Stephanie Gravalese

The growing awareness for the need for sober spaces is increasing. Restaurants around the country are starting to feature festive non-alcoholic drinks on their menu, which is progress, but there is a potential challenge for those who are looking for spaces where alcohol is not a factor. Thankfully, fun and good times are on the list at these locations, and we are here for it!
Here are five places that exclusively serve non-alcoholic beverages. Each location, whether it’s a monthly pop-up or a...

Red Apple Butchers sure knows how to make a re-entrance.
The butcher shop, which originally opened in Dalton, moved to a larger space on Pittsfield's North Street in 2017 to expand its offerings. But that experiment failed because of a lack of foot traffic and, within a few months, the business closed.
Rumors began to circulate recently that Red Apple Butchers would reopen. Its Facebook page, which had gone silent for more than a year, offered fans a bit of a tease Aug. 24, through a series o...

As we enter the final days of summer, the kitchens that our culinary communities cook out of it get as hot as the dishes that show up at our tables. The Capital Region has experienced several 90-degree days through this summer, with nearly a month left in the season.
Also in the summer, food trucks are everywhere. Unlike restaurant kitchens, food trucks have an added challenge of cooking in tight spaces with heating elements at close range, preparing food on the fly for large crowds, without ...

Dollar General has been a beloved standby for budget savvy shoppers since opening its first location in 1955. Today, the glow of the black and yellow sign can be found at 15,000 stores in over 44 states, with more locations opening each day. Dollar General may be known as a discount retailer, but don’t mistake it for a dollar store. Unlike the Dollar Tree, the store’s inventory is not regulated by a $1 price tag, which means it is up to the consumer to figure out whether or not a deal is actu...

If you are crazy for craft cocktails, The TalkTails series at Number Ten Steakhouse in Great Barrington is an event that is worth singing up for. David Guenette, the Bar Manager at Number Ten is a passionate individual with an encyclopedic knowledge of classic cocktails, whiskeys and spirits in general.
Here’s the scoop on the TalkTail later this month:
The second season of Number Ten Symposiums starts with another look at Manhattans and variants. Early this year, we held a TalkTails on the “...

Spain is a country that can steal your heart, one round of tapas at a time. Each of the country’s 17 autonomous communities features a vibrant regional heritage that comes through in its cuisine. As the capital of Spain, Madrid holds a population of 3.1 million with 6 million tourists arriving each year. A sprawling city with many neighborhoods, it can be hard to know where to go if you are visiting the city and looking to get out of the tourist loop, especially if you are staying in a touris...

School is back in session in the Capital Region. For school-age children, lunchtime is for convening in cafeterias or classrooms and sharing snacks. What are they bringing, then, if their parent is a chef or works in a restaurant? Are they toting lunch boxes complete with three course meals, or more like PB&J? We spoke with several food professionals in the region to see what they are packing in their kids' lunch boxes.
Aneesa Waheed, chef/owner Tara Kitchen
Kids: Zoya Shoaib, 8; Suha Shoaib,...

Everything you need to know before you go.
Big Lots is a discount retailer specializing in closeouts and overstocks from other chains. With more than 14,000 locations across 47 states in the United States, each store is stocked with items for the kitchen, bath, home and more. But did you know that they also offer a section of grocery items? That’s right; the Big Lots food section has a variety of dry groceries, and some stores additionally offer a refrigerated and frozen section, depending on...

This piece was originally scheduled to run in my bi-monthly food column but timing and placement did not work out to get it live prior to Rafi’s pop-up coming to an end. I wanted to share it here as his passion and dedication and appreciation for the experience is a lot of what the Berkshires is about, when you can find the right people to support your vision. While I was unable to try his pies in person, I very much am looking forward to seeing what Rafi Bildner does next.
Where can you find...

Whether we’re talking black beans, red beans, kidney beans, etc., beans—which are a staple of cuisines and vegetarian dishes around the world—are a great source of fiber and protein. However, beyond being a foundation for many a nutritious meal, they also get a bad rap for leaving diners gassy, with bloated stomachs.
According to Healthline, beans have high amounts of complex sugars present and when the large intestine digests them, they produce carbon dioxide and hydrogen. These gases pass t...

PITTSFIELD — When Jessica Rufo from Dottie's Coffee Lounge decided to transition her bakery's retail back through Dottie's from her former bakery storefront Tyler and Pine, she wanted to continue to bake, but keep the retail sales through one storefront.
Now, customers can end their evenings in downtown Pittsfield on a sweet note.
Starting last month, Dottie's Coffee Lounge began offering evening dessert service. From 6 to 9 p.m. Thursday through Saturday, diners can come in and choose from a...

Elissa Emery of Averill Park has been impacted by addiction from a young age. From the age of 5, she saw her mother battle addiction and later enter rehab, and learned early on what addiction can do to a person and to a family.
She also knew she had a choice. "I can follow in the footsteps of my mom or I can fight like hell to never let that overcome me."
As a young adult, Emery's best friend also struggled with an addiction to heroin. As she was on the road to recovery, Emery and her friend ...

Big Elm Brewing in southwest Massachusetts has been open in the Berkshires region since 2012. While they’ve been brewing for years, the couple behind the Massachusetts brewery says they’re in transition. They’re working to return to their roots as a community-driven brewery.

Big Elm Brewing co-founder and CEO Christine Bump started homebrewing in 1993 as a freshman at Millersville University of Pennsylvania. A chemistry major and a fan of beer, she tried a friend’s dorm-crafted beer and was h...