By Analiese Paik

You will always find seasonal vegetables at the Double L. Root vegetables, including turnips and beets, line the counters.

You never know what you’ll find at the Double L Market in Westport. This boutique grocer offers the truest expression of local food outside area farmers’ markets, and it’s open 7 days a week. Vegetables and fruit from local farms and orchards, locally baked breads and pastries, prepared foods, granola, hand-blended organic teas, grass-fed beef, lamb and pork, bison from New York state, Connecticut and Vermont cheeses, milk and dairy from two Connecticut farms, eggs, apple cider, estate maple syrup, and fish from a Boston fishmonger line the shelves and fill the coolers.

Pop-up foods like this small batch tomato sauce are a specialty of the Double L Market. It's true, seasonal eating.

“Pop-up foods”, as owner Lloyd Allen likes to call them, are small batch, highly seasonal, artisan food item that are in stock for a short time only. Allen told me “Now you see them, now you don’t. When they’re gone, they’re gone” just as another customer co-opted two small batch jars of heirloom tomato sauce I had set on the counter. It’s not a place to let go of your purchases. I advise calling ahead and getting your name and order on the reservations chalkboard if you feel strongly about a particular item. After missing the first round of Connecticut figs this summer, I did just that.

Arethusa Farm's eggnog is a special treat for the holidays, perfect with a Christmas cookie or two.

Tomorrow always holds the promise of new delights, which is why Lloyd Allen and partner Michael Van Haaften have such a loyal following. Customers know their tried and true favorites will be on hand, along with new surprises, accompanied by friendly smiles and a good story or two. I felt pretty lucky after buying two jars of heirloom tomato sauce, Arethusa Farm’s eggnog, and Doc’s estate maple syrup. I couldn’t think of any other store I could stop in to buy the same, because no other exists here in Fairfield County.

The Double L Market

730 Post Road East

Westport, CT

203-557-4705

http://www.doublelmarket.com/

Visit them on Facebook.

The Fairfield indoor winter farmers’ market at the Greenfield Hill Grange has grown from last year, making for a richer shopping experience.  Organic vegetable grower Sport Hill Farm, local-sustainable baker Scratch Baking, and Greyledge Farm, a grower of pastured beef, pork and chicken, have joined as vendors for the season.

Hypertufa planters are aestetically pleasing and lightweight enough to travel with.

A recent visit yielded two excellent sources of holiday gifts – Moorefield Herb Farm and The Herb Basket – original market vendors whom you may recognize from last year. Moorefield Herb Farm sells a variety of herb gardens that will dress up a windowsill while providing fresh, organically-grown ingredients for the home cook. Moorefield’s large herb garden (plastic) contains 6-7 culinary herbs including creeping rosemary in bloom, parsley, lemon grass, Vietnamese coriander (milder than cilantro according to owner Richard Moore), pineapple sage and marjoram. Hypertufa herb gardens are aesthetically pleasing, yet still lightweight, and come in a variety of shapes and sizes. The smallest square garden with 4 herbs sells for $25 while the largest oval, containing 8-9 herbs, costs $50. Custom and advance orders are welcome via moorefieldherbfarm@yahoo.com or 203-612-0530 for pick up at the market.

Moorefield Herb Farm's organically grown bay laurel plant and mixed herb basket are thoughtful gifts for the home cook..

Last year I purchased a bay laurel plant from Moorefield Herb Farm and nestled it into my herb garden along with sage, parsley, oregano, tarragon and rosemary. The leaves grew bright and big, so I harvested them and dried them for use as bay leaves. I figured I’d get another crop next year. A quick consultation with Richard Moore revealed the error of my ways. Bay laurel is a Mediterranean plant and therefore unlikely to survive a Connececticut winter, so they should be brought inside during the colder months. He winced when I told him I’d stripped the leaves and dried them. “It will probably die. Just harvest the leaves as you need them and use them fresh” he recommended. Bay laurel plants are available in 4 inch plastic pots for $8 or 6 inch terracotta pots for $15. Just be sure to tell the recipient how to care for it.

The Connecticut Sweetness Box includes a log cabin-themed bottle of maple syrup, wildflower honey, and holiday jam.

Pickle and jam gift sets start at $15.

The Herb Basket's Tea Time Sampler is available with either 6 or 9 varieties of their jams.

In an earlier holiday gift guide installment covering Connecticut maple syrup, we mentioned gift-worthy bottles and where to find them. The Herb Basket has one we’ve never seen – a log cabin-themed bottle filled with maple syrup from Sugar Maple Farms in Lebanon! It’s part of the $35 CT Sweetness Box, a boxed gift set that also includes wildflower honey and strawberry-cranberry holiday jam made with strawberries from Jones Family Farm in Shelton. Gift boxes of pickles and relishes are available in sets of two for $15 and sets of three for $20. The Herb Basket’s own adorable Tea Time Jam Samplers are available in snowflake or pine cone themed gift boxes as either a set of 6 for $18 or set of 9 for $25.

Fairfield Winter Farmers’ Market at the Greenfield Hill Grange

Saturdays from 10-1 pm - Closed Christmas weekend

1873 Hillside Road, Fairfield, CT

on Facebook at

By Renee B. Allen

Organic cranberries - not from the US, but from our neighbors in Canada.

Even though I grew up eating canned cranberry sauce on Thanksgiving, I never use it now. We’re a “from scratch” house just as more and more households endeavor to be as our food system gets scarier and scarier. In the case of cranberries, a fruit native to the US and one that was certainly available for the first Thanksgiving, their preparation is simple so there are no excuses not to make it yourself. Beware their bitter and tannic nature, however, which is quickly tamed with the addition of a sweetener. If you don’t like the natural sweeteners I suggest, use Port or another sweet wine in place of the sweetener and water in the recipe.

In this simple and quick recipe the cranberries are cooked with a sweetener and spices long enough to become tender and form a beautiful sauce.

Ingredients:

• 8 oz fresh cranberries (2 generous cups), rinsed well. (organic cranberries from Canada are available in 8 oz. bags at Trader Joe’s)
• 2/3 cup water
• 1/3 cup honey, demerara, turbinado or cane sugar (bags marked simply as sugar can be made from GMO sugar beets)
• 1 cinnamon stick
• 2 whole cloves
• 2 whole allspice berries
• nutmeg, freshly ground
• pat of butter (optional)
• cheese cloth or a metal tea holder

Procedure:

A simple spiced cranberry sauce takes minutes to make and will sing on the plate next to the turkey.

Add the sweetener and water to the saucepan and bring to the boil, lower to a simmer, stir to mix and add the cranberries and cinnamon stick Wrap and tie the cloves and allspice in cheese cloth or place them in a metal tea holder and add them to the pot (for ease in removing later). Cook over medium low heat uncovered for at least 10 minutes or until the berries have popped and the sauce has thickened.

Test the cranberries for tenderness and continue cooking if necessary until they are soft and tender. Add more water if necessary to maintain a sauce-like consistency. Grate fresh nutmeg over and taste again, adding more nutmeg if you’d like.

If the sauce is not sweet enough for your taste, try stirring in a pat of butter and tasting it again. Drizzle with honey if you think it’ still too puckery. Allow to cool and remove cinnamon, cloves and allspice before serving.

Happy Thanksgiving!

By Analiese Paik

Cauliflower is in season. Shocking orange, green and purple varieties beckon from farm stand shelves and farmers’ market stalls. Heed their calls to make this healthy and delicious vegetable the centerpiece of your next meal. A member of the Brassicaceae family, cauliflower and its cruciferous cousins like broccoli, cabbage and kale, are prized for their cancer fighting properties. Purple cauliflower is unique in that it contains anthocyanins, the same antioxidants found in red wine.

Steaming and sautéing cauliflower are fine, but roasting coaxes and concentrates its flavors, yielding a tender, sweet vegetable even a kid could love.  To make roasted cauliflower as a side dish, just follow step 3 in the recipe below. Tandem cooking the cauliflower in the oven while the lentils and rice are each cooking on the stove makes for a speedy dinner. You’ll have plenty of leftovers for a convenient lunch or dinner later in the week.

Freekeh is an ancient grain that's recently become more available to the consumer.

Freekeh is a roasted green, or immature, rice, that has a very rich and nutty flavor. It’s toothy texture, not unlike that of whole barley, adds contrast to soft lentils and tender cauliflower. Available in the bulk food aisle at Whole Foods Markets from New York grower Cayuga Organics, Freekeh is prepared the  same way as brown rice, with a ratio of 2 parts water to 1 part grain. I cook all my grains in a rice cooker so I can set it to cook and then open it when dinner’s ready. Rice cookers automatically sense when the grain is cooked and switch to the “keep warm” setting.

Feeds 6-8

Prep time: 15 min.

Cooking time: 25 min.

Cooking requirements: 4 quart saucepan, 2 quart saucepan or rice cooker, baking pan or sheet pan

Ingredients

• 2 cups uncooked lentils, green, brown or black (not red)
• 1 head fresh white, orange or purple cauliflower, cut into florets of roughly even size
• 1 medium onion, cut into medium dice
• 1 cup Freekeh (green rice available at Whole Foods Markets in the bulk aisle)
• 1 small head garlic (optional), separated into cloves and peeled (leave cloves whole)
• 2 tablespoons good curry powder (mild or ¾ mild and ¼ hot)
• 1 tablespoon grated ginger
• 1 bay leaf
• Extra virgin olive oil
• sea salt

Cooking Method

1. Preheat oven to 400 degrees and put rack in the center of oven.
2. Rice: Pick out any stray leaves or stones from the Freekah and rinse. Add 1 cup rice and 2 cups water to the rice cooker and set to cook. Or bring 2 cups of water to a boil in a 2 quart saucepan, add 1 cup Freekah, lower to a simmer and cover and cook until tender, about 20-25 minutes. The grain does not need to split open and become fluffy to be done.
3. 

   Roast two batches of cauliflower if you like to double up on vegetables as I do.

   Oil the bottom of a baking pan or sheet pan large enough to hold the cauliflower florets in a single layer. Add the florets and whole garlic cloves, drizzle with 1-2 tablespoons olive oil (enough to coat each floret), sprinkle with sea salt and toss well. Place in 400 degree oven on the middle shelf and cook for 20-25 minutes, stirring halfway through. They’re done when they are easily pierced with a paring knife.

4. Set the 4 quart saucepan over medium heat, add 2 tsp olive oil, then add the onion and cook until translucent, about 3-4 minutes.
5. Pick out any small stones from the lentils, rinse, and set aside.
6. Add ginger, curry power, and optional chopped garlic (add only if you will not be roasting the cauliflower with garlic) to the onions. Stir until the spices are aromatic, about one minute.
7. Add the lentils, 4 ½ cups water, bay leaf and salt, raise the heat to high and bring to the boil, then lower to a simmer and cook uncovered about 20-25 minutes. Taste test the lentils after 20 minutes to check for tenderness. Add more water if it becomes too dried out (you want the lentils to have some liquid in them).
8. Remove the bay leaf from the lentils when done. Remove  the cauliflower from the oven and gently stir into the lentils. Check for seasoning. Serve with Freekah.

By Analiese Paik

The Slate or Blue Slate variety was formally recognized in 1874 by the American Poultry Association and is growing in popularity according to the Slow Food USA Ark of Taste. Photo c/o Slow Food USA

Thanksgiving is just weeks away and plans for creating delicious and memorable family feasts are in full swing.  Apples, pumpkins, winter squash, quince, chestnuts, sweet potatoes, Brussels sprouts, turkeys and just about anything else you’d need for this harvest celebration are available locally. While buying pasture-raised turkeys from local farms as well as Heritage breed turkeys has gotten easier, some advance planning is still required. Since these turkeys are highly coveted and in short supply, my best advice is to consult this guide and place your order immediately.

The following guide lists all know sources for locally grown and Heritage breed turkeys in Fairfield County that we were able to reach at publication time. I compile the guide each year to make it easier for you to find and order the bird of your choice. While Heritage birds are considerably more expensive than broad-breasted whites, the once-yearly splurge is worth it when guests tell you it’s the most flavorful turkey they’ve ever tasted.

Turkey Cooking Advice

Turkeys are tricky to cook because the breast meat is always cooked through before the thighs are. Every chef I have spoken to advises removing the thighs and roasting them longer than the rest of the turkey to avoid overcooking the breast. There’s no undoing overdone! So whether you cut off the legs before or after roasting, cook low and slow at 325 degrees, and take the turkey out of the oven when it reaches 150 degrees. Let it rest tented in foil and the temperature should gradually rise by 10 degrees or more. If any juices are not running clear as you begin to carve the bird, return the pieces to the oven until they do. Note: Always take the temperature of the stuffing to make sure it’s reached 165 degrees when removing the turkey from the oven. If it has not, remove the stuffing from the cavity and spoon it into a casserole, then bake it until it reaches 165. I prefer cooking the stuffing as a side dish that even my vegetarian relatives can enjoy and filling the cavity with aromatics instead.

A Word about Heritage Turkeys

According to Slow Food USA's Ark of Taste, the Black turkey originated in Europe as a direct descendant of the Mexican turkeys brought back by explorers in the 1500s. The turkey made the voyage back to the Americas with early European colonists where it was crossed with Eastern wild turkeys to create the Black. Photo c/o Slow Food USA.

Almost all the turkeys grown in the US are broad-breasted whites, an industrial breed created with the singular goal of producing a bird with more white meat that matures as quickly as possible. Although these birds don’t taste like much when grown in confinement on commercial farms, they have become so popular that other breeds of turkeys nearly became extinct. Less than 10 years ago, a concerted effort was made to save these endangered Heritage breeds by convincing consumers to buy them from the few farmers that were still raising them.

Not only are Heritage turkeys richer and more flavorful, they’re part of our cultural and culinary patrimony. These are the turkeys that generations before us ate before broad-breasted whites became ubiquitous. Heritage turkeys bear a close reassemble to their wild ancestors so expect long and lean-looking birds with a lot of dark meat. Heritage birds are raised on pasture on small sustainable farms, allowed to roam freely and forage, are supplemented with organic feed, and take twice as long as broad-breasted whites to mature. The price tag will reflect these additional costs. Note: You won’t typically find Heritage turkeys weighing more than 24 or so pounds.

The Naragansett is named for Narragansett Bay in Rhode Island where it was first developed by early colonists who crossed Eastern Wild turkeys with domesticated European turkeys (that were originally brought to Europe from Mexico) according to Slow Food USA. photo c/o Slow Food USA

I’m happy to report that the efforts of the American Livestock Breeds Conservancy and Slow Food to return Heritage turkey breeds to their rightful place on our dining tables have been successful and it’s now easier than ever to purchase one of these special turkeys for your Thanksgiving celebration. The following Heritage turkey varieties are cataloged in Slow Food USA’s Ark of Taste and some are recognized as either “threatened” or “endangered”. It may sound strange, but the only way to save them is to eat them. This year’s demand for these rare turkeys will influence next year’s decisions by breeders and farmers about raising them.

• American Bronze
• Black, also referred to as Norfolk Black and Black Spanish
• Bourbon Red
• Jersey Buff
• Midget White
• Narragansett
• Royal Palm
• Slate or Blue Slate

Where to buy a local or Heritage turkey

Please read through the entire list before making your first and second choice selections. Pasture-raised turkeys from CT, NY, PA and VT plus a few options for Heritage breeds are available, but only in limited quantities.

Ekonk Hill Turkey Farm in Moosup is the largest grower of free-range, pasture-raised turkeys in the state and this year their turkeys are available for home delivery through CT Farm Fresh Express CTFEE (see more below) and at retail from Saugatuck Craft Butchery (see more below). While the breed is Broad-Breasted White, they taste nothing like supermarket turkeys from industrial farms. These turkeys are raised on pasture where they forage for bugs and insects and are raised without antibiotics and hormones. For anyone accustomed to eating store-bought turkeys, these are an excellent step up and a vote for local food!

Saugatuck Craft Butchery in Westport is offering three different types of turkeys and will take orders as soon as their doors open (any day now!) starting Saturday, Nov. 5 at 11 am when they open for the first time. Their Grand Opening will take place on November 19. Ekonk Hill Turkey Farm’s Broad-Breasted Whites are raised on open green pasture with free access to feed and shelter and full access to green grass, sunshine and fresh air. The turkeys are processed humanely right on the farm in a State Inspected facility by the farmers who raised and cared for them, treating them with kindness and respect throughout the process. The birds are raised naturally, meaning without growth stimulants or hormones. No additives or preservatives are added during processing. The turkeys come to you exactly as mother nature intended. Sizes and pricing TBA.

Owner Ryan Fibiger explained that the shop is making an exception to their local sourcing credo to offer something truly special this holiday season. “We’ve been incredibly fortunate to have a relationship with Bill and Nicolette Niman, true pioneers in sustainable farming and raising animals according to the principals on which we built Craft Butchery. Bill and his new company, BN Ranch, are raising some of the most unique and sought after birds in the country from the bloodlines of some of the original Heritage breeds. We have sourced a small number of these birds for a few lucky customers.”  According to BN Ranch, their Heritage turkeys are direct descendants of five distinct old breeds (Standard Bronze, Narragansett, Bourbon Red, White Holland, and Spanish Black) from Frank Reese’s Good Shepherd Turkey Ranch in Lindsborg, Kansas. Frank Reese is a renowned breeder of American Poultry Association (APA) approved breeds and is recognized as a crusader in the movement to conserve Heritage turkeys. His turkeys, and those of farmers associated with his ranch, are otherwise only available to our market through Heritage Food USA, which ships turkeys via FedEx Overnight. On the Niman’s ranch the breeding flock is allowed to roam freely on grassy pastures most of the year, grazing and foraging to supplement their all-natural grain and soy vegetarian diet. They are never fed antibiotics or other chemicals to promote growth or replace good animal husbandry. Sizes and pricing TBA. Broad-Breasted Whites from BN Ranch are also available.

Connecticut Farm Fresh Express (CTFFE), an online seller of exclusively CT Grown foods, is selling fresh, Broad-Breasted white turkeys from Ekonk Hill Turkey Farm for home delivery by their drivers for $4.50 per pound. Ekonk’s turkeys are raised on pasture without growth stimulants or hormones. The majority of their diet has been grass and bugs; they are grain fed as a supplement only. To reserve your turkey, download, complete and mail this form with a $20 deposit to CTFFE. Home deliveries will be scheduled for Nov. 21 or 22.

John Boy’s Farm in Cambridge, NY, a “beyond organic” grower of vegetables, poultry and livestock, is offering something new this year: free-range, Broad-Breasted Bronze turkeys. They’re “a cross between the Broad-Breasted White and American Bronze varieties which have the characteristics of both the large breast and the heritage flavor” according to John Boy. These turkeys are GMO-free and are only supplemented with feed grow organically on the farm. Choose from 14-28 pounds at $5.50 per pound for pick up only. To place a turkey order, email johnboysmarket@aol.com right away with the weight and where you want to pick it up.  Pick up options are: Nov. 20 at Muscoot, Pound Ridge or White Plains during farmers’ market hours and Tues. Nov. 22 at Erica’s Kitchen in Bedford from 3-8 p.m. Note: Your turkey is not confirmed without location.

Concierge Foods of Bedford Hills, NY, an online seller of farm-fresh and sustainable foods, is offering two different turkeys this year. Fresh, free-range, Broad-Breasted Bronze turkeys from John Boy’s Farm in Cambridge, NY are “a cross between the Broad-Breasted White and American Bronze varieties which have the characteristics of both the large breast and the heritage flavor” according to John Boy. These turkeys are GMO-free and are only supplemented with feed grow organically on the farm. Choose from 14-28 pounds at $6.50 per pound. Also available are two heritage varieties, Bourbon Red and Narraganset, from Lancaster Farm Fresh Cooperative of Lancaster, PA for $5.75 per pound up to 22 pounds in size. These birds are grown on small, sustainable family farms where they are free to roam and forage. Turkeys are delivered fresh to your door up until the day before Thanksgiving. To place an order, contact chef/owner Marc Alvarez with the variety, weight and preferred delivery date at 914-241-9200 or marc@conciergefoods.com. Concierge Foods currently serves Stamford and Greenwich communities.

Mike’s Organic Delivery is selling pasture-raised, Broad-Breasted White turkeys from Hemlock Hill Farm, one of the oldest working family farms in Westchester County, New York. The DeMaria Family raises their turkeys without the use of antibiotics or hormones and feed them natural, locally-grown grains. These birds are free to scratch in the fields and get plenty of sunshine. Size options are: 12-15 lbs, 15-18 lbs, 18-21 lbs, and 21-24 lbs. The smallest size runs about $115 and the largest size is about $175. Fresh (not frozen) turkeys must be ordered by Friday, November 18 for home delivery. Cooking instructions are included. Mike’s Organic Delivery currently serves most of southern Fairfield County, from Greenwich up to Rowayton. Delivery dates are Tuesday, November 22 or Wednesday, November 23, depending on location. All orders must be placed online via the website.

Graze, a specialty provider of Vermont artisanal and farm-fresh foods, is selling fresh, free-range turkeys from Misty Knoll Farms. Ten percent of the proceeds from the sale of these turkeys goes to support Westport’s Wakeman Town Farm, an organic demonstration homestead open to the public. When you order, please use the code WAKEMANTURKEY to activate the promotion. Misty Knoll Farms’ free-range, Broad-Breasted White turkeys are raised on the farm’s lush Vermont meadows, where they are afforded a natural, stress-free environment, a wholesome, all-natural diet and plenty of access to lush pasture, sunshine and fresh water. There are never any pesticides, hormones or antibiotics used to raise these happy birds.  Graze will deliver FREE to your door throughout Fairfield County on Monday, Nov. 21. Email or call 1-888-WE GRAZE to reserve your turkey. Or, place your entire Thanksgiving order online at Graze.

Sport Hill Farm in Easton is selling fresh, pasture-raised, Broad-Breasted Whites from an Amish farm in Pennsylvania. Choose from Naturally raised and Certified Organic turkeys from 12-14 pounds up to 28-30 pounds. Naturally raised turkeys are $3.10 lb.,  certified organic are $4.29 lb., and both need to be ordered by November 10. To place an order e-mail farmer Patti Popp at farmgal596@yahoo.com or stop by the farm on 596 Sport Hill Road. Patti will e-mail buyers when the turkeys have arrived to arrange pick-up at the farm the weekend before Thanksgiving.

Greyledge Farm in Roxbury, well-known for their high quality, grass fed beef and pastured pork and chicken, usually sells fresh (not frozen) pasture-raised, Broad-Breasted White turkeys for pick up at local farmers’ markets. Please direct inquiries to 860-350-3203 or email the farm at inquiries@greyledgefarm.com or in person with Greyledge at the Westport and Darien farmers’ markets. No information was made available to  us by publication time.

If you are unable to source a Heritage turkey locally, visit Heritage Foods USA online to place an order for direct shipment to your home. At publication time, only 8-14 pound turkeys were still available.

By Elizabeth Keyser

Marc Alvarez is the chef/owner of Concierge Foods and is on a mission to change the way you eat. Photo c/o Concierge Foods.

Marc Alvarez wants to be your local food source and cooking coach.  The former personal chef to fashion designer Donna Karan (and celebrities he cannot name) started Concierge Foods, a web-based food delivery service, to connect consumers with the best local and organically raised food – produce, poultry, seafood, dairy products, grains and legumes, honey, jam, coffee and tea.

The Bedford, NY business recently expanded delivery to Greenwich and Stamford, CT. Alvarez picks up products from farms, markets and producers in New York state, New York City and Lancaster, PA, packages customers’ orders and delivers to their door. He makes the first delivery himself and spends a minimum of twenty minutes with the customer sharing information about the provenance of the products they ordered, how to store and cook them, and answers any questions. “A lot of times people don’t know what to do with local products. They would buy more if they knew a few ways to prepare it. Squash for example is so versatile. I make soups, stews, ravioli and gnocchi with it.”

Fresh vegetables are sourced year-round from small and medium-sized family farms dedicated to sustainable agriculture. Photo c/0 Concierge Foods.

His formal CIA training and solid background as a restaurant chef  inform his knowledge of products and quality. His mentor Frank Crispo of Crispo Restaurant in New York City taught Alvarez  to cook with whole animals, a rare talent that’s very much in demand now. Alvarez is fluent in head cheese, guanciale, offal and belly and wants to educate the consumer about these lesser-known cuts.  He encourages people to cook at home and eat healthier. Concierge’s website includes recipes for dishes ranging from Oatmeal & Sweet Potato Breakfast Bars to Braised Lamb Shoulder with Carrots, Fennel and Thyme. Alvarez is ready to answer questions like “What do I do with kohlrabi?”, “What’s the best way to cook grass-fed beef?” or “Oh, no, I’ve ruined the potatoes, they’re way too salty.”  He says his goal is to educate people about the product.

In just six months, business has grown 140 percent, a sign that Alvarez is correct when he says that a lot of people want super-fresh, healthy, local, sustainably and organically raised food, but “don’t have the time to run around to farmers’ markets.”  Concierge’s customers like being able to order whatever they want each week, rather than participating in a farm CSA, in which they must accept what’s in their basket each week. A number of customers have discovered Alvarez’ farm-to-door delivery service after enjoying his food at private events. “I create seasonal menus for private parties that expose people to the best of local food. When they ask where they can get ingredients like the ones I use, I refer them to the website.”

Alvarez makes his rounds to a wide range of farms and markets, and updates Concierge’s website with information on available products every Sunday. Customers order online and Concierge’s vans deliver within 48 hours, Tuesday through Saturday. The delivery fee is $5 for the Bedford, Greenwich and Stamford area, and is $20 for customers in Woodstock, NY and points north. He’s looking forward to serving Connecticut residents as far east as Westport and Fairfield where the delivery fee will be $10.

Fall produce is being sourced from Blue Star Farms in Columbia County, NY. Lacinato kale, Siberian kale, three types of onions, two types of cabbages – Savoy and Tendersweet – plus Kabocha and Sweet Mama squash.

Chickens come from John Boy’s Farm in upstate New York. Alvarez praises the firm texture and off-white color of the flesh. It reflects the chickens being raised in pastures and the high quality of their feed, which is organically grown and GMO-free.

Beef comes from several sources. Snow Hill Organic Farm in North Salem, NY is producing 100-percent grass-fed Certified Angus beef that’s “the best I’ve tasted,” says Alvarez.  He notes that it’s best cooked slow and low or quickly seared. Brandt Beef in California provides what Alvarez calls his “middle tier” offering – cuts of naturally raised, Devon cows that “are tender and have a nice beef flavor.”

Concierge Foods offers a full complement of fresh dairy products from local farms and co-ops. Photo c/0 Concierge Foods.

Milk, from grass-fed, organically raised cows, comes from Natural by Nature in Lancaster, PA.  It is pasteurized at a low-temperature and packaged in refundable glass bottles.

One of the artisan, farmstead cheese available through Concierge Foods. Plans are to continue to grow the offerings. Photo c/0 Concierge Foods.

Artisan and farmstead cheeses are sourced from a small collective of dairy farms in the Hudson Valley called the Pampered Cow. Familiar names like Old Chatham Sheepherding Company can be purchased alongside new ones like Hawthorne Valley, whose Aged Alpine is the only Demeter Certified Biodynamic farmstead cheese available on the market.

Concierge Foods sources fresh, sustainable seafood from Down East Seafood, the first small business in New York City to operate an all-electric delivery truck. Photo c/0 Concierge Foods.

Sustainable seafood comes from Down East Seafood, which he picks up fresh weekly at Hunt’s Point.  Pole-and-line caught Bigeye tuna, Icelandic cod, and Wild King Salmon – all rated “Best Choice” on Seafood Watch’s guide to sustainable seafood, plus black sea bass and lump blue crab meat – both “Good Alternatives” in the guide, are currently available. Alvarez is planning to add American caviar to Concierge’s offerings.

Because Alvarez is an accomplished chef and knows the joys of working with the best seasonal ingredients from around the world, he doesn’t limit Concierge’s offerings.  “People want organic lemons, limes and avocados,” he said.  He gets white truffles from Italy, and “beautiful black mission figs.” Before making additions to Concierge’s offerings, Alvarez cooks with new ingredients and holds tastings with chef friends.

On his desk at Concierge’s facility in Bedford is a book on winter gardening by Eliot Coleman. Alvarez will provide winter produce from Satur Farm on Long Island, the cooperatives in Lancaster, PA, and Blue Star Farms in Stuyvesant, N.Y. “I’m trying to get more farms growing into the winter season. Spinach, carrots and arugula all taste better in the winter.”

Alvarez says Concierge’s business has grown organically. And he’s got plans brewing. He’s looking into getting a commercial kitchen so that he can provide Concierge’s customers with prepared foods.  “I’m getting lots of requests for prepared foods but I’m not going to cook everything for them. The starch and vegetable will be cooked but a protein like salmon will be marinated so it can be cooked fresh at home. Things like braises will be fully cooked because their flavor improves from being made a day ahead.”  A kitchen will allow him to save money and waste little when he buys a whole hog, for instance.  “I’ll make guanciale and head cheese. I’ll brine and smoke ham steaks from one leg and grind the other to make pork sausages,” he says.

His ultimate dream is to have a commercial kitchen and teaching space on a farm – a place to grow, cook and teach.  “I just need the right person to partner with,” he says.  When he visits farms, he notices products farmers might overlook.  Recently, he noticed fennel stalks loaded with seeds.  “What are you doing with those seeds?” he asked the farmer. He was met with a blank expression.  “Grind them up and sell them for dry rubs,” Alvarez said.

This winter he’s planning a test, working with four farmers and providing them with seed money to grow what he knows he can sell. His dream is to get area farmers to work cooperatively and give them some financial security.

“I want to build a community,” he says.

Concierge Foods

Chef/owner Marc Alvarez

357 Adams Street

Bedford Hills, NY  10507

Phone: 914-241-9200

marc@conciergefoods.com

http://www.conciergefoods.com/

Twitter: @ConciergeFoods

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/ConciergeFoods

By Analiese Paik

Autumn has arrived and with it come the final weeks of many favorite farmers’ markets. A few will morph into indoor winter markets, giving local residents a means to continue buying local food from each farmer throughout the winter (more on that soon). As you head out leaf peeping, plan to visit local, organic farms to shop at their farm stands, some of which are located inside toasty barns. A visit to a local farm stand is a fun family outing that reconnects you with the source of your food and helps you discover the unique and delicious flavors of CT Grown foods.

The following farm stands are located on family farms that are either certified organic or are committed to using organic growing practices. Each spring and summer they open their farm stands to the public to enjoy the healthy vegetables and fruits they’ve grown for the community. Quite a few are open through late fall.

Ambler Farm, Wilton (follow organic growing practices)

257 Hurlbutt Street, Wilton, CT, 06897

http://www.amblerfarm.org/

amblerfarm@gmail.com

Follow the farm on Facebook.

On October 29, 2011, Ambler Farm announced their last farm stand of the season from 10:30 until 3:00 pm. Check their website for upcoming classes and events at the farm.

The big red barn at Ambler Farm is one of several historic buildings on this community farm that have been preserved and restored through the work of Friends of Ambler Farm.

Close your eyes and imagine the quintessential New England farm you’ve read about in books. Picture the rolling fields and stone walls adorned with a farm house, red barn, ice house, and white carriage house. Open your eyes and you’re at Ambler Farm, a gem of a 200-year-old working farm in Wilton where Farmer Ben grows organic produce.

Farmer Ben's organic fields and tools are mostly safe from critters behind the fence.

A community farm open 365 days a year, Ambler Farm in Wilton holds a regular farm stand on Saturdays from 10:30-3:00 from late May through early October and is a regular vendor at the farmers’ market at the Wilton Historical Society (currently closed for the season). During the spring Ambler takes orders for a wide variety of vegetable transplants, including heirloom varietals, easing the work of backyard gardeners. The summer brings tables piled high with freshly picked organic cucumbers, peppers, onions, summer squash, tomatoes, eggplant, beets, basil, cilantro, Swiss chard, garlic and more.

Broccoli maturing in the educational garden.

The Friends of Ambler Farm have made it the farm’s  mission to celebrate Wilton’s agrarian roots through active-learning programs, sustainable agriculture, responsible land stewardship, and historic preservation. Their high quality, hands-on learning programs for children and adults take place year round and include popular summer farm camps. Special events like their annual farm-to-table dinner and annual Ambler Farm Day, are important fundraisers which help sustain educational programming. Among my favorites seasonal events are the honey harvest and maple syruping. If you haven’t yet tried their estate maple syrup, grab a bottle for yourself and another as a gift. Check the farm’s event calendar and sign up for their e-newsletter to stay informed. To learn more, read our feature article about the farm.

Garden of Ideas, Ridgefield (Certified Organic)

647 North Salem Road  Ridgefield Connecticut 06877

http://www.gardenofideas.com/farm_stand.html

Open 8am to 7pm daily through Thanksgiving. The farm stand is located behind the barn and easily accessible from the parking area.

The farm stand at Garden of Ideas carries an attractive assortment of fruit, honey and maple syrup from area farms, including Amber Farm's maple syrup.

Open daily from March through Thanksgiving, this one-acre family farm goes “beyond organic” standards, and even employs some principles of biodynamic farming, to provide their customers with the most environmentally friendly and nutrient dense produce possible. Garden of Ideas promotes plant biodiversity by growing a large variety of crops, including immensely popular heirlooms, alongside beautiful non-edibles that bloom sequentially to supply their bees with nectar throughout the season.I like to call this sanctuary the Garden of Eden because it’s so beautiful and tranquil. Visit our Garden of Ideas photo album on Facebook to see gorgeous photos from our Summer 2011 visit.

In springtime, the farm sells seeds and starter plants to help you get your own backyard garden started. Join the 2012 CSA waiting list if you live in the area.

Guy’s Eco-Garden, Shelton (Certified Organic)

Open dawn to dusk through early November

Holbrook Farm, Bethel (follow organic growing practices)

45 Turkey Plain Road (Route 53 South), Bethel, Connecticut 06801-2874
Tel (203) 792-0561
Fax (203) 744-6748
Email info@holbrookfarm.net

http://holbrookfarm.net/index.html

Now open daily 9-6 except Sunday, when they’re closed.

Holbrook Farm in Bethel sells a wide variety of organic produce grown at the farm, plus goodies like tart cherries from CT orchards, dairy from CT dairy farms, and baked goods from local artisans.

Holbrook Farm Market & Bakery is located inside the big red barn and feels more like a mini grocery store than a farm stand given the diversity of product available. Fresh produce is displayed in the open cooler and adjacent shelves along with a wide variety of fresh-baked goods including artisan breads from Bantam Bakery. Eggs from the farm’s free-range chickens and dairy products from several different farms including raw milk from Stonewall Dairy in Cornwall, pasteurized milk and cream from Arethusa Farm in Litchfield, and fresh goat’s milk from Butterfield Farm Dairy in East Granby, can be found in the double refrigerator cases. Cheese fans will rejoice in seeing favorites like Cato Corner Farm and Beltane Farm along with Sprout Creek Farm from NY, which makes both goat and cow’s milk cheeses. I tasted a selection of Sprout Creek’s cheeses twice recently and found Sophie, a bloomy rind goat’s milk cheese, to be a standout.

Dairy products from at least three CT dairy farms are available at Holbrook Farm Market, including milk and cream from Arethusa Dairy.

You can make a complete and quick at-home meal from your shopping trip to Holbrook Farm. After you’ve selected your vegetables, bread and dairy, check the refrigerator and freezer cases for smoked sausages and bacons from Mountain Products Smokehouse in Lagrangeville, NY plus chicken meatballs and turkey burgers made from naturally-raised, free range birds. You can even order fresh fish from Frankie’s for pick up at the market. Visit the product page on their website for a complete listing of vendors and products.

Head straight to the open coolers for farm-fresh, organic vegetables like these beautiful parsnips.

Among the dry goods you’ll find pantry staples including honey, maple syrup, oils, vinegars, salts, and jams and jellies, including an impressive selection from award-winning, artisan producer Winding Drive. Their apple pie jam won first place in the  CT Grown category at this year’s CT Specialty Food Awards Competition, but I prefer their peach jam for its pure, peak-of-ripeness flavor. Be on the lookout for Winding Drive’s Habanera Gold Jelly and Roasted Garlic Caramelized Onions spread, both of which tied for second place in the savory condiment category at the same competition.

Sport Hill Farm, Easton (follow organic growing practices)

596 Sport Hill Road, Easton, CT 06612

http://www.sporthillfarm.com/

Now open daily 9-6 except Thursday when they’re open 10-7:00. Hours change throughout the season. Visit Sport Hill Farm on Facebook.

Sport Hill Farm's farm stand is located inside the air-conditioned barn to keep the food fresh and visitors comfortable.

Open 7 days a week, the farm stand is located inside a state-of-the art barn where visitors can shop in comfort for everything from asparagus and lettuce in the early spring to garlic, corn, tomatoes, zucchini, eggplant and squash in high summer, to hardy greens, at least three kinds of winter squash, celeriac and pumpkins in the fall. Fruit from local farms and Red Jacket Orchards is brought in as a one-stop shopping convenience. This year the cherries, plums and strawberries were fantastic. Apples, including rare heirloom varieties, and Seckel pears have arrived for fall.

Organic, hard-neck garlic is available at the farm stand each year.

Sport Hill Farm is well-known for their popular CSA, crop cash and Farm to Chef Connect programs, but they offer much more. Campers from the  summer farm camp run by The Unquowa School visit the farm to learn where their food comes from. A wide variety of on-farm programs and special events, including canning classes and lunches at the farm, help reconnect adults with out food roots and  teach us new skills (private events are welcome). A boutique selection of artisan food products available in the barn includes Fairfield Bread Company’s Flaxette, Peace Tree Desserts’ line of cajeta caramel dessert sauces made with CT goat’s milk, Arethusa Farm’s milk and yogurt, plus organic, vegetarian side dishes and vegan cookies from GreenGourmettoGo.

In early October squash, green beans, arugula, cucumbers, leeks, sorrel, Swiss chard and turnips were available at the stand along with new crop garlic.

Update as of 11/5: The farm stand is located in the main barn and is open 7am -6 pm, 7 days a week closed except for their harvest of Jerusalem artichokes which were harvested last week and are delicious raw or cooked. It is set up for the honor system, but someone is usually there.

October offerings includes arugula, Scarlett Queen salad turnips, radishes, Trombocino Squash,  sorrel, Swiss chard, garlic, parsley, oregano, and tarragon picked daily.

Sticks and Stones Farm is a 60-acre organic sanctuary famous for its stone and moss gardens. This stone masonry farm and retreat features a wide variety of habitats—a mountain, meadows, woods, cultivated areas, and fields, and wetlands—all loaded with their associated wild plants and mushrooms. “Wildman” Steve Brill comes to the farm to lead foraging tours three times a year -early spring, summer and fall – as each season offers different wild edibles to scout and collect. The farm offers cabins for rent, and offer year-round events and artists workshops.

The Hickories, Ridgefield (Certified Organic) closed for the season

126 Lounsbury Road, Ridgefield CT 06877
tel: 203-894-1851
fax: 203-894-1851

http://www.thehickories.org/

The farm stand at The Hickories is neat and tidy and worth visiting to pick up fresh-picked vegetables and a one of their tasty chickens.

The farm stand located on Loudon Road is the only way, other than a CSA share, to fully enjoy their certified organic vegetables and ground fruit. Limited produce is available through Ancona’s Market. The farm stand will be open daily from 11am-6pm in spring 2012. We will update this post next year to provide you with complete farm stand information.

An early August visit yielded beets, carrots, lettucs, garlic, broccoli, potatoes, and tomatoes. The peaches were for CSA shareholders only.

If you live in Ridgefield, you surely know that Dina Brewster’s USDA/Baystate certified organic farm, The Hickories, is the only farm left in Farmingville. When you hear Dina talk about her CSA families, it’s clear that building community gives her joy and satisfaction. Dina increased the number of CSA shares offered on farm last year to 200 so some families had a rare chance to get a share last summer. Please register directly on the site to join the waiting list for 2012 now. Both fruit and vegetable shares are offered including 113 varieties of vegetables plus strawberries, blueberries, raspberries, apples and peaches. Share add ons include bread, eggs, meat and locally produced cheese.

Warrup’s Farm, Redding (Certified Organic)

11 John Read Road, Redding, CT 06896, 1.2 miles north of Redding Center, off Route 107.

Organic vegetables available at the stand in August included newly harvested garlic, a wide variety of heirloom and other tomatoes, peppers, eggplant, squash and cabbage.

Visit this farm stand throughout the season for organic vegetables and cut flowers, in mid July for organic peaches, and in October for potatoes, garlic, onions, pumpkins and hay rides. Come back in March for maple sugaring demonstrations that the whole family will enjoy. Be sure to get on their CSA list for next season if you live nearby. Warrup’s produce, fruit, and flowers can also be purchased at the Weston farmers’ market on Saturdays where they are a vendor (currently closed for the season).

The farm is also open seasonally for pumpkins and cut your own Christmas trees. Maple sugar demonstrations are typically held the first three weekends in March from 11-5. Warrup’s Farm announced a summer/fall CSA Program last year and it quickly filled up with 30 families.  Please click here to add your name to the waiting list for 2012. It’s best to visit Warrup’s website for posted schedules or call 203-938-9403 to plan your visit.

Foraging Tour at Sticks and Stones Farm

with Naturalist/Author “Wildman” Steve Brill

Sunday, Oct. 2

2:30-4:30

Wildman Steve Brill foraging for edible mushrooms at Sticks and Stones Farm. Photo contributed by Sticks and Stones Farm.

“Wildman” Steve Brill has been leading foraging tours for years at Sticks and Stones Farm in Newtown, a 60-acre organic sanctuary famous for its stone and moss gardens. This stone masonry farm and retreat features a wide variety of habitats—a mountain, meadows, woods, cultivated areas, and fields, and wetlands—all loaded with their associated wild plants and mushrooms. Steve Brill comes to the farm to lead tours three times a year -early spring, summer and fall – as each season offers different wild edibles to scout and collect.

On Sunday, Oct. 2, naturalist/author “Wildman” Steve Brill will lead one of his world-famous wild food and ecology tours at Sticks and Stones Farm. Bring a paper bag and small trowel, wear good walking shoes and a hat, carry a water bottle, and apply insect repellent.

Annie Stiefel from Sticks and Stones has a message for anyone interested:

“Nuts are at their peak now, and we’ll be on the lookout for black walnuts, shagbark hickories and white oak trees, all delicious, and unavailable commercially. Autumn fruits will also be in season. We’ll be looking for wild raisins, which taste like bananas and prunes; American hackberries, which taste like the candy coating of M&Ms; flavorful wild apples, hawthorn berries, somewhat similar to apples; and common spicebush berries, an allspice-like seasoning. Herbs, greens, and roots such as sassafras, lamb’s-quarters, burdock, common evening primrose, field garlic, sheep sorrel, mullein, and wild carrots may also be in evidence.

This is a great time for mushrooms, especially if there’s been lots of rain beforehand. We’ll look for honey mushrooms, chicken mushrooms, hen-of-the-woods, honey mushrooms, puffballs, meadow mushrooms, and oyster mushrooms.”

The house boat is one of the rustic residence available to guests looking for a quiet retreat.

While you’re at Sticks and Stones, enjoy the farm stand which is open 7 days a week in the main barn from 7am until dusk. Organic tomatoes, haricot verts, garlic, banana fingerling and Yukon gold potatoes, sorrel, Swiss chard, herbs, Trombocino and yellow squash can all be found at the farm now. Visit the moss and stone shop,  experience the 54′ labyrinth, and check out the cabins for rent.

The 30-minute talk and 90-minute tour begin at 2:30 PM, Sunday, October 2, at Sticks and Stones Farm at 201 Huntingtown Rd. in Newtown, CT. Wear good walking shoes, bug repellant if desired, bring a small trowel, paper bag and knapsack.

The fee is $25/adult, $10/child under 12. Please bring cash. Please call (203) 270-8820 at least 24 hours in advance to sign up.

Questions? Call or email Annie at anniesands@gmail.com and visit the website at http://sticksandstonesfarm.com/.

Visit http://www.wildmanstevebrill.com/ for more information about “Wildman” Steve Brill and his foraging tours and book.

By Renee B. Allen

Photos by Analiese Paik

SMV's many award-winning wines.

Although Sunset Meadow Vineyards has a long list of numerous awards for outstanding wines produced in the scenic Litchfield Hills of the Western Connecticut Highlands, it is one of their most recent accolades in which owner and winemaker George Motel III takes the greatest pride. Yankee Magazine’s Travel Guide to New England named Sunset Meadow Vineyards New England’s Best Family Winery in 2010 after only having been open for two years. Mr. Motel attributes this honor to the efforts of his staff. Respected by both his employees and his peers, our August Connecticut Corker George Motel plays a prominent role in the Connecticut farm winery industry by virtue of both his wine and his wisdom.

George Motel lead a tour of the winery at the "Sunset in July" farm-to-table dinner with Litchfield Saltwater Grille.

George Motel is more than a winemaker or a vineyard owner. He is more than a businessman. George Motel is a visionary. One of his visions materialized in 1995 when he serendipitously drove by the property in Goshen that is now home to Sunset Meadow Vineyards. The vision? Running a farm. Although firmly entrenched in a corporate lifestyle, Motel was not a total stranger to farming, having had a friend with a dairy farm as a child growing up in Seymour, Connecticut. The beautiful piece of property that caught his attention had been a dairy farm in the 1970s. And so Mr. Motel worked his day job and then worked the land at night and on weekends raising beef cattle and providing hay to dairy and horse farmers. It was Grace Nome, President of the Connecticut Specialty Food Association for 26 years, who initially put the bug in Mr. Motel’s ear about growing grapes on his property. Motel was intrigued but not convinced. The very night of Ms. Nome’s prescient suggestion, Mr. Motel returned home from a hard day of corporate work to find a bull in the middle of his driveway. The cattle had broken out and were scattered around the property. Clad in his business suit, Motel spent the evening trying to lure the escaped herd with a pail of grain and a special cattle call in an attempt to restore order. Bovine intervention. It was time for a change.

The vineyards at Sunset Meadow on a beautiful summer day in July.

Motel enlisted the help of Dr. Richard Kiyomoto, a member of the Connecticut Agricultural Experiment Station and a well-known advisor to Connecticut grape growers. Dr. Kiyomoto advised Motel to test his site with vines. In 2001, the first grape, cabernet franc, was planted at Sunset Meadow Vineyards (SMV), with chardonnay following closely behind. Motel planted 1,400 vines that first year, choosing seyval blanc, Cayuga and St. Croix, in addition to the chardonnay and cabernet franc. These were followed the next year by another 1,300 vines of vidal blanc, chambourcin, lemberger, riesling, and more chardonnay and cabernet franc. Year three saw the addition of Frontenac, landot and merlot, as well as even more chardonnay and cabernet franc into the sandy loam soil. People were beginning to take notice. An active member of his community through his volunteer basketball coaching, Motel was known around town to the other parents. One year at a New Year’s Eve party, a woman spotted him across the room and sought him out to ask him a question. “Are you the guy planting all those grapes?” she queried. Motel affirmed he was indeed that guy. “Nothing but hay grows in Goshen!” she insisted. 30 acres and 14,000 grape vines later, Motel begs to differ. He still owns more acres that he wants to plant and, with an eye toward the future, he has leased additional acreage nearby. It has gotten to the point where local farmers are approaching him with offers to lease their land.

A visit to the winery is highly recommended, both to enjoy a tasting and take in the beautiful vistas.

The transition from cattle to grapes has been a successful one for Motel. A longtime lover of wine, Motel is a big believer in the health benefits associated with drinking it. The merging of his passions for both farming and wine has been a dream come true for him. Having early on determined that the quality of the wine could best be controlled by making the wine himself, Motel enrolled in the UC Davis Enology program. George, his wife Judy and son George IV do everything from growing and harvesting to bottling and selling. “I want to control the whole process.” George explains. “I want to know what’s in the wine.” What is in the wine are Motel’s own estate grown grapes, for the most part. It is Motel’s goal for his wine to comprise 100% estate grown grapes in two years, and he is very close to that goal now. In addition to controlling the process, Motel derives another benefit from doing the winemaking himself. A former musician, Motel views the winery as an opportunity to express himself. “The winemaking aspect of this business allows for some creative expression, expression you don’t get in the business world or in other aspects of the wine business.”

George Motel lets Japanese Beetles have their way with the top growth, then picks them off by hand if necessary.

As part of creating a healthy environment in which to grow his grapes, sustainable farming methods are utilized and surrounding natural wildlife encouraged. The property is home to many birds including hawks, eagles, bats and owls for which the Motels maintain nesting boxes. No pesticides are used on the vines. If necessary, Japanese Beetles, the only real insect pests in the vineyard, are hand removed. Motel allows the vine canopy to grow higher than he might otherwise because the beetles eat from the top down. He has determined that this is an acceptable sacrifice. Herbicides are used in only the rarest of circumstances and when they are, it is usually a home grade Roundup. Mr. Motel keeps a close personal eye on what transpires on his property. On any given evening or weekend, Motel might be found either walking the vineyards with rescue dog Churchill by his side, or traversing the many acres of grapes on his ATV.

A tour inside the winemaking facility was part of the farm-to-table dinner held at the winery in July. Guests enjoyed a barrel tasting of the Twisted Red right in the facility.

Motel’s commitment to exceptional quality is carried over from the fields to the winery where he employs such methods as racking instead of fining to slowly precipitate out the unwanted solids in the wine. Racking, George believes, better maintains the integrity of the wine. This integrity is preserved by the finest quality cork closures, while also allowing the consumer the traditional uncorking experience. The building that houses the fermentation tanks, barrels and bottling equipment has no air conditioning but is designed to stay cold all year long by use of a louver system. Hot water is instantaneous, heated only when needed, which is both energy efficient and responsible to the environment.

Healthy grapes soaking in the morning sun at Sunset Meadow Vineyard.

As a visionary, Motel has a keen eye for the bigger picture. He knows that, although the quality of his wines is paramount, there is more required to run his business successfully. The Motels make hospitality and the consumer’s overall experience at their winery priorities. Opened for business in 2008, the spacious tasting room with indoor and outdoor seating, wine-related gifts and friendly staff members enhance visitors’ experiences. The Motels’ attention to detail and customer satisfaction is clearly paying off. 95% of SMV’s total wine sales is attributable to tasting room traffic. In another effort to increase wine sales while facilitating customer convenience, Motel has just added an online shopping cart allowing customers to purchase wine directly from the SMV website. With 13 wines from which to choose, it may be hard settling on just one. I asked Motel which wine is his favorite. “I make all of our wines as if they’re my favorite. Having said that, my passion has always been dry red wine so I guess I enjoy our dry reds the most.”

The seafood course of mussels, clams, oysters and shrimp was paired with SMV's Cayuga White, a great summer wine.

The mini brioche lobster rolls were expertly prepared by Litchfield Saltwater Grille and proved a perfect pairing with SMV's Riesling.

Farm-to-table wine dinners provide another way of introducing consumers to SMV wines. I recently had the opportunity of participating in the “Sunset in July” Farm to Table Wine Dinner at Sunset Meadow Vineyards which included SMV wine paired with food prepared by the Litchfield Saltwater Grille, as well as a tour of the winery. A bout of uncooperative weather forced the festivities indoors. Luckily, SMV is equipped to house an event of this nature inside their tasting room. The long, family style banquet tables used for outdoor gatherings were abandoned in favor of more intimate seating indoors, with only one elongated table set up for a large party that had arrived together. Conversation was possible between neighboring tables and guests had ample opportunity to mingle at both the raw bar and the tasting bar. The food was sourced from local, sustainable and organic farms and each course was specially paired with SMV wine. The pairings were all successful but the two that stood out for me were the SMV Riesling paired with miniature New England lobster salad rolls, and Cayuga White mated with Connecticut oysters. (More detailed wine tasting notes follow this article.) One of the highlights of the evening was a tour of the winery led by Mr. Motel. Not only were guests allowed a peek into the inner workings of SMV complete with informative and entertaining narration by Mr. Motel, we were treated to a taste of SMV Twisted Red, a cabernet sauvignon blend, straight from the barrel.

[Mr. Motel has consented to WINE publishing video footage of the winery tour conducted inside Sunset Meadow Vineyards the evening of the "Sunset in July" wine dinner. WINE would like to thank Mr. Motel for allowing its readership this exclusive opportunity to gain insight into the workings of a first rate farm winery in a more personal and animated way. The footage is presented below in two parts.]

When he is not pruning vines or bottling wines, Mr. Motel spends time in his official capacity as Vice President of the Connecticut Vineyard & Winery Association working to further the interests of the Connecticut farm wine industry as a whole. This includes keeping a watchful eye on the industry, working on beneficial legislation, and doing marketing and promotional events. Motel was involved in the recent passage of the legislation authorizing the sale of Connecticut wines at farmers’ markets and is working to get legislation passed that would allow Connecticut farm wineries a second festival each year. They are currently limited to just one, The Connecticut Wine Festival. Mr. Motel is Chairman of this Festival, an annual event promoting The Connecticut Wine Trail that saw more than 8,000 participants over the course of the last weekend in July this year.

So what is George Motel’s vision for the future? Organic grape growing, for one thing. Practically unheard of in Connecticut due to the challenging climate, Motel has targeted a block of his St. Croix grapes to grow organically. One year into the project, things appear to be going well. “We are encouraged by the early progress and results but remain cautiously optimistic,” reports Motel. What else is in SMV’s future? He’s not ready to reveal all just yet. But George Motel has a way of making his visions come true. I suggest we keep watching.

Sunset Meadow Vineyards is open Sunday, Monday & Thursday from 11-5 and Friday & Saturday from 11-6.
599 Old Middle Street, Goshen, CT 06756
860-201-4654

http://www.sunsetmeadowvineyards.com/

Wines to Uncork

• Cayuga White 2010 – Exceptionally crisp and thirst-quenching, this dry expression of the Cayuga grape is acidic and well-balanced with the perfect hint of citrus and stone fruits.
• Merlot – Soft and unassuming, this Bordeaux style merlot flaunts red berries with undercurrents of anise and a velvety smooth finish.
• St. Croix – Smokey, sexy, dry and quite quaffable. I have yet to find a St. Croix I prefer more.
• Twisted Red – A dry, big-bodied blend in the style of Bordeaux with dark red fruit flavors and a touch of spice.
• Rosé – An elegant rosé in the style of Provence, luscious red fruits just barely peek through this delightfully dry salmon-pink beauty.
• Pyrrha’s Passion – This beautifully bottled wine is a sweeter expression of the St. Croix grape perfect for accompanying desserts. Slightly nutty and hinting of caramel, the wine’s complexity is reminiscent of port.
• Midnight Ice – This intoxicatingly aromatic ice wine boasts bold fruit aromas and flavors, especially honeydew melon and lychee. It has a honey-like viscosity on the tongue and is richly layered. Limited.

Renee B. Allen, Founder and Director of the Wine Institute of New England (WINE) and a Certified Specialist of Wine, is a regular monthly contributor on the topic of local and sustainable wines. “Connecticut Corkers”  features wineries, winemakers, and wine events throughout the state, with an emphasis on wine education and appreciation.