Sweet Success: Artisan chocolate shop debuts on the West Shore.

October 30, 2020 | by Stephanie Kalina-Metzger

“We tell stories with chocolate.”

That’s the message you’ll see embellished on the wall at Diane Krulac’s new boutique chocolate shop in Camp Hill. This is the second retail store for the businesswoman, entrepreneur and chocolatier.

Krulac’s first foray into the chocolate world began in 2003, when she began selling her gourmet brittle wholesale. The “Brittle Bark” sold well, but its popularity really went through the roof when now-manager Vonny Getz won a sweepstakes prize to appear on the “Rachael Ray Show.” Getz took some of Krulac’s brittle to the show as a gift, and Ray liked it so much that she named it “Snack of the Day.” This led to the opening of the first retail Brittle Bark store in Mechanicsburg in 2008.

By 2018, Krulac was ready to introduce yet another brand to the world. She called her line of fine, small-batch chocolates “Cocoa Creek Chocolates” and began selling them at the Mechanicsburg store before branching out into Camp Hill.

Dark Side

Krulac wasn’t always in the chocolate business. She spent time working as a dental hygienist before returning to school.

“I started my second career at age 30, got a master’s degree in computer science and worked in commercial product development,” she said.

Krulac’s Camp Hill store is small, but airy and elegantly laid out. The lineup includes a selection of seasonal baskets, caramels, creams, jumbo peanut butter cups, unique treats like pumpkin pie almonds, and trek bars named for her Jack Russell terrier, Luther.

A best-selling bar, “Lemon Blue,” is crafted with 73 percent Haitian chocolate, dried lemons and blueberries. Another popular bar is ginger apricot, made with 70 percent bittersweet chocolate, produced with beans from the Caribbean. Both bars are plant-based, dairy-free and gluten-free.

It was important to Krulac to cultivate a relationship with bean-to-bar companies to ensure consistency and quality.

“Everyone goes through the same steps, but how they do it and how long they do it impacts the flavor and creaminess,” she said. “Flavors are different in each area. For instance, in South America, you get floral and fruity flavor notes, while flavor notes from Africa are earthy. It’s a lot like ‘terroir’ in the wine world.”

If you’re stumped when it comes to hostess gifts, or need to purchase a present for someone who seems to have everything, a collection of international chocolates can double as a conversation piece.

Krulac’s curated truffle collections are both entertaining and educational. An ultra-dark “Black Beauty Collection” reads, “Come to the dark side,” and offers information on the cocoa content and from what region the collection hails (in this case, France, Italy, Belgium and the United States).

“This allows customers to compare their complex variations side by side,” she said.

Inside each box is a card detailing the inspiration behind each truffle. For example, the Italian truffle in the “Black Beauty Collection” is explained in depth, from the history of chocolate in Italy to the region where it is grown (Umbria) to the cocoa content. It even includes a historical, humorous tidbit, stating that Cardinal Francesco Maria Brancaccio was said to have dispensed a hot chocolate drink at Mass and, after imbibing, required that congregants go to confession.

Krulac said that customers can look forward to seasonal curated truffle collections, as well. An upcoming, six-piece Christmas collection, called “Comfort and Joy,” will include flavors like sugarplum, cranberry pistachio, gingerbread and a new Belgium chocolate called ruby chocolate.

Joy of Opening

Deb Pekala of Mechanicsburg said that she’s been a customer for years and has watched Krulac evolve into the chocolatier that she is now.

“She has a special talent for creating unique flavors with her chocolates like strawberry balsamic pepper, for instance,” Pekala said. “It’s unexpected, but unique and wonderful.”

Suzanne Drda visited the shop on opening day during Camp Hill’s Harvest Hop in September.

“Diane puts her heart into everything and really thinks things out to tie flavors to the various seasons,” she said.

The Camp Hill resident said that she recently tried a lemon basil truffle.

“It was excellent,” she said. “She decorates beautifully, and they package them nicely with a bow.”

Drda said that she loves another Camp Hill business, Cornerstone Coffeehouse, as well as the truffle that owner Sue Pera teamed up with Krulac to make. Pera said that the special truffle is called a “Latte Lovers Caramel.”

“Our customers love her unique, handmade candy,” Pera said. “The fact that she has moved in right down the street means that we have one more woman-owned business that we can proudly add to our list.”

Krulac echoed that sentiment, pleased that she has joined a group of supportive and successful female entrepreneurs who have also chosen to do business in the revitalized, walkable area.

“I feel like the past 17 years have led me to this moment when I have the joy of opening a truly unique, fine chocolate shop in my hometown and to offer chocolate lovers in the region a place where they’ll always find something new and incredibly delicious,” she said.

Cocoa Creek Chocolates is located at 18 S. 18th St., Camp Hill. Visit their webpage at www.cocoacreekchocolates.com or the Facebook page.

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A Season Like No Other: Loyal customers, creative thinking have area retailers surprisingly bullish this holiday season.

October 30, 2020 | by M. Diane McCormick

Stash & The Midtown Dandy

It’s an election year. Have you voted?

For your favorite small business, we mean. With your dollars.

“We’re seeing a lot of our loyal customers coming out as a show of support,” said Carla Irvin, co-owner of Plum Bottom, the Susquehanna Township shoe boutique. “It’s almost like that vote of confidence.”

Don’t sound taps for small businesses yet. Yes, COVID-19 forced them to shut their doors last spring, but many have bounced back and now anticipate healthy holiday seasons. The secret weapon, all agree, is loyal customers anxious for the uplift that new clothes or a comfy sofa can deliver.

“In the self-care category, you’re just going to feel better when you’re thinking, ‘If I just get a new sweater, if I just get a new pair of jeans and they fit nicely and they feel comfortable,’” said Lisa DeCavalcante, owner of Little Black Dress. “If I feel like I look good in them, I feel like I can conquer the world.”

Lessons Learned

When Little Black Dress reopened, DeCavalcante stocked her Camp Hill boutique with “the things people needed—sweatshirts, pajamas, lounge pants.” The global supply chain “was and is a hot mess,” but with a new children’s boutique poised to open, the store took “huge deliveries” of spring and summer children’s clothes around March 15.

“You know, all the Easter dresses that nobody needed,” DeCavalcante said.

Thinking fast, she bought Facebook and Google ads that found Sunbelt customers who needed children’s bathing suits and shorts.

When the pandemic hit, Plum Bottom deployed its recently revamped online presence—complete with fashion tips and appealing videos—to keep the store’s brand and family atmosphere top of mind.

“It didn’t nearly make up for being closed, but at least it didn’t feel like being dead in the water,” said Irvin. “We had a goal, and we had a message for our customers.”

Plum Bottom even delivered directly to local customers, with contactless drop-offs.

“People appreciated that personal touch,” Irvin said.

In Harrisburg’s SoMa district, the twin vintage shops Stash and The Midtown Dandy reopened cautiously and now divide the week between appointment shopping and walk-in hours—all with the standard precautions, including strict face mask rules. The two stores have seen upticks through online presentations across multiple platforms.

“Luckily, Instagram and Etsy filled in for me when the shop closed,” said Stash owner Anela Bence-Selkowitz.

Added The Midtown Dandy owner Andy Kintzi, “I’ve had great support from customers internationally.”

Record-breaking

In the silver-linings category, Red Door Consignment Gallery experienced “three record-breaking months” after their doors reopened in June.

“People have been living in their homes a lot more, so they’re making more out of it,” said owner Sam Levine. “They’re saying, ‘This sofa no longer does it for me.’” And as for outdoor furniture, “It was flying out the door.”

Businesses forced to shut down got help with initial losses from the Paycheck Protection Program, but the bills keep coming, while PPP money does not. Customers, too, have been eyeing their bank accounts but are also rethinking how they spend the savings accumulating from all those nights at home.

“People are choosing to spend their dollars more wisely,” said Irvin. “They’re choosing quality over quantity.”

DeCavalcante’s longtime business philosophy of selling unique but useful items, suitable and comfortable for office and home, has provided an anchor for rough economic seas.

“We always try to fill that niche of ‘don’t buy it to wear it once,’” she said. “Buy it to wear multiple times.”

Homeowners gasping in horror at their shabby, no-longer chic décor still had a tanking economy to consider. Quality consignments fit nicely for “the individual who says, ‘This sofa no longer does it, but I don’t want to spend or don’t have the ability to spend $2,000 for a new sectional sofa,’” said Levine.

Seizing Opportunities

The pandemic presented minor but manageable speed bumps for businesses that had new plans on the drawing board. Little Black Dress changed its new children’s boutique from a planned bump-out into a space carved from the store’s existing footprint.

“Everything shifted to ‘let’s just keep it simple, to what we can manage,’” said DeCavalcante. “It has survived and thrived. Kids still want to dress up, girls especially.”

Plum Bottom is going full-steam ahead with a second location at Neighbors & Smith in Camp Hill, next door to Little Black Dress, for a swoon-worthy, head-to-toe shopping experience. The Plum Bottom owners felt so bullish about Camp Hill that, when additional space became available in the midst of the pandemic, they paused construction and “kicked it back to the architectural drawing stage.”

The second Plum Bottom store should open by the new year, while the website elevates Plum Bottom toward its goal of creating a national brand.

“Any smart business owner is looking for the opportunities in this,” said Irvin.

Little Black Dress is stocking up on giftables for the holiday season, anticipating some demand for nice tops for small gatherings but few calls for that knock-‘em-dead party outfit. DeCavalcante anticipates that local shoppers will forego destination-style Christmas shopping in favor of neighborhood explorations.

“Hopefully, it will translate to a long-term thing,” she said.

At Red Door Consignment Gallery, demand usually surges in the pre-Thanksgiving weeks for dining room tables—the bigger, the better—but are family gatherings still on the menu?

“That’s a good question,” said Levine. “We don’t know what to expect this year.”

Bence-Selkowitz and Kintzi remain confident about the holiday shopping season.

“Our people, our regulars come back around,” Bence-Selkowitz said. “They’re always really excited around the holidays to see what new stuff we have and gifts.”

Regulars

Even with nowhere to go for showing off new outfits, Little Black Dress regular Dorothy Ward recently bought two “long, black, kind-of sweater jackets.”

“I love to support local,” said the Lower Paxton Township resident.

Most of her favorite shops, also including Plum Bottom and Maggie Adams, are owned and run by women.

“They’ve done a magnificent job with social media,” she said. “They’ve made it easy for us—those of us who do like to shop. These women were doing it before COVID, but it became even more important during COVID.”

DeCavalcante’s regular customers have “for sure” been a bulwark through lean times, she said.

“But even people that were not typically customers recognized that if they don’t support these small stores and local restaurants, they’re not going to be here,” she added.

Levine’s customers bought gift certificates and called to check on his store during the shutdown.

“People want local vendors to survive,” he said.

As winter approaches, some small business owners fear a return to pandemic shutdowns and slowdowns.

“Hopefully, that doesn’t happen,” Levine said. “You know, you just don’t know.”

The customer base at Stash and The Midtown Dandy “has been extremely supportive,” said Kintzi.

“People just want to get out and about and be around other people and see the world again,” he said.

DeCavalcante firmly believes in the small business-sustaining power of shoppers craving “little luxuries.”

“Of course, whether or not you have an exciting place to wear them to, I don’t know,” she said with a laugh. “Sometimes, picking up pizza is an exciting thing.”

For more information, visit these retailers’ websites, Facebook pages and Instagram accounts. Most importantly, please support your favorite Harrisburg-area shops this season.

What’s Hot?
So, what’s hot this holiday season? Ask your local small-business owner.

Plum Bottom: The homebound worker will appreciate elegant slippers to replace those scruffy moccasins. Or gift yourself with that leather jacket you’ve always wanted.

Little Black Dress: A nicely priced scarf or piece of jewelry always perks up an old outfit.

Red Door Consignment Gallery: Home fashionistas love gift certificates. Work-from-homers’ aching backs are crying out for quality office chairs.

The Midtown Dandy and Stash: Digital gift cards allow for safe online shopping. Black sweaters are always in vogue. Vintage sew-on patches add panache to your guy’s outfit.

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Artist in Focus: Mona Frey

October 30, 2020 | by Admin

For Mona Frey, being an artist is about creating but also about giving.

So, yes, people acquire her watercolors because they like them. But it’s great to know that part of the sale will go to help the Central Pennsylvania Food Bank.

Mona’s been involved with giving programs since 2014, when she helped raise funds through a nonprofit called Chess Without Borders. She later realized that her artistic pursuit could have a similar charitable focus.

A native of India and a former resident of London, she now resides in the Harrisburg area, where she is exploring both her love of painting and her desire to help others.

For more information about Mona Frey, visit her Facebook page: Mona Frey Art.

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Dine & Wine: There’s a match for everything on your Thanksgiving table.

October 30, 2020 | by Steve Juliana

Thanksgiving is a time for giving thanks and reflecting on the blessings in our lives. It’s also the time for the traditional American feast, with turkey as the main attraction and side dishes galore.

For wine-lovers, this is perhaps the greatest of all holiday meals, given the various tastes and textures filling each plate. Turkey is unique in the fact that it can be quite good with either red or white wine. I try to have a bottle of each on the table at this family gathering.

The premier red wine for the occasion is Pinot Noir. Whether from French Burgundy or our own West Coast, the low tannins, good acidity and inherent softness of this quaff makes it an ideal match for the noble bird.

Another red wine that matches well is Syrah. In southern France, it is blended with Grenache, where it gives us Côtes du Rhône, a wonderful, food-friendly beverage that goes with all the different dishes on the table. In the northern Rhône, Syrah is unblended and reaches its zenith, but you have to do your research as the best wines are named by location.

For white wine fans, the choices have never been better. Riesling is the noble grape of Germany and goes together well with American turkey. Low in alcohol but with good acidity and fruitiness, it matches side dishes, as well as the main event. This versatile quaff is grown everywhere the climate is cold and the soil rocky. While Germany is its home, good bottles can be found locally in Pennsylvania, as well as upstate New York and Washington.

Rieslings’ cousin is Gewürztraminer, which translates into “spicy traminer.” It’s a delicious white wine that has sprung up on the West Coast, as well as New York and our own Keystone State. The best are still from Germany, but the bottles from Alsace are unique and tasty.

Most people are familiar with Pinot Grigio from Italy, but, to match our feast, we turn to Pinot Gris, which is the same grape with a French background. These wines are richer and have more fruit, while retaining palate-cleansing acidity. The finest are from Alsace, with the vintages from Oregon also showing well.

Grüner Veltliner is quite a mouthful to pronounce but shows itself as the major white grape from Austria. Considered a dry wine, the flavor profile is citrus with a hint of white pepper and palette-popping acidity. One unique feature is its ability to match asparagus. Worth a try.

The Loire Valley in France is home to the best Chenin Blanc from the Touraine region, where it is known as Vouvray. A white wine that is floral-scented with hints of honey, it is one of the best food matches for our banquet. It comes in many styles, but the one I like best is demi-sec. Delicious on your table.

Keep sipping,
Steve

81092 Chevalier d’Anthelme Cotes du Rhone Rouge 2018 $11.99

Garnet red wine. On the nose, this wine reveals notes of jammy black fruit, cherry, liquorice and spices. Round palate with a finish dominated by candied, spicy and above all peppery notes. Well-melted tannins. Serve around 16-18 ° C.

—Winemaker’s Notes

83047 Solena Estate Grande Cuvee Pinot Noir Willamette Valley Estate 2018 21.99 (quoted at $30.00)

Spicy oak is cast across ripe red berries and cherries and delivers a modern impression. There’s a fresh-earth edge here, too, with attractive, spicy notes and a very vibrant feel to the tannins, which carry a grainy cut that holds freshness into the finish. Drink or hold.

— 92 Points James Suckling

79261 Empire Estate Dry Riesling Finger Lakes 2017 11.99- Chairman’s Selection

Yellow-gold with gray tints. On the nose, fresh apricot, jasmine and orange zest. In the mouth, there’s lots of underripe nectarine, some lime zest and a gentle, smooth stoniness that leads to a lean, clean and austere finish. A bright and joyous Riesling.

— 92 Points Vinous Media, Dec 2019

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Sparkly Concept: Christy Hoover brings a lifetime of experience to her jewelry store.

October 30, 2020 | by Phyllis Zimmerman

For Christy Hoover, owner of Christy Concept Jewelry, shopping is more than just making a purchase.

Hoover’s unique boutique at the West Shore Farmers Market in Lemoyne makes it a leisurely getaway.

“You have to give customers an experience. You can’t do it on product alone,” said Hoover, a New Cumberland resident. “I want our customers to feel comfortable here and feel they can trust us. I want them to come back, to feel wowed and have fun.”

Christy Concept Jewelry is one of those places that has something for everyone, or, at least, pretty darned close to it. It feels comfortable and friendly and has oodles of sparkly wonders to catch your eye. Its vast inventory of fine and fashion jewelry features one-of-a-kind items crafted by more than 40 designers from around the world. Prices carry a wide range from $20 to up $15,000.

“It’s a great place, especially for gifts,” said Ginny Smith, a regular customer. “I can find some more unique pieces that are in a reasonable price range. I love the atmosphere there, too. It’s a beautiful store.”

Nobody’s in a hurry at Christy Concept Jewelry. Customers are encouraged to browse around for as long as they want. In fact, many items are kept on open display.

“I like the store. It’s very welcoming,” said Beth Kuehne, another regular. “They let you try things on. Some other places won’t let you. They’re very accommodating, and there’s no pressure, either. You can go in there and just walk around. It’s kind of cozy, a nice experience.”

Hoover, a Harrisburg native, said that she was inspired to pursue fashion by her mother Nedalyn, a skilled seamstress. She began her first job in retail at Pomeroy’s department store while earning a bachelor’s degree in fashion merchandising from Indiana University of Pennsylvania.

After college, she worked as a buyer for junior dresses and outerwear at Hess’s department store in Allentown. She then moved cross-country to become a regional manager for Contempo Casuals/Wet Seal/Arden B, based in San Francisco. For this, Hoover oversaw stores in the company’s Pacific Northwest region comprising nine states.

Ten years later, Hoover returned home to Pennsylvania after her mother became ill. For the next 21 years, she worked for the Victoria’s Secret brand in several capacities, including district manager, a project manager in store operations and a regional HR manager.

All that changed, however, when Hoover learned that Susan Fotos, owner of Higashi Jewelry & Eyewear, decided to retire and close up her popular shop inside the West Shore Farmers Market.

“I loved working for the Victoria’s Secret brand, but I’d always thought about doing something on my own,” Hoover said. “The stars were aligned for me, you might say, after 21 years.”

Senior jewelry consultant, Nicole Warden, also knows a thing or two about how things were done at Higashi. Prior to her full-time post at Christy Concept Jewelry, Warden worked sales at Higashi for four years. Before that, she spent 12 years working the field with various jewelers.

Christy Concept Jewelry is a venue that truly stands out to Warden.

“This business is different,” she said. “We’re offering really nice jewelry at discount prices. Some of our designers offer us really nice discounts, and then we pass that on to our customers.”

Rounding out the staff are part-time jewelry consultants Hannah Ardnt and Fabiola Sallack.

Hoover’s biggest challenge, so far, has been the commonwealth’s pandemic orders that forced her to close in March, just four months after opening, she said. She remained closed until June.

“I look at that as a blessing, really,” she said. “After just four months, I got to learn a few things sooner rather than later. It taught me about being able to protect your business with a cushion. I put all my profit right back into my business.”

Hoover said that she is proud to be one of many women-owned businesses operating at the West Shore Farmers Market

“I really enjoy sharing our experiences and the camaraderie between us,” she said. “We really pick each other up.”

Christy Concept Jewelry is located at the West Shore Farmers Market, 900 Market St., Lemoyne. For more information, call 717-303-26277 or visit www.christyconceptjewelry.com or their Facebook page.

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The Fix Is In: The pandemic delayed, but did not stop, Harrisburg’s newest cafe.

October 30, 2020 | by Diane White McNaughton

It’s a sultry Saturday at 2 p.m., closing time for the brand-new coffee shop, The Fix Café.

The October weather is unseasonably warm, and the city seems like it hasn’t had its morning cup of joe yet.

But inside, the café still percolates. Owner Lakshmi Tanniru and café partner Liz Albayero are waiting on their final customers of the day, ready to mix up a stiff Americano, frothy latte, specialty tea, coconut drink, lemonade and more. Two stylish young women sip, chat and check their phones at a sturdy table in the center of the café, by faux archways and illuminated letters on the wall that spell out “F.I.X”.

Tanniru, 28, wearing a plaid button-down shirt, khaki pants and the requisite mask, is behind the counter mixing up caffeinated concoctions that double as drinkable works of art. Albayero works the register. The café still glistens with newness, colored in tones of chocolate brown and café au lait, with dark wooden beams, hardwood floors, patterned throw rugs, upholstered chairs and modern pendant and track lighting.

Earlier in the day, Tanniru said, the crowds were large and the lines long, so word of where to get your latest caffeine fix is spreading.

He is attracting more than a downtown crowd to his fledgling venture. A few young coffee-lovers drove over from New Cumberland after discovering the café on Instagram, he said, and he’s eager to make the drive worth their while.

In addition to serving fragrant java, The Fix offers up the only 3-D latte art machine in Harrisburg, a futuristic stainless-steel appliance that literally “prints” the picture of your choice in your foam. In 10 seconds, you can garnish your latte with a selfie, your business logo, your pet, the love of your life, or any photo on your phone, using a cartridge infused with coffee extract “ink.”

When Tanniru sits down to chat at the counter that runs along the front of the café, with a picture-perfect view of the expansive steel-gray southern end of the Capitol Complex, he brings something else with him. It’s not The Fix’s popular Nutella crepe, nor a double espresso. He needs his laptop. He is taking an online course as a student at Harrisburg University, studying for his master’s degree in project management, so he is listening to a class while working. His professor has given the class a break until 2:05 p.m.

He earned his undergraduate degree in computer science. It has always been his lifelong ambition to be an entrepreneur, Tanniru said. He predicts that he will probably find a full-time job in project management after graduation next summer, but will also keep the coffee shop brewing on the side.

“I don’t know where life will take me,” he said.

He bought the Walnut Street building in 2019 and worked meticulously with his father on every detail, from the coffee-colored walls to the healthy green plants to the New Age chandeliers and track lighting, the large clock and welcome sign, the wooden ceiling beams, the piped-in piano music, and the soft patterned chairs.

His ingredients for success are clearly hard work and a strong pour of concern for customer satisfaction.

Liz at the counter asks customers, “So how’s your day been so far?”

Tanniru says often, “I really hope you like our coffee.”

His segue from operating Namaste Indian Cuisine, in Lemoyne, to a downtown coffee shop was a fluid transition. He has always loved coffee, he said, so he started doing research about how to make the finest brew. He began using up mass quantities of milk and coffee beans to perfect his craft.

His café opened quietly early last month, delayed many times because of the ongoing pandemic.

He misses state workers and is eager for them to return to their downtown offices after shifting to teleworking status in March. He also misses HU students, as HU has gone fully online this semester.

He has lived in Harrisburg since 2006. He grew up in India, surrounded by a large family, all living together in tight quarters.

Here in Harrisburg, he knows the local coffee-drinking market well. He refuses to criticize the ubiquitous Starbucks shops of the world. He admits Starbucks is good, too. But cafés like his have taken coffee to a whole new level. His beans are ultra-fresh, ordered from Wisconsin and Virginia and used within two days.

His exclusive roaster in Wisconsin provides the beans for the Fix’s cold brew and drip coffees. Other drip coffee beans and espresso beans hail from his roaster in Virginia.

His premium milk comes from Apple Valley Creamery in East Berlin, which has become the only kind of milk his mom will now use.

Next on the menu: savory vegan crepes. He found a new batter recipe that he will soon be using to provide a top-notch crepe.

When plans for The Fix were brewing, he intentionally picked a site by the granite and bronze of the state Capitol.

“I knew that state workers would support local small businesses,” Tanniru said.

For cramming students, weary state workers, and coffee lovers everywhere, it’s good to know the Fix is in.

The Fix Café is located at 403 Walnut St., Harrisburg. For more information, visit their Facebook or Instagram pages.

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Pasta Plus Pumpkin: Italians also enjoy the ubiquitous orange gourd.

October 30, 2020 | by Rosemary Ruggieri Baer

Photo by Aaron Burden

It’s fall, and there is pumpkin everywhere.

I’m sure you have noticed that, beginning as early as late August, little mini pumpkins appear in the grocery store. Coffee shops announce that pumpkin lattes are back. And then there are the baked goods and desserts: pumpkin cookies and muffins, pumpkin rolls swirled with creamy icing, pumpkin Oreos and even pumpkin ice cream. Pumpkin pie is a favorite of my family, and I make it throughout the fall. But did I really see pumpkin Cheerios out there?

Pumpkin and its close relative, butternut squash, can be found in many Italian recipes, as well, especially in the northern part of the country, where it is often paired with game. Pumpkin is roasted with potatoes, mozzarella and Parmesan cheeses, pureed into soups and simmered with dry-cured olives, onions and tomatoes into a savory stew.

But pumpkin’s marriage with various forms of pasta is where it shines: creamy risottos, plump tortellini and pillowy gnocchi. And, very often, you will find these pastas laced with lots of sweet butter, heavy cream and fresh sage.

In my unending search for new pasta dishes, I found a Country Living magazine recipe that pairs rigatoni with pumpkin and a pine nut “gremolata.” Gremolata is a finely chopped mixture of parsley, garlic, lemon and various nuts. It is most often used in the classic veal dish, osso buco, but adds a bright punch to soups, salads and stews, as well. As an alternative, a simple topping of crushed amaretti cookies would be a luscious touch (really!).

Creamy Pumpkin Pasta

Ingredients

12 ounces rigatoni
3 tablespoons olive oil, divided
12 fresh sage leaves
¼ cup pine nuts, toasted and roughly chopped
1 teaspoon finely grated lemon zest
1 shallot, finely chopped
2 cloves garlic, pressed
Kosher salt and freshly ground pepper
1 cup canned pure pumpkin
2 ounces grated Parmesan cheese (½ cup), plus more for serving
¼ cup heavy cream
1/8 teaspoon fresh grated nutmeg

Directions

Cook pasta according to directions. Reserve 1 cup of the pasta cooking water, drain the pasta and return to the pot.
Heat 1 tablespoon of oil over medium heat in a large saucepan or high-sided sauté pan. Add the sage leaves, and cook them until they are crisp (about 2-3 minutes). Transfer them with a slotted spoon or spatula to a paper towel-lined plate. When cool, crumble the sage leaves into pieces and toss together with the toasted pine nuts and lemon zest in a little bowl.
Add the remaining 1 tablespoon of oil, the shallot and garlic to the saucepan. Add salt and pepper to your taste and cook, stirring occasionally until the mixture is tender (about 1-2 minutes).
Add the pumpkin, Parmesan, heavy cream, nutmeg and ½ cup reserved pasta water.
Cook until slightly thickened (3-5 minutes). Add a little more salt if desired. Cook carefully at this time so that the pumpkin doesn’t stick and burn. Stir frequently and turn the heat to medium low if necessary.
Add pasta to the pan and stir to combine, adding a little more pasta cooking water if the mixture seems too thick.
Serve sprinkled with the pine nut gremolata.

The pasta looks lovely on a platter garnished with more fresh sage leaves. If you are not fond of lemon or pine nuts, you can simply sprinkle the dried sage leaves and extra Parmesan cheese on top.

I know pumpkin pasta will not stand in for your Thanksgiving turkey. But give it a try on a cool November evening for something very different from your usual red sauce option. It pairs well with a light, fruity red wine or a chilled sparkling Prosecco. And remember, Beaujolais Nouveau is coming!

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Weekend Roundup with Sara Bozich

October 29, 2020 | by Sara Bozich

There are plenty of things to do this weekend around Harrisburg and central PA. You know what’s a spooky good time? Wearing a mask and donating blood.

Please consult your township/municipality for trick-or-treating events, especially as many have moved from tonight to Saturday due to weather. Also, check out local churches for trunk-or-treat style events this weekend.

Things on my agenda this weekend: celebrate my kiddo’s 3rd (and Jimi’s 29th!) birthday, watch Hocus Pocus with a big bowl of popcorn and some spiked seltzers, and (hopefully, maybe) checking more items off my central PA fall Bucket List.

For your weekend planning:

My official Fall Bucket List → Check it out.
Jimi offers podcast recommendations.
Make this Pumpkin Cocktail.
Audit your closet.
Passionate about Pennsylvania? Become a Friend of PA Eats.
Cooking at home a lot? You need this.
See what else you missed on the blog.

Below are ample options for your weekend, whether you’re laying low (there is no shame in the stay home game!) or venturing out.

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Top Weekend Recs

Boneshire Brew Works celebrates 4 years! Happy Anniversary!
Open Stage indulges spooky season with Night of the Living Dead | A Virtual Experience
RG Hummer now has a second location at West Shore Farmers Market
Drink PA cider! Ploughman Cider delivers to your door.
Tattered Flag ships beer and spirits faster than Prime! Two words: Canned. Cocktails.
Watch Poured in PA: The Series
Shop online with Meeka Fine Jewelry.

COVID-19 Disclaimer: As always, please click through the links or call ahead to get the most up-to-date information about venues and/or events below. It should also go without saying, but I’ll say it — Mask up, follow the rules, and be nice. And tip extra!

What are you doing this weekend around Harrisburg? Let us know on Facebook, Twitter, or Instagram.

Where does my vote go? Dauphin County explains Election Day process

October 28, 2020 | by Maddie Conley

Dauphin County Elections Office Deputy Director Chris Spackman demonstrates the ballot envelope opening machine.

While Election Day for many will mean briefly stopping at the polls, for those doing the vote counting, the day lasts much longer.

On Wednesday, Dauphin County elections officials offered a behind-the-scenes look at what will happen to each casted ballot on Nov. 3.

“There’s a lot of preparation that’s gone into this election and will continue to go into this election over the next five to eight days,” Dauphin County Commissioner Mike Pries said. “We’re set to go. We are ready to run this election.”

On Election Day, residents voting in-person will do so from 7 a.m. to 8 p.m. at 159 precincts within the county. Pries said that poll workers will be equipped with personal protective equipment (PPE) kits for their location.

However, Pries said that a majority of county residents participating in the election this year are opting for mail-in ballots.

Around 65,800 mail-in ballots were requested, and the county has received about 45,000 to date, Pries said. Until this year, 2004 held the record for absentee ballots received, but that was only 6,900.

Even with the shift in voting method, Pries assured, they are ready.

“We want our voters to have 100% confidence that their vote is going to count,” he said.

Beginning at 7 a.m. on Tuesday, a team, including 30 volunteers, will process ballots in the Dauphin County Administration Building.

Bins of Dauphin County ballots.

Thousands of ballots already sit in bins organized by precinct. Pries expects about 50,000 mail-in ballots by Tuesday.

Volunteers will run ballots through a machine to open the outer and inner envelopes. Pries said that their fastest of the two machines can open 40,000 envelopes per hour. Ballots will then be transported to another room to be scanned and counted.

“We now believe that, election night, we will have all the in-person voting done and approximately, if everything goes well, 50,000 mail-in ballots completed,” Pries said. “We should have a majority of our votes in election night or early morning.”

Pries said that, of the 197,800 registered voters in Dauphin County, he expects a turnout percentage in the 70s.

For those who requested a mail-in ballot, but want to vote in person, Pries said that they can fill out a form from the judge of elections at their polling location that will allow them to vote in-person.

Pries encouraged mail-in ballot voters to not wait until the deadline to turn in their envelope. He said it can be dropped off at the Dauphin County Administration Building Monday through Friday from 8 a.m. to 8 p.m.

“We now have, by mail-ins, the opportunity to someday reach 100% voter turnout,” Pries said.

For more information, visit www.dauphincounty.org/.

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Capital Region Water, Harrisburg begin work on 4th and Dauphin Park

October 28, 2020 | by Lawrance Binda

A rendering of 4th and Dauphin Park following the improvements

Improvement work has begun at 4^th and Dauphin Park, the final project of a years-long parks collaboration between Harrisburg and Capital Region Water (CRW).

The park, across the street from the Pennsylvania National Fire Museum, is undergoing thorough restoration, with new landscaping, playground equipment, sidewalks and stormwater management features.

Work should be completed in late spring or early summer of 2021, according to CRW.

Citywide playground renovations began about three years ago, part of a $2 million partnership among Harrisburg, Capital Region Water, Impact Harrisburg and the commonwealth.

This is the fifth—and final—neighborhood park project for the city and CRW, which previously restored the Cloverly Heights, Penn & Sayford, Royal Terrace and Norwood & Holly parks.

CRW has used the projects to install numerous stormwater management features to reduce the flow of polluted water and wastewater into Paxton Creek and the Susquehanna River.

In the case of 4^th and Dauphin Park, stormwater management elements include rain gardens, a pervious basketball court and restored vegetation, which will complement less visible infrastructure improvements such as drainage structures, catch basins and storm sewer pipes, according to CRW.

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Top Weekend Recs

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