By Kim Dunbar

Globetrotter Anthony “Buckets” Blakes

Globetrotter Anthony “Buckets” Blakes believes he has the greatest job in the word. He travels the globe making people smile and no matter where he goes, he’s always a member of the home team.

“We’re accepted with open arms and I love that,” said Blakes.

Coming off their most successful season of ticket sales in the organization’s 83 year history, Blakes and the Harlem Globetrotters are geared up to offer a truly fan-tastic experience for millions of more fans during their 2010 “Magical Memories” tour which stops at the DCU Center on Feb. 28th.

Blakes said fans can expect to see “magic in itself” at this year’s show. “This is one of those entities where the whole family is on the same page. A 70-year-old grandparent and their 17-year-old grandchild can have fun together at a Globetrotters game—where else can you do that for two hours?” said Blakes. “We are all kids for two hours. That’s what the Magical Memories tour is about.”

Blakes said the tour and the team are not just about basketball, they’re about bringing families together. “Whatever it takes, we are going to make sure you have a wonderful time together,” he said.

Blakes said that “everyone has a Globetrotters story” and the organization wants people to continue to get excited about the team. “That’s what the ‘Magical Memories’ tour is all about. We look forward to making some magical memories with you,” added Blakes.

For more information or to purchase tickets, visit www.harlemglobetrotters.com or www.dcucenter.com.

Curious George Comes to the Hanover Theatre!

Show times: 3/5 (7pm), 3/06 (10:30am, 2pm), 3/7 (1pm, 4:40pm). Ticket prices: $14-$42, discounts available. Run time: 90 min.

CURIOUS GEORGE® is excited! It’s the annual All-You-Can-Eat Meatball Day at Chef Pisghetti’s popular Italian restaurant and George is going to be the Chef’s special helper. But when Chef Pisghetti and George go out to serve their customers, no one is there. They’re all across the street marveling at Phinneas T. Lightspeed’s new high-speed Meatball-o-Matic! Chef Pisghetti worries that no one wants his famous homemade meatballs anymore, and vows to never cook again. Unless George can save the day!

To help his good friend, George embarks on a fun-filled, musical journey that takes him and Chef’s meatballs across the world to Rome, Italy, for the international Golden Meatball Competition. Under the watchful guidance of his friend, The Man With the Yellow Hat, George learns more about friendship, travel and meatballs than he’d ever imagined. When George and his friends come to life on stage, your whole family is in for the adventure of a lifetime! Come and experience for the first time ever the beloved world of Curious George Live! on stage!

www.thehanovertheatre.com

Piggy Offers Grandparents and GrandKids a Safe and Stylish Solution for Nail Painting - and It is as Natural as Mud!

Piggy Paint provides a safe and fun alternative to nail polish, so little girls can play dress up in style.

Grandparent-child bonding is crucial to having a strong relationship in the years to come. Don’t write nail polish off as just another cosmetic. It can be used as an educational tool for teaching young

children color and pattern recognition and motor skills, and gives grandparents, parents and kids something to giggle about and have fun with together. As natural as mud, yet as colorful and glossy as the harmful chemical laden nail polishes, Piggy Paint is the safest polish for the job.

Melanie Hurley, creator of Piggy Paint, wasn’t comfortable using regular polish on her young daughters. While painting their nails with regular solvent-based polish, it dripped onto a foam plate and ate its way through. Its apparent strength combined with the strong fumes made her afraid the girls might ingest it when they put their fingers in their mouths, and led her to look for an alternative.

Piggy Paint is a water based, non-flammable nail polish free of the chemicals regularly seen in common nail polishes. Piggy Paint is made from natural ingredients including water, water-miscible acrylic resins and thickeners, and glycol ethers. This makes it non-toxic, hypoallergenic, and gives it a less harsh odor. All the vibrant hues of Piggy Paint are made from FDA certified colorants. Made in the USA with ingredients from the USA means it stands up to high standards of quality and aids American businesses.

Kids can be very squirmy when they are told to sit still, making it hard to apply polish. With Piggy Paint, you don’t have to worry about getting it on children’s skin. Instead of using harsh nail polish removers, with even stronger fumes and chemicals than the polish, Piggy Paint comes off with their Piggy Paint Nail Polish Remover made from natural ingredients. Like the polish, it is hypoallergenic, biodegradable, and contains no acetone. It even contains Aloe Vera and Vitamin E to moisturize and protect nails and cuticles.

Its innovative concept and environment friendly design has won it several awards including the Best Product Award by Orca Communications Unlimited, LLC, the 2009 Gold Award by the Family Review Center, and the Safe Alternative Product Award by safbaby.com.

www.piggypaint.com

I don’t require years of expensive therapy to come to grips with this issue. I am prepared to acknowledge it up front: I have a commitment problem. Not as far as people are concerned ~ I have a number of friends dating back to pre-kindergarten and a husband of almost 27 years. I’m talking about my inability to commit to a purse. Mating oneself to a handbag is just too critical a decision for me to get over. After all, no other accessory, article of clothing, or member of my family is as attached to me as closely, or spends as much time with me day in and day out, as my purse. I should clarify that I am referring to my everyday purse, not the occasional dressy evening bag or the abbreviated run-out-to-a-movie kind, neither of which need measure up to the rigorous standards required for an acceptable everyday purse.

And what are these exacting standards? Every woman has her own, of course, but here are some of mine. The purse must be: 1. appealing in color, 2. made from very soft leather (I’ve tried other fabrics and they just don’t cut it), 3. configured with the right number of inside and outside pockets and zippers, each properly sized, 4. light (at least before I load it up), 5. not too expensive, 6. equipped with two shoulder length straps for easy access, 7. devoid of any brand markings, and 8. sufficiently capacious (Dickens loved to use that word and it works here) to hold all of the essential items, which include, in my case: wallet, sunglasses, credit card holder (both the mini version for the most often used cards and the expanded version that includes only occasionally used items like voter registration card, museum memberships, receipts, store credits, department store credit cards, etc.), hand calculator, daily planner, Blackberry, check book, inspirational journal, address book, note pad, car and house keys, pen/pencil case, train schedule, and office security pass. Plus I use separate holders for various and sundry items including, but not limited to: photos, candy (this container also holds Advil, dental floss and gum), lipstick (accommodates up to 3 shades), tissues, coffee creamer and artificial sweetener packets, batteries, business/appointment cards, eye drops, and other assorted items. (If you had any question of my age or time of life you should be able to resolve it by figuring out which intimate items are not included on this list.)

On days when I’m required to make the magical transition from office to evening I may also carry toothpaste, toothbrush, an assortment of cosmetic reinforcements, deodorant and hair gel. Now when I say “capacious” I mean big enough to allow the hand to roam freely through the contents but not so big that (i) everything floats around in a bottomless pit or (ii) the bag would have to be checked at the airport. Finally, the purse must be stylish and aesthetically appealing in a you-know-it-when-you-see-it kind of way, i.e., in a word, cute.

You would think that when, after long and painful searching, I finally settle on a purse that meets all of these requirements, I would cling to it forever. Well, for a moment I do actually believe it’s the real thing, that I’ve found “The One” and will never need to look for another. But almost as soon as I’ve transferred the contents of my old purse and headed out the door with my new arm candy swinging jauntily from my shoulder, my attention is caught by a snazzy little number winking back at me from a store window or displayed seductively on a table at Macy’s ~ attractive and obviously available ~ and I begin to waver. Now I wouldn’t want you to consider me promiscuous. Think of me, rather, as a serial monogamist with a passion for purses and a chronic wandering eye. And who could blame me ~ all those soft, supple leathers in more colors than a 64-count box of Crayola crayons and in every imaginable size and shape, those cunning zippers and snaps, all those cleverly placed pouches and pockets, even the occasional bow or adorable dangly thing…Well, therein lies my weakness, my inability to commit. I am just way too much in love with purses to ever be faithful to any one for very long.

Occasionally I will find a bag that suits me so well that we’ll spend an entire season together happily “dating.” But when that same season rolls around the following year, as fond as my memories may be of our times together, I can’t quite bring myself to give up the excitement and possibilities of a new relationship. So off I go, seeking the one thing that even the perfect handbag can’t provide ~ variety. And what happens to my castaways? They end up on the proverbial (and in this case literal) shelf with all my other ex-purses. Every so often I will pull one off the shelf, like the guy flipping through his black book calling up his old girlfriends, but after a few “dates” I remember why we broke up in the first place.

So this is me - good for a season then goodbye, old lug ‘em and leave ‘em. And I’m no more likely to change than that playboy with the black book because, truth be told, neither one of us really wants to settle down. Besides, this is the only area in my life where I allow myself to be a little irresponsible. (Still, it’s very lucky I don’t have the same problem with my good jewelry.) You might wonder if this weakness of mine, this flaw in my otherwise prudent nature, enables me to sympathize just a little with the men, the “players” if you will, flitting from woman to woman, “loving” them all but unable to commit to just one. The simple answer is, well, actually ~ no.

Alisa Singer’s humorous essays have appeared in a variety of print and online newspapers and magazines across the country and in Canada. She is the author of the books I Still Wanna Be A…, an illustrated collection of whimsical poetic fantasies in which she “morphs” herself into her childhood heroes, and My Baby Boomer Memory Album, an album to memorialize the first grand child, social security check, chin hair and other milestones of the second half of the boomer’s life. You can learn more about her work by visiting her website: www.AlisaSinger.com or contacting her at ASingerAuthor@gmail.com.

Singer/harpist Orla Fallon (formerly of Celtic Women) has just released Distant Shore on Nashville’s Green Hill Music and EMI; the album was produced by Eoghan O’Neill (pronounced: Owen) and Dan Shea (who, with John Bettis, wrote the title track “Distant Shore”). O’Neill is a founding member of the seminal Irish folk-rock band Moving Hearts, and was Musical Director of Riverdance-The Show. For the past five years O’Neill has shared the world stage with Orla as Celtic Woman’s Musical Director and bassist. Shea, a multi-platinum American producer, whose long resume of hit pop productions includes tracks by Mariah Carey, Carlos Santana, Jennifer Lopez, Celine Dion and Martina McBride, produced and/or co-produced six tracks on Distant Shore.

Orla Fallon toured the world as a soloist in the phenomenally popular performing troupe Celtic Woman for four years and recorded with them the three albums which held a record-setting 95 consecutive weeks at the No. 1 position on the Billboard World Music Albums chart. During Fallon’s four years in the group, Celtic Woman sold more than 4 million CDs and DVDs, played seven US tours, and performed for more than 800,000 people. Meanwhile, the three Celtic Woman PBS Specials have aired more than 13,658 times on 685 PBS stations across the country, covering 97% of US television households. Fallon’s first solo album, The Water Is Wide, debuted on that chart in the Top 10 upon its U.S. release in 2006.

About the team who helped make the new album a reality, Fallon effuses, “I am so very fortunate to have worked with such amazing people on both sides of the Atlantic. I am so excited about this record as I think we have done a wonderful job fusing my Celtic roots with the sounds of the American heartland.

The album was recorded at the famed Windmill Lane Studios in Dublin and at Nashville’s Dark Horse Studios ~ both recording facilities have hosted such platinum starts as U2, The Chieftains, Faith Hill, Van Morrison, Neil Diamond, Taylor Swift, Big and Rich, and Martina McBride.

Fallon, who had Worcester audiences spellbound during her November 15 performance at The Hanover Theatre, will be a special guest star on Beautiful World, the upcoming pledge drive concert of platinum-selling crossover instrumental songwriter and pianist Jim Brickman. She also sang on Brickman’s holiday CD release (sold only at Target). Says Brickman, “I just love Orla. She is so talented and such a multi-dimentional artist. I am very excited to be working so closely with her as she develops her own solo career.”

orlafallon.com and myspace.com/orlafallonofficial

“The idea is to provide culture and diversity in a well-known and respected music venue like Mechanics Hall to the folks in the area who love the blues.” ~ Amy Wiechmann, production coordinator of Blues Worcester.

If you are looking for a nice night out on the town, great music, and great food, look no further than Blues Worcester, the new blues club in Mechanics Hall. “I personally love the blues, love the blues crowd, and thought it would do really well because of the diversity it would bring to Mechanics Hall,” says Wiechmann. “I considered many venues in the area and decided that Mechanics Hall was a really classy place to hear live music and when I saw Washburn Hall, I knew it was the right place. “

Washburn Hall is upstairs in Mechanics Hall; a red carpet leads up to the club which holds several hundred people. At each show, patrons can feast on all you can eat BBQ dinners. The BBQ is catered by Great Brook Farms, in Bolton, MA. There is a full cash bar serving up the likes of martinis and gimlets. There is also a great big dance floor, in case you’re…moved to move to the sultry blues.

“The shows are on Sundays and they are early, so people who have to work the next day can come out, see a great show, dance, eat and enjoy themselves…and still be home at a reasonable hour,” explains Wiechmann.

The stage has been graced by Worcester blues band The Delta Generators, who were one of the top 10 finalists in the 2009 International Blues Challenge and were named the “Best Blues Band 2008” by the Boston Blues Society, by the Boston-based Chris Fitz Band, who has received over a dozen music awards including a 2002 Boston Music Award and 2005 Boston Blues Challenge Winners Award, and also by Luther Guitar Jr. Johnson, who served his apprenticeship with Muddy Waters and Magic Sam.

“I have had four shows so far, and the response has been fantastic! The people who come to the shows always leave smiling,” shares Wiechmann. “A lot of the people who came to the first show have come to all of the shows because they have such a great time and enjoyed the music and the venue immensely.”

So what’s the dress code at Blues Worcester? “Although the venue is very classy, the dress is anything from casual to all dressed up. Blue jeans and a T-shirt are just as acceptable as someone who really feels like dressing up that night,” says Wiechmann. “The focus is much more on the music, the dancing and the venue experience more than how people look and are dressed.”

Wiechmann says Blues Worcester was inspired by the desire to have a beautiful, safe and fun venue for the community to hear some of the greatest blues musicians in the area. She hopes to add national acts to the bill as well.

All tickets can be purchased in advance at either the Mechanics Hall Box office (www.mechanicshall.org) or at www.bluesworcester.com.

Excerpts from an Interview by Beth Franklin

1. Who came up with the title for your latest CD, “Lullaby for My Favorite Insomniac?”  And is there actually a favorite insomniac?

We heard “Lullaby For My Favorite Insomniac” written by Kenji Bunch by chance and decided at that moment all together that it has to become an entire album around it.

Traditionally, a lullaby is a mother’s love for her beloved child translated into music.  It  is quite powerful emotionally even though it usually consists of very soft and simple melodies.  We thought this would be a great concept for the album.  To have a collection of modern lullabies, melodies and songs that have that special ‘lullaby’ quality, not always for a baby, but for our favorite insomniacs of all ages.

Our favorite insomniac is our mother - and then, individually, we all probably have our other favorite insomniacs!

2. All three of you attended Juilliard ~ was there ever concern that you might not all be accepted?  Was there healthy competition amongst the three of you during your time there?

None of us has a competitive edge.  Luckily, I think our levels of playing were quite similar.  Our only concern was losing our individual identities, being grouped into three Ahns while we were all at Juilliard.

3. Musically speaking, is there an era with which you most identify?

We all love the Romantic era.  We also love all the other different time periods, because, every era at that time was “Modern” and “new.”  For example, what we call “21st Century New Music” will become a Classic as the time passes.  We do identify ourselves with performing music mostly written for us, “music by living composers” of today.

4. Although music is foremost in your lives, do you have other artistic outlets?

Maria: I love to paint, draw and am starting my own jewelry design with a friend.
Lucia: I love to design, paint and am delving into writing songs.
Angella: I love to cook and garden.

5. At what ages did you pick up the instrument that you now play?  Did you ever try other instruments, or was “love at first note?”

Lucia saw the piano at Kindergarten and begged our mother to let her take piano lessons.  Soon after that, Angella and I wanted to learn instruments too, but  not the same instruments.  We always had to have something of an equal value but different.  We all chose our own instruments that really fit our personalities. We knew about all the instruments from our mother taking us to many concerts, dance, art exhibits, and shows as young children.

6. Do you ever feel as though you are old souls in young bodies?

Lucia : Actually,  I have imagined that when we used to play Brahms trios or Tchaikovsky, and even now, lots of different compositions take you away to a totally different world all together, I have this experience not only when I play but also when I hear a piece of music.  So it’s not just about feeling like an old soul or a young soul, but more about the range of emotions that you experience and places that it takes you to.

7. Has there ever been a time when music either frustrated you or struck you as something you needed to step away from for a while?

Music is never frustrating, maybe sometimes what comes along with being in a touring group ~  flying every day ~ can be frustrating if the airlines are being not so pleasant to deal with.  We had one airline that refused to fly us because of the cello, even though we always buy a seat for the cello.  We nearly missed a concert because we could not fly from Paris to New York on time.  That was definitely a very frustrating situation!

8. In addition to presenting the works of great composers, do you compose any of your own music?

So far no, except Lucia co-wrote lyrics for Tata Bojs, a Czech rock band that we made an album with.  But Lucia wrote the lyrics in Korean and they might be the first Czech band to sing a song in Korean.  Lucia is really interested in writing music so one day she will.

Lucia : I admire all the pianist composers such as Nikolai Kapustin and Marc-Andre Hamelin and Keith Jarrett.

9. You are known for collaborating with all different kinds of artists ~ from DJs to photographers to dancers ~ most notably, with the David Parsons Dance Company.  How does a collaboration like that work?

David listened to lots of our music and first chose which selections would work.  Then he made new pieces for the dancers (together with his company of dancers) and then we started to rehearse together.  It was really great that we were not in the pit, we were all on the stage together, which made it more exciting to watch.  He had to choreograph in such a way that allowed enough space for the trio to be on stage with the dancers.  We absolutely loved working with them.  We love all our collaborations, it’s so inspiring to share ideas with other composers, electronic music artists, DJs, bands, singers…etc.  It makes our job so much more fulfilling!

10. Are there modern day composers who write music specifically for you to perform?

There are many modern composers who write music for us.  The composer that we work most with is probably Kenji Bunch.  We met Kenji at Juilliard where we were all studying around the same time.  He is a brilliant violist, fiddle player (plays in a Bluegrass band called “Citigrass”), and composer.  He writes highly intelligent music that all people love (traditional and non-traditional alike).  He draws from previous classical styles and also incorporates styles from the pop world and more mainstream genres.

Most recently, the legendary jazz guitarist Pat Metheny wrote us a trio.  As far as we know, he has not written for any other classical music group.  He even gave it a Korean title (“Yu Ryung”) because we’re Korean!  It is a very beautiful and evocative piece.

We also work regularly with composers such as Michael Nyman, Nikolai Kapustin (he wrote us both of his piano trios), Paul Chihara, and Mark O’Connor.

11. With all the traveling you’ve done, is there one place that has profoundly affected you?

Angella: It’s hard to choose one place that has profoundly affected us.  Every place affects us in some way. If I had to choose one, I might choose Sweden.  We were there a couple of years ago and played 25 concerts all over Sweden in a month.  We couldn’t believe how open-minded and accepting our audiences were.  It was our first tour there so most of the people we played for hadn’t heard of us (we’re going back in 2010) and they also had not heard of some of the composers (some young American composers) but they were so receptive.

12. Can you put into words what music means to you?

Angella: Music is something that is a basic necessity for me.  I wake up with music, go to sleep with music, and think about music pretty much all day.  It’s the biggest part of my life.

13. What goes into developing the program for a particular tour?

It’s not so difficult because no matter where we play (America, Germany, Turkey, etc…),  the audiences are pretty much the same. Usually we get a range of people from all different ages and musical knowledge. Because music truly is the universal language, we simply try to put the pieces (old or new) into an order that makes sense emotionally.

14. Is there anything that you would like our readers to know about you or the music you play?

We feel truly honored that we are able to work with some of the greatest artists of our generation and also that we get to see so many parts of the world, while doing what we enjoy the most.

15. What’s next for you?

None of us is a great planner but we do have several recording projects in the works.  We have always had an agreement with each other to stop touring as a trio if we aren’t having fun doing it.  So far, it’s been more fun than we had hoped.

Music Worcester brings The Ahn Trio to Tuckerman Hall on Wed., April 14, 2010 at 8pm.

www.musicworcester.org
www.ahntrio.com
www.twitter.com/theahntrio

Special thanks to Janise Loell

To read the full interview with the Ahn Sisters, please visit www.thevitalitymag.com.

Photo of Bernie in Rotmans new Design Center/Window Fashion Studio

By Ellen O’Conner

Bernie Rotman has been in the family business for 30 years, his familiar voice exhorting customers here and beyond to come on down to Rotmans Furniture because, well, it’s faaaan-tastic!

But Rotman, who has been the well-known and genial face of the long-established family company for three decades, took a rather circuitous route to becoming an integral part of the successful business.

“I was a hold-out,” he said simply.

The furniture business was pretty much in the family’s genes. Bernie’s parents, Murray and Ida, had been in the furniture and carpet business since the 1940s. Originally from the Boston area, they moved west to Worcester in the 1950s, opening up a concession in a couple of the city’s old department stores. Two of the sons, Steven and Barry, have been working in the family business since the mid-1960s. Steven is the president and Barry is the chairman of the board.

Bernie, who is vice president of the company, did not come on board until 1980, nearly 20 years after his brothers. Even when he did arrive, he thought his time at his parents’ store would be limited, given his first vocation. He is an ordained rabbi and had been serving in that capacity in Rhode Island.  But, he decided to take a sabbatical from his religious duties and come back to Worcester to try his hand at the family business.
“I was not expecting it to be long-term,” recalled Rotman.

He spent time learning all aspects of the furniture business. It took him about one to two years before he settled into the marketing end of things.  He had found his niche.

“I enjoy it,” he says of the advertising and marketing work. “It was a natural thing for me.” He is particularly proud of the creative work the in-house advertising agency has done for Rotmans.

Perhaps the most well remembered of the many Rotmans commercial spots are the ones with various Red Sox, Celtics, Bruins and Patriots players, talking about where they had bought their brand new furniture.  John Valentin. Derek Lowe. Antoine Walker. Adam Oates. Ellis Hobbs.  Shea Hillenbrand.  Matt Light. It seems that at one time or another, pretty much every pro athlete in Boston must have filmed a Rotmans bit.

Interestingly, these sports personality ads developed on impetus from the athletes, not Rotmans. Rotman’s nephews used to run a sport memorabilia business out of the furniture store.  Frequently, the various athletes would be at the store for an autograph session and they would take a look at the store’s furniture while there. The idea for the commercials just kind of grew from that relationship, explained Rotman.

In fact, you can log onto the Rotmans website and view a couple of the classics. You can probably remember the others, with an assist from the recent airing of a retrospective of sports ads from the past. There is Bernie goal stopping a shot or Bernie behind the plate or Bernie doing a post-touchdown celebration or Bernie tossing a football around a backyard barbecue with Ellis Hobbs. All the spots, of course, include the timeless “It’s faaan-tastic!” line.

It’s been a while since Rotmans has done a pro athlete commercial; the most recent was the 2007 commercial with the Patriots’ Hobbs. But we may be seeing a new Celtics spot someday soon.  According to Rotman, a player for the Boston hoops team recently expressed interest in doing an ad, but talks are in the beginning stages.

****

Bernie with wife Benita accepting the 2006 Corporate Citizen Business Leader Award (from The Worcester Business Journal and Clark University)

Rotmans has been in the old Whittall Carpet Mill in College Square ~ the enormous brick building that is clearly visible from I-290 ~ since the 1960s, the. Over the years, the furniture store expanded during several phases of renovation and construction, the biggest expansion coming during the 1980s. It now has more than 200,000 square feet of space, which necessitated that the old store slogan ~ Seven Stores on Five Floors under One Roof ~ give way to the new one ~ New England’s Largest Furniture & Carpet Store.

The 200,000 square-feet of space is just a wee bit bigger than the first lease that Murray (who died in 2004) and Ida Rotman signed when they moved to the old carpet mill in 1964. That lease was for 10,000 square feet. Prior to opening at the Whittall Mill, the Rotmans had set up shop within the C.T. Sherer Department Store and, later, Barnard’s Department Store.  When the Rotmans decided to move to the current location on Southbridge Street, they first operated the store as an outlet of Barnard’s. It was in 1971 that the family decided to change the name of the business to what it is called today ~ Rotmans Furniture.

When the furniture store made the move to its College Square location, it had not only found a home, it had found a place where the business had potential to grow exponentially.

First, the spot is the perfect location, says Rotman. It is near I-290 and Route 12, which provides accessibility for area customers. It is close to I-395, which makes it easy for people from Connecticut to reach. And the new Massachusetts Turnpike exit in Worcester provides better access for customers from the east.

“So many roads intersect here,” he says.  “The other advantage is that it is visible from the highway.”

Having an old mill complex as its base of operations also provides Rotmans with a bit of an edge over other furniture stores, if customers appreciate both décor and history.  There is a certain charm to running a business out of a building with a past.  There are tunnels. There are exposed oak beams. And on the top two floors, you can still see some of the old carpet equipment.

“We try to make the charm work for us,” says Rotman. “We are not as sterile as some of the other places.”

Early on, the family made a business decision:  they wanted to make Rotmans a destination store and draw customers from well beyond the Worcester area.

“Not everyone starts with that thesis,” explained Rotman. “But we decided to put all of our eggs in one basket.”

The end result was the largest store of its kind, he says. Rotmans also decided to store its furniture elsewhere, thus freeing up even more showroom space. Fifteen or so years ago, they moved their warehouse to an industrial park in Clinton, making even better use of its space.

While size is important, Rotman went on, there is far more to a successful business model than having a huge space.

“Having the best pricing and product supersedes even selection.”

Keeping any business thriving is always an experiment, to some degree.  In the current economy, the task grows even more difficult.

It is a constant guessing game ~ albeit  an educated one ~ trying to gauge customers’ needs and wants.  It is a challenge, admits Rotman, trying to stay ahead of the curve. In essence, the business tries to anticipate what will draw new customers to the store and keep old customers coming back.

The Rotman Family (circa 1997): From Left to Right - BERNIE ROTMAN, Vice President; BARRY ROTMAN, Chairman of the Board; MURRAY & IDA ROTMAN, Founders; STEVE ROTMAN, President

One of the recent changes Rotmans incorporated involves a new product line ~ the selling of some appliances. They are selling televisions ~ and furniture, of course ~ so that you can fully outfit your family room without leaving the store. Rotmans has partnered with Vin’s TV of Shrewsbury, which takes care of the actual TV installation.

The business has also expanded into the window treatment area and offers a free designer program for its customers. Essentially, the store is trying to become a one-stop shop where customers can get everything they need to furnish their homes ~ from flat screen TVs to new flooring to window treatments to couches to bedroom sets to easy chairs.

“We are trying to cover the gamut of our customers’ needs,” says Rotman.  “We’re trying to be a full service store.”

The bottom line in business – even in tough economic times – is that people have to trust you and what you sell, says Rotman.  If there is not that kind of relationship between store and customer, a business will not be very long-lived.

***
About 18 years ago, the proverbial light bulb went off in Bernie Rotman’s head and a charitable mission was launched.

The results of a marketing survey he had read showed that there were people out there ~ potential customers, especially the elderly ~ who were not replacing their furniture, essentially because they had no idea what to do with their old stuff.  He also realized that there were plenty of people in the community in desperate need of furniture, but unable to afford it.  He knew this because the store would get calls from people in immediate need for replacement furniture, people who had lost all of their furnishings in a fire, for instance. Rotman would often find himself scouring his warehouse, looking for something suitable to donate to the families who had called.

The calls for help from people were so frequent that is was extremely difficult to keep up with the demand, said Rotman.
So, it was clear that there were customers out there looking to upgrade their furniture. It was also clear that there were plenty of families out there who were in great need of donated furniture.

Rotman “connected the dots,” as he described it. He made a few phone calls to local social service agencies, eventually hooking up with the Central Massachusetts Housing Alliance (CMHA). The Furniture Exchange was born.

Since 1992, Rotmans and the CMHA, a non-profit agency dedicated to battling homelessness, have worked together to make sure that local families who need furniture get furniture.  The CMHA was formed in 1994 as the result of a merger between two different area groups whose housing missions were complementary. Both groups ~ the Housing Information Center and the Worcester Committee on Homelessness and Housing ~ had been in operation since the 1980s.

Bernie (L) & Bishop O’Reilly from last year’s record breaking Walk for the Homeless

One of the programs the CMHA had been running prior to Rotmans’ involvement is something called Donations Clearinghouse, a charity designed to provide recycled furniture and household goods free of charge to families who are in no position to pay for them. Donations Clearinghouse was first founded in 1985 and was run by the then-Worcester Committee on Homelessness and Housing. Many of the families are referred to Donations Clearinghouse by area shelters, neighborhood centers and health and human service agencies.  Often, these people in need are the elderly or the disabled, those on fixed or limited incomes, or those who have been the victims of a fire. Donations Clearinghouse has a bare-bones paid staff, along with team of unpaid volunteers, all of whom make the program run.

The way it works is simple. Any Rotmans customer who lives in a town or city within the donation area may donate ~ for free ~ their old furniture to the Furniture Exchange. The furniture must be in reasonably good shape; it can’t be broken or structurally unsound or have torn fabric. The Exchange will take beds, mattresses, tables, chests, couches ~ basically any piece of furniture so long as it meets the requirements for recycling.  As Rotman described it, the furniture and bedding should be “gently worn.”

“We try to do our best so that people understand the parameters,” says Rotman.

A Donations Clearinghouse truck will pick up the old furniture and deliver it to a warehouse, where it will be stored until it is shipped out to a needy family. Rotmans supplies the financial support Donations Clearinghouse needs for pick up, storage and delivery.

“It really is a tremendous win-win,” says Rotman. “Our customers feel good about donating. They also get a tax benefit. And we are filling a great need in the community.”
The partnership with the CMHA and Rotmans has been going great guns since its inception back in the early ’90s.  It also shows no sign of slowing down.

“Believe it or not, we fill up and deplete a warehouse of furniture every day,” says Rotman.

Prior to the involvement of Rotmans Furniture, Donations Clearinghouse was able to serve about 100 families a year, says Grace Carmack, executive director of CMHA. Now, they are able to serve about 1,100 families a year.

“I can’t say enough about what Bernie and the entire Rotman family does for the community on so many levels,” said Carmack. “He is not just a supporter in name, he is very hands-on, helping us to figure out what we need to do to get things to the next step in fighting homelessness. “

Fighting homelessness has become the furniture store’s “cause of choice,” explains Rotman, who is in his 11th year serving as the co-chair of the annual CMHA Walk for the Homeless.  Retired Bishop Daniel Reilly of the Roman Catholic Diocese of Worcester serves as the other chairperson of the event, which has been successful both in raising money and awareness of the homelessness issue. The Walk for the Homeless is now in its 25th year.  Beneficiaries of last year’s walk include Youth Against Homelessness, Friendly House, Donations Clearinghouse, Hope for Housing and the Interfaith Hospitality Network.  The walk raised more than $100,000 in cash donations and $20,000 in in-kind donations, according to Carmack.

The work that Rotmans has done to combat homelessness in Worcester County has earned it, in addition to local acknowledgement, recognition from the National Home Furnishings Association. Perhaps more importantly, the Furniture Exchange program has been replicated throughout the United States, which means that people in need all across the country are being helped and homelessness is being battled head on.

“It is so easy, really,” says Rotman. “Every business could do this. You can recycle anything that you sell, really, and that would be a wonderful thing.”
***
When Murray and Ida Rotman made the decision to put the family name on the business, it was more than just a symbolic change.

“They could have called this Acme Furniture,” says Rotman.  “But they put their own name on the door.”

The reason? His parents wanted to be proud of whatever went on at their business.

“They had high expectations,” says Rotman.

It was a set of expectations, Rotman says, that the parents made sure to pass onto their sons.

By Rick Garner

The Gin category has just gotten a major overhaul with the arrival of Ultra Premium Bulldog London Dry Gin. Having launched auspiciously in the Chinese “Year of the Dog,” Bulldog stands to be one of the proudest and most exciting new additions to the spirits market. Quadruple distilled, Bulldog carries an exotic mélange of botanical flavors including licorice, lavender, lotus leaves, poppy and Dragon Eye, giving it an incredibly seductive and unique fruit and citrus bouquet. Hand-crafted in London, Bulldog is a London Dry Distilled Gin, infused with the taste and aromas of its selected botanicals, using traditional copper pot stills. As part of the process, gin is passed through a condenser and liquefied to produce the natural and unmistakable essence of this ultra premium spirit. It exhibits a smooth and harmonious texture, with a distinctive flavor and refreshingly crisp character. Rumored to improve skin vitality and act as an aphrodisiac, Dragon Eye ~ a cousin of the lychee fruit~ is just one of the many uncommon elements in Bulldog. With its smoked-grey tinting, broad shoulders, and iconic spiked collar around its neck, Bulldog Gin is housed in an eye-catching bottle that is sure to be a conversation piece.

Bulldog Gin has partnered with the top spirit industry leaders to create this season’s premier cocktails. Renowned mixologists Somer Perez, John Freeman, and Michael Waterhouse incorporate their individual techniques in over fifteen unique Bulldog Gin creations. Here are three that will definitely whet your appetite and beckon your palate.

Plumdog Millionaire (created by John Freeman)

2 oz. Bulldog Gin
1 oz. Japanese plum wine
1 oz Lavender soda
Black plum half wheel garnish
Lavender sugar rim.
Stir over ice, strain. Serve in a martini glass with the sugared rim and garnish.
Modern English (created by Michael Waterhouse)

2.5 oz Bulldog Gin
1 oz. Pear puree or Nectar
.5 oz. maple syrup
.5 oz. lemon juice
1 Bar spoon Goldschlager
Cinnamon stick garnish

In a tumbler filled with ice, combine all ingredients except for garnish. Shake well and strain into a martini glass. Add garnish.

Born to be British (created by Somer Perez)

1.5 oz Bulldog Gin
4 Red apple slices
2 Lemon wedges
2 oz. Apple Juice
.75 Simple syrup
.25oz Triple sec

In a mixing glass, muddle the diced apple with the lemon wedges. Add all ingredients and shake. Strain into a rocks glass filled with ice and garnish with a fresh apple slice.

Bulldog is available locally at:

Yankee Spirits- Sturbridge
Oxford Package- Oxford
Sullivan’s Liquors- Fitchburg
Wyman’s Liquor Mart- Leominster
Mass Liquors- Worcester
H&B Liquors- Worcester
Dandini Liquors- Leominster,
Austin Liquors- Shrewsbury
Appleton Market- Sterling
Auburn Package- Auburn

For more recipes and additional information,
visit www.BulldogGin.com and
www.facebook.com/BulldogGin.

Institute of America Announce Their “Cooking with Fromage: Comfort

Cuisine” Project…and Recipes!

By Beth Franklin

Petite Chevre Pizzas

An innovative new project, “Cooking with Fromage: Comfort Cuisine,” has been formally launched by The Cheeses of France Marketing Council (www.cheesesoffrance.com) and The Culinary Institute of America (www.ciachef.edu), the world’s premier culinary college. The Comfort Cuisine project offers a collection of easy-to-prepare, tempting recipes that feature French cheeses and put a creative twist on standard American recipes. All of the recipes are geared toward being “home cook-friendly.”

The recipe collection, complete with photos and detailed instructions, is expected to translate into an increased awareness of the pleasures of cooking with fromage selections ~ and into greater amounts and varieties of all-natural cheeses from France hitting many more American dinner tables.

Notes Scott Samuel, Chef Instructor with The Culinary Institute of America, “Awareness of the varieties and availability of French cheeses in America is spreading, but the Comfort Cuisine recipes we’ve developed will illustrate what a difference actually cooking with fromage at mealtime can make to the final dish. Cheeses from France serve as the essential ingredient in our new Comfort Cuisine recipes, in that they add a lot of rich, unique flavors that really enhance the meal.”

Michael Collins, marketing director for The Cheeses of France campaign in the U.S adds, “Active consumers today are hungry for great-tasting, easy-to-prepare, healthy dishes. They want more innovative, world flavors at mealtime, but not with recipes that would take hours to prepare on busy weeknights.”

Cheeses from France also are being recommended today as a core component of influential nutritional pyramids such as the Mediterranean Diet (www.mediterraneanmark.org/MedDiet101.htm), which increasingly is considered the “Gold Standard” in healthy eating. Studied by scientists for more than half a century, the diet is based on the dietary traditions of the southern Mediterranean region at a time when the rates of chronic disease were among the lowest in the world and adult life expectancy was among the highest. The Mediterranean Diet includes eating fruits and vegetables, whole grains, nuts, olive oil, and nutrient-rich cheese in moderation each day.

Petite Chevre Pizzas

Chèvre, from the Loire valley, is creamy, lemony and a bit lactic ~ a good contrast with the puff pastry and the prosciutto. The creamy texture and the fresh finish elevates the flavors and texture of the puff pastry and the prosciutto combination very nicely.

Yield: 24 portions

Ingredients

Chèvre (French goat cheese) 1 cup
Puff pastry sheet, 9”x12” 2 ea.
Egg yolk 1 ea.
Water 1 tsp.
Fresh tomato sauce 1⁄2 cup
Parma prosciutto, sliced paper thin, 3 oz. cut into 1⁄2” strips
Toasted walnuts, crushed 1⁄2 cup
Arugula, stemmed 2 cups
Extra virgin olive oil 2 T.
Fleur de sel (type of sea salt) 1⁄2 tsp.
Black pepper, freshly ground

Method

1. Break up the goat cheese into small pieces and refrigerate for later use.
2. To make the pizza bases, roll out the puff pastry and cut into twelve 4-inch rings. Prick each pastry base with a fork, and then glaze with the egg yolk mixed with the water. Bake in a preheated 375°F oven for 10 minutes.
3. Remove the puff pastry bases from oven and cool for 1 hour. Cut each in half globally; cover each cut side with 1 tablespoon of the tomato sauce and top with the prosciutto slices, a sprinkling of toasted walnuts, and several pieces of the goat cheese. Bake again at 375°F for 7 minutes and remove from the oven.
4. Toss the baby Arugula with the olive oil and top each pizza with a few leaves. Sprinkle with a pinch of fleur de sel and fresh pepper, serve and ENJOY!

Macaroni and Fromage Rustique
Ossau Iraty is a sheep milk cheese style from the Basque region. It is has a nutty taste and finishes with a butterscotch flavor. Emmental is a cow milk cheese full of grass flavor with robust butterfat content. The mixing of the two gives a balance of flavors that is enhanced by the heat and the wheat flavor of the pasta.

Yield: 10 portions

Ingredients
Elbow macaroni 1 lb.
Bacon, diced fine 1 cup
Onion, small dice 2 cups
Garlic, minced 1 T.
Whole milk 4 cups
Fresh thyme 2 sprigs
Bay leaf 2 each
Garlic cloves, smashed 2 each
White roux, see note below 3 oz.
Salt and white pepper to taste
Ossau-Iraty, shredded 12 oz.
Emmental, grated 8 oz.
Italian parsley, minced fine 3 T.
Cayenne, Kosher salt, black pepper to taste
Herbed Bread Crumbs
Butter 1⁄2 cup
Toasted bread crumbs 1 cup
Rosemary, thyme, oregano, minced 2 T.
Mimolette, grated fine 3 T.

Method

1. Cook elbow macaroni fully in boiling salted water. Drain well.
2. Preheat the oven to 350°. In a small saucepan, cook the bacon over medium heat until the fat renders out and the bacon is slightly crisp. Remove and discard 2 T. of bacon fat. Add the onions and cook for another 8-10 minutes or until the onions are soft and start to color. Add the garlic and cook another 5 minutes. Set aside.
3. For the béchamel sauce: In a medium saucepan over medium heat, scald the milk, remove from heat and add thyme, bay leaf, and smashed garlic; cover and steep 15 - 20 minutes.
4. Remove the thyme, bay and garlic, slowly whisk in the roux and bring to a simmer for 20 minutes; season and strain.
5. Take off heat and stir in cheeses until completely melted. Adjust the consistency with more milk if necessary. It should be a the consistency of pancake batter.
6. Adjust seasoning and taste with cayenne pepper, kosher salt and black pepper.
7. For the breadcrumbs, mix the toasted crumbs with the minced herbs and grated Mimolette and season with salt and pepper. Rub a large casserole dish with 2 T. butter and lightly coat with bread crumbs
8. Fold the bacon mixture, sauce and macaroni together. Pour it into prepared casserole pan and top with the remaining bread crumb mixture; dot with the remaining butter.
9. Bake until golden brown and bubbling, about 35 minutes. Let rest 15 minutes before serving.
*Note: Roux (pronounced “roo”) is a thickening agent for soups and sauces. Made by cooking equal part of flour and oil until the raw flavor of the flour cooks out and the roux has achieved the desired color, a properly cooked roux imparts silky-smooth body and a nutty flavor while thickening soups and sauces.
Fromage Frittata

Ossau-Iraty, a sheep milk style cheese from the Basque, has a profile of caramelized onion with a hazelnut finish. It also exudes much of the Basque terroir which is rich in flowers and grass. The cheese lengthens the elegance of the Chanterelles.

Yield: 2 portions

Ingredients
Chanterelle mushrooms 1 lb.
Olive Oil 1 Tbsp.
Shallots 3 T.
Kosher salt 1⁄4 t.
Eggs 6
Ossau-Iraty, grated 1 cup
Salt 1⁄4 t.
Black pepper, freshly ground 1 pinch
Olive oil 2 Tbsp.

Method

During the months of May and September, Chanterelle mushrooms can be found in local markets, and are great for Omelets and Frittatas. If you can’t find Chanterelle mushrooms, just use whatever mushrooms are in season. First clean the mushrooms with a small soft brush or paper towel. Brush off the excess pine needles and dirt, and tear the mushrooms into smaller pieces.

To cook the mushrooms, heat the olive oil and shallots in a small sauté pan over medium heat and season with the kosher salt. Cook for about 4-5 minutes or until the mushrooms are soft but still al dente (fully cooked, but not overly soft). Set aside.

Preheat the oven to 325°. In a bowl, beat the eggs well and mix in the mushrooms, 3⁄4 cup of cheese, and salt and pepper to taste.

Heat the olive oil in a small skillet or omelet pan over medium low heat and pour in the egg mixture. As soon as the bottom is solidified and lightly browned, sprinkle 1⁄4 cup of the Ossau-Iraty over the top and place the pan into the preheated oven.

Bake for 15-20 minutes, or until the top of the frittata has set, then remove and cool for 5 minutes before inverting and serving.

Apple Pie a la Versaille with Triple Crème Ice Cream
12-month- old Mimolette is a cow milk cheese from Normandy; the aging of this cantaloupe-form cheese brings a hazelnut finish with a touch of acidity. It also brings an elegant nuttiness to the pie crust which gives it a very appealing finish.

Yield: 12 portions

Ingredients
Crust

All-purpose flour 3 1⁄2 cup
Sugar 2 Tbsp.
Salt 1 tsp.
Unsalted butter, cut into 1⁄2 “ pieces 1 cup
Egg yolk 2 each
Ice cold water 5-6 Tbsp.
Mimolette cheese, finely grated 1⁄4 cup
Pie Filling
Granny Smith apples, peeled and sliced 8 cups
Slices shoud be about 1/4” thick
Fresh lemon juice 2 Tbsp.
Granulated sugar 1 cup
All purpose flour 1⁄4 cup
Cinnamon, ground 1⁄2 tsp.
Salt 1⁄2 tsp.
Nutmeg, ground 1⁄4 tsp.
Unsalted butter 3 Tbsp.
Egg yolk 1 each
Water 1 Tbsp.

Method
1. For the crust: Place the flour, sugar, and salt in a food processor and pulse several times to mix. Remove the lid and scatter the butter pieces over the dry ingredients. Pulse the machine four to six times in one-second bursts, or until the butter is broken into very small pieces.
2. Place the egg yolk in a 1-cup glass measurer and add just enough of the water to equal 1/4 cup liquid. Using a fork, blend the water and yolk. Pour this mixture evenly over the flour-butter mixture, making sure it does not clump in one area. Sprinkle the grated cheese over this mixture evenly and pulse the machine again, in short bursts, until the pastry starts to form large clumps. Do not overprocess. Place a sheet of plastic wrap on the counter and then empty the crumbs into a large mixing bowl.
3. Using your hands, pack the dough and knead the dough 2 or 3 times. Place the dough in the center of the plastic wrap and flatten it into a disk about 3⁄4-inch thick. The edges will probably crack slightly; just pinch and mold them back into a smooth disk. Divide the dough into two, wrap the dough in the plastic, and refrigerate until firm enough to roll, about 1 hour.
4. Remove from refrigerator and proceed to roll out the dough. On a floured surface, roll out the bottom dough until it’s about 1/8-inch thick. Roll the dough onto the rolling pin and unroll over your 9” pie dish. Chill for 15 minutes.
5. For the filling: Preheat the oven to 425°. In a bowl, toss the sliced apples with lemon juice. Combine sugar, flour, and cinnamon, salt and nutmeg; add to apples and toss. Pour into crust; dot with butter.
6. Roll out remaining pastry to fit top of pie. Place over filling; seal and flute edges and cut slits in top. Beat egg yolk and water; brush over pastry.
7. Bake at 425° for 15 minutes. Reduce heat to 350°; bake 40-45 minutes more or until crust is golden and filling is bubbly.
8. Cool the pie on a cooling rack for at least 1 to 2 hours before slicing so the juices can firm up.

Bleu Burger d’Ambert

This cow milk cheese from Auvergne is creamy and a bit spicy. The piquant bleuing gives balance and flavor to the beef.
Yield: 8 portions
Ingredients Amounts
Bread crumbs 1⁄2 cup
Whole milk 2 Tbsp.
Lean Ground Beef 2 lbs.
Egg, beaten 1
Black pepper 1⁄2 tsp.
Fresh thyme leaves, minced 1⁄2 tsp.
Garlic, minced fine 1 tsp.
Cayenne pepper 1/8 tsp.
Fourme d’ Ambert, crumbled 3⁄4 cup
Kosher salt 1⁄2 tsp.
Hamburger rolls 8 each
Butter, melted 3 Tbsp.
Romaine leaves or green leaf 4 large
Ripe tomato, sliced 1 large
Red onion, sliced 1 each

Method
1. Combine the bread crumbs and milk in a small bowl and allow the crumbs to moisten. Add the ground meat, egg, pepper, thyme, garlic, and cayenne and mix slightly to combine. Do not overmix the meat.
2. Divide meat mixture into 16 equal portions, shaping each into a 3 1⁄2 -inch patty. Spoon 1 tablespoon Fourme d’Ambert in the center of each of 8 patties; top each with 1 remaining patty, pressing down and pinching the edges to seal. Chill for 1 hour.
3. Preheat the grill to medium-high heat and rub with oil. Sprinkle with kosher salt.
4. Season the patties with kosher salt and place patties on the grill rack. Grill 4 minutes on each side or until desired degree of doneness; do not press down on the burger or you will lose all the juiciness. Remove from heat and rest for 3-4 minutes; keep warm.
5. Brush the cut sides of the rolls with the melted butter; place cut sides down on grill rack, and grill 30 seconds or until toasted. Serve patties on toasted rolls with desired toppings.

Fromage Lasagna with Roasted Vegetables
This washed rind cow milk cheese from Alsace has a creamy texture with a combination of sweet and pungent flavor which is needed to balance the pasta and the vegetables in this dish.

Yield: 12 portions

Ingredients Amounts
Yellow squash, sliced lengthwise 12 oz.
Red pepper, sliced lengthwise 12 oz.
Zucchini, sliced lengthwise 12 oz.
Eggplant, sliced lengthwise 8 oz.
Olive oil 4 Tbsp.
Balsamic vinegar 2 Tbsp.
Fresh rosemary, minced 1 Tbsp.
Kosher salt and black pepper to taste
Ricotta cheese 1 lb.
Tomme d’ Alsace, shredded and 8 oz.
divided
Comté, grated 8 oz.
Eggs 2
Fresh Italian parsley, minced 1 Tbsp.
Béchamel (instructions below) 3 cups
Package lasagna noodles, cooked 12 oz.
and drained
Summer Tomato Sauce (instructions below) 1 qt.

Method
1. Preheat oven to 400oF.
2. To prepare vegetables, combine the olive oil, balsamic, rosemary, and salt and pepper in a large mixing bowl, add the sliced vegetables, and toss to coat. Lay out on layer on a heavy-duty sheet pan and roast until golden brown, about 15 minutes.
3. In large bowl, thoroughly combine ricotta, 6 ounces of Tomme d’ Alsace, Comté, eggs and parsley. Season with salt and pepper.
4. Preheat oven to 375°.
5. To assemble, spread 1 cup of tomato sauce in the bottom of a 9×13 inch baking dish. Arrange 1/3 of the cooked noodles lengthwise over sauce. Spread with 1/3 of the ricotta cheese mixture. Arrange 1/3 of the roasted vegetables. Spread 1/3 of the béchamel. Repeat with tomato sauce, noodles, ricotta, roasted vegetables, and béchamel. Top with the remaining grated Tomme d’ Alsace and cover with foil. To prevent sticking, either spray foil with cooking spray, or make sure the foil does not touch the cheese.
6. Bake in preheated oven for 30 minutes. Remove foil, and bake an additional 25 minutes. Cool for 15 minutes before serving.

*Note: Substitutions for Tomme d’ Alsace: Chimay or Saint-Nectaire

Béchamel

Yield: 1 quart
Ingredients Amounts
Milk 1 qt.
Pique onion *see note 1 ea.
White roux* see note 4 oz.
Salt and white pepper to taste

Method
Scald milk, remove from heat, add Pique onion, cover and steep 15 - 20 minutes.
Remove onion, incorporate roux slowly by whisking a little in at a time and bring to a simmer.
Simmer 30 minutes, season, strain, cool, and refrigerate.
*Note: Onion pique is an onion studded with a bay leaf and a couple of cloves. Bay leaf can be inserted into onion by making a small slit

*Note: Roux (pronounced “roo”) is a thickening agent for soups and sauces. Made by cooking equal part of flour and oil until the raw flavor of the flour cooks out and the roux has achieved the desired color, a properly cooked roux imparts silky-smooth body and a nutty flavor while thickening soups and sauces.
Bing Cherry Compote & Brillat Savarin

Brillat Savarin

100% cow milk with cream added, has a rich creamy flavor with a touch of saltiness; it elevates the compote to a complete flavor and texture experience.

Yield: 1 quart
Ingredients Amounts
Dried bing cherries 2 cups
Dried cranberries 1⁄2 cup
Dry red wine 1 cup
Cinnamon stick 1
Bay leaf 1
Orange zest, 3 inch strip
Fresh Orange juice 1⁄2 cup
Granulated sugar 1 cup
Brillat Savarin 5 oz.

Method
1. Combine the first five ingredients in a large non-reactive* saucepan.
2. Over medium heat, bring the mixture to a slow simmer and cook for about 15 minutes, or until the fruit is tender, but still chewy.
3. Remove from the heat and allow the fruit compote to cool slightly. Place in a container and refrigerate for 1 day to allow the flavors to mature. (Note: mixture will keep chilled for up to a month.)
4. To serve: Place 1 tablespoon of berry compote, and a small slice of Brillat Savarin cheese, onto a small white plate. Drizzle with some of the syrup from the fruit compote.
*Note: Non-reactive saucepans are stainless steel or ceramic, as opposed to copper or aluminum.

Fondue Francaise
Comte (from the Jura Mountains), Beaufort and Emmental (from Savoie) are all classic mountain cheeses. They are layered with nutty, fruity and sweet flavors and they have extraordinary melting capacity. Because they are mountain cheeses they all possess the layers of nuts, fruits, and sweetness, almost like a toffee finish, that give the fondue length and unforgettable layers of taste.

Yield: 12 portions
Ingredients Amounts
Garlic clove, split 1
Cantal cheese 1 cup
Comté cheese 1 cup
Emmental cheese 1 cup
Beaufort cheese 1⁄2 cup
Dry White wine 11⁄2 cups
Lemon juice 1 tsp.
Cornstarch 2 tsp.
Kirsch 3 Tbsp.
Ground nutmeg pinch
White bread cubes 1 cup per person

Method
1. Heat a ceramic fondue pot over medium-low heat. Rub the inside of the fondue pot with the garlic clove; reserve garlic clove.
2. Either grate or plane both cheeses. Bring the wine, garlic clove, and lemon juice to a simmer, stirring constantly. Remove the garlic clove with a fork. Add the cheese and stir until it is smooth and creamy.
3. Whisk together the cornstarch, Kirsch, and nutmeg and stir into the cheese sauce.
4. Continue to heat while stirring, until thick and smooth. Do not overheat or the mixture will separate.
5. Keep fondue warm over low heat, then put it over an alcohol lamp (Sterno) at the table. Let the fondue continue to bubble during the meal and stir it from time to time so that it stays creamy.
6. Spear the bread cubes with fondue forks and dip them into the cheese.
*Note: If the fondue is too thin, add more grated cheese; if it is too thick, thin it with wine. The wine, incidentally, is critical ~it should not be too aged and should contain abundant acids. Cider is also well-suited to use in a fondue.

Ham & Cantal Casserole
Cantal is a cow milk cheese from Auvergne whose rustic texture and flavor are reminiscent of the flowers and herbs from Auvergne, giving dimension to the ham and bread in this recipe.

Yield: 8 portions

Ingredients & Amounts
White bread, sliced 10 each
Unsalted butter 1⁄2 cup
Ham, cooked and cubed 1⁄4-inch 2 cups
Cantal cheese, grated 1 1⁄2 cup
Whole milk 2 cups
Kosher salt 1 tsp.
Cayenne pepper 1⁄4 tsp.
Eggs, slightly beaten 5

Method
1. Butter bread and cut into 1⁄2-inch sticks. Layer bread into a 9” glass loaf pan, alternating with the cheese and ham.
2. Add seasonings to milk and mix together with eggs. Pour over bread and let stand in refrigerator overnight.
3. Bake at 350° until lightly browned and puffed, about 50 minutes to 1 hour. (A toothpick inserted into the center should come out clean.)
4. Remove from the oven and cool slightly before cutting and serving
For more information on The Cheeses of France, part of the healthy Mediterranean Diet, visit www.CheesesOfFrance.com. For more delicious recipes, please visit http://tinyurl.com/yj5pm7y.

By Bernie Whitmore

183 Shrewsbury Street, Worcester
(508) 753-9912
www.lascalashrewsburystreet.com

Every now and then a business goes through such fundamental transformation that I best liken it to the result of a nuclear detonation; every surface, every bit of the old culture has been blasted away and replaced with something completely new.

La Scala has enjoyed such a change.  To its previous incarnation I had made just one visit for dinner.  With barely a foot through the doorway I stopped dead and looked around.  Regular customers may have felt at home, but to a newcomer the surroundings were not at all welcoming or enticing.

It couldn’t be more different now.  The ill-conceived drop ceiling has been ripped out, exposing brickwork and the original tin ceiling which has been painted teal.  The lower walls are painted soft gold, giving the room a more spacious feel.  My friend and I were seated at one of the curvy corner booths and soon Sabrina, our waitress, arrived to greet us.  Her enthusiasm for the new La Scala was boundless as she described all the changes.

Of course, a bucket of fresh paint can’t cover up a weak kitchen, so we turned our attention to the menu.  It’s divided into sections standard to Italian restaurants, each with a narrow offering that promised to avoid the pitfalls of kitchen over-reach.  Though the offering may be brief, it covers most of the basics along with imaginative items such as Arugula Strawberry Insalata.  A group of La Scala Signature Items gives David DiStefano, La Scala’s chef, room to get creative.

In choosing our appetizer I reluctantly agreed to Fried Calamari.  A one-time favorite, this dish has become a risk; all too often it’s over-fried or drenched in scorched oil.  But La Scala has single-handedly reversed this trend.  Their generous portion of rings and tentacles was lightly fried and then tossed in fresh olive oil with bits of garlic, diced tomato and cherry pepper chips.  Yes, that’s a lot of competing flavor, but happily it didn’t overpower the delicate seafood.

La Scala’s wine list is well-stocked with moderately priced selections.  I chose a glass of Two Oceans Sauvignon Blanc from South Africa.  It didn’t have the complexity of SBs from New Zealand, but its crisp citrus flavor went well with the calamari.

Even though it’s from the standard menu, my friend’s entrée selection, Seafood Fra Diavolo, should get its own page because this dish epitomizes La Scala’s focus on robust flavor, freshness of ingredients, and value.  Sabrina had warned us that it was large, but “colossal” might better describe this dish. Somewhere at the bottom of a tower of seafood was a foundation of linguine.  Large juicy shrimp joined dozens of fresh mussels and clams for a drenching in a zesty marinara of hot peppers, plum tomatoes and onion; everything was then crowned with a layer of light-golden fried calamari.  This meal is so large that the manager will award anyone able to finish it a commemorative t-shirt!
The drama of size and all those gorgeous shells is fine, but what really matters, of course, is flavor.  And this is where the chef had a few delicious surprises in store.  Part of the Diavolo-burn was achieved with chunks of hot sausage.  But he also made it smolder with the smoky flavor of linguica sausage.  This was the best Fra Diavolo variation I’ve encountered ~ not too spicy with a rich depth of flavor.

I chose one of La Scala’s signature entrees, Chicken La Scala.  Layers of breaded chicken breast and eggplant were baked in tomato sauce topped with slices of fresh mozzarella cheese and served with linguine.  It was served so steaming-hot from the oven that the mozzarella stretched across the table with every forkful.  Compared to Fra Diavolo, this seemed a mere mortal in size, yet it was too large to finish; the leftovers I returned home with were enough for another meal.

La Scala has every right to be proud of what they’ve accomplished this year, from the gleam of new furniture to impressive culinary feats from their kitchen.  They’ve certainly extended the winning streak of the Shrewsbury Street dining district!

By Erin Hansen

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