All Entries in the "Community and Arts Life" Category
Carrot-mandarin orange cake adds a touch of sunshine
By Jim Bailey theyankeechef.blogspot.com With spring now officially behind us — even though the weather hasn’t cooperated here in the Northeast — I simply need to add a bit of springtime flavors to some cold weather desserts. Enjoy my rendition of carrot cake spiked with sunshine. Carrot-mandarin orange cake I love the flavors of this […]
Saucy spinach cakes turn breakfast into dinner
By Jim Bailey theyankeechef.blogspot.com Unbelieveable cakes — and I mean what I say. These cakes are fantastic tasting, filling and visually appealing. The spinach and turkey go so well with Swiss cheese sauce, I found it tremendously difficult to stop. Only the thought of loosening my belt prevented me from stealing from my son’s plate. […]
Movie night in Ludlow; birding chat at Misty Valley; Senior luncheon; Aging series starts; and Weston Playhouse seeks youth actors
The Friends of Ludlow Auditorium’s next movie at the Ludlow Town Hall Auditorium will be the award winning The Iron Lady, at 7 p.m. Saturday, April 6. A donation from the Berkshire Bank will cover the popcorn costs for the evening. The Iron Lady is a 2011 biographical film based on the life of Margaret Thatcher, […]
Good Reads: A salmagundi of books as the weather breaks
The Chester Telegraph introduces its new column from our friends at Misty Valley Books. Good Reads will be compiled by John Hoover from Misty Valley’s staff recommendations. It will appear the first week of every month in our Community & Arts Life section. Sometimes there will be a theme, sometimes not. Using the Comment form […]
Chester loves ‘Chicago’ and ‘Chicago’ loves Chester
The three performances of Green Mountain Union High School’s production of Bob Fosse’s Chicago took Chester by storm last Thursday, Friday and Saturday nights. Below is a photo gallery taken at two performances. We also have video of three numbers: Roxie; All I Care About; and When Velma Takes the Stand. Set in the 1920s […]
Perfecting stuffed chicken with a Kiev
By Jim Bailey theyankeechef.blogspot.com I have made hundreds of stuffed chickens, be it Cordon Bleu, Kievs or with broccoli and cheese. Although they are delicious, crispy and turn out beautifully, they were not perfect. That’s right. Not perfect. Sometimes the breading will cook unevenly. Other times, some of the filling (especially if cheese in involved) […]
Free classes help parents find positive solutions
By Rebecca Salem When Nancy Pennell was a young mother with four children, she knew she needed help. “I found a parenting group and … each time I was in a challenging situation with my kids, it was like having a whole cadre of women alongside of me,” she says. It is this experience, combined […]
Ladd Scholarship fund-raiser; playhouse seeks student ambassadors; music in Proctorsville & VTica events
T he Chester Rotary will present a vertical dinner featuring entertainment and an auction to benefit the Andrew Ladd Scholarship Fund. The event, set for 6 p.m. Saturday April 6th, will be held at the Fullerton Inn on the Green in Chester and feature piano music by Matt Meserve. Tickets are $20. You can enjoy […]
TARPS movie fund-raiser; Whiting presents global warming author; spring over to Family Center; Herrick’s Cove event
Mary Poppins Benefit for TARPS shelter Bellows Falls Opera House is sponsoring a benefit showing of Mary Poppins 7 p.m., Thursday March 21 at The Square in Bellows Falls to raise funds for The Animal Rescue and Protection Society based in Chester. Part live action and part animation, Mary Poppins is rated G and is […]
Jamie Townsend: A bold ‘farmer artist’ outside and in
ON THE COVER: The front of R.B. Erskine’s has become an outdoor art gallery with the addition of artist Jamie Townsend’s work. “My customers really like them a lot,” says shop owner Mike Erskine. All photos by Karen Zuppinger unless otherwise noted. A photo gallery is set within the article. By Karen Zuppinger It’s a […]
Create a simple peach Tarte Tatin and some delicious book news
By Jim Bailey theyankeechef.blogspot.com Food historians have been arguing about the origin of Tarte Tatin since almost its origination. To the Yankee Chef, it is quite clear. At the Hotel Tatin in France, two sisters by the names of Stephanie and Caroline Tatin were both cooks and were in charge of the desserts on a […]
For a fancy, but easy feast, walnut haddock with remoulade
By Jim Bailey theyankeechef.blogspot.com Although this recipe sounds like it belongs on the menu of a top-notch restaurant, both elements are super-easy. Although originally meant as a sauce for meat, French remoulade is now a universal accompaniment to fish and seafood. One taste and you will see why. Walnut-crusted haddock 1 1/2 cups broken walnuts, […]
Parenting classes; senior lunch; join the band; Poetry Month at Misty Valley; theater classes in Weston
Positive Parenting classes at CAES The Collaborative is offering a free, six session, Positive Parenting course at 6–8 p.m., Tuesday, March 19, April 2, April 30, May 14, May 28 and June 11 in the library of the Chester-Andover Elementary School, 72 Main St. The course, facilitated by Nancy Pennell of Chester, will teach strategies […]
Finding home in a comforting bowl of bean swagan
By Jim Bailey theyankeechef.blogspot.com Nothing in my repertoire says Yankee, comfort and home quite like bean wwagan. It was the first dish Dad taught me to make, besides biscuits, when I was 14. I’ve enjoyed it ever since. All us Yankee Chefs have stood by one recipe through the years, making swagan only with beans, […]
VTica film & arts events; St. Luke’s Maple dinner & Seder; Nature Museum
At 7 p.m. on Friday, March 15, the Vermont Institute for Contemporary Arts will present the documentary Happy as part of its Projections: Reel to Real Conversation series at 15 Depot St., Chester. Happy explores the secrets behind this valued emotion. Immediately following the movie will be a discussion of the film with Jon Bliss, […]
Weston Playhouse lineup; natural grasses workshop at VTica; free healthy living workshops
Educating Rita, 42nd Street among Weston Playhouse offerings Weston Playhouse Theatre Company’s summer season runs from June 25 through Sept. 11, opening with Educating Rita and three other familiar titles. Educating Rita is the story of a gutsy hairdresser seeking to better herself with an Open University course. The play runs through July 6. Weston’s […]
Soba noodles with vegetables makes a beautiful dish
By Jim Bailey theyankeechef.blogspot.com I love to add fruits and vegetables to many dishes without altering – too much – the original concept of the dish. This recipe is not only a perfect meal by itself, but beautifully presented. The colors are almost as vibrant as the taste. And when you enjoy a meal that […]
Election Day bake sales; Lenten worship services; VTica potluck; diabetes program; raw milk meetings; hands-on demonstrations; free tobacco cessation course
Chester-Andover Family Center Election Day bake sale Chester-Andover Family Center Election Day Bake Sale at 9 a.m. Tuesday, March 5 upstairs in the Chester Town Hall, 556 Elm St. Money raised will support the center’s Food Shelf and the emergency financial assistance program. As a result of the recent House Warming fundraiser sponsored by former […]
Cured salmon for a tasty New England chowder
By Jim Bailey theyankeechef.blogspot.com Imagine yourself on a three- to four-month voyage to a land you have never been to on a ship with the barest of essentials during the 17th century. You eat well of fresh meats, cheeses, breads and such for the first month, maybe month and a half. Then your diet is […]
Warm strawberry fritters for your sweetheart
By Jim Bailey theyankeechef.blogspot.com The French have been making strawberry fritters for centuries. In fact, Menon, in his 1793 French cookbook titled The French Family Cook, gives us this strawberry fritter recipe for the first time in print that I am able to find. “Make a paste with some flour, a spoonful of brandy, half […]
