July Home, East Edition - Hersam Acorn Newspapers

8/6/2019 July Home, East Edition - Hersam Acorn Newspapers

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JULY 2011 HERSAM ACORN NEWSPAPERS

HOMESpecial Section to: The Valley Gazette I The Stratford Star I The Milford Mirror I The Amity Observer I The Trumbull Times I Fairfield Sun I The Huntington Herald I The Monroe Courier I The Easton Courier

Cooking outdoorsis a summer

activity for most

New Englanders.

Whether its set-

ting up a hibachi

on a deck or pouring charcoal into

a stone fireplace, summer cooking

means grilling and barbecuing.

For one Newtown couple (who wish

to remain anonymous so Ill refer to

them as the Smiths), cooking out-

doors is such a pleasure that they

have taken it to a fine art. My hus-

band has always enjoyed cooking

outdoors, so I thought I would sur-prise him with a complete outdoor

kitchen, said his wife.

She wasnt kidding. This couple has

a state-of-the-art outdoor kitchen in

the middle of a garden paradise.

What Mrs. Smith wasnt counting on,

and what became a bonus, was that

Mr. Smith enjoys cooking outdoors

so much that he has taken overcooking all the meals. The outdoor

kitchen is so complete and so conve-

nient to the indoor living space that

Mr. Smith cooks outdoors not only

in the summer, but all year around.

I even cook the Thanksgiving tur-

key out here, he said with a smile.

Everything tastes so good when its

cooked outdoors, and its a way of

being closer to nature and bringing

nature inside.

What some people dont realize is

that there is a difference between

grilling and barbecuing. Grilling is

cooking quickly on high heat, where-as barbecuing is cooking slower and

on lower heat. I also have a smoker

for smoking meats, he said.

At first the outdoor set-up consisted

of a top-of-the-line Viking grill with

a gas oven and two side burners.

by Joanne Greco Rochman

Bringing nature into the recipes

Outdoors continued on page 7Surrounded by beautiful trees and gardens, the Smiths, who, love being outdoors, have been enjoying it even more since theyset up an outdoor kitchen. Wayne Ratzenberger photos

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2 HOME Hersam Acorn Newspapers July 14, 2011

Take a walk in the woods or along any

country path or even around the edges of

your own garden and you can be surround-

ed by a farmers market of fresh edibles

and a pharmacy of cures.

Steve Brill, plant-man, author, artist, jokester

(who calls himself Wildman), searches,

studies and cooks priceless wild vegetation

that has been re-seeding itself and return-

ing, unannounced, for thousands of years.

But you mustnt go foraging without knowl-

edge, because just as were blessed with

plants that can feed us and cure us, there

are plants that can kill us.

On a Sunday afternoon walk through

Millstone Farm in Wilton, Steve led a group

of seekers, curious about the whole idea

of foraging and hoping to be able to dis-

tinguish the useful from the dangerous.

Our ancestors used to live off the land.

There are hundreds of wild food plants that

have been used for thousands of years,

Steve reminded everyone. Knowing that

Millstone Farms 75 acres are free of com-

mercial chemicals made the idea of chew-

ing on twigs and stems, leaves and flowers

quite acceptable.

Foraging requires observation of every

detail of the plant: leaf shape and position,stem, flower, texture, smell. Many plants

look similar but have different uses. One of

the most common plants is garlic mustard,

which has an estrogen-like ingredient that

can mess up insects reproduction and

can also lower the chance of cancer. Its

good as a salad green, in sandwiches and

pesto, soups, rice. Cooks in five minutes

and when boiling waters poured over

the leaves it makes a tea thats a gentle

diuretic, Steve explained, as he munched.

The variety with large leaves has roots that

Foraging for food and medicineby Lois Alcosser

Steve Brill points out that foraging requires observation of every detail of a plant: leaf shape and position, stem, flower, texture, smell. Violet Brill photos


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July 14, 2011 HOME Hersam Acorn Newspapers 3

taste like horseradish.

Chickweed has a taste like corn-on-the-cob

and its called chickweed because chickens

like to eat it. Chickweed is simply full of

vitamins and minerals and, according to

Steve, in the really olden days, it was used

after serious illnesses to increase strength.

Everyone recognizes dandelions and some

gardeners think they spoil the looks of a

lawn, but who knew that these plants were

great multi-taskers, providing valuablenutrients? The flowers are tasty; mix them

into your pancake batter and youll have

delicious fritters. The leaves are tastiest in

spring, before flowers appear. According to

Steve, dandelion wine is better than pinot

noir.

In Steves Wild Vegetarian Cookbook, there

are recipes that will wake up any dinner

party and provide enough conversation

for the evening. A plant called jewelweed

grows near water, and if you squeeze

the juice out of the stem, it will practi-

cally erase mosquito bites. Use it right after

youve touched poison ivy and it will pre-

vent a rash. Gather the stems, stuff theminto a glass jar and add witch hazel. Be sure

theres no air in the jar, shake it twice a day

and in a couple of weeks, youll have an

extract to heal any kind of skin irritation,

Steve promises.

Dont eat the flowers of the sweet pepper-

bush. They contain soap. If you crush them

with water, they lather up. If you want a

mild, wild soap, you can make it yourself.

Passing a black birch tree, Steve broke off

some slim young twigs and started chew-

ing them. They taste like wintergreen. If

you pour boiling water over the catkins and

let them sit for 20 minutes, add agar, liquid

stevia, vanilla and orange rind, youll have

a most delicious homemade Jell-0. When

his daughter Violet was a baby and teeth-

ing, chewing on a black birch twig was

very soothing.

Wild carrots have the same feathery leaves

as store-bought carrots, and if you clean

off the root, they should have a carrot-

like taste. But beware. Poison hemlock

looks just like wild carrot. So if the plant

smells like a dead mouse and the stem

isnt fuzzy, dont put it near your mouth.

It can be fatal. Thats the essential thing

about foraging. Bad plants and good plants

can often look alike. With his iPad of pho-

tographs and drawings, Steve could show

every vein of every leaf.

Its always a treat finding wild strawberries,

which are tiny and 10 times tastier than

store-bought strawberries. The five-petal

white flower is very pretty, but you have to

be patient and wait until the fruit is really

red.

Northern bayberry has gray berries grow-

ing under the leaves. Theyre medicinal

and also useful when cooking bean dishes.

Called carminatives, the berries reduce the

gassiness of beans.

The possibilities seem endless shagbark

hickory nuts, the bulbs of a plant called

ramp ... very good pickled. Sheeps face

(sorrel), full of Vitamin C. Mullein tea, an

expectorant for coughs since Hippocrates.

The ancients thought plants had spirits,

Steve explained, and if you meditated,

you could contact the plants spirit.

The way they decided whether a plant was

edible or not involved an interesting proce-

dure. Theyd boil the leaves, sip a drop, spit

it out. Nibble a bit, spit it out, nibble some

more, and if there were no bad reactions,

they figured the plant had a good spirit and

was edible.

We dont have to go through all the spit-

ting. Instead, take a look at Steves Web

site at wildmanstevebrill.com or call 914-

835-2153. His calendar of wild food and

ecology tours run right through December.

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Prepare yourself to look at cantaloupe

rinds, potato peelings and used teabags in

a totally new way. At a recent workshop

on Composting and Wormy Culture at

Millstone Farm in Wilton, master compos-

ters Alexis Wilcox and Dana Rozanski gave

an entire course in four fascinating hours,

from how to make low-cost compost bins

to the creation of the best soil in the world

with the help of wiggly red worms (who like

people food) and plump earthworms (who

prefer woody twigs and leaves).

Alexis owns Duck Truck Composting, which

has a truck that travels around to schools

to give hands-on composting workshops

for children. Duck Truck also does home

visits to create bins and initiate families

to the composting habit. Duck Truck is so

named because, for attention-getting pur-

poses, about 100 small plastic ducks sit on

the front of the truck.

Composting is a science, an art and an

individual lifestyle that can be achieved in

the kitchen of an apartment or a many-acre

estate. The basic premise is that maintain-

ing a compost bin transforms waste food

scraps, yard trimmings, leaves into a soil-enhancing mixture that reduces the need for

chemical fertilizers and produces a nutrient

rich soil that produces tastier veggies, more

beautiful flowers and elevates garbage to

reincarnated treasure. (According to the

United States Environmental Protection

Agency, the average citizen generates 474

pounds of food waste yearly.)

First, what kind of compost container

should you choose? Composting can be as

simple as adding leaves, grass clippings,

food scraps onto a pile in your backyard

and letting it decompose naturally to the

purchase of a manufactured bin with trays,

a turning mechanism and other deluxe

(and expensive) features. Or, you can build

a wooden-box bin yourself, using salvaged

wood or discarded wooden shipping pal-

lets. You might also try a simple chicken-

wire-mesh circular bin. You can even drill

holes (for aeration) into an old plastic gar-

bage can.

Microorganisms will eventually break down

organic material and turn it into compost,

but if you want more immediate action,

youll need red worms. They can appear

spontaneously, but for thriving compost,

youll probably need to buy some worms

at a bait and tackle store. Red worms eat

anything that was once living that

includes coffee grounds, hair clippings, egg

cartons, and, of course, fruit and vegetable

peelings.

For those wholl be collecting scraps in

the kitchen, there are bins that worms can

never escape from. For those who feel com-

posting will attract varmints (rats, mice,

small animals), simply omit meat and dairy

products. Vegetable compost doesnt attract

varmints.

Alexis and Dana demonstrated layering

starting with such coarse materials as

leaves, shredded and moistened newspa-

per, stems and weeds. Add soil or compost

and then worms and food waste. The mix-

ture has to be turned and kept aerated. The

ratio of brown material (leaves) to green

material (food scraps) should be 3:1.

Composting takes patience. It may take

a year or more to produce true compost.

But the process can become a significant

part of your life. You are creating nutritious

earth, giving organic matter new life and

changing wastefulness into usefulness.

Once you get involved, youve opened up

realms of new discovery the chemistry

of the soil, the biology of microorganisms,

the mystery of natures plan. Just like

making soup, the more ingredients you

put into your compost, the better it will

be, Alexis explained. Theres a proce-

dure called nutrient test management that

measures the amount of nutrients in foods.The higher the number, the more nutrients.

When a simple food like carrot juice was

tested, store-bought carrots had a score of

2. Carrots grown in a well-composted gar-

den scored 12.

For more details about composting, contact

Alexis Wilcox at Duck Truck Composting,

203-494-8342, or visit ducktruckcomposting.

com.

GREAT SOIL, GREAT VEGGIES

The secret agent? Compost!by Lois Alcosser

When it comes to layering a compost bin, start with such coarse materials as leaves, shred-ded and moistened newspapers, stems and weeds, then add soil or more compost, then addworms and food scraps and finally, repeat the layers.

Something of Bevs


5/8


According to builder Stewart Lade, the

majority of houses built before 1990 in

Fairfield County have energy and mois-

ture problems: mold, leaky roof, inefficient

heating systems, water in the basement,

inadequate insulation, rotting trim, loose

siding, chimney air leakage. The older the

home, the more problems. These houses

are not tear-downs, they are being lived in;

the need for regular repairs and replace-

ments are unhappily accepted.

These homes may be on desirable property

and have long family histories but theyretoo hot in the summer, cold in the win-

ter and damp whenever it rains. Theyre

euphemistically called vintage homes,

and most of the homeowners dont want to

move, or cant afford to move.

Stewart Lade is currently applying his deep

energy retrofit to a 1960s home in Weston

to modernize and upgrade the homes

energy systems and critical building compo-

nents. For instance, hes installing the right-

sized heating system and super-insulation

to seal air leakages and to foam-seal critical

building intersections. Moisture, vapor infil-

tration and mold will be eliminated, and

the annual cost of energy consumption willbe drastically reduced.

The work must be plan-driven, Stewart

says. Every part of the retrofit affects

another part. The whole job has to be

visualized and configured before anything

begins for maximum energy-efficient and

economical results. If you change the roof

and do nothing else, youll be stuck with

what you have for the next 30 years.

Stewart Lade knows construction from

the inside out and the outside in. His

company, Timberdale Homes, designs and

builds award-winning new custom country

homes. His affiliate company, Green Energy

Systems, retrofits homes to become highly

energy efficient and provide a more health-

ful living environment. Many people dont

realize it, but outdated ventilation, poor

moisture and drainage control can make ahomes air quality unhealthy.

There are two types of renovation, Stewart

explains. Outside-in and inside-out. The

interior of the Weston house were working

on is pretty good. The problems all come

from the outside. We are replacing worn-

out insulation with the kind that wasnt

even dreamed about when this home was

built. We define green building with con-

struction that utilizes the most up-to-date

building sciences, methods and materials.

Whats amazing is that while the retrofit

work is being done, the family is still living

at home. David Weber, the homeowner, is

in real estate with Coldwell Banker, and so

his choice of a major retrofit was carefully

considered. Frankly, he says, we may be

over-improving the house, but we love it

here and we want to stay. Since the houseneeded new siding and new windows,

we figured, why not improve the carbon

footprint and make the house an authentic

example of the best in green building?

Mr. Weber knew Stewart Lades reputa-

tion through real estate, and he says, Ive

known a lot of builders. Im impressed not

just by the mans excellent work but by his

integrity. My wife and I feel blessed to have

him.

The retrofit will probably take about four

months because Stewart is concerned with

planning the work to make it as convenient

as possible for the owners to continue liv-

ing at home while the jobs being done.

The whole process of building and renova-

tion is complex and expensive, Stewart

says. Any homeowner is vulnerable tomaking expensive mistakes. Thats why

I work so closely with my clients to help

them make the wisest, most reliable choic-

es.

That approach is probably why Stewart Lade

has numerous awards, including a Home

Building Industry Grand Award in 2008 for

Project of the Year in Connecticut.

For more information, contact Stewart Lade

at 203-912-3616.

ENERGY-EFFICIENT PERFORMANCE

The retrofit answerby Lois Alcosser

At left, in the 25-year-old addition, the double-paned windows retained, while the rest of the structure have been modified to improve building

energy, moisture-barrier performance and architectural appeal. Right, rigid foam insulation has been applied to the side walls with ZipWall sheath-

ing, more than doubling the wall insulation R-value. All connections have been taped and foamed to minimize air infiltration. Windows have been

reset, sealed, flashed and trimmed with low-maintenance PVC. Work is underway on the roof, with the application of rigid foam insulation com-

plete. Final side wall will be pre-finished white cedar shingles.

Jackie Perry, editorBryan Haeffele, designer

Thomas B. Nash, publisher

For advertising informationcall 203-926-2080

Special Section to:

The Valley Gazette The Stratford Star The Milford Mirror

The Amity Observer The Trumbull Times Fairfield Sun

The Huntington Herald The Monroe Courier

The Easton Courier 1000 Bridgeport Avenue, Shelton CT 06484203-926-2080

Copyright 2011, Hersam Acorn Newspapers, LLC

HOMEJULY 2011 VOL V, ISSUE 7

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Back in the good old days of the boom-

ing real-estate market, Realtors often touted

kitchen and bath renovations, sometimes

major, as important selling points for a

home. But with the downturn in home

values of the past few years, the advice has

changed.

If you want to make improvements to

your kitchen and baths to help sell your

home, the advice today is keep it simple

and inexpensive, says Peggy Marconi, a

Realtor with Keller-Williams Real Estate of

Ridgefield. In this market, small improve-ments can go a long way.

Peggy said there is a new mentality out

there when it comes to putting significant

money into a home before listing it for sale.

This is a buyers market, with many hom-

eowners now taking 60% of their original

asking price, she says. You dont want to

put a lot of money into renovations and not

get it back. The advice today is to do what

you can to maximize what youve already

got.

Kitchens

Although granite and stainless steel arenow the standard ideal for kitchens, Peggy

said homeowners shouldnt panic if they

dont have them. Most houses priced

in the $350,000 to $500,000 range still

have Formica and older, non-stainless appli-

ances, she said. A few years ago, houses

in this range were not common. Now

there are a lot. And there are some houses

priced somewhat higher, in the $600,000

to $700,000 range, that still have basic

kitchens.

So, what to do? Peggy says to think

white.

Kitchen cabinets can be painted very

successfully, and new hardware will really

enhance the finished product, she says.

The generally accepted color is white, with

a few other light and neutral contemporary

colors that will also work well. Hire a pro-

fessional painter to get it right.

If the appliances need to be replaced, the

refrigerator is the most important. Peggy

says replacing it with a new white unit is

Kitchens & BathsEXPENSIVE REMODELING OUT, FIX-UPS IN

by Jane K. Dove


7/8


However, when the wind started up, it

either blew out the flame or sent smoke

in the wrong direction, so the grill needed

some protection from the wind. A small

windowed wall was added behind the

stove. This worked well until the Smiths

realized how much more convenient it

would be to have some counter space.

After careful deliberation, they opted for

an island with Corian countertop and a

high-density polyethylene marine board.Its practically weather-resistant, said

Mr. Smith, who had the cabinets cus-

tom-made.

What is so special about this arrange-

ment is that it fits perfectly onto the

flower-studded deck that leads to a rose-

covered canopy, which is the entrance

to a sunken patio.

My wife is the gardener. She does the

planting and I do the cooking, said Mr.

Smith. Indeed, on the day I visited their

home, vivid pots of peppery orange and

yellow nasturtiums, bright red gerani-

ums, pretty purple petunias and a pinkprofusion of roses accented the outdoor

eating area.

Mrs. Smith is a fine gardener who man-

aged to turn the wild five-acre prop-

erty into an inviting woodland retreat.

A charming potting shed is not too far

from the watering area and a miniature

barn actually a grand chicken coop

for Guinea hens stands quietly in

the back of the yard. We used to have

Guinea hens and we loved them, but

unfortunately, a den of foxes moved

in next door and started killing off our

hens one by one. We couldnt bear it,

so we found homes for the remaininghens.

Bird houses and feeders are placed

throughout the well-maintained land-

scape. Mrs. Smith did say that her

husband does help with the weeding.

In Newtown, gardening often includes

being bitten by a deer tick. Both hus-

band and wife have had Lyme dis-

ease, which is common in the wooded

Newtown area. Thats one of the rea-

sons we miss our Guinea hens. Theyused to eat the ticks and insects, said

Mrs. Smith.

Since the new outdoor kitchen and

extensive gardening have come into

their own, the Smiths tend to entertain

more frequently. They have hosted a

neighborhood party and enjoy host-

ing small dinner parties, as well. Tiny

twinkling lights and candles beckon

guests to the sunken patio where the

sweet scent of mixed flora permeates

the air. Barbecued chicken on the grill

tastes more delicious when cooked out-

doors on the grill. As the day drifts into

dusk, an antique spring-loaded coachlight by the grill burns gently. However,

when the night moon fails to shine

brightly enough, theres electric lighting

on the ultra-modern outdoor kitchen.

Everything needed to cook a superb

meal is conveniently at hand.

Mr. Smith is quick to point out all the

advantages of his outdoor kitchen. Its

great for cooking fish. The whole house

no longer smells fishy when you cook

it outside. Its also great for cooking

lamb. Because of the proximity to the

kitchen door, even cooking outside in

winter is not a problem. We do enjoy

eating outside whenever possible, said

Mrs. Smith.

Nature plays a leading role in the land-

scaping of the Smith property. What

was once wild has been tamed and

enhanced, not uprooted or destroyed.

And so in the middle of this lovely

woodland setting, you would think that

an ultra-modern outdoor kitchen would

seem out of place. Such is not the case.

The wooden cabinets harmonize with

the thickly treed property. The win-

dowed back wall keeps the evergreens

ever in view, and the silvery smooth

Viking stove looks every bit as shiny as

a star-studded night.

fine as long as the other appliances

are white, in good condition and spar-

kling clean.

Needless to say, a fresh coat of paint

and simple window valances can make

a positive impact, she says. If the

floor is less than desirable, say lino-

leum or older tiles, a large inexpensive

area rug with a casual look can serve

as a great disguise, especially under a

dining table.

Finally, Peggy recommends putting in

some new lighting and sink fixtures.

These can make a significant differ-

ence and do not have to cost a lot,

she says. The final touch is immacu-

late countertops with a small lamp, a

special fruit bowl, and very little else.

Clear things out and put your small

appliances away.

Baths

Outdated baths can also get an inex-

pensive make-over that will enhance

their appearance along with the mar-ketability of the home.

Baths show their age the most, but

there are some simple ways to fix

them up, Peggy says.

The tub can be re-glazed over most

colors for under $300. Always glaze

in white. This looks fabulous and

will last for many years. Re-grouting

of tiles, especially around the tub

area, is another must-do. Anything

not re-grouted should be thoroughly

cleaned.

As in the kitchen, paint cabinetrywhite and get new hardware, Peggy

says. You can replace an outdated

sink/countertop with a new one-piece

unit that can cost as little as $300.

Replace the lighting fixture and add a

new window treatment.

Finish off the bath with a brand new

shower curtain, bath mat, and show

towels that are never used. If you

have a sliding glass door, put an attrac-

tive new shower curtain in front of it,

Peggy says. You will be surprised at

the difference it makes.

De-cluttering goes for the bathroom,too. Keep all toiletries in the cabinet

and make sure the countertops are

clean and shiny, Peggy says. There

are a lot of great cleaning products out

there to help you out.

Peggy says when it comes to present-

ing older kitchens and baths at their

best, a little creativity, elbow grease

and a modest expenditure of money

can go a long way.

Theres a new financial dynamic out

there, she says. Homeowners need

to know that spending large amounts

of money on kitchens and baths mightnot be cost effective, and, instead,

take some simple measures to pres-

ent their home at its best to attract

prospective buyers.

A trip to a farmers market is often an

adventure, especially when it comes to

vegetables. Lettuce, tomatoes, squash,

corn and the like no problem there.

But others, although they look won-

derfully fresh and appealing, are

rather daunting.

You may recognize

the names but have

no idea what to do

with them.

Heres where the title

says it all:Fine Cooking

in Season, Your Guide

to Choosing & Preparingthe Seasons Best (The

Taunton Press 2011) by

the editors and contrib-

utors of Fine Cooking

magazine. From spring to

early summer, late sum-

mer to fall and winter, glori-

ous photos of both vegetables and fruits

are accompanied by succinct advice

under five headings: Picking the Best,

Keeping it Fresh, Preparing, How to Use

it, Preserving Options.

A sampling of recipes confirms

the suspicion that you need

to own this book ... there are

so many delectable options:

Asparagus, Goat Cheese

and Bacon Tart for spring;

Apricot-Rasberry Buckle for

early summer ; Eggplant

and Tomato Gratin with

Mint, Feta and Kalamata

Olives or Vanilla andGinger Roasted Plum

Compote for late sum-

mer (so much pro-

duce to choose from);

Arugula Salad with

Pears, Prosciutto and Aged

Gouda for fall; Grapefruit Upside-Down

Cake with Rosemary for winter.

by Jackie Perry

COOKBOOK REVIEW

Fine Cooking in Season

www.HersamAcorn.com

Outdoorcontinued from page 1

With the addition of the kitchen, Mr. Smith became so inspired that he now does all the cooking and Mrs. Smith is the gardener, although shedid allow that he does help weed.

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July Home, East Edition - Hersam Acorn Newspapers