Berkshire Grown Brunchers Talk Food With Ruth Reichl
Lisa Green reports from Sheffield. It’s not as if there’s ever a bad time to enjoy the bounty of the Rural Intelligence region, but the exquisite summer weather of the past weekend seemed particularly felicitous for Berkshire Grown to hold a fundraising brunch. On Sunday, July 12, supporters of the organization, which champions local agriculture, farmers and locally grown food, gathered in the shaded garden of Hester Velmans and Peter Cherneff, where tables were set with a banquet’s worth of food (catered by private chef Jamie Paxton), all sourced from area farms, as well as other items contributed by local restaurants. As the grazing part of the event wound down, guests moved to the barn for the second part of the fundraiser, a talk by guest of honor Ruth Reichl, award-winning food writer, former New York Times food critic and best-selling author. Cheesemonger Matt Rubiner served as moderator and the two food experts talked about food trends (past, present and future) and other delicious subjects. Above, Ruth Reichl and Barbara Zheutlin, executive director of Berkshire Grown.
Andrew Ruggles and Marymar Ruggles of NYC and Great Barrington, with Hester Velmans, who hosted the event; Host Peter Cherneff, husband of Hester Velmans, with Stephanie Rothschild.
Meghan Harrison, a massage therapist, and James Burden, co-owner of Red Apple Butchers.
Meeting, greeting and eating at the brunch; Tom Vris and Patty Vris with Jack Isler and Beth Isler from Salisbury, Ct.
One of the tables offering locally sourced items; a list of the farms and restaurants that contributed to the brunch.
Architecture and design writer Linda Saul-Sena, Mark Sena and landscape designer Honey Sharp; Austin Banach of the Berkshore Oyster Co. shucks a few for Robin Ban.
Colin Harrington, who is the events manager at The Bookstore in Lenox, with Deborah Balmuth, publisher at Storey Publishing.
Jewelry designer Dai Ban and Robin Ban, owner of Seeds in Great Barrington; Jan Johnson and Tom Curtin, both Berkshire Grown board members, and Bill Ryan, one of the event's sponsors.
Sunday in the garden with Berkshire Grown supporters.
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