By: Cary Hull
The story of this Chester villa is an unusual one. You can dine here on April 24 and support the Chester Historical Society.
The evening begins at 5:30 p.m. with a reception at The Mill, with hors d’oeuvres created by Chef Chris Pardue of Chester Village West, formerly chef/owner of L’Americain in Hartford. At 7 o’clock, everyone heads off to one of ten memorable, unique homes in Chester for a sumptuous sit-down dinner, along with fine wines. Each of the dinner menus is being specially created by the homeowner (many of whom have culinary backgrounds) or catered by a professional chef.
Here are some notes on what you can look forward to that evening…
Homard et Crevette au Cognac in the brand-new dining room of a spacious hilltop home with many fine architectural details…
a multi-layered Paella filled with seafood, chicken, and sausage and served with a saffron- infused rice, created by a professional French chef in the oldest house in Chester…
dinner created by Dennis Welch, of The Wheatmarket, and served in the two-story, antiques-filled barn behind one of Chester’s best-known houses…
seasonal specialties such as shad and grass-fed beef in the former Chester Hotel, surrounded by the owners’ original paintings and photographs…
A French professional chef will create a multi-layered Paella for dinner in the oldest house in Chester.
a South African dinner, prepared by Jim and Jody Reilly from Simon’s Market Place and The Blue Oar, in an authentically restored late 18th century home – originally home to the first Chester post office at the mouth of the Chester Cove…
dining graciously in a 1990 Tidewater Colonial-style home overlooking the beautiful Hadlyme Hills as well as the Connecticut River…
a Moroccan-themed dinner in a house overlooking the Pattaconk Brook…
The event promises to be unforgettable – an opportunity to mix with friends and meet some new friends along the way, to be a dinner guest in one of Chester’s fine homes, and to support the Chester Historical Society. The cost is $100 per person (a portion of which is tax-deductible).
Early reservations are recommended. Reservations are required before April 18. Call JoAnne at 860-767-7032 (M-F, 9-5) or 860-526-9875, or pay online with your credit card at www.ChesterHistoricalSociety.org. About ten people will be hosted at each house. Anyone who would like to buy numerous tickets for one house should call ASAP.
Links:
Chester Historical Society
From a press release provided by Cary Hull:
Last year the Chester Historical Society hosted a “Characters of Chester” program, which centered on some of the more colorful male “characters” in Chester’s history. Inevitably, the question arose, “What about the women of Chester?”
On Sunday, Dec. 6, from 4 to 6 p.m., “The Remarkable Ladies of Chester” will be the topic of a discussion at the Chester Meetinghouse. This smorgasbord of stories about some of the women – past and present – who helped create the fabric of Chester will include Katie Wilcox, a missionary/educator in India who was born and buried in Chester. Another, Helen Zanardi, a natural leader of the “Italian Ladies” of mid-20th-century Chester, was known for her Minestrone, the fact that she could drive, and that she could speak both Italian and English. Daphne Ferrari owned a gift shop in Chester Center, which is remembered for being stuffed with unusual and fun treasures and photos of old Chester. She loved sitting at her front window so she could observe life on Main Street.
Come to hear stories of these and other Chester women and to share some of your own. As with all Chester Historical Society programs, audience participation is encouraged.
Refreshments will be served. The program is free and open to the public.
