No. 11
the MORNINGS ISSUE April 2016
The Essence of Living Locally www.tellnewengland.com
- A Magazine for New England -
New England Mornings Quiet, slow and approachable. Rushed, tasked, outlined. No two mornings are ever the same, but that’s what helps make this region so unique. How you start your day often dictates the outcome. For some, a morning is task-oriented, keeping a business or a greater opportunity at the forefront. For others, the perfect morning may be catching sunrise from the front porch or from a nearby hilltop, while others begin their day slow and meditative, with a book and warm cup of tea. The vessel of enjoyment may vary, but that feeling and appreciation for the moment of morning, is much the same. For our 11th installment, we invite the reader to experience the unique morning routines and rituals of fellow New Englanders. “It was a morning like other mornings and yet perfect among mornings.” - John Steinbeck -
Table of Contents Morning Light Words by Desiree Spinner Photos by Brumley & Wells PG. 8
Maker Mornings: Myrth Ceramics Words by Ashley Herrin Photos by Jenn Bakos & Ashley Herrin PG. 70
Connecticut Coffee Culture: A Guide Contributing Photographers and writers: Chelsea Moore El & Hannah Sherwood PG. 14
The Morning Ritual of Road Cyclists Words and Photos by Linnaea Meyer PG. 82
The Story of a Fishmonger Words by Ashley Herrin Photos by Jenn Bakos & Ashley Herrin PG. 32 Indulge: Breakfast Recipe by Kara and Marni Powers Photos by Jenn Bakos PG. 42 Maker Mornings: McCrea’s Candies Words by Ashley Herrin Photos by Jenn Bakos & Ashley Herrin PG. 48 Maker Mornings: Tomgirl Juice Co. Words and Photos by Sarah Webb PG. 62
Morning Person Words by Jillian Conner Photos by t.e.l.l. New England PG. 88 A Ritual is Brewing: Tea in New England Words by Katherine Hysmith Photos by Briana Moore PG. 96 Ice Cream for Breakfast with Parlor Ice Cream Co. Words and Photos by Tina Picz-Devoe PG. 114 A Morning at Wing & A Prayer Farm Words and Photos by Jenn Bakos PG. 126
Morning Light.
WORDS BY DESIREE SPINNER, LA PETITE PEACH PHOTOS BY BRUMLEY & WELLS PHOTOGRAPHY
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Sunrise has a different meaning in the more recent years since becoming a mother. As a young girl I was never a morning person, and I could sleep well into the afternoons without any thought. Light filling up my bedroom, meant pulling the blankets tighter over my face while groaning with disbelief that I had slept a full nights sleep. Early rising was for school days only and I followed this unspoken rule with ease and pleasure into adulthood. After my first child was born, I would mourn the weekends I had spent sleeping in. My friends and I would laugh over a glass of wine about how we could barely be on time to a 10am class in college. Now most of us wake before our entire households to help ease our families into their days.
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Mornings in New England can be dark and dreary in the winter, and cold and damp in the summer. Sunsets on the other had, were something I lived for. It was the start of the night, and the most exciting leisure of being young. I never enjoyed an omelet or cappuccinos over brunch with friends-we were all sleeping in on Sundays. And catching the sunrise was reserved for a fun night (you saw out of the corner of your sunglasses) walking home delirious and giggling with girl friends. I would daydream about getting up early and watching the sun come up, it was a mystery to me. But the thought of getting up early, on purpose never interested the teenage me. My relationship with mornings starts to take a turn some where into my late 20’s‌ it began to feel natural. I started to wake with the sun and it was the most magical scene (how did I never think so before?). Sitting still, reading and having a fresh pressed coffee became something I looked forward to. It was the quietest time of day, before the bustle of the morning rush to get to school and work, and I found that I could use this time for me. I could sit anywhere I wanted, inside or outside and not be disturbed. Work would get wrapped up, emails would be answered and the house would smell clean and sweet with flowers from our front yard. Sleepy faces would rise from bed and stumble to the table for breakfast and I could watch my family eat and ask them about their day ahead. Mornings became different. I didn’t see it as an obligation but rather something that I looked forward to. A pink-feathered sunrise and morning light peering through my bedroom window became my calm before the storm. Then over time and out of nowhere, much to my 19-year-old dismay, I became a morning person.
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CONNECTICUT — coffee culture —
(A LOCAL GUIDE)
FOREWORD BY CHELSEA MOORE
Mornings in Connecticut are fueled by caffeine, but if you think the coffee culture stops with Dunkin’ Donuts, think again. From serious roasteries to cozy coffee shops, Connecticut’s coffee game is strong. This guide pays respects to Connecticut’s coffee culture, highlighting some of state’s most loved coffee shops.
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“ The morning cup of coffee has an exhilaration about it which the cheering influence of the afternoon or evening cup of tea cannot be expected to reproduce.
Oliver Wendell Holmes Sr.
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The Coffee Trade 21 West Main Street, Route 44 Avon, CT 06001
WORDS AND PHOTOS BY CHELSEA MOORE
When you walk into his coffee shop, Dick Port-
you want a coffee blend, we can make it
folio wants you to feel like you’re stepping back
for you.”
in time. As the owner of the award-winning The Coffee Trade, Portfolio has designed his coffee
The Coffee Trade started in 1998. Back then, it
and antique shop to remind guests of days gone
was a forerunner for a coffee chain, but turned
by. He doesn’t even offer Wi-Fi. The reason? He
into something more unique. Portfolio’s wife
wants his customers to talk to each other.
Joan was working at an antique shop, and began filling The Coffee Trade with her finds. Now,
“When you come in here, the whole object is to
there are rooms filled with antiques for cus-
talk, to communicate, to be relaxed, to get away
tomers to purchase. Portfolio loves when peo-
from the hectic world that you’re going back
ple find an antique their grandma once owned,
out into,” said Portfolio.
because it sparks a memory and a conversation – and he loves hearing the stories.
He roasts more than 80 blends. With light, medium, dark, and very dark blends, he roasts
The Coffee Trade was voted best coffee shop in
twice an hour, six days a week. Don’t see any-
2013, 2014, and 2015 by CT Now. See why when
thing you want on the menu? Design your own
you grab a coffee, sit amongst antiques, and en-
blend and he’ll make it for you. “We are kind of
joy a conversation with a friend. You’ll probably
like the old-fashioned butcher – you can have
get to hear one of Portfolio’s famous jokes too.
your steak cut thin or thick,” said Portfolio, “If
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The Jitter Bus New Haven, CT
WORDS BY T.E.L.L. NEW ENGLAND PHOTOS BY EL & HANNAH SHERWOOD, E&H CREATES The Jitter Bus rolled into New Haven this past February, bringing fresh brewed cups of coffee to a variety of areas in town. Founded by Dan Barletta, Paul Crosby and Andrew Mesiouris, the bus was given the jumpstart it needed when they successfully raised funds to start their endeavor via Kickstarter in February 2015. A year later, and the Jitter Bus team has been pouring cups of locally sourced, organic and above-fair trade coffee. The founders, having all come from a barista background and working in area cafes, are adamant about having a positive socioeconomic impact, and shy away from suppliers who may be deemed cost-efficient. Normal practice may be to choose certain roasters to save a dollar or two, but more often than not, their product is not ethically sourced. The Jitter Bus hopes to make an impact on the New Haven community while also helping to make a positive impact on other communities.
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Giv Coffee 194 Albany Turnpike Canton, CT 06019
WORDS AND PHOTOS BY CHELSEA MOORE
Step into Giv Coffee, and you’ll realize it’s not
ried, the Brooks spent three years doing mis-
like other coffee shops. There’s a world map
sions work in Cameroon, Thailand, and Hart-
stenciled on the wall, there are images of faces
ford, Connecticut. Their travels inspired them
and places from all over – and there’s a strong
to use coffee as a means to help others. They
sense of global awareness.
give $2 from every bag to those in need. They look for fairly traded beans, and make sure
Giv’s mission? According to their website, “Giv
farmers get a fair price.
Coffee is a coffee roasting initiative that seeks to utilize coffee’s global influence to bring
They love educating consumers about coffee.
about positive change in international coffee
“In roasting coffee, there is so much precision
communities, coffee consumers, and the lives
and innovation,” said Brooks, “This is physics
of those in need.”
– it’s very scientific, it’s very accurate. It takes an understanding of the biology of the coffee
Co-owners Jeff and Emily Brooks have been
seed, and how to heat it in such a way that the
roasting coffee since 2009. They served coffee
molecules come together properly and develop
at farmer’s markets, until their shop opened in
sugars and acids.”
June 2015. Giv serves food too. Soon they’ll be exclusively “Our philosophy is to give back,” said Jeff
serving Belgian waffles, where customers can
Brooks, “[Our name], Giv, symbolizes the way
purchase waffles with bananas, Nutella, and
[we do that].” Giving back isn’t just a business
other toppings. Pair it with a coffee and you’ll
philosophy: it’s a way of life. After getting mar-
be on your way to having a great day.
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J.René Coffee Roasters 320 Park Rd West Hartford, CT 06119
WORDS AND PHOTOS BY CHELSEA MOORE Visit J. René Coffee Roasters on a weekend, and you’ll notice the buzz of conversation. People are talking, speaking, conversing, looking at each other. J. René purposely doesn’t offer Wi-Fi, because they want people to interact. “We believe coffee is a bridge between two or more people,” said owner José René Martinez. “We want to serve an amazing cup that unites people to engage actively and socially.” A full-time lawyer by day and a coffee roaster by night, Martinez is a coffee sommelier. He is a coffee lab inspector, a roasting instructor, and one of two licensed Q Graders in the state of Connecticut. He is passionate about educating people about coffee’s social impact. He’s taught cupping classes, Specialty Coffee Association of America (SCAA) classes, and roasting classes in Columbia. And it doesn’t stop there. “I don’t do coffee as a business,” he said, “I do it because I love it and because it’s a movement. I reach out to coffee because it connects with my culture, my values, my love for labor, for things that are done with your hands, and the farming community.” He named his coffee shop after himself, to show customers that he believes deeply in the work he is doing and is proud to attach his name to it. To friends and family, he is known simply as “René.” J. René uses artisanal brew methods, and roasts between 450-500 pounds of beans each week. They have several wholesale accounts and supply beans to other coffee shops. In an effort to showcase the art and skill behind coffee, baristas wear ties to demonstrate the seriousness of their approach to coffee. Martinez believes the coffee process can be broken down to three steps: the agriculture, the roasting process, and the extraction process (meaning, the barista). His passion for coffee started 10 years ago. He realized the industry was filled with coffee shops, but there was a lack of understanding about the chemistry of coffee. He wants to help change that. “Coffee is my world,” said Martinez. Spend some time in his shop, and it will become yours too.
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Terrain Garden Cafe 561 Post Road East Westport, CT 06880
WORDS BY T.E.L.L. NEW ENGLAND PHOTOS BY EL & HANNAH SHERWOOD, E&H CREATES
Located within Terrain, an upscale garden
a high-ceilinged room with plentiful seating
supply center located in Westport, CT, Terrain
for guests is surrounded by even more potted
Garden Cafe opened their doors just a few
plants and green, lively vibes. A locavore in-
years ago. Providing both indoor and outdoor
spired menu offers customers delicious food
retreats for New England’s finicky weather, the
and drink originating from the region and dic-
Garden Cafe offers an oasis set against over-
tated by the seasons. Head to the Garden Cafe
flowing greenery. The open-air patio for use
for the favored Terrain Benedict, a plate over-
in warmer months is nestled amongst racks
flowing with a buttermilk biscuit, maple ham,
of plants available for purchase and dotted
poached eggs, potato rosti, hollandaise sauce,
with over-sized sunbrellas for shade, while
and a petite salad.
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Dom’s Coffee 20 West Main Avon, CT 06001
WORDS AND PHOTOS BY CHELSEA MOORE
Step inside Dom’s Coffee and you might
The European-styled space was designed by
believe you entered a Scandinavian wonder-
Rehabitat Interiors, whose work has been
land. Minimal, clean, and artistic, this shop
featured on Design*Sponge, One King’s Lane,
will make you want to pull out your laptop to
Apartment Therapy, West Elm’s Front + Main,
tackle some work or meet friends – or both!
and Style Me Pretty Living.
With wooden shelves and tables and a dreamy white backdrop, this warm space will have
Take a page out of Dom’s book when you buy
you returning again and again.
a coffee and find that your day is a little bit brighter. Painted on their wall is a note that
Dom’s Coffee opened in May 2015, and their
reads, “You can’t buy happiness, but you can
beans are supplied by J. René Coffee Roasters
buy coffee. And that’s pretty close.” We’re pret-
in West Hartford. Their pastries are sourced
ty sure Dom’s is the closest thing to happiness.
from local bakeries Hartford Baking Company and Better Half Bistro, and they import cheese from Lithuania.
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DOM’S COFFEE 20 West Main Avon, CT 06001
TERRAIN GARDEN CAFE 561 Post Road East Westport, CT 06880
J.RENÉ COFFEE ROASTERS 320 Park Rd West Hartford, CT 06119
GIVE COFFEE 194 Albany Turnpike Canton, CT 06019
THE JITTER BUS New Haven, CT
THE COFFEE TRADE 21 West Main Street, Route 44 Avon, CT 06001
The Story of a Fishmonger WORDS BY ASHLEY HERRIN PHOTOS BY JENN BAKOS & ASHLEY HERRIN
Adelaïde Gross spends her Saturday morn-
the once-flourishing Fish Pier fell victim to
ings unlike most New Englanders. While the
territorial disputes with Canada and regional
region is cozying further into their down
over-fishing, which in turn left the pier in a
comforters or just stirring to make their first
state of disarray and abandonment. This once
pot of coffee for the day, Adelaïde is en route
bustling port of trade was struggling to keep
to the Boston Fish Pier where she works as
its head above water as considerations were
a fishmonger for Red’s Best. From the South
made to turn the pier into other commercial
Boston fish pier located at Northern Ave., she
developments. In the early 1970’s the Massa-
packs fish pulled from the chilly Atlantic and
chusetts Port Authority stepped in and took
prepares for a morning routine of delivering
control of the pier with goals of restoring the
the fresh goods to neighboring markets.
facility for the Massachusetts fishing indus-
The Boston Fish Pier opened in 1914 (or ‘15
try. Today the facility has been overhauled
…depending on who you ask) and was once
into a mixed-use waterfront development,
the bustling hub of New England’s fishing
keeping fishing and fish processing at the
industry. A number of decades later and
forefront of its primary function.
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fish monger (n) A fishmonger is someone who sells raw fish and seafood. Fishmongers can be wholesalers or retailers, and are trained at selecting and purchasing, handling, gutting, boning, filleting, displaying, merchandising and selling their product. (Wikipedia)
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We arrived at the Boston Fish Pier at 7:30 on a Saturday morning. The pier was quiet except for a few eager customers waiting to purchase fresh fish. A winter chill hung in the air, lingering just above the harbor as the sun glistened off the gently stirring waves. Adelaïde pulled into the parking spot next to us, a bit frenzied thinking she was running late (we were actually just early). She jumped out of her car in excitement. Her welcoming personality, thick Massachusetts accent and radiating smile made us feel right at home. We then took a quick tour of the facility before Adelaïde set off on her Saturday morning routine. The facility was loaded with bins full of fresh fish, seafood and shellfish pulled from New England’s waters; oysters, salmon, razor clams, scallops, cod and redfish to name a just a few of the fresh pull. At Red’s, all fish is temperature-monitored and covered in layers of ice until purchase. Further, they provide only the highest quality catch – with all fish being fresh, wild caught and never frozen. Adelaïde’s Saturday morning routine involves sorting and packing coolers full of fish before heading out on the market run. After checking the boxes off of the morning’s to-do list, we headed in the fish truck and set off for Jamaica Plain. One stop at City Feed followed by the Egleston Farmers Market, where she set’s up a vendor booth and sells the fresh catch to area residents, many of whom return week after week for the fresh fish.
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As Adelaïde demonstrated (probably unknowingly because it’s second-nature), fish mongering in today’s market requires not only a strong knowledge of the fishing industry, but also a neighborly disposition and cheerful personality to match – all of which she possesses. In decades past, a fishmonger might stir images of burly men with salt styled hair, faded flannels, sun-kissed cheeks and the au naturel scent of the Atlantic. That still might be true in some areas, but in New England, new faces, such as Adelaïde, have made an unforgettable mark on the industry. To most, this Saturday morning is far from routine, but it’s stories like these and people like Adelaïde that keep New England’s traditions alive and well.
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Indulge: Breakfast RECIPE BY KARA & MARNI POWERS, TWIN TASTES PHOTOS BY JENN BAKOS
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INDULGE WITH TWIN TASTES As twin sisters raised on the sands of Cape
layered in between warm, toasty bread. From
Ann, we have an affinity for the ocean. When in
an Italian-inspired pesto frittata on a crusty
our hometown of Manchester-by-the-Sea, our
baguette, to a Spanish-inspired Bocadillo de
weekend morning ritual usually begins with
Tortilla (a potato and egg omelette between
a walk down to Tuck’s Point. With coffees in
two slices of bread), to a Greek-inspired feta
hand, we tote a breakfast picnic to enjoy among
scramble with Kalamata olive tapenade, we
the harbor sounds of passing boats, seagulls
always seek whatever is fresh and local that
and crashing waves. Over the years, we have
morning. Our favorite combination is a clas-
whipped up many variations of the classic
sic fried egg atop spicy chorizo with melted,
breakfast sandwich featuring a prepared egg,
subtly smoky cheddar, freshly picked peppery
cured meat, melted cheese, and velvety sauce
arugula, and spicy aioli.
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Fried Egg Sandwich with Chorizo, Cheddar, Arugula and Fiery Aioli INGREDIENTS:
Prep time: 15 minutes Cook time: 10 minutes Serves: 4
For Sandwich:
For Fiery Aioli:
4 English Muffins
1 cup mayonnaise
2 cup baby arugula
2 tbsp. Extra Virgin Olive Oil
1 link chorizo, cut into ¼-inch slices
1 tbsp. fresh lemon juice
4 tbsp. Fiery Aioli
1 tsp. smoked paprika
4 slices smoked cheddar cheese
5 shakes of Tabasco sauce (or to taste)
2 tbsp. unsalted butter
¼ tsp. minced garlic
4 large eggs
salt and pepper throughout
Salt and pepper throughout
METHOD: Combine all Fiery Aioli ingredients in a small bowl. This can be made a few days in advance. Refrigerate after prepped. Split the english muffins and toast both sides in a toaster oven. A local favorite of ours is Stone & Skillet. Meanwhile, heat a skillet over medium-high heat. Add the slices of chorizo and fry until crisp, about 2-3 minutes per side. With tongs, transfer the chorizo to paper towels. Remove the toasted English Muffins from the toaster and arrange the bottom halves on a work surface. Top with 2 slices of chorizo and a slice of cheddar cheese (our go-to is Grafton Village’s Maple Smoked). Return the four halves to the toaster oven and toast slightly until the cheese is melted. Meanwhile, add the butter, ½ T. at a time to the same skillet on medium heat. Once the butter has melted and sizzles, crack an egg into the pan. Season with salt and pepper and fry to desired doneness. Repeat with the remaining eggs and butter. Top each chorizo and cheddar-covered toast with a fried egg, a heap of arugula, and salt and pepper. Slather the top halves of the English Muffins with a dollop of Fiery Aioli and cover the sandwich. Cut in half and wrap in aluminum foil for travel. 45 | t.e.l.l. N E W E NGL A ND
Maker Mornings. A look at how some of New England’s makers spend their morning across the region.
McCrea’s Candies WORDS BY ASHLEY HERRIN PHOTOS BY JENN BAKOS & ASHLEY HERRIN
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We arrived at the McCrea’s Candies kitchen
even. See, the beauty of McCrea’s starts with
early on a weekday morning. Spring sunlight
the owners — a husband and wife duo — Jason
spilled through the windows as a biting chill still
and Kate McCrea, two passionate and creative
lingered outside. Though early, the kitchen was
individuals who have given us New Englanders
already in motion, preparing for the day’s batch
one of the sweetest gifts.
of caramel sauce. Jim, the owner’s neighbor and also head of Operations, cheerfully greeted us
The science to making caramel is, well, a
and welcomed us into this caramel laboratory.
science. A gentle balance between ingredients and heat yields the perfect outcome, an out-
The majority of the team was already hard
come that Jason and Kate McCrea have been
at work. Anna, their “Sugar Alchemist and
working years to perfect. McCrea’s Candies was
Chocolatier” was stirring the caramel sauce
founded in 2009, when Jason was the unfortu-
while Jim rolled the previous day’s caramel
nate victim of the recession. Fortunately for us,
batch into long coils, readying them for the
this gave him the opportunity to tinker in the
wrapping machine. Pots, pans and a bounty of
kitchen and test caramel recipes. Why caramel?
kitchen utensils hung from metal racks while
Intrigued by the science behind the confection,
boxes of the eye-catching McCrea’s Caramel
Jason was able to apply his degrees in biology
tubes created a wall that just about separated
and chemistry to produce these delectable
the marketing folks from the kitchen. A wall of
treats. After sharing this creation with friends,
boxes may have physically divided them, but the
orders and personal requests started rolling in.
staff at McCrea’s are a close-knit group, family
People were hooked, and so were the McCrea’s.
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Not long after Jason took over the home kitchen, Kate found herself right by his side, also having been the victim of the recession. The duo saw opportunity, and the chance to turn the home operation into something greater. Since then, McCrea’s has become the go-to for slow-cooked and handcrafted caramels in New England. From their Hyde Park kitchen and office, the team, which has since grown to over 7 employees, concepts, cooks, tests, wraps, rolls, and delivers some of the finest caramels in the region. Like previously mentioned, the process for making caramel is a tricky one. It’s a finicky confection that some even say relies best on intuition or by going with your eye as opposed to reading off a recipe card. For the caramel rookie like myself, it seems to be a gentle balance of heat, patience and vigilance. Staying focused is key… as your batch of caramel can go from spot-on to spoiled in a matter of seconds. Few ingredients are actually required to make caramel, but the McCrea’s not only use the finest, high-quality and pure ingredients, they’re not afraid to mix things up a bit. This is evident in the unexpected and unique flavors pairings to this classic candy. Rosemary Truffle Sea Salt, Tapped Maple, Ginger Fusion and a customer favorite, Black Lava Sea Salt wonderfully compliment the more traditional flavors of Classic Vanilla and Deep Chocolate. On the morning of our visit, Jim was preparing a batch of the Black Lava Sea Salt to wrap – lucky for us, we were able to taste-test the batch before it went out the door. And trust that it was delicious! A burst of sweet caramel laced with the delicate notes of sea salt immediately awakened our early-morning and groggy senses. But, we aren’t the only judges of this; the team has recently been awarded a Good Food Award for the mouth-watering confection, an honor only awarded to those food providers that meet responsible food production standards and superior taste.
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Further making their process unique, the McCrea’s rely on an early 20th century refurbished and fully-functioning wrapping machine originating from Springfield, Massachusetts. The bright red machine looks to be a complicated heap of metal as it’s open-air gears spin methodically and a noisy clang fills the shop. With a little directional guidance by Jim to assure nothing goes amiss, the morning’s batch of hand-rolled caramel has been neatly sealed in a cellophane wrapper in a matter of seconds. McCrea’s Candies is a company that we are excited to watch grow. From their humble kitchen in Hyde Park they turn out some of the most amazing and mouth-watering treats. Currently their flavor roster rounds out at 10 — we’d be lying if we said we hope it stays that way - truthfully, our thought is the more the merrier. With Kate’s ability to unite unique ingredients and Jason’s all-around caramel know-how, why stop there?
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Tomgirl Juice Co. WORDS AND PHOTOS BY SARAH WEBB
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Push through the wooden door on a still, cool morning, and you’re apt to find a coat of glowing condensation misting the windows: the buzzing energy inside heating the space from the inside, out. If you arrive early enough, you’ll hear NPR playing on the radio, an easy start to the morning before the switch is flipped to upbeat tunes to more energetically welcome the not-so-early-risers. But in the first hours of the morning, work is still on the quieter side at Tomgirl Juice Co. in Burlington, VT, as the team begins the daily rituals of supplying the Queen City with freshly made juices and raw foods. Mornings had markedly changed over the past year for owner Gabrielle Kammerer. In 2009, Gabrielle set to creating her own company, one that started with a cart, cooler, carafes, bags of ice, and a rainbow umbrella pulled and spurred all across the city. With it, she brought the first organic, fresh-pressed juices to Vermont, and soon after created a delivery service via a trusty scooter. While many raw food and juice-centered companies are built on our endless quest for a perfect frame or detoxification from “guilty” pleasures, Tomgirl began in an entirely different way: Gabrielle’s time as an exchange student in Mexico. As part of her Latin American art history studies, she spent time in Oaxaca and instantly fell head over heels for the culture’s aquas frescas — fresh juices. Immaculately displayed in culeros (oversized, beehive-shaped glass urns), the candy-like color spectrum of juices stood side-by-side, ready for tasting. “I was learning all the words for everything — sandía, ciruela, cerveza —and admiring this art form. I was 20 years old, I didn’t want to go out drinking, I just wanted scarves and watermelons!” exclaims Gabrielle.
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Her exuberance was compounded by a daytrip
hone in on exactly what she wanted to share
with her exchange school partner, Mario. Each
with the world. A stroll in a farmers’ market
student in the English-speaking group was
sealed the deal: “I saw a table full of heirloom
paired with a native Spanish-speaker. They
tomatoes, and I said to myself, ‘Why doesn’t
would spend two hours together throughout
tomato juice come in more colors?’” It wasn’t
the week, speaking one hour in English and
long thereafter that Gabrielle would braid to-
one in Spanish. “Mario took me to the zocalo,
gether her memories of aguas frescas and ap-
the center of the city where everything meets
preciation of locally grown produce to create
and energizes,” Gabrielle explains. “We often
Tomgirl: a rainbow juice company dedicated
drew pictures to communicate. He wanted to
the thoughtful consumption of color.
surprise me while we were there — a drink. We both took a sip, and I learned about the most
“Originally when I started Tomgirl,” Gabrielle
amazing beverage, horchata. Horchata is a rice
remembers, “mornings were all about making a
and almond milk with cinnamon, sugar, and
list of all the juices I needed to make, creating
occasionally melon. It was this cool, creamy,
the order to make the juices, figuring out the
sweet, milky, crazy-awesome drink! Mario
quantities, handwriting all the labels, stamping
drew me the whole recipe. I was drinking
on their “made on” date, washing the vegeta-
something new, drawing it, and hearing about
bles, and then I would start juicing. Now we
it all in this new language. I had aqua frescas
have four people doing all of those jobs.” Morn-
at this point, but this was something new.
ings were full and breathless. As a promise to
This experience stuck with me forever.”
her ever-loyal customers, Gabrielle only delivered fresh juices to doorsteps and desks, and
Through the evolution of many ideas and
she kept to that promise by waking up before
plans, Gabrielle realized she wanted to create
the sun and making juice from the first glint
a beverage-based company, but there were so
of dawn until it was ready to pack on the back
many tantalizing options that it was difficult to
of her scooter.
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Gabrielle still delivers — albeit not always by scooter — but now with a team alongside her, she has had the mental space to think back to those early days of Tomgirl and recognize the purpose and intention that went into building something from the ground up. “Mornings in the beginning were very sacred,” Gabrielle describes. “I remember reading about mornings before even starting the company. I read to imagine what I would have to do to get Tomgirl off the ground, and I started role-playing in my mind.” Gabrielle knew early mornings, heavy lifting, and becoming the “ultimate morning person” would be the Tomgirl lifestyle. She took a position at a local food co-op to practice: “[The coop] opens at 7AM, which meant I got there at 6AM, which meant waking up at 4:30AM. I woke up with the stars and traveled to work in the dark to have a place to be open for people who need a destination in morning. We all need a destination in the morning.” With steady steps toward a brick and mortar, promptly open at 7AM for those who rise as early as Tomgirl, Gabrielle began willing the company into existence. “My dad is an artist,” Gabrielle explains, “and if I have learned anything from him it’s that practice makes perfect. So I adopted that idea in life. Not just drawing something a hundred times and you’ll get better at it, or make a croissant a thousands times to really know how to make a croissant, but wake up a thousand times early and then really know how to wake up. Put yourself in situations where you have to practice what you need. Being a business owner, I think you have to practice whatever it is you want your business to be before it becomes anything. You have to role-play and get into character. If you’re already the perfect person for your business, than you should already have your business. If you really want to create something, it means you and it are in the process of becoming.” Tomgirl became the umbrella for all Gabrielle’s ideas and a channel to propel new ideas through. Her mornings may be quieter her now, with a team of creative, driven women alongside to also nurture Tomgirl and their customers, whom they all care for deeply. It is important to Gabrielle to not only create a company to house her own ideas, but to empower everyone who walks through the door: “There are a lot of “Skinny Chick” and “Slim Quick” and “Be Something You’re Not” and “Achieve Your Weight Loss Goals” companies, but there weren’t many “Be Yourself” companies. I made Tomgirl to be a “Be Yourself” company.
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Myrth Ceramics PHOTOS BY JENN BAKOS & ASHLEY HERRIN WORDS BY ASHLEY HERRIN
We arrived at the Myrth Ceramics studio one
space that Myrth calls home and were immedi-
Saturday morning in late February. Ourselves
ately overjoyed. A photographer’s dream; every
having risen early for a previous photography
nook and cranny was packed with visual stim-
job that largely kept us in the chilly threshold
ulation and we couldn’t wait to document it.
of a New England winter morning, were more than eager to step indoors and witness the
We were instantaneously drawn to Myrth
creative magic that is Myrth.
Ceramics after receiving their submission back in February for this issue. As Abby described in
Our journey took us to 119 BSR, a familiar
her email; “morning is our time for quiet and
building in Allston that houses a bounty of
contemplation and then creation. The repeti-
creative talent. Abby, one-third of the Myrth
tion we find in our creative process, especially
team greeted us in the lobby and whisked
that of throwing, is meditative and soothing.”
us away to the pottery studio upstairs. We
This was exactly the feature we were hoping
stepped foot into the white-walled and airy
to bring forth to our readers.
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Myrth is a collaborative of three Boston-
time jobs in the Boston creative industry – and
based creative professionals; husband and wife
those jobs were not at Myrth Ceramics. Like
Abigail & Eric Smallwood and Beth Connolly.
most, they held regular nine-to-fives that
The team began throwing a few years ago in a
usually turned into nine-to-six (or seven) jobs.
small South End community studio – it served
Myrth was their creative outlet. Their studio
as their temporary release from the hectic
was their oasis from life’s chaos whenever life
work schedule and chaos of life. Over time,
allowed. They were weeknight and weekend
they grew to love throwing and the hobby
warriors. And I was totally in awe... as if I had
turned into an idea, and eventually, the idea
stumbled upon the mythological unicorn. (As
into a business. Today, Myrth Ceramics has
a brief departure, and to explain my “awe”, I
taken roots in Allston and within the greater
must admit that as a full-time Art Director at
Boston community. Their line of modern hand-
a Boston advertising agency who only has time
thrown stoneware vessels have already estab-
on week nights and weekends to make t.e.l.l. a
lished a presence on the shelves in a handful
reality, I was SO happy to find that I was not
of shops across Boston, with a handful more
the only one. This actually IS possible.)
already slated to be added to their stockist list this year.
When the team has spare time to spend in the studio, they savor every minute. And, week-
The beauty of the team is found in their im-
ends are usually their favorite. They arrive ear-
peccable work-life balance… something that
ly in the morning and will spend all day in their
I, like a lot of people, am constantly striving
space. Together, they share a warm cup of
to perfect. I was amazed, and also delighted
coffee or tea, hearty conversation and indulge
to learn that Abby, Eric and Beth all held full-
in the creative journey.
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the team Eric Smallwood Abigail Smallwood & Beth Connelly
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As we hovered around the team
For Beth, Eric and Abby of Myrth
snapping photos and documenting
Ceramics, most mornings in New
the process as they sat at the wheel,
England are spent within the peace
we couldn’t help but notice just how
and quiet of their pottery studio,
calming and soothing making ceramics
fulfilling a few more orders or experi-
truly looks. In a world where we are
menting with a few new vessels before
constantly adjusting, being pushed and
hurrying out the door to work. Tucked
mentally taxed, the practice of throw-
away from it all, finding meditation
ing clay – where one can mold, shape
in the repetition that is their creative
and form at their will, is a necessary
process, even if only for a few,
departure from everyday life.
perfectly serene minutes.
“ Morning is our time for quiet and contemplation and then creation. The repetition we find in our creative process, especially that of throwing, is meditative and soothing.
Abigail Smallwood, Myrth
The Morning Ritual of Road Cyclists WORDS AND PHOTOS BY LINNAEA MEYER New England cycles in all seasons. In the Winter months road cyclists grind away indoors on trainers, but in March and April add intensity and fresh air to their base miles. They emerge from a Winter’s rolling metronome to Spring peaks - summiting mountains, attacking town lines, and refining pedal strokes. They cycle through the dark of an early day, navigating headlights and damp wind. At long last, their toil is rewarded in vacant landscapes and an espresso respite to push through hours in the saddle.
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WORDS BY JILLIAN CONNER PHOTOS BY T.E.L.L. NEW ENGLAND
Morning Person.
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I was born and raised in Vermont. My state
Before my exit from the scholarly world last
is famed for it’s weather, which they say
May, my life had been completely dictated
changes every fifteen minutes. There, the
by an academic calendar which muddled the
seasons announce themselves abruptly, fall-
seasons into one big early morning. The only
ing hard and heavy on it’s green mountains.
solace I found was during the summer when
Our neighbors throughout New England know
I generally slept until eleven in the morning
that winter darkness seeps into our mornings
and barely ever felt awake. In all honestly, I
just the way an icy draft slips through an old
never liked that facet of my personality. As a
window frame. We awake to summer humidity
result, I’ve made a few attempts at rewiring
that saturates our wooden houses making it
my circadian clock to be one with an aptitude
difficult to close doors entirely, and somehow
for early mornings. But as it turns out, aca-
the chill of an Autumn morning can be felt
demia is not the best place to train oneself
even below a few layers of blankets. Unfortu-
to be an early bird.
nately, this is how my distaste for mornings was conceived.
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But this past August, things changed. As a recent college graduate newly transplanted in coastal Massachusetts with a fresh job and apartment, I let myself be. The pressure was off; I was free to adjust and readjust to my new life as necessary. And it was just as I released the pressure gauge within myself that my understanding of mornings began to take root. One uncommon morning, I woke early. Realizing it was garbage day, I dashed out the door with recycling bin in hand to place it with the others on the sidewalk. The morning haze still clung to the ground and felt heavy on my face. The smell of salt and brine crept through the streets right to my feet. With one sweet inhale, I was captivated by this glorious morning and as if by ancient instinct, returned inside to put on my sneakers and shorts. After that, I rose early and took a two mile walk every single morning for the remainder of the summer and into fall. It was as if the season was calling me to be outside and join it for a stroll. Awaking early no longer felt like a burden but more like catching up with an old friend. Then Daylight savings time happened. Winter was coming, and it didn’t feel friendly. I felt my spirit begin to wane with the light of day, becoming more and more lethargic. Those mornings, at 7am in the pitch dark, I couldn’t quite bring myself to crawl out of bed and bundle up for a walk. And at the end of the day, returning to a pitch dark house at four o’clock was less than motivation for some exercise. It didn’t take long for me to realize what was happening - my energy was wilting with the leaves outside my window. We were one and the same. The trees fell dormant, accepting their impending respite, and I would be smart to follow suit. So I stopped walking.
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But after spending a few months tucked away, spring is now in our midst. The thermometers are creeping above freezing, miniature rivers of melting ice are running across the driveway and the flower buds are peeking out of their soil patches awaiting bright sunshine. But best of all, we are all blossoming too. Each morning is lighter than the next, and you can feel the renewed energy of every person you pass on the sidewalk. A few days ago, when I squinted my eyes open and noticed sunshine passing through the curtains again, the instinct to rise and be active returned. After dressing and walking out the door, I inhaled deeply to appreciate the freshness of this first spring morning. I strolled through neighborhoods of colonial houses and listened cheerfully to the birds chirping up above. For the first time in months, my muscles weren’t clenched and hunched, straining to keep every last ounce of warmth inside my jacket. They were open and accepting, pulling in every sensation all at once. This is the beauty of a spring morning - renewal. It is a privilege to witness the buds forming on trees, the robins and geese return to their riverside summer homes, and our fellow humans rejoice in this new beginning. Perhaps being a morning person has nothing to do with rising early and productivity. Maybe a true morning person is one who lets their mind, body and spirit ebb and flow just the way the seasons do; in and out, up and down. Acting with your heart above all, especially early in the day, just might lead to a deeper connection to the planet and it’s rhythms, which ultimately leads to a more balanced and fulfilling life. As we venture into the warmer months, taking time to appreciate the flower buds glistening with dew in the morning light, or listen to the birds chirp along with children boarding their school bus might just be the key to finding your morning peace.
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A Ritual is Brewing: Tea in New England WORDS BY KATHERINE HYSMITH PHOTOS BY BRIANA MOORE
“Some people will tell you there is a great deal of poetry and fine sentiment in a chest of tea.” - Ralph Waldo Emerson -
The morning of December 16, 1773 was just
tea went into the harbor. The table was set, the
like any other in colonial Boston. Beds were
tea served, and Boston was having none of it.
made, boots were laced, chores were seen. And, for those who could still afford and over-
We now know this particular political act as
look the newly imposed tax, a pot of tea was
the Boston Tea Party, a move that had less to
likely served. But in a matter of hours, this
do with a dislike for British tea and more with
seemingly mundane routine, this everyday
a growing frustration towards an increas-
ritual, was about to change. As tea-strained
ingly despotic government. Considering the
patriots gathered in anger over the unjustified
importance and sheer rate of consumption,
tariffs levied on a culturally vital beverage, a
some might say that tea was much more than a
plot was brewing that would alter the drinking
symbol in our young nation’s fight for indepen-
preferences of the new nation for generations
dence, but a grand gesture in what our forefa-
to come. That night, 342 chests of fine Chinese
thers were willing to do in order to live free.
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Despite their best intents, our patriotic forefathers had a difficult time boycotting their favorite beverage. The dependence - both culturally and socially - on tea was so great that equal or superior substitutes were immediately sought. For the lucky few, illegally imported Dutch tea sufficed, while others had to make do with herbal tisanes and Native American recipes that combined local plants and herbs - such as thyme, sage, spicebush, sassafras, chamomile, mints, verbena, and raspberry leaf - that grew wild in the area or in colonial gardens. These blends were politically known as “Liberty Teas� and became part of the domestic arsenal against British tyranny. With the war won, and tensions relatively cooled, the teapot was finally lifted from the political platform. A young America negotiated trade with China, sending local merchant Elias Hasket Derby of Salem and his famous ship, the Grand Turk for long-awaited goods including black and green teas. Over the next two centuries, the beverage played various roles in our history and new cultural interpretations of tea from places like Russia, France, and Asia took root in our society. Tea time ranged anywhere from an afternoon to an all-day affair, depending on who you asked and how it was served - hot or cold, with food or without, sitting on the floor or seated in a parlor.
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In the first half of the 20th century, tea drinking was considered a pastime as tearooms and teahouses popped up across the United States in great numbers. These establishments often served light fare - such as sandwiches and pastries - and offered a kind of sophisticated recreation. In the 1920s, rooms in a historic 18th century home in Sandwich, MA were renovated by Mrs. Dunbar to serve tea to her friends. While the property has since switched hands, the historic Dunbar House continues to offer tea service, as well as a full restaurant menu, and sells over 220 blends of loose-leaf tea. Around the same time, local socialite Charleen Baker started the Buttercup Hill Tea Room in Lunenburg, MA, serving her own home cooking and tea. While the tea room went out of business in the 1940s, copies of the yellow-and-black bound Buttercup Hill Tea Room Cookbook can still be found tucked away in antique bookstores, just waiting for the curious tea drinker. As our country and our lives became exponentially faster-paced, pastime tea drinking grew less popular. Tea pots collected dust, loose leaves were bagged, and the microwave took the place of the whistling kettle. For the majority, a cup of tea, positioned alongside bland, drip coffee, simply became yet another way to hurriedly start the day. But bit by bit, things are starting to slow back down. As the globe shrank, New England, particularly Boston, started to shove off its anti-tea mentality, opening the doors for tea drinkers, those “quiet consumers” and welcoming purveyors like Upton Tea Importers of Holliston, MA. Long before the modern day tea boom, Upton started business in 1989 with a simple quarterly publication on tea, hoping to educate American consumers about the history and the process of the lost beverage. Hundreds of teas and many publications later, Thomas Eck, founder of Upton Tea, says his company provides “good tea at any cost,” and that tea should be kept simple, “not fussy.”
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Waltham based MEM Tea Imports, started
encourage us to bring the ritual into our
in 1999, specializes in sourcing and blending
daily home life. Bohemian style rooms like
loose leaf teas for the food service industry.
Dobra Tea in Portland, ME and French salon
Their wares are on cafe and restaurant menus
inspired cafes like Jolie Tea in Salem, MA
across the Greater Boston Area and the im-
invite us to embrace the charm of savoring
porter strives to train its customers on the
the Old-school tea rooms like Tea with Tracy
ins and outs of tea preparation. According to
in Seymour, CT and the Wenham Tea House on
Director of Operations, Meg Tartasky, “the
the North Shore often draw in traditionalists,
great thing about tea is there is at least one
while the Stone Leaf Teahouse in Middlebury,
tea if not dozens out there for you,” and that
VT takes us to exotic new lands. Each of these
“tea encompasses the full spectrum of flavor
establishments provide a unique approach to
profiles.”
the same basic beverage. As Amy Job, proprietor of Jolie Tea, explains, “tea has enriched
To cater to that spectrum, tea shops of all
lives for literally hundreds of years,” and “[it]
persuasions have opened throughout the area.
isn’t going to be ignored anymore.”
Small shops like Tealuxe in Harvard Square
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Even high end restaurants, like Boston’s L’Espalier, understand the growing importance of tea. While the restaurant doesn’t provide that early morning ritual, the afternoon weekend service offers a similar experience for late risers. In-house tea sommelier, Cynthia Gold explains that L’Espalier is “inspired by the classic afternoon tea experience, but [doesn’t] feel constrained by it. A tea menu, like a wine menu, should change seasonally to not only support the seasonally changing food menu, but to feature the season’s freshest and most exciting finds.” Those same tea seasons are what Caleb Hodes, founder of Boston Teawrights, relies on, too. As his company’s name suggests, Hodes is in the business of tea craft and takes the idea of bespoke blends one step further by using raw tea leaves. Unlike other importers, Hodes sources raw leaves from growers in New Zealand and Taiwan and teaches his clients and customers how to turn the plant into their own unique brew. For Hodes, the ritual begins long before the tea and water meet and says that “working from the beginning does change quite a few things...it gives you a significantly deeper appreciation for the work and art that goes into tea.” He adds that the “absolutely best way to prepare and drink it, is however it tastes best to you individually.” All tea - be it green, black, white, or oolong - comes from the same basic leaf, camellia sinensis. It is what we do with the leaf that makes all the difference. With so many variations, there is no one way to drink it, no one way to incorporate it into your day, and no one way to turn it into your own personal ritual. Whether your morning starts at dawn or you roll out of bed by noon, it’s tea time.
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Crunchy Chai Granola Bars pair with a to-go mug of Darjeeling INGREDIENTS:
Makes: 1 dozen bars
½ cup honey
1 tsp. salt
2 tbsp. butter
½ tsp. ground nutmeg
2 tbsp. coconut oil
¼ tsp. ground clove
1 tbsp. (or one tea bag) strong
½ tsp. cardamom
black tea (like an Assam or English
1 tsp. cinnamon
Breakfast) 3 cups oats
½ tsp. ground ginger ½ tsp. black pepper
1 cup almonds, roughly chopped
1.5 cups puffed brown rice cereal
1 tsp. vanilla
(can be found in the all-natural section
2 tbsp. chia seeds
of the grocery store)
METHOD: Set the oven to 350 degrees. Line a quarter sheet pan (13” by 9.5”) with parchment paper. In a small saucepan, combine the honey, butter, and coconut oil, simmering until melted and combined. Turn the heat to the lowest setting. Using a tea ball or mesh bag, add the tea and let steep for 5 minutes. Remove the pan from the heat, discard the tea, and set the mixture aside. Spread the oats and almonds on the lined sheet pan and place in the oven, toasting for about 10 minutes. Reset the oven to 325 degrees. In a large bowl, combine the toasted oats and almonds, the tea and butter mixture, vanilla, chia seeds, salt, spices, and cereal. Stir until thoroughly combined, then pour back onto the parchment lined baking sheet, pressing the mixture into a single smooth layer with lightly greased hands or a rolling pin. Return to the oven and bake for 20 to 25 minutes until golden brown and fragrant. Remove from oven and let cool slightly. Using a sharp knife, cut the mixture into 12 even sized bars. The longer they cool the crisper they’ll be. If you like your granola bars a little on the sweeter side, add 2 to 4 tablespoons of brown sugar to the melted butter mixture. 109 | t.e.l.l. N E W E NGL A ND
London Fog Porridge pair with more Earl Grey or a pot of lighter citrus tisane
INGREDIENTS:
Makes: 2 servings
1 cup steel cut oats 4 cups water 2 tbsp. (or two tea bags) strong Earl Grey tea, in a strainer or mesh bag Half of a vanilla bean, split and seeds scraped Toppings: brown sugar, cream, and orange zest
METHOD: Combine oats, water, and tea in a medium-sized saucepan, bring to a boil, then simmer for 15 to 20 minutes until the water is mostly soaked up and the oats are tender. Discard tea and stir in vanilla bean seeds. Divide oats between two bowls. Stir in brown sugar and top with cream to taste. Sprinkle on orange zest and serve.
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Matcha Avocado Toast & Fried Egg pair with a cup of Formosa Oolong INGREDIENTS:
Makes: 2 servings
1 avocado, peeled, seeded, and cut into chunks
½ to 1 tsp. matcha powder (add to your liking) 2 pieces of bread, toasted 2 tablespoon olive oil or butter 2 eggs Toppings: olive oil, salt, and black sesame seeds
METHOD: In a small bowl, mash together the avocado and matcha powder with a fork. Divide between the two pieces of toast. In a small skillet, heat one tablespoon of oil over medium-high heat. Crack the egg into a small cup or bowl, then gently pour into the skillet, leaving the egg as whole as possible. Continue to fry, gently shaking the pan, spooning the hot oil over the egg yolk to cook through. Remove egg when cooked to your liking- about 3 minutes for runny yolks, 5 to 6 minutes for more set eggs. Repeat with second egg. Place the fried eggs on top of the pieces of avocado toast. Drizzle with olive oil, sprinkle with salt and black sesame seeds and serve.
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Ice Cream For Breakfast with Parlor Ice Cream Co.
WORDS AND PHOTOS BY TINA PICZ-DEVOE, DEER DRIFTER PHOTOGRAPHY
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Spend a morning with New England native, Jacqueline Dole, and what you’ll get is a fistful of sweets. Jacqueline, originally a pastry chef, is now the owner of Parlor Ice Cream Company. Parlor is a Boston based, locally sourced, small batch ice cream brand. Jacqueline comes up with some deliciously creative ways to utilize regional ingredients and products like, Allandale Farm’s parsnips, milk from Stillman Farms in Lunenburg, Somerville’s Union Square donuts, coffee from 1369 Coffee House in Cambridge, and Bobo’s Mountain Sugar maple syrup in Vermont. She’s even created a Moxie ice cream flavor, using the soda which was the official soft drink of Maine. Moxie, created by Maine native, Dr. Thompson in 1876 (before Coca-Cola), is now produced in New Hampshire. Living in New England, we have the great opportunity to find so many hard-working, local growers and producers, farm-fresh products and wonderfully innovative uses for them at the top restaurants in our region. Over the past few years, it’s been great to see more and more Boston eateries featuring locally made and sustainably grown food on their seasonally changing menus, which keeps things fresh and exciting! Today, Jacqueline brought over some freshly spun, breakfast-inspired flavors. First on the list was “Double Dutch,” made with Taza Chocolate out of Somerville and Cocoa Puffs Cereal! It was a ridiculously creamy, crunchy, chocolatey mashup, as she first soaked the cereal in the milk to get it fully infused with that cereal flavor. I also scored some of her “Maple Donut” ice cream, made with Bobo’s syrup and soaked donuts, on top of a maple glazed donut. A few weeks ago, Parlor held a pop-up event at Union Square Donuts, where Jaqueline served her flavor made with the shop’s raspberry pastry cream from their donuts. Waffles are my favorite morning treat, so we also made some waffle ice cream sandwiches. What a way to start a day!
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“ My advice to you is not to inquire why or whither, but just enjoy your ice cream while it’s on your plate — that’s my philosophy.
Thornton Wilder
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Jacqueline had her start at Cambridge School
going in there and seeing her new ideas and the
of Culinary Arts in 2008, and began working
chalkboard list of local farm ingredients they
at Glutenus Minimus Bakery in Belmont, MA.
source for their menu.
There she specialized in gluten-free baked goods for three years, then moved on to Cata-
At age 26, Jacqueline was featured in Zagat’s
lyst restaurant in Cambridge, before becoming
2014 list of Boston’s “30 Under 30” for top
Executive Pastry Chef at Mei Mei in Boston. I
Pastry Chef. Now that Jacqueline’s embarked
fondly recall the night in 2014 at Mei Mei when
on her solo entrepreneurial adventure, you may
we first met and I tried her first-ever batch of
spot her sourcing local ingredients all over New
ice cream at a pop-up event. She had created
England! She’s often found at farms like her
a delectable Baked Alaska filled with grilled
favorite Eva’s Garden in Dartmouth, MA, a
squash ice cream, sourcing squash grown by
certified organic grower of herbs, edible flow-
Bill Braun at Ivory Silo Farm in Westport, MA.
ers and specialty greens. She also totes around
I watched her hand-torch the meringue on
her tackle box, rod and cooler in her pick-up
over 50 of those yummy treats as my mouth
truck, always prepared for a good fishing de-
watered! Her time at Chinese-American
tour! At this point, I wouldn’t be too surprised
restaurant, Mei Mei, allowed her the creative
if she even found a use for seafood in her ice
freedom to conjure up pastries and desserts
cream! Aside from selling online and at SoWa
like Black Sesame Chocolate Chip Cookies,
Market this Summer, Parlor Ice Cream Compa-
Sweet Corn Cake, Smoked White Chocolate
ny is ready and willing to create custom flavors
Ganache, Rhubarb Curd, Sweet Potato Churro
for your special events or restaurant menu
with Miso Caramel, Eggnog Panna Cotta, and
collaborations.
Strawberry Rhubarb Pavlova. I always loved
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flavor pairings Maple Parsnip Roasted parsnips & maple syrup from Allandale Farm Berry Cheesy Farmstead cheese & strawberry rhubarb jam A Latte Milk Coffee from 1369 Coffee House Too Matcha Mochi Green tea & mochi Sesamiso Sesame caramel & miso Double Dutch Cocoa Puffs & Taza Chocolate Apple Of My Pie Cheddar cheese base & apple pie Beets Me Beet root
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A Morning at Wing & A Prayer Farm WORDS AND PHOTOS BY JENN BAKOS
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Mornings on a farm are typically known for the early rising hours, checking in on the animals after the night’s rest and tending to crops. But of course, they are much more than that. The rituals and chores of the day can set the tone for the hours that follow. On Wing & A Prayer Farm, the day begins with a strong pot of coffee, longing eyes from several dogs and cats waiting for breakfast, and a good sense of humor. Tammy White, alongside her husband and children, own and operate Wing & A Prayer Farm. The farm originally began as a hobby project after the family became inspired by a trip to England in 2000. Sparked by the many sheep farms dotting the countryside, the family decided they wanted to acquire some sheep when they returned. After extensive research dug up by kids, they decided to start with a few Shetland sheep. They instantly fell in love with the sheep. Soon enough, two sheep became four, which doubled a few years down the road, and doubled again! With an expanding flock and the large quantities of wool piling up, the family finally decided they could make more of their growing farm. Since then, the farm has flourished with a variety of animals and avenues of business. Currently, the farm mostly sells their fiber for yarn, which is derived from registered Shetland, Cormo, Cotswold, and Merino sheep, registered Angora Goats, and alpacas. Along with the fiber, they sell fresh eggs, chickens, turkeys, honey, home made soap and there is even room to sell a few home made pies!
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When it comes to the four (or two)-legged
After the routine cup of coffee and feeding the
animals on the farm, each one has a different
dogs and cats, it was off to make the rounds.
duty to fulfill, and a unique personality to
We layered our clothing and stepped outside.
match. The different breeds of sheep and goat
The dogs trailed at our heels waiting for a
provide their fiber as mentioned above. The
slight hint we might toss around the old ten-
chickens provide eggs, the alpacas not only
nis ball that they were anxious to play with.
provide their fiber but are great guard animals
We started at the chicken coupe, which was
(same goes for the mini donkeys!), the dogs
a flurry of activity. Clucking and cooing, the
oversee that the other animals aren’t getting
chickens left their roosts for the greener yard
out of line, and the cats oversee (and maintain)
where they would spend their day roaming
the entire situation. It’s quite the cast of
the grounds, staying on pest control. Min-
characters!
gling amongst the chickens were the ducks, all strutting in a line in search of their favorite
On this particular spring morning, the rain was
puddle, followed by Mario, the albino pea-
steady and you could see your breath in the
cock that roams and displays his feathers for
air. Winter’s chill still lingered but our hearts
all. Next we greet Peppi the pig, offering our
were warm from the night before when two
mornings ‘hellos’ and promising our return
little lambs were born to Wendy, one of the
with food from the barn in just a short while.
ewes that had gone into labor that evening.
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Back at the barn we begin the morning’s feeding process. We start with the loudest sheep or animal first, and then make our rounds to the remainder of the group with hay and feed. On chilly days such as this one, it’s also crucial to make sure the herd was going to be warm enough and out of the rainy weather. After our initial tasks were accomplished, we tucked back into the barn to check in on the newborn lambs and make sure mom and kids were doing alright… and of course to give them some much needed human love and attention too… it’s imperative when it comes to baby animals and farm life! Our morning continued on. Chores were met and the animals were tended to. At eleven o’clock we briefly stopped our duties to wait for the sheerer to arrive for the goats. It is truly amazing the work and dedication that goes into this farm, but it all seems so worth it. There is so much that can be learned from the honest work with the land and animals and it is clear that there is much gratitude present for what they give in return. One thing is certain: Tammy’s heart and soul is poured into this farm and she treats each animal with the utmost love and care. She is so committed to their wellbeing and ensuring their happiness. It makes for a great relationship with the animals, the land, and the surrounding community.
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NEW ENGLAND MORNINGS CONTRIBUTING WRITERS, PHOTOGRAPHERS, RECIPE CRAFTERS Katherine Hysmith Briana Moore Desiree Spinner Brumley & Wells Photography Chelsea Moore El & Hannah Sherwood Sarah Webb Kara & Marni Powers Tina Picz-Devoe Jillian Conner
A SPECIAL THANK YOU TO McCrea’s Candies Myrth Ceramics Adelaïde Gross & Red’s Best Wing & A Prayer Farm Tomgirl Juice Co. Parlor Ice Cream Co.
EDITORIAL TEAM MANAGING EDITOR Mandi Tompkins FOUNDING PARTNERS Jenn Bakos & Ashley Herrin
LET’S CHAT! SUBMISSIONS submit@tellnewengland.com GENERAL INQUIRIES info@tellnewengland.com MANDI Mandi@tellnewengland.com ASHLEY Ashley@tellnewengland.com JENN Jenn@tellnewengland.com
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