Berkshire Tidbits: Fire Company Breakfast, Farm Tours
The Yoked Parish of Becket presents its free monthly pasta dinner this Friday. All are welcome.
Parish minister, the Rev. Kevin Smail said that the meal includes a pasta dish, salad, Italian or garlic bread and an assortment of mostly homemade desserts and beverages.
The purpose of the regular meals is to build community, he said.
Becket resident Arlene Adler said she tries to attend the dinner whenever she can. She said it does make her feel connected with her neighbors.
"And there is always a meat sauce and a vegetarian sauce. Some nice salad. It's always good. Homemade," she said."
The free dinner will be at the parish house of the Becket Federated Church, 413-623-5217, 3381 Main St. across from the Becket Washington elementary school, just past the intersection with Route 8 in North Becket.
Starting this week through Wednesday, Aug. 31, the meat department at Wild Oats Co-op Market, 320 Main St./Route 2 in Williamstown, 413-458-8060, is making grab and go barbecue dinners customers can pick up from their meat cooler.
They are simple dinners for $9.95 each. There is a choice of a half rack of pork ribs, beef sirloin cooked medium rare to rare depending on who's cooking, salmon or a half chicken. The meats come with a generous helping of co-op made kale slaw.
"We are the meat department, not the kitchen, so we are not able to add a lot of veggies or other sides or desserts," a staffer told me.
Still, Wild Oats quality BBQ and slaw at the ready every day…
They should be out by lunchtime but call to make sure. You can also pre-order the dinners 24 hours ahead.
It really feels like the start of summer. Or, an affirmation that it's Independence Day, again. The annual pancake breakfast at the pavilion in Tyringham, 100 Main Road, put on by the Tyringham Volunteer Fire Company every Fourth of July weekend Sunday morning from 7 to 10.
This Sunday, July 3, the menu will be the usual, prepared by the Volunteer Firemen of Tyringham: orange juice, pancakes served with Tyringham maple syrup and sausages, coffee and tea.
The volunteer fire company brings neighbors together, brings the whole tiny town of under 350 together. And the pancake breakfast brings even more people into town, easily 500 or more.
"It's not just the food," said Tyringham resident and volunteer fireman Ron Goldberg. "It's the feeling between the men. It's that really, really good feeling that knits the community together."
Get your tickets at the door. It's $8 for adults, $7 for seniors and children under 12.
Over the summer, The Chef's Shop, 31 Railroad St. in Great Barrington, 413-528-013, email@thechefsshop.com, will be offering cooking classes by three chefs: Michael Ballon, chef and owner of Castle Street Café in Great Barrington, personal chef and local cooking teacher Marco Belli and chef Julie Gale of At the Table Cooking School in Hillsdale, N.Y.
First up, on Friday, July 8, from 5:30 to 8 p.m., chef Marco Belli will be celebrating classic summer by grilling a rosemary-garlic marinated chicken and, then seasonal fruit. pineapple and mango, and pairing them with local ginger ice cream.
Class size is limited to 12 students to encourage everyone to participate. After dinner is prepared, the class eats. There will be a wine selection courtesy of Domaney's Fine Wines of Great Barrington.
Marco's class is $35 per person.
Then, the next Thursday, July 14, at 6 p.m., Gale will teach a Thai-inspired summer menu starting with grilled chicken satay, making shrimp pad Thai for an entrée and mango with sticky rice for dessert.
Gale's class is $40.
Payment for classes is required in advance with a 48-hour cancellation policy. The Chef's Shop offers students a 10 percent discount on purchases made on a class day and for a couple of days after.
Berkshire Co-op Market, 413-528-9697, will be presenting an intimate afternoon farm tour with the staff of the 60-acre, certified organic MX Morningstar Farm, in Copake, N.Y., on Saturday, July 9, at 3 p.m.
Owner and lead farmer Max Morningstar will lead everyone on a tour of the popular farm, which sustainably grows a variety of vegetables and fruits, to see its grounds and workings.
He will serve a snack using farm grown and prepared ingredients.
Call the Co-op for more information and to sign up for the tour. Directions to the farm can be found here.
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