Your guide to the heart of Litchfield County:
Discover local stories, hidden gems, and must-know events.

Chef Joel Viehland has opened Swyft, his new restaurant in Kent and it is worth the trip! Formerly the chef of Community table, his menu offerings are healthy and delicious, with great flavors.

Award-winning Chef Joel Viehland has finally opened the first of his two new restaurants. The second, Ore Hill, will be launched in the near future. Together, the eateries offer two unique dining experiences in one historic destination: The Swift-Bull House was built circa 1781 by Asaph Swift, grandson of an Englishman, William Swyft, who had emigrated to America (spelling variations were common among the region’s early settlers). Located at the main intersection in Kent, the building has been updated and restored. With a chic yet simple facade, the interior is warm, modern and inviting, decorated with red-hued woods and a large fireplace.

Swyft offers lunch, dinner, and brunch in a casual tavern setting. Have their delicious wood-fired pizza and a craft beer. On the second floor, Ore Hill will feature a farm-focused tasting menu in an intimate environment.

Viehland, who is originally from Chicago and Milwaukee, has always loved food. His two early influences were his mother, who is a very talented baker, and his first chef/mentor in high school, Robert Wagner in Milwaukee. After graduating high school, Joel attended Culinary School at Johnson & Wales University in Providence, RI. “After culinary school, I worked for four years in NYC under Tom Colicchio and Katy Sparks in their respective restaurants. In 2001 I moved to New Orleans, LA, and spent seven years there. I worked for Donald Link, Emeril Lagasse, Susan Spicer, and Scott Boswell. In 2007, I spent 3 months working for Rene Redzepi at Noma in Copenhagen, DK. I returned to New Orleans, and shortly thereafter began making plans to move to Washington, CT, to open Community table.”

As we all know, Community table was a huge success and brought Joel three James Beard nominations. Joel’s experience at Community table allowed him to closely network with local farmers and clientele in the area. It also helped him to further develop his skills as a chef. Owner and Chef Joel is honing these skills to bring us another great dining establishment. The website suggests, Swyft is a modern tavern serving wood-fired, farm-driven pizzas, shareable small plates, and seasonal entrees that aim to both comfort and inspire. Working closely with nearby Rock Cobble Farm, the food at Swyft follows the flavors of the seasons. The extensive beer selection offers a variety of local brews, while the cocktail and wine lists combine familiar favorites with new discoveries. With takeout and party space available and a family-friendly Sunday prix-fixe supper, Swyft is both a touchstone and a meeting point for Northwestern Connecticut and New York.

Also on the website, a wonderful description of their special pizzas: With its thin, crisp crust and puffy, blistered edges, our Neapolitan-style wood-fired pizza reflects years of research–and eating–around the world. The dough is prepared using natural sourdough from a 30-year-old starter. Many of the seasonally changing toppings come from nearby Rock Cobble Farm, just minutes from the restaurant, including mozzarella and burrata, which we make in-house using their milk and cream. Crisped to perfection in a Pavesi oven made in Naples, Italy, the pizza at Swyft reflects our conviction that simplicity requires the most attention to detail. It’s available for takeout.

You can choose from Red pizzas: Margherita, Rosso, Al Diavolo, Mo’ Cheeks or White Pizzas: Rhode Island, Calabria, The Mueller, and South Kent. For lunch, there are salads, sandwiches (Cubano is a favorite), Gumbo, old-school fries with beef tallow (heavenly and thin), and sauteed greens. Desserts include citrus cake, flourless chocolate cake, panna cotta, sobretto, and fior de latte. Small plates such as grilled sardines, mussels, baby back pork ribs, and gnocchi are on the menu. Dinner entrees include grilled swordfish, wood fired chicken, pasta bolognese, a Swyft burger, and rabbit Milanese.

Some of the popular dishes at Swyft are the wood-fired roast chicken, pork ribs, and pasta bolognese. As for pizzas, the Margherita and Al Diavolo, which includes soppressata and hot honey, are customer favorites.

To understand the difference between the two restaurants, we asked co-owner and business manager Audra Viehland to explain: “Swyft is a casual, a la carte restaurant that serves lunch and dinner. We take reservations at Swyft and also allow walk-ins. Ore Hill, on the other hand, will be a fine dining concept taking reservations only. We will serve dinner as a tasting menu with optional wine pairing.” We also asked what Anne Bass’s role is in the venture: “Ms. Anne Bass is our landlord. She also owns Rock Cobble Farm, which is a farm we work closely with for many of our ingredients.” So far, the community has been supportive and enthusiastic about the menu offerings and atmosphere at Swyft.

The long bar to the side of the dining area at Swyft also provides another level to the tavern. “We offer a wide selection of organic and natural wines, and we have an ever-changing, curated draught beer list. We try to source draughts that are harder to find in the area and are still delicious. The same can be said for our spirits. We’ve also been sure to stay within a reasonable price point (although we do offer “top shelf” products as well) and have chosen wines, draughts, and created cocktails that pair well with our food menu.”

We asked the owners about their hopes and plans for the future of the new restaurants: “Our most immediate plan is to open the patio at Swyft as soon as the weather allows. This will increase seating by roughly 25-30 guests. As of yesterday, we opened our first Sunday brunch/early dinner, serving from 11:30 am-6:30 pm. Our hope is to remain in Kent and establish Ore Hill & Swyft as a dual concept, supported by high quality ingredients with dining options for everyone.”

At twenty2 wallpaper’s headquarters in Bantam, Kyra and Robertson Hartnett are pushing the boundaries of wallpaper by creating innovative, bold designs, including a 3D collection.

Husband and wife duo Kyra and Robertson Hartnett love to talk wallpaper. After all, they have been designing wall coverings for over a decade and have developed a style featuring bold patterns, textures, motifs, and colorful combinations. Their first business was in brand development where they created concepts for retail stores, which eventually led them to furniture—and ultimately to walls. They launched a collection of hand-screened papers and grasscloths and the rest, as they say, is history. Fast forward to their offices in Bantam where today twenty2 wallpapers is making waves with eye-catching designs that are in high demand. Kyra and Robertson are now focused on producing papers for other designers, architects, and artists. We caught up with them and here’s what they had to say:

Where are you originally from and how did you end up in Litchfield County?

I (Kyra) am from Baltimore, MD, but moved to NYC when I was 20. Robertson was born in D.C. but lived in many places growing up and moved to NYC when he was 22 years old. We were introduced to Litchfield when Rob’s parents moved to the center of town in 2000. While we were housesitting for them in early 2007, we found a little 1846 farmhouse with a second building that we knew could make an ideal studio space. Our business had outgrown our Brooklyn apartment and we desperately needed more space. We jumped at the chance to spread our wings a bit and bought the little house. We moved here in the summer of 2007.

What are your backgrounds? Did you attend design school? Did you study interior design?

We are both self-taught designers. I (Kyra) was a drama major at Syracuse University and Robertson begin working in clothing retail at the age of 18. We met working for a clothing retail brand in NYC and had the chance to work together to create seasonal in-store brand visuals. Neither of us went to design school of any kind but had a shared love of design and a similar aesthetic.

Was there anyone in your families who was artistic and had an influence on you?

Robertson’s mother and my (Kyra) grandmother both influenced our passion for design. Both loved decorating and we grew up influenced by their passion for textiles, wallpaper, and antiques.

How did you both become wallpaper designers?

We soon realized the impact and potential of applying graphics and images to walls. We quickly got married and decided to venture out on our own, establishing twenty2 in 2001 as a multi-disciplinary design firm. We did everything from brand identity to websites to retail and residential interiors. As we were designing an apartment in New York for actor Taye Diggs in 2001, we became immersed in high-end home decor and, specifically, mid-century modern design.

We continued to play with wall graphics for this and other interior projects, through bold decorative painting techniques. After the prevalence of clean, stark design philosophies of the 1990’s, we could sense that trends would move toward a more layered and personalized aesthetic. We felt strongly that wallpaper could become a part of that shift and were intrigued to consider how we could play a role in bringing that category back to the fore, even though there was very little new wallpaper being made in the US at that time and even our manufacturers thought we were crazy!

In that spirit, we created our first collection of wallpapers, inspired by mid-century design principles, but hand screen printed in the traditional method of wallpaper. We loved this idea of the marriage of bold, modern graphics with age-old techniques. We debuted our first collection in NYC at the International Contemporary in the spring of 2003.

How would you describe the vision behind twenty2?

We share a clean, minimalist aesthetic and early on we sought to apply that look to a variety of design disciplines.

What have been some of your most popular wallpaper patterns over the years?

Our most popular designs tend to come from our first collections and are still popular today: Maxwell, Montague, and Mila

Do you create single pattern designs or do you create groupings, a collection of patterns? How often do you launch new products?

We launch collections/groupings. We used to launch a new collection every year, but our focus has shifted away from our own designs, as we now specialize in private label and custom printing of wallpaper for other designers and artists.

Where do you get your inspiration from? What are your influences today?

We are inspired by the shapes and textures of the world around us. We constantly capture photographs that we translate into patterns.

Tell us about your latest direction for custom wallpapers, your private label?

About 4 years ago, we bought our first wide format digital printer as a means of having more control over the production of our own designs, as well as the ability to explore new concepts more freely. Our early work with retail wall graphics was all printed digitally, but, at that time, the look and hand feel of the digital printing were not suitable for high-end residential. More than a decade later, digital technology had progressed significantly and we knew that we would be able to produce a product that we could be proud of and that we would have the ability to push the boundaries of wallpaper using this new technology.

After buying our first printer, we mentioned to a few colleagues that we could produce wallpaper for them and they leaped at the chance. Since then, through word of mouth and referrals, we have quickly expanded our customer base and shifted our focus to this side of our business.

Can you tell us about your in-house digital printing division?

We now specialize in working with artists and designers to create their wallpaper collections or site-specific custom wallpapers. We offer a full suite of services from design consultation and development, to printing and drop shipping.

Do you collaborate with other artists?

Most of the work we do is private label, but we do some co-branded collaborations with artists, including a collection of 3D wallpapers in collaboration with Pratt Institute in Brooklyn. One of the 3D designs, called Bloom, is now in the permanent collection at The Cooper Hewitt design museum in NYC.

Who are your customers and where are they from? Private residents? Corporations? Local? Across the country? International? Do you sell directly to customers or only through the trade?

We work with designers across the US. Some of our digital printing customers are established artists who want to create wallpaper for the first time, others are textile designers who now want to make wallpaper and some are well established in both textiles and wallpapers, but are looking for a new manufacturer. Our customers typically sell their papers to both the trade and retail, as do we for our own designs. We also work with design or architecture firms to create custom designs for hotel or restaurant applications.

Do you have certain guidelines or rules about how to use wallpaper in a home and what not to do?

We don’t like rules! The great thing about home design is that it is truly personalized and is an accessible way to make your space reflect you. We do love wallpaper in unexpected places, like ceilings, or creating an immersive jewel box effect by wrapping the walls and ceiling in paper.

What is your favorite part of the process?

We truly love lending our 15 years of expertise in the wonderful world of wallpaper to our customers. It is a pleasure helping to bring new designs to life, especially ones that originate from unique starting points like original fine art or antique textiles.

Have you considered adding fabrics or rugs to your business?

We have had both textiles and carpets in our product line years ago, but found that we quickly became known as “the wallpaper people” and enjoyed having that narrow focus.

What are your hopes and plans for the future of twenty2?

We have rapidly expanded our printing services over the last four years and have moved out of the little studio behind our house to a 5,000-square-foot factory space in Bantam. We are looking forward to continued expansion and growth as the niche wallpaper market is really heating up. We are working on lots of new collections and custom projects and are excited to help bring more beautiful wallpaper designs into the world.

Two weeks ago, an anniversary celebration was held at the Fife ’n Drum in the town of Kent, where great food, drinks, and music has been served to locals and visitors for 45 years.

A landmark in the historic town of Kent, the Fife ’n Drum was founded in 1973 by a musician from Long Island named Dolph Traymon. His wife Audrey was visiting someone in Kent and suggested that they move there and open a restaurant after her husband had complained that there was nowhere to eat lunch in Kent. And so they did — and Dolph Traymon played the piano at their custom-built piano bar for five hours every night, six days a week for over thirty years.

The Fife ’n Drum Restaurant has been a family-owned and operated business since Dolph and Audrey Traymon opened it in 1973. In 1977, Traymon’s daughter Elissa Potts assumed management of the restaurant. She and her husband George Potts are still running it today. The Fife ‘n Drum has won numerous dining awards and has served as a gathering place for lovers of fine music and hospitality. Since 1992, it has been an annual recipient of the Best of Award of Excellence from the Wine Spectator Magazine.

Elissa and George both grew up in Locust Valley on Long Island, about 3 miles away from each other. Although they actually met once in high school, they didn’t start dating until they both ended up at Lake Forest College outside Chicago. They moved back east in 1976 to help Elissa’s parents with the Fife.

This past January 20 and 21 was a great weekend at the Fife ’n Drum where hundreds of people celebrated its 45th anniversary. Roger Young and George Potts provided the entertainment. Thousands of dollars worth of Thank You gifts were distributed to the guests—in the form of Sealed Gift Certificates—good for anything from a free glass of wine to a $45 meal. The kicker: customers cannot open the certificates unless they return to the Fife between March 1 and April 15 (45 Days!). Upon their return, a Fife employee must open the envelope to see what the customer has won. A few cases of special bottles of wine, each marked with a 45th Anniversary label, were also given out as gifts.

When asked what their secret is to sustaining an eatery successfully for so long, Elissa Potts replied, “Listening to our customers. Also, I never take a day for granted. Working hard, being involved with the community and never giving up have been fundamental to our growth.”

During the 45 years, they added 2 dining rooms—one in 1979 and one in time for the 30th Anniversary in 2003. In 2013, they updated the uniforms from the traditional white shirt, black vest/bow tie and black pants to blue and white striped shirts, black pants, black aprons and with ties that Elissa changes each quarter to keep it fresh. And in 2017, they created an outdoor dining area.

“Over the years, we have gone from a very traditional menu — ‘old school’ menu — to a menu that still features our specialties, but stays current with local farms and different food trends. We have expanded our wine list and have consistently won the Best of Award of Excellence from the Wine Spectator Magazine since 1998. We now have over 7000 bottles and 825 unique wines featured. Our prize is a 1952 Magnum of Margaux and a complete vertical of Opus.”

There are some popular dishes at the Fife that have remained on the menu for over 40 years due to demand. Their Steak/Filet au Poivre, Duck Flambé, Onion Soup and Caesar Salad have been mainstays. In the past 15 years, the Sticky Chicken appetizer has also come on strong.

New items on the menu reflect today’s tastes such as gluten-free and vegetarian diets. George explains, “There are many items marked GF and V on the menu. Our menus must change all the time to adapt to our customers’ likes and dislikes. FYI, we no longer serve the Floating Islands & Jello with Whipped Cream desserts that we did in the early 70’s!”

The Fife is known by locals and friends from afar as a place to have great food, enjoy a glass of wine, and listen to music while gathering with friends. Mikhail Baryshnikov, Milos Forman, Eric Sloane, Jimmy Cagney, Richard Widmark, Paul Newman, and Patty Lupone were guests at the Fife ’n Drum in years past. “More recently, we’ve also hosted Michael J Fox, Kevin Bacon, Chevy Chase, Bob Avian, Dr. Henry Kissinger, Richard Schlessinger, David Bouley, Margot Martindale, Jimmy Fallon, and others — many enjoy their anonymity when they are at the Fife,” says George. With George and Elissa Potts at the helm, the Fife ’n Drum will keep the good vibes going and will soon be celebrating the business’s 50th Anniversary. When asked what their plans are for the future of the Fife, Elissa replies, “Future plans are to finish off the wine cellar.”

As you make plans for the new year ahead, save these dates for not-to-be-missed annual events in Litchfield County.

Pat Werner weighs in on her upcoming retirement from Washington Montessori School as Head of School for 38 years, and shares her thoughts on a Montessori education.

Pat Werner was born in the suburbs of New Jersey. She grew up there and attended public school. “My parents were believers in public education and my mother became a public school teacher​ once my younger brother was of school age,” she explains. Even though her mother was a public school teacher, Pat was sure she did not want to be a teacher. After receiving a degree in political science from Drew University in New Jersey, she moved to Brooklyn, embracing the city and leaving the suburbs behind. Soon after graduating and having children, Pat discovered the Montessori education. It became clear to her that she very much wanted to be a Montessori teacher.

After some Brooklyn adventures including teaching at Brooklyn Heights Montessori​ School, and sending her children there, she met her now husband Ed who was renovating a house in Washington, Connecticut. ​“He ended up buying it and expanding it several times and it is where we live now. I followed the signs to a fair at WMS in the summer of 1975. I met teachers Norma Mitchell and Ineke Ghering at the fair and found out that there was a job opening for an elementary teacher.​ I applied for the position and began teaching eight first graders in September of 1975,” Pat recalls.

We asked Pat Werner to describe what the Montessori method of teaching is:

“Montessori education is a humanistic philosophy​ meaning it considers the whole person and sees each child as an individual. We use the term ‘prepared environment’ to describe the psychological and physical space our teachers create in the classrooms. The more important is the psychological preparation of an inclusive, safe, and encouraging atmosphere that invites children to learn. Children naturally want to learn and they just need the opportunity opened up and structured to engage them. We also create physical spaces in class that are well ordered and beautiful — filled with learning materials that appeal to children and help them to advance. This is more obvious in classrooms for younger children but is true for the older students as well. You can have a Montessori classroom without Montessori materials, but you can’t have one without the psychological attributes I’ve described.

The bigger vision is having the school as a whole be like a Montessori classroom — having both adults and children be known and treated with respect and feel like an important part of something bigger. An even larger vision is that everyone takes that sense of self and uses it to help make our world a better place.”

Indeed, this approach encapsulates the environment and philosophy at WMS under Pat’s decades of leadership. She has left an incredible impact on so many children as she took the school from a church basement in its early days to today’s impressive 48-acre campus with a 57,000-square-foot-building, tennis courts, athletic fields, playgrounds and outdoor classrooms.

Pat talks about the lessons she has learned at WMS: “I’ve learned that creating a warm and respective environment for children, teachers and parents is the key to a strong learning experience. Schools need to be places where both children and adults can learn. A school needs to continue to grow and improve the delivery of learning opportunities for children to evolve, but having it grounded in a caring community is very important.”

Another lesson Pat learned is how important it is to truly partner with parents in raising and educating their children. “So much more can be accomplished if you agree on mutual values and goals. And probably because I am older and am not in a classroom, I enjoy helping parents and teachers grow as much as helping children.”

When asked what her biggest challenge at WMS was, Pat responded, “I think the biggest challenge was early on — convincing prospective parents that WMS could educate children very well in addition to focusing on their development as people. It took years for us to establish our reputation as a strong educational institution. Once we had a track record of student success, that became easier.”

And her biggest joy? “There have been many joys. Watching children take small steps in becoming more self reliant and confident as learners on a day-to-day basis still thrills me. Convincing a parent that they might try a different strategy to overcome a challenge their child is having is very satisfying. Encouraging a teacher to work on something that has been hard for him/her and make progress feels great. Personally, I love that my two children and one of my grandchildren were able to grow at WMS.”

As she prepares to retire from her post at the end of the 2017-18 school year, Pat Werner contemplates what she will miss the most, “I will very much miss the children. It is such a pleasure to be around children every day — they bring vitality to a setting and they are funny, earnest and sweet no matter the age. There is something to laugh about every day.” Meanwhile, Pat is enjoying her last months at WMS. Each class has invited her to do something special over the year, from a fondue lunch to making her a necklace modeled on the golden beads (a Montessori math material). “It is bittersweet to be leaving, but I think the time is right,” she adds.

Pat Werner’s plans are to travel and to decompress from the unavoidable stress of the job.​ “After that we’ll see…”

On November 1st, the Washington Montessori School Board of Trustees announced the appointment of Ms. Carney O’Brien as the next Head of School. After providing WMS with such strong leadership for so many years, Pat Werner will be leaving a house well-built to her successor. Her legacy will live on through the children who became self-motivated and confident under her guidance, prepared to take on the world.

Ellen Prindle has opened a gallery called The Hen’s Nest in Washington Depot featuring a wide array of art by local artists— from paintings and sculpture to furniture and jewelry.

Ellen Prindle grew up in New York City and spent time at her family’s summer home on Lake Wauramaug in Warren, Connecticut. Eventually, she moved with her family to Warren as a full-time resident and later worked as an elementary school teacher in Region 6. Over time, she left teaching to raise a family, but she has always remained in Warren.

When the Hickory Stick Bookshop in Washington Depot was purchased by Fran and Michael Keilty, Ellen Prindle began working there part-time. She loves retail, and enjoyed working with customers. After years at the book store, Ellen decided it was time to move on and she began to consider an idea she had entertained for a while.

Ellen has always enjoyed art and often thought of one day running a gallery. When the space next to the book store became available, Ellen decided it was time. “I thought of it on and off for years, but now that the kids are through college, it seemed like a good time to start. The Hen’s Nest gallery involves working with people on both ends— artists and customers—there are no warehouses. The focus at the gallery is on a broad spectrum of art—whether it is jewelry, painting, or sculpture. The price range is broad as well. I don’t want to speak to one audience.”

The space is large and inviting. Vivid blue paintings by Matt Wood beckon you in. A bench made from wood from the 1930s is simple yet stunning. Beautiful scarves crafted from Japanese kimonos make lovely gifts. Silver and gold necklaces with stylish designs are displayed in cases. You need time to linger, to enjoy, not to miss anything.

The artists featured at the gallery at this time are primarily local, from Connecticut and New York. Joe Gitterman, Matt Wood, Jay Secco, Judith Secco, Brian Walter, Matthew Soloman, Elizabeth Wolff and Ben Wolff are just a few. They have been very enthusiastic about the gallery and supportive of Ellen’s new venture. Furniture, jewelry, paintings, pottery, wood pieces, wall hangings, ceramics, and handcrafted clothing— a constantly evolving display of art—open to all.

Ellen sums it up, “I want people to follow their sense of curiosity. I think it’s important to walk in and see things.” Indeed, what you will find at the Hen’s Nest Gallery is the unexpected—every time you come in.

Gallery hours through Christmas: Wednesday to Saturday, 10-6; Sunday, 11-5; closed Monday & Tuesday.

The Hen’s Nest
A Gallery
2 Green Hill Road
Washington Depot

860.619.0091
art@thehensnest.net
thehensnestgallery.com

Back in the ’70s, Washington resident, master chef and cooking teacher Perla Meyers was ahead of the times as an advocate for fresh, seasonal and local foods, from farm to table.

Long before the natural, local, and seasonal movement came around, Perla Meyers was cooking with fresh seasonal foods and teaching people how to cook and eat in tune with the seasons. Her cooking was influenced by her European roots, by the peasant dishes of the countryside, and her love for fresh vegetables, herbs, and fruits.

Born in Vienna, Perla Meyers grew up in Barcelona, and has lived in France, Spain, Germany, and the United States. She studied at the Ecole Hoteliere in Lausanne, Switzerland, the Cordon Bleu in Paris, and Vienna’s Hotel Sacher. “When I was attending interpreter school in Geneva I was close to the evoke hotelier which is one of the world’s best hotel management schools and I took the cooking courses offered at night there,” Perla explains. Having learned six languages back in Europe, when she arrived in Manhattan from Europe in the late 60s, Perla initially worked as a translator in Spanish and French at the United Nations.

Unlike other chefs, Perla did not open a restaurant in the United States. “I always wanted to be a chef and own a restaurant but this was the sixties and very few women went into this kind of work.” Instead, she founded a cooking school on the east side of Manhattan called The International Kitchen which was immensely popular for over 20 years. She eventually sold it to Macy’s. (The school is still operating today under the name Degustibles School.) Perla still offers cooking classes today, at the Silo Cooking School in New Milford, and other organizations around Connecticut, and applies the same approach from back then to her teaching. She says that cooking successfully comes down to one third philosophy, one third the recipe, and one third taste buds. You can be learn to be ingeniously technical, but you can’t learn taste. Taste is something you develop over years. You have to give people a slice of something that has taste. “I teach people to taste.” Still connected to the academic side of cooking, every year Perla is a judge for the graduates of the French Culinary Institute in NYC. “Cooks usually lack in the area of seasoning. There is a saying: You can learn to be a pastry chef but you are born to cook.”

Her first cookbook The Seasonal Kitchen, A Return to Fresh Foods became a huge hit, and broke new ground by featuring a photograph of Perla shot by photographer Art Kane. It was the first time an author appeared on the cover of a cookbook. The book went on to win Best Cookbook of the Year, Best Basic Cookbook, and The Best Author’s First Cookbook—the first cookbook ever to win all three awards.

Perla is also a gardener which punctuates her connection to the seasons and her love of vegetables. She is interested in specific foods and what she can make with them. An example she gives is “early turnips”. She made pasta, chips, and tartar with them, but two weeks ago, it was all about onions.

The foundation of Perla’s cooking is in the basic French technique, but along with it is her love of Asian food. “Foods that cook without needing constant attention”, as she puts it. At home, Perla always serves a three-course meal. Sometimes it is Bronzino, other times it is lamb. And she uses her cast-iron pan for many of those meals. Years ago, Perla wrote a well-read article for the New York Times on how to season a cast-iron pan. She also wrote for many other magazines such as Fine Cooking, Eating Well, Bon Appetit and Food & Wine Magazine.

These days, however, Perla is interested in what is happening closer to home. She talks about the restaurants and eateries in the area and makes a compelling case to the young, emerging chefs among us. “In Connecticut, we are lucky that we have a lot of ingredients available to us so that we can finally be creative in our own right. Maine and Vermont are establishing their own local and regional cuisines. And Connecticut can do the same, without being the stepchild of New York and California.We should create dishes that show we have our own character. There are very few cooks who are creative with food here, who approach the lesser seasons with their creative touch. Even if asparagus is available all year long, we should use local seasoning. We should take advantage of the quality of our chickens and pork, and not rely on other regions. Why can the Hudson Valley do it? And why can’t Connecticut do it? I say to the next generation of Connecticut chefs, don’t copy the latest chefs in food magazines. We are still lacking specialties from Connecticut. Look at what we grow and create our very own dishes and become famous for them. Stress that it is CT grown and Connecticut-made.”

Perla and her husband split their time between the city and Washington, Connecticut. How did they come to live in the Northwest Corner of Connecticut? “Robert and I ended up in Litchfield county over 4o years ago simply because we fell in love with our property and also because we had met Ruth Henderson who suggested that we find a place here as she had started a cooking school at Hunt Hill Farm Trust. I was able to teach there but I also taught in my own kitchen in Connecticut for many years.”

“If I had to do my life over again, I would have taken the jump and started a restaurant. But in a way I am glad I did not do it. I loved teaching cooking and did it all over the country for 27 years. It is always fun and I still love to teach.”

Perla is always travelling. Last week she was in Vermont tasting maple syrup, last year she was talking to chefs in South Africa about how they cook their fish. She’s a very curious person constantly seeking out other chefs’ thoughts, ideas, and tips. “You learn from everybody,” she adds.

Early in her career, Perla Meyers was a spokesperson for Le Creuset and it lasted for over 20 years. Perla now does recipe development for Whole Foods and Trader Joe’s. She is also working on a new cookbook which will be her eleventh book. And she gives hands-on cooking classes. After a long successful career in the culinary world, Perla is still going strong. She carries that passion to create good, simple meals and to pass it on to others. Her knowledge of techniques, flavor profiles, and history is extensive. Her understanding of food and cooking is innate to who she is. This legend was born to cook.

Pearly’s—the new family restaurant in West Cornwall—has opened with great success by a welcoming community. Stop by for breakfast, lunch, dinner or a cup of coffee, and take in the views.

A new eatery named Pearly’s Farmhouse Café has opened in West Cornwall where the Wandering Moose restaurant once was. Located next to the covered bridge, the café was recently renovated by owners Justina and Sean Aylmer and they opened its doors in early October. The couple moved from Marlborough, Connecticut after seeing an ad for the space on Craig’s List. “Our first question was: where is West Cornwall? Our next words were: it’s too far to commute, but let’s take the drive anyway. After a 2-hour conversation with the landlord and learning about the area, we got back in the car and said this is the one—3 months later we opened.”

Sean Aylmer is a chef and restaurateur. “I believe you need to be both,” he says. “I studied at Johnson and Wales for a short time, and have been in the restaurant industry for over 30 years, starting as a dishwasher and working my way through every position in a variety of restaurants.” Sean also served for 13 years in the military as a chef, including the Marine Corps. He has always been passionate about food, ever since he was a teenager. For years he dreamed of one day having his own restaurant— a dream finally fulfilled with Pearly’s.

Pearly’s, named after Sean’s late mother, is a family-oriented restaurant that offers a variety of food to their guests. Every morning Sean bakes fresh breads from scratch. Breakfast is a popular time at the café. Whether you are dropping by for a cup of coffee and toast, or enjoying their Eggs Benedict, you will find the house full. The choices are many—there are several Eggs Benedict choices and a Western Omelet with steak. They serve breakfast and lunch every day of the week, and stay open for dinner on Thursday, Friday, and Saturday.

For lunch there are personal pizzas—Sausage and Maple Ricotta Pizza is becoming a top choice among customers. Other selections are Margarita, Chicken, Pulled Pork BBQ, or Oven-Roasted 3 Mushroom Blend with Pepperoni Pizzas, just to name a few. Also on the menu are Chicken Pasta Rosa (grilled chicken, bacon, roasted mushroom blend, baby spinach, cavatappi pasta dressed in a tomato cream) and Caesar Salad with a Parmesan Crisp (both are made in-house). If you want it a little heartier, add chicken.

“We offer a modern melting pot of American foods, from scratch and sourced locally whenever possible,” Sean explains. “After three weeks, it’s the panninis and burgers that are the solid leaders in meals, however the pizzas are starting to catch on.” Other favorites are mac and cheese, as well as vegetarian pasta, and shrimp asparagus risotto.

Judging by last month’s success—since the café has been open—there has been a steady flow of customers. Sean and Justina plan to make Pearly’s a family restaurant that the community can enjoy, but it’s not just for the locals, it’s also for the out-of-town visitors, the biker community, and passers by who stop to enjoy the views and end up staying for coffee and conversation.

With a new look, opened-up walkways, beautiful landscaping and thriving shops, galleries, restaurants, and food purveyors, Kent Barns has become a village within the village.

Have you experienced the new Kent Barns? Its inviting renovation is creating a buzz as new businesses join those we already know and love. Access from Main Street now makes it easier to enter and there are more parking spots. The lush plantings and additional seating make it feel like a park. And besides viewing art, having a bite and shopping, one can join in on the many events taking place.

The original Kent Barns was built in 1999 by James E. Preston and designed by Matthew Preston. Located at the corner of Routes 7 and 314, in the center of Kent, the complex consisted of shops, cafes, and a gallery—a commercial plaza of mixed use. 14-years later, the development has changed ownership and with it came big improvements.

In 2014, the complex was bought by several Kent residents, including Hiram Williams and Peter Vaughn, who undertook an extensive renovation of the landscaping, and began the restoration of historic buildings on Main Street. A huge amount of work was done. Fulling Lane was opened to through-traffic thereby connecting Kent Barns directly to Main Street and furthering the goal of knitting the complex into the village fabric.

In the spring of 2016 landscaping began in earnest with the planting of many trees, plants, and the addition of more places to sit and walk. From the landscape design including parking, lighting, walkways, and signage, it is now a much more coherent pedestrian experience. It’s a small community with a park.

Kent Barns now has shops, galleries, restaurants, and other businesses in more than a dozen buildings, including six restored or rebuilt historic barns, all accessible by foot. Musical concerts are held in the plaza, and a social event called Second Saturdays started in May. On the second Saturday of every month, from 4 to 7 pm, the public is invited to open houses, gallery opening receptions, book signings, and more, each event is unique at each venue. Some shops stay open and refreshments are served, wine and hors d’oeuvres. Torch lights and extra seating make it a warm environment. So far, it has been quite successful. The timing of it is great because you can still go out for dinner afterwards. The next one is in two weeks, Saturday, October 14.

R.T. Facts moved into the huge space in the back where Morrison Gallery used to be. Chestnut Woodworking will have their grand opening on October 14 at 5 pm.

Future plans include bringing in another food venue selling prepared foods and coffee — a meeting and gathering spot— next to House of Books on Main Street, where there used to be a coffee shop. The goal is to bring local food and local talent to the area.

Chef Joel Viehland (formerly of Community Table) and philanthropist Anne Bass have opened two new restaurants called Ore Hill & Swyft. They are located at the corner of Routes 341 and 7, where the pharmacy was. Swyft will be open for lunch and dinner and will have a more casual atmosphere and menu. Ore Hill will serve dinner only and will feature a four-course menu. Most of the food is sourced locally from Ore Hill Farm in South Kent. Both restaurants are expected to open in October.

Other future plans are a Farmers Market and possibly a wine bar. With its revitalization, Kent Barns is quickly becoming a vibrant community with quality venues and the folks of the Litchfield Hills couldn’t be happier.

Following is a list of the diverse group of businesses that make up Kent Barns: