In Sharon, sleep under the stars sans mosquitos at this shingle-style house with a screened sleeping porch. Inside, there’s a true country kitchen and a soaring great room with dining and sitting areas. The house has five bedrooms, four-and-one-half bathrooms, first-floor laundry room, den, library and a full basement. Sited on 72 acres, the exterior amenities include an inground pool, swimming pond, gardens, portico, mature planting, paddocks, outbuildings and protected views. Listed for $4.25 million by Sotheby’s International Realty.

Eat dinner, read a book or take a cat nap inside this spacious screened porch. Located on 24 acres in Lee, the five-bedroom, four-and-one-half bathroom home has both formal rooms and casual family spaces. The large living room has a fireplace and the elegant formal dining room is off the spacious kitchen that features granite countertops, Sub-Zero refrigerator, and a skylight. The screened porch is accessed through French doors off the dining room and walks out to a stone patio nestled under old pine trees and surrounded by stone walls. Listed for $1.5 million by Stone House Properties.

These are something I make occasionally on weekends, as inspiration strikes; they are a fun way to make a favorite dish into a portable, handheld form. I’ve made red flannel hash, green eggs and ham, bacon and cheddar, and biscuits and gravy versions of these scones, and they are all delicious! They are definitely best warm from the oven, but they’ll keep in an airtight container at room temperature for a day or two — just pop them in a warm oven for a few minutes and they’ll be as good as new. —Audrey Leary, Blackberry River Baking Co.

Savory Scones
Yields 9 scones

1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
1/2 cup plus 2 T bread flour
1 T baking powder
1 T sugar
1 1/2 t salt
2 oz. butter, cut into cubes and chilled
1 cup fillings of your choice — chopped, cooked veggies; cheese; cooked meats; etc.
Enough cream to bring it together as a dough (approximately two cups, depending on the fillings you use)
1 egg, beaten with salt
Cream
Salt and pepper (or whatever you care to top them with)

Dump the flours, powder, sugar and salt into the bowl of a food processor; pulse, then add the butter and pulse until the chunks are pea-sized throughout the mixture. Transfer to a big mixing bowl, then add the fillings and use your hands to coat them all in the dough. Add cream, and gently mix with your hands just until it comes together as a biscuity dough.

Dust a bit of flour on your work surface, and dump the dough out; pat it into a large square, about an inch high, and cut it into 9 pieces. Place on a sheet pan, brush with the egg/cream mixture and top with salt and pepper, an herb, a small veggie, or whatever you care to. (Hint: I try to use an item in the scone to help identify it.)

Bake at 350 degrees for 15-20 minutes or so, until golden brown and a tester inserted comes out clean. Cool for a few minutes and enjoy!

Have fun with the fillings. Just pay attention to the dough, and be careful not to add too much butter or cream. If I use a lot of bacon, for example, and use the rendered fat in the scones, I cut back on the butter.

Lisa Green reports from Kinderhook. The party in the fields of Katchkie Farm on Saturday, July 23 began with guests encountering The Sylvia Center’s mission of inspiring children to eat well. On the path down to the gardens, students from the Perfect 10 After School organization in Hudson — participants of the center’s programs — handed out pieces of lemon balm, encouraging guests to taste and smell the herb, just as they do when they’re learning at the farm. The ninth annual Farm-to-Table Dinner, which benefits The Sylvia Center, raises funds to help introduce thousands of young people to the farm as well as expand the Seed to Plate program, which brings healthy cooking courses to schools, youth groups and after-school programs throughout Columbia County. Cocktails in the Field House, passed hors d’oeuvres and tours of the Learning Garden kept guests happily occupied until the main event, dinner at long tables under the tent. All of the food was provided by Great Performances, whose owner, Liz Neumark, established Katchkie Farm (where much of the dinner’s ingredients came from) as well as The Sylvia Center. Volunteers from Great Performances and Sylvia Center students prepared and served the entire menu. [Above, Sam Wachsberger with his mom, the woman who started it all, Liz Neumark.]


Despina Leandrou and Michael Laudati of Stockport and New York City; Era Hanspal from the Albany area and Erin Reese, from the city.

The pond beside the farm provides a peaceful respite from the crowd.

Carol Schneider and Don Schneider with their daughter, Suzannah Schneider, the sustainability connector at Great Performances; Nardyne Cattani and Richard Cattani with Anna Hammond, The Sylvia Center’s executive director.

Charles Biblowit, Myra Bilblowit, who is the president of the Breast Cancer Research Foundation, with their daughter Rachel Snyder, son-in-law Matt Snyder, and grandchildren Grace and William.

Julie Cerny, farm education director and garden manager, with Katherine Mok, marketing and public relations manager for Great Performances; The drink station set up and ready for customers.

Teresa Meza, Pamela Badila and Paula Forman, all from Perfect 10.

Julie Cerny explains how she introduces students to food on the farm that may be new to them.“Don’t yuck my yum” helps them to respect everyone’s unique tastebuds; Perfect 10 students perform a song they wrote about The Sylvia Center.

Food writer Anna Kovel and architect Greg Merryweather, new Kinderhook residents, with Debbie Gardner, a member of the board of directors.

Heather Kowalski and Curtis Gobrecht of Lover’s Leap Farm donated a whole heritage pig to the silent auction; After a few clouds and sprinkles, the sun returns to deliver a golden glow at dinnertime.

Mark Blumkin and Amy Blumkin of New Jersey and Great Barrington; Samara Antolini and Michael Antolini, visiting from NYC.

After dinner, guests make pledges to The Sylvia Center.

By Jamie Larson

It’s practically a given that every event at Basilica Hudson, the adventurous art and culture venue in a former factory down by the river in Hudson, New York, will be unique, original, and feel like it could exist nowhere else. Read & Feed, on Saturday, July 30, is a perfect example.

The one-day “mini-festival” will bring together the best in contemporary literature and the best in modern eating and drinking. Hosted by the Basilica and the Community of Literary Magazines and Presses (CLMP), Read & Feed will feature authors, chefs, poets and farmers who will discuss their work and passions. Both professions can, at times, be isolating and all consuming, and the organizers are curious to find out what their creative convergence might spark.

“We love celebrating all great things and this is such an interesting hybrid,” says Basilica co-founder Melissa Auf der Maur, who happily had the event pitched to her by CLMP Executive Director Jeffrey Lependorf. “It’s what we try to do here. It’s a subtle, slightly unpredictable but obvious overlap.”

Photo by Bill Stone

In further keeping with Basilica’s style, visitors will be able to curate their own experience as events pop up in different areas throughout the expansive industrial hall. There will be panel discussions and demonstrations including “Food, Farming and Spirituality,” where local celebrity chef Zak Pelaccio, author Marie Mutsuki Mockett, organic farmer Sarah Chase and renowned cookbook author Rozanne Gold discuss how spirituality manifests itself in the culinary arts.

At “Reading, Drinking, Eating, Writing,” New York Times “Drinking” columnist Rosie Schaap; president of the Poetry Society of America, Kimiko Hahn; and other authors will explore food as a language. There will also be a marathon (kind of Basilica’s thing) reading of John Cage and a room where you can have a poet read to you, one on one.

There’s even more on the schedule, including food demonstrations, and there will, of course, be plenty of local food and drink from Chaseholm Farms, Raven & Boar, Hudson Standard, Moto and others.

“Who doesn’t want to have a glass of wine and cheese and listen to smart people?” says Auf der Maur. “It’s a creative event that I think will really be a pleasant surprise.”

Read & Feed
Saturday, July 30 from 5—11 p.m.
Basilica Hudson
110 South Front St., Hudson, NY
(518) 822-1050
$20 in advance; $25 at the door, based on availability

Jamie Larson reports from Sharon. Atop the rolling hills of Sharon, Conn. on Saturday, July 23, LionRock Farm played host to a party for a great cause: Habitat for Humanity of Northwest Connecticut turned 25 years old. For a quarter century, the affiliate has been supporting the community by building 12 homes for families in need. The event was an elegant way to honor the organization’s history of good work and some special members who have gone above and beyond, and to raise more money for their ongoing $100,000 capital campaign. We know what a wonderful place to live our area is, and Habitat makes it possible for families to live here, in the homes they deserve. And, it must be said, this group throws a heck of a party. Above, the evening’s honorees. Affiliate founding member John Pogue received the Founder Recognition, Judi Moore  received the Volunteer Recognition for 25 years of hard work (back to the very first tag sale), and Chris Hewat accepted the Donor Recognition on behalf of Don and Diane Hewat, who have been exceedingly generous.

Lucinda Ross, ABC News Chief Investigative Correspondent Brian Ross, who provided the evening’s opening remarks, and Maureen Tesoro; Habitat of NW Connecticut President Tracy Atwood, board member Wilhelmina Eaken, Webb Eaken and Lincoln Center producer Kristy Geslain.

Heather Kahler and board member Michael Kahler welcomed party-goers at the door with infectious smiles; Joanne and Kenny Dahill, Shelley and John Fecteau.

Scott Whalen, Habitat Executive Director Dawn Whalen, Megan and Jeremy Sokolnicki, and Seth Mittag and India Mittag, the last four representing the Kent School. Ms. Mittag was the founding member of the Kent School’s Habitat chapter.

Volunteer Ceely Ackerman, Bert Schmitz, and Mary and Alex Taylor; Bill Fordyce, Terry Holm of Geer Senior Living and Chris Holm.

The host’s beautiful habitat; board member Michael Halloran, Mark Burke and Liane Burke, and Susan MacEachron.

Steve Graziano, board member Mike Shopp, Heather Shopp and Ben Shopp, Julia Graziano, Mike Shopp, Jr., Madeline Tomich and Colleen O’Reilly and Liam O’Reilly.

Board member Bill Conclan with board secretary Judy Becker; longtime volunteers Peggy Magyar, Sara Becker and Jane Pinckney.

Always supporters and often volunteers, Nancy Moskowitz and Lary Moskowitz, and True Anderson and Bob Anderson.

Leonard Bernstein at BUTI. Photos courtesy Boston University Tanglewood Institute.

By Jeremy D. Goodwin

One of Andrew Hitz’s fondest memories from his four summers at the Boston University Tanglewood Institute (BUTI) is the night he got in trouble.

As a wide-eyed teenager soaking up all things musical, the aspiring tuba player had the chance to see the great Leonard Bernstein conduct the Boston Symphony Orchestra at Tanglewood, in what would turn out to be the maestro’s last concert ever. (He died a few months later.) 

Determined to shake Bernstein’s hand after the performance, Hitz missed the last shuttle bus up the road to campus, and straggled in long after curfew.

“We got yelled at by the resident assistants. We said, ‘But we met Leonard Bernstein!’ They didn’t care,” Hitz says with a hearty chuckle. The incredible thing in retrospect is that, in the context of a program that gives its students a kind of skeleton key to the behind-the-scenes action at Tanglewood, this particular rendezvous with greatness was not an adequate excuse.

“Experiences like that were a little surreal then and they are even more surreal now, looking back on them,” the tuba player says. Hitz, who relishes time at his family’s lakeside cottage in Otis during the summers, toured the world as a member of Boston Brass for 14 years, and now teaches music students, plays selected gigs, and hosts a podcast about the world of professional brass players.

Pianist Lang Lang coaching a BUTI student.

The BSO’s own Tanglewood Music Center, whose fellows are college-aged or older, has the higher public profile. But BUTI creates its own beehive of activity while mostly serving high school students. Some of those teenagers you sometimes see lugging instrument cases alongside Rt. 183 on the way from the West Street campus to Tanglewood will be some of tomorrow’s classical-music stars. But you can hear them now; BUTI presents more than 70 performances each season that are open to the public. Almost all are free.

This is BUTI’s 50th season. On August 6, a day of campus tours, a piano recital and an alumni panel discussion will culminate in a 50th anniversary show at Ozawa Hall at 2:30 p.m., emceed by Berkshire favorite and BUTI alumna Lauren Ambrose. Other alumni range from Harry Connick, Jr. to Ken-David Masur, assistant conductor for the BSO, who led a program earlier this summer at Tanglewood featuring famed soprano Renee Fleming.

Lauren Ambrose, BUTI alumna.

The August 6 concert will feature commissions by BUTI alumni Nico Muhly and Timo Andres.

“I would like to think that there are a million such places scattered around the world,” Muhly says of BUTI, “but to me it feels like a unique thing. It certainly was in my life. It was a defining musical and social thing. It’s why I’m a composer at all.”

After his time in the program, which gives students access to leading professionals in the field and all the musical magic of Tanglewood, Muhly became the youngest composer to be commissioned by the Metropolitan Opera, and has been a rising star on the scene, writing across genres. He’s written a score for the New York City Ballet, arranged work by pop stars like Rufus Wainwright and Sufjan Stevens, and wrote the music for the 2013 Broadway revival of “The Glass Menagerie.” He’s also been no stranger to the Berkshires since his time at BUTI, writing a commission for the Aston Magna Festival in 2014.

Composer/alum Nico Muhly.

“It was the first time I realized that this is a viable way an adult can behave,” Muhly says of his time in Lenox. “As a kid, saying you want to be a composer is like saying you want to be an astronaut. Then you turn up and go, not only can I do it, but it can be this great thing that happens in this beautiful landscape with all these fun people.”

New BUTI executive director Hilary Field Respass is the first person to hold that job in a full-time capacity; her predecessors doubled as Boston University faculty. Along with another full-time hire, she’s been charged with finding ways for the program to be more self-supporting and not wholly dependent on the university.

“We’re in a period of really focusing on expanding our network of support,” Respass says, citing outreach among alumni and other fans of the program. “We’re really being aggressive and assertive about finding partners to expand our base of support and expand our programming.”

And so, 50 years on and largely outside of the public eye, the aspiring musicians at BUTI continue to play, practice and soak it all in. All of Tanglewood is their classroom, and, once in a while, there’s even a really good reason to miss curfew.

Boston University Tanglewood Institute (BUTI) 50th Anniversary Celebration
Saturday, Aug. 6
9-10:30 a.m. Campus tours
11:30 a.m. Piano recital featuring students and alumni from the Young Artists Piano Program
12:45 p.m. Alumni panel discussion: “Changing Lives, Influencing the World”
2:30 p.m. 50th Anniversary Concert at Ozawa Hall, Tanglewood. Tickets: $20
4:30-6:30 p.m.: BUTI@50 Soiree post-concert reception. Tickets: $30

By CB Wismar

Like the mythical village of “Brigadoon” emerging from the Scottish mist for one day every 100 years in Lerner & Lowe’s epic musical, the Village of Chatham, New York has reappeared. The reassuring news is that, unlike the legendary Scottish village, Chatham is not likely to disappear any time soon.

“I suppose it really started about five years ago,” says Village of Chatham Mayor Tom Curran, who is sitting on a newly painted picnic table perched outside the historic Village Hall. He looks up and down Main Street, waving to people as they drive past. “We took a real hit during the 2008 recession,” he recalls. “Stores closed, unemployment went up and the village really suffered.’

Curran has studied his history. Chatham Village has, over two centuries, gone from a market town to a mill town, a railroad center with crossing lines and its own roundhouse to a quiet ex-urban residential community. “Things bounced back slowly, but about five years ago you could see a difference,” he says.

And, bounce back, it has. All along Main Street, there’s not a storefront empty. The shops are busy, and during the recent Chatham Summerfest, an annual adventure that closes the streets and brings craft and food and face painting and fine jewelry together for a day, so many folks poured into town that restaurants ran out of some items created just for the festival.

“It was mobbed!” reports James Knight, owner of SomethinsGottaGive, who found one of the last available spaces on Chatham Village’s Main Street.  “Best thing I ever did was to move here,” he says. “I had no idea how accepting people would be.” Knight’s artisan gallery and shop joins several other galleries in Chatham, making it an emerging center of local and regional artists.

If shopping is your thing, then the Chatham Village re-birth will have magnetic force. From Boxwood Linen where Franca Fusco presents her handmade, elegant linens to Willow & Oak, Debbye Byrum’s newly opened housewares and ephemera shop to Pookstyle Thoughtful Gifts, The Jeweler’s Roost and Victoria Dinardo Millinery, the offerings are imaginative and refreshing, not mega-mall wannabes.

“It just felt right,” says Debbye Byrum. “I honestly looked at other towns, but the combination of prices and people made this an easy pick.”

Further down the block, where it appears that Arlo Guthrie may have met Don Mclean in a world of retail delight — something on the order of “You can get anything you want … at American Pie” — Tom Hope just figured out how to convert a hallway and a store room into one more space. “I had sold my bar and was going to work on my art and fly fishing,” he says. That was until he saw a complete marble ice cream soda fountain and simply had to have it shipped in so he could open … wait for it … American Pie a la Mode.  August 1 is the target date to open — just in time for the dog days of summer, when an ice cream cone will be a real treat.

For foodies, the village has blossomed into a destination that requires more than one visit. Landmark eateries that have survived the ebb and flow of commerce have been joined by The Taste Box on Main Street and the newest food and beverage addition to the Chatham Village mix, The People’s Pub. Angus Van Beusichem, whose Dutch-heritage name fits right into the land of Rip Van Winkle, has burst on the scene with a farm-to-table, craft beer, gourmet bar food emporium that collects a crowd most every night.  “Grey Ballinger and his cousin Tom and I grew up together here in town. We each went our separate ways, then the chance came for us to come back home.” 

Angus clearly enjoys the homecoming concept. “Here we are, not in the high-rent towns around us, but in Chatham, where we can refine our ideas as we build our market.”

A stone (or scone’s) throw away from the people’s pub is Chatham Brewing. Mayor Tom Curran sees the brewery and food truck supplied restaurant as a great draw. “Folks tend to tour the breweries up and down the Hudson Valley,” he says. “Finding Chatham Brewing both delights patrons and introduces them to our village.” 

(Worthy of note is that Mr. Curran is also the Police Commissioner, so when savoring the brewery’s finest, a designated driver is always a good idea.)

Art, food, shopping, entertainment in a gentle setting. It’s not Brigadoon. It’s Chatham Village, and it’s come back to stay.

Amy Krzanik reports from Stockbridge. Long considered to possess one of the most astounding views in the Berkshires — or, some would argue, in the world — Naumkeag has undergone a revitalization of its gardens and grounds during the last three years that supporters have been lucky enough to witness stage by stage. This summer’s afternoon garden party fundraiser, held on Saturday, July 23, featured honorary co-chairs Jill Hornor and Yo-Yo Ma, who cut the ribbon and welcomed guests into the newly renovated Chinese Temple Garden. Managed by the Trustees of Reservations, the Gilded Age cottage once owned by the Choate family features the most well known of the 700 gardens designed by landscape architect Fletcher Steele during his lifetime. To celebrate the Chinese Garden’s 60th birthday (and the Trustees’ 125th), more than 300 guests enjoyed Asian-inspired hors d’oeuvres served by Mezze Catering & Events, a Thai basil lemonade signature cocktail, live music by the Limbshakers Jazz Band, and traditional Chinese performances and calligraphy. Naumkeag is open for house and garden tours, workshops, yoga, live music and more through late fall, so you can experience the landscape transformations for yourself. [Above, guests exit the Chinese Temple Garden through the Moon Door.]

Gala co-chair Hilary Somers Deely with honorary co-chairs Yo-Yo Ma and Jill Hornor; Trustees stewardship manager Jake Chase and Rebecca Neher.

Severn Goodwin and Debbie Schehr; board member Nathan Hayward with Bonita Wilson and Mark Wilson of The Trustees.

The dragon winds its way from the main tent to the Evergreen Garden and into the Chinese Temple Garden.

Cindy Brockway of the Trustees with John Gibson and Andrea Selley of the National Trust; Matthew King and Deirdre Kelly.

Pat and Philip Kennedy-Grant of Kennedy-Grant Architecture; Guests enjoy the gardens prior to the ribbon-cutting ceremony.

Dr. Claudia Cooke, Christina Strong and Benjamin Strong; Lauren LeBlanc and board member Paul LeBlanc.

Trustees president and CEO Barbara Erickson and board chair David Croll hold the ribbon as Yo-Yo Ma does the honors.

Robert and Kathleen Shure of Skylight Studios, whose work can be seen throughout the Chinese Garden as well as in the reproduction pillars in the Afternoon Garden; Santhea Ogden with Celia Kittredge, gala co-chair and Choate family descendant.

Dana and Joe Robbat, board members of Friends of Modern Architecture in Lincoln, Mass.; Jonathan Stone and Tom Flanigan, who consider Naumkeag to be one of their favorite places in the world, see it as a good investment, and have been supporting it for 30 years.

Traditional Chinese dances were performed every half hour for the guests.

Two Asian-inspired dishes that were on the party menu.

Goldfish used as centerpieces.

The Rural Intelligence region is fortunate to have so many gardening experts close by. Our garden writer, Madaline Sparks, is the principal in her own design, installation and maintenance business, Madaline Sparks Garden Design, with clients in Columbia and Berkshire counties. For 12 years she was the contributing garden editor at Real Simple Magazine. Madaline and her husband, Wayne Greene, live in Spencertown, NY where both are very active volunteers at Spencertown Academy Arts Center.

I tend to write about the things that are on my mind. These days I’m obsessing about our lack of rain, lying awake nights worrying about the plants I installed in gardens this year. Everywhere I go, people are talking about it. A few nights ago, it rained for 4.5 minutes, exactly. There had been a promise of rain in the air all day. It just felt like it was going to let loose and go on for a while. But alas. That promise was repeated today and it was totally disappointing once again. With the current forecast, there’s no relief in sight.

Like many in these parts, my well does not recover very quickly, so I cannot water with abandon. I have to be very selective about what I water and how I do it. My priorities for watering are, first, plants that have been put in the ground this year and are not established yet. Next are plants that were installed last year and still need some extra help. And then, containers in full sun that dry out in this weather seemingly minutes after they are drenched. I’m letting the grass go dormant. It’ll green up again when (and if) we do get rain. The only silver lining is that mowing isn’t necessary.

There are many techniques for saving water and using it judiciously. I cringe when I see people scattering water willy-nilly over the leaves of plants just until the surface of the soil or mulch looks wet. Nothing is getting to the roots where the plant can take it up into its stems and leaves. Watering must be done at the base of plants and not with a strong stream, which runs off, but with a dribble or a trickle so it has a chance to percolate the layers of soil and seep deep into the base of the root zone. Deep-watering several times a week, rather than brief, daily watering, provides enough moisture for growing plant roots in hot weather.

Soaker hoses winding through the flowerbeds are an excellent method of allowing moisture to reach the base of the plants without losing most of it to evaporation. Hooking up a battery-operated timer to the soaker hose allows you to avoid watering at peak use times and taxing your system or your well. Setting timers for longer periods, less frequently, is better than watering every day.

When it’s hot and dry for long periods, the surface of the soil, even if it’s mulched, becomes baked and hard. When this happens, water can be wicked away from where you want it to go. Gently loosening the area around the base of the plant allows water to reach the desired destination.

The same condition happens with containers. Commercial potting mixes can become water repellent if they get too dry. The potting soil dries up, shrinks and become hard so that when watered, it runs down the inside of the pots and out the bottom without permeating the root ball. You’ll see the water escaping through the drainage holes and think it has been sufficiently hydrated but, in reality, it hasn’t been watered at all. Using your fingers or a small tool to carefully disturb the crusty surface around the base of the plants will improve the saturation conditions.

One important tip to keep in mind: during the heat of the day, especially if plants are sited in direct sun or are exposed to prolonged windy conditions, leaves will look wilted even though you may have watered that morning and the soil appears to be wet. This is a self–defense mechanism employed by the plant to protect the roots. It closes the pores in the leaves to prevent too much transpiration of moisture. If the leaves recover and perk back up late in the day, it doesn’t need more water. If they stay limp, then don’t wait, spot water immediately.

This 1850 river mansion sits on eight acres of unrestricted Hudson River and Catskill Mountain views in Stuyvesant. Under the careful eye of the current owners, the villa-inspired estate was tastefully restored and thoughtfully redesigned with the latest green building materials. All of the rooms have high ceilings and original hardwood floors. There is an eat-in kitchen with breakfast room, a parlor, formal dining room, paneled reading room and drawing room. The four large bedrooms, all with fireplaces and river views, are located on the second floor, and the house has four bathrooms (two with radiant heated floors). A screened porch looks out to the park-like grounds offering old trees and perennial gardens. Listed for $1.85 million by Halstead Property.

A minimalist property makes the case for a modern architecture in a bucolic setting. Perched on a knoll in Ancram, the striking house was designed by architects for their own Hudson Valley country home. Built with industrial-strength materials on the outside, the inside is all whitewashed walls, polished white concrete floors and translucent polycarbonate paneled walls. The sleek kitchen has a 20-foot island, the living room features a freestanding fireplace, and an open stairwell leads to two light-filled bedrooms and two-and-a-half bathroom. The muted interior sets the stage for the lush green surroundings, which can also be enjoyed from the patio. Listed for $815,000 by Gary DiMauro Real Estate.

Everything about this Great Barrington home says Victorian. An exceptional example of the style, it was built in 1900 and restored with the focus on the traditional architectural details that reflect the era. Extremely spacious, the house offers a formal parlor, living and dining rooms, bright kitchen, butler’s pantry, office, three bedrooms and two-and-one-half bathrooms. There are two porches: one is screened and the other is a classic rocking chair setting. Located on “the hill” on 1.6 acres, the property includes a barn. Listed for $899,000 by Barnbrook Realty.

Nestled in the historic district of Rhinebeck is a circa 1850 village home that’s a blend of vintage and new with period details intact and contemporary updates. After entering from a full-width porch with a beveled glass front door, a hallway with a staircase to the second floor leads to the spacious, light-filled kitchen with limestone counters, quality appliances and French doors to a tiered deck. There is a living room with a fireplace and built-in bookshelves, dining room, three bedrooms and two bathrooms. The spacious fenced yard has mature specimen and fruit trees, slate walkways and a period barn. Listed for $745,000 by Paula Redmond Real Estate.

This striking house’s pointed windows, arches and steeply pitched cross-gable roof is unmistakably Victorian Gothic. In Hudson, a double-door entrance opens to a hallway with the original dining room and built-in cupboard on the left and a large living room on the right. A separate entrance leads to another large parlor with corner windows. At the rear of the hall, a dramatic family room opens to the kitchen to one side and a first-floor bedroom on the other. The staircase leads to two large bedrooms, a spacious bathroom and an attic. The half-acre property includes a garage and is desirably located on Union Street, so it’s within walking distance of everything Hudson has to offer. Listed for $650,000 by Peggy Lampman Real Estate.

Spectacular views outside are perfectly framed inside at this mountaintop home, which is an equal mix of rustic and elegant. Secluded on 30 wooded acres in Monterey with sweeping three-state sunset views, the house has soaring ceilings, huge windows, oak floors and cherry cabinetry. There are six bedrooms, four-and-one-bathrooms, eat-in kitchen, library, craft room, two laundry rooms, two garages and even a second kitchen for guests. A highlight of the house is the great room with a stone fireplace that runs the entire length of the wall. Listed for $4.2 million by Benchmark Real Estate.

Rachel Louchen reports from Lenox. Berkshire Botanical Garden’s 15 acres of flowers and gardens were replaced by croquet on the lawn of The Lenox Club for the annual Fete Des Fleurs, one of the most anticipated events for BBG (second only to October’s Harvest Festival). On Saturday, July 30, guests huddled under the large, wraparound porch for shelter from the impending rain, which created a foggy lawn and hazy summer mood. The gathering always draws longtime volunteers, donors and board members past and present, including this years’ honorees Jo Dare and Bob Mitchell. As always, there were cocktails, hors d’oeuvres, an auction and supper — but surprisingly, no giant garden hats this year. [Above, Executive director Michael Beck and his husband, Beau Buffier.]

Sara Garretson, Drew Clark, Candy Clark and Cathy Clark.

Richard Taylor, whose wife is “deeply involved” with the BBG, and trustee Rob Williams, who served as event co-chair; Mark Nelson, Peter Johnson, Dana Johnson and Kate Johnson visiting from Napa Valley, California.

Syd and Lee Blatt flank event honoree Jo Dare Mitchell; party sponsors Carol Williams and Rob Williams with Ginger Schwartz and Arthur Schwartz.

Former trustee Susan Dempsey, emeritus trustee Jean Rousseau and Joey Leggett.

Paul Hickey and Jim Garrettson; Ingrid Taylor helped with flowers for the event, with Lynn Villency, from Connecticut.

Tania Walker, trustee Ian Hooper and Mary Ann “Minkie” Quinson all sponsors of the party; Treasurer of the trustees Ellen Greendale and vice-chair Madeline Hooper.

Judie Owens, Katherine Abrahams, Glenna Bloom and Marty Bloom.

One of our favorite events every summer is The Sylvia Center’s Farm-to-Table dinner, hosted by Great Performances in the fields of Katchkie Farm in Kinderhook, N.Y. The mission of The Sylvia Center is to inspire young people and their families to eat well through hands-on learning experiences on the farm and in the kitchen. Julie Cerny, farm education director and garden manager at The Sylvia Center, offers us recipes the teenagers are learning to make.

I like keeping some tortillas in the house – it means I’m never far away from a quesadilla. In July and August, when you’re swimming in summer squash, this recipe is an excellent outlet. Take advantage of grilling season by slicing the squash long and about ¼” thick, rubbing a little olive oil, salt and pepper on it, and carefully firing it on the grill until a few spots start to blacken. If you love that grilled vegetable flavor as much as I do, you’ll want to grill the scallions too. After grilling, go ahead and cut the veggies into quesadilla appropriate sizes.

If you can get your hands on some garlic chives (a very easy to grow and delicious perennial, by the way), add them to your mix of chopped herbs. Make a couple of extra quesadillas to throw in the fridge for your next snack attack. They reheat very nicely in a toaster oven or a cast-iron skillet.

Summer Squash And Scallion Quesadillas
Makes four 9” quesadillas

2 medium summer squash, julienned or grated
1 medium scallion, julienned
1 cup grated sharp cheddar
¼ cup basil, oregano, chives chopped
½ cup arugula
(8) 9” flour tortillas
Extra virgin olive oil

1. Heat a large non-stick skillet to medium-high and add a drizzle of oil. Add scallion and cook for 2 minutes, or until translucent. Add summer squash and arugula and cook for an additional 5 minutes, or until just tender. Remove from pan and set aside.

2. Heat another large non-stick skillet to medium heat and add a drizzle of oil. Place one flour tortilla into pan and sprinkle with ¼ cup of cheese, ¼ of the onion and squash mixture, and a sprinkle of the chopped herbs. Place another flour tortilla on top. When the bottom tortilla is crispy and golden brown and the cheese has melted, use a spatula to flip the quesadilla over. Cook until this side is also golden brown and crispy.