Great Country Escapes: The Berkshires

Famous for its cultural scene (Jacob’s Pillow, Tanglewood), the Berkshire area is becoming known for its food and spirits artisans, too.

With his new distillery, Jeffrey Baker is creating a field-to-glass operation, using grain grown and distilled on-site. Baker hired David Pickerell, the previous Master Distiller from Maker’s Mark, to oversee operations. Hillrock Estate’s first batch of bourbon will be ready this summer. Tours by appointment; 408 Pooles Hill Rd., Ancram, NY; hillrockdistillery.com.

Mark Firth was a Brooklyn restaurant pioneer with Diner and Marlow & Sons; now he’s looking to bring the same, rustic, delicious food to Bell & Anchor (opening this summer). He hired former Marlow & Sons cook Stephen Browning, and their menu will use ingredients from Firth’s farm, including produce, eggs, honey, maple syrup, pigs, ducks and guinea hens. Firth describes the ethos: “Keep the menu simple and cook whatever we feel like.” R178 Main St., Great Barrington, MA; 413-528-5050.

British couple Clare and Richard Proctor opened this high-style, low-price motel, a stark contrast to the area’s many B&Bs. In the cozy lounge, Clare serves freshly baked Vermont cheddar scones. Doubles from $200; 506 Stockbridge Rd., Great Barrington, MA; thebriarcliffmotel.com.

At this cheery café, the staff is friendly and a sign at the register reads, “Frankly my dear, I’ll have a buttermilk biscuit.” Chef David Wurth, who worked at Brooklyn’s Diner, makes the biscuits, plus Spanish tortillas and mushroom frittatas. The dinner menu is short and seasonal, with a tasty and affordable wine list. 2642 Route 23, Hillsdale, NY; crossroadsfoodshop.com.

Photo courtesy of Hillsdale General Store.

At this new housewares store next door to CrossRoads, interior designer Matthew White sells vintage goods—enamel pitchers, copper teapots, glass cheese savers—plus penny candy. Upstairs are four rooms stocked with products from local artisans and stores, including Boxwood Linen’s napkins, quilts and aprons. 2642 Route 23, Hillsdale, NY; hillsdalegeneralstore.com.

Rubi’s may be the first deli to get a sidewalk grilling license. Set behind the famed Rubiner’s Cheesemongers & Grocers, cooks roast clams, sausages and, occasionally, entire animals. The first event featured two lambs for Easter; owner Matthew Rubiner says, “We’re still trying to clean up the grease.” He plans to roast a couple of pigs this summer. Visit the website for details. 264 Main St., Great Barrington, MA; rubiners.com.

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Great Country Escapes: Hudson Valley

This area just north of Manhattan has serious new restaurants, some owned by big-deal NYC chefs. The Hudson Valley, just north of Manhattan, has beautiful scenery as well as serious new restaurants. Photo © Joseph Sohm/Visions of America/Corbis.

Chef Michael Psilakis became a star by showing Manhattanites that simple Greek food (like grilled branzino with potatoes and olives in lemon sauce) can be transcendent. With the 150-plus seat MP Taverna, he’s bringing incredible Greek food to the valley. One Bridge St., Irvington, NY; michaelpsilakis.com.

Photo courtesy of Cold Spring Farmer’s Market.

This fabulous Saturday farmers’ market is in the parking lot of the 19th-century Boscobel House and Gardens, which overlooks the Hudson River. On market day, entrance to Boscobel’s landscaped gardens is free. 1601 Route 9D, Garrison, NY; csfarmmarket.org.

The most anticipated hotel opening in the valley is the Rockwell Group-designed The Roundhouse at Beacon Falls. The hotel doesn’t open until fall, but the cocktail lounge is already serving drinks like the Smoke, made with mezcal, lime juice and chipotle syrup. 2 E. Main St., Beacon, NY; roundhousebeacon.com.

Earlier this year, four beer-obsessed friends opened this store and restaurant, selling more than 100 brews, including six on tap. Chef Matt Hutchins also uses beer in dishes like beer-cured salmon fillet and a stout-and-ice-cream float. 458 Main St., Beacon, NY; thehopbeacon.com.

Photo courtesy of Café Le Perche.

Owner Allan Chapin decided to open a bakery after tasting the yeasty, dark baguette du Perche in Bretoncelles, about 100 miles southwest of Paris. To re-create it here, he flew in the baker who made the loaf, plus a 17-ton French oven. 230 Warren St., Hudson, NY; cafeleperche.com.

The marvelous Scandinavian-inspired restaurant has a new chef: Timothy Meyers, who previously worked here as sous chef before taking a job at Eleven Madison Park. The menu changes weekly, but the prices don’t: $10 for small plates and $25 for entrées. 225 Warren St., Hudson, NY; dabahudson.com.

Co-owners Benjamin Freemole and John McCarthy met at NYC’s WD-50. Here, they use molecular techniques to make comfort food like a faux risotto with peas in place of arborio rice. 746 Warren St., Hudson, NY; thecrimsonsparrow.com.

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Gourmet Food Gift Baskets From the Wine Country of the California Central Coast - Santa Maria Valley

In the Central Coast region of California, gourmet foods and world-class wines abound. You will find a tremendous variety of uniquely delicious foods that are ideal for gift baskets. Anyone who enjoys wine would be delighted to receive one of the many exceptional wines from this area.

On the northern end of Santa Barbara County are the Santa Maria Valley and the city of Santa Maria. This valley has a long history of ranching and agriculture, a part of the economy that now flourishes alongside the burgeoning wine industry. With the ranchers came the Santa Maria Style Barbeque that has become a regional culinary tradition. All along the central coast there is a lively entrepreneurial spirit that has led to the creation of many small artisanal food companies and boutique wineries. The foods are wonderfully varied, and there are many exceptional wines now being produced.

In early California cattle ranching days, America's first cowboys, the colorful vaqueros, held large beef barbecues following every cattle roundup. This was the beginning of the barbequing tradition in the Santa Maria Valley, and it has continued to the present day.

The Hitching Post Restaurant has been a local favorite for many years. It is known for its California-style barbequing, as well as their superior Pinot Noir Wines. Since the movie 'Sideways' their notoriety has expanded worldwide. Many of their foods are available for purchase including their tasty Hitching Post BBQ sauce and their own Hitching Post Pinot Noir wines.

Another outstanding sauce is the Buckshot BBQ Sauce from Cowboy Flavors. They began as a catering business out of Los Alamos, a small town down the road from Santa Maria, and now have their own TV series! They also sell among other items, the excellent Cowboy Flavors all-purpose BBQ seasoning.

Susan Righetti, whose parents own the renowned Far Western Tavern restaurant in nearby Guadalupe, started a Santa Maria company called Susie Q's Brand. Celebrating their family recipes and Santa Maria style BBQ, they offer recipes, sauces, salsa, the delicious local pinquito beans, and their signature Susie Q's Brand seasoning.

Any of these items could be combined to make a terrific gift basket for the BBQ cook in the family. Add a superior bottle of Pinot Noir wine, to make it a perfect gift from the Santa Maria Valley on the California Central Coast.

Lynne D. Garrett is a member of the tasting team who select the foods and wines for Garrett's Emporium and the gift basket division, Gifts Gone Gourmet. It is a small, family run company, located in the Santa Maria Valley, a burgeoning wine region, on the Central California Coast. Since its inception in 2006, Garrett's Emporium has accumulated a diverse collection of high quality foods and wines made primarily in California. To see the complete selection of gift baskets go to http://www.GiftsGoneGourmet.com and to see the complete collection of foods and wines see http://www.GarrettsEmporium.com.