KINGSTON, N.Y. — Connecting people through food is what Rebecca Miller Ffrench craves.
The 51-year-old Phoenicia woman is the proprietor of The Upstate Table, a cakery and culinary studio tucked into the refurnished Fuller Shirt factory building on Pine Grove Avenue in Kingston.
“I have a deep passion for connecting people to information, food, ideas, and each other,” Ffrench, who bought a home in Phoenicia in 1999 and maintains a place in New York City, said in an email. “A resident of the Catskills for over 20 years, I have dreamed of a place upstate where I could bring people together.”
“Always ripe to throw a dinner party at any given time, I have witnessed firsthand the connections that can be made over a meal,” Ffrench said. “The fare need not be fancy nor the table pristinely set — in my mind, gatherings are about what we can learn and what we can share. And so my recent venture, The Upstate Table, evolved.”
Ffrench, a cookbook author, recipe developer, and events planner, has 22 years of experience at companies such as Martha Stewart Living Omnimedia and Conde Nast, with a particular focus on food and marketing.
She studied culinary nutrition at The Natural Gourmet Institute, taught in top cooking schools, contributed to national publications, and has appeared on national television shows like “Good Morning America” and NBC’s Emmy award-winning “Naturally Danny Seo.” She has written and co-/ghost written eight cookbooks, including the most recent, “The Complete Vegan,” published in 2019.
The Upstate Table was launched in 2016.
“Inspired by our life in the Catskills — mornings on the front porch, days in the garden, nights around the table — we started hosting pop-up dinners and events in the area,” the company website said. “These gatherings led us to dream of a permanent home we could make ours, one where we could continually welcome guests and share our love for upstate living with a focus on food and community.”
The Upstate Table, which now occupies 750 square feet at the Fuller building, specializes in large wedding cases, starting at about $10 a person.
“Our Kingston brick-and-mortar studio is the evolution of (a) dream, a space that embodies the spirit, passion and creativity that surrounds us daily,” the website said.
Ffrench says that the Fuller building “has brought together many creatives in the area, it’s such a wonderful place to work and has created opportunities amongst the tenants that otherwise may not have developed.”The culinary studio plays host to events, starting at $750. It is also a place where cooking workshops are offered up for about $95 a person. The workshops start on Friday, Sept. 24.
“Our goal is to provide an inviting milieu where home cooks of all races, colors, religions, sexual orientations, and gender identities feel comfortable exploring new foods and ideas,” the website said. “Our pantry is a global one, and we aim to support all cultures and flavors, sharing our experiences and encouraging you to share yours.”
“We offer cooking workshops and collaborative events that are inspired by our love of a delicious meal, our community, and area farms, makers and their goods,” the website said.
Ffrench, a mother of two daughters, has a difficult time coming up with her favorite things to make.
“It’s like asking if I have a favorite child,” Ffrench said. “Baking is a creative outlet, making doughs is different from batters, and each is satisfying in their own right.”
“I enjoy the science of yeast doughs, how the smallest changes can affect the outcomes, the physicality of kneading and stretching,” Ffrench said. “Cookie doughs allow creativity in ingredients. Batters create many things, including cakes, which are so fun to build and decorate.”
The webpage says The Upstate Table also draws inspiration from local growers.
“Our meals at The Upstate Table are made with the same love and care we take when feeding our own families,” the website said. “We are greatly inspired by local farms and what we find at the weekly outdoor markets, allowing the seasons to dictate our menus.”
“I’m progressively focusing on the cultivation of home cooking using those foodstuffs, preparing meals together, then sitting down to enjoy them,” Ffrench said. “I strongly believe personal connection is so extremely important to our well-being.”
Kale, Roasted Beet and Edamame Salad
By Rebecca Miller Ffrench, from the “Whole Protein Vegetarian Cookbook”
Light and hearty is how I would describe this salad, but isn’t that seemingly a contradiction of terms? It’s light because the edamame and pistachios add a freshness that balances the satiatingly sweet roasted beets and robust kale leaves, which are made tender by rubbing them together with oil. Massaging the dressing into the leaves also deepens the flavors. The result: a salad that leaves you content without feeling weighed down.
Serves 4
3 beets, washed and peeled, cut into 1-inch dice
1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil
¼ teaspoon kosher salt
1 medium bunch curly kale, rinsed, dried and ribs removed
1 cup shelled edamame, steamed
4 scallions, white part only, chopped
1 cup shelled pistachios, roughly chopped
For the dressing:
1/3 cup extra-virgin olive oil
1 tablespoon balsamic vinegar
1 tablespoon tamari
1 teaspoon Dijon mustard
1 teaspoon honey
1 garlic clove, peeled and minced
1 tablespoon minced shallot
½ teaspoon kosher salt
1/4 teaspoon freshly ground pepper
Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Spread the diced beet evenly on a baking sheet. Sprinkle the beets with 1 tabelspoon olive oil and salt and spread out again. Place in the preheated oven and roast for 20 to 25 minutes, tossing once if necessary. When the beets are tender, remove from the oven and set aside.
Meanwhile, make the dressing. Combine the ingredients for the dressing in a small jar with a lid and shake or stir with a fork until combined, cover and set aside.
To assemble the salad, cut the kale leaves into bite-size pieces and place in a large salad bowl.
Pour about three-quarters of the dressing on the leaves and start to massage them, rubbing them together. After a few minutes, you will feel the leaves soften and even notice that they’re a brighter green.
When you’ve gotten to this point, add the roasted beet, edamame, green onions, and pistachios. Add the rest of the dressing and toss. Season with more salt pepper if needed.
