Growing Organic, Against Odds

Posted on July 14, 2011 by upstatedowntown

Breezy Hill Orchard Farm Market in Rhinebeck

My husband and I were happy to discover Breezy Hill Orchard Farm Market, a new local and organic food market housed in a charming historic building in Rhinebeck village, Dutchess County.  Continue reading →

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Gingerbread in July

Posted on July 5, 2011 by upstatedowntown

By Kathryn Matthews

UD_Sorghum Gingerbread

I love a good gingerbread.  And not just at Christmas.  To me, it’s cake.  That’s why I bake my gingerbread in a round cake pan—IMO, square pans are for brownies and bar cookies.

After a recent visit down South—West Tennessee, to be exact—I was inspired to make a gingerbread with sorghum and buttermilk, two ingredients associated with traditional southern baking.

The result?  A moist, ginger-nuanced, fresh-tasting cake that is frankly irresistible.

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Southern Souvenir: Buttermilk Pie

Posted on July 2, 2011 by upstatedowntown

By Christopher Matthews

The maternal side of my family, the Smiths, are from West Tennessee farming stock (east of Memphis, around Jackson). And the Smith women, many of whom taught in the county schools during the school year, and cooked for their farmer husbands in the planting/growing season, were quite adept in the kitchen, none more so than my grandmother, Mary Webb Smith, a.k.a. “Mom”. Her scratch baking skills in particular—delectable rolls, breads, cakes and pies—
remain legendary; fortunately, we had the good sense to record and transcribe her assortment of recipes and favorite dishes while she was still with us, now a treasured family legacy.

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Italian Cooking with a Southern (Memphis) Accent

Posted on June 20, 2011 by upstatedowntown

By Kathryn Matthews

Andrew Michael Italian Kitchen

My husband Christopher and I recently braved a 100-degree June heat wave in Memphis for two reasons: to visit Rhodes College, his alma mater (where, despite the heat, we were compelled to stroll the stunning campus).  And…to eat.

Nope, NOT barbecue!

One of our most memorable meals was at Andrew Michael Italian Kitchen, a gem of a “green” restaurant in East Memphis, where chain restaurants largely prevail.

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Hillary Clinton Still Plugging NY Wines

Posted on June 18, 2011 by upstatedowntown

By Christopher Matthews

As New York’s junior US Senator, Hillary Clinton was an effective advocate for New York State agriculture, including its growing wine industry. Every fall she would host a “New York Farm Day” reception in the Senate’s elegant Russell Caucus Room — one of DC’s most sought after tickets –featuring NY’s best farm products (prepared by top chefs) and award-winning wineries. Continue reading →

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Losing My Mac Virginity…

Posted on June 14, 2011 by upstatedowntown

By Kathryn Matthews

…wasn’t as painful as I had imagined.

Actually, my spanking new MacBook Pro, with its sleek aluminum body, intuitive smarts and powerful performance, is kind of thrilling.  It’s been a life-changing experience.

I’m a writer who had been a lifetime PC user.

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Serious Spanish Wine Value: Toro’s Bodegas Fariña

Posted on June 10, 2011 by upstatedowntown

By Christopher Matthews

For wine lovers seeking value, Toro, a historical and up-and-coming wine region in north-central Spain — traditionally known for its brawny reds — is well worth getting to know. And among Toro’s wineries, Bodegas Fariña is a flagship producer, turning out exceptional wines at astonishingly affordable prices, mostly in the $10-12 range.

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Negroni: Manhattan Cocktail Classic’s Comeback Kid

Posted on May 16, 2011 by upstatedowntown

By Christopher Matthews

On Friday evening, May 13, the stately New York Public Library (NYPL) transformed into the City’s — if not the nation’s — largest cocktail party for the kick-off Gala of the five-day 2011 Manhattan Cocktail Classic.

Massive lines formed outside the NYPL, replete with velvet-rope treatment, for the sold-out event. Boas, fedoras, spiked heels and smoking jackets adorned many of the decked-out, 3,000-strong cocktail set, with plenty of eye-candy to spare. Awaiting them were dozens of spirit brands’ bar stations, manned by star bar chefs, turning out hand-made cocktails using the sponsors’ tipples, not to mention several DJ’s, live musical acts, hors d’oeuvres and some interactive art installations on the NYPL’s four cacophonous levels.

Manhattan Cocktail Classic Kick-off Gala 2011 (courtesy Hanna Lee Communications)

On Friday evenings, I’m normally on a train, headed upstate, but a press invite to the Classic declaring 2011 “Year of the Negroni” persuaded me to postpone my commute.

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The James Beard Foundation Awards 2011

Posted on May 12, 2011 by upstatedowntown

By Kathryn Matthews

Do you remember where you were on Monday, May 9th, 2011?

I was at the James Beard Foundation Awards (JBFA, for short), a.k.a. the “Oscars of the food world”.  It’s always fallen on the same day as another annual event that I am obliged to attend.  But, this year, that other event was cancelled, and, by invitation, I found myself at Lincoln Center that evening.

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Bake It Yourself: Yeasted Breads

Posted on May 5, 2011 by upstatedowntown

By Kathryn Matthews

I was surprised when I finally held a copy of Simply Great Breads by Hudson Valley baker Daniel Leader (with Lauren Chattman) in my hands.  I figured it would be a hefty coffee table-type paean to artisanal bread baking.  Instead, I found myself thumbing through a slim volume the size and weight of an iPad.

Leader, a certified organic baker, began baking European-style breads at his Catskills bakery, Bread Alone, in 1983.  Continue reading →

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