In Our Spring 2021 Issue

Photography By | Last Updated March 16, 2021
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As spring beckons, I’m thankful that we are finally looking back at (rather than directly into) what was a difficult winter. Nature had it out for us, with plenty of snow, ice, and cold, but we’re Nutmeggers – we’re used to that. The more challenging hurdle was the continuing impact of COVID-19 on our well-being, both socially and economically. With the cold were gone the days of outdoor dining, and with those, a critical lifeline that had helped keep our state’s restaurant industry afloat. While winter is always a season with fewer events, concerns about virus transmission caused this year to be even more isolating, with virtual gatherings frequently replacing in-person festivities.

And yet, we pressed through it, with eyes toward better months ahead. Spring is always a hopeful time, but is all the more so this year, and I hope the articles in this season’s edition reflect that. This issue brings you the story of one restauranteur’s innovative pivot that helped save both her business and her sanity, as well as a look at how Connecticut’s craft butchery trade is bringing an invaluable personal connection back to the industry.

It seems like every issue, I conclude with the same appeal to support your local growers, makers, chefs, and businesses. Yet, season after season, it continues to feel like the very best thing any individual can do to bring resiliency and sustainability to our communities. It seems such a small thing to buy produce from a local farm or to order a meal from a local, independent restaurant, but the weight of these actions, taken en masse, is truly impactful. After a year that found us forcibly disconnected from our community in ways we’ve never been before, it feels all the more important to recite my perennial mantra, buy local. For the small farms and businesses most affected by the past year’s tribulations, nothing is more valuable than your patronage, be it online, by phone, or by walking through their doors.

Dana Jackson, Editor & Publisher


 

Spring 2021 Digital Edition Flipbook


 

Home is Where the Herd Is

Not yet 30, Brittany grew up on a farm in New Tripoli, Pennsylvania, which gave her a profound love and respect for agriculture. New Tripoli was rural compared to Easton, a comparison she illustrates...

The Return of the Neighborhood Butcher

At New Haven’s Provisions on State, the butcher counter can’t be missed. Rather than being tucked away in the corner of a large supermarket or hidden in favor of another refrigerated shelf filled...

Healthy People, Healthy Planet

Sustainability and a commitment to being plastic-free have been major principles of our business since we began. As mothers, we’re concerned about hazards not just for our own bodies but for our...

MOOD:BAGELS

I'd have to define my current relationship status as, “it’s complicated.” More accurately, I’m (very) involved in a (sometimes) one-sided and (mostly) demanding partnership with my wild yeast...

Peeling Back History

The fact that Connecticut was once a famous onion-producing state is a surprise to some. It becomes even more surprising when the two foremost onion towns – Westport and Wethersfield – are...

Red and White Onion Tart

Onions are more popular in the kitchen than ever but are too often used as mere flavoring, despite their densely nutritive value. Indeed, a cook has to search through old recipe cards to find anything...

Pork Milanese with Arugula, Tomato, and Pecorino

This recipe is a staple of Chef Emily Mingrone’s, co-owner of Tavern on State and Provisions on State in New Haven. She typically uses pork loin or pork sirloin cutlets, but with so many great cuts...

Mandarin Rosemary Margarita

This delicious and refreshing cocktail brings together some of the season’s best offerings: mandarins and fresh rosemary. With just a handful of ingredients and a cocktail shaker, your best-ever...

Mushroom Laab

This vegetarian version of the traditional Lao dish laab (also known as larb) allows mushrooms to carry the rich and savory flavors usually ascribed to the chicken, pork, or duck, while...
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