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Join The Berkshire Farm Table Cookbook authors Elisa Bildner and Robert Bildner, and Elizabeth Keen of Indian Line Farm in conversation. Moderated by Roots Rising co-director Jessica Vecchia, this conversation will share stories of what it means to eat local in the Berkshires and what makes our community of farmers and food-lovers so special.

Delivering the delicious flavors of Western Massachusetts and its adjacent areas right into the comfort of your home, Elisa and Robert tell the story of family-run agriculture through the language of food, presenting an irresistible culinary portrait of this scenic paradise. Featuring 125 handpicked recipes, this cookbook transforms universally loved, readily available ingredients into delectable specialties, created or inspired by the Berkshire’s very best farmers, chefs, and restaurant-owners.

What makes this cookbook truly special is its celebration of the farmers, cheesemakers, chefs, and restaurant-owners behind the recipes, as much as the food itself. Although the variety of their produce varies greatly, the farmers themselves have one thing in common: passion for the land they live on, and for the food they grow.

Elisa and Robert Bildner have shared a recipe for Savory Beet Latkes with us. Recipe below:

Savory Beet Latkes

Hawk Dance Farm

Rawson Brook Farm

Serves 6, makes about 18 pancakes

These beet pancakes are also great for using up a variety of other root vegetables. Using a food processor will make quick work of the shredding aspect of the preparation. With a nice browned crust, the latkes are delicious served with applesauce—​see recipe on page 100—​or sour cream and chives, and offer a good alternative to hash browns at breakfast or brunch.

¼ cup chopped scallions, white and green parts (about 2 large)

1 tablespoon chopped fresh thyme

1 teaspoon kosher salt, or more to taste

2 cups peeled and shredded red beets (about 11 ounces, 2 to 3 medium beets)

1 cup peeled and shredded carrots (about 6 ounces, 2 to 3 medium carrots)

1 cup peeled and shredded celery root (about 8 ounces, ½ small celery root)

1 cup peeled and shredded Idaho or russet potato (about 12 ounces, 1 large potato)

¼ cup rye or whole wheat flour, or more as needed to hold the raw latkes together

1 cup crumbled Rawson Brook Farm chèvre, or other soft goat cheese (about 5 ounces)

1 large egg, lightly beaten

2 tablespoons neutral oil, such as canola, plus more as needed, for frying

Sour cream and chopped chives, or applesauce for garnish (optional)

1. Prepare a plate with layers of paper towels to drain the pancakes.
2. Place the scallions, thyme, salt, beets, carrots, celery root, and potatoes in a large bowl and mix well. Use a paper towel to gently squeeze out any excess moisture. Scatter the flour on top of the shredded vegetables and mix until well incorporated.
3. Combine the cheese and egg in a small bowl. Fold into the vegetable mixture until well coated.
4. Heat the oil in a heavy-​bottomed skillet over medium heat until shimmering. Working in batches so as not to crowd the pancakes, use a ¼-​cup measure to scoop the vegetable mixture into the skillet. Flatten the mixture gently, using the back of the measuring cup or a spatula, making sure the pancakes do not touch each other. Fry for 4 to 5 minutes on one side, until browned and crisp, and then flip to fry the other side for the same amount of time, or until browned and crisp. Transfer the latkes to the lined plate to drain. Repeat until the entire vegetable mixture has been used. If more oil is needed for frying subsequent batches, add as necessary.
5. Serve the beet latkes warm with sour cream and chives or with applesauce as a garnish.

Elisa Spungen Bildner is a former lawyer, journalist, and CEO of a perishable food manufacturing company, and is a professionally trained chef.

Robert Bildner is a former lawyer who grew up in a food family and went on to found several companies that helped local farmers bring products to market. He photographed the farms and restaurants in this book. Elisa and Rob have lived in the Berkshires for 35 years.

In 1996 Elizabeth Keen was working for Robyn Van En, one of the founders of the Community Supported Agriculture (CSA) movement, at Indian Line Farm. After Robyn’s untimely death in 1997 Elizabeth and her partner Al entered into a partnership with The Nature Conservancy and The Community Land Trust in the Southern Berkshires to preserve Indian Line Farm as a working farm. Its cornerstones are farmland affordability, watershed and wildlife habitat conservation and community involvement in sustainable food production.

Jessica Vecchia is the Co-Founder and Co-Director of Roots Rising. She served as the Director of Alchemy Initiative for ten years, where she helped launch the Pittsfield Farmers Market in 2013. Over the years as market manager, she transformed the market into a vibrant community hub. With the belief that everyone in our community should have access to fresh, healthy food, she created Market Match, a nutrition incentive program for low-income residents. Jessica studied social work both in the U.S. and abroad and holds a Masters Degree in nonprofit management from The New School.

The Mount is a Massachusetts Cultural Council UP designated organization welcoming participants of all disabilities. Please contact The Mount at 413-551-5100 or by email, info@edithwharton.org, to discuss accommodations needed to participate fully in this event.