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PHOTO: Doug and Jeanna Stewart and son Hank, from Westbrook, traveled to Turner’s Nezinscot Farm for breakfast after hearing the news about the store and café receiving the prized James Beard Award in the American Classics category. All but little Hank enjoyed a “wonderful” breakfast sandwich. (Bill Van Tassel photo)
By Bill Van Tassel
TURNER — During my teaching career, I often made an early stop at the Nezinscot Farm Store and Café for a couple delicious, home-made doughnuts. Gloria Varney, who runs the store/café, has been honored recently, not only for those great doughnuts but also for the other foods prepared and served for healthy breakfasts and lunches in her comfortable and cordially rustic setting.
The Nezinscot Farm Store has received the Northeast Region James Beard American Classics Award — the first time a farm has received this recognition. One of a variety of James Beard honors given out each year, the American Classic Awards are bestowed to locally-owned restaurants that, in addition to great food, reflect the character of their communities.
These eating establishments must have a favorable appeal to their local customers as well as visitor from away; it has been a popular draw for many Bates College students.
Gregg and Gloria Varney bought Nezinscot farm from Gregg’s parents, Waren and Marguerite Varney, in 1987. The cafe and store became part of the dairy farm about 30 years ago. Like many farms in Maine, diversification became an important ingredient in keeping a small family farm going in a time of widespread agricultural change. Since then, the store has developed quite a following.
In fact, several years ago, a busload of Italian tourists arrived at the farm, having just visited Pineland Farms in New Gloucester. One of them declared to me, “Now this is the wonderful kind of farm we had hoped to see on our visits.”
Varney uses her home-grown vegetables and eggs in the cafe and bakery; a few years ago, she added a cheese creamery. She and her staff make all the breads, bagels, pies and other bakery sweets. The farm supplies the meat for the menu, and they make their own sausage. A large collection of organic food items fills the shelves and refrigerators. There is also a Yarn & Fiber Studio on the second floor,
where classes are occasionally held.
The James Beard Foundation also considered longevity; the Varney farm has been around for decades, growing and harvesting agricultural products as well as being the first organic farm in Maine. It sits on a hill above the Nezinscot River — an Abanak term meaning “A place to gather upon.” Twenty or more years ago, an archaeological team did just that, gathering to study the Abenaki people by worked
on a small dig just below the Varney’s cow pasture near the river bank.
The couple will have the opportunity to travel to Chicago in June to be formally recognized.
About James Beard:
James Beard was a world-renowned American chef featured in a 1954 New York Times piece, The Dean of American Cookery. Born in Portland, Ore., in 1903, he briefly attended college, leaving to travel with a theatrical group and study voice.
After spending several years in Europe pursuing this interest, he returned to the United State and found he needed to supplement his income.
In 1937 he opened a catering business called Hors D’Oeuvre, Inc. and soon realized food and cooking were his future. By 1940 he had published his first cookbook, “Hors D’Oeuvre and Canapés.” Other books followed.
Over the next few years, he set up canteens in port cities around the world for the United Seamen’s Service. After the war, Beard pursued culinary arts and, in 1946 hosted his own 15-minute cooking show “I Love to Eat.”
Beard continued with his cookbooks and writing for magazines. Eventually, he became a consultant to restaurateurs and started his own restaurant on Nantucket. In 1955 he opened the James Beard Cooking School, teaching cooking and sharing his message of good food made with fresh (often local) ingredients, presentation and fun.
When he died in 1985, renowned chef Julia Child suggested something should be done to honor his legacy. After successful fundraising for Child’s idea, the James Beard Foundation was formed. His townhouse was purchased and made a center for culinary arts.
The Foundation also established an award system in 1998 where restaurants of all types are visited, evaluated using Beard’s criteria and winners ultimately receiving awards.
