Jiggly with jelly molds
Nobody eats aspic anymore, do they? So what are you supposed to do with all those old decorative ceramic jelly molds that were used to make them?
Glenna G. Fitzgerald of Silver Spring, Md., admired the lovely handiwork of the artists who decorated them the culinary antiques. By the time she died at age 82 on Aug. 11, the founding member of the Wedgwood Society of Washington, D.C., had amassed one of the country's biggest collections of culinary molds.
On Saturday, her collection of more than 600 pieces will be auctioned by Marlborough's Skinner Inc. The auction starts at 10 a.m. in Skinner's gallery at 63 Park Plaza, Boston. Some pieces are expected to go for as much as $1,500.
A pharmacologist who worked at the Food & Drug Administration, Fitzgerald had hoped to write a book on decorative culinary molds and kept a handwritten notebook on each of the items in her collection. She especially sought out molds produced by Wedgwood and his contemporaries. Through collecting, Glenna became an authority on molds and 18th century culinary art.
For more information, go to www.skinnerinc.com.
What farmers do in winter
Brush off the snow and ice and make your way to the Wayland Winter Farmers' Market at Russell's Garden Center, Rte. 20, Wayland, on Saturdays Jan. 16. through Feb. 27. Local farmers will offer root crops like carrots, beets, potatoes, parsnips, greens and herbs.
You'll also find local honey, meat, eggs, raw milk, cheese, pasta, jams, salsa, pickles, granola, gelato, hummus, coffee, baked goods and maple products.
And who doesn't love a great root beer? Quench your thirst with a Tower Root Beer from Rhode Island. And Feb. 6 is Wool Day when you'll meet local producers including the people at North Brook Alpacas from Berlin.
Call 508-358-2283 or go to www.russellsgardencenter.com.
Wine and dine
Make sure to reserve a seat at Mary Prince's Panzano Provviste e Vino & Tomasso Trattoria on Rte. 9 in Southborough for Thursday, Jan. 28. First is a tasting of La Spinetta wines at Panzano, the Tuscan-themed market. Then, head next door for dinner at Tomasso, with each course paired with La Spinetta's wines. The highlight of the dinner is roast suckling pig. The cost is $65 per person. Call 508-481-8484 or go to www.panzanomarket.com to find out more.
