Bucks Life Feb/Mar 2015

informed. sophisticated. local.

BUCKSLife

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ISSUE

37

THE FOOD ISSUE 2015

THE FARM-TO-TABLE CLASSROOMRecruiting Serious Home Chefs and the Seriously Hungry

And WHERE TO BONE UP ON YOUR BUTCHERINGTHE BEST BITES (AND SIPS) OF 2014WOOD-FIRED PIZZA, HOW WE LOVE YOU PlusUPGRADE YOUR HEARTY WINTER SOUPS

Our Spring All-Occasions Guide

Weddings • Events

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A country store with holiday meals for the family and gifts for your foodie friends.

On the square in Carversville, Pennsylvania(215) 297-5353.MaxsCarversvilleGrocery.com

Carversville is easy to fi nd.(It’s somewhere betweenNew Hope and the North Pole. You can’t miss it.)

Pick up something for breakfast,

lunch or dinner.

7:00 am to 6:00 pm Monday through Friday.

8:00 am to 5:00 pm Saturday and Sunday.

New Hope and the North New Hope and the North New Hope and the North Pole. You can’t miss it.)New Hope and the North Pole. You can’t miss it.)New Hope and the North Pole. You can’t miss it.)

8:00 am to 5:00 pm 8:00 am to 5:00 pm 8:00 am to 5:00 pm Saturday and Sunday.

8:00 am to 5:00 pm Saturday and Sunday.

Cover.BL.FebMar15.02.indd 2 2/10/15 9:09 AM

92 Nassau Street, Princeton. 609.683.4200shop online at hamiltonjewelers.com

PRINCETON PALM BEACH PALM BEACH GARDENS HAMILTONJEWELERS.COM

You’ve found your perfect match. Now fi nd the perfect expression of your enduring love.

Hamilton’s Cherish Collection.Crafted in 18k white gold, these beautiful designs showcase stunning

round or cushion-cut center diamonds with fi ne double prong design, from $2,595.

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Publisher Jim Bauer

Editor-in-Chief Scott Edwards

Design Cantor Design

Contributing Writers Kyle Bagenstose, Kristin Baver Mike Madaio, Colin Marsh, Laurie Palau Todd Soura, Yelena Strokin

Contributing Photographers Guy Ambrosino, Thomas Robert Clarke Josh DeHonney, Stu Goldenberg, Colin Marsh Matthew J. Rhein, Ryan Scott Yelena Strokin, Brian Vu

Bookkeeping Jana Dickstein

Director of Events Kate Frey & Special Projects

Director of Sales & Marketing Mike Boucher

Bucks Life Sales Manager Ann Ferro

Advertising Sales 610-417-9261 M7 Media Group

Evan Bauer, Bonny Kalman

Founder Andrew Cantor

BUCKS LIFE Magazine (ISSN 2154-4123) Vol. 7, No. 1, Issue 37. BUCKS LIFE Magazine is published bimonthly by Black Dog Media, Ltd., P.O. Box 682, New Hope, PA 18938; www.buckslifemag.com. ©2015 by Black Dog Media, Ltd. All rights reserved.

MAINLINE Magazine (ISSN 2154-4093) Vol. 9, No. 6, Issue 54. MAINLINE Magazine is published bimonthly by Black Dog Media, Ltd., P.O. Box 682, New Hope, PA 18938; www.mainlinemag.com. ©2015 by Black Dog Media, Ltd. All rights reserved.

Nothing herein may be reproduced in whole or in part without written permission of the publisher. Return postage must accompany all manuscripts, photographs, etc. if they are to be returned. Black Dog Media, Ltd. assumes no responsibility for unsolicited material. All letters will be treated as unconditionally assigned for publication and copyright purposes and are subject to Black Dog Media’s right to edit and comment editorially. All manuscripts, photos or material of any kind may be edited at the discretion of the editors. To be properly credited, all submissions must be accurately marked with the name, address and phone number of the contributor.

Postage paid at the New Hope, PA, Post Office.

POSTMASTER, send address changes to: Black Dog Media, Ltd. P.O. Box 682 New Hope, PA 18938 Subscription rate: $25 for 12 issues.

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Veg ForwardFlora’s Max Hosey is the latest to join the ranks of a new breed of thoughtful chefs that’s overhauling vegetarian cooking, one pepper pot at a time

Making it Look Easy The endless nuance of something that seems so simple is the beauty and the magnetism of wood-fi ed pizza

8 Publisher’s Letter10 Editor’s Letter

LIFE.

12 Please and Thank You Modern sensibilities can coexist with suffocating

traditions—in Vanessa Kreckel’s hands, at least

14 Organized Home If the kitchen’s your home’s heart, it’s due for a

bypass. A DIY-guide to unclogging the arteries

16 Fitness With many of the old standards debunked, it’s

time to rethink how you’re fueling up

AT LARGE.

THE FOOD ISSUE 2015

32 The Original Green Grocer A Kimberton dairy farmer knew what it would take the rest of us 30 years to discover

34 Heart + Soul Rolling pasta with rising-star chef Andrew Wood yields an intimate portrait and a humbling meal

35 My Best Meal (or Drink) A few of our favorite tastemakers share their most memorable moments from the last year

44 CEO Max Hansen and Dana Farrell’s latest moves may appear suspect, but it’s only because they’re not motivated by money or fame

EATS.

52 Home Cooking Later, pot roast. The new poster child for dead- of-winter eating is a light, Asian-inspired roll

53 Canned Hearty soups are reason enough to endure February. Are you making the most of yours?

58 The Last Word Few had as good a 2014 as Havertown’s Alex G.

But his self-confidence is still a work in p ogress

36

40

50

Bonding Over CSA SharesFor two well-travelled chefs, planting roots means connecting with the community as much as the land

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COVERS BUCKS LIFE: Photography by Guy Ambrosino (andweate.com). Pictured: Ian Knauer and Shelley Wiseman at The Farm Cooking School in Stockton, New Jersey. See “Living the Dream,” page 36. MAINLINE: Photography by Josh DeHonney (joshdehonney.com). Pictured: Dan Brightcliffe at Flora in Jenkintown. See “You’ll Never Miss What’s Missing,” page 40.

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SPECIAL SUPPLEMENT

17 All Occasions Event Guide

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Remember the last dinner party you hosted? The Thanksgiving-size feast, the deluge of wine (and Scotch, and bourbon and Port), the gut-laughs at everyone’s expense, including your own?

No? Understandable. Even after the hangover scorched the details from your memory, the deeper sense of satisfaction from a night spent en-trenched among friends around your dinner table lingers somewhere along the periphery, I’m sure.

You probably have a better grip on the 24 to 36 hours before that party—the recipe planning, the food and booze shopping, the cleaning, the cooking. For a few hours of bliss, you committed the better part of three days of your life, including the day-long hangover. Worth it? Almost always. But imagine hosting parties Friday and Saturday nights. Now, six nights in a row. That’s a taste of the lives of a restaurateur and an executive chef. It’s not an entirely accurate depiction, but it’s close enough for our sake here. Which is to beg the question: Why would anyone submit himself to that?

Because it penetrates something deep inside of them. And once it hap-pens, that most coveted and rarest sensation of the human experience, you chase the high through the rest of your days.

Dana Farrell walked away from a potentially lucrative partnership—very lucrative—because while the Harvest Seasonal Grill was (and still is) thriv-ing, it wasn’t her own. (See “Instincts Over Trends,” page 48.) And she gleaned enough from her introduction to the industry to know that having it be your own was what made all the difference. She opened The Classic Diner with her then-husband, Tom Farrell, in 1995, and over the next 13 years, their marriage broke down, but they turned the restaurant into a Malvern institution. It wasn’t until she partnered on Harvest, though, that she got her first eal taste of compromise, and it didn’t sit well.

She opened Avenue Kitchen in Villanova almost two years ago now, sticking to the instincts she trusted so dearly when her experience was to-tally lacking during the diner’s formative years. And she’s been rewarded for it. A second location’s in the works. But even more than that, Farrell’s rediscovered that elusive feeling emanating from her core.

Max Hansen knows it well, too. He’s spent the last two decades cooking for heads of state, Fortune 500 CEOs and pop culture icons, along with plenty of us ordinary people. (“Off the Beaten Path, But It’s His Path,” page 44.) But around the time Farrell opened Avenue Kitchen, the same month, in fact, Hansen started downsizing. His much-in-demand catering business remains, but he turned a good part of his attention to a small, mom-and-pop grocery just down the road from his secluded home.

From the outside, it seemed like a curious move—not unlike walking away from a budding partnership—but it made perfect sense to Hansen, of course. Here was his opportunity, after so many years of catering to others’ preferences, to forge his own identity, to stock the shelves with and cook the food that he loves, to hang the art that means something to him, to indulge, finally, in a conversation with a neighbo .

It took some coaxing, but Farrell and Hansen have forced themselves to be vulnerable in the most public of ways. At her restaurant and his mar-ket, this is what they’re about, this is who they are. For them to be well-received, as they are, is a genuine reaffi mation. But to even take those chances, they already found what they needed.

Enjoy,Jim BauerPublisher

Art Unleashed 2015Exhibition & Saleat the University of the Arts–This extraordinary event helps raise money to support scholarships for talented young artists at the University of the Arts, with an exhibition and sale of artwork from students, faculty and alumni. From cutting-edge contemporary jewelry to ceramics, photography, crafts, furniture, painting, sculpture and illustration, Art Unleashed showcases the finest work from established and emerging artists. – The Alumni Spotlight Gallery will showcase the work of one of our most accomplished graduates: Dan Walsh BFA ’83 (Painting).

Preview the work/Buy tickets online:uarts.edu/artunleashed

Preview PartyThursday April 9Valet ParkingAdmission Charge–Public SaleFriday April 10 —Tuesday April 14Free Admission–Dorrance Hamilton Hall320 South Broad StreetPhiladelphia PA

4. 9—4. 14

art unleashed

The University of the Arts

4. 9—4. 14

art unleashed

The University of the Arts

More informationAnisa HaidaryOffice of [email protected](215) 717–6147

RUNNING PINE FARM: Set in the heart ofdesirable Tinicum Township, this stucco over stonefarmhouse sits well off the road and enjoys a 19 plus acrehomestead. The home is a delight for those who want aprimitive home that has maintained the original flooring,fireplace, millwork and details of long ago; yet, hasincorporated modern amenities of the 21st Century.There is a very special guest house that offers a full bath,bedroom,kitchenette,fireplace and radiant heated floors.

$1,225,000

CUTTALOSSA FARM: This property holds an iconic position in Bucks County's history. This 18th centuryhomestead was once the studio of famed Impressionist Painter Daniel Garber. Garber's fame coupled with theextraordinary beauty of Cuttalossa Farm,has created a living canvas that has been photographed, included in poetryand the site of many fashion shots ...more than any other property in the area. A manor home,the Garber Studio,full cottage, streams and sheep barn with waterwheel complete the package. $2,395,000

MACKINTOSH HOUSE: A really beautifulreproduction of an early 20th century Arts & CraftsHome. The home,located in country setting of DurhamTownship, in Upper Bucks, is sited on a lot that providesbeautiful vistas and privacy.Every room has walls of glassthat creates a fusion of interior and exterior living.Closeto I-78 (N.Y.C and New Jersey). $534,500

WHISPERINGCEDARS: Located in a quiet cornerofTinicumTownship. A long cedar line drive delivers youto this very private 11 plus acre parcel. The home wasdesigned to resemble a Bucks County barn and thearchitect did not disappoint. The interior offers an openfloor plan that is perfect for entertaining or supplies aneasy way of living. Wood beams and other indigenousmill work create the feel of a barn’s interior. Beautifulcabinetry and high end appliances in kitchen. $1,349,000

BOXWOOD MANOR: Approaching this propertyyour senses are overwhelmed by the beauty and uniquepark-like characteristics. Three flagpoles mark theentrance which leads to beautiful French gardens, a Zengarden, English boxwood hedges, a meandering streamwith bridges, statuary, an impressive pergola, Porte-cochère and a serene naturalized pool setting. Locatedin Bucks County with easy access to Doylestown andNew Hope. $1,295,000

ROSEBUD: The core of the home is a 1700's loghome with new additions. Beautiful gardens, pond,garage with office. Unique zoning permits homeoccupation with sign display.Spacious First Floor Mastersuite two other bedrooms, one en-suite, and the otherwith its own sitting room. The two-car garage is adjacentto the separate,heated work shop. All set on 5 verdantacres. $549,000

AddisonWolfeReal Estate

A BOUTIQUE REAL ESTATE FIRMWITH GLOBAL CONNECTIONS

NEWPRICE

For property information contact Art Mazzei directly at (610) 428-4885550 Union Square, New Hope, PA • (215) 862-5500 • www.AddisonWolfe.com

THE OLDWEAVER HOMESTEAD: The homeoffers a European style kitchen with fireplace andglistening wood floors. The large living room shares thesame polished flooring and period perfect walk-in stonefireplace. There is a quintessential Bucks County barnwith horse stalls and a greenhouse area for wintervegetables. In the rear of the property is a convertedbarn that has storage on the first floor and a completeone bedroom guest apartment on the second level.There is also an in-ground pool. $1,229,000

LE JARDIN: At the end of a quiet cul de sac you willfind the stately entrance to Le Jardin.The long drivewaydelivers you to this 6 bedroom homewhich captures thesensibility and design aesthetics of a home found in theSouth of France.The 10 acre property is lushly adornedwith mature specimen plants and pathways. Includesseparate cottage above a 3 car garage,heated pool withspa and refurbished tennis court. $2,595,000

PubLetter.indd 8 2/10/15 11:58 AM

mailto:[email protected]

RUNNING PINE FARM: Set in the heart ofdesirable Tinicum Township, this stucco over stonefarmhouse sits well off the road and enjoys a 19 plus acrehomestead. The home is a delight for those who want aprimitive home that has maintained the original flooring,fireplace, millwork and details of long ago; yet, hasincorporated modern amenities of the 21st Century.There is a very special guest house that offers a full bath,bedroom,kitchenette,fireplace and radiant heated floors.

$1,225,000

CUTTALOSSA FARM: This property holds an iconic position in Bucks County's history. This 18th centuryhomestead was once the studio of famed Impressionist Painter Daniel Garber. Garber's fame coupled with theextraordinary beauty of Cuttalossa Farm,has created a living canvas that has been photographed, included in poetryand the site of many fashion shots ...more than any other property in the area. A manor home,the Garber Studio,full cottage, streams and sheep barn with waterwheel complete the package. $2,395,000

MACKINTOSH HOUSE: A really beautifulreproduction of an early 20th century Arts & CraftsHome. The home,located in country setting of DurhamTownship, in Upper Bucks, is sited on a lot that providesbeautiful vistas and privacy.Every room has walls of glassthat creates a fusion of interior and exterior living.Closeto I-78 (N.Y.C and New Jersey). $534,500

WHISPERINGCEDARS: Located in a quiet cornerofTinicumTownship. A long cedar line drive delivers youto this very private 11 plus acre parcel. The home wasdesigned to resemble a Bucks County barn and thearchitect did not disappoint. The interior offers an openfloor plan that is perfect for entertaining or supplies aneasy way of living. Wood beams and other indigenousmill work create the feel of a barn’s interior. Beautifulcabinetry and high end appliances in kitchen. $1,349,000

BOXWOOD MANOR: Approaching this propertyyour senses are overwhelmed by the beauty and uniquepark-like characteristics. Three flagpoles mark theentrance which leads to beautiful French gardens, a Zengarden, English boxwood hedges, a meandering streamwith bridges, statuary, an impressive pergola, Porte-cochère and a serene naturalized pool setting. Locatedin Bucks County with easy access to Doylestown andNew Hope. $1,295,000

ROSEBUD: The core of the home is a 1700's loghome with new additions. Beautiful gardens, pond,garage with office. Unique zoning permits homeoccupation with sign display.Spacious First Floor Mastersuite two other bedrooms, one en-suite, and the otherwith its own sitting room. The two-car garage is adjacentto the separate,heated work shop. All set on 5 verdantacres. $549,000

AddisonWolfeReal Estate

A BOUTIQUE REAL ESTATE FIRMWITH GLOBAL CONNECTIONS

NEWPRICE

For property information contact Art Mazzei directly at (610) 428-4885550 Union Square, New Hope, PA • (215) 862-5500 • www.AddisonWolfe.com

THE OLDWEAVER HOMESTEAD: The homeoffers a European style kitchen with fireplace andglistening wood floors. The large living room shares thesame polished flooring and period perfect walk-in stonefireplace. There is a quintessential Bucks County barnwith horse stalls and a greenhouse area for wintervegetables. In the rear of the property is a convertedbarn that has storage on the first floor and a completeone bedroom guest apartment on the second level.There is also an in-ground pool. $1,229,000

LE JARDIN: At the end of a quiet cul de sac you willfind the stately entrance to Le Jardin.The long drivewaydelivers you to this 6 bedroom homewhich captures thesensibility and design aesthetics of a home found in theSouth of France.The 10 acre property is lushly adornedwith mature specimen plants and pathways. Includesseparate cottage above a 3 car garage,heated pool withspa and refurbished tennis court. $2,595,000

PubLetter.indd 9 2/10/15 9:18 AM


EDIT

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Within seconds of turning the key, my wife’s car would fill with the toxic scent of burning rubber. Even in the dead of winter, I lowered the window an inch or two. She said she was used to it, which was a lazy lie. The woman has the nose of a bloodhound.

And then there was the deeply unset-tling, whole-car shimmying once we started moving. It wasn’t a matter of whether the front, passenger-side wheel was going to shear off, but when.

Still, she debated the merits of buying a new car almost every night for three years before finally caving. (It took me several months to realize that only in my mind was I an active participant in those conversations.) That was a year-and-a-half ago now, and she’s allowed me behind the wheel twice, both times to move the car from the garage to a few feet outside the garage.

So it was with not a little anxiety that I made my first smoothie in our (read: her) new Vitamix. (Actually, it was my second. But I was relegated to mere observer for the first one.) Cathy watched and instructed, step by step, from just over my shoulder, as protective as a mother with her newborn. I got why. I mean, I don’t have the cleanest track record in the kitchen. The other night, she proposed buying me my own pots and pans. “That way you’ll stop burning mine.”

Cathy agonized over the purchase of this cherry-red Vitamix almost as long as she did the car. Every friend or family member who landed one in the meantime only added to her internal turmoil. I gently encouraged her—I like to feel as though I earn my big purchases, but I’m not going to suffer (or make others suffer) for them—though I’d learned my place: She wasn’t listening anyway. That is until the blender started spewing a familiar burning-rubber smell. “Buy the Vitamix already. I can’t take this thing anymore,” I said. And then I set about stabbing a block of frozen blueberries with a wooden spoon, the one already nicked from when I jabbed it into the blender’s blades performing the same act weeks ear-lier. I remembered to turn it off first this time, at least

A post-Christmas sale at Williams-Sonoma was too good to ignore. She’d long ago thrown a light around the darkest recesses of the Internet fishing for The Deal. It wasn’t going to get any better than this.

Considering the amount of use it’s seen in the few weeks since—breakfast smoothies, puddings, soups, sauces, hummus—it’s hard to re-member what our lives were like Before Vitamix. Lots more solid food, probably.

Cathy’s even come to trust me enough to make a smoothie when she’s not around. I’m pretty sure I’m still somehow being watched, though. She shouldn’t worry. I’m intimidated by the muscle of this machine. The lifetime warranty tells me it’s left lots of other ignorant amateurs in its smooth, creamy wake.

All my best,Scott EdwardsEditor-in-Chief

OPEN HOUSETHUrSday, aPril 16TH

9:00 am

Available at the Box Office, 1-800-298-4200 orTICKETS ON SALE NOW!

7:30PMMARCH 12

EXPO Center at OaksFebruary 19 – 22100 Station Avenue, Oaks, PA 19456

Meet hundreds of trusted home service and product suppliers face-to-face.

One-stop shopping for: kitchens · windowsgutters · baths · roofing landscaping · hot tubs doors · flooring · siding decking · furniture pools …and more.

So much more than a show – it’s an experience!

SHOW HOURS

FREE Admission 2:00pm – 8:00pm12:00pm – 8:00pm11:00am – 8:00pm11:00am – 5:00pm

ThursdayFridaySaturdaySunday

February 19February 20February 21February 22

info and discounted tickets:

ENTER TO WIN!A luxurious $5,000 hot tub from Daniel's Lawn & Garden Center

Family fun and Inspiration• See the full-‐scale Weisser Home landscaped by

• Crystal Clear Pools• GreenAcres Nursery• Turpin Landscaping• WJA Landscaping

Great items to bring home• Fresh baked goods from Dutch Country Corner• Sample and buy Boyd's Cardinal Winery• Handmade chocolates by Zuzu Confectionary• Fresh flowers and plants by Plaza Flowers

Gardens in bloom• Across the Pond Aquascapes• AJR Environmental• CKC Landscaping• Country Lane Gazebos

Find everything needed to keep your home humming, plus these entertaining (and delicious!) attractions:

Jake's Greenhouse & Garden Center• Learn! Informative N.A.R.I stage presentations• Enjoy the Amazing Championship Frisbee Dog Show• Play at Swing Kingdom & Sport Court

This coupon entitles holder to $3 off one regular $10 admission. Please present at box office. Cash only accepted for balance. Not valid with any other coupon or offer.

off one regular adult admission

Everything for home improvement inside & out!

Valid Friday, Saturday or Sunday!

EditorsLetter.BLML.FebMar15.04.indd 10 2/10/15 1:18 PM

EXPO Center at OaksFebruary 19 – 22100 Station Avenue, Oaks, PA 19456

Meet hundreds of trusted home service and product suppliers face-to-face.

One-stop shopping for: kitchens · windowsgutters · baths · roofing landscaping · hot tubs doors · flooring · siding decking · furniture pools …and more.

So much more than a show – it’s an experience!

SHOW HOURS

FREE Admission 2:00pm – 8:00pm12:00pm – 8:00pm11:00am – 8:00pm11:00am – 5:00pm

ThursdayFridaySaturdaySunday

February 19February 20February 21February 22

info and discounted tickets:

ENTER TO WIN!A luxurious $5,000 hot tub from Daniel's Lawn & Garden Center

Family fun and Inspiration• See the full-‐scale Weisser Home landscaped by

• Crystal Clear Pools• GreenAcres Nursery• Turpin Landscaping• WJA Landscaping

Great items to bring home• Fresh baked goods from Dutch Country Corner• Sample and buy Boyd's Cardinal Winery• Handmade chocolates by Zuzu Confectionary• Fresh flowers and plants by Plaza Flowers

Gardens in bloom• Across the Pond Aquascapes• AJR Environmental• CKC Landscaping• Country Lane Gazebos

Find everything needed to keep your home humming, plus these entertaining (and delicious!) attractions:

Jake's Greenhouse & Garden Center• Learn! Informative N.A.R.I stage presentations• Enjoy the Amazing Championship Frisbee Dog Show• Play at Swing Kingdom & Sport Court

This coupon entitles holder to $3 off one regular $10 admission. Please present at box office. Cash only accepted for balance. Not valid with any other coupon or offer.

off one regular adult admission

Everything for home improvement inside & out!

Valid Friday, Saturday or Sunday!

EditorsLetter.BLML.FebMar15.04.indd 11 2/10/15 1:18 PM


Life

.

Please and Thank YouFor a business that feels so very much of the moment, the reality is that Two Paperdolls has been 15 years in the making. And it feels even longer than that when its founder/owner, Vanessa Kreckel, remembers where she started to fitthe pieces together: her dining room table. Last fall, the letterpress design house moved into a larger studio in Wayne and added a small retail shop filled with a smartly edited mix of reverent and modish stationery and art prints.

Stationery is a resilient genre, when you think about it. The more attached we become to our inboxes, the more expendable it should be. But we continue to cling to a certain amount of decorum when it comes to the rites of passage—weddings, babies, moves. And it has a lot to do with Kreckel and her savvy breed, because they learned how to play to our modern sensibilities within the suffocat-ing confines of tradition. Basically: Keep the quality stock and the ceremonial language, but infuse the font and design with personality.

“We’ve come to embrace the terms designer, writer, savant, strategist, trend-spotter, craftsman and storyteller,” Kreckel says, because all of those parts com-prise the modern stationery artisan. (And because they do full-on branding, too.)

The new shop stocks Two Paperdolls’ own customizable place cards and boxed notecards, along with a selection of Kreckel’s favorite stationery houses—RiflePaper Co., Emily McDowell, Hammerpress, Moglea. These are your torchbearers. They are the ones who will motivate you to keep sending thank-you notes. And as long as you do, they’ll be considered nothing short of thoughtful. Pour your heart out in an email, it’s still going to feel like an afterthought. —KRISTIN BAVER

INSIDE: 14 > Organized Home 16 > Fitness

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13blackdogmedialtd.com

The Central Bucks Chamber of CommerceWomen In Business Committee presents

25 of Bucks County’s best purveyors of food and drinkNew for 2015: A Delicious Night at the Theatre!

• Raffles • Silent Auction • Live Entertainment

Call 215-348-3913 for tickets or visit www.gourmetgetaway.org

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$45 – Proceeds provide scholarships to Bucks County women in need. Since 1983, Women In Business has awarded more than

100 scholarships, totaling $301,660!

Thanks to our Media Sponsors: Bucks County Women’s Journal, Bucks Life Magazine, Bucks County Herald, Bucks County Magazine, BuxMont Media,

Bucks County Taste, and Bucks County Alive.

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by:

Thursday, March 26, 2015 — 5:00 to 8:00 pm Spring Mill Country Club — 80 Jacksonville Road, Ivyland

A Tavern – Casual Dinning & Entertainment

Meet me at...

1600 River Road | New Hope, PA 18938 | 215.862.2972BowmansTavernRestaurant.com

Seasonal Menus. Craft Beers. Award-Winning Chef Michael Livelsberger.

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http://www.gourmetgetaway.org


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Get this app: YummlyAs if having a seemingly endless stream of recipes at your disposal (for free!) wasn’t enough—it sources from all over the webiverse—you can filter by allergies and ingredients. And that’s not even the most impressive feature. This is: Plug in what’s in your fridge, leftovers included, and Yummly will tell you what’s for dinner. Or late-night snacking. —LP

You’re Due for a Bypass

It’s where dinner parties find their identities. It’s where families find safe harbor following overloaded days. It’s also where the homework’s done, the bills are paid and, of course, the meals are made.

We ask a lot of our kitchens, and we give very little in return. Draw-ers designed for Japanese-forged knives are handed over to flashlightswithout batteries and half-used lint rollers. Large chunks of granite coun-tertop are lost to a rat’s nest of charging phones and tablets.

That kind of scene goes from cozy to suffocating overnight. Before long, your family’s bound to start avoiding it—and each other. But it’s easily remedied by streamlining a few pulse points.

Laurie Palau is the owner of the New Hope-based simply B organized (simplyborganized.com),

a home and life organization service.

The Tool DrawerHow many meals have gone up in flames while you dug (and dug) for the peeleror the small wooden spoon? And don’t forget those supposed friends of yours who very obviously rolled their eyes while you lost your patience (and theirs) chas-ing a corkscrew. Cut your arsenal down to no more than three of any one tool. You’re not employing line cooks, so you’ll never miss them. Then, insert these bamboo drawer dividers by Lipper ($20 for a set of two) to create a very basic order. As with everything else here, like with like.

The Pots and Pans CabinetAnything you haven’t used in the last year, donate. Anything that’s scratched or burned beyond recogni-tion, trash. Nest the remaining pots and pans within each other. (Largest on the bottom, smallest on top.) As for those always-uncooperative lids, they’ve finally met their match in theOrganized Living Lid Organizer ($6.50). Now, start plotting what to do with all that extra real estate.

The PantryEverything that’s expired gets tossed in the garbage, even if you believe that those dates are merely sugges-tions. And don’t overlook the spices. They’re only good for a year. Then, approach the pantry like it’s your personal market. Labels should face forward and foodstuffs grouped by kind. Corralling the bagged things—potatoes, onions, sugar—in a bin or two like the Sterilite Ultra Basket ($4 for the medium) will spare you shelf space and headaches.

The Junk DrawerIf you must have one, and I’ve come to ac-cept that every kitchen does, at least pare it down to the useful stuff. Holding on to a Whole Foods receipt from seven months ago is hoarding. Get a drawer organizer like this adjustable one by Lipper ($16). But what about the things that don’t fit, youask? They probably don’t belong anyway.

The Storage ShelfEvery container that doesn’t have a lid, and vice versa, goes. Holding out hope doesn’t make it any more likely to surface. If that really narrows the field, or ifyour set is less a set and more a collection of old takeout containers, invest in the Rubbermaid 40-piece Easy Find Lid set ($21). And prepare to have your mind blown: interchangeable lids, easy-peasy stacking.

The kitchen is the heart of the modern home. But we’re clogging our arteries. A DIY-guide to get it—and your family—functioning like new. By Laurie Palau

L.OrganizedHome.BLML.FebMar15.04.indd 14 2/10/15 9:30 AM


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LIFE

. FIT

NES

S

Seems to be no better time to remap your lifestyle than the start of a new year. The holiday-season hangover probably has a lot to do with it. Regardless of your motivation and your (re-)starting point, finding your way can fast become a deter ent.

You have a vague idea of what you should be doing: exercising with moderate intensity, at least, and eating more whole foods. You did just sit through a season of “Biggest Loser,” after all. But now that you’re ready to get down to it, you’re realizing the details are endless. And intimidating. A 15-minute workout sounds so promising. High-intensity intervals, much less so.

Compounding matters, sports science is gaining at breakneck speed. Lots of what formed the foundation of our core fitness and nutrition standards is being dispelled as little more than myth. Last you heard, Gatorade and the like were vital for a productive workout. Now they’re practically poison. And that trend’s likely to continue the more we reveal of genetic codes.

So, we did the heavy lifting for you and sorted fact from fiction (or, untested, at least). What follows is a simple plan for eating before, during and after your workout, the three phases of your new regimen when you’ll stand to make the most improvement. We may be updating these guidelines in a few months, but they’ll give you a solid footing in the meantime.

The standards of a healthy diet are changing as fast as the next study can be posted. So, we designed a simple plan to make the most of the latest news. And you. By Todd Soura

Todd Soura is the owner of the Doylestown-based Action Personal Training (actionpersonaltraining.com).

HOW TO EAT RIGHT NOW

BEFORETwenty to 40 minutes before you hit the gym

or, for you runners and cyclists, the road, eat a whole-food, low-calorie snack that has an equal balance of protein, carbs and healthy fat, like apple wedges with a nut butter.

For the endurance athletes, add some vir-gin coconut or red palm oil. Unlike most fats, they’re broken down in such a way that they’ll become an energy source almost immediately.

DURINGFor weight training and brief cardio work-

outs, drinking water alone, as needed, will suffice. That means 10 to 20 ounces for most. More than that could cause bloating and upset your stomach. Less could bring on dehydra-tion, which leads to fatigue and, worst-case scenario, dizziness and nausea.

Drink a combination of water and a natu-ral, electrolyte-rich fluid, like coconut water, for longer (an hour or more) cardio sessions. Sports drinks tend to run high in sugar and chemicals, which, studies are beginning to show, hurt more than they help. If you’re go-ing that long, you need to refill your glycogenstores, too. Eating an easy-to-digest fruit—ba-nanas, oranges, raisins—on the hour will top you off. So-called energy bars tend to be sugar and calorie bombs.

AFTERThis is the most critical time because your

body’s primed to start rebuilding itself follow-ing all the damage you just inflicted on it. Even more specifically, the 20 to 40 minutes imme-diately following your workout are when your muscles are most receptive to accepting out-side help. Later on, they won’t absorb nearly as many carbs, which means less recovery, and what isn’t used will be saved as fat.

So, aim to eat fast. And look for a balance of protein and carbs: a small chicken breast and a sweet potato, a cup of Greek yogurt mixed with raisins and dates or a cup of granola. If that sounds like too much, too soon, try a smoothie instead. It’ll go down a lot easier. Find a low-sugar, preservative-free protein powder (whey, egg, soy) and blend it with a couple different kinds of frozen fruits or veggies. Play around with combinations until you find one you crave. This should be a reward, not a chore. And by using frozen kinds, you’ll eliminate the need for ice and concentrate the flavors

Once you’re confident in your template, ex-periment. A variety of foods will fill different needs, and the more they’re met, the stronger you’ll become. When in doubt, choose whole foods over processed ones.

L.Fitness.BLML.FebMar15.04.indd 16 2/10/15 9:35 AM

All-Occasions GUIDE

A B U C K S L I F E + M A I N L I N E M A G A Z I N E S S P E C I A L A D V E R T I S I N G S U P P L E M E N TC

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Not Your Mother’s Shower Trend Spotter Offers Tips for a Hip Bridal Shower

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If you’ve been to a wedding shower recently, you’ve probably noticed the time-honored tradition is changing. The typical Sunday afternoon gathering of ladies playing word games and snacking on pastel Jor-dan almonds has been replaced by sophisticated themed evenings. And sometimes men are invited too!

“We monitor trends in both weddings and showers so we can incorpo-rate the freshest and most modern themes in our cards,” explains Gale Thomson, American Greetings trend spotter. “We’ve found wine, gour-met kitchen and couples themes are the new wave. Changes in dating and relationship etiquette and other social factors, like career women postponing marriage, have directed showers away from providing basic necessities and more toward reflecting the couple’s inte ests.”

Thomson offers these tips for planning some of today’s top trendy bridal shower themes:

Wine tastings reflect a popular interest. The wine theme can influencethe menu, party activities and gifts. Invite guests to bring two bottles of wine: one to serve at the party and a second to give the couple. Search online for menu items to complement each wine, and display wine-pairing notes at each food and wine station.

Couples showers are a great way to include both the bride’s and the groom’s friends, and they tend to be cocktail, dinner or summer bar-beque parties. Couples showers are a good option for smaller guest lists or as one of multiple showers. A note on the invitation could suggest gifts for future entertaining. American Greetings has taken note of this hot trend by introducing special couples shower cards to its Target line, like one with tiny pink and blue “His” and “Hers” cloth towel icons at-tached to the front.

Kitchen showers have moved away from providing basic necessities

and become more sophisticated, reflecting already-established brides and gourmet cooking trends. High-end stainless steel fondue pots, blenders and food processors are topping gift registries and wedding Website wish lists. Invite guests to bring their favorite recipe to share with the bride.

Personal gifts, indulgences the bride would never buy for herself or honeymoon trip items are also a fashionable shower theme option for second marriages or brides who are already established in their house-holds. Spas are a great personal shower venue, and a gift certificate for spa services presented in a pretty card makes a wonderful gift.

Showers may be changing, but they are still an important part of the wedding tradition. If you’re planning a shower and want it to be the lat-est and greatest, try one of these party concepts.

Wrap Like a ProWhen it comes to gifts, presentation is everything. Wrapping that incor-

porates details and added touches can magnify the perceived value of what’s inside, so don’t forget to wrap and tie with style.

“For soft goods or items that do not easily fit in a box, use gift bags. They combine convenience and style in all shapes and sizes,” says Patty Flauto, American Greetings gift wrap design guru. There are even gift bags designed for specific items. And they keep getting better and better looking, with fashionable details like ribbon handles, scalloped or cuffed

“necklines,” trendy colors and prints.New gift wrap designs reflect today’s elegant wedding fashions. Wrap

featuring photos of trendy wedding flowers, like white roses and hy-

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RECYCLED GREETING CARDS CAN MAKE ANY GIFT EXTRAORDINARY.

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drangeas, and embellished with clear sparkling crystalline glitter are rec-ommended for the well-dressed gift. Accessorize with ribbon, a bow and fun new package decorations, like a 10-karat “diamond ring” or a feather boa pompom.

Flauto suggests even ordinary household items can make a wrapped gift the star of the gift table. “The key is to pick a few accent colors to complement your wrapping paper. For example, to dress up a gift wrapped in paper with black and white photo images, add a few pink, black and white accent items from sewing supplies. Layer two kinds of ribbons, sheer and satin or thick and thin, or two shades of yarn. Use hot glue to add a flower cut from a greeting card or a key phrase, like ‘I do,’ and top it with a button or two or three. If you’re wrapping a smaller gift box, you could pick up two of the same shower card, using the extra to decorate the entire top of the box.”

Make Lasting Impressions Every bride treasures her shower and wedding cards. Many lovingly

store them in a special box or binder. Some even find crafty and creative ways to display them.

Keepsake cards today shine with satin, lace, ribbons, rhinestones, se-quins and even embroidery — three rhinestone “bubbles” hover over a line drawing of two champagne glasses, or the piece may feature fabric miniature attachments (a little ivory pillow carrying two tiny rings or a wedding cake made with layers of ribbon).

Even more treasured are the sender’s handwritten wishes, especial-ly when they reflect personal relationships with the bride and groom. These words will be remembered always.

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Wedding Registry 101For engaged couples, it can seem as if there are a million things to accomplish before the big day arrives. One essential piece of the wedding puzzle involves creating a registry that makes it easy for

guests to celebrate your union with gifts that reflect your personality as a couple.

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Before Building Your RegistryIt’s no wonder why guests love the ease and simplicity of a gift registry. But many couples may not know where to begin when setting out to create this useful list. Here are some helpful pointers from Macy’s to help you get started on creating a perfect wedding registry:

Meet with a Consultant: These trained professionals are on site to assist and discuss everything you want and need. It’s a good place to start if you have questions on what items to include and what brands are available.

Look for Special Programs: Some stores offer special features, such as Macy’s, whose Dream Fund allows guests to contribute any amount to the ultimate gift card, so the bride and groom can later choose ex-actly what they want.

Start Early: Most couples like to register 4-6 months before their wed-ding date, which allows more time for choosing items, planning for showers and meeting other deadlines.

Register Together: Whether it’s in-store, online or both – make a day of it and have fun selecting all the things that will be part of your new life together.

Choose Different Price Points: Guests will appreciate a varied list that has many gift options to fit their personal budget

Create a Registry That Reflects You: If you’re a laid-back, easygoing couple, consider registering for a more casual dinnerware pattern that you can use every day, then mix in some fancy pieces to use for those special occasions. If you enjoy entertaining friends and family, be sure to choose a range of serveware and barware.

Making the Right ChoicesWith all the things needed to properly stock your home, selecting the right ones can seem overwhelming. Here are some tips to keep in mind while adding to your registry:

Select Your Settings: A five-piece setting is meant to serve one person and includes a dinner plate, salad plate, bread and butter plate, tea cup and saucer. If you want to serve eight guests, you will need to register for eight five-piece settings

Factor in Some Extras: When registering for drinkware, be sure to register for a few extras in each glass size in case some break down the road.

Protect Your Cutlery: Be sure to choose a sturdy cutting board to pro-tect your knife blades from chips and cracks. You can keep your cutlery in top condition by registering for a honing steel and knife sharpener.

Stock Up on Kitchen Must-Haves: When it comes to cookware, make sure to stock up on the essentials. This should include a fry pan, sauté pan, grill pan, sauteuse (round, deep-sided design for sautéing on the stovetop or baking in the oven) and a chef’s pan.

Opt for the Basics: White dinnerware allows you to transform the look of your table year-round by changing the décor and accessories around it. The classic look will be a design that you can appreciate for years to come.

Visit www.macys.com/registry for a full registry checklist, helpful tips and more information on Macy’s Dream Fund.

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Preparing for the big day means planning a multitude of details; everything from the flower arrangements to that something blue must be decided upon well in advance of the ceremony. Here are

some tips to help ensure your big day goes off without a hitch.

The Big Decisions The decision to get married is the first of many big decisions you will be making in the weeks and months to come. Here are some things to con sider right away:

n Pick a date. Talk with your fiancé and family (and your fiancé s family) about potential wedding dates to ensure the important people in both your lives will be able to take part.

n Select your guests. The number of guests you invite will directly influence the cost of your wedding.

n Set a budget. Budgeting for your wedding is crucial, as this will have a great impact on every other aspect of your day, as well as your honeymoon. Plan for a little wiggle room for unexpected expenses.

n Choose a location. Because most popular bridal spots are just that — popular — you may want to start searching for a location quickly.

n Organize the bridal party. Make careful decisions about who you want supporting you leading up to the big day, and who will be displayed in front of everyone in your life.

n Pick a style. Many brides choose wedding styles that are eflectedin their save-the-dates, invitations, ceremonies, receptions and thank-you cards. Choosing a theme and color scheme in the begin ning will help narrow down options later.

n Hire a caterer. Take into account the dietary needs of your guests by offering a variety of menu options, including a vegetarian dish.

n Order the cake. Whether you choose a large multi-tiered cake or cup cakes, remember to keep your budget in mind—and pick fl vors you and your fiancé truly enjoy.

n Make the announcement. Decide how you want to let the community know of your planned nuptials. Do you want to take professional engagement photos? Do you plan to contact your local paper? Will you include a link to a wedding day website on your save-the-date or your wedding invitations?

n Get the gown. On your wedding day, everyone will be awaiting a glimpse of your gown. Listen to your instincts and choose a gown that “feels right” and reflects your personality and style.

n Dress your party. Once you have chosen the wedding dress of your dreams, speak with your fiancé about his wishes for his suit, as well as the bridal party attire.

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n Hire a photographer. Choose your professional photographer wisely. With a walk down the aisle, father/daughter dance and toast, your father is sure to get photographed, but your mother might get overlooked. Make sure to ask the photographer to get shots of your mother throughout the day as well.

n Choose your flowers Once you set the date, discuss with your florists which flowers are in season to help narrow down your selection. You may love tulips, but if you have a winter wed ding, they may be hard to come by, and may be more expensive.

n Book the entertainment. Do you want a DJ or a live band? Talk with your fiancé about your music preferences, as well as the types of tunes you want played at your reception to keep your guests on the dance floo .

Before the Big Dayn Create a website for your wedding to keep guests

informed of events and for easy access to registry information. Provide accommodation information for those guests traveling from out of town.

n Insure your engagement and wedding rings against loss, damage, theft or mysterious disappearance. According to a survey conducted by Jewelers Mutual Insurance Company, 44 percent of married women either don’t insure their engagement ring, or don’t know for certain whether their engagement and wedding rings are insured. For a free, no-obligation jewelry insurance

quote, visit www.insureyourjewelry.com.

n Make sure your marriage license, travel documentation and insurance information are ready to go and stored in a safe place in advance of the wedding day.

n Practice reciting your vows and speeches until you feel comfortable.

n Wear your wedding heels around the house to “break them in.” Pack a back-up pair of flats to wear during the reception.

n Remember to ask for help. Designate members of your family or close friends to specific assignments.

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Wedding Day Details

n Provide bottled water for your wedding party. To ensure no one gets over-heated, hide water near your bridal party during the ceremony for emergencies.

n Choose meaningful gifts for your wedding party. Necklaces, earrings or bracelets are great for bridesmaids; cufflinks are perfect for groomsmen.

n Create individual envelopes for tipping drivers, caterers, musicians, etc. Separate envelopes will help ensure you don’t forget anyone.

n Plan for weather:

In case of rain — Order a tent or choose a venue with indoor space for last-minute protec tion from the elements. Offer extra umbrellas to usher people from their vehicles to the venue.

In case of heat — Place fans throughout the venue and provide plenty of water for guests.

In case of cold — Space heaters can be placed through out the space to warm up the room in advance of the event.

n Over-estimate the amount of parking needed for guests.

Following the Honeymoon

n Open wedding gifts and keep an accurate list of each guest in correspondence with their gift.

n Write thoughtful, personalized hand-written thank you cards.

Bobby pins, elastic hair bands

Hairbrush

Hairspray

Panty hose

Nail file nail polish, remover

Baby powder

Makeup

Stain remover

Tissues

Sewing kit with scissors

Ballet flat

Pocket mirror

Extra post-earring backs

Static cling spray

Antacid

Pain reliever

Bandages

Deodorant

Dental flos

Eye drops

Bottled water

Breath mints

Duct tape — for last-minute dress fix-up and to adhere to the bottom of slippery dress shoes

The Big Day Bridal Kit Supplies

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INSIDE: SPECIAL FOOD COVERAGE 34 > Schooled 36 > Sustainable Cooking 40 > Trending 44 > CEO

Before Them All, There Was Kimberton Whole FoodsBack before you ever heard of organic. Or grass-fed. Or free-range. Back when you thought we, as a species, had probably hit our pinnacle with the microwavable ham and cheese Hot Pocket—so, like, the mid-eighties—a quaint, 400-square foot farm store called Kimberton Whole Foods opened to little fanfare in Chester County.

Thirty years later, we’re a food-obsessed-but-finnicky society. And the store’s an 8,000-square foot Mecca for that movement. It’s also one of five, the latest of which opened in Malvern in December—to much fanfare.

The newest store, though, is more than another notch on the door frame for the growing local chain. It’s the first straight-on run at the competition by founder/president Terry Brett. With Wegmans already in Malvern, Whole Foods in Wayne and MOM’s Organic Market in Bryn Mawr, the Main Line is suddenly lousy with clean-conscience grocers.

Brett sees a void, naturally. What would be the point, otherwise? Kimberton exists, foremost, for the devout, not the fashionable. Though, they’re kind of one and the same now. “The person who’s really, really on the cutting-edge, health-wise,” is how Brett categorizes them. Not all of us were filling up on Hot Pockets, apparently.

Still, it was a very different landscape at the start. When Brett and his wife, Patricia, opened that first store, organic products were few and far between. Kids, however, were not. They had five. And a small dairy farm. The Kim-berton growth spurt followed the surge of renewed interest in what we’re digesting. But the flood of new options also made Brett, now 59, more closely scrutinize what he stocked his shelves with. He’s catering to the early adapt-ers, the hard core, remember. Discerning would be an inadequate descriptor.

With the exception of some tree fruits, which are done in by the humidity around here, Kimberton’s produce is entirely organic, its beef, grass-fed, its chicken, free-range, its eggs, delivered by their farmers. There are five kinds of raw milk. And the staff stocking that stuff, they’re inclined to chat you up, not avoid eye contact at all costs.

Maybe it’s the deep satisfaction that comes from picking up on one of the most decisive lifestyle shifts of our time decades before the first widespread rumblings. Or maybe it’s because he managed to somehow hold on to the es-sence of his little farm shop through dramatic growth. Either way, if Brett wants to turn his nose up at the Whole Foods of the world, he’s earned the right.

—KRISTIN BAVER

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610-692-4800 | ChesterCoHistorical.org

Featuring Fine Quality 18th and 19th Century Antiques.

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april 24th, 25th 26th&

610-692-4800 | ChesterCoHistorical.org

Featuring Fine Quality 18th and 19th Century Antiques.

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Thirty of us wedged ourselves into the long, narrow kitchen. The class usually runs far smaller, so accommodations are being made on the fly But there’s nothing that can be done about the tight confines, other than to speed up the demonstration and move on to a more spacious—and cooler—room in the back of the restaurant. Outside, it’s 34 degrees and raining. In here, it’s approaching 100, and next to the oven, well over that.

But no one’s getting testy because the guy at the head of the room is Andrew Wood, a taller, stouter version of Sideshow Bob. He’s knead-ing a massive blob of dough and losing his breath as he narrates while doing it. The hotter it seems to get, the more intense the kneading, the easier his demeanor becomes.

We’re pressed into the kitchen of Russet, the three-year-old BYOB he owns and runs with his wife, Kristin, just off Rittenhouse Square, for the monthly Monday-night pasta-making class. A couple weeks earlier, Russet was named to the 2015 edition of Philadel-phia magazine’s list of the 50 best restaurants in the city. (It’s number 39.) Tonight, Wood is fielding a question from a woman who looks like my mom’s doppelgänger. And then a twentysomething professional, fresh from the office, dressed in a wrinkled, un-tucked button-down. In fact, as the hour-plus demonstration progresses, the questions get more specific, and they come a lot faste .

The suddenly serious vibe catches me off-guard. I thought we were here to eat. (A family-style dinner made from all the stuff crafted during the tutorial and then some, including house-made charcuterie and Kris-tin’s desert, followed.) Wood never dumbs down his replies (at least as far as I can tell). But, in between, he also nudges the night back toward a lighter mood, all while doing the brunt of the labor.

“I want people to come out of this and feel like they can make pasta at home, not like I’m some wizard,” he says. My wife, who comes from a

northern Italian family, was buoyed enough to want to take another run at making some. I’m in awe of her skill and creativity in the kitchen, but she had a couple of run-ins with the roller in recent months that threw her off her game. I, on the other hand, have minimal ability. And once Gus entered the fold, my insecurity bloomed like an olive oil stain.

Gus is Andrew and Kristin’s seven-year-old son. He wore a crisp white chef’s jacket and a royal blue apron, and he rolled garganelli with more efficiency and ease than any of the adult volunteers he mentored. Some

snapped photos of him with their phones. I couldn’t take my eyes off of him, either, but it was because I felt like he was mocking me. Which is ridiculous, of course.

One of his new groupies, a South Philly-grandma type, slid in next to him and asked, “Do you want to be just like your dad when you grow up?”

“No,” said Gus, shaking his brunette bangs from his eyes in the same way his dad does compulsively. “I want to be a map maker.”

“A meth maker?” the horrified grandma thought she heard. (In fairness, the group was getting hungry and loud.)

Andrew intervened. “He wants to be a cartographer. He loves maps.”

Relief lit up the grandma’s face. I can’t say what I felt, exactly. Maybe deprived. Gus was being nurtured in a way that I never was or wanted to be until then. It couldn’t all be for nothing. It won’t be, though. Dinner showed me that. It was a meal made at the hands of rising stars and served in their influential restaurant, but it was meant for the home. The pasta, all four kinds, Wood stressed, is humble food. The other components were few and simply prepared. The process and the recipes are rigid with generations of tradition, but they’re respected so we could arrive at this moment: passing platters across the table, bonding through deeply satis-fied exp essions.

HEART + SOULAn intimate session with a soaring chef yields profound respect for a humble meal (and the chef).By Scott Edwards

THE SIMPLICITY OF A COMPOSED DISH AT RUSSET BELIES

THE LABOR-INTENSIVE PROCESS THAT PRODUCES IT.C

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KENSINGTON QUARTERS (pictured) | FishtownFor those whose appetites can’t be calmed by simply cooking up some bacon or pulled pork, meet your Mecca. A tricked-out classroom loft opened here in January. Initially, the sessions, led by house butcher Bryan Mayer, will center on butchering and charcuterie practices at a level suitable for all comers. Students will be loaded up with samples along the way and then sent home with a doggie bag. Eventually, the curriculum will grow to encompass preserving and pasta- and cocktail-making. kensingtonquarters.com

RUSSET | Rittenhouse SquareMaking pasta from scratch seems to intimidate everyone but pint-size Italian grandmas and giant Andrew Wood. Spend a couple hours kneading dough and rolling pasta at his shoulder (then devouring all of it, along with the house-made char-cuterie and his wife’s dessert), and some of that confidence is bound to rub off. russetphilly.com

MAJOLICA | PhoenixvilleNot to diminish the value of any words of wisdom from owner/chef Andrew Deery, but the five-course meal he prepares after the demonstration makes it kind of hard to concentrate on anything else. Reservations are hard enough to come by, and here you managed to land a coveted seat at the equivalent of his chef’s table. majolicarestaurant.com


MY BEST MEAL

(OR DRINK)A few of our favorite

tastemakers share their most memorable moments from 2014.

DEAN CARLSONOwner

Wyebrook Farm(Honey Brook)

“Andrew Wood’s pot-au-feu with smoked pork loin, Morteau sausage, charred root vegetables and Brussels

sprouts in a horseradish mustard cream. He made it for our last La

Tuade dinner in November, and he cooked the entire meal outside over

an open fire.”

TIM COURTNEYChef

The Silverspoon(Wayne)

“Tagliatelle alla carbonara, scratch-made by our sous chef, Erick, who

nailed it after several trials. The single-best plate of pasta I’ve had in my life. It was cooked perfectly—the taste and the texture, both spot-on. But what stuck with me even more

was Erick’s pride. And, of course, the pride I felt for him.”

EVAN ASOUDEGANOwner/Chef

MOO(Ottsville)

“The Bent Spoon’s rhubarb sorbet. Tart, not super-sweet, great texture.

It’s damn good.”

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The Interactive MenuCooking classes are all the rage, and it’s easy to see why. Top chefs drop some knowledge and then deliver a bespoke meal for you and a few new friends. The only prerequisite: a bottomless hunger. Here, a field guide to the most appetizing ones. —SE

BRYAN MAYER’S SLEEVES

ARE FOR SHOW, BUT THE

SAW’S ALL BUSINESS.

SAVONA | Gulph MillsThe sessions are infrequent, which only makes a chance to glean a little insight from chef Andrew Masciangelo feel all the more precious. He’ll walk you through a three-course lunch in the kitchen and then serve it in the wine cellar. barsavona.com

THE FARM COOKING SCHOOL | Stockton, NJA pair of standing technique series anchor an ever-changing roster that’s included a digestive-health cooking class paired with yoga and a raw bar tutorial and dinner in partnership with a local seafood purveyor. Every other Wednesday, owners/chefs Shelley Wiseman and Ian Knauer prepare dinner ($75) using ingredients from their next-door CSA. For the recipes, hit the class beforehand for an extra 10 bucks. thefarmcookingschool.com

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Living the Dream

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On a picturesque cattle farm along the Delaware, a couple of well-travelled chefs are carving out a genuine farm-to-plate existence. And they’re looking to set more places at their makeshift farmhouse tables.By Scott Edwards • Photography by Guy Ambrosino

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It was a bon appétit spread come to life: A family-style feast cooked and dished out by a couple of cookbook authors in a renovated stone outbuilding on a picturesque cattle farm

in full June bloom. Twenty guests sat around a pair of makeshift farmhouse tables on one side of the open, airy room while the chefs chopped and seasoned and traded positions in front of two tall, sunset-absorbing windows on the other.

The anticipation was palpable, both for the hungry diners and the chefs, who were embarking on a career- and life-altering undertaking. This dinner, which sold out in a week, was the beginning of The Farm Cooking School, a program that aims to nurture the multiplying bands of increasingly curious home chefs and feed our insatiable appetites for farm-to-plate living.

Ian Knauer, the former host of a James Beard Award-winning show, founded the school and pretty much single-handedly cre-ated this scene that’s become the vision of fulfillment for so many of us. He landed at Tullamore Farms last winter after he met its owner, Jeanmarie Mitchell, a couple miles downriver at the Stockton Market in Stockton, NJ. Over the next few months, he tore up shag carpeting, installed a gourmet-grade kitchen and, under the tutelage of YouTube, restored the austere beauty to the interior of the old outbuilding.

He invited Shelley Wiseman, a close friend from their years working together as food editors at Gourmet magazine, to help cook the debut dinner, and she never really left after that. Knauer seized the chance to show her around the neighboring farms and markets, the same way Melissa Hamilton and Christo-pher Hirsheimer did with him three years back when he came down to Lambertville, NJ, from New York to shoot his book, The Farm—Rustic Recipes for a Year of Incredible Food. He picked up and moved to Solebury Township a few months later. Wise-man followed suit, settling in New Hope last August.

“I just felt like everything was pointing in this direction as where I want to be,” she says.

“The day after she moved in,” Knauer recalls, “she did a whole week of Mexican classes.”

Mexican cuisine is Wiseman’s wheelhouse. She’s written a pair of cookbooks dedicated to it, and she lived in Mexico City for several years while she ran her own casual French cooking school there.

Separately and, at times, together, Wiseman and Knauer grad-ually distilled a smorgasbord of culinary experiences down to a common epiphany: They were their most content cooking among the people who were eating their food. His craving for more of that interaction was a lot of the catalyst for the school.

“The social aspect of it is so nice as a cook and teacher,” Wise-man says. “You really become friends and family with your stu-dents, and you all sit down together at the end of the class.”

But there was also a fundamental urge to immerse himself in the food, the craftsmanship, the people and the serenity of the region and tighten his circle. Wiseman, who was living in New York City before she relocated last summer, sensed it too.

“One of the things that we’re missing in this country that other cultures have is cooking together as a community,” Knauer says. “It speaks to the fact that we’re human in a way. And that makes what we do here very special.”

“This is a great lifestyle,” Wiseman says. “You don’t make a lot of money doing it, but if you make enough to make it a life, that’s all you need.”

WHILE CHEFS OF THEIR CALIBER SCRAP THEIR WAY TOWARD

THE SPOTLIGHT, IAN KNAUER AND SHELLEY WISEMAN ARE HOLING

UP IN AN OLD STONE FARMHOUSE IN CENTRAL JERSEY.



In Class, Drink SensiblyThe six-part techniques series form the spine of The

Farm Cooking School schedule. The first level cov-ers the basics—searing, roasting, braising, poaching. The second ups the degree of difficulty with bisques, consommés, demi-glaces and beurre blancs. (Wise-man cooked in France for several years, so, naturally, the native practices became gospel to her.) Around them, they pepper in seasonally- and socially-driven classes, for lack of a more encompassing word. On a Saturday night in January, Knauer and Wiseman partnered with Triumph Brewing Company to host a seven-course dinner at the school, each paired with a rare beer and some cooked with them. And every Wednesday, Knauer and Wiseman cook dinner from their Roots to River Farm CSA share.

“The two prongs, in a way, have to do with our sort of orientation,” Wiseman says. “Ian’s very farm-to-table, and I grew up in the city. And my orientation from working in France is very technique-driven, and I love to teach that.”

Knauer grew up in Allentown, but he spent a lot time on his family’s farm in Elverson, Chester County. The next town over is Knauertown, to give you an idea of just how deep the family’s roots run.

“I haven’t actually thought about this before, said it out loud: Food is so fun, but it’s also intimidating because it requires some knowledge of technique,” Knauer says. “Shelley really excels at that. And I’m

more of a Willy Wonka cook.”“He’s so amazing because even for a big dinner

for 60, Ian will cook things that he’s never cooked before,” Wiseman says. “He is just so experimental, but he has a very good foundation behind that ex-perimentation. I’m completely scared to death to do bad with that sort of on-the-fly-ness.

“The students can benefit from those points of view,” Knauer says. “They can improve their basic, fundamental techniques. Once they have that, they can break all the rules they want.”

“We often teach together. Although, once things get going, we probably won’t have that luxury so much. It’s fun because we disagree with each other a lot,” Wiseman says. “It’s good to know it doesn’t have to be complete dogma and that there are different perspectives.”

Before the vision of an awkward kitchen settles in, know that their divide is a happy place more often than not. They are close friends, foremost. For a stand-ing knife skills class, Wiseman does the instructing, from the introduction through three hours of practice. All the while, she and her students feed Willy Wonka their ingredients, and he prepares dinner—pizzas or, in the summer, gazpacho. Divide and conquer.

“We approach it from a fun perspective,” Knauer says. “It’s a very communal, sort of hey-we’re-all-in-this-to-gether atmosphere. There’s no, like, ‘Oui, Chef.’ ”

Unless the Christmas cocktail party class should

MATTHEW RIDGWAYPartner/Chefthe PASS

(Rosemont, NJ)

“I had an awesome brunch at Genevieve’s Kitchen. Small menu, very simply prepared dishes. The raw kale salad with a caesar-style dressing was

delicious. Garlic gave it a punch of heat. And the dressing was able to seep into every granule because the leaves were smartly beaten up some.

What sealed it for me, though, was the bloody mary.”

BRYAN MAYERButcher

Kensington Quarters(Fishtown)

“I’m a bit biased, of course. I think everything that Damon [Menapace]

and Mike [Pasquarello] turn out of the Kensington Quarters kitchen is some of the best food out there. I’m also lucky to get to eat Andrew Wood’s creations when we work together

at Wyebrook. But, hands down, the best thing I ate all year was Damon’s baked bean cassoulet from our fried chicken pop-ups last January. It’s a year later and I still think about it

once a week. It was so meaty, sweet and just the right amount of spicy.”

MARK and ERIC PLESCHA and JARED REMER

Co-executive Chefs (the Pleschas) and Sous Chef (Remer)

Charcoal BYOB(Yardley)

“Ice cream at OddFellows Ice Cream Co. in Williamsburg. It’s everything

ice cream should be—unique flavors, all made on site with quality

ingredients—and more. We enjoyed it so much that we made two

stops in one day.”

ANDREW WOODPartner/Chef

Russet(Rittenhouse Square)

“Joe Beddia’s Pizza Arrabbiata at his Pizzeria Beddia. I think his approach and the time, care and love he puts

forth for each pie makes them greater than the sum of their parts.”

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“IT’S A VERY COMMUNAL,

SORT OF HEY-WE’RE-ALL-IN-

THIS-TOGETHER ATMOSPHERE,”

KNAUER SAYS. “THERE’S NO,

LIKE, ‘OUI, CHEF.’ ”



SARA JUSTICEPartner

The Franklin Mortgage & Investment Co.

(Center City)

“A cocktail called Cardamom made with cardamom, gin, vanilla and VEP chartreuse at ZZ’s Clam

Bar in Greenwich Village. The way the chartreuse and the cardamom

interacted created this very intense, full cardamom note that was echoed by the chartreuse. It was kind of like

standing between two mirrors.”

JOE MCATEEPartner/Chef

Honey(Doylestown)

“Lunch from Empanada Mama. My wife and I are very choosy about

our food. We feel like meals should be the best part of your day. And if the people making your food aren’t

doing it with passion, then you’d better find somewhere else to eat. It’s very apparent that Kendall Bajek is passionate about what she does. From the seasoning to the flavor combinations to the packaging, everything at Empanada Mama

is done with care.”

ADAM JUNKINSPartner/Sommelier

Sovana Bistro (Kennett Square)

“Sheep’s milk ricotta gnudi topped with grated pecorino and shaved white truffle. I had an amazing

opportunity to travel around Italy in November. It was at a farm in southern Tuscany that I had this meal, and it couldn’t have been

fresher. The cheese was made right there, the truffles, harvested nearby. There was such depth in something

seemingly so simple. The texture and flavor came in waves. First, the delicate, mild gnudi, then the salty

pecorino and last, the pungent earthiness of the truffle.”

again turn into an actual, drunken Christmas cocktail party. Lesson learned.

“We don’t make any hard and fast rules, but we generally say it’s a good idea to start drinking once the cooking is finished,” Wise-man says, joking, sort of. “Some people are al-lowed to break that rule as long as they allow us to actually teach.” (Very little teaching was allowed at the Christmas cocktail party class.)

The All-You-Can-Cook GetawayIf all goes according to plan, which is mostly

how the school looks now, only more of it, the goal is to turn The Farm Cooking School into a vacation destination. Already, there’s an apartment reserved for Airbnb above the class-room/dining room. And Knauer and Wiseman are working with Mitchell, the farm’s owner, to create others on the property. They also want to add a second kitchen, which would enable them to use one for the regular rotation and the other for special week-long courses.

“I think we’re very open to what can be in-cluded,” Wiseman says. “We’d kind of love to do a little think-tanking with chefs, sort of like the beer dinner. We want it to be a place where a lot of ideas can come from and people meet each other, so it’s more than just a class; it’s a social event.

“And the more we can evolve in terms of being on a farm, the better,” she says. The sensory rush was enough to pull them in. They’re working now on getting their bearings and honing an authentic lifestyle. Because the thing about that bon appétit spread, it’s one-dimensional. And pitching the per-ception is always easier than the practice.

Wiseman: “I think we want to keep this very—“Knauer: “—accessible.”Wiseman: “—rough. We don’t want to get too

polished.”Essentially, they want to pay it forward, just like

Hamilton and Hirsheimer did to Knauer, and Knauer did to Wiseman.

The Farm Cooking School at Tullamore Farms, Stockton, NJ; thefarmcookingschool.com; on Instagram at the_farm_cooking_school.

INSTRUCTIVE AS THE CLASSES ARE,

THE PROMISE OF DESSERT AT THE END

COAXES A LITTLE MORE ATTENTION.



Watching my dad fork each bite into his mouth with a little more enthu-siasm, I realized I was witnessing the tipping point manifest across our very dinner table.

He likely never would have picked Blue Sage Vegetarian Grille, in Southampton, on his own. My wife called me selfish for even suggesting it. But my mom seemed interested, so I didn’t see the harm in trying to grow their palates some. We’d converted others there.

My dad gravitated to the Chicken-n-Waffles, I knew, because it was the most familiar sight on the menu, if only in name. The Blue Sage version is parmesan-herb waffles piled with hen-of-the-wood and shitake mush-rooms, garnished with fried shallots and served with fig jam and fennel butter. Breakfasts aside, I’m pretty sure it was the first meatless meal of his adult life. He was tentative through the starters, but the Chicken-n-Waffles I heard him talking up weeks late .

Vegetarian eating is constantly gaining ground anymore with the main-stream. There are lots of reasons why—the globalization of our neigh-borhood restaurants, the heightened awareness of what we’re eating, the gradual dismantling of long-standing inner walls—but the greatest catalyst is the surging tide of elevated cooking. It was a long time com-ing, but vegetarian cooking’s finally moved from the circles of camping

chairs outside a Phish concert to some of the most coveted dinner tables in the region.

Blue Sage is widely considered to be one of the pioneers. Five years back, Ross Olchvary, who cooked for several years at Horizons, the other groundbreaker, opened his own vegan restaurant in New Hope, Sprig & Vine. Three years later, and a couple blocks across town, Hearth followed. But the greatest waves were made with the arrival of Vedge in Washington Square. From its inception in late 2011, Vedge was counted among Philly’s best restaurants. (It’s sixth on Philadelphia magazine’s 2015 list of its 50 favorites.) That success bred a new, gourmet-minded generation: HipCity-Vedge, Charlie Was a Sinner, Vegan Commissary and V Street.

The latest to join the scene, and maybe its most avant-garde yet, is Flora, a 16-seat, vegan BYO that opened in Jenkintown in November. If its executive chef, Max Hosey, is reading this, I’m sure he’d be OK with that being the last reference to the restaurant’s orientation. He doesn’t need me to handicap his ambition.

“I want it to be just as good as any other restaurant and be vegan at the same time,” he says. “There is no line. It should just be good food.”

Through the early going, Flora’s diners seem to be of the same mind-set. Ahead of my visit, the most recent review on Yelp read, “I’m not

A new generation of restaurants is enticing carnivores with elevated vegetarian cooking.

And the latest, Flora, in Jenkintown, may just be the most avant-garde yet.

By Scott Edwards • Photography by Josh DeHonney

You’ll Never Miss What’s Missing

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You’ll Never Miss What’s Missing

LYNNE GOLDMANFounder/Editor

BucksCountyTaste

“I’m all about local, but some of our best eating over the last year was in Chicago. We spent a weekend

devouring oysters, steaks, pizza, dim sum and charcuterie. Back home,

my favorite meals came at the PASS and Charcoal BYOB. The fried

Griggstown Farm chicken at Charcoal may not sound like fine dining, but there’s nothing pedestrian about

it. Each part is incredibly moist and wonderfully crispy. Every time we go, I struggle to order something new,

and I rarely can.”

ANDREW KOCHANPartner/Chef

Marigold Kitchen(University City)

“The duck fat old fashioned at Café Belong in Toronto. The flavor was so rich and decadent, and it wasn’t the

slightest bit oily. The process, though, was what got me really excited. The

fat is rendered and cleaned, then barrel-aged with bourbon for three days. From there, it’s frozen, which

solidifies the fat and allows it to be siphoned.”

COURTNEY ROZSASOwner

Lotus farm to table(Media)

Farmer’s Road Drive Thru(Chadds Ford)

“The catfish tacos and the buttermilk-fried chicken sliders with fried pickles at Southern

Cross Kitchen. And, the owners are women, which made my experience

even more enjoyable.”

FRED ORTEGAPartner/Chef

Tradestone Confections and Café(Conshohocken)

“Pork at a North Carolina-style roast in the Blue Ridge Mountains. After roasting in a pit for half a day, the pork emerged impossibly tender.

And the balance of apple and vinegar in the sauce was spot-on.

A very simple meal done well.”

PARTNER-HOST-WAITER-FOOD

RUNNER DAN BRIGHTCLIFFE.

OPENING PAGE: A PEEK AT THE

FLORA PANTRY.

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really a vegetarian or anything, but I went with a friend who talked me into it.” Many words later: “I left that place stuffed and satisfied.” The entry just ahead of it: “I stepped out of my comfort zone by trying vegan and I’m so happy that I did!” There were others of that ilk. (Vegetarianism may be catching on, but it’s still, apparently, on par with a night of drunken karaoke.)

So, who, then, fits the Flora profile, you may be asking? Well, Hosey for one. And Dan Brightcliffe, a lanky, 25-year-old partner in the restaurant. (And its host, waiter and food runner.) “I’m not a veg-etarian,” Hosey says, “but I’m pretty damn close.” Brightcliffe folds himself into the classification too. The cooking and eating, to them, are part of a larger identity, though. They recycle, they compost, they’re planning to grow a lot of Flora’s veggies as soon as the ground thaws. They also salvaged almost every piece that furnishes the spare-but-smartly designed dining room, from the mismatched wine glasses and chairs to the large sliding barn door that separates the kitchen.

“They care a lot,” says Jose Vargas, another of Flora’s partners. (There are four total, including Vargas’s wife, Jennifer Brennan. The couple also owns nearby Leila’s Bistro and Forcella.)

The seasonal menu’s just as eclectic, in part be-cause vegan cooking’s still relatively fresh to Hosey. He arrived at Flora following a brief stint at Charlie Was a Sinner, but his CV up to that point, impres-sive as it is, is short of vegetarian experience. None-theless, once you’ve worked in a two-Michelin-star restaurant, as Hosey has, twice, at Manresa and Mi-chael Mina, both in California, it’s safe to assume the chef will find his own way in short order. As further incentive, the recent chronology is not mere coincidence, Hosey says. “It’s a new challenge, cooking vegan food, but it’s something that’s im-portant to me.”

Flora’s menu, in turn, shows no allegiance to a style or a region, only Hosey’s appetite. “Everything on the menu, I just want to be able to eat. I want to enjoy it. I want to lick the plate when I’m done,” he says. “I cook like my dad. He cooks for himself.”

“It’s kind of like Max’s World as far as the food, the kitchen, all that stuff,” Vargas, a chef himself, says. “And we don’t interfere with his world. He wants it a certain way.” Quite a rapid ascent from answering an ad on Craigslist a few months ago.

Relatively new to vegan cooking as he may be, Hosey’s nurtured his staples through the course of his cooking life. The pepper pot with a scratch-made curry took root when he worked alongside a Moroc-can cook in London during the early 2000s. He’s been playing with variations ever since. The wild mushroom stew goes back even further.

“It was like one of the first recipes I ever read

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about—beef stew with lots of mushrooms and lots of red wine in it,” Hosey says. “You take those things and they stay with you. You kind of just change them.”

Much time and thought were invested in engi-neering the main dishes so that they don’t pres-ent—or, more importantly, taste—like alternative knockoffs. There’s not an ounce of tofu or seitan to be found, for that reason. Hosey’s also not all that into them. “I think I’ve bought tofu maybe like fivetimes in my life,” he says.

What he is eating is Crock-Pot chili, the staff meal of the moment. It’s inspired by the huge, cheap (two bucks) bag of jalapeno peppers he picked up at Produce Junction in Glenside. Another surplus kindled the butternut squash soup that’s been a fixtu e on the menu since Christmas. Hosey’s sis-ter arrived for the holidays with a bunch harvested from her Martha’s Vineyard farm. When life gives you butternut squash, make soup. Any chef would respect that.

Flora, 307 Old York Road, Jenkintown; facebook.com/FloraJenkintown; on Instagram at florajenkintown

“IT’S A NEW

CHALLENGE, COOKING

VEGAN FOOD, BUT IT’S

SOMETHING THAT’S

IMPORTANT TO ME,”

SAYS FLORA CHEF

MAX HOSEY.

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Off the Beaten Path, But It’s His Path

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Near where the Paunnacussing Creek passes under Fleecy Dale Road in Central Bucks County, tiny Carversville sits tucked among rolling and steep hills that form a kind of barrier against the modern world. At the heart of the village is Max Hansen’s Carversville Grocery, a gour-met market where the locals catch up on each other’s lives—everyone seems to know one another—while they shop for dinner on week-nights and grab lunch on the weekends.

Max Hansen, the market’s partner and, you could say, preservationist, opened it in May 2013, but his name was synonymous with inventive cooking long before then. As a caterer, he’d spent the previous two decades in constant demand, cooking for heads of state, Fortune 500 CEOs and New York socialites. From the outside, the grocery appeared to be a 180-degree turn. But, to Hansen, it was a logical next step.

“This is my backyard, so to speak,” says Hansen, whose home is just a few doors down. “That’s part of the charm. I came here to get coffee to start my day for many years and saw the tremendous potential for the location.”

The location, it’s about as secluded as it gets in Central Bucks these days. River Road’s a few miles to the east, Route 413, a few miles to the west. Yet it somehow avoided becoming a thruway or even much of a haven for summer weekenders. But, as Hansen knows as well as anyone, artisan foodstuffs have an industrial-strength magnetic pull.

Under Dan Stern, a childhood friend, the store had operated for years simply as Carversville Grocery. Upon investing as a partner, Hansen added his name to the title for its obvious advantages and his expertise to the design. A larger counter was installed, all the better for a little

face time with customers. A dining area was carved out of the garden. And paintings by local artists were hanged, casting a more intimate glow over everything within those plank walls. Before, it was a shop in the community. Now, it’s a shop for the community.

Hansen turned his attention next to the substance. The shelves were stocked with hard-to-find, small-batch-made foodstuffs—Adriatic fi spreads, Blue Moon Acres organic rice, Sevruga caviar, local eggs from free-range chickens. And he loaded the café and prepared-foods menus with his signatures: lemon tartlettes; beef short rib lasagna; mac and cheese studded with bacon, onion and tomato. In spite of his impressive portfolio, Hansen’s known best for seriously upgrading the tried-and-true. Another case in point: “I’ve had a dozen people say the pastrami Reuben was the best sandwich they’ve had in their life,” he says.

Educated at the New England Culinary Institute, Hansen was hired by Carly Simon as a sous chef at New York City’s Memphis before he turned 30. Tutelages under legendary chefs Larry Forgione and Thomas Keller followed, as did opportunities to cook for Michael Jordan, Stevie Wonder, Bill Clinton and Michelle Obama.

The grocery represents a decisive shift in Hansen’s priorities. He’s emerging from the kitchen, looking for a more sustainable pace and a more casual routine, filled with deeper connections to the neighbors he usually only had time to lob a passing “Hello” to.

“We’re a little out of the way, and that’s what makes it challenging, but also charming,” he says. “Carversville is an amazing town, and the peo-ple that have found this place feel they’ve found a tiny piece of heaven.”

Himself included.

Max Hansen’s cooked for heads of state and pop culture icons. But for the last couple of years, he’s thrown himself into a small, out-of-the-way grocery store that’s quietly becoming so much more than that. By Kyle Bagenstose



The Tax Man Cometh

Irvin W. Rosenzweig, CFP®, ChFC®, CLU®, CRPS®, AEP®President

Rosenzweig & Associates Wealth Management Group, LLCWayne, PA 19087

610-627-5921866-231-3583 (Toll Free)[email protected]

www.rzwealth.com

Barron’s Top 1000 Financial Advisors as listed in the February 18th, 2013 edition; **Securities offered through WFG Investments,Inc., Member FINRA & SIPC.Investment advisory services offered through WFG Advisors, LP.**

CEOFINANCE

2014 is behind us but the impact of its tax burden looms ahead. In the past two years the top tax rate for taxpayers returned to the highest rates seen in almost 15 years weighing in at 39.6%. Medicare tax, which has affected all wages over the last several years, now adds surtax over a certain threshold at the rate of .9% on earned income. Possibly, most surprising, will be the “hit” that comes from the Net Investment Income Tax (NIIT). Under the Affordable Care Act (ACA) this tax began in 2013, it is an extra 3.8% tax on the lesser of net investment income or the amount by which taxpayers modified adjusted gross income (MAGI) exceeds the applicable threshold.

For our clients, the (NIIT) is an area where strategic planning, custom-ization, tax efficiency, management and awareness will dramatically add value and seek to offset this burden.

Let’s shift our focus on what, if anything, can be done NOW to reduce the impact of last year’s taxes. The choices are limited strictly to contri-butions to retirement plans and must involve earned income, wages or self-employed income. In order to obtain a deduction on these contri-butions and therefore reduce taxes, a taxpayer needs to be able to make a deductible contribution to an IRA, spousal IRA, SEP-IRA, or, if a busi-ness owner, a 401(k), profit sharing plan and/ or defined benefit pla

In the case of the latter plans, 401(k), profit sharing or defined benefiplans, these plans would have to have been established by 12/31/2013. In the case of the former plans, an IRA, spousal IRA or SEP-IRA, these con-tributions may be made up to and including April 15th of 2015 for 2014 deductibility. It would be important to specify that this contribution is a former year, 2014, contribution, otherwise an assumption may be made that it is a current year contribution, therefore deductible in 2015.

IRA limits for 2014 are the lesser of $5,500 or 100% of compensation for both the IRA and spousal IRA, with an additional $1,000 for those age 50 and older or $6,500. This contribution limit is subject to “phase-out” rules for those covered by a retirement plan at work. Phase-out levels depend on filing status, modified adjusted gross income as well as if a spouse is covered by a retirement plan and if filing married filing jointly or separately. Yes, I know, this may be complex, the good thing is that the information is readily available by going to: www.irs.gov and search-ing for IRA information.

Relative to the SEP-IRA, the individual must be, at least, age 21. They have had to work for the employer or be self-employed in at least 3 of the last 5 years. An employer may actually use less restrictive participa-tion requirements but not more restrictive ones. Contributions an em-ployer can make to an employee’s SEP-IRA cannot exceed the lesser of: 1) 25% of the employee’s compensation, or 2) $52,000 for 2014.

Calculations may be somewhat confusing for the self-employed since compensation is net earnings from self-employment. This definitiontakes into account both the following items: 1) The deduction for the deductible part of your self-employment tax. 2) The deduction for con-tributions on your behalf to the plan. The deduction for your own con-tributions and your net earnings depend on each other. For this reason, you determine the deduction for your own contributions indirectly by reducing the contribution rate called for in your plan. Yes, I know, once again, highly complex but again, the www.irs.gov website and work-sheets as well as your tax professional will assist you in navigating these difficult waters.

Finally, what about the self-employed that have adopted a 401(k), profit-sharing plan and/ or defined benefit plan by 12/31/2014, what level of contributions may be made and what is the deadline? As far as the deadline goes for the above, it is nearly tax deadline plus extensions, except that the proviso for these plans mandates a minimum funding deadline of September 15th of the following year, so in these regards, a business owner with plans in place may contribute to these plans and still obtain 2014 deductibility up to and including 9-15-2015.

Relative to the maximum contributions, as follows: 401(k): Lesser of $17,500 or 100% of compensation, an additional

“catch-up” limit of $5,500 for individuals age 50 or older. Defined contribution plan limits: Lesser of $52,000 or 100% of partici-

pant’s compensation. Catch up contributions are not subject to this limit. Defined benefit plan contributions have no predetermined limit. Contri-

butions based on amount needed to fund promised benefits. Benefit limit per participant is lesser of $210,000 or 100% of average compensation for highest three consecutive years. Obviously for self-employed or employ-ers that had the foresight of having a combination of 401(k), profit-sharin and defined-benefi plans the contributions to these plans and therefore the deduction to your taxable income may be highly significant

In our subsequent articles in this series, we will focus on the mechan-ics of the Net Investment Income Tax and also discuss some meaningful strategies toward minimizing the impact of this additional taxation.

***We are not in the business of giving tax advice. The information set forth herein was obtained from sources which we believe re-liable but we do not guarantee its accuracy. Please check with your tax advisor regarding your particular situation***


http://www.irs.gov

http://www.irs.gov


http://www.rzwealth.com


CEOMAIN LINE

When Instincts Clash With Trends

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Has the Main Line restaurant scene seen everything? Are we really craving that much kale? Dana Farrell, the owner of Villanova’s Avenue Kitchen, isn’t so sure on either count.

Prior to the restaurant’s opening in May 2013, Farrell trusted in trends as much as anyone in the industry. She partnered with Dave Magrogan (whose umbrella company also includes the Kildare’s Irish Pub chain, among others) on Harvest Seasonal Grill and Wine Bar in Glen Mills, and together they developed their menus around buzz-worthy qualities: seasonal, locally sourced, calorie-conscious. It proved to be plenty appetizing. Four years after opening, Farrell and Magro-gan are poised to add a fifth restaurant. Magrogan is, at least. Farrell opted out in December.

“I was actually going to be part of the expansion, but then Avenue Kitchen opened and everything kind of took a detour,” Farrell says. “I was splitting time, and more of it was here. [Magrogan] and I decided it was time for us to go our separate ways.”

It seems counterintuitive to exit mid-ascent, but Farrell’s instincts have served her well to this point. A career as a restaurateur was never one she aspired to. She studied labor and industrial relations in college and was eyeing law school when she opened The Classic Diner in Malvern in 1995 with then-husband Tom Farrell. It took off. Today, it’s an institution.

Farrell sold her share when they divorced in 2008. A newly single mother of a young daughter and son, she doubled down.

“I remember thinking, How am I going to make a living and make my way in the world?” Farrell says. “I knew I wanted to own my own business, and a restaurant seemed to be the natural thing to do. There really wasn’t another thought.”

She describes herself as a conceptual person. The nuances of a blueprint don’t engage her to the extent that the final rendering does. That’s much of the reason why she ended her Harvest Grill partnership, she says—the constant compromise that pulled her away from the restaurant she wanted.

“Avenue Kitchen is my own concept, rather than trying to fit the pieces of a puzzle together,” Farrell says.

At the head of her handpicked Avenue Kitchen staff is her brother, Gregory Smith, the executive chef. Her partner, Chris Sulpizio, followed her from Harvest Grill. Between the three of them, they agreed to sculpt a restaurant in their like-ness—what they want to eat, what their families and friends are eating and how they’re eating it. Avenue Kitchen would be their opportunity to tune out the white noise of pop culture and consider how people are actually living, starting with themselves as Exhibits A through C.

“People are so much more educated on food than they were 20 years ago, and the industry has expanded like crazy,” Farrell says. “But I don’t think people want to be intimidated. They want to eat something maybe they wouldn’t cook at home, but they want to understand the menu and ingredients. It has to feel authentic.”

They rallied around the simple and the approachable, and they hit a chord in doing so. Business has been good, and its about to get even better. A second restaurant’s in the works. It’s due to open in late summer—just a few doors down from Harvest Grill in Glen Mills.

Intentional or not, the opening will pit Farrell’s past against her present and fu-ture. The course that’ll follow is obviously important to all invested. But while busi-ness plans and financial considerations will do a lot of the dictating, self-discovery will have a say, too. “I’m creating a place where I’d want to go,” Farrell says. And, every night, she’s gaining the confidence to eveal a little more of it.

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Dana Farrell’s practices are unconventional. And some of her

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By Kyle Bagenstose

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CEO.BLML.FebMar15.04.indd 49 2/13/15 4:19 PM

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INSIDE: 52 > Home Cooking 53 > Canned 58 > The Last Word

EATS

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Borne by the FlameThe magnetism of a wood-fi ed pizza lies in the juxtaposition—a process so relatively brief, yet rife with pitfalls; an appearance so simple, but rampant with nuance.

“It starts with the oven,” says Chris Bryan, the partner/chef of Liberty Hall Pizza in Lambertville, NJ, the latest to join the renaissance of authentic Neapolitan pizza making. “Ours burns at a fie ce 850 degrees, 350 more than normal.”

What that does is bake the crust to perfection: moist and chewy all the way around. It also significantly shrinks the margin for error. Where the conventional-oven pizza bakes between 10 to 15 minutes, the wood-fi ed kind is in and out in less than two. Great for starved diners, not so much for timid chefs.

Bryan studied—and that is the proper term—at Nomad Pizza Company in Hopewell, NJ, and Philly, one of the leaders of the movement and, by most ac-counts, still one of its standard-bearers. One of the critical lessons he learned over his four-year apprenticeship was even before you start dividing your night into two-minute intervals, fixate on the dough. That’s what’ll make or break you.

“We rest ours three to five days,” Bryan says. Just enough time for a malty flavor to develop. The older the dough, too, the more of those charred blisters that’ll pock the crust, every one of them a hit of smokiness that conventional oven-baked pies can only envy.

Anything that doesn’t play up the pie’s depth is a threat. This is not Pizza Hut deep-dish created expressly to be buried under eight different kinds of meat. Two, three ingredients, tops. All of them of the same artisanal quality as the dough: Calabrian sausage, local mozzarella from pasture-fed cows, farm-fresh heirloom tomatoes.

We’ll consider anchovies, too, at Bryan’s advice. “We found these clean, deli-cious ones from Sicily that aren’t at all fish ,” he says. “People say they hate them then try ours, and it’s the best pizza they’ve ever had.” —MIKE MADAIO

Liberty Hall Pizza, 243 North Union Street, Lambertville, NJ; libertyhallpizza.com.

Borne by the FlameThe magnetism of a wood-fi ed pizza lies in the juxtaposition—a process so relatively brief, yet rife with pitfalls; an appearance so simple, but rampant with nuance.

“It starts with the oven,” says Chris Bryan, the partner/chef of Liberty Hall Pizza in Lambertville, NJ, the latest to join the renaissance of authentic Neapolitan pizza making. “Ours burns at a fie ce 850 degrees, 350 more than normal.”

What that does is bake the crust to perfection: moist and chewy all the way around. It also significantly shrinks the margin for error. Where the conventional-oven pizza bakes between 10 to 15 minutes, the wood-fi ed kind is in and out in less than two. Great for starved diners, not so much for timid chefs.

Bryan studied—and that is the proper term—at Nomad Pizza Company in Hopewell, NJ, and Philly, one of the leaders of the movement and, by most ac-counts, still one of its standard-bearers. One of the critical lessons he learned over his four-year apprenticeship was even before you start dividing your night into two-minute intervals, fixate on the dough. That’s what’ll make or break you.

“We rest ours three to five days,” Bryan says. Just enough time for a malty flavor to develop. The older the dough, too, the more of those charred blisters that’ll pock the crust, every one of them a hit of smokiness that conventional oven-baked pies can only envy.

Anything that doesn’t play up the pie’s depth is a threat. This is not Pizza Hut deep-dish created expressly to be buried under eight different kinds of meat. Two, three ingredients, tops. All of them of the same artisanal quality as the dough: Calabrian sausage, local mozzarella from pasture-fed cows, farm-fresh heirloom tomatoes.

We’ll consider anchovies, too, at Bryan’s advice. “We found these clean, deli-cious ones from Sicily that aren’t at all fish ,” he says. “People say they hate them then try ours, and it’s the best pizza they’ve ever had.” —MIKE MADAIO

Liberty Hall Pizza, 243 North Union Street, Lambertville, NJ; libertyhallpizza.com.

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Getting Back to Our RootsMeal planning in February isn’t so dire anymore.

Yelena Strokin is a Newtown-based food stylist and the founder and editor of the blog melangery.com.

Stuffed Cabbage RollsMakes 12. Vegetarian, gluten- and dairy-free.Recipe by Yelena Strokin

1 large cabbage1 onion, finely chopped2 medium carrots, peeled and shredded1 tbsp. vegetable oil2 cups cooked quinoa2 tsps. fresh parsley (or dill), finely chopped¼ tsp. paprika1 cup crushed tomatoes½ cup white wine½ cup waterSalt and pepper

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees.Carefully separate the leaves from the cabbage

head and set aside the 12 largest ones. Cut the stems from each, then blanch the leaves for a few minutes.

From there, arrange the leaves on towels to dry.Add the vegetable oil to a frying pan and sauté the

onion and the carrot just long enough to retain a little bit of crunch. Then, in a large bowl, mix them thor-oughly with the quinoa, the parsley (or dill) and the pa-prika. Spoon the mixture evenly onto each leaf, then roll it up and tuck in the ends. Stick a toothpick through the center to hold them in place, if they need it.

Mix together the tomato, the wine and the water. Place the rolls in a baking dish, then pour the tomato mixture over them. Bake for a half-hour. Add salt and pepper to taste.

Aside from the cost, no one should be debating the practicality of eating locally-grown any-more. Until December descends, at least. But with every passing winter, our resolve seems to be solidifying, our palate, deepening. Where carrots, turnips and beets may have drawn a universal eye-roll just last year, now it’s like, “Hell, yeah! Charred root veggies.” It was the lack of variety that shaped our narrow perspective, but not the kind you’re thinking. Even with the world supposedly at our disposal, we grew up on a limited wintertime dinner ro-tation: pot roast with baby carrots and mashed potatoes, a Crock-Pot mystery stew or two and lasagna. So shrinking our resources could only shorten that list. But, once we stopped dumping our veggies out of cans, just the opposite occurred. The world, ironically, did in fact open up to us. Dead-of-winter eating today looks like these light, but filling, Asian-inspired rolls. Meet the new cabbage. Same as the old cabbage. —SCOTT EDWARDS

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Is there room to improve the cold-weather staple? Yes. Treat yours less like a melting pot. By Colin Marsh

Cooking chunks of tender meat and hearty root vegetables in a sturdy broth couldn’t have fol-lowed far behind the discovery of fi e. Even with all the variation that evolved—by consistency (purées, consommés) and region (Vietnamese pho, Louisianan gumbo)—there may be no better cold-weather elixir than that basic combination. The scalding-hot broth warms and the chunks fill.

Let’s pretend for a few minutes that making soup doesn’t entail cracking open a can and watch-ing the gelatinous cylinder inside shimmy into a pot. Time is the crucial component here. The quality of your soup is directly proportional to the amount you invest. That covers not just the cooking but the shopping and chopping as well.

That said, few among us can afford—and fewer still have the desire—to stand over a simmering pot all afternoon. So, some hybrid of homemade and store-bought is the best we can aspire to. No shame in that. Buy the stock. It’s where you’re going to find the most nuance in a soup, but it’s also the easiest shortcut. If you had the foresight to can or freeze vegetables a few months back, time for that work to pay out. If not, get your hands on the freshest seasonal veggies you can find. Likewise, don’t automatically reach for a discounted, sell-by-tonight cut of beef or chicken. Making soup is the same as any other kind of cooking: Start with quality ingredients and aim to play up their natural flavors. If you go into this trying to cover up lesser foods, you’re going to end up with gruel.

A recipe for a rice-thickened mushroom bisque, a favorite of mine for its simplicity and velvety texture, follows. It comes together quickly and, living so close to Kennett Square, the mushroom epicenter of the United States, the heart of the soup is always a good value—like, a buck a serving.

Mushroom BisqueMakes 12 cups. Gluten-free.

1 lb. button mushrooms, sliced½ lb. portobello mushrooms, sliced½ lb. shitake mushrooms, sliced½ lb. oyster mushrooms, sliced5 tbsps. canola oil5 tbsps. butter1½ cups onion, rough-diced (one onion’s worth)2 cloves garlic, chopped¾ cup white rice½ cup, celery, rough-diced6 cups chicken or vegetable stock2 tbsps. fresh sage, choppedSalt and pepper to taste

In four separate batches, sauté the mushrooms with a tablespoon of butter and a tablespoon of canola oil until they brown and the liquid evapo-rates. Season with salt and pepper to taste.

Then, in a large soup pot, sauté the onion and garlic until the onion turns translucent. At that point, add the rice, then the celery and, last, the stock. Bring it to a boil, then lower it to a simmer and leave it there until the rice is cooked completely.

Add the sautéed mushrooms and the sage. Remove the pot from the heat, and blend the bisque in small batches until it achieves a smooth consistency.

Optional: As you’re ladling it into bowls, add a tablespoon of cream per portion.

Colin Marsh is a culinary arts teacher at the Bucks County Technical High School and a prolific home chef. Follow him on Twitter at @ColinMarsh.

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Red Raven Art Company is at 138 North Prince Street, and features the works of over 65 plus artists throughout each year, and is currently featuring a solo exhibit of artist Sarah Mcrae Morton entitled, “Painting on Horseback”. Next door is Liz Hess Gallery, with gurative pastels, Next door is Liz Hess Gallery, with gurative pastels, watercolors, and acrylic paintings depicting the artist’s signature red umbrella in its travels throughout Europe and America.

At 142 North Prince, Lancaster native Freiman Stoltzfus is inspired by his love of music, architecture, nature, and quilt patterns, in an ever-evolving body of compelling work.

Lancaster Pennsylvania’s extraordinary community of artists and art lovers continues to delight and surprise. The cultural heritage of this vibrant city is a centuries-long creative journey, including Native and African-American textiles, Pennsylvania German quilt-making, pottery, and furniture design, and painters from the 18th to the 20th centuries, including the luminary Charles Demuth and his circle.luminary Charles Demuth and his circle.

Today, Lancaster’s Gallery Row provides an anchor for over forty artist spaces.

Easily accessible by Amtrak on the Keystone Line between Philadelphia and Harrisburg, Lancaster is a delightful daytrip destination, with convenient trolley service downtown. Visit on Tuesday, Friday, or Saturday, to enjoy Central Market, the oldest continually operating farmer’s market in the country, and a staple on regional and international top ten lists. Stay for the night at the Arts Hotel, Hotel Lancaster, Marriott Downtown (for the best views of the city), or at a charming bed and breakfast in the surrounding Amish country.

Lancaster is also making its mark as a culinary center, as restaurants old and new embrace a Lancaster is also making its mark as a culinary center, as restaurants old and new embrace a farm-to-table model, with exciting and delicious variations. Breweries, wine bars, and cafes are meeting places for friends and neighbors.

On the rst Friday of each month, Lancaster is alive with art and music. Galleries remain open late to accommodate the several thousand who look forward to a festive evening. Other seasons to visit are the annual Spring and Fall ArtWalks, which occur on the rst weekend of May and October.

Lancaster, a charming small city with a big personality, is constantly looking forward, while honoring its past. We hope you will visit soon.honoring its past. We hope you will visit soon.

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Originals | Prints | Commissions142 North Prince Street | Lancaster, PA 17603 | 717.435.9591

www.freimanstoltzfus.com | facebook: freiman stoltzfus gallery

F R E I M A N S T O L T Z F U S G A L L E R Y

A New series of work by Sarah McRae Morton will be unveiled in Lancaster, PA at The Red Raven Art Company during the month of February. Traces and ghosts, of a lineage of past artists, share air in imagined scenes. She grew up in rural Lancaster, PA, trained at The Pennslyvania Academy of the Fine Arts, and is currently living in Europe. Her work also draws inspiration from her ancestral roots and the lore of Appalachia.

First Friday Artist Reception, February 6th, 5 - 8 pm Exhibit Runs Through February 28th.

Sarah McRae Morton

www.redravenartcompany.com 138 North Prince Street, Lancaster, PA 17603 717 299 4400

Red Raven Art Company

“Painting on Horseback” Solo Exhibit


A New series of work by Sarah McRae Morton will be unveiled in Lancaster, PA at The Red Raven Art Company during the month of February. Traces and ghosts, of a lineage of past artists, share air in imagined scenes. She grew up in rural Lancaster, PA, trained at The Pennslyvania Academy of the Fine Arts, and is currently living in Europe. Her work also draws inspiration from her ancestral roots and the lore of Appalachia.

First Friday Artist Reception, February 6th, 5 - 8 pm Exhibit Runs Through February 28th.

Sarah McRae Morton

www.redravenartcompany.com 138 North Prince Street, Lancaster, PA 17603 717 299 4400

Red Raven Art Company

“Painting on Horseback” Solo Exhibit


http://www.redravenartcompany.com


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The Other Alex

Last year was very good to Alex Giannascoli. A tsunami of critical praise pulled him out of indie obscurity and thrust him before mainstream audiences. Who then confused him with the tween idol of the same name. By Kristin Baver

GSix years back, a 15-year-old Alex Giannascoli was playing church base-ments around Havertown, his hometown. Today, he’s touring Europe and, in the eyes of those who’ve deemed themselves worthy of such judgment, capable of doing no wrong. Fader named his “Harvey” among its 50 best songs of 2014, and Rolling Stone anointed him the “Internet’s secret best songwriter,” propelling Giannascoli, who goes by the stage name Alex G, to sign with a bona fide label

But the last year or so hasn’t been all cakes and kittens. Constant confusion among the tween set has ignited tween-level disappointment (read: sobbing) at some gigs. See, there’s this other Alex G, a pop singer with millions of Spotify listens who favors Taylor Swift covers.

“We had a few little girls come out,” he says. “It would be really weird, and they would be heartbroken when I explained it to them.”

It was considerate of him to clue them in. He also tried on the name Sandy Alex G, a nod to the first title he cast into the Webiverse, every-where he performed outside of PA. That was above and beyond, really.

On one horribly misguided night in Denver, Alex and his band—Sam Acchione (guitar and vocals), Dexter Loos (drums) and John Heywood (bass)—divvyed up a pot brownie before they went on. “We all just got extremely panicked,” he says. The crowd got annoyed, and the tweeners happily led the chorus of boos.

But, as far as Alex was concerned, it was all part of paying his dues. In high school, he waited tables at a retirement home to keep the dream alive. That was worse. “It was so nasty, and I had long hair and stuff, so they gave me a hard time,” he says. In college—he dropped out three years into an English degree at Temple because touring started to con-flict with his class schedule—he played house parties for beer, if that. That wasn’t worse, but it wasn’t great, either.

Even in this day of Immediate Gratification, Alex’s production rate is unrivaled. Over the last three years, he’s released two EPs and three full-length albums, including DSU, the critical darling of 2014, channeling the likes of Guided by Voices and pre-“Float On” Modest Mouse.

Alex and his band crammed into a van, his first nationwide tour wasn’t much of a step up from the church basements. But the second landed them in actual, respected venues, like Johnny Brenda’s. But Alex was cool with playing for five dudes in an Oklahoma dive bar, if that’s what it took. The awkward intimacy never scared him off. He was never the picture of self-confidence, though.

“I try to move around and stuff, but that’s a task in itself, looking like I’m dancing,” he says, laughing at the thought. “I can feel the beat. I just look … I’m trying not to look like a dumbass.”

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Bucks Life Feb/Mar 2015

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