Coming to RIVER, March 1st, these incredible bags of Handmade Goat's Milk Soap from a farm in Sharon Springs, NY. They raise their own goats organically to produce these soaps. Each bag contains two individually wrapped 3.25 oz. bars of soap. Every month RIVER will be offering a new scent. March will highlight the fresh, clean scent of new grass. It's a very earthy, refreshing scent sure to get you in the mood for Spring.
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This spectacular wedding took place recently on the grounds of the Connecticut River Museum. The event was planned and designed by Joseph Marini of RIVER. The amazing food was provided by Coastal Gourmet in Stonington, CT.
How can a 12inch lantern be $350.00??!!! We're expecting to hear that exclamation many times in the coming weeks.
The reason would be the arrival of these handmade copper lanterns that were commissioned from Scofield Historic Lighting in Ivoryton and are available at the store.
Here's why they are $350.00 each:
Scofield lights are handmade and handfinished. These lanterns are handmade in copper, stamped and numbered on the bottom inside plate - which is reversible, incidentally - and the panels are made of handmade glass.
Rolls Royce uses only Connoly leather for their interiors and these lanterns remind us of the type of craftsmanship that a connoisseur or an enthusiast come to fully appreciate.
And as everything that is custom, they are in limited supply and once they're gone, they're gone.
A few years ago, when I was running a hotel with a tea salon in New York City, a guest from Paris, introduced me to Russian tea. The tea was traditionally brewed in a samovar, and it is often quite strong. The drinker is meant to dilute it with boiling water and milk to achieve the desired consistency.
While not for the faint of heart, and an indulgence unless you live in the Russian steppes, Russian tea is wonderfully bracing on a cold winter's afternoon. However, the taste is so concentrated and full that I found myself craving it throughout the year.
So, I asked Grace Teas that supply us with the teas for River, and they indeed made a Russian Caravan variety that is a pure China tea. Their blend comes close to the luxury teas that were transported 11,000 miles by camel train from China to Russia from 1689 to 1905. It contains chiefly keemuns for body and flavor and lapsang souchong for an exotic and smoky overtone.
We came up with a new twist on the classic Russian tea though and here's the recipe for it:
Brew the tea as you would, usually 3-4 minutes but it is better if you let it steep for longer, even 8-10 minutes, or simply double the amount for the tea pot. This makes a very concentrated brew.
Bring a couple of cups of milk close to boil, along with a few pieces of candied ginger and plenty of honey (Russians prefer sugar, and lots of it, since they have a notorious sweet tooth - I prefer honey). You can also add cardamom, cinnamon or a few gratings of nutmeg. Keep stirring the milk until it starts to see about to boil, but don't allow it to boil all the way.
Pour the brewed tea in a cup and top it with the milk mixture. Enjoy.
The taste is almost like a chai latte, equally exotic, and surprising desert-like. And you may feel like a Romanov for an afternoon.
