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Berkshire Tidbits: Baby Animals, Say Cheese
By Judith Lerner, Special to iBerkshires
02:59PM / Wednesday, April 06, 2016
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Bill Mangiardi, farm manager at Hancock Shaker Village, holds a chick appearing at the village's annual 'Baby Animals' event. Photo by Judith Lerner.

A wintry week of wine tastings and dinners, cooking classes, an annual food conference and the last indoor winter farmers' market of the season in downtown Pittsfield — in May it will move back outdoors to the Pittsfield Common. And lots of other tidbits.
 
 
The menu for the Haven Supper Club for the week of April 4 will be:
 
Chicken parmesan served with spaghetti and sautéed spinach
Shrimp and vegetable curry with basmati rice
Balsamic glazed meatloaf served with mashed potatoes green beans and mushrooms
 
Entrées come with soup or salad and cost $22 for one to three dinners ordered, $75 for four dinners ordered, $110 for six dinners, $200 for 12 dinners. They can be any of the dinners.
 
Order by Wednesday, pick up at the bakery in Lenox on Friday. The staff suggests people can order for different meals and can choose among that week's options: 413 637-8948 or havencafebakery@gmail.com, to order and get on their list to received upcoming menus.
 
 
On Wednesdays, starting this week, Eat on North, the restaurant of Hotel on North in Pittsfield, will have Prince Spaghetti Day evenings. A dish of featured pasta — spaghetti and meatballs this week — will be $15 between 5 and 7 p.m.
 
Like their Taco Tuesdays — two tacos and a cocktail for $15 -- and, now Fried Food Fridays between 5 and 8 but no fixed price for that one. Just go and pick up something crunchy.
 
 
Berkshire South Regional Community Center, 15 Crissey Road off Stockbridge Road/Route 7 in Great Barrington, 413 528-2810, will be offering a series of cooking and nutrition classes for young children 5 to 8, modeled on a series of successful classes held last fall for teenagers.
 
"Now You're Cooking (For Kids)!" will be taught by chef and caterer Anne Dinan. There will be four two-hour after school sessions on Tuesdays and Thursday, April 5 through April 14, from 4 to 6.
 
The series, program 161YT83, will cost $28 for Community Center members, $34 for non-members. There is a 10 precent sibling discount and a 25 percent discount for Action Adventures students, but the discounts may not be combined.
 
Although classes began on Tuesday, there may be room in the rest of the series. Call for information and to register.
 
 
From 11:30 a. m. to 1:30 p. m., Chabad of the Berkshires rebbetzin/rabbi's wife Sara Volovik, known in the Jewish community to be an extraordinary chef, will be at Spirited Wines, 444 Pittsfield Road/Route 7 at the beginning of Holmes Road in Lenox, 413-448-2274, to demonstrate how to make three kinds of charoset — one German, one Greek and one Turkish — the yummy fruit, wine, spices and sometimes nut mixture freshly made and eaten during Passover to represent the mortar the Jews had to use to build Pharaoh's structures when they were slaves in Egypt.
 
Spirited will also supply samples of different sorts of gefilte fish, a cold fish burger popular during Passover. They promise to have, "extensive selection of outstanding kosher for Passover wines and other special kosher libations" for tasting.
 
This will be a free tasting for anyone interested in tasting and finding out about the drinks and foods and about Passover, not only for Jews. Contact Volovik at 413 499-9899 or saravolovik@gmail.com with any questions.
 
 
Last week, I wrote that there would be an Italian wine dinner collaboration between Spirited Wines of Lenox and Hotel on North in Pittsfield this Friday, April 8. Spirited will present a dinner featuring the wines of Southern Italy this Friday, but it will be hosted by Hotel on North's sister hospitality venue, the Red Lion Inn, 30 Main St. in Stockbridge, 413 298-5455.
 
Leonardo Locascio, president of Winebow Inc., a leading importer of affordable premium Italian wines from family wineries, will send his wines to pair with a menu inspired by the ingredients and flavors of Southern Italy merged with fashionable, contemporary sensibilities of Berkshire chef Brian Alberg of Main Street Hospitality Group, which includes both the Red Lion and Hotel on North. Austin Slitt, wine educator for Leonardo LoCascio Selections, will be the guest speaker.
 
The second in a series, the format will be similar to the extravaganza hosted by Hotel on North last month. From 5:30 to 6:30, there will be a pre-dinner walk-around tasting of nine wines from top Southern Italian growing regions including Umbria, Tuscany, Campania, Sardinia and others, accompanied by hors d'ouvres. Dinner seating is at 6:30.
 
As with the first dinner, the $90 cost includes the wine reception, five wine four-course dinner, tax and gratuity. And the inn has a special rate for guests who wish to stay overnight after the dinner. Call for reservations.
 
Menu
shrimp, octopus and mussels salad and fresh Burrata with Berkshire Mountain Bakery crostini
Tasca d'Almerita, Grillo Cavallo delle Fate 2014, Sicily
duck confit arancini  with smoked tomato sauce and roasted mushrooms
Tenuta di Fessina, Etna Rosso, Erse, 2013, Sicily
Librandi, Ciró Duca San Felice Riserva 2011, Calabria
Lila's mountain-braised leg of lamb with red quinoa and chickpea cake and broccoli rabe
Mastroberardino, Radici Taurasi 2008, Campania
almond cake with Nutella and orange crème Anglaise
Librandi, Le Passule Vino Passito, 2009, Calabria
 
 
 
This Saturday, April 9, from 9 to 1, the last indoor, Downtown Pittsfield winter Farmers Market will take place at Lighthouse Café in the basement of the Boys & Girls Club, 16 Melville St. There will be pasture-raised meats, eggs, cheese, fruits, vegetables, breads, baked goods, coffee, wine, art, and more.
 
Assembly Coffee Roasters, Balderdash Cellars, Caroline's Scottish Shortbread, Country Seasonings, Cricket Creek Farm, Elmartin Farm, Green Meads Farm Herbals, Matt's Cookie Bars, Mountain Girl Farm, North Yeast Bakery, Square Roots Farm, Trusted Roots Farm, White Goose Gardens and Windy Ridge Farm will be there.
 
Artisans Ali Herrmann, Jake Czaja, Milltown Beadworks, MVB Printmaker, Things That Work and West End Boutique will be selling their wares.
 
There will be a youth booth where Pittsfield High School students from its Farm and Garden program will have seasonal handmade treats with all proceeds donated to the pediatric unit of HospiceCare in The Berkshires, Inc; Kate Wiles, 18, will show her nature and Berkshire photography.
 
And there will be live music from 11 to 1.
 
The easiest way to find the market is to enter through the big blue doors at the back of the building from the parking lot closest to the former Notre Dame Church.
 
 
The Center for Food Studies at Bard College at Simon's Rock, 84 Alford Road in Great Barrington, 413-528-7247, is holding its third Think Food conference, themed "Berkshire Foodways," this Saturday from 10 to 3 in the Kellogg Music Center to the right up the hill just past Blodgett House. There will be two 1 1/2-hour panel workshops separated by a 1 1/4-hour lunch in Blodgett House, where posters made by students in the Global Foodways course will show the results of their research.
 
The morning panel, "Grown/Made in the Berkshires," from 10:15 to 11:45, will include Richard Bourdon, baker and owner of Berkshire Mountain Bakery in Housatonic; blogger, food activist and cookbook (The Homemade Pantry and The Homemade Kitchen) author Alana Chernila of Great Barrington; and Maddie Elling, co-owner of homestead-based Hosta Hill Foods in Great Barrington which produces kimchi, sauerkraut, tempeh and more.
 
The three will discuss the question, what is Berkshire food?
 
The Nutrition Center will make the healthy, locally sourced lunch, 12 to 1:15.
 
The afternoon panel, "Feeding the Berkshires," from 1:30 to 3, have been asked to discuss the question, what networks have been established to distribute the food produced in the Berkshires? The panelists will be Sarah Gardner, associate director and lecturer in environmental studies at Williams College in Williamstown who will speak on food mapping in the county;  Jock Herron, a Center for Food Studies advisory board member who worked on the Worcester food hub; Nick Martinelli who will speak on his hopes for a Berkshire food hub; and Peter Stanton director of The Nutrition Center and of Stanton Home, who will talk about the Berkshire FoodWeb that he helped create and complete last year.
 
A food hub forms to help local and regional producers reach larger-than-retail markets such as institutions to strengthen the local and regional food production business economy.
The cost of the conference is $15, lunch is $10, students are free.
Register online here, or the number above or kadvokaat@simons-rock.edu with any questions.
 
 
There will be a cooking class, "Kids Can Cook!" at Berkshire Co-op Market, 42 Bridge St. in Great Barrington, 413-528-9697, Ext. 10, this Saturday, April 9, at 10:30.
 
This week's lesson will be making vegetable spring rolls and tempura batter to fry vegetable tempura. A delicious way to get your vegetables.
 
Call for information or to sign up for this free class.
 
 
Sunday, April 10, from 10:30 to 3, The Williamsville Inn Culinary School, 286 Great Barrington Road/Route 41 in West Stockbridge, 413 274-6118, will offer a hands-on class in making culinary gifts from your kitchen including presentation and packaging taught by owners Erhard and Kandy Wendt.
 
The $125 cost of the class covers the 9:30 pre-class breakfast buffet and lunch with wine after the class. Contact Kandy at Thewilliamsville@aol.com.
 
 
Hancock Shaker Village, 1843 West Housatonic St./Route 20 at the corner of Route 41 in Pittsfield, 413-443-0188, will open for the season on Saturday, April 16, with the "Baby Animals" showing that will run through Sunday, May 8.
 
What's not to love? For children and adults, alike.
 
Meanwhile, artist Susan Merrill of Stockbridge will host a reception for her farm animal paintings in the Poultry House Gallery for the eighth year — be prepared for muddy ground.
 
This year, her theme is "Colors and Camouflage." Her paintings and drawing are always graphic, unusual and endearing. Susan travels to county top to bottom and West to East to gather her subjects.
 
This is a free event but it is best to call to let them know if you plan to attend.
 
The show will hang through Sunday, May 22, but, once HSV opens, it will be part of a visit to the village that will cost $20 for adults (discounts may apply), $18 for seniors, $8 for teens 13 to 17, children under 12 free.
 
 
Berkshire animal lovers take note.
 
On Monday, April 11, from 5 to 10 p. m., Methuselah Bar and Lounge, 391 North St. on the corner of Bradford St., will host a cocktail party, "Whiskey, Wine and Whiskers" to benefit Berkshire Humane Society.
 
The cost will be $25 for two drinks and passed hors d'ouvres from 5 to 7, then, dancing to the New England bluegrass band Picky Bastards from 7 to 10 for a donation of $10.
 
Methuselah is tiny so they ask people to RSVP if they are coming to the party. It may be difficult since no one answers the phone, here. Just do it on Facebook.
 
 
 

Cookbook author and activist Alana Chernila serves her homemade yogurt and lemon curd at the Berkshire Athenaeum last year.
"When we feed people, people come," laughed Marilyn Manning, adult program coordinator at Berkshire Athenaeum, Pittsfield's library at 1 Wendell Ave. at the corners of East St. and Bartlett Ave., 413-499-9480.
 
Feed them???
 
When the library presents movies, Manning fills a table with bags of freshly popped popcorn plus jars of toppings. And, every two or three months, she drops a cooking demo into her adult programming sponsored by Friends of the Berkshire Athenaeum.
 
She keeps her audiences happy.
 
Last fall the Athenaeum hosted an afternoon fresh smoothie demonstration and tasting. The cups of smoothies were refreshing and tasty. In January, everyone gathered 'round to watch and eat little cups of cookbook author Alana Chernila's just made lemon and blood orange curds with homemade yogurt she had brought.
 
This Wednesday, April 13, at 7 p.m., Berkshire personal chef and health coach Molly Johnson, owner of Back to Basics cooking and coaching, will demonstrate soup making downstairs in the library auditorium. With tastings and recipes.
 
The event is free and no registration is required. You will not be disappointed if you come.
 
 
 
All day Thursday, April 14, 8 to 8, Berkshire Co-op Market owners/members will receive a 10 percent discount during the Co-op's quarterly Owner Appreciation Day.
 
On this Owner Appreciation Day, the Co-op, 42 Bridge St. in Great Barrington, 413 528-9697, will be celebrating local cheese with its first Homage to Cheese.
 
Local cheesemakers will give out samples of their cheeses and, from 1 to 4, the Co-op will have a free grilled cheese station for sampling. There will be giveaways and cheese-themed raffles all day long.
It's a good day to shop at the Co-op, especially if you are an owner.
 
 

The lasagna dinners to benefit Purradise, like this one last fall, draw a big crowd.
On Thursday, April 14 from 5:30 to 8, there will be a big lasagna dinner fundraiser for Berkshire Humane Society's Purradise cat shelter at Crissey Farm, 425 Stockbridge Road/Route 7 way back behind Barrington Brewery in Great Barrington, 413 528-4844.
 
Chef Odile Carpenter oversees the preparations for meat and vegetarian lasagna, at least two kinds of salads, garlic bread as part of the dinner — $12 for adults, $6 for children, $10 for early birds who come between 4:30 and 5:30. Drinks and Odile-made desserts will be for sale.
 
Reservations are not needed. There is ample parking behind the building. The huge hall will be filled to the rafters.
 
 
You can order chopped liver and matzoh ball soup, kugel/savory casserole, potato-leek tart, macaroons and chocolate covered matzoh for Passover made by The Marketplace in Sheffield, 18 Elm Court, 413 248-5040, Ext. 100. These can be ordered from Sheffield or at their Kitchen at Guido's, 760 South Main St. in Great Barrington, 413 528-5775.
 
Order by Friday, April 15. Pickup at Guido's can be arranged beginning Wednesday, April 20.
 
There will also be some of these Passover foods at The Marketplace counter in Guido's for those who have not pre-ordered and are willing to take their chances.
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