For parents teaching their children to garden, it is hard to compete with the apps on their tablets and phones, such as “Farmville” and “Grow A Garden,” that grow plants and communities seemingly overnight.
In his “Castle Street Cafe Cookbook,” Michael Ballon wrote: “Of all the food items grown in the garden, nothing is as different [from store-bought] as growing your own lemongrass ... Fresh lemongrass … is green and verdant, with a very powerful bouquet and flavor.”
Michael Ballon would come out in his white chef’s outfit and we would gossip about things. Make no mistake about it: he had definite opinions and sometimes we would disagree.
After major renovations and re-orientation as a classic steakhouse, Number Ten restaurant has opened at the site of the former Castle Street Cafe in Great Barrington.
At the top of Railroad Street, the town will see the old Pearl’s and Martin’s building, once home to NAPA auto parts, revamped into new storefronts with apartments and office space.
“I’ve worked 37 years as a chef (28 of them at Castle Street), which is the equivalent of 60 regular human work years…. I want to reinvent myself while I am still young enough to do so.”
--- Castle Street Café owner Michael Ballon
Castle Street firehouse owner Thomas Borshoff has no incentive to do his promised redevelopment. He is making money by doing nothing, with rent from the town from whom he purchased the property.
I think shellfish makes for a light, savory, and romantic dinner, and it goes well with champagne. The pinch of saffron makes this dish special, and is affordable.
The Spot Saver parking program is designed to ease Main Street Reconstruction pain when construction begins in late March. A launch party will be held this Wednesday (February 25) at Castle Street Cafe at 5 p.m.
Over the past decade or so, Great Barrington has emerged as a mini-culinary capital in New England. Michael Ballon has been at the forefront of our growing culinary awareness, appreciation and practices.
