Surrounded by 18 acres of views and greenery, this West Cornwall home’s stunning modern design stands out from the country backdrop. Every room in the house has notable contemporary details, such as the impressive stone fireplace in the great room and a sleek kitchen. There are five bedrooms, three-and-a-half-bathrooms and an office. The property feels like a private resort with the formal entry gates, gunite pool and spa, and terrace. Listed for $3.95 million by Klemm Real Estate.

Totally renovated in 2009, this Victorian evokes the charm of when it was built in 1890 while being move-in ready. Located in the village of Lakeville — only a minute’s walk to Lakeville Lake — its renovations include new wiring, insulation, plumbing, siding and roof. The living and dining rooms share a double fireplace, the eat-in kitchen has been updated with stainless steel appliances, and the mudroom has access to rear porches and garden. The five-bedroom, five-bath home has an L-shaped porch with sitting and dining areas. Listed for $1.325 million by Elyse Harney Real Estate.

This 691-acre lakefront compound in Torrington looks rustic on the outside but it’s luxurious and comfortable inside. There are several buildings on the property, including the main lodge which dates back to the early 1900s, a guest house and a barn built in 2007 partially from native hemlock timbers; it offers more sleeping space for guests. The property also includes a large blueberry patch, fruit orchard and a flat piece of land above the lake that could be used to build a new residence. The lake is the centerpiece of the current homestead and has a sandy beach, expansive deck and miles of trails surrounding its boundaries. Listed for $4.9 million by Sotheby’s International Realty.

Cricket Hill is a 1939 dormered Cape on handsomely landscaped grounds in Norfolk. The 3,044 square feet includes a large, sunny living room with a fireplace, dining room off the renovated eat-in kitchen, first-floor bedroom, two second-floor bedrooms and a guest apartment. There are hardwood floors throughout, except in the tiled kitchen and three bathrooms. The house also offers new thermal windows. A bluestone terrace overlooks the pond and grounds, and a two-car garage is attached via the new laundry/mudroom. Listed for $785,000 by Betsy Little Real Estate.

This Victorian Colonial looks like a vintage New England home but it was built in 2005, so it doesn’t require much maintenance or upkeep. Located in Litchfield on a quiet cul-de-sac, the house is sited on five acres with a garden area, deck and a classic porch. The pristine, 10-room interior includes gleaming hardwood floors, an open floor plan, five bedrooms, four-and-one-half bathrooms and a stone fireplace in the living room. There is also a finished basement and attached two-car garage. Listed for $795,000 by E. J. Murphy Realty.

This turn-of-the-century Lakeville Victorian has been well maintained and expanded to include a large gourmet kitchen, family room and master suite. Built in 1900, original details have been retained and all the living spaces in the nearly 5,000-square-foot house feature high ceilings. There are five bedrooms, two-and-a-half bathrooms, dining room, living room with built-ins, library and a finished attic office space. A new double garage has a small workshop and the fenced-in backyard features a stone patio and mature landscaping. Listed for $1.195 million by Best & Cavallaro Real Estate.

Lisa Green reports from Canaan. The only person missing from Berkshire International Film Festival’s Haute Hoedown on Saturday, Sept. 3 may have been Agnes DeMille. But other than the famous Rodeo choreographer, pretty much everyone you might expect and all the essential ingredients were accounted for at the film fest’s first-ever house party at the magnificent spread belonging to Dan Mathieu and Tom Potter. Hayrides, check. Mechanical bull ride, check. A country-western influenced band, farm-to-table dinner (catered by Max Ultimate Food), live auction and even a spinning wheel with fine prizes from many of the sponsors — check, check and do it again. Even better, guests were outfitted as cowboys and cowgirls with plenty of denim and diamonds to contemporize the theme. Proceeds from the event will help BIFF continue its mission to bring the best of independent film to the Berkshires as it goes into its twelfth year. [Above: Mark Johnson, Liz Williams, Pops Peterson, Kate Morris and Kelly Vickery, BIFF’s executive director.]

BIFF Board of Advisors member Lisa Newmann of Cookiehead Cookies and Sandy Sanderson; the hoedown begins with cocktails on the lawn.

Host Dan Mathieu, owner of Max Ultimate Food, with Mary Mott, interior designer Karen Beckwith, photographer Scott Barrow and Gordon Simmering of Stockbridge and Idaho, sporting his Idahoan “formal wear.”

Liz Krupp and Nancy Belsky, both of Lenox and Boston; Ann Herbst of Tyringham, with Marica Feuer, a member of the BIFF Board of Advisors, and Wendy Gordon, both of Richmond.

What’s a hoedown without a hayride, haute or not?

Jonathan Coffino, Carla Singer, actor and director Karen Allen, a BIFF board trustee, and film director/producer Kristi Zea; Tracy Foster and Andy Foster, who are board members of IS183.

Donna Hall, Dan LaBonte, Denise D’Amboise and Vince Ambrosini, who picked up these plaid shirts just for the occasion; Lisa Frankel, who recently made Great Barrington her full-time home, bravely rides the mechanical bull.

George Habard and Cynthia Valles hang with the ranch hand, aka host Tom Potter.

If you’re in the Berkshires and need to meet with someone, in a place where you can get a nice pastry and coffee or a local/organic/homemade meal in a convivial (and wired) setting, where do you go? Very likely, it’ll be one of the two Haven Café and Bakery locations (Lenox and Great Barrington, Mass.), which are favorites on just about everyone’s list. The cafes’ motto is “Taste the Love,” and you really can. Executive Chef Matt Schweitzer shares the recipes of some of Haven’s tastiest offerings with Rural Intelligence readers.

It’s been a long, hot summer, and we at Haven have been winding down from a successful first season of “Haven at the Pillow,” (Jacob’s Pillow, that is). All summer, we had our ovens full of delicious new recipes and our bakery case packed with luscious desserts. This recipe is the first of many wonderful new creations Chef Matt had on the menu. We served the focaccia with fresh greens and fish, alongside garden-picked heirloom tomatoes and, last but not least, as a favorite “family meal” treat for staff at the end of the night. Drizzled with olive oil, it’s a treat anytime on its own. Enjoy!

Rosemary Garlic Focaccia Bread

3/4 tbs. active dry yeast
1/2 cup warm water
1/2 cup garlic, chopped
3/4 cup fresh rosemary, chopped
6 cups organic bread flour
3 tbs. organic honey
3 tbs. kosher salt, more for finish
2 tbs. olive oil, more for rising bowl and finish
4-6 cups water

1. Place warm water in a small bowl. Sprinkle yeast over water and set aside.

2. In a small skillet, sauté the garlic and rosemary just until the garlic starts to brown. Set aside to cool.

3. In a stand mixer fitted with the hook attachment, combine flour, honey, olive oil, salt and enough water for the dough to be pliable but not watery. Add the garlic, rosemary and yeast mixture.

4. Prepare a medium-sized deep plastic bucket or bowl with a thin coating of oil.

5. Mix the dough for 11 minutes. Remove from mixer and place into the bucket. Cover, and allow to rise in a warm spot for one hour. 

6. Fold the dough into itself and place back into the bucket. Cover and let rest in the refrigerator overnight.

7. In the morning, place the dough on an oiled baking sheet and roll out flat. Let rest and rise at room temperature for one hour.

8. Position a rack in the center of the oven and heat the oven to 350. Using a fork, poke holes in the top of the dough. Bake for 15 minutes. Rotate. Bake for an additional 15 minutes or until top is golden brown.

9.  Remove from oven and place on a cooling rack. Drizzle with additional olive oil and salt. Serve warm or at room temperature.

Photos courtesy of Bartlett House.

By Hannah Van Sickle Barrett

After 11 years of standing dormant, the three-story square Italianate-style brick building on Route 66 in Ghent, New York has been revived by a trio of entrepreneurs keen on curating a neighborhood destination known for its hospitality and old-world charm. Unyielding devotion to authenticity, craftsmanship and hospitality permeate the newly reborn Bartlett House Kitchen, Bakery & Cafe.

Lev Glazman and Alina Roytberg have spent the past 25 years cultivating their passion for transforming everyday routines into sensorial rituals; the founders of the iconic oval-shaped Fresh soaps, in a new collaboration with partner Damien Janowicz, have their sights set on coffee, pastry and hospitality in an often overlooked corner of the Hudson Valley. For this trio, inspiration comes from 18th century French chemist Antoine Lavoisier’s sentiment, “Nothing is lost, everything is transformed,” beginning with the very building in which they have set up shop. “A destination that you actually name is one thing; a destination that already has a name is a whole other thing” remarks Roytberg of the historic railroad hotel built in 1870 and resuscitated over the past year. 

In this case the destination, on an unassuming stretch of Route 66, is well worth the drive. Upon crossing a full-width front porch, and spilling through a pair of original mahogany swinging doors, “individuals are greeted as if they are coming into [our] home not into [our] business” says Janowicz. This old-world sense of hospitality is quickly nourishing the community. 

The flour-laden surfaces visible through windows on the ground floor reiterate that this place is, first and foremost, a bakery. “As long as I’ve known Lev, he’s been dreaming of baking bread,” says Roytberg. This 26-year dream came to fruition in the waning days of August. Head Baker Craig Escalante’s ovens are turning out myriad offerings from traditional baguette and pain de mie pullman, to multigrain pullman, country sourdough and apricot currant walnut sourdough loaves. The bakery menu is punctuated by croissants — classic ($3.75), dark chocolate ($4) and twice-baked pistachio ($4) — as well as muffins ($3.75), running the gamut from a traditional whole wheat buttermilk blueberry to the seasonal zucchini and the exotic pear rosewater. Cherry cornmeal scones ($4) are a staple, along with dark chocolate chip cookies and candied lemon zest shortbread ($2.50). The sleek coffee bar serves up exceptional coffee sourced from Sightglass, a San Francisco-based company specializing in sustainable harvests, as well as a carefully curated selection of fine organic teas from Divinitea.

Executive Chef Amy Stonionis has a penchant for creating menus around local farms and artisan producers. Her breakfast menu includes yogurt, house-made granola and berries ($8), a farmer’s breakfast consisting of two farm eggs, breakfast potatoes, toast, choice of bacon, house sausage or vegetable ($9) and French toast served with strawberries, balsamic reduction pistachio, creme fraiche and mint ($11).

For lunch, the local bounty is transformed into Grains and Greens ($7) featuring kale, quinoa, radish with shallot dijon vinaigrette; burrata, basil, pea greens, olive oil and sea salt ($12); the more substantial chicken salad available as a sandwich or a plate ($9/10) made with creme fraiche, radish, dill and scallions; and the house-cured salmon ($12) served with horseradish, creme fraiche, cucumber, radish, dill, scallions and multigrain. For the more traditional palate, there is the Bartlett House burger ($14) served with aioli and fries, as well as a fried chicken sandwich ($10) that comes with red cabbage slaw, sweet pickles, chipotle aioli, on a house-made sesame bun. Bartlett House also offers a cold deli case with daily prepared specials for quick pickup.

The collective passion among Roytberg, Glazman and Janowicz translates as palpable energy; what ensues is a veritable hub of culinary creation, inspired by the area’s rich harvest. The convergence of these three is nothing short of “kismet,” a word they use to describe the fate of their meeting. “People are always drawn to authenticity” says Glazman and this sentiment, echoed by his partners, is what has allowed for them to simultaneously build a dream while nourishing the community in a place firmly rooted in the history of the Hudson Valley.

Bartlett House Kitchen, Bakery & Cafe
2258 Route 66, Ghent, NY
(518) 392-7787
Thursday-Sunday, 8 a.m.-4 p.m.

Amy Krzanik reports from Germantown. When a well-respected architect/interior decorator couple invite you to their home on the Hudson River, you don’t say “no.” And when the invite doubles as the annual fundraising garden party for Alliance for Positive Health (formerly the AIDS Council of Northeastern New York), you RSVP ASAP, as did around 300 people this past Sunday, Sept. 4. The 2016 Columbia~Greene Garden Party took place at the home of Hermes Mallea and RI’s Wandering Eye columnist Carey Maloney. Fairview Wines & Spirits provided the sipping and Simons Catering covered the snacking as guests basked in the sunlit views of the Hudson River and enjoyed music by longtime Garden Party supporters Kelly Mittleman & Friends. Guests toured the rooms and grounds of the mid-century home, and put their bids in on an expertly curated silent auction, which included a five-night Safari package in South Africa, theater tickets, art, jewelry, furniture, clothing and other items. [Above: Michele McClave, former executive director of the Alliance for Positive Health and current acting commissioner of the Albany County Department of Social Services, who was honored at this year’s event, with board president Mary Jane Bendon Couch and board member Peter Bevacqua.

Former board member William Allen with the garden party fundraiser’s founder, Frances Ingraham Heins, Steven Girvin and Jeffrey Kaufman; Les Rosenzweig, new board member Thomas Walling and host Hermes Mallea.

James M. Gaughan, the mayor of Altamont, N.Y., with Donna Vancavage, the Alliance’s director of development and marketing, and Keith Lee; Albany attorney Barbara Brenner with board member Carolyn Anderson and the Hon. Margaret Walsh.

Kurt Parde and Claire Parde, who is the executive director of the Healthcare Consortium, with Richard Byrne, Brad Lohrenz and Jane Duffstein of Bard College.

Honey Wilde with Anita Nasuto; Doug Weeden and Brett Carlson.

Board members Kelley Winslow, Victor Mendolia and Jeffrey Kaufman flank NY State Assemblymember Didi Barrett [third from left]; Andy Goldsborough and Alex Contreras of The Gilded Owl in Hudson.

Yosuke Chikamoto, Joe Naylor, John Garofalo, Peter O’Hara and Joseph Sniado.

Joe Baker, president of the Medicare Rights Center, and Mark Prezorski of the Olana State Historic Site; host Carey Maloney with Nancy Ursprung, Charles Rosen and Duke Dang.

George Jordan, Mark Strieter and Agustin Rodriguez; event committee member Patrick Terenchin and Mike Clifford of AFPH.

Rebecca Reiss and Ellen Walker behind the bar.

The cutest thing on four legs, Frankie, at home; hot heels signed by Whoopi Goldberg were up for grabs at the silent auction.

By Amy Krzanik

Composer Tonia Ko

Borrowing its name from our region’s annual fall phenomenon, The Leaf Peeper Concert Series, presented each year by Clarion Concerts in Columbia County, will hold four unique performances at four different area venues every other Saturday from Sept. 10 to Oct. 22. The series — born in New York City in 1957 by the late musicologist and conductor Newell Jenkins and his partner, Jack Hurley — is helmed by acclaimed flutist Eugenia Zuckerman, who took over from Sanford Allen, a former violinist with the New York Philharmonic who directed the series from 1996 until his retirement in 2014.

Although it’s the oldest classical music organization in the county, the series doesn’t dwell in the past, and is known for mixing traditional and contemporary chamber music, providing performance opportunities for promising young artists, and commissioning new works.

Zuckerman, who served as artistic director of the Bravo! Vail Valley Music Festival for 13 years, is excited about the stellar lineup of musicians participating in this year’s series. You can witness two of these superstar young musicians, pianist Jeewon Park and cellist Edward Arron — who will be performing with violinist Tessa Lark and Paul Green on clarinet — right out of the gate during “Autumn Echoes,” the first of the series’ concerts this Saturday at the Hawthorne Valley Waldorf School in Ghent, NY. Along with works by Beethoven, Schoenfeld and Brahms, “Echoes” will include “Elegy for Cello and Piano,” which the series commissioned from Tonia Ko and which will be performed for the first time ever during the concert.

The Shanghai String Quartet

“Our opening concert will take place at a school on a working farm,” says Zukerman, “and I think that speaks to the whole concept of this area and what I love about it. Even though houses are far apart, there’s a real sense of community here, and an interesting mix of older and younger people.”

The rest of the lineup is no less thrilling, and we can see why Leaf Peepers almost doubled its attendance during its 2015 season. The second concert, “From East To West,” will feature the much in-demand Shanghai Quartet, who will be joined by Zukerman on flute, at St. James Church in Chatham, NY.

“Classically Romantic,” at Our Lady of Hope Church in Copake on Oct. 8, will feature Daniel Chong, first violinist in the Parker Quartet, along with Melissa Reardon, a violist in the Grammy-nominated Enso String Quartet, and cellist Raman Ramakrishnan who is a founding member of the Horszowski Trio.

“What I love about the musicians I’ve invited is that these are people who play a lot with their own groups, but also they’re curious and interested in playing with other people,” says Zukerman. “They’re very enthusiastic, fun and flexible performers.”

Leaf Peepers concludes with “Basking in the Baroque” at Hillsdale Methodist Church on Oct. 22. Cellist Astrid Schween of the Juilliard String Quartet and pianist Giovanni Reggioli will be joined by baritone Gustavo Ahualli and Zukerman’s daughter, soprano Arianna Zukerman.

The Leaf Peeper Concert Series
Sept. 10: “Autumn Echoes” at Hawthorne Valley Waldorf School, Ghent, NY
Sept. 24: “From East to West” at St. James Church, Chatham, NY
Oct. 8: “Classically Romantic” at Our Lady of Hope Church, Copake, NY
Oct. 22: “Basking in the Baroque” at Hillsdale Methodist Church, Hillsdale, NY
All concerts begin at 7:30 p.m.

By Lisa Green

Catalogs are near and dear to Annie Selke’s heart. As a girl, the founder of and creative force behind the textile-driven Annie Selke Company, headquartered in Pittsfield, could be found poring through the myriad home and shelter catalogs her parents received. And because so many catalogs carry products from all of the company’s divisions — Pine Cone Hill, Dash & Albert, Fresh American and Luxe — she was used to working on them from the service end.

So now that the company has announced it will soon be sending out its own direct-to consumer-catalog, the big question is — especially from those of who can’t get enough of the insanely beautiful bedding, rugs, sleepwear and furniture coming out of this company — why did it take so long?

Catalogs and print materials have been standard practice in communicating with their more than 2,000 retailers, of course. But apart from The Outlet @ Pine Cone Hill, itself located within the headquarter’s meandering complex of buildings and warehouses, customers have purchased Annie Selke products only through retailers or the website. 

From her bright, brick-walled office, surrounded by fabric swatches and rugs, Selke, who lives in Lenox, explains why she waited 20 years to create her own consumer catalog.

“In 2012, we went direct-to-consumer online,” she says. “We needed to have an online presence. I called it ‘passive retail.’ We were just turning on the lights, and people came.”

Two years ago, the company started advertising to consumers, using print as well as web ads as drivers to annieselke.com (a delightful site, by the way, that includes not just shopping opps but “Fresh American Style,” a blog filled with decorating tips, how-to’s, Selke’s travels and even recipes). A consultant advised that it was time to dip their toe in the catalog world. (A little retro, maybe, but that never hurt L.L. Bean or Horchow.)

“We just decided to do it in May” (as in but five months ago), Selke says. “It’s been crazy doing it so fast and we’re still figuring things out as we go, but at least we have a process in place. We hope to put out six more next year, including holiday and furniture versions.” The new catalog division has necessitated hiring more people, and isn’t that music to our ears here in our rural community?

So on September 19, around 300,000 lucky homes will receive the inaugural Annie Selke catalog. Berkshire residents will be pleased to find the introduction of the Berkshire Collection. These pillows, furniture and window panels with patterns and colors inspired by our area will have familiar names like Greylock, Glendale and Barrington.

“I cannot wait for the referendum,” Selke says.

We’re betting the numbers will be good, but regardless, that “Bringing Happy Home” tagline the company uses? It’s pretty much a given.

To be added to the catalog mailing list, email catalog@annieselke.com.

Meet Annie Selke on Friday, Sept. 16
The Outlet @ Pine Cone Hill hosts a meet-and-greet event with the founder and CEO, Annie Selke, from 2:30-4 p.m.. At the event, which is open to the public, Selke will share her latest design inspirations and answer questions from guests. RSVP at RSVP@annieselke.com or (413) 629-2314.

Built in 1797, this Colonial in New Marlborough has been meticulously restored by the same family for over 30 years. There is a kitchen with custom maple cabinetry, a living room that features exposed beams and a wood fireplace, a two-story exercise room, office with built-in maple cabinets, four bedrooms and four bathrooms. The grounds feature two ponds, one with fieldstone steps to a patio area with a firepit and another with foundations and a waterfall. Gardens dot the property, which has 1,000 feet of the Umpachene River running through it. Listed for $1.295 million by Barnbrook Realty.

This Hudson home was a carriage barn in 1860 and has been renovated with period charm. The open floor plan includes an elegant living room that opens to a courtyard patio, large dining room and cook’s kitchen equipped with high-end appliances, soapstone counters and a marble-topped island. The upstairs has a large loft bedroom with a full bathroom, high ceilings and bleached wide-board floors. The professionally manicured grounds are gated and have a perennial-bordered path (radiant heated) that leads to a second private garden and patio. Listed for $545,000 by Peggy Lampman Real Estate.

A top-to-bottom renovation has kept this 1900 Victorian looking fresh for over 100 years. The bright and gracious home in Rhinecliff has clean lines, original details and an open floor plan with several French doors and large windows. The kitchen is updated and the upstairs has three bedrooms, two full bathrooms, a laundry room and an office. It is set back from a quiet road on a large landscaped lot and only minutes to Rhinebeck. The Catskills are visible from the large front porch. Listed for $829,000 by Gary DiMauro Real Estate.

This 1932 Colonial has been transformed thanks to a complete renovation and expansion. In Washington, it features generous-sized public rooms including a huge custom kitchen, formal and informal dining areas, living room and a conservatory. One wing includes a study with an upper-level studio; the four bedrooms offer views of the property. There is a three-bedroom guest house, garage space for seven cars, a potting shed, a spring-fed pond and miles of groomed nature trails. The entire western side of the home features a wood deck with an outdoor kitchen that overlooks the pool, tennis court and hills beyond. Listed for $6.5 million by Sotheby’s International Realty.

This Copake house pays tribute to its former incarnation as a circa 1800 barn by incorporating exposed beams and hand-hewn hardwood floors. The lofty, contemporary space features an open kitchen/dining room/living room floor plan with a sliding glass door that walks out to the 20-acre property. There are four bedrooms, four-and-a-half bathrooms, den, loft, deck and a large screened porch. The inground swimming pool has broad mountain views and there is a large barn for storage. Listed for $1.295 million by Scot Cohen Realty.

With refinished hardwood floors, updated mechanicals, contemporary bathrooms and a kitchen with stainless steel appliances, you almost wouldn’t know this Victorian home was built in 1900.The Rhinebeck house is located on a one-acre property with mature trees and plantings and within walking distance to all of the town’s dining and shopping. Offering four bedrooms and three baths, it also has an elegant entrance hall, gourmet kitchen, comfortable living room, formal dining room, library and wraparound porch accented with multiple columns. The exterior has been refreshed with shingles, clapboard and stylized cornices. Listed for $1.775 million by H.H.Hill Realty Services.