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Life in the Berkshires | High Summer 2024

Bountiful Berkshires Meet the growers, the chefs, the food obsessed

FRESH PICKED! Chef and farmer Tu Le of 328North gathers flowers for a special dinner at Hancock Shaker Village.

FARMERS MARKET HAULS See who bought what!

Discover:

KLOCKE ESTATE

The New Destination Distillery + Design

thebramble.us | hello@thebramble.us 325 Stockbridge Rd, Great Barrington MA

Lisa Vollmer Photography

BOOK A DESIGN CONSULATION

HISTORIC HILLSDALE NY k i t c h e n w a re s | cooking classes

hgshomechef.com | @hgshomechef | 518-325-7000

cookandlarder.com | @cookandlarder | 518-325-0220

roejanbrewing.com @roejanbrewingco 518-303-8080

WHERE THE HUDSON VALLEY MEETS THE BERKSHIRES

INTERIORS - HOME DECOR - FINE ART

tinyheartsfarm.com | @tinyheartsfarm | 914-236-0760

hillsdalegeneralstore.com @hillsdalegeneralstore 518-325-3310

irwinfelddesign.com | @irwinfelddesign1 | 917-699-6024

Klocke Estate

from the publisher WE HAVE REACHED THAT DELIGHTFUL PEAK OF SUMMER when the

K LO C K E : A B I G A I L F E N TO N ; FA R M : S T E P H A N I E Z O L L S H A N

garden is overflowing, and the abundance of zucchini has you almost willing to pay people to take it off your hands. Saturday mornings are filled with trips to farmers markets and CSA pick-ups, where the bounty of the season is on full display. Welcome to High Summer in the Berkshires. In this issue of The B, we celebrate our region’s rich agricultural heritage, uncover the inspirations behind our chefs’ culinary creations (spoiler alert: local ingredients), and introduce you to the majestic new brandy distillery and culinary destination, the Klocke Estate. These stories highlight the collaborative and innovative spirit driving our vibrant agrotourism sector, a cornerstone of our local economy. Our cover subject, Chef Tu Le, aptly describes a prevailing trend in our community as “collaboration over competition.” You might have noticed chefs cheering each other on social media as they open new restaurants, or experienced a cultural institution hosting Greeting a Ronnybrook Farm calf an exciting “pop-up” culinary event. waiting to be named by This friendly, supportive atmosphere is Rick Osofsky’s grandchildren quintessentially Berkshires. So, cue the fireflies, gather your friends for dinner parties, and savor the delights of high summer in the Berkshires. And remember, be kind—take some zucchini from the garden home with you. SIGN UP FOR

MICHELLE THORPE PETRICCA mpetricca@berkshireeagle.com

our complimentary digital newlsetter

T W McClell and & Daughter s Fine Jewelry • 597 South Main Street, Great Barrington MA t wmcclell and.com 413-645-3399

from the editor

Shopping at the Great Barrington Farmers Market

20 years ago, thanks to cottage cheese. We were both about 6 months pregnant and struck up a conversation about cravings in the dairy aisle. Food brings people together. (In the Berkshires, heading to the farmers market is as much social outing as shopping trip.) In planning and producing this issue, we spoke with a lot of farmers and chefs. They are a passionate bunch, and the word that came up again and again was “connection.” Chefs told us that they want to foster community connections through their cooking and restaurants. Farmers told us that they want to help people connect to their food and the land. Not everyone has access to the fresh food that we do here (there are 73 farm stores in our guide on page 106!). Take advantage of it—buying local means your money stays in the community and helps farmers thrive. You and your family will benefit, too. It’s all, well, connected. The baby I had a few months after meeting my friend that day? He turned out to be a fussy eater. He would turn away virtually all fruits and vegetables—except when we went apple picking. (We didn’t live in the Berkshires and farm visits were a special treat, not the norm). As soon as we arrived at the orchard, he would twist an apple off the tree, take a big bite, then another and another. It was like magic. Perhaps somehow, seeing where his food came from and picking the fruit himself made an impact on him? Or maybe those apples just tasted better. I’m happy to celebrate everything we’re growing, cooking, and sharing with this issue. Here’s to a beautiful, bountiful rest of the summer and start to fall.

SUBSCRIBE TO THE B! AMY CONWAY

berkshireeagle.com/theb or scan the QR code.

P.S. That young picky eater of mine—he’s now super adventurous, and the other night we had cocktails and tinned fish together at Mooncloud in GB. So if you have young kids, take heart!

THE B • High Summer 2024

Neighborhood Favorites Don’t be too jealous, but my house is about a mile from both Taft Farms and Berkshire Mountain Bakery. I could feed myself quite nicely from those two places exclusively for…well, forever. For those who don’t know, Taft Farms is a year-round farm market selling produce, baked goods, prepared foods, and general provisions. The renowned Berkshire Mountain Bakery has been owned and run by Richard Bourdon for nearly 40 years; it offers bread and other baked goods and frozen pizza made with his sourdough crust. My go-tos there are the Potato Onion Artisanal Bread and canelés, small French pastries with a caramelized exterior and soft, almost custardy interior. If you haven’t tried them, go right now. The best part? Both are open every day, late enough to grab something when you realize you didn’t plan anything for dinner.

Berkshire Mountain Bakery

Taft Farms 119 Park Street, Great Barrington 8 a.m. to 6 p.m. taftfarmsgb.com Berkshire Mountain Bakery 367 Park Street, Housatonic Mondays through Saturdays, 8 a.m. to 7 p.m.; Sundays, 8:30 a.m. to 6 p.m.

P H OTO S : S T E P H A N I E Z O L L S H A N

I MET ONE OF MY CLOSEST FRIENDS, more than

Jenifer House Commons, Great Barrington, MA • wingateltd.com • 413-644-9960 Open Monday - Saturday, 10 - 5 • Sunday by appointment only

High Summer 2024

Features

The Ultimate Creator Tu Le brings creativity and a sense of community everywhere he goes.

Cream of the Crop The Osofsky family has been in the dairy business for three generations—and counting.

The Long View KLOCKE: ERIC MEDSKER; COW & VEGETABLES: STEP HANIE ZOLLSHAN; C HEESE: LI NDA CAMPOS; TU LE: ASHLEY WEEKS CART

Klocke Estate—brandy distillery and culinary destination—is planning for the future.

Chef’s Specials Meet nine chefs from our top resorts.

Plus!

FARM STORES See page 106

For the Love of Cheese Meet Matt Rubiner, the “Cheese Boy” of Great Barrington.

The B’s GUIDE TO PRIVATE SCHOOLS See page 101

In every issue: The Local Life 15 | Voices & Views 25 | Last Look 112

Farmer’s Markets Tag along with three savvy shoppers at their local farmers markets.

Hit the Trails There’s something for everyone with these hikes.

On the cover: Chef and farmer Tu Le of 328North photographed by Ashley Weeks Cart High Summer 2024 • THE B

VOL. 2, ISSUE 3 High Summer 2024 PUBLISHER

EDITOR IN CHIEF

mpetricca@berkshireeagle.com

aconway@berkshireeagle.com

Michelle Thorpe Petricca DESIGN DIRECTOR

Julie Hammill

julie@hammilldesign.com COPY EDITOR

Amy Krzanik CONTRIBUTING COLUMNISTS

Jane Larkworthy Pops Peterson

Amy Conway

EDITOR-AT-LARGE

William Li

CONTRIBUTING PHOTOGRAPHERS

Ben Garver Gillian Jones-Heck Stephanie Zollshan

CONTRIBUTING WRITER

Kate Abbott

INTERN

AUGUST 23, 2024–DECEMBER 8, 2024 WILLIAMS COLLEGE MUSEUM OF ART 15 Lawrence Hall Drive | Williamstown, Massachusetts artmuseum.williams.edu | Free Admission | Catalogue Available

Teddy Sandoval, Angel Baby, 1995. Twelve-color silkscreen, 38 × 26 in. Courtesy of Paul Polubinskas. (Photo: Ian Byers-Gamber)

Toby Foehl

Community Access to the Arts presents The B is a publication of New England Newspapers Inc.

I Am a Part of Art”

PRESIDENT & PUBLISHER

Fredric D. Rutberg | frutberg@berkshireeagle.com EXECUTIVE EDITOR

Kevin Moran | kmoran@berkshireeagle.com CHIEF REVENUE OFFICER

Gary Lavariere | glavariere@berkshireeagle.com CREATIVE DIRECTOR

John Supple | jsupple@berkshireeagle.com

Painting by Rory Adams

OPERATIONS MANAGER

Chuck Danforth | cdanforth@berkshireeagle.com

CATA ANNUAL ART SHOW

DIRECTOR OF ADVERTISING SALES

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Celebrating the work of artists with disabilities

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CLARK ART INSTITUTE Lunder Center at Stone Hill May 24–September 22 | 227 South Street, Williamstown

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Sponsored in part by: October Mountain Financial Advisors, Berkshire Life Charitable Foundation, Berkshire Magazine, Frames on Wheels, Massachusetts Cultural Council, and people like you!

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contributors: The B's Saints & Eccentrics

ASHLEY WEEKS CART (“The Ultimate Creator”) is a Berkshire-based artist and educator specializing in outdoor family and portrait photography. When Ashley isn’t behind a camera, she likely has knitting needles in hand or is corralling her lively household of four children and two dogs. Her personal art practice meditates on parenthood and grief and the interconnected worlds of both. She lives and works in Williamstown. ashleyweekscart.com JANE KAUFMAN (“Cream of the Crop”) is community voices editor at The Berkshire Eagle, where she writes primarily about rural issues. She’s spent most of her career in newspapers, writing news, columns, editorials and editing a book for The Springfield Republican. She lives in Ashfield. ABIGAIL FENTON (“The Long View”) is an international photographer rooted in The Berkshires. A Savannah College of Art and Design alumna, she specializes in lifestyle and wedding photography, expertly capturing the essence of human experience. Abigail finds inspiration through travel, food and the inbetween moments of life. In her personal work, Abigail primarily works with film photography. abigailfenton.com ANN VOLKWEIN (“For the Love of Cheese”) is a bestselling cookbook author and recipe developer based in Stockbridge. She is author of “The Arthur Avenue Cookbook” and “Chinatown New York.” Her most recent collaborations include “Tasting History” with Max Miller, “My Mexican Mesa” with Jenny Martinez, and the upcoming “Salt Hank” with Henry LaPorte. LINDA CAMPOS (“For the Love of Cheese”) is a Boston and Berkshires based food and lifestyle photographer. Her work has been featured by The New York Times, Bon Appetit, Boston Magazine, and Edible Boston. When not behind the camera, you will often find her tending the dahlias and veggies in her West Stockbridge garden or cruising the GB Farmers Market. lindarcampos.com

THE B • High Summer 2024

KATE ABBOTT (“Market Research”) explores the Berkshires as a freelance writer, editor, and oral historian. A longtime former editor of Berkshires Week and Shires of Vermont, she now writes for regional publications from the Boston Globe to the Eagle and the Hill Country Observer, and she runs the website By the Way Berkshires, btwberkshires.com. MOLLY AND AURÉLIEN DE ST ANDRE (“Hit the Trails”) do branding and design work for Berkshire businesses and create many unique local products, including their line of baby and children’s clothing, Petit Pilou. You can find them in the screen printing studio at the back of Bon Dimanche in Great Barrington, hand printing their bold designs onto fabric and paper. mohodesigncreative.com AVI DRESNER (“The Guide to Private Education”) has been published in The New York Times and is a two-time winner of the Rockower Award (aka “the Jewlitzer”) from the American Jewish Press Association. He is executive producer of the documentary-inprogress “The Rabbi & The Reverend,” which tells the story of the friendship between his father and Reverend Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. FRANCES BOSWELL (“Ode to Tomatoes”) is a food stylist based in New York City who spends every free moment possible at her house in West Cornwall, Connecticut, thinking about her next meal and cooking for friends and family. A home-cooked meal is her natural response to almost any occasion, happy or sad, and she loves nothing more than the barely controlled chaos of an overcrowded dining table. LILY GOLDBERG (“Room to Grow”) is a writer and music-maker from New York City. A graduate of Williams College, she’s worked at MASS MoCA, The Clark, and The Berkshire Eagle. Her writing has appeared in The New York Times, The Times-Union, No Depression, PAPER, The Brooklyn Rail, and more. TOBY FOEHL (Editorial Intern) is a Senior at Williams College, where he writes for the sports information department and majors in Psychology. He is from Williamstown, MA and graduated from Mount Greylock Regional School in 2020.

P H OTO S : C O U R T E SY O F T H E C O N T R I B U TO R S

NEIL TURITZ (“The Ultimate Creator”) moved to the Berkshires from New York City, along with his wife. They have since welcomed a son. Turitz is a screenwriter, author, filmmaker, journalist, and creator of “6 Word Reviews.” @6wordreviews

Inncomparable cuisine

Whatever culinary experiences you’re looking for you can find them all right here.

redlioninn.com | 413.298.5545

The

Local Life Exploring Our Towns for the Best of the Berkshires

Onota Lake Pittsfield There’s room for everyone at this 600+ acre lake! Burbank Park also boasts a fishing pier, boat launch, swimming beach, and walking path. For more swimming spots, see page 23.

P H OTO : J U L I E H A M M I L L

High Summer 2024 • THE B

the local life: Around Town

The Doctor Is In Kelly and Bryan Binder’s boutique hotel, Doctor Sax House, is a stylish spot meant for relaxing—and maybe even dancing. By Amy Conway • Photographs by Stephanie Zollshan

One Saturday night in July, during Doctor Sax House’s soft launch phase, people were coming up the front walk and through the front door, which was standing ajar invitingly. “Are you…open?” they would ask. There wasn’t even a sign outside yet— fitting for an establishment said to have had a speakeasy in the basement at one point—but it was already giving off the vibe that good times were to be had. The nine-room boutique hotel and lounge/café, formerly the Candlelight

THE B • High Summer 2024

Inn on the corner of Walker and Church Streets in Lenox, was named after a 1959 Jack Kerouac novel. New owners, Bryan and Kelly Binder, who have an 8-monthold daughter, were visiting the area from New York a few years ago when they noticed that the building was for sale. “We started peeking in the windows,” said Kelly, “and saw how beautiful it was.” It has “good bones,” agreed Bryan, but required extensive renovations. Kelly designed the spaces with an elegance

that’s tempered by playfulness. While this is their first foray into hospitality—Bryan is in finance and Kelly has a background in healthcare technology—they have traveled extensively together and those experiences inform their vision for Doctor Sax. “That European sense of leisure, at 4:00 p.m. it becomes aperitivo hour and you’re having your snacks and your drinks and you’re not rushed,” says Kelly. “That’s something that we love.” The space lends

i Home i Lifestyle i Objets d’Art i at The Red Lion Inn @theshop.aroundthecorner

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New Move-in Ready Home

6 Golf View Drive, Lenox MA $1,695,000 | 5 Bedrooms | 4 Bathrooms | 3,644 SQ FT

itself to that, with two parlors, a “four season” room, and a chic, cozy bar; there will be live music and other programming as well, and Bryan has the spot picked out for dancing. The all-day menu offers both small and large plates so people can stop by for a quick bite or settle in for a meal; Chef Tiffany Flowers was previously at Antimony in Lenox. “There’s just some very good energy here,” said Bryan. And the cocktails are classics—French 75, anyone? B 35 Walker Street, Lenox doctorsaxhouse.com

Exceptional location next to Miraval Berkshires Resort. With this home you will receive a one-year Wyndhurst Club membership. Walking distance to the town of Lenox, minutes to Tangelwood, restaurants & shopping. Top of the line finishes, luxury Miele appliances, Kohler fixtures, quartz countertops, marble showers, wood floors throughout. Stone patio, walkout lower level with two bedrooms and kitchenette, attached two-bay garage.

For more information or schedule a viewing please call or text Dave at 413-441-0482.

the local life: Around Town

Family Friendly

The Flair at the Fair Carnival rides, tractor pulls, farm animals, and…a celebration of zucchini. Local fairs have something for everyone.

West Stockbridge Zucchini Festival | August 10 The festival returns with local vendors, artists, food, games, contests, and live music to celebrate this staple summer squash. wszucchinifest.org

North Adams Downtown Celebration | August 14 Downtown closes to cars as local groups and shops hold contests and giveaways, bands play everything from rock to jazz, and restaurants and artisans celebrate everything local. northadams-ma.gov

Heath Fair | August 16 to 18

Columbia County Fair | August 28 to September 2 This classic fair features farm animal showings and exhibits including pig races, a demolition derby, midway rides, live music, circus arts, and more. Chatham, NY columbiafair.com

Founders Day | September 20 to 22 Lee celebrates downtown with its annual fall parade, arts and crafts, local food, fireworks, and family fun. leechamber.org

Festival Latino | September 28 Celebrate Hispanic culture with live music, dancing, and a warm celebration of culture, food, and community in Great Barrington. festivallatino.org

The 106th annual fair in Franklin County brings local brews, square dancing, tractor pulls, farm animals, sheep-shearing demos, an obstacle race, horse-drawn wagon rides, fair food, and more. heathfair.org

Apple Squeeze | September 28

Cummington Fair | August 22 to 25

27th Annual Country Fair | September 28 and 29

Enjoy rides and games, horse and cattle shows, a sheep obstacle course, antique tractors and classic cars, live entertainment, and more. cummingtonfair.com

Hancock Shaker Village celebrates the season with live music, workshops and demos, family fun, craft beer, antique tractors, a quilt show and dozens of vendors. Pittsfield. hancockshakervillage.org —Kate Abbott

THE B • High Summer 2024

Lenox fills with artists and fall fare for the 43rd annual celebration of the season. lenox.org

Good News

Reaping Benefits Just in time for its 30th anniversary, BFAIR— the not-for-profit organization providing quality, individualized services to people of all abilities—started a new partnership with Jen Munoz of the Growing Healthy Garden Program out of North Adams. Munoz comes to the accessible garden beds at BFAIR’s day habilitation center to help folks cultivate the garden, plant seedlings, care for the plants, and harvest them. “Our culinary group enjoys the benefits of accessible gardening on site,” said Laura Baran, Senior Director of Community Based Day Services at BFAIR. Meaning: They get to eat what they grow! BFAIR’s “Party Like It’s 1994” gala takes place October 25 at The Williams Inn. Use this link to learn more.

Pillow Talk Here’s your ticket to enjoying Berkshire summer style at home! This pillow from Fluff Alpaca in Great Barrington is made— of soft alpaca fiber, of course—to look like a vintage Tanglewood lawn seat ticket. $79 fluffalpaca.com

Full-sized & desk-sized jockey statues In stock or special order Fine furniture & Interior Design

(518)581-0023 | Saratogasignature.com info@saratogasignature.com 82 Church Street Saratoga Springs, NY