Weekends with Yankee

NARRATOR: Coming up on Weekends With Yankee.

A triple-layer parsnip and cranberry cake.

It's my go-to cake for holidays.

NARRATOR: Amy is in the town of Westbrook, Connecticut, to bake with award-winning chef and author Dorie Greenspan.

TRAVERSO: So there's a little bit of air, so that will help lighten the cake.

Yes, but... this cake will never be light.

(both laugh) WIESE: I haven't climbed in a while, and I have to admit, I'm a little intimidated.

A good place to start.

WIESE: Okay.

(laughs) NARRATOR: Then Richard is in the mountains of Rumney, New Hampshire, to try his hand at rock climbing.

The thing I like the most about it is how it challenges you.

Like, I really enjoy the, the chess game of it.

There you go.

(Wiese grunts) Preservation and preservation of architecture is critically important to our society.

NARRATOR: And then we're in Massachusetts, on Martha's Vineyard, where we catch up with one of the island's most successful and prolific architects, Patrick Ahearn.

This is really the messages of the past, and how to have the house live the way you want to live today, but really tell the story of how this house grew over time.

NARRATOR: So come along for a once-in-a-lifetime journey through New England as you've never experienced it before, a true insider's guide from the editors of Yankee magazine.

Join explorer and adventurer Richard Wiese and his co-host, Yankee senior food editor Amy Traverso, for behind-the-scenes access to the unique attractions that define this region.

It's the ultimate travel guide from the people who know it best.

Weekends With Yankee.

Major funding provided by: ♪ ♪ Massachusetts is home to a lot of firsts-- the first public park in America; the first fried clams; the first university in America; the first basketball game.

What's first for you?

♪ ♪ Grady-White, crafting offshore sport fishing boats for over 60 years.

The Barn Yard, builders of timber-frame barns and garages.

And by American Cruise Lines, exploring the historic shores of New England.

NARRATOR: Amy is in Connecticut to meet with one of her heroes, Dorie Greenspan, winner of five James Beard Awards and the author of over a dozen cookbooks.

Her books have been on The New York Times bestseller list, and she's won the Cookbook of the Year award twice.

She's also a frequent contributor to The New York Times Magazine.

Her work has created a legion of fans who dedicate themselves to following her recipes.

Dorie lives in three different places: New York City, Paris, and this beautiful home in Westbrook, Connecticut.

TRAVERSO: Well, how did you come to live this life that I think other people might dream of?

Um... luck.

I think my whole life, if I were ever to, to write a memoir, I think the title would have to be something like Who Would Have Thought?

TRAVERSO: (laughs) Because this was not-- I had no idea that this would be... that we'd be here, together, today!

TRAVERSO: Right.

I started cooking as... when I got married.

And I started after our son was born.

I thought, "I can't go back to school.

I just don't want to finish."

And my husband, Michael, said, "You know, you love to bake.

Why don't you try baking?"

And I did, and I got fired.

And I got another baking job and I quit before they fired me.

I was terrible-- I was terrible.

And a friend said, "Why don't you try writing?"

TRAVERSO: Wow.

Mm-hmm.

I got to work for magazines that allowed me to meet so many chefs and to learn from them, because I'm self-taught, and taught by the chefs who were kind enough to let me work with them.

And my first book came out... (gasps): It's almost 30 years ago!

TRAVERSO: (laughs) 1991.

TRAVERSO: Wow.

Yeah.

And it turns out that I love writing cookbooks.

TRAVERSO: And you worked with Julia Child, right?

Yes, I worked with Julia on Baking With Julia, and for years, we started the morning talking to one another.

So my 8: 30 phone call was with Julia.

TRAVERSO: You've said that you write with beginners in mind-- why is that?

When I'm writing, I'm thinking, "Okay, "if you've never done this before, what do you need to know?"

So when I'm working on a new recipe, I write notes and take pictures of all the changes in the recipe so that I can warn someone ahead of time.

"It'll look like this, don't worry, it'll all be okay," and I really love...

I love to share what I'm doing, so if that enthusiasm comes across, I'm happy.

I'm happy.

TRAVERSO: Well, I'm excited to bake with you today.

♪ ♪ So, Dorie, what are we making today?

A triple-layer parsnip and cranberry cake.

It's my go-to cake for holidays.

TRAVERSO: You know, I love carrot cake, and I also feel that the parsnip is a completely underappreciated vegetable.

I think of them as this very New England, kind of Ethan Frome ingredient, but they also... (laughs) TRAVERSO: But, I mean, just the name, "parsnip," you know, it sounds like something people eat to punish themselves.

Mr. Parsnip was a clerk at the bank.

(both laughing) I love when I can, like, pack something with little unexpected flavors or textures or ingredients.

TRAVERSO: Mm-hmm.

So parsnip, definitely a surprise.

♪ ♪ I've got another surprise ingredient-- coriander.

TRAVERSO: Ooh... It's something that we use usually for savory cakes... TRAVERSO: Right, yes.

It is so good with fruits.

TRAVERSO: Oh, that's lovely.

It has that warm sweetness that you also find with cloves and allspice and all the... That whole family, it's almost the gingerbread family.

TRAVERSO: So I'll put the ginger in... In the sugar.

TRAVERSO: With the sugar, okay.

When I have fresh-chopped ginger like that, I like to put it in sugar, and the sugar creates a little syrup... TRAVERSO: Ooh... And softens the ginger.

TRAVERSO: This is honestly the cure for the winter doldrums-- like, these bright scents just make you feel like you just got a dose of sunshine when you're vitamin D-deprived.

(laughs) I love that you put it like that, but I find, when we're baking, everything about what we're doing, I think, is interesting and a pleasure.

TRAVERSO: Yes!

It's not just what you get at the end, but stirring this and smelling it.

TRAVERSO: Mm-hmm.

It's part of the pleasure of making something.

♪ ♪ TRAVERSO: What do you love about baking?

It's the pleasure of, really, of sharing it.

We don't bake for ourselves.

Mostly, we bake because we want to share with people.

You know, it doesn't look like a traditional batter, because it's foamy and lighter.

TRAVERSO: Right.

So there's a little bit of air, so that will help lighten the cake.

Yes, but... this cake will never be light.

(laughs) See, there's just a little bit of syrup... TRAVERSO: Mm-hmm.

That developed from the sugar and the zest in the ginger.

Pure vanilla extract.

TRAVERSO: Okay.

(mixer whirring) All right, I'm going to do this with the back of my hand.

Will you bake with me all the time?

Not only are you fun... TRAVERSO: Yes!

But you're so neat!

TRAVERSO: (laughs) So in goes the parsnips... TRAVERSO: That's a lot of parsnip to throw in.

You know... (chuckles) It's so funny, because, as I was looking at the bowl, I was thinking, "That's a lot of parsnip!"

Let's do the rest of this by hand.

TRAVERSO: Okay, Okay?

Chopped fresh cranberries.

So, that's the batter.

TRAVERSO: Wow, it is a gorgeous... Done!

Pretty, isn't it?

TRAVERSO: Fragrant, lovely batter.

Yeah, yeah.

Time to pop them into the oven.

TRAVERSO: Okay.

While the cakes are baking, I'm going to make the frosting.

TRAVERSO: So we're doing a cream cheese frosting?

Yeah, just as you would with a carrot cake.

TRAVERSO: Right.

(speed increases) Shall we call it frosting?

TRAVERSO: Yes.

That looks like frosting.

We don't have to worry about being neat.

If it goes over the edges, that's fine.

TRAVERSO: That's kind of a new trend with cake decorating, is to not perfectly ice it, have a... Maybe you can see the layers, maybe there's a little bit of... I love that.

TRAVERSO: Yeah.

I love that.

When you're baking at home, it's nice to have it look like you've made it at home.

And half of this cranberry filling.

It's got cranberries and orange juice and fresh ginger and sugar.

Perfect in its beautifully imperfect way.

TRAVERSO: So how did you start cooking?

(chuckling): I...

I started cooking by burning down my parents' kitchen.

TRAVERSO: (laughs) There, I think that probably all I have to tell you, but... TRAVERSO: (laughs) I was making-- or thought I was going to make, I never got that far-- frozen French fries.

TRAVERSO: Ah-hah.

Put a pot of oil up to boil.

Put a lid on it... TRAVERSO: Oh, my gosh.

Right, yeah, and... flames, and so I was 12 or 13, and that is, I said, was the last time I got into the kitchen.

Until I got married, but I got married when I was 19.

TRAVERSO: Okay.

So it wasn't such a long period between banned from the kitchen and must be in the kitchen, TRAVERSO: Right.

And it wasn't until I was in my 30s when I realized that that's really all I ever wanted to do.

TRAVERSO: And you were on a different career path at that point.

Yeah, I was all but dissertation for a doctorate in gerontology.

TRAVERSO: Wow.

Yeah, the study of aging.

Something I know more about now than I knew in graduate school.

(laughs) This is the triple-layer, four-handed cake.

TRAVERSO: It's so pretty.

(laughs): You don't need another person to make this cake, but it's fun.

♪ ♪ So how did you make these lovelies?

These are so much fun, I made a sugar syrup, drop the cranberries in, and then just dump them in a bowl of sugar.

TRAVERSO: It's so pretty.

I want to pop one in my mouth.

So, still gonna be puckery.

TRAVERSO: Mm-hmm... but really good.

Yeah.

TRAVERSO: Mm, I love it.

Okay, there are more.

TRAVERSO: I am good.

If there's anything else you want to do... TRAVERSO: I think it's in a really nice... You see?

TRAVERSO: You can always fuss, I know, it's hard to stop!

But there's one down here, so I'll just scoop that one up.

You sure?

Last chance.

TRAVERSO: Yeah.

Okay, I'll cut.

Ooh, what a good job you did.

TRAVERSO (laughs): Oh, thank you.

Yay, Amy.

TRAVERSO: I'm serving your cake, too.

(laughs) Thank you.

♪ ♪ TRAVERSO: Mmm... that's fabulous.

It's fun, isn't it?

TRAVERSO: Well, Dorie, it is always such a delight.

This was so much fun.

Thank you for coming.

TRAVERSO: Thank you for having me.

(laughs) ♪ ♪ NARRATOR: Just about two hours north of Boston, outside the little town of Rumney, New Hampshire, is some of the greatest rock climbing available in the Northeast.

The area is so popular, a group of local climbers are working to purchase the land from its owner and sell it to the U.S. Forest Service to make sure everyone has access to these treasured walls.

Richard is there to meet up with a climbing guide who will show him the ropes.

My name's Lee Hansche.

I run two indoor climbing facilities down in Southern New Hampshire for the better part of two decades.

And I bring people outside, and I teach them about the outdoor climbing techniques that they'll need to stay safe out here.

I teach people from young kids straight up to 75.

Sport for pretty much anybody.

WIESE: So, Lee, when did you start rock climbing?

I first started when I was about 12 or 13, climbing with my dad, and I remember him having me scamper up on a boulder, and just being, like, "Oh, where's your next foothold?

Where's your next handhold?"

So when I'm teaching people and I say, "Where's your next handhold?

Where's your next foothold?

", that just brings me right back.

WIESE: That's a great memory.

It is, it's pretty cool.

♪ ♪ WIESE: And what is it about rock climbing that you love?

The thing I like the most about it is how it challenges you both mentally and physically at the same time.

Like, I really enjoy the chess game of it, trying to think a few moves ahead and figure out, you know, if I do this move, what's, you know, the reaction gonna be to that?

WIESE: Does technique matter, or is it just, you're limited by your strength?

It's kind of both.

Some climbers, they might be 70% strength and 30% technique.

I'm the other way, I'm 70% technique, and I've got enough strength to get me by.

It's mostly just learning how to kind of move your way around the obstacles, rather than bashing your way through them.

WIESE: So why Rumney, New Hampshire?

Why here, versus any other place in the world or on the East Coast that you can climb?

People come to Rumney for a lot of reasons, not only because it's a beautiful place-- the scenery is spectacular-- but also, the rock itself is very unique.

The type of rock here is called schist.

So the way that the rock forms and then breaks gives you a lot of variety of movement and, um, just makes it really interesting to the climbing mind.

There's a great variety of, like, really easy beginner routes and really difficult expert routes.

So the hardest route east of the Rockies is up here, so people come from all over the world, really, to come and try their hand at some of the hardest climbs.

WIESE: I haven't climbed in a while, and I have to admit, I'm a little intimidated.

Good, that's a good, good place to start.

WIESE: Okay.

(laughs) Just kidding.

So this is, uh, a harness I brought for you.

So basically, you can... WIESE: Legs through.

Step into here, you put your legs through there.

WIESE: Okay.

So pull it up nice and high.

A lot of people don't wear their harnesses high enough, they'll wear them down, like, where their belt is.

But you actually want it higher than that.

So we're gonna pull the legs up a little.

Helmet-wise, I'm going to give you my most comfy helmet.

It's super-lightweight, definitely the modern standard.

I guess the other thing you'll need is some shoes.

WIESE: Okay.

Those will mold to the surface of the rock, and the rubber is specially designed to have maximum stick.

WIESE: I've got my helmet, my harness, and my shoes, and now it's time to get roped in and ready to climb.

So why are my hands starting to sweat right now?

(laughs) WIESE: Is that something we call anticipation?

I think so.

So, we're tying in with three different knots.

The first one is called the figure-eight knot, and basically, I just throw this over here, I make a full twist, and I drop it down through, and that gives us that nice, number eight-looking thing.

WIESE: And then you'll follow this around through... Yeah, so I, I bring this up through my harness, and every harness, you know, has a tie-in point.

On this one, it's two loops-- some of them just have one.

We bring this up in, and I retrace the path of the figure-eight... so that I can create a double version of that original figure-eight.

And not only do we check everything, but we always check each other.

It doesn't matter who the more experienced climber is, everybody checks everybody.

WIESE: I have to admit, I have, you feel that sort of anticipation, but I am also very excited.

It's a beautiful day, and I feel like I have a very good instructor.

So I'm ready to climb.

All right, well, you're locked up, devices loaded.

WIESE: Okay.

You got... Two, four, six, eight, ten, and then two more up there, so you're looking safe.

WIESE: Okay.

So you are on belay.

WIESE: Okay, and I am climbing.

Climb away.

WIESE: And now, the moment of truth.

I've done this before, but that was a long time ago.

Okay... And that's a long way up.

And where's the first foot, is here?

Yeah, a little bit closer in, by your heel, there.

WIESE: Oh, here.

There you go, good.

And then, the hold that you're going for is about a foot below that orange carabiner.

Think footwork-- all right, get your foot up.

Yeah, there you go, and then up and right.

WIESE: An experienced guide can not only help you with all the safety procedures, they can also help you find your way.

Little higher, yup, hold your hand up a little higher.

Yeah, that's it, good, over the top, a little higher, a little higher, yeah, up on top of that.

It gets better on top of that, there you go, good.

♪ ♪ There you go, awesome.

You want to get both hands to that same spot.

WIESE: Whew!

I am laboring hard.

♪ ♪ What I love about rock climbing is, it's one of the most singularly focused sports there are.

When you're on the rock, I'm not thinking about, you know, what I have to pick up for lunch, or what I have to do tonight, or, you know, bills that you have to pay.

You're just focused on the task at hand.

Nice, Richard.

WIESE: Figured that one out.

Oh, there you go.

Get it, all right.

(Wiese panting) WIESE: This is the last piece of protection now... And there is a final hold, you know, kind of on top of that left wall there.

WIESE: This is one of the toughest things I've ever had to do on this show.

But I think, maybe, with just one more hold, I just might be able to do it.

There you go.

WIESE: (grunts) One more step, and I'm there.

This, uh, was not easy.

So I'm gonna take a nice, slow victory lap here.

♪ ♪ Whee!

Okay... ♪ ♪ (exhales) Wow, that was hard.

Oh, my gosh, I am spent.

If you've ever watched a movie about rock climbing, or ever seen somebody, or seen it in a magazine, there's no reason not to get out here in Rumney, New Hampshire, and enjoy it for yourself.

All right.

WIESE: Thank you very much.

Yeah.

WIESE: Because this is a sport that perhaps is the best mind relaxation exercise in the world, and it's right here in our own backyard.

♪ ♪ NARRATOR: Edgartown, Massachusetts, on the island of Martha's Vineyard, is known for the stately homes that adorn its tree-lined streets.

Some were built centuries ago, some are brand-new, but most share the distinctive style for which the Cape and the Islands are famous.

A champion of that style is Patrick Ahearn, one of the island's most successful and prolific architects.

When I was about five or six years old, I wanted to be a car designer.

But when I went to my guidance counselor, you know, when I was about, I don't know, 13 or 14, and I said, "Well, how do you become a car designer?"

And she says, "Well, you have to go to engineering school."

I said, "Well, I don't think I wanna do that."

She says, "Well, what else do you like?"

I said, "Well, I like, I like buildings and things like that."

"Well, you should become an architect."

I went to architecture school in 1968, and I was trained as a Modernist.

When I moved to Boston, I moved to a historic district, which was the Back Bay, and I really started to get a better and keener understanding of Classical architecture and its importance to not, not only me as an architect, but also to our society.

NARRATOR: One of Patrick's favorite projects was the renovation of the Coffin House, a 17th-century blacksmith's home owned by Victor and Jackie Zollo.

Victor.

Good to see you, Pat.

Good to see you again.

Well, I'll tell you, it's a pleasure for Jackie and I to welcome you and to have you articulate the history and the work that you did for us, and it's something we enjoy every day.

Some things come to mind that are really special about this property.

One is how we not only address your goals and objectives for you and Jackie and your daughter, but also the public realm.

We had a conversation about the open porch, and should we enclose it or not?

Right.

And we came to the conclusion, this is a wonderful view of the harbor that the public can enjoy.

Any passer-by gets a glimpse of the harbor.

I think it's really wonderful that you and your family recognize the importance of giving back to the public.

When we think about these kinds of properties, the New England style of architecture really becomes an important piece.

And this is a really excellent example of weathered shingles, simple corner boards, but very nicely detailed downspouts.

The carpenters of the time prided themselves on creating these kinds of elements and details.

So I think maybe we should jump down to the lower level.

Please.

Because I think that's really the special treat that most people wouldn't... It's a hidden jewel.

...think was possible.

♪ ♪ So we are basically in what was the blacksmith's workshop.

We really wanted to create this grotto bar that Victor can enjoy, but at the same time celebrate the history of what this space was before.

NARRATOR: Patrick doesn't limit his work to residential buildings.

He's also the chairman of a preservation organization called the Vineyard Trust.

The mission of Vineyard Trust is to preserve and restore and manage the iconic endangered landmarks of Martha's Vineyard.

Over time, many of these properties have gone into disrepair.

And we acquire the property, restore it according to preservation's highest... the highest of preservation standards, and then we re-integrate the property into community life.

We were given the opportunity to work with the Vineyard Trust on the Carnegie Library.

This was one of the most important buildings in the early 1900s in Edgartown.

(talking in background) When we first visited the building, it was acoustical-tile ceiling, indoor-outdoor carpet, and really not a very pleasant experience.

So the first thing we started to think about was how to bring the natural light into the space, and then we decided to use this idea of portal to bring you through the building and draw you through.

So we created all these portals that draw you into the primary gallery space.

Vineyard Trust stewards a variety of endangered landmarks on the island.

We own the Old Whaling Church.

We own landscapes, we own the Village Green.

We own Union Chapel, and each represents a varied story.

We wanted to preserve and protect the architectural vernacular and vocabulary of the original building.

But at the same time, we wanted to say, "How can we open this up and make it inviting "and light and airy, and a place that people want to come back to all the time?"

I think preservation of architecture is critically important to our society.

It's very important that we not only preserve the architecture of the past, but we also invigorate it with the way people want to live today, so that they're not just museums, but they're actually being used, and being lived in, and being celebrated for the past, but also for the future.

NARRATOR: For exclusive videos, recipes, travel ideas, tips from the editors, and access to the Weekends With Yankee digital magazine, go to weekendswithyankee.com and follow us on social media, @yankeemagazine.

Yankee magazine, the inspiration for the television series, provides recipes, feature articles, and the best of New England from the people who know it best.

One year for $20.

Call 1-800-221-8154. Credit cards accepted.

Major funding provided by... ♪ ♪ Massachusetts is home to a lot of firsts-- the first public park in America; the first fried clams; the first university in America; the first basketball game.

What's first for you?

♪ ♪ Grady-White, crafting offshore sportfishing boats for over 60 years.

The Barn Yard, builders of timber-frame barns and garages.

And by American Cruise Lines, exploring the historic shores of New England.

♪ ♪