Country Living

“A cozy feeling is about welcoming others. For me, that means little accents like fresh flowers on the table that guests will appreciate.” 53COUNTRYLIVING.COM / FEBRUARY–MARCH 2023

.G A T H E R take note... Vermont produces the most maple syrup in the United States, bottling more than two-and- a-half million gallons each year. Brake For... Salted Maple Syrup Pie Inspired by: The start of the annual sap harvest in maple tree forests dotting the Northeast Local Flavor: It takes 15 to 20 gallons of sticky-sweet sap to make just a half-gallon of pure maple syrup—but you won’t need nearly that much to whip up this creamy dessert. With a custard-like filling and flourish of flaky sea salt, it’s a supreme salute to sweet and savory. Recipe, pg. 105 54 COUNTRYLIVING.COM / FEBRUARY–MARCH 2023 written by STEPHANIE GIBSON LEPORE recipe and food styling by TORIE COX photograph by BECKY LUIGART-STAYNER prop styling by LINDSEY LOWER

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FEBRUARY-MARCH 2023 Linger. PURSUITS & PASTIMES FOR FINDING JOY IN EVERY DAY take note... Owner Ben Fisk’s father, Wendell, built the original Ben’s Sugar Shack in 1993 with simple 8 by 8 beams and shiplap. written by LEIGH CRANDALL photographs by GRETA RYBUS Life in the Country The Sweet Spot In southwestern New Hampshire, a sugarer taps into his passion for winters in the woods to create an award-winning maple business. 57COUNTRYLIVING.COM / FEBRUARY–MARCH 2023

N E S T. Starting in January, Ben and his team lay miles of pipes across 1,200 acres of woods, affectionately known as “the sugar bush.” His sugar houses collect between 650,000 and 700,000 gallons of sap from roughly 30,000 maple trees each year. I t’s rare to discover your BELOW: During the life’s work at five years old, bottling process, but that’s precisely what syrup is assigned happened to Temple, New one of four grades Hampshire, native Ben Fisk while according to color visiting a maple sugar house on a and density. Ben pre- preschool field trip. “I wouldn’t stop dominantly produces talking about it, so my parents built Grade A Amber and me a small sugar house,” says Ben. Grade A Dark syrup. “We started with 13 taps, which The darker the made less than a gallon of syrup. I syrup, the stronger sold it alongside lemonade at a stand the maple flavor. at the end of our driveway.” As Ben grew, so did his passion. In 2004, ABOVE: In addition to syrup, when he was just 15, he became the Ben’s Sugar Shack makes other youngest winner ever of the Granite State’s Maple Producers Carlisle maple-infused treats, such as Trophy for best syrup. “I decided to caramel popcorn, cotton candy, graduate high school early to focus on making maple syrup for a living,” maple cream, and barbecue he says. sauce. Shop products online at Now, 19 years later, Ben’s Sugar bensmaplesyrup.com. Shack operates in two locations: the original sugar house in Temple and a second an hour north in Newbury. (A new 16,000-square- foot sugar house is scheduled to open in Temple later this year.) Come sugaring season, which runs January through April, sap is turned into syrup via a reverse osmosis system then put through an evaporator and filter press. In early spring, visitors are invited to experience the process firsthand during free weekend tours. Ben still savors each trip into the trees. “Heading out to the snowy woods for harvest, seeing the sap run from the maples—it still gets me as excited as it did when I was a kid,” he says. 58 COUNTRYLIVING.COM / FEBRUARY–MARCH 2023

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.L I N G E R Town Stats POPULATION 1,335 STOPLIGHT COUNT Just the one! DISTANCE TO CANADIAN BORDER 38 miles NAMED BY Fur-trading French- Canadian voyageurs in the 1700s (the name translates to “great marsh”) Small Town Saturday PHOTOGRAPH BY ACKERMAN + GRUBER; ILLUSTRATION BY MELINDA JOSIE. Grand Marais, Minnesota Along the frozen waters of Minnesota’s North Shore, a Lake Superior art colony offers wintry woods to explore, cozy respites from the chill, and plenty of places that bolster your creative side. 60 COUNTRYLIVING.COM / FEBRUARY–MARCH 2023 written by SARAH ZLOTNICK

“Keep your eyes peeled for a moose while cross-country skiing through frozen forests...” ...and 19 more ways to capture the wonder of a clear winter day. PHOTOGRAPHS BY (CLOCKWISE FROM TOP) KAREN O’BRYAN/GALAVANT GAL; COURTESY OF THE MINNE STUGA; COURTESY OF SANBORN CANOE CO; LIZANNE DOONER/LIZANNE LATELY; ACKERMAN + GRUBER. Get Crackin’: No matter what time North House Folk School your morning begins, oversize omelets await at breakfast-all-day The Minne Stuga eatery Blue Water Café. Go for the three-meat Viking or a Trail Center Lodge hollandaise-topped Wild Country. FOR MORE INSIDER GUIDES TO THE COUNTRY’S MOST CHARMING SMALL TOWNS, JOIN COUNTRY LIVING ALL ACCESS AT COUNTRYLIVING.COM/JOIN. Celebrate the Season: Cheer on dogsled derbies during March’s annual Dog Days of Winter festival, which caps off with s’mores and hot cocoa at Trail Center Lodge. Or, set off from the lodge for a leisurely session of cross-country skiing (and moose spotting!) along Superior National Forest’s 57-mile Gunflint Trail. Explore the Stores: First Avenue is dotted with charming locally owned shops. Pop into Gunflint Mercantile for made-in-store maple-bacon fudge, then head to The Big Lake for broomcorn veggie scrubbers and more great giftables. Kristofer Bowman’s “Northwoods Modern” mercantile Upstate MN brings a fresh perspective to lakeside decor with Minnesota-made Sanborn Canoe Co. paddles (bottom right). Eat Up: Fresh-caught fish and buttermilk cheese curds make for a hearty lunch at The Fisherman’s Daughter (pg. 62). Wash it all down with a low-ABV blonde ale at nearby Voyageur Brewing Company. Try Your Hand: At North House Folk School, artisans such as Charlie Mayo (pictured) teach hands-on courses in everything from birch bark basket-weaving to boatbuilding. In operation since 1947, nearby Grand Marais Art Colony focuses on the fine arts and offers residencies for more serious practitioners. Hygge Your Heart Out: Blogger Melissa Coleman (@thefauxmartha) kitted out her new cedar-clad cabin rental, The Minne Stuga, with a bunk room, woodburning fireplace, and loads of board games. In town, The Mayhew Inn is home to six unique suites (five are dog-friendly!) and rooftop decks perfect for stargazing. Continued on pg. 62

.L I N G E R Artist’s Point The Fisherman’s Daughter Joy & Company PHOTOGRAPHS BY (CLOCKWISE FROM TOP LEFT) ACKERMAN + GRUBER; BRITTNI MORGAN/@BRITTNIVALEN; LIZANNE DOONER/LIZANNE LATELY. Find Your Bliss: Housed in a 1920s Chevrolet garage, Joy & Company offers 4,000 square feet of antiques, art supplies, and one-of-a-kind wares from 120 independent makers. Blow Off Steam: After an afternoon of traipsing through the frozen valleys of Kadunce River Canyon or taking in the town’s many painted murals, warm up with a soothing waterside dry sauna session at Sisu + Löyly. Seek Inspiration: Come sunset, flock to the ragged rocks of Artist’s Point, a barrier island formed from lava that splits the harbor, to view the changing colors of the sky. Wine and Dine: The majestic dining room at Naniboujou Lodge & Restaurant is bedecked in bold Cree tribal designs and a 20-foot stone fireplace. Surroundings may be more modest at fishing shanty-turned- restaurant Angry Trout Cafe, but the creamy, dill-flecked chowder is sure to warm your soul. PLAN YOUR VISIT For our complete guide to Grand Marais, Minnesota, visit countryliving.com/grandmarais.

WcohYtSueonrometnNuresyahxor.lcitovlmo?uFilmnTldagTei.@lnwvlouheoawsemrtaaneriotst!steey take note... Pack your puffer coat! It’s not a trip to Grand Marais without a little snowshoeing. (Get your gear at Stone Harbor Wilderness Supply.) PHOTOGRAPH BY MADELINE MARQUARDT. Kadunce River Canyon 63COUNTRYLIVING.COM / FEBRUARY–MARCH 2023

Creature Comforts The Slowing Season Author Mary Laura Philpott learns the importance of downtime from a turtle who roams—and rests—in her Tennessee backyard. F rank, an Eastern box turtle, lives in my and form heavy, sour-smelling piles that are hard family’s backyard. While he is pet-like to reach with a rake. I wouldn’t have planted it— in that we have named him (I don’t know it’s not even a native plant to Tennessee—but it what his turtle-mama named him, prob- was here when we moved in ages ago. Recently, I ably not Frank), he is not a pet. He is wild. finally thought, The hedge has got to go. I decided I wanted to pull it out and put in something that When he’s not gracing us with a passing demands less maintenance, so I started browsing appearance on the back patio, Frank wanders the pictures on our local nursery’s website. As usual, weedy, rambling hills of our bucolic Nashville- once I’d identified the project, I wanted to attack area home, taking care of himself. As winter it immediately. approaches, his natural instincts tell him to preserve energy; so, he nestles under a layer of dirt The problem is, during winter our yard and leaves for a long stretch of inactivity. This might as well have a “TURTLE HAZARD: DO NOT seasonal rest—called brumation, kind of like TOUCH” banner over it. If my shovel ever clanged hibernation for cold-blooded animals—lasts from against something hard in the dirt, something roughly late October to April. that felt like a turtle shell, I’d be beside myself. My family might never speak to me again. I owe it to Honestly, I don’t know how he stands the everyone, but mostly to Frank, to pause. That hedge prolonged torpor. It is not in my nature to be still. may be a nuisance to me, but it’s a cold-weather A recovering productivity junkie who measured home for him. Dormancy it is, then—for both of us. my self-worth by completed to-do lists for too many years, I still sometimes get antsy when I’m Whenever I see Frank next, I will thank him supposed to be relaxing. Unlike Frank, who shows for demonstrating the restorative value of inertia. no guilt over taking downtime, I feel a need to I’ll tell him about the books I read and the hot make every minute of daylight count. I often have toddy recipe I perfected while waiting him out. to make myself slow down. Case in point: I don’t Meanwhile, I will not start pulling at the roots of always know where Frank brumates, but I once the unwieldy hedge. I will not try to dig out that saw him dig a nap nest under the big evergreen leaf gunk or get a jump on gardening. When my Euonymus hedge that wraps around one corner of impatience flares, I will say to myself: Not yet. The our house. That hedge is my backyard nemesis, time will come for all that. For now, we rest. always either overgrown and scratching our win- dows with errant branches or sickly with some —Mary Laura Philpott is the author of sort of spotty mold. Fallen leaves drift under it Bomb Shelter: Love, Time, and Other Explosives. 64 COUNTRYLIVING.COM / FEBRUARY–MARCH 2023 illustration by JILL DE HAAN

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PHOTOGRAPH BY BECKY LUIGART-STAYNER, STYLING BY ALISON ALLSOPP. February-March 2023 Stitch It Yourself! Our monthly cross-stitch patterns, dreamed up by Digital Director Katie Bowlby, are available to download at country living.com/cross-stitch. 67COUNTRYLIVING.COM / FEBRUARY–MARCH 2023

Covered in reclaimed materials, this rustic Idaho home sits on a riverside mesa, with eye candy mountain views in every direction. “We added a lot of wraparound porches, so in the warmer months the living spaces can spill outside,” says architect Matt Miller. 68 COUNTRYLIVING.COM / FEBRUARY–MARCH 2023

R A ISI NG the B A R N A Dutch barn from the 1800s enjoys new life as a rustic retreat that welcomes the whole family to come kick up their boots—the muddier, the better. written by KATHRYN O’SHEA-EVANS photographs by LUCY CALL 69COUNTRYLIVING.COM / FEBRUARY–MARCH 2023

SCENERY IS THE NEW WA L L PA PER Filled with Old Hickory furniture (just like you’d find at Yellowstone National Park’s Old Faithful Inn), the large screened-in porch welcomes family for much-needed slowdowns and catch-ups. “We oriented the porch so it would take in long views of the Sawtooth Mountain Range,” Matt says—and all the show-stopping sunsets that come with it. Because this area can be chilly eight or nine months of the year, they tucked in discrete electric heaters between the ceiling rafters above the dining table. T here’s just something about a barn that tugs at a person’s heartstrings. “They’re timeless and part of our country’s history,” says Chris Clay, architect for Bozeman, Montana-based Miller Roodell Architects (miller-roodell.com). And then there’s the country building’s practicality. “The frame- work of a barn is laid out in a grid to shelter livestock or store the season’s hay,” says firm principal Matt Miller. “We can manipulate that grid to create a smaller, cozy bedroom or office, or leave it more open and grand like a great room.” That built-in practicality came in handy when the firm’s Oregon-based clients purchased a circa-1800 Dutch barn, known as the “Remmer’s Barn,” from New York’s Hudson River Valley to use as part of their retreat near a 1930s family cabin on property in Idaho. The architects built a new energy-efficient steel-and-wood structure around the barn’s centuries-old posts, beams, and rafters—all Eastern white pine and hemlock with mortise-and-tenon joints—which provided an exposed- storied framework for the home’s interior. There was just one major challenge: the Rocky Mountains are as surly today as they were in the 1800s. “During the winter months, the site was only accessible by snow machines, snowmobiles, or track vehicles,” Matt says. Still, the struggle was worth it. With its soaring double-sided stone fireplace, rough- sawn barnwood walls, and cuddly wool upholstery, ABOVE: A pair of iron the home provides the lanterns flanks the front perfect shelter from the door that was locally storm. And, as in any good crafted of reclaimed barn, you’ll find myriad barnwood. Because of perches to put your dark sky restrictions in stockinged feet up like an Appaloosa in repose. the area, exterior lighting was kept as minimal as possible.

71COUNTRYLIVING.COM / FEBRUARY–MARCH 2023

FA R M SA LVAGE IS THE NEW BARN LIGHT Guests love to gather round the dining table— a repurposed 1940s aircraft factory workbench from World War II— thanks in part to the unexpected light fixtures, which were made of 19th-century grain storage vessels from India. In the mudroom (right), where a 19th-century Swedish bench is a charming spot to tug on your boots, the homeowners repurposed an early-20th-century barn fan as the light fixture. In another nook (middle right), a circa- 1850 French workbench still bears the deep marks and chisels from centuries of craftspeople.

TW0-SIDED F I R E PL AC E S ARE THE NEW FIREPIT The more spots where guests can gather in front of the fire year-round, the better, and a dual- sided setup (here, a 28-foot-tall fireplace made of Harlowton Moss Rock that heats the living room and the connecting screened-in porch) is more efficient than building separate chimney stacks. The rug (rh.com)—made of hide in various shades of black and brown—supplies more warmth underfoot. HOW CLEVER ARE THOSE? Wood Cubbies To keep things neat and organized, the team created a wood storage area under the raised stone hearth, with dedicated space for kindling on one side and larger split logs on the other. 73COUNTRYLIVING.COM / FEBRUARY–MARCH 2023

THERE’S A GOOD STORY BEHIND THAT... Pantry Door The impressive tin-clad door is a circa-1940 fire door salvaged from the Hamilton Manufacturing Co. plant in Two Rivers, Wisconsin. Coincidentally, that’s the same factory the kitchen island was originally built for (even though the items came from different vendors in different states!). PLASTER IS THE NEW SHIPLAP Upping the cozy factor in the cookspace are plaster walls, which provide plenty of texture and a historic feel against the reclaimed wood walls and cabinets. “The wood theme throughout [the home] is nice, but it can often get heavy and make the rooms feel dark,” Matt says. “The accent of plaster walls helps bounce that daylight around.” 74 COUNTRYLIVING.COM / FEBRUARY–MARCH 2023

ABOVE: The kitchen island is a 1930s printer’s table from Two Rivers, Wisconsin. It’s paired with Toledo Metal Furniture Co. workshop seats from the 1940s. LEFT: Next to the pantry, a hanging printer’s drawer holds the homeowners’ collected tiny treasures.

NAPPING NOOKS ARE THE NEW READING NOOKS At one end of the large primary bedroom, a train berthlike built-in bed nook—complete with a queen mattress and sliding doors—is nestled under the windows, “so you can have a quiet place to retire,” Matt says. Bonus: It doubles as an extra bedroom when the homeowners have an influx of houseguests. 76 COUNTRYLIVING.COM / FEBRUARY–MARCH 2023

TOP AND ABOVE: In the guest room, reclaimed barnwood timbers define every surface, from the ceiling to the walls and even the built-in window seat. Cuts, or “drops,” off of the barn timbers were also used to craft the primitive bedside tables. RIGHT: Undressed windows, simple industrial fixtures (“Brockway Utility” sink and “Cannock” faucets; kohler.com), and dark soapstone counters don’t detract from the view beyond the bathroom’s windows.

HOW CLEVER IS THAT? Living Room Projector In lieu of a typical “TV wall,” homeowner Emily Ward got creative by installing a projector (amazon.com) in the rafters. Come movie night, there’s a screen that pulls down in front of the window’s built-in shutters. 78 COUNTRYLIVING.COM / FEBRUARY–MARCH 2023

WBoLoIDsEs D With its down-to-earth demeanor, casually collected cool factor, and seriously stunning surroundings, this happily disconnected Northern California cabin puts the “why” in Wi-Fi. written by RHONDA REINHART photographs by SETH SMOOT styling by KENDRA SMOOT In the living room, a collection of neutral furnishings—re-covered linen barrel chairs, wicker and fringe lamps, an antique rug—complements the home’s redwood walls. Vintage landscape paintings in muted earth tones evoke the dramatic landscapes of Northern California.

W ith its soaring redwood ABOVE: Tucked against a wall of windows, ceilings and plank walls, a spiral staircase leads to the loft in Emily Ward’s Northern designer Emily Ward’s Marin County home. The piano was a free find on Craigslist. California vacation home feels almost as if it was carved out of a massive tree. To complement the architecture’s earthy palette, Emily peppered works “It just feels so warm,” she says of the from her eclectic art collection—from hand-thrown pottery to vintage coastal 2,000-square-foot house perched on landscapes—throughout every room. “All the art in the house is really special a wooded parcel that backs up to state or personal,” says Emily. “I never look for a piece to just fill a wall.” Mingling parkland. “It’s like heaven on earth.” with the cherished artworks are antique rugs in muted hues; antique furniture Emily, who, with Louisa Pierce, upholstered—and reupholstered—in textural, neutral-colored fabrics; and makes up one-half of the L.A.-based well-loved vintage wood furnishings— all pieces Emily chose for their casually design duo Pierce & Ward (pierceand cool appeal. “I didn’t want the house to feel designer-y,” she says. ward.com), and her boyfriend, actor With that easygoing approach, it’s Giovanni Ribisi, purchased the rural no wonder that Emily and Giovanni’s quality downtime enjoyed on-site can’t friends and family flock to their relaxed entirely be attributed to the thoughtful property a couple of years ago and retreat as often as possible. But the design—or even the deer that like to frolic on the lawn. The woodland promptly changed nearly nothing about paradise boasts another secret weapon: very little cell phone service. For the the 1960s-built house. For the couple grown-ups, that lack of screen time means longer chats (and, often, more and their two kids, 4-year-old twins wine!) around the kitchen table. And for the nature-loving kids, it means no Maude and Enzo, the wood-wrapped salamander goes uncaught. interiors were ideal just as they were and fell perfectly in line with Emily’s style of decorating. “I am really drawn to earth tones,” she says. “It was easy to just go with the nature of the house the way it was.” 80 COUNTRYLIVING.COM / FEBRUARY–MARCH 2023

A TRULY UNPLUGGED SETTING “In the city, you’re living on top of A cluster of modern everybody. This house is so structures built in 1969, including a main house, private—and the trees are so big!” bunkhouse, and guesthouse, populate the sprawling, -Homeowner Emily Ward tree-filled property that Emily and Giovanni share with all manner of wildlife, including deer, coyotes, cranes, owls, frogs, and salamanders. Emily loved the existing paint color— which is similar to one of her favorites, Benjamin Moore’s Kendall Charcoal— so she left it as is. 81COUNTRYLIVING.COM / FEBRUARY–MARCH 2023

FALLEN-TREE CABINET FRONTS “The cabinetry is all built from [fallen] trees on the property, so I had to keep it!” says Emily of the kitchen’s earthy wood-tone-on-wood- tone palette. In lieu of hard- ware, carved-out pulls keep the look clean and organic. The extra-tall window- wrapped corner floods the woodsy room with dreamy light. “The light just pours in that window wall, which is heaven—especially since I do so many dishes!” says Emily. The terra-cotta tile flooring is also original; Emily simply added a muted antique Persian rug and topped it with a vintage furniture piece-turned-island. 82 COUNTRYLIVING.COM / FEBRUARY–MARCH 2023

WHAT IS IT? WHAT IS IT WORTH? Roseville Pottery Noted for its botanical motifs and muted colors, this American art pottery was crafted in Ohio during the early 1900s. Emily’s business partner, Louisa, gifted her the circa-1940s pieces. Similar ones can be found online for up to $400. 83COUNTRYLIVING.COM / FEBRUARY–MARCH 2023

THERE’S A GOOD STORY BEHIND THAT... Hanging Dragon Emily found the wooden dragon now hanging in the twins’ bedroom on an antiquing trip. “It was long before I was even pregnant, and I said, ‘I’m saving this for when I have kids!’ ” she says. ABOVE: In the twins’ earthy-meets-whimsical EARTH MOTHER bedroom, Emily wanted to leave space to add MAINSTAYS items they find as they live in the house. In the primary bedroom, For now, the room contains a toddler house Emily embraced a (no bed (homefordreams.etsy.com), a super-soft surprise!) subdued palette Australian sheepskin rug (overland.com), of khaki and cream and and a clean-lined dresser (crateandbarrel.com) opted for an upholstered wingback headboard. for a modern touch. The soft, feminine lines of 84 COUNTRYLIVING.COM / FEBRUARY–MARCH 2023 the ruffled bedspread (lesindiennes.com) are a playful counterpart to the vintage nightstands she picked up at an estate sale, topped with sculptural lamps (crateandbarrel .com). Above, a moody vintage painting (nickey kehoe.com) hangs between a pair of Black Forest-style wall shelves.

ABOVE: Peruvian religious paintings adorn a wall of the guest room. BELOW: “Louisa and I are drawn to super ’70s things,” says Emily of the bedroom’s corduroy chair. The built-in desk holds items special to her, including illustrations of the twins. 85COUNTRYLIVING.COM / FEBRUARY–MARCH 2023

Portal to thPe ast A young family writes the latest chapter of a storied 384-year-old cottage built in the oldest town on Cape Cod. written by KELLY RYAN KEGANS photographs by READ MCKENDREE styling by MATTHEW GLEASON 86 COUNTRYLIVING.COM / FEBRUARY–MARCH 2023

Chopped Dill Benjamin Moore Stephenie and Chase Watts— with their kids, Hampton (7) and Klein (4)—updated their cute-as-a-button 1639 cedar shake cottage by painting the door a happy hue. The storybook white picket fence was already in place. 87COUNTRYLIVING.COM / FEBRUARY–MARCH 2023

HOW CLEVER IS THAT? Make Do “Walls” For a maximalist like Stephenie, no surface is off-limits for display, especially in a small space. Here, she took advantage of the picture window’s wide frame to hang a vertically stacked trio of framed coins. While their high ABOVE: Because the living room’s school classmates walls and floors aren’t level, were holding hands at the movies, sweethearts Stephenie and the couple eyeballed where to hang Chase Watts were spending their Friday their miscellany of nautical flags, nights wandering through Pottery Barn and Restoration Hardware, dreaming maps, ship paintings, and landscapes. of someday decorating their own home. “Those were our date nights,” Chase says. The couple learned about one of the Today, the couple, who now own home’s early inhabitants from a keepsake an interior design studio (Watts Design bundle found in the attic by the previous House; @stepheniewatts), is more owners. Scraps of satin ribbon and lace, likely to spend their evenings cuddled a lock of auburn hair, and a handwritten up with their two children inside recipe for loaf cake tell the story of a their 1639 shingled cottage in Sandwich, merchant and his wife who raised their Massachusetts. “The house sat on family in the house during the 1800s. the market for two months,” says Chase, The discovery only reinforced the Wattses’ who is also a real estate agent and resolve to become stewards of the cottage. discovered the listing two-and-a-half years ago while scrolling on his phone. Their renovations have been light— “I guess not everyone wants a house mainly cosmetic modifications such as that’s more than 380 years old.” swapping laminate flooring for tile in The cottage is a time capsule, sitting a bathroom. They scoured local shops, flea on its original post-and-beam foundation markets, and Facebook Marketplace for that makes for occasionally uneven vintage furnishings. “We wanted it to feel floors. Other timeworn quirks include like a salty old sailor lives here. What low-beamed ceilings and multiple treasures would he come back with?” woodburning fireplaces lined with the Stephenie says. With that in mind, the county’s namesake Barnstable bricks. couple infused rooms with saturated “It was around the late 1700s or early classic New England colors, vintage ship 1800s that the house got the facade that paintings, and shelves lined with well-worn you see now,” Stephenie says. books, collected seashells, and tarnished brass candlesticks. “This house has its quirkiness,” Stephenie says. “But there’s a soulfulness that can’t be re-created—there are certain things that only time can give.” 88 COUNTRYLIVING.COM / FEBRUARY–MARCH 2023

Midnight Blue Cottage Capsule Benjamin Moore A MOODY OIL PAINTING PA L E T T E Vintage oil paintings of clipper sailing ships and coastal scenes provided the couple with the perfect moody gray-and-blue palette inspiration for their sunroom-turned-den. At first, the Wattses left the ceiling white, “but it didn’t feel cozy enough, so we painted it the next year,” says Stephenie. Velvet and wool fabrics cover the furniture (including mismatched red vintage chairs found on Facebook Marketplace), which are then all topped with a mix of textiles that reinforce the room’s acquired-over-time feel. 89COUNTRYLIVING.COM / FEBRUARY–MARCH 2023

Cottage Capsule CHARACTER IN EVERY CRANNY The original beams in the kitchen and adjacent dining room (far right) put the ceiling height at a mere 6 feet. Still, the Wattses packed charm into every square inch—right down to the brass switch plates. They also painted the existing cabinets, likely added in the 1940s, and lined the walls in a pretty, light-reflecting tile (cletile .com). A pine farm table serves as the island and brings rustic texture, while unlacquered brass bistro- style shelving (sinklegs .com) and a Gantry-style faucet (waterstoneco.com) add aged shine. 90 COUNTRYLIVING.COM / FEBRUARY–MARCH 2023

HOW CLEVER IS THAT? This house has its quirkiness, but there’s a soulfulness Worry-Free Artwork that can’t be re-created— there are certain things Framed art makes a kitchen seem that only time can give.” less utilitarian. Instead of a fragile —Homeowner Stephenie Watts painting in the splatter-likely area next to the range, Stephenie framed a print she downloaded free from getty.edu. “I printed it on high-quality paper then had it mounted on foam board and cut to the size of the frame,” she says. Russian Olive Behr RIGHT: The dining room’s fireplace mantel was stripped down to expose its original rough-hewn pine and where a previous owner had tucked Dutch tiles into the millwork. Stephenie kept the rest of the room simply furnished with leather and wood chairs from Amsterdam that she found on Etsy and a black antique bench. 91COUNTRYLIVING.COM / FEBRUARY–MARCH 2023

Scholar Green Ralph Lauren Paint Cottage Capsule HUNKERED- DOWN HIDE AWAYS Upstairs, an antique model ship is moored on the mantel in what will become 4-year-old Klein’s room. “We wanted his room to feel like a New England summer camp,” Stephenie says. The couple painted the mantel then added whimsical twinkle with several brass stars (etsy.com). Elsewhere, framed art, maps, and found artifacts—souvenir pennants, an old license plate, a horseshoe crab shell discovered on the beach by Chase’s father— provide a storied display. The mounted oars (far right) came with the house; Chase and Stephenie added white stripes for a finishing touch. 92 COUNTRYLIVING.COM / FEBRUARY–MARCH 2023

Dropcloth Farrow & Ball ABOVE: In the “Captain’s Room,” the walls and ceiling are coated in the same dark paint color (Griffin by Sherwin- Williams). The spindle bed is another antique find. “We bought it from an older gentleman who told us it had been made by his great-great- grandfather. We had a happy and tearful exchange when we purchased it,” Stephenie says. ABOVE RIGHT: The upstairs landing resembles the inside of a boat, with a bull’s-eye mirror and copper gas lantern (frenchmarketlanterns.com) adding New England charm. 93COUNTRYLIVING.COM / FEBRUARY–MARCH 2023

Promotion finds & favorites. Your guide to events, promotions, products, and online resources. TREAT WELL WITH BLUE. When you give your dog a BLUE treat, something magical happens. A mutual feeling of love and excitement, and — for you — confidence that you’re giving a treat with natural, healthy ingredients. This shared joy can only be described in one word: Bluephoria. Give BLUE treats and feel the magic. BLUETreats.com POUR YOUR HEART INTO HEAT UP YOUR HOME EVERY MORNING with Electric Fireplaces, Stoves and more With a touch of real honey and whole grain oats, Honey Nut Cheerios™ is a delicious addition to any heart healthy* diet. (Three grams of soluble fiber daily from whole grain oat foods, like Honey Nut Cheerios™ cereal, in a diet low in saturated fat and cholesterol, may reduce the risk of heart disease. Honey Nut Cheerios cereal provides .75 grams per serving). Learn more: cheerios.com

The Country Living ALMANAC A SEASONAL COMPENDIUM OF EVERYDAY KNOW-HOW WRITTEN BY JANECE MAZE, CHAISE SANDERS, AND SARAH ZLOTNICK; MARKET WORK BY ALISON ALLSOPP; ILLUSTRATIONS BY MELINDA JOSIE. IN SEASON Paperwhites These petite petaled perennials thrive indoors throughout the winter months, growing up to a foot- and-a-half tall. Create a fragrant arrangement by layering pebbles in the bottom of a lined vintage basket of any shape or size, nestling in a few bulbs, then topping with moss. photograph by BECKY LUIGART-STAYNER prop styling by KATHLEEN VARNER 95COUNTRYLIVING.COM / FEBRUARY–MARCH 2023

• THE ALMANAC • This cool white has just a hint of cream. COAST TO COAST COLOR WHEEL Country The Colors of Cozy Calendar Lean into these hygge- Mosey on over to these inspired hues to bring folk festivals celebrating a hint of homeyness local culture across to every room. various artistic mediums. Warm up a Deep Winter Blues rustic exterior with this February 18 I Pickens, SC rich shade. Head to a historic mill for a day filled with deep roots music CLOCKWISE FROM TOP: 1. Stirabout by Farrow & Ball 2. Winter Mood by PPG Paints 3. Cuddle Down by Valspar 4. Winchester by Benjamin Moore 5. Hunt Club by performances, folklife and traditional arts demos, and Sherwin-Williams 6. Mallard Feather by Dutch Boy 7. Coffee Nook by Magnolia Home 8. White Flannel by Pratt & Lambert Paints 9. Blackened Kettle by Dutch Boy shopping for one-of-a-kind 10. Cabin in the Woods by Behr 11. Dirty Chai by Clare keepsakes at the Heritage Pavilion. WIT AND WISDOM hagoodmillhistoric.com “Maximize kitchen space by installing rails on your island. Fearrington Use hooks to hang pots, pans, towels, and even purses.” Folk Art Show —ANITA YOKOTA, HOME THERAPY February 18–19 I Pittsboro, NC Spend the weekend at a cozy inn on a converted dairy farm, where you’ll sip wine and peruse creations from self-taught painters, sculptors, and potters. fearrington.com Tucson Folk Festival March 31–April 2 I Tucson, AZ Book a room at the hip and historic Hotel Congress, grab a beverage at the beer gardens, and take in this 38-year-old festival’s five stages, featuring over 125 live Americana music performances. tucsonfolkfest.org IDENTIFICATION KEY Snow Bunting Winter Birds Watch your backyard feeder for these cold-weather creatures. Bohemian Waxwing Red-Breasted Nuthatch 96 COUNTRYLIVING.COM / FEBRUARY–MARCH 2023

HOME REMEDY KNOW-HOW Knit wit Making a Simmer Pot The next time you settle in for a night of knitting with a glass of your Whip up a cozy concoction by adding one of favorite pinot, hold on to that wine cork. When you’ve reached a these aromatic combos to a pot of 2 to 4 quarts stopping point in your project, wedge one of these bottle stoppers water set over low heat. onto the pointed end of each needle. Not only will this prevent your stitches from dropping, but it’ll also provide protection from unexpected pokes as you carry your project from room to room. STYLE COMPASS Citrus Spirit Add some zest to your next Bringing the Heat gathering with a bright, A high-design hot water bottle cover may just be candied concoction of 2 to 3 the cure for what ails you. oranges (sliced), 3 to 4 star anise, 2 cinnamon sticks, and FEELING SHEEPISH HOUSE CALL $60; lindabinghamartist $74; donnawilson.com 2 rosemary sprigs. .etsy.com Apple Pie Evoke the nostalgia of a QUILTY PLEASURE PATTERN PLAY Saturday spent baking $75; us.toa.st $46; welshotter.com alongside Grandma with 2 apples (sliced), 1 finger of ginger (sliced), and 3 cinnamon sticks. Perfect Pear Settle in for a lazy winter morning with a good book, a blanket, and the earthy scent of 2 pears (sliced), 1 lemon (sliced), 2 drops mint extract, and 4 drops vanilla. Lemon Drop Welcome the warmer months with an invigorating combination of 1 lemon (sliced), 4 to 5 pineapple rings, 2 eucalyptus sprigs, and 4 drops vanilla. 97COUNTRYLIVING.COM / FEBRUARY–MARCH 2023

• THE ALMANAC • Treat well Q. with BLUE, and you’ll It’s way too chilly to go feel it too. to the dog park. How can I still keep my pet active? Ask a Country Vet —Jack S., Wellfleet, MA Country Living’s resident A. veterinarian, Dr. Tricia Easy indoor games like Earley, separates fur fact tug-of-war, hide-and-seek, from fiction. fetch (play in a carpeted room), and even going up and down the stairs will stay motivating if treats are involved. Another idea: Set up a simple DIY obstacle course with pillows to jump over and chairs to go around. This will stimulate your dog’s mind as well as the body. PERFECT SPECIMEN The Modern Chamber Candlestick Tiptoeing downstairs for a midnight snack feels far more sophisticated with a 10-inch-tall guiding light in your hand. “Wick” LED Light $149 each; graypants.com BRIGHT SPOT Choose from four settings, including a flickering candle- esque flame. TREAT them like family.™ RECHARGEABLE BATTERY The USB battery lasts up to six days. (That’s so many dinner parties!) 98 COUNTRYLIVING.COM / FEBRUARY–MARCH 2023

©2023 Blue Buffalo Company, Ltd. Our Promise to Blue Is Our Promise to You What started as a simple promise to feed an Airedale named Blue like one of the family has turned into the #1 natural pet food company. And while a lot has changed, one thing has always remained the same at Blue Buffalo — a commitment to making the best pet food possible with ingredients you’ll feel good about feeding. BlueBuffaloStory.com Love them like family. Feed them like family.®

The Almanac PRIZE RECIPES WINNING FARE TO MAKE AND SHARE sprinkle with capers. Roast until 1. Whisk together vinegar, the internal temperature on an mustard, oregano, garlic, and instant-read thermometer, inserted 1/4 cup oil in a bowl. Season between the breast and thigh, with salt and pepper. reaches 165°F, 15 to 20 minutes. Let rest at least 10 minutes before 2. Heat remaining tablespoon oil carving. in a large skillet over medium heat. Add mushrooms and leek and cook, stirring occasionally, until mushrooms are just wilted, 5 to 6 minutes. Season with salt and pepper. Remove from heat and cool slightly. Roast Chicken with Leek, Mushroom, FARM FRESH ILLUSTRATIONS BY MELINDA JOSIE. Braised Leeks and and Escarole Salad Fingerling Potatoes Leeks WORKING TIME 15 minutes WORKING TIME 20 minutes TOTAL TIME 15 minutes A member of the allium TOTAL TIME 3 hours 35 minutes MAKES 4 to 6 servings family, this mild onion plays MAKES 4 to 6 servings 3 tablespoons red wine well in soups, stews, 1 whole chicken (4 to 5 vinegar quiches, and more. When pounds), legs tied together selecting, look for straight 1 1/2 teaspoons country-style Kosher salt and freshly ground mustard leeks that have a long black pepper white and light green 2 teaspoons chopped section (the dark green part 2 pounds fingerling potatoes, fresh oregano can be used to flavor stock) halved lengthwise and are about 1 1/2 inches or 1 clove garlic, finely chopped less in diameter. They 3 large leeks, white and light should also be firm and free green parts only, halved 1/4 cup plus 1 tablespoon olive oil, of cracks or bruises. lengthwise and cut into 3-inch divided pieces Kosher salt and freshly ground 2 tablespoons olive oil black pepper 1/2 cup dry white wine 1/2 pound mushrooms (such as shiitake, cremini, oyster, or 2 tablespoons capers maitake), roughly torn 1. Place chicken on a small rimmed 1 large leek, white and light baking sheet or plate, and season green parts only, cut into with salt and pepper. Refrigerate 1/4-inch rounds at least 2 hours and up to 8 hours. 1 head escarole, roughly torn 2. Preheat oven to 450°F. Toss together potatoes, leeks, and oil in roasting pan or 9 - by 13-inch baking dish. Season with salt and pepper. Top with chicken. Roast 45 minutes. 3. Remove pan from oven. Pour wine over vegetables, then 100 COUNTRYLIVING.COM / FEBRUARY–MARCH 2023

3. Add mushroom-leek mixture 3. Preheat oven to 400°F. Line 1. Preheat oven to 350°F. Combine and escarole to dressing and toss a rimmed baking sheet with parch- basil, chives, parsley, and 1/4 cup to coat. Serve immediately. ment paper. Allow dough to rest oil in a bowl. Season with salt and on the work surface for 5 minutes. pepper. Whisk together eggs, Buttered Leek and On a lightly floured work surface, cream, and Parmesan in a separate Gruyère Galette roll dough to a 13-inch circle; bowl. Season with salt and pepper. transfer to prepared pan. Top with 2. Heat remaining 2 tablespoons WORKING TIME 25 minutes Gruyère, then leek mixture, leaving oil in a 10-inch cast-iron skillet over TOTAL TIME 55 minutes a 2- to 3-inch border all around. medium-high heat. Add asparagus, MAKES 4 to 6 servings Fold edges of dough around the and season with salt and pepper. filling, overlapping and pressing Cook, stirring occasionally, until 3 tablespoons unsalted butter gently to seal. Brush dough with crisp-tender, 3 to 4 minutes. Add 4 large leeks, white and light cream. Bake until crust is golden spinach and cook, stirring, just brown, 30 to 35 minutes. Serve until wilted, about 1 minute. Pour green parts only, halved warm or at room temperature. egg mixture over vegetables and lengthwise and cut 1/4-inch- cook, without stirring, until eggs thick (about 3 1/2 cups cut) Asparagus Frittata with start to set around the edges, 2 to 2 teaspoons chopped Burrata and Herb Pesto 4 minutes. Transfer skillet to the fresh thyme oven, and bake until cooked Kosher salt and freshly WORKING TIME 25 minutes through, 12 to 14 minutes. Let cool ground black pepper TOTAL TIME 30 minutes for 5 minutes. 1/3 cup dry white wine MAKES 4 to 6 servings 3. Place Burrata in center of 1/3 cup heavy cream, plus more frittata, and break open slightly for brushing dough 1/2 cup chopped fresh herbs with a knife. Top with herb 1/2 recipe Basic Pie Dough (recipe such as basil, chives, and mixture and sprinkle with pine available at countryliving.com flat-leaf parsley nuts. Serve immediately. /basic-pie-dough) All-purpose flour 1/4 cup plus 2 tablespoons Smashed Potatoes with 4 ounces Gruyère, grated olive oil, divided Paprika and Cumin (about 1 cup) 1. Melt butter in a large skillet Kosher salt and freshly ground WORKING TIME 20 minutes over medium heat. Add leeks, black pepper TOTAL TIME 1 hour 15 minutes thyme, and 1/3 cup water. Season MAKES 4 servings with salt and pepper. Cook, 10 large eggs 1 1/2 pounds baby potatoes stirring frequently, until leeks are 1/3 cup heavy cream Kosher salt and freshly ground tender, 12 to 14 minutes. 2. Add wine and cook until thick- 1 ounce Parmesan, grated black pepper ened, 2 to 3 minutes. Add cream (about 1/4 cup) 6 tablespoons olive oil and cook until it begins to coat 4 cloves garlic, skins intact leeks, 1 to 2 minutes. Season with 1 bunch asparagus (about 1/2 lemon salt and pepper. Cool slightly. 1 pound), cut into 1-inch pieces and tough ends discarded 2 cups packed baby spinach 1 (4-ounce) ball Burrata 2 tablespoons toasted pine nuts 101COUNTRYLIVING.COM / FEBRUARY-MARCH 2023

1/2 teaspoon ground coriander 1 teaspoon kosher salt Gradually beat in flour mixture. Transfer to prepared pan, smooth 1/2 teaspoon ground cumin 1 teaspoon baking powder top with an offset spatula, and sprinkle with remaining 1/2 teaspoon smoked paprika 1/4 teaspoon baking soda 2 teaspoons sugar. 1/4 cup chopped fresh cilantro 3 large eggs, at room 3. Bake until a skewer inserted in temperature the center comes out clean, 50 to Flaky sea salt 55 minutes. Cool in pan on a wire 2 teaspoons orange zest, rack, 20 minutes. Run a knife 1. Preheat oven to 425°F. Place plus 2 tablespoons orange around the edge of the pan, and potatoes in a large pot of salted juice, plus 3 whole oranges turn out onto the rack, top side up; water. Bring to a boil, reduce to a cool completely. simmer, and cook until potatoes 1 1/2 cups plus 2 teaspoons sugar, are just cooked through, 15 to 18 divided 4. Meanwhile, remove peels and minutes. Drain well. pith from whole oranges. Cut into 1 1/4 cups whole milk, at room rounds, and transfer to a bowl 2. Transfer potatoes to a large temperature along with any accumulated juices. rimmed baking sheet. Use the Add agave and Grand Marnier, and palm of your hand to gently flatten 1 tablespoon agave gently toss to combine. Serve potatoes. Add oil, garlic, and lemon cake warm or at room temperature to pan; gently toss to coat. Season 1 teaspoon Grand Marnier topped with citrus compote. with coriander, cumin, paprika, and salt and pepper. 1. Preheat oven to 375°F. Lightly oil a 9- by 2-inch cake pan. Line 3. Roast 20 minutes. Transfer bottom with parchment paper, garlic and lemon to a cutting then oil and flour parchment. board. Continue to roast potatoes Whisk together flour, salt, baking until golden brown and crispy, powder, and baking soda in a bowl. 20 to 25 minutes. 2. Beat eggs, zest, and 1 1/2 cups 4. Discard skins from garlic and sugar with an electric mixer on chop. Toss together potatoes, high speed until light and fluffy, garlic, and cilantro. Drizzle 1 to 2 minutes. Reduce mixer speed with juice of roasted lemon and to low, slowly drizzle in oil, and season with flaky sea salt. beat until combined, 1 to 2 minutes. Beat in milk and orange juice just until combined, about 1 minute. Olive Oil Cake with KNOW-HOW Creamy Mushroom Citrus Compote Soup with Crispy Why Extra- Mushroom Topping WORKING TIME 20 minutes Virgin Olive Oil TOTAL TIME 1 hour 40 minutes WORKING TIME 25 minutes MAKES 6 to 8 servings Made of cold-pressed TOTAL TIME 1 hour olives, this highest quality oil MAKES 6 to 8 servings 1 cup extra-virgin olive oil, plus more for pan is unrefined and has no 3 tablespoons unsalted butter additives, resulting in a 2 cups all-purpose flour, buttery yet spicy flavor that 2 shallots, chopped spooned and leveled, plus more for pan is delicious in salad 1 pound mushrooms, sliced or dressings, baked goods, or torn (such as button, shiitake, drizzled on cooked dishes. or crimini) 1 1/2 teaspoons chopped fresh thyme Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper 1/4 cup all-purpose flour 6 cups vegetable stock 102 COUNTRYLIVING.COM / FEBRUARY-MARCH 2023