Chefs Glorious Chefs, a New Series about Connecticut’s Best Chefs
Published in Natural Nutmeg Magazine’s January/February 2019 Issue
Drew Stichter, of Hidden Valley Eatery
Drew Stichter’s life was transformed into becoming food conscious, which started his culinary adventure, in high school. “My father fell ill with heart disease at age 42, and that woke me up,” he said. His family cooked “traditional suburban meals” when margarine was considered good for you. Drew realized that eating healthy food might be able to help in reversing his father’s life, and he was determined to avoid heart disease. This fundamental fact set his life on a path of learning everything that he could about cooking natural food. He worked at "Food Naturally" a health food store in his home town of Emmaus, PA, also the home to The Rodale Press, one of the first publishing companies to release such magazines as "Organic Gardening" & "Prevention". Where he later would work at Rodale's affiliated restaurant The Ann AR Soup Bowl in Allentown, PA. He taught himself to prepare & create by staying abreast of the Culinary scene which was rapidly changing in the 1980's from Nouvelle cuisine to celebrity chefs popping up all across the country. Traditional French technique books by Jacques Pepin & Julia Childs along with Art Culinaire and Cooks Illustrated formed his foundation and those early experiences paid off in spades and put Drew firmly on the road to becoming a celebrated chef.
At the age of twenty, He traveled to California in pursuit of learning more about the food, mind, body relationship, Where he worked at "The Dessert House of Health". At that time, The Pritikin Diet was really big and Nathan Pritikin would frequent the store, this played a huge roll in shaping his knowledge of healthy food*. He returned to Pennsylvania searching for the perfect place to use his knowledge of cuisine that can be prepared creatively and healthfully. He found that home at The Ann AR Soup Bowl, where he met his wife & partner Rebecca. Later he worked as the Executive Chef in Allentown’s Maison Suisse restaurant. He certainly found the perfect platform in which to blossom and by 1987, he became the first to receive the James Beard Foundation’s award for Rising Stars of American Cuisine.
Drew then took on the Executive Chef position at the legendary Glasbern Inn. He and Rebecca worked their farm to table restaurant where they used fresh ingredients, some of which were produced on their property’s 150-acre sustainable farm or at partner local farms. The James Beard Foundation retook notice and awarded him 1996 Country Inn Chef of the Year. So that same year he and his wife and two daughters moved to Washington, CT for a chance to start Hidden Valley Eater
Connecticut is lucky to have such a thoughtful chef to move to the Washington area. He and his wife wanted to move his two daughters to the area so they could grow up in the countryside and attend a school that was uncrowded. He opened the Hidden Valley Eatery because of its proximity to the Hidden Valley Preserve and has created a favorite restaurant in the area. Natural Nutmeg Magazine readers voted Hidden Valley as one of the 10 BEST organic, farm-to-table, vegan restaurants Connecticut for 2018.
Drew doesn’t want to be known as a health food restaurant. “I want to be known for the good, quality food.” he said, “Hidden Valley represents consistently quality fresh food, and we source as many of our ingredients that we can from local Organic farmers mostly just up the road from here.” All is made from scratch (he is an Artisan Baker, and uses Organic flours to make the English muffins & Artisan Pizza doughs) with care on the site and presented artistically. They offer gluten free, allergy free and vegan options. Which carries over into the glass pastry-desert case out front, in the bakery area. Most of his family works with him adding a lovely dimension to Hidden Valley. His recommendations are his signature dishes. For breakfast try Hidden Valley Hash Breakfast Pizza or Crab Quiche. For lunch, he recommends his famous Vegetarian Burger which has 23 ingredients or a Vegetarian Burrito. And for Dinner, his signature dishes are Wild Mushroom Soufflé, Organic Salmon or Lamb Shank Bordelaise.
Before or after a visit to the Hidden Valley Preserve, a meal at Hidden Valley Eatery is the obvious choice. You can rest assured that you will have a healthy, incredibly delicious, and creative meal. Say hello to Drew, I’m sure that he would appreciate that.
Hidden Valley Eatery, 88 Bee Brook Rd. Washington, Ct 06794, 860-619-0660
OPEN 7am-5pm, Sundays until 3pm, CLOSED TUESDAYS, serving DINNER Friday and Saturday 5pm-9pm, BYOB
Frances Wall Higgins, Restaurant Review
Toro is Still Tops for Tapas in Boston
Open the door to Toro and you are greeted with a zesty atmosphere of 70s punk music, a packed room of Southender couples squeezed together, and a hip staff serving tapas and sweet libations. The brick-lined room feels warm and homey with an Iron Bull aka Toro over the mantle of a roaring fire. Yet this rustic chic scene is electric with the customers' energy and loud beat of the music. The food tastes delectable, creative, and incredibly original. You come to Toro for a crowded night out, upbeat brunch or lively lunch. This is not a place for your grandmother or a quiet conversation, but Toro is the restaurant for exceptional Spanish cuisine.
Toro is the brainchild of chef Ken Oringer, one of Boston's most notable chefs and restaurateurs. His travels in Spain sparked the Barcelona-inspired tapas restaurant. Jamie Bissonnette, a chef at Eastern Standard then joined up. The two have perfected the concept of an upbeat atmosphere, artfully arranged, delicious tapas, and exceptional wines, and have now opened Toros in NYC, Bangkok, and Dubai. The Boston restaurant wins awards year after year, and the menu maintains favorites and adds seasonal choices.
People line the bar where casual bookcases frame the painted chalkboard listing today’s menu and libations. The barkeep has chic bright pink hair and suggests Sanderson’s Spell of WireWorks Rose gin, amaro, concord grape, grapefruit, and tonic. It’s smooth and tart and makes you want to wince a bit. The cocktail is just as creative and spot-on as the tapas. For tequila lovers, try to Verdad y Amor, Tequila, hibiscus, lime, and ginger. Or a spin on a Peruvian cocktail, The Long Con, Pisco, pear, Gran Clasico, Shacksbury Dry cider. Past the bar, a cacophony of the chefs stir bubbling copper pans of paella, grill bright yellow corn, and carefully place hot and cold tapas onto small white plates to the delight anyone paying attention.
Jodie Battle, the Wine Director for Toro, Coppa and Little Donkey, greeted us as we moved to a table. She explained that she carefully selects their wine producers. She works with small vineyards where the owners harvest the grapes and literally personally stomp them. She gets to know the families so they can trust their sources, that are organic and often biodynamic. She recommended the Sao Joao Espumante Rosado, a Rose Bruto. It’s sparkling wine with floral and fruity tones. This is an excellent choice at Toro because it pairs with a broad range of foods like shellfish, fatty foods, and spicier cuisines. The wine, cider (Isastefi, Natural Cider, Basque) and sherry (Valdespino, Viejo C.P. Palo Corado) choices hail mostly from Spain.
In the evening Toro’s seats seem even closer together, and between the music and the crowd, my friend and I mostly mimed our conversation. Javier, our knowledgeable Colombian waiter, recommended a fresh and floral white wine from Rueda called Menade Verdejo that pairs well with tapas. He took his time explaining his favorite tapas (grilled octopus and hanger steak) and the Paella Valenciana that features a secret broth simmering with mussels, clams, shrimp, Spanish pork sausage, and chicken. There is a vegetarian version made with curry squash, chickpea, fried egg, and sambal. The father and daughter next to us raved that the paella is precisely the same as the best ones in Barcelona because there is an all-important crust on the bottom of the pan. For tapas, we started with their famous Maiz Asado which you have to roll up your sleeve for. The grilled corn is dotted with a creamy aioli, espellette, and cotija milk cheese. The lime squeezed over creates the balance that has half of the restaurant ordering these. The Pato con Membrillo of smoked duck drummettes with quince za’atar was caramelized with a sticky, zesty sauce that is flavorful and satisfying. The Pulpo a la Plancha, a grilled octopus, with fermented black bean, pickled chorizo, and almond stood out for originality and robust flavors with a satisfying crunch.
I returned one Saturday evening with my partner, and there is a marked difference on the weekends. After all, Toro continues to be a place to be and be seen. Women and men clad in the latest styles shared Txuleton, prime ribeye in foie gras butter gnashed on Hamburguesa con Queso, which has a special Toro sauce and caramelized onion. We sat at the butcher table on stools by the fire underneath the infamous iron Toro now complete with two Santa hats. That wouldn’t usually be our first choice, but a line developed outside and we were grateful. It was so loud and dark that I asked the waitress to bring her favorite tapas and surprise us. Standouts were the Ostra, a roasted oyster with bone marrow butter, beet, smoked trout roe for its dazzling combination of the sea, fat, and pops of roe. Boquerones, white anchovies dripping in olive oil, lemon, garlic, and crunchy bacon. Tapas fries y jamones: Queso de Cabra, creamy goat cheese that is grilled, tart black mission fig spread served with semi-sweet nut bread. Gambas al Ajillo: shrimp coated with a thick, red, spicy sauce of garlic, chilies, and lemon. Scallop Crudo, quince, ginger, pumpkin seed picada which was lightly sweet with a balance of soft scallop, crunchy quince, and pumpkin seed. Secreto Iberico a la Plancha, Iberian pork steak, sweet and sour Brussels sprouts that were a bit chewy but a knockout for moist meat and balanced peppery, tangy flavor. Dessert of choice is always the Datiles con Jamon, dates, almonds, blue cheese, Serrano that had a nice touch of warmth, with pungent cheese and almond crunch. The prices here are on the mark with chefs efforts.
Ken and Jamie’s reputation is well deserved, so eating at Toro, again and again, is recommended. There really is no comparison to other tapas restaurants in Boston. No wonder there are still lines to get in after being in business for 13 years. Invite friends for lunch, brunch or dinner. I'm looking forward to trying their magic at Toro New York.
Toro, Boston, 1704 Washington St., South End, Boston, 617-536-4300,
www.toro-restaurant.com/boston
EILEEN FISHER’S WOMEN TOGETHER LEARNING LAB IS A LIFE ENHANCING EXPERIENCE
Eileen Fisher, the iconic clothes designer, decided that she would like to participate in something meaningful for the good of all women at the latter stages of her life. Through her clothes she wants women to feel comfortable and confident. The same inspiration prompted Eileen to share her wisdom in taking the time to create space for deep, personal exploration, so you contemplate your purpose in life. Through monthly Women Together Events at her Learning Lab in Irvington, NY she invites you to embark on your own voyage of inner discovery. You may attend events in person or online.
What is Women Together? Women Together is a journey of inquiry around how we live and work, how we relate authentically, cultivate well-being and find purpose. Our mission is to support and inspire you as you build a more mindful, embodied life — a life that’s infused with purpose and meaning. Each event in the Women Together Series features three elements: Connect, Practice and Move. Whether you join in person or online you will have opportunities to connect with other participants, learn and try new practices that support the day’s experience and spend time moving. Inspiring speakers are a part of every event to like Christiane Northrup, Latham Thomas, Gabby Bernstein, and Kate Johnson to name a few in May and June.*
Steven Goldhar, the Program Director explained, “Eileen wanted to make a focused effort to support Women. It’s very important for women right now to come together and to help each other feel more empowered about who they are on the inside. It’s hard to do that when you are alone. You need other people to reflect back to you and validate who you are. You need to practice being vulnerable and access your thoughts, goals and purpose. And then other women can witness that and it’s a very important part of the process. So Women Together is an effort to bring to opportunities for women to do this.”
“I believe a collective energy emerges when women connect with other women,” said Eileen Fisher. “Our Women Together events offer meaningful opportunities for women to connect more deeply - with themselves and one another.”
The Learning Lab also offers WOMEN TOGETHER CONNECT. This series is a monthly, interactive live-stream experience designed for women to come together and share their inner journey with others. Antoinette Klatzky, the moderator of the Women Together series, leads participants through a variety of topics where you share stories, connect with yourself and others, and bring life-changing tools and insights into your daily life.
The Gloria Steinem “Revolution from Within” Event held on April 5, 2019
Gloria Steinem arrived at the Revolution from Within event at the Eileen Fisher Learning Lab on her 85th birthday dressed in a fashionable black ensemble synched with a wide black belt with a hip Gold clasp. The attendees immediately rose to a standing ovation when she took the stage and Gloria quickly put us all at ease with her quick smile and the wisdom she imparted throughout her question and answer session with Antionette Klatzky.
Antionette asked Gloria her opinion on why it is so vital that women come together right now to speak about their goals and dreams.
“We are communal animals as human beings. We can’t function all by ourselves. We need lots of different ages at the organizing table. The young see how bad it is, they are mad, and we need that anger.” said Steinem. “When we are not fully participating as part of the culture when we become the audience, not the speaker. We need to be together.”
She explained, “We don’t generate oxytocin unless we are together with all five senses, so nothing is more crucial than what you are doing today.”
Antionette asked, “Was there an ah-ha moment where you were inspired to write “The Revolution from Within?”
Gloria laughed and said, “We write what we need to read. We need to learn to treat ourselves as well as we treat others. If we walk past a mirror and criticize our bodies, a girl is watching. We need to walk in and look in the mirror and say ‘I look Fan-Fu___ing-tastic!’ That became the day’s Mantra.
When asked how we all can break free of that, she gave the great advise to “imagine your ten-year-old self looking at us. When you are 10, you are carefree before gender hits. We are climbing trees saying ‘I know what I want to be.’ That person is still in you.”
She discussed that we live in a society that tells us that we are ranked in hierarchical line and we are trying to understand that we are better off linked in a circle. “We don’t learn from sameness, we learn from differences. The more different the people that we see every day, the more we are likely to learn. We have to learn to listen as much as we talk.”
Antionette finished by asking her “How do we have courage?”
Gloria wisely said, “I would not have a wit of courage if I wasn't part of a movement. We get it from each other. It’s our of a community that holds us accountable. We can contribute something unique. Each of us is a unique miracle combination of heredity and environment that will never happen again.”