Modern Pioneering with Georgia Pellegrini

>> "Modern Pioneering" is funded by... Brightwater: A Center for the Study of Food, offering degrees in culinary arts, artisanal food, baking, beverages, and more... ...Sullivan Catskills, a destination for long walks, casting a line, paddling a stream, and farm-to-table cuisine, located 90 minutes from Manhattan -- SullivanCatskills.com... also in part by contributions from the following... and by the support of generous individuals.

A complete list is available at GeorgiaPellegrini.com.

[ Birds chirping ] >> Welcome to the South Carolina Lowcountry.

I'll be delving into the heritage and culture of this place through the hands of the locals themselves.

>> I'm Georgia Pellegrini, a food explorer and author.

Oh, yeah.

I'm on a quest to discover today's masters, the unsung heroes who are making the best that their own two hands can produce.

>> It is a family secret.

>> So many skills of our past are not being practiced today.

>> There you go!

>> And modern conveniences are driving a wedge between ourselves and the most rewarding things we can do as humans.

Getting your hands dirty.

Come along with me as I discover and celebrate the people who are showing us how to slow down and get back to our roots -- because, to me, self-sufficiency is the greatest adventure on Earth.

Nestled along the Atlantic coast, the term "Lowcountry" is the area of South Carolina below the Sandhills, which run the width of the state.

Geography alone often plays a prominent role in shaping the history and culture of a place, and the Lowcountry is an example of this.

It has a complex history and, through the years, has found a way to be both one-of-a-kind, yet home to some of the most quintessentially American towns, such as Charleston.

The cultural roots of the area tell a story that is still unfolding today.

From the cobblestone streets and big front porches... >> We start in the center.

>> ...to the artisan goods and cuisine shape by its deep-rooted cultures... Beautiful shrimp.

...the Lowcountry finds a way to set new trends by maintaining a strong sense of its past.

And while many people call this their favorite vacation spot... >> A single seed will produce that.

>> ...it's the people that call it home that make it such a vibrant place to explore.

I'm here among the wetland grasses along the shoreline, where I'm about to go meet Corey Alston, whose family has been preserving the African Gullah Geechee tradition for six generations and is still today making the most of what nature has to provide.

Corey's family has a deep and profound history in the Lowcountry, and they've found a way to weave together the past and present to create a bright future.

I'm really looking forward to learning more from Corey about his family tradition and the Gullah Geechee legacy here.

Corey, it's amazing that we're right under a bridge here and yet we have all these natural resources right around us.

>> Yes, that's actually -- To harvest the material, you got to come to the saltwater to get it.

>> Is this the kind of area you come to typically to harvest?

>> So, we're walking through bulrush.

This is my everyday life.

I've seen basket-weaving as a kid.

My wife -- she grew up as a basket weaver, but it took me to be an older teenager to actually get into it.

So, I've been doing it now 21 years to be exact.

I just had a birthday.

I'm now keeping it alive.

I do it as often as I can.

As you go and find different patches and different hills of sweetgrass, then you harvest that morning dew.

And so when harvesting that morning dew, it doesn't hurt the plant.

It actually makes the plant replenish better, more of a healthier plant, by pulling it out of the shoots instead of whacking at the sweetgrass.

>> How interesting.

And so the moisture in the morning allows it to come out more easily?

>> Correct, correct.

Now, the bulrush specifically -- we would actually take our bush ax and just chop that at the bottom.

Bulrush has a very sharp tip, and so this will definitely give you a nice stick in the hand.

>> It's almost like a needle.

>> Right, and that will really get you to learn a whole new language real quick.

>> [ Laughs ] >> Yes, yes.

>> It's nice and hollow, too.

You can really feel it.

>> So, if you look right here, you see these trees.

These are the palmetto trees.

>> Mm-hmm.

>> And so with the palmetto trees, it's the lashing, it's the threading part of our basket.

So, we will get in here.

You see this, what we call a stalk right here?

>> Uh-huh.

>> It's not open yet.

>> Right.

>> That's the only part that a basket weaver uses.

>> Interesting.

>> So, we want to cut it before it opens and fans out like this... >> Okay.

>> ...where we can use it, strip it, let it dry, you know, about two or three days or whatnot.

>> Mm-hmm.

>> But that's a palmetto stalk.

Now, sweetgrass weaving, we take a pattern of only showing the next generation.

>> So the basket weaving you keep within the Gullah culture and pass it down within the Gullah culture.

>> Correct, correct.

>> Got it.

>> Yep.

>> Origins of the Gullah culture -- tell me how it came to be.

>> So, within enslavement, you had many different tribes.

And so as those enslaved Africans were brought here to the Lowcountry of Carolinas, the African words and English words came together and made one language known as Gullah.

Living on the earth is an old tradition that we still do.

We're thriving from the earth.

We're harvesting still the same old-fashioned materials.

Those folks that live in the area -- they have to choose if they want to live the old-fashioned Gullah way, or they can live the more modern way.

It's only personal preference.

>> Well, let's go make a basket.

I'd love to learn and see how you do it.

>> Yes.

Let's do it.

>> You know, Corey, so much of what I talk about and teach is the importance of self-sufficiency, and it seems to me like Gullah and you are such a living embodiment of that.

>> Mm-hmm.

>> You really are a perfect example of what it means to live off the land.

>> You know, old-fashioned ways of living is that way of life of the Gullah community -- a handmade cast net or a wooden carved walking stick or quilts... >> Mm-hmm.

>> ...you know, sweetgrass baskets.

>> These are sweetgrass right here?

>> Right -- so, the lighter grass is the main material.

That's where the name of the art comes from as far as sweetgrass because of that lighter coloring.

The smell actually is why it's called sweetgrass -- because it has a sweet aroma.

>> Oh, yeah, it does.

It's like a sweet -- >> And so it's a cleaner smell.

>> Hay-like, almost.

>> Correct.

And so once it's gathered, then it's laid to sun-dry.

Now, the bulrush that I was telling you about earlier -- this is what it looks like once it's dry.

You can really hear the hollowness in it now, once it's dried out.

And those palmetto trees that I showed you earlier -- this is how we split them down into threads.

We split the palmetto -- >> And what's what you're... >> Correct, that's the threading.

>> ...winding around the sweetgrass here.

>> Correct, correct.

>> Got it.

>> I did the knot out of a pine needle.

>> That's beautiful.

>> And so within the average sweetgrass basket, you have four different materials that make up a basket with no artificial coloring, no dyes.

These are all natural.

Depending on the type of the season that we harvest the material will be depending on the brownness.

It's a coiled weaving.

>> Mm-hmm.

>> With that being said, we start in the center... >> Okay.

>> ...right in the middle of the basket.

>> And that's where you tie that knot with the pine.

>> You tie a very tight knot.

And so we start in the center, and then we want to continue wrapping and wrapping.

It's known as a locking system.

So, the row that I'm working on is gonna lock into the row that I've already woven.

>> Okay.

>> And so that's what secures it.

>> And you're using a -- Is that a needle or -- What is that?

>> Actually, it's a spoon handle.

>> Okay.

>> There's a special name for that, that every basket weaver has.

>> Uh-huh.

>> So, this started out during that time of enslavement as a bone of a cow.

>> Really?

>> Now, they sharpened the bone of a cow, using it for this same purpose right there.

That's what it's used for -- to stick a hole in the material big enough for the palmetto to go through.

As time went on, they started using a nail head.

Now we've started using a spoon or a fork handle just because it's a little easier to come by.

You cut the eating part off, and then you file it down.

But it is known as a nail bone.

>> Oh, interesting.

>> And so it took on the name of the two tools before it, and so every basket weaver uses a nail bone.

And with sticking the holes in the material, it actually makes this an opening big enough for the palmetto to go through.

>> Oh, yeah, look at that.

>> So, it gives it a little gap.

And so then when we're ready, we pull that out, and then we replace it back, the palm, where that hole was at.

You know, Georgia, I'm gonna do something I never do.

I'm gonna hand this to you, and I'm gonna -- I want you to continue to roll with it.

>> [ Laughs ] I'm so excited.

>> I really think you can do it because... >> I'm nervous.

>> ...you've been checking me out and seeing my fingers.

So, what I'm gonna do -- I'm gonna hand this to you.

>> Okay.

>> And I want you to continue stitching by using a nail bone and the pattern that I was using.

>> Alright.

>> Let's see how you do.

>> I saw you were doing it on this side of it, right?

>> Uh-huh.

A little higher.

>> Little higher?

>> Uh-huh.

Yeah, right there.

Mm-hmm.

>> Okay.

So, you stick it in.

>> So now you're gonna leave it in.

>> Okay.

>> And so right before you put that material in, you're gonna pull it out.

>> And it leaves a little space.

>> Uh-huh, and you're gonna push it in.

>> [ Gasps ] >> You're gonna pull it from the other side.

You're gonna make it extremely tight.

And do that about another million more times.

[ Both laugh ] And then the basket will be done.

>> Oh, my gosh, I hope I didn't mess up your one stitch.

>> No.

Let's see.

Go ahead.

Keep going.

Let me see you do it.

You're doing it pretty well, yes.

>> Is that a good spot?

>> Yep.

>> So, I weave it in there.

>> Uh-huh.

>> And I get this ready.

>> Get that ready.

Right.

>> Okay.

Pull it out.

>> Uh-huh.

There you go.

That's it.

That's it.

You got it.

>> Wow.

I'm honored.

>> Yeah.

So, I broke some rules with that.

>> You did.

I won't tell anyone.

>> [ Laughs ] >> I won't tell any of the people watching right now.

>> No one will know you just now did that, right.

>> Thank you, Corey.

What an honor.

>> Yes.

>> I could see it takes a while to probably get a rhythm going, but it's very therapeutic.

>> I'm gonna leave those two in there.

>> Oh, man.

>> That, to me -- you did a great job.

I'm not gonna back it out.

>> I won't be offended if you do.

>> No, I'm not.

I'm not.

You've actually added to it, and so that was kind of cool.

>> Has a little character now.

>> Yeah, that was cool just now.

>> Well, Corey, thank you so much.

This has been such a special experience, and I'm honored that you gave me a glimpse into this world.

>> We love that it's known, so people can understand what it's all about.

>> Yeah.

>> Yeah.

>> Well, thank you for inviting us into your world.

>> Of course.

Thank you.

Thank you.

>> I'm standing in a rice field just south of Charleston.

It's interesting that for over 1,000 years, something as small as a grain of rice has influenced entire countries, economies, spiritual beliefs, traditions, diet, and technology.

Today these artisan grains are being resurrected as we embrace our traditional roots, encourage sustainable food systems, and improve nutrition.

Jimmy Hagood is a local farmer growing a unique blend of rice called Charleston Gold.

>> I'm Jimmy Hagood, born and raised in Charleston.

We're actually in the heart of the ACE Basin, which is a National Wildlife Refuge.

We call this the backwater, which is really an oxbow of the Ashepoo River.

So, this is a confluence of a river system that has been here for eons, and it's an area where there's a lot of wildlife, and over the years, very agricultural.

Rice has always been a component to most of these farms.

We have restored an old field, and this year is our 10th year of growing the Charleston Gold rice variety.

So, Carolina Gold was the variety that was brought over in the probably late 1600s, early 1700s, and was grown for about 150 years.

It was brought over from Africa and has become real popular with chefs today.

So chefs and home cooks and others were saying, "Hey, is there a way to have an aromatic strain of this rice?"

And so over about a 10-year period, from about 2000 to 2010, they crossed the traditional Carolina Gold rice with an Indonesian aromatic rice.

And after that period of time of crossing and developing a seed stock, we were able to start planting it in 2011.

We started off with a couple of acres, and now we're up to about 30.

>> So, is this the Charleston Gold here?

>> This is it.

We're both "outstanding" in the field.

>> [ Chuckles ] We sure are.

>> And what really started this is a little seed like that.

Each individual seed will make a plant...about like that.

>> A single seed is in -- >> A single seed will produce that.

>> And how many seeds do you get from here?

>> So, each plant will have multi -- we call them panicles that come up.

>> Mm-hmm.

>> And they hang.

>> Yeah.

>> And on each panicle, there may be a couple of hundred of these.

>> Wow.

>> When we harvest it, the combine will come and cut the top portion off.

>> And it's that gold color of that plant.

>> Yes.

And that's where we get the name Charleston Gold -- >> Mm-hmm.

>> Because that is the seed and that is what we actually harvest.

And after we run it through the mill, it turns into a beautiful... >> Oh, wow.

>> ...white... >> Look at that.

>> ...small-grain rice that is aromatic.

>> I was gonna say -- you can kind of smell it in this field.

>> Yeah, you can smell it in the field.

So, we plant about 30 acres, and this will yield about 1,500 pounds per acre.

>> Wow.

>> And this soil -- it's very black and rich.

>> Yeah.

>> And it's peat.

>> It's really extracting its flavor from the soil, and the nutrients are in there.

So, is farming a family tradition for you or did you just start on your own or -- >> No, my brothers kind of look at me sideways sometimes about all this.

But having been in the food business... >> Yeah.

>> ...and wanting to try something new and different... >> Mm-hmm.

>> ...I've got to leave about 1/3 of what we plant for the migratory birds, the ducks and other things... >> Sure.

>> ...so that my brothers and my son and their sons... >> Can duck hunt?

>> ...can duck hunt.

>> That's when they buy in.

>> They buy in on that score.

>> I love it.

Well, this is quite a treat.

I can't wait to go try it myself.

We'll have to go cook it up.

>> Alright.

Let's do it.

>> [ Chuckles ] These ancient grains have been making the rounds in recent years, showing up in grocery stores, recipes, and pantries, and for good reason.

Oftentimes, they're less processed, more nutrient-dense, and, in the case of this rice, it's gluten-free.

Let's head to Zero George restaurant, where Chef Vinson Petrillo has the perfect recipe for this Charleston Gold.

Chef Vinson, I am so excited to be cooking here with you today because I hear you're an intuitive chef, and that's how I love to cook -- just using your instincts, not following a recipe.

So, I'm excited to learn from you and cook this rice dish.

>> Yeah, that's definitely the way I like to cook.

I just like to use ratios sometimes, but really it's about developing flavor as much as possible and, you know, creating some new flavors.

So, today we're gonna make a socarrat or a paella -- so, a crispy-bottom rice dish.

We're gonna just grab a saucepan.

>> Okay.

>> And we're gonna take a little bit of olive oil.

We're gonna make a broth to cook the rice.

>> Lovely.

>> So, we have shrimp heads and the shells, and that's all gonna go in there.

>> Oh, it's gonna have so much flavor.

>> So, we have our shrimp shells in there.

Then we're gonna take our saucisson sec, and we're gonna put that in there, as well.

And then we're gonna take a little bit of coriander.

A touch of smoked paprika, as well, just for that Spanish kind of flavor.

>> Yum.

>> And then we're gonna put this onto the stove, and we're just gonna kind of render the sausage and the shrimp heads together.

And then we're gonna add our water to that to make our broth.

>> Fantastic.

>> You can see how that color already kind of happened.

>> Oh, yeah.

That's a beautiful orange.

Look at that.

>> That was from that Spanish paprika and the shrimp shells.

>> So, we're gonna let this simmer now, and the broth will cook for how long?

>> Yeah, just about 15 minutes is all we're gonna need 'cause... >> That's gonna be really potent.

>> ...it's gonna get flavorful very quickly.

>> Love it.

>> So, we have our shishitos.

>> Oh, we need those tops for that flavor.

>> We're gonna just move on to cooking the rice now.

>> Alright.

>> We're gonna just do a little bit of olive oil in there.

>> Okay.

>> And we're going to put the onions in there first.

>> Alright.

I love that sizzle sound.

>> And we're gonna put the ham in next.

>> Okay.

There we go.

>> We'll do the jalapeos.

I take the seeds out so it's not too spicy.

There might be a couple seeds in there, but I don't want it to be too spicy.

>> In case someone can't handle the heat.

>> And then we're gonna add our shishitos next.

>> Beautiful.

>> Do you want to do it?

>> Look at that.

>> And this is really the most important part here.

So, I'm looking for the saucisson sec to get a little bit of color on it.

>> Render that fat out... >> Yeah, to render the fat.

>> ...flavor, saltiness.

>> And then we're gonna toast the rice with everything else that's going on.

>> Got it.

>> And you can start to smell it.

Like, all the ingredients are starting to kind of come together.

It smells really nice.

The thing about this rice is it's that Charleston Gold rice, and it has that popcorn kind of smell to it.

>> It does.

I smelled it in the field.

It really did smell like popcorn.

Look at that.

Alrighty.

Here we go.

>> So, we're gonna strain this flavorful broth over the rice now.

>> Look at that.

Oh, my gosh, that looks incredible.

>> I just might take, like, the back of a spoon and just... >> Press that through.

>> ...press all this stuff here.

>> Get all that juicy goodness.

That's where that flavor is.

Oh, wow, look at it bubble.

>> And then we're gonna let this just simmer.

>> Like a low, medium-low heat?

>> I would say medium-low.

I don't want the bottom to get crispy yet.

The bottom's gonna get crispier as it starts to finish cooking.

So, that's about 15 minutes that it's gonna cook for, and then we can go ahead and do our shrimp.

We'll make the miso butter for that.

So, I have my butter, I have my miso, and I have some white soy.

So, we're gonna take some butter like this.

This is unsalted butter.

We have some miso.

Again, I'm not measuring.

>> Once again, you're just eyeballing it.

>> I'm gonna add a little bit of this white soy to it, as well.

And then we're gonna just add a little bit of Aleppo pepper, which is not very spicy.

It's quite nice.

So, to this I just like to add just a little lemon zest.

>> You can smell it.

It smells so aromatic and delicious.

>> So, we're gonna take this, and we're gonna brush this over our shrimp.

>> Alright.

>> And then we can grill our shrimp.

>> Got the shrimp ready.

And that is going to keep them more straight so that they don't curl up when they go on the grill.

It's like a little shrimp lollipop.

>> Some nice miso butter just painted over the shrimp.

And then we can start to cook our shrimp, and the shrimp are only gonna take, like, a minute.

>> Okay.

>> The flavor is really coming from that charcoal.

>> Mm-hmm.

>> And you can see it's got that color, and you can smell it has that little smokiness to it.

>> So good.

>> And we'll just put it back into the miso butter and just let it finish cooking in there.

It'll rest.

>> It just gets to finish cooking in the miso butter?

That's incredible.

>> I like to just at this point take one of these guys and just... >> Give it a little steam?

>> ...let it steam... >> Okay.

>> ...on low heat.

>> Okay.

>> Once you get that crackling, that's the important noise.

>> Okay.

>> That's like, "Alright, my rice is starting to toast now."

But it's important to keep smelling it.

Smelling is important 'cause you want to just make sure it's toasting and not burning 'cause once it's burnt, it's burnt.

>> Got it.

>> Alright, so, now I take it off the stove.

It's been steaming.

Now what we're gonna do is we're gonna take this off.

>> Okay.

Oh, my goodness, it smells so good.

>> So, it's still steaming and nice.

Just gonna finish it with the shrimp, just for the presentation.

>> Okay.

>> And then we're gonna tear up some herbs and put them on the top, as well.

>> Great.

>> If you wouldn't mind just tearing a couple herbs, and I'm gonna do the shrimp.

>> Beautiful cilantro and basil.

>> And what's great about this is the shrimp are just barely cooked, and just that steam alone, when I put the shrimp on top of there, it's just gonna finish cooking.

>> That's such a great point.

Yeah.

You don't want to overdo it.

>> You just don't want them to be overcooked.

>> Can I just tear them up and start topping?

>> Of course, yeah.

>> Okay.

I love basil.

There's nothing better.

This is a fun dish to make, you know?

It's just a festive thing, and I love a one-pot meal, as well, you know?

It's so simple, less dishes to wash. >> There's so many less dishes to wash, and especially doing it in a cast-iron pan like this... >> Totally, you just wipe it out.

Look at that, fanning out those beautiful shrimp.

It's a work of art.

It's got all the beautiful ingredients of Charleston.

Well, you can't waste that miso butter.

>> The garlic blossoms.

A little bit of lemon zest.

>> That's a great idea, just that extra aromatic brightness.

And the color looks great.

What a beautiful dish.

Thank you so much.

I can't wait to sit down and try this, and I can't wait for you to meet all the friends I've made along the way here who are responsible for a lot of these ingredients and this beautiful cast iron.

So, thank you so much, Chef Vinson.

>> Oh, thank you very much.

Been a pleasure working with you.

>> You know, I have a thing for ironware, and I heard that this cast-iron skillet is made just down the road.

>> Yeah, they make them right here in Charleston.

>> Wow.

So, you know, of course I have to go check it out while I'm here.

>> My name's Isaac Morton.

I am the founder of the Smithey Ironware Company, and we're at Smithey's headquarters.

Cast iron is, in a lot of ways, like a recipe.

So, it's ingredients of a certain amount of carbon, a certain amount of iron, a certain amount of other elements or metals.

Our cast iron is -- it's cast, which means you're pouring molten metal into a mold to form that shape.

Our forged carbon steel is forged into place, which means it's actually hand-hammered into its form.

For cooking, the most important thing is that it retain heat and hold heat.

So, that's what's great about cast iron, is it absorbs heat really well, holds onto that heat, and radiates that heat outward to your food.

That's why it sears so well.

>> You know, cast iron -- it seems to have a cult following.

There are people who either swear by it or just don't quite get it.

What do you think the people who don't quite get it are missing?

>> They get a little bit nervous about how to clean it and how to take care of it.

But, really, cast iron -- once you learn the basics of cast iron, it's pretty simple to clean.

You just don't want to get too rough when you're cleaning it.

So, after you've cooked a dish, it's okay to wipe it down, either scrape it down with a spatula.

This is a chain-mail scrubber, which is stainless steel.

And we use it to clean a pan with soap and water after we've cooked with it.

>> Okay.

>> And they work great.

But there's a lot of mythology about not using soap.

Soap is perfectly fine.

>> Really?

'Cause I always am afraid to use soap, water, any of that.

>> You're okay to use soap.

You're okay to use water.

You just want to do it in smaller increments.

So, for a brand-new pan, you don't want a lot of soap and you don't want a lot of elbow grease going in to clean it.

>> And as you use it and it becomes more seasoned, it becomes more nonstick?

Is that right?

>> It does, yeah.

Yeah, so, it gets better with time.

The more your seasoning builds -- and you build it in very light layers... >> Okay.

>> ...the more nonstick it'll become.

>> What about when you get a real crust?

Like, when I cook a steak in there or a lamb or something, sometimes it gets a lot of build-up.

>> Yeah.

Yeah.

>> I don't know what to do with all that.

>> The best thing to do with that is to get either a spatula or a wooden spoon.

Heat it up.

>> Really hot, like a -- >> Pretty hot, yeah, I mean, 400 degrees.

You want to get it pretty warm... >> Okay.

>> ...something that, when you pour water on, that water is going to begin to... >> Steam.

>> ...boil and steam right up.

>> Okay.

>> Scrape it just a little bit and then pour a little bit of water.

It'll start to boil and steam.

And then just kind of real gradually sort of... >> Scrape all that crust off.

>> ...scrape some of that crust off.

>> Okay.

>> Take a paper towel.

Clear it out.

Put a little bit of oil on, and you're good.

So, this is a quick way to season cast iron without having to put it in the oven.

>> Okay.

>> We get it very hot.

We're roughly, you know, 450 on our burner right here, but you're waiting for smoke.

You want to create a little smoke.

Very light amount of oil.

Paper towel.

Be very careful.

And depending on the temperature, this will start to smoke up, and it will go black.

It'll start to change color.

And as it changes color, that oil will start to adhere to the surface.

>> Okay.

>> And so it's a really quick, convenient way, if you turn the fan on -- you've got to turn the fan on... >> Right, right.

You're making things smoky.

>> ...to quickly seasoning up a pan that might need a little touch-up.

>> Well, thank you, Isaac.

This was amazing.

Your work is just truly incredible.

>> We love it.

I love it.

>> Yeah.

>> It's good to have you.

Thanks.

>> I want to hear more stories of the Lowcountry, and there's no better way to do that than with a good meal.

So I've invited my friends that I've met here to enjoy this delicious rice dish with me here at Zero George.

Ready, guys?

I'm gonna dig in here.

>> Ready.

>> Yes.

[ Indistinct conversations ] >> Mmm.

This is so good.

[ Glasses clinking ] [ Laughter ] >> Cheers.

>> Cheers.

>> Few places have more mystique than South Carolina's Lowcountry.

It's defined more by its characteristics than a specific spot on the map, from its marshlands to its live oaks and Spanish moss to its rich Gullah culture and sweetgrass baskets to its delicious seafood and rice.

But its most important characteristic -- the people.

See you next time.

>> To learn more about the topics featured on this episode, log on to GeorgiaPellegrini.com or follow along on Georgia's Facebook and Instagram pages for weekly "Modern Pioneering" adventures, tips, and recipes.

"Modern Pioneering" is funded by... Brightwater: A Center for the Study of Food, offering degrees in culinary arts, artisanal food, baking, beverages, and more... ...Sullivan Catskills, a destination for long walks, casting a line, paddling a stream, and farm-to-table cuisine, located 90 minutes from Manhattan -- SullivanCatskills.com... also in part by contributions from the following... and by the support of generous individuals.

A complete list is available at GeorgiaPellegrini.com.