Baked and beyond..

Today was one of those random mornings. The kind of beautiful morning where I would do just about anything to avoid being indoors. And it was this desire that led my direction. First stop was the Get Baked Bakery.

My friend who had suggested the location is working at the Windsor Arts Center, and the little intersection of buildings, quaintly situated at the Amtrack railroad stop, has an eclectic funky vibe about it, that suggests you have unwittingly stumbled into a space on the brink of a community charged comeback. Get Baked is chock full of charming, organic details, such as chalk signs, mismatched assortments of padded lawn furniture with faux leather armchairs left to age in the sun. Inside the aging structure is the coffee shop/ bakery to the left, contained within the curious, larger room. 

Apparently the owner is using the space to host a successful pop up market, and plans on eventually creating a more permanent indoor marketplace. The bakery is not short on options. The vintage display case is loaded with delicious pastries. A small menu on the right gives drink options. The counter offers another menu with $3.50 frittatas...wait, $3.50? Yep, that might be the best breakfast deal I have ever come across. And everywhere else, there is something to look at. Including the ceiling. 

One lemon ginger tea later, we headed to the other side of the tracks to accompany her as she opened up the Windsor Art Center for business, and to see her work in the current show, Collective Views. She has three pieces in the show. Her most recent pieces have dealt with issues surrounding hoarding. She takes items that have been left in her own house, or that are given to her, and transforms them into “quilts” or tapestries made from these materials, giving them new life, and us something quite uniquely beautiful, and something to consider about consumerism. It was an interesting stretch from edible consumption on one side of the tracks, to physical consumption, on the other side. 

  The afternoon ended in Hartford’s beautiful Riverside Park where the thoughts of consumerism made us long for the comforting green trails along the river. If you have never been there, and don’t know what I am referring to, I highly recommend it. For years, I remember people saying that Hartford either doesn’t have a riverfront, or hasn’t taken advantage of our riverfront. I think Riverside Park refutes that very well. There is a vibrant park with a boat house, trails, boat launch, and a fitness area. The vistas in the park afford for solitary musings along the banks, picnics, or games. No secret to the lovers of cricket, you will often find an active game taking place on the long stretch of field. If you follow the path along the river, you will find some peaceful, beautiful scenes that will make you almost forget you are on the edge of I-91. Ah, Hartford...

Oh, and postscript. I like finding graffiti. 

Get Baked: 25 Central St, Windsor, CT 06095. 860-688-0420 / Web: http://getbakedct.com

Introducing Hartford Flavor Company

Few things are as exciting to me as discovering something new. Especially in my city. This drive to discover new things in Hartford was the reason I started blogging in the first place. I wanted to dispel the preconceived notions, and reveal the truly great things about the city which are hidden in plain site. One of my most exciting recent discoveries, was the introduction to Hartford Flavor Company.  Located in the rear of the imposing industrial address of 30 Arbor Street, is a welcoming patio laced with plants, inviting you inside. 

After a walk through the forthcoming “Diana’s Lair” which is going to be an innovative apothecary style tasting room where visitors can also enjoy a cocktail, I was brought into a sparking white distilling room where I sat down with the company’s owner and creator, Lelaneia Dubay and longtime employee, Ashlie McGrath, to learn more. You know that moment when you realize you have met kindred spirits? Well, this was one of those times. Both women are very focused on local, sustainable, organic, and the power of the plant. Ashlie might actually be joining Hartford Foodie as a guest writer in the future, so keep an eye out for that! We had an interesting talk about Lelaneia’s transformative path from landscape artist to creating natural tinctures for her children, growing her own supply of Echinacea, and her eventual quest to create a liquour that is gluten free, low in sugar, free of chemicals, and as organic and natural as possible. To this end, she began experimenting in her own home and using her friends and their friends as test groups. The winning flavors ended up being; cucumber, rose, lavender (my personal favorite), chai tea, and birch. 

A seasonal cranberry flavor will be coming out for the winter, and there was mention of a pumpkin as well. The actual product is made from a sugar cane base from the Netherlands, and then is infused with the leaves, stems, and flowers of the actual plants. The plants are obtained from sources as local as possible. The lavender is grown by the company in their community garden plot! The recipe and process varies depending on the composition of the plant. Delicate rose petals, for example, can only withstand a few days soaking in the alcohol before burning up. 

As of this month, Wild Moon can officially sell to the public from its production facility. So if you can’t wait for the tasting room to open, head over between 12-3pm, Wed-Saturdays to see the space and purchase a bottle. Limit of 4 bottles per customer. They cost $20 each, and accept cash only. This is a place where magical things are happening. I don’t want to tell you all the details, so go check it out and see for yourself. Be part of the revolution and support a fantastic new Hartford business! 

Directions:
30 Arbor Street, Suites 107-108, Hartford, CT.  Keep the building to your left, follow the signs around to the back, and enter onto the wooden deck at the end. 

Websites: 
http://hartfordflavor.com (sign up for newsletter, check out blog, and stay up to date!)
https://www.facebook.com/pages/Hartford-Flavor-Company/660352110711238 

The restaurant where you dine as if you were an actual guest at the Fawlty Towers

Sidenote: this is one of my favorite of the British comedies. If you haven’t seen the show, I highly encourage you to try and find an episode. John Cleese and the rest of the cast are truly entertaining. I am just sad there were such a limited amount of shows produced.

"Sometimes, dining out just lacks a bit of drama. Sometimes, you just want to see an almighty showdown spill out from the kitchen (but hopefully not land in your lap) and add a bit of spice –and laughter– to your meal. Well, today I discovered that such a show(down) exists where you can make a reservation for a table in a recreation of The Fawlty Towers dining room and interact as the drama unfold as if you were an actual guest at the Fawlty Towers Hotel. Remember that show?!If you were born after the 80s, probably not– although the late 70s cult British comedy brought to us by the Monty Python man himself, John Cleese, is still being shown on television in the United States on at least two PBS member stations and is even available for streaming on Netflix. 

Voted the best British television series of all time in 2000 by the British Film Institute, the series is set in Fawlty Towers, a fictional hotel in the seaside town of Torquay, on the “English Riviera“. To refresh your memory, the plots centre around tense, rude and put-upon owner Basil Fawlty (John Cleese), his bossy wife Sybil and a hapless Spanish waiter Manuel, showing their attempts to run the hotel and restaurant amidst farcical situations and an array of demanding and eccentric guests.

And now, you can be one of those guests! For those of us that thought Fawlty Towers was lost forever to us on those old VHS tapes we threw out along with Rowan Atkinson’s Mr. Bean, rest assured this spectacle still very much alive and kicking in the form of Fawlty Towers: The Dining Experience. A travelling restaurant as well as having earned a permanent residency in London, the show has set up its dining room in more than 25 countries, from Australia to Thailand to the USA, thanks to the incredible worldwide success of the original series and the rave reviews of its current reincarnation. Depending on the venue, sometimes guests will be seated for their interactive dining experience up on a grand stage. Or sometimes simply down at your local pub. But what’s on the menu? It’s a set menu, always featuring a soup, a main (probably chicken), and a dessert. The production assures it will always be good quality, but you should remember that it’s a prop to the show – not the other way round! But menu and venue aside, you can be sure to find that devilish John Cleese humor. By the way, did you know that Fawlty Towers is based on a real hotel?

In 1971 the Monty Python team stayed at the Gleneagles Hotel in Torquay whilst filming on location. John Cleese became fascinated with the behaviour of the owner, Donald Sinclair, whom Cleese later described as “the rudest man I’ve ever come across in my life.” This behaviour included Sinclair throwing a timetable at a guest who asked when the next bus to town would arrive; and placing a briefcase behind a wall in the garden on the suspicion that it contained a bomb (Sinclair explained his actions by claiming the hotel had ‘staff problems’). He also criticised an American’s table manners for not being “British” (that is, he switched hands with his fork whilst eating). Cleese and his wife who co-wrote and starred in the show with him, stayed on at the hotel after filming, furthering their research of the hotel owner. It may also not come as a surprise that Spain was one of the only countries where the Fawlty Towers television series had trouble winning over its audience.  It was initially a flop in Spain, because of the portrayal of the Spanish waiter Manuel, but it was later successfully resold, with Manuel’s nationality changed to Italian. In the Catalan region of Spain, however, Manuel was Mexican.” 

Full story found here: http://www.messynessychic.com/2014/08/12/the-restaurant-where-you-dine-as-if-you-were-an-actual-guest-at-the-fawlty-towers/

Foodie Job Alert!!!

AVAILABLE POSITION

Assistant Farmers’ Market Manager

CitySeed, New Haven, CT

CitySeed is seeking an Assistant Market Manager to help manage the 2015 neighborhood markets in New Haven, CT. The Assistant Manager will work under the supervision of the Market Managers of Operations and Community Relations and be expected to work in close collaboration with other CitySeed staff, vendors, interns, volunteers, and community members. The Assistant Manager will be responsible for solely and co-managing selected farmers’ markets, supervising and training volunteers at those markets, working with the community, and administering the Double Value Coupon Program (DVCP). DVCP is an incentive program aimed at SNAP/Food Stamp recipients to encourage greater consumption of local fruits and vegetables at our markets.

This position is seasonal (with the potential for full-year), running from April 2015 through November 2015, and would include sharing a rotating schedule for Saturday and Sunday markets as well as responsibility for markets on Wednesdays, Thursdays and Fridays over the course of the season. Expectations of hours range from approximately 15 hours/week in the early and late seasons (April, May and November) to up to approximately 30 hours/week in the heavy season (June-October). Office duties are included in this time and some computer/email work could potentially be done from home. There is potential to combine this position with another of our part-time positions for full-time work.

Desired Qualifications: 

• Ability to work both independently and as part of a team
• Experience working in communities of color, neighborhood groups, and/or community events
• Enthusiasm for connecting communities through food
• Experience working with and/or desire to work with farmers
• Experience creating content for social media, newsletters or similar formats
• Basic understanding of the Spanish language
• Flexibility, maturity and a sense of humor
• Ability to work effectively under time constraints and stressful situations
• Ability to prioritize tasks

Required Qualifications: 

• Valid CT driver’s license
• High School Diploma or GED
• Proven communication, conflict resolution and creative problem solving skills
• Demonstrated ability to supervise volunteers and youth
• Computer skills (Word, Excel, Constant Contact, Facebook)
• Ability to lift objects weighing up to 50lbs, work in inclement weather conditions, and drive a vehicle safely with a trailer attached (trailer training will be provided)

Responsibilities of Position:

• Operate selected farmers’ markets, including setup and breakdown of tents and table displays, special events and programming, vendor and customer management, supervision of volunteers and youth workers, bread and merchandise sales, and vendor checkout process.
• Run Debit, Credit, and SNAP (food stamp) transactions on a wireless terminal at the markets.
• Answer questions about CitySeed’s markets and programs, including Food Stamp Double Value Coupon Program (DVCP), at the markets, events, or office.
• Collect and input DVCP and vendor transaction data on reporting sheets and a computer database.
• Communicate and resolve issues with partners, vendors, and customers in a mature and positive manner.
• Supervise and train interns, volunteers, and youth workers at markets.
• Assist the Market Managers in contacting, scheduling, and setting up vendors and events at the markets as needed.
• Order bread, communicate with farmers about products for market, and contribute information to weekly newsletter.
• Ensure market profitability with sales of CitySeed merchandise as well as collection of vendor fees.
• Assist the Market Managers in market promotion through social media and other venues.
• Work and collaborate with partnering neighborhood groups.
• Attend additional events as necessary to represent CitySeed.
• Uphold and communicate CitySeed’s mission

Compensation and Start Date: This position is part-time starting April and pay starts $15/hour. There are no other benefits offered at this time.

To Apply: Candidates must send a cover letter, resume and the names and contact information for two references to Ellen Pendergast at jobs@cityseed.org. Please forward any questions to jobs@cityseed.org. We will reply with a confirmation email that we have received your application. This position will be posted until filled. CitySeed is an Equal Opportunity Employer and especially invites applications from members of underrepresented groups.

Foodie News: "Shoot! Chocolate sniffer cleans up"

BRUGES: When Belgian chocolatier Dominique Persoone created a chocolate-sniffing device for a Rolling Stones party in 2007, he never imagined demand would stretch much beyond the rock ’n roll scene.

"But, seven years later, he has sold 25 000 of them. Inspired by a device his grandfather used to propel tobacco snuff up his nose, Persoone created a “Chocolate Shooter” to deliver a hit of Dominican Republic or Peruvian cocoa powder mixed with mint and either ginger or raspberry. “The mint and the ginger really tickle your nose,” the 46-year-old said in his chocolate factory in Bruges. “Then the mint flavour goes down and the chocolate stays in your brain.” Tattoo-clad Persoone, who has collaborated with celebrated chefs such as The Fat Duck’s Heston Blumenthal and elBulli’s Ferran and Albert Adria, has a history of culinary innovation. Alongside the classics, he has created chocolates flavoured with bacon and onion, oysters and grass. It took some perfecting to create the snorting powder as chocolate itself was too dry. Before the successful formula was discovered, Persoone used a mix that included chilli pepper. “It’s a very bad idea,” he said. The chocolate shooters, which sell for 45 Euros ($50) each, have been exported to Russia, India, Canada, Australia and the US. The packaging bears a warning against excessive sniffing, but Persoone insists it’s safe. He was inspired by the role of the nose when tasting food and, he says, an idea of fun. “The mentality when you think about sniffing is: ‘Oh it’s kinky, guys who do that stuff... “I’m not the bad boy promoting drugs, not at all… Life is boring. Let’s have fun.” – Reuters”

Just to add to the fun, visit Dominique’s website and store, “The Chocolate Line” where you can check out his story, all the info on the chocolate shooter, his book, and his other item for sale...a lipstick that reminds you of the childhood sensation of smearing chocolate all over your lips. 

Website: http://www.thechocolateline.be/the_chocolate_line_brugge.asp?taal=en

News: " This Is What A Zero-Waste Grocery Store Looks Like"

It's difficult enough for one person to live a zero-waste lifestyle; can you imagine if an entire grocery store tried it? Well, one market in Berlin, Germany is actually making it happen. At Original Unverpackt, you won't find produce bags, paper bags, or, well, any kind of bags. The products are mostly in bulk bins, and the store tries to steer clear of recognizable brand names. Salon has more on the nuts and bolts of how the operation works:

[Original Unverpackt's] 350-some products — including from fruits, vegetables, dry grains and pourable liquids like yogurt, lotion and shampoo — are dispensed into refillable containers. (Some liquids come in bottles with deposits on them, which is already standard in Germany).

Salon goes on to say that, as a bonus, most of the products are organic. Now THIS is a store we'd love to shop at! While you're unlikely to see any American supermarket ditch all its disposable bags and containers in the near future, the crafty Germans have given us something to which we can aspire. Who doesn't like the idea of buying exactly the amount of food you need, and not having to throw away any bags in the process?

SOURCE: http://www.mindbodygreen.com/0-17181/this-is-what-a-zero-waste-grocery-store-looks-like.html

The local produce sellers

On a recent visit to St. John, U.S.V.I., my mom and I stopped at our favorite local fruit and vegetable stand in downtown Cruz Bay. My parents eloped on the island in the 1970’s and my mom tells me that scenes like this used to be much more common, and going marketing was one of her favorite things to do. With the rise of supermarkets on the island, and even abroad, its hard to find individual produce sellers anymore, unless you are lucky to live near a farmers market. 

Here are a highlight of things we found for sale at the market, at the time of our visit. Locally made hot sauce, coconut oil, and honey in varying sized bottles that had been reused from their original purpose. Collected and dried star anise seeds, beautiful cinnamon sticks fresh from the tree, dried sorrel blossoms and fresh nutmeg still in the shell! Colorful hot peppers, papayas, starfruit, avocados, and fresh turmeric (curcurma) were also readily available. 

The owner of the market starts her day at 5:30am to catch the ferry over from the neighboring island of St. Thomas, and collect her produce and set up for her day. I have a huge respect for this woman, and all the others who still sell at markets. In the dulling environment of duty free, cheap tourist gimmicks and obnoxious party scenes that modern day travelers experience when they go abroad, finding little gems like this market make us remember what it was that inspired generations to travel around the world in the first place. It was to find that authentic thing, i.e.. place, business, people, item, that represented the country we chose to buy a ticket to and explore. For me, places like this is why I am most excited about helping my parents re-write their series of guidebooks to the Virgin Islands, because I not only love finding these places, but I love sharing them with everyone so they will stay in business for future generations to enjoy. If you are planning to visit the island, our book is called St. John, On Foot & By Car and is for the travelers who enjoy being off the beaten path. 

* Future visitors to the island can find her stand in front of Connections Communications Center. She sells everyday except for Sundays.