hour: 6PM | Dinner Show: 7PM Cabaret Dinner Show $55++

COMEDY AT THE EDGE Saturday, February 29th - 7:30PM

LIVE MUSIC AT SEAVIEW BISTRO Saturday, February 1st - Rahsaan Langley Project Friday, February 7th - Nick Fradiani Sr. Saturday, February 8th - Nick Fradiani Sr. Friday, February 14th - Rahsaan Langley Project Saturday, February 15th - Trish Radil & Keith Cooper Duo Sunday, February 16th - TBD Friday, February 21st - JCDC Saturday, February 22nd - Fusco Trio Friday, February 28th - Nick Fradiani Sr. Saturday, February 29th - Fusco Trio

HAPPY HOUR Sunday - Friday 4PM - 6PM 50% off Bistro Small Bites | $5 Draft Beer | $6 House Wine & Select Spirits

REPEAT EVENTS

Repeat Events: Happy Hour Specials: Monday – Friday from 3pm – 6pm Mondays: Buy a Handheld Menu Item, Get a Draft Beer for a Penny 3pm – close Tuesdays: Taco Tuesday from 5pm – close Wednesdays: Ladies Nite 1/2 Price Wine Bottles All Day and Live Music from 5:30pm – 8:30pm Thursdays: Live Music 6pm – 9pm & 69¢ Wings 3pm – close Fridays: Prime Rib from 5pm – close & Live Music from 8pm – 12am Saturdays: Live Music from 8pm – 12am Sundays: Brunch from 11:30am – 3:00pm & Live Music 1pm – 4pm Scotch Plains Tavern, 124 Westbrook Road, Essex CT Call 860.662.4032 or visit

Monday - Free Bar Trivia | Lobster Boil $25 Tuesday - Prix Fixe Dinner $19.95 Thursday - Wine & Dine $49 Friday - Prime Rib Dinner Special $19.95 Sunday - Brunch $39.95++ from 9AM - 3PM

A Century of Creativity: Connecticut Art from the New Haven Paint & Clay Club – New London January 31 – May 10

Water's Edge Resort & Spa 1525 Boston Post Road, Westbrook, CT 860-399-5901 |

Showcasing over 100 years of Connecticut art, this exhibition of paintings, prints, and drawings explores our surroundings—the landscapes, people, and objects that help shape our sense of place.

What makes Connecticut special and how has the region’s identity shifted over time? A Century of Creativity draws on the permanent

73 collection of the New Haven Paint & Clay Club, one of the oldest art clubs in New England. The exhibition celebrates the beauty and range of fine art produced in this region since 1900.

Lyman Allyn Museum | 625 Williams Street New London, CT 06320

your collection. Original art is the perfect thoughtful and personal gift for your Valentine! This exhibit offers a wide variety of painting styles, sizes, and subjects at affordable prices. Landscapes, seascapes, still life, floral, and romantic city scenes will be on view.

Exhibiting artists include: Kathy Anderson, Del-Bourree Bach, Paul Batch, Peter Bergeron, Kelly Birkenruth, Dan Brown, TJ Cunningham, David Dunlop, Eileen Eder, Loretta Fasan, Tom Hughes, Susan Jositas, Sarah Stifler Lucas, James Magner, Anne McGrory, Leonard Mizerek, Larry Preston, Deborah Quinn-Munson, Carlo Russo, Dennis Sheehan, Jeanne Rosier Smith, and Kyle Stuckey. The show continues through February 29.

The gallery is located at 679 Boston Post Road in Madison. Gallery Hours are Tuesday through Saturday, 11-5 pm, and any day by appointment. For more information, please call (203) 318-0616, or email . Visit to view images of paintings.

Hygienic XLI & Mayfly Playhouse Present Mayfly 2020 – New London February 1 It is called “Mayfly” because these plays are born, rehearsed, and performed within a 24-hour span, the life of a mayfly. Now in its twelfth year, Mayfly 2020 is a 24-hour-play-event where on Friday night six playwrights draw a random cast of actors and director, are given a set of rules, a prop, and before the sun rises they deliver a brand-new 10-minute play. At 8 AM Saturday morning, the scripts are distributed and the actors and directors go to rehearsal spaces throughout downtown New London. At 8 PM Saturday night, the plays are performed at a one-night-only event in the Crocker House Ballroom in front of a capacity crowd.

Doors open at 7 pm, Performances begin at 8 pm $10 suggested donation at the door Location: Crocker House Ballroom (35 Union Street, New London, Connecticut)

Susan Powell Fine Art – Valentine Gems Madison February 7 Join us on Friday, February 7, 2020, from 5-8 pm for a festive winter evening, at the Opening Reception of our new exhibition, "Valentine Gems." Meet the artists; enjoy beautiful original art with wine and hors d'oeuvres.

We are featuring paintings by over 25 of our favorite new and returning award-winning artists. All are exquisite gems, to start or add to

RED HOUSE CULTURAL ARTS CENTER – Salem February 8 Create a luxurious one-of-a-kind Nuno felted Cowl out of Merino wool, silk and embellishments of sheep locks, texture and luster fibers such as bamboo, Angelina fibers, silk hankies, etc. No previous felting experience needed. Class Fee: $85. Saturday, Noon-5pm.

February 15 Make a Soutache Pendant! Soutache Bead Embroidery incorporates cord used historically for uniforms with beads, gemstones, and metal findings to product one of a kind jewelry. No experience with beadwork necessary, although hand-sewing skill is helpful. Saturday, 1-5pm. Class Fee: $45.

February 29 Pressed Flower & Botanicals Workshop!

You will learn the basics of how to press the botanicals and adhere them to a heavy card stock suitable for note cards or framing. Supplies include an abundance of pressed botanicals, cards and paper. It’s a really fun class!! Saturday, 1-4pm. Class Fee: $50.

The Red House, 22 Darling Road, Salem. Visit salemredhouse.com for more info. (860) 608-6526.

JANUARY EVENTS

74 Savings Bank, features chili from 20+ chefs. You, the voting public, determine best chili!

Ballots are $10 each and can be purchased at Ballot Stations along Main Street during the event, and in advance at the Chamber office, 1 Main Street, Old Saybrook.

James Prosek: Art, Artifact, Artifice – New Haven February 14 – June 7 Artist, writer, and naturalist James Prosek (b. 1975, B.A. 1997) is inspired by both the natural world and the built environment of the museum. Conceived by Prosek—the 2018 Happy and Bob Doran Artist in Residence at the Yale University Art Gallery—this cross-disciplinary exhibition places Prosek’s own work in dialogue with objects from the Gallery, the Yale Peabody Museum of Natural History, and the Yale Center for British Art, illustrating the fluid boundaries between art, artifact, and artifice.

Yale University Art Gallery | 1111 Chapel Street (at York Street) New Haven, CT

Cabin Fever Festival and Charity Chowder CookOff – Mystic February 29 Get ready to shake off that winter chill! On Saturday, February 29, Noon –4 pm, Olde Mistick Village will celebrate its 17th Annual Cabin Fever Festival and Charity Chowder Cook-Off. Over a dozen local restaurants will serve up their signature chowder and YOU choose the winner!

Chowder tickets are $1 for each 3 oz. cup of chowder or you may purchase 12 tickets for just $10. Tickets will be on sale the day of the event within the village at various store locations. Proceeds will benefit Always Home and their work preventing family homelessness.

Chili Fest – Old Saybrook February 29 Come to Main Street Old Saybrook for the 24th annual Old Saybrook Chamber of Commerce Chili Fest! Saturday, February 29, from noon to 3pm. This friendly competition, presented by Guilford

A team of celebrity judges will choose the winners in three categories: 1) Most Creative Chowder, 2) Heartiest Chowder, 3) Best Use of Regional Ingredients and 4) Best overall flavor. The public will vote for the winners of the coveted “People’s Choice” for Best Chowder category. All awards will be presented in the Meeting House in Olde Mistick Village at 4:30 pm.

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