The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
Bring home taste of the Berkshires
The Berkshires — the highland region of western Massachusetts and adjacent areas in New York state, Vermont and Connecticut — has long been a mecca for leaf peepers, culture seekers, yogis and skiers. It’s also a haven for locavores like Elisa Bildner, a professionally trained chef and journalist, and her photographer husband Robert. Both are former lawyers who have started several food businesses designed to help farmers bring their products to market.
They raised their family in New Jersey, but consider the house they’ve had in the Berkshires for more than 35 years their “spiritual” home. The Bildners bonded with farmers and chefs dedicated to keeping the area’s rich agricultural traditions alive. Captivated by their commitment to sustainability, the couple spent more than four years interviewing and photographing them in their environment. Their stories are lovingly presented in “The Berkshires Farm Table Cookbook: 125 Homegrown Recipes from the New England Hills” (Countryman Press, $24.95). Brian Alberg, the chef behind the menus of several farm-to-table restaurants in the Berkshires, helped them develop homefriendly recipes inspired by those profiles.
The result is a joy to peruse, but most rewarding to use. Crispy-Skin Salmon in a Vietnamesestyle sweet and sour sauce with heirloom tomato and cucumbers; Kale and Peanut Salad fortified with hardboiled egg and grated Parmesan; and Blistered Green Beans with Dijon Vinaigrette were all winners. I plan to try Chilled Zucchini and Roasted Soup before summer’s over; Chili with Chorizo and Butternut Squash and Warm Cranberry Cobbler are on my list for when temperatures drop.
These unfussy and naturally appealing dishes, and the photos and text that accompany them, support famed cellist Yo-Yo Ma’s description of his part-time Berkshires home: “There is a lot of talent that is built into the population. And the land, my goodness. It’s magical.”
Susan Puckett is a cookbook author and former food editor of The Atlanta JournalConstitution. Follow her at susanpuckett.com.