Food

Discover the best food, farms, and dining in the Hudson Valley, Berkshires, and Litchfield Hills. Rural Intelligence shares local restaurant reviews, seasonal recipes, and stories celebrating regional flavor.

Food

How 'Green' Was My Valley Greenhouse: McEnroe Farm Keeps It Growing Au Naturel All Year Round

By Don Rosendale Talking to Ray McEnroe is a little bit like talking to a Burgundy vineyard owner about his latest vintage. The difference perhaps is that, while the French grape grower would enthuse about terroir--the difference a few hundred yards' distance can make in what is grown in

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Food

Opera & Food: A Perfect Duo

By Francine Segan On Saturday, November 9, the Mahaiwe will show Puccini’s Tosca at 1 p.m. as part of its Met Live in HD series. Then, at 6 p.m., I will be giving a talk, "Opera Lover's Cookbook," based on my book of

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Food

Love In A Truck: Philmont's Communal Curbside Café

By Jamie Larson You may recall that rare, contented feeling you get when noticing a group of people working towards an altruistic goal, indviduals who not only mean what they say but are actually capable and talented enough to succeed at it. True, this happens often enough in our region,

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Food

Recipe: Halloween Leftovers?

By Francine Segan You are going to love this healthy dessert from Italy. Yes, dessert and healthy can be used in the same sentence! It’s a little like a deconstructed fruit cake--only scrumptious and strikingly pretty. In an air-tight container or Ziploc plastic bag, combine your favorite dried fruits,

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Food

Scary Fall Stew

Berkshire native Alana Chernila, mother of two, and author of the cookbook, The Homemade Pantry: 101 Foods You Can Stop Buying & Start Making (Clarkson Potter), dispenses change and cooking ideas to readers and friends. She shares her peak-of-the-season recipes with Rural Intelligence to help us make the most of

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Food

Serevan: A Taste of Armenia in Amenia

By Elizabeth Goldfarb Richardson Back in the old days (the 80's), the humor magazine Spy had a column called "Not to Be Confused." Amenia and Armenia could have been included in this always amusing section of the magazine. Just to clarify, if need be: The former

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Food

Recipe: Sweet and Savory Ravioli

By Francine Segan To celebrate Italian Heritage Month, Columbus Day, and the wonderful pears and grapes in season right now, try this unusual savory-sweet pasta dish. Fruit and pasta may sound like a modern fad, but the combo has a long history. My passion for pasta with fruit began while

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Food

A Pasta for Pasta Month

By Francine Segan I love food holidays. Oh, I don’t mean holidays when we eat special foods, I mean the hundreds of weird but wonderful days, weeks, and months dedicated to a particular food. October is not only National Pasta Month but also National Apple Month and National Cookie

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Food

Dining: Caught In Charlotte's Web

By Don RosendaleCharlotte’s Restaurant is my “local." It’s two miles up the road from my Millbrook farm, and I've eaten at the site (including three prior restaurants with different names) at least once a week for the last 30 years. That comes to, give or

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Food

Pick Your Own Time: An Apple (Or Plum, Pear, Or Pumpkin) A Day

Photo courtesy of Kwaree Blog By Tim Eustis Having gorged ourselves on the summer fruits and vegetables of our area, it’s time now to explore the autumnal offerings at pick-your-own orchards and farms. Apples galore are everywhere, and you can also find mums, plums, pears, pumpkins, and even broccoli.

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Food

Surprise Red Pepper Soup

This intense soup combines your local harvest with Eastern seasonings and a touch of butter to round it all out. It's terrific eaten immediately with crusty bread--I couldn't help myself--but radically better the next day. Serve for lunch or as a first course, rather than as

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Food

Recipe: Warm Fava Shallot Couscous

Berkshire native Alana Chernila, mother of two, and author of the cookbook, The Homemade Pantry: 101 Foods You Can Stop Buying & Start Making (Clarkson Potter), dispenses change and cooking ideas to readers and friends. She shares her peak-of-the-season recipes with Rural Intelligence to help us make the most of

By Editor