FOOD
ROB BILDNER AND
ELISA SPUNGEN
BILDNER WITH CHEF
MICHAEL BALLON
ROB BILDNER AND
ELISA SPUNGEN BILDNER:
LOCALLY-SOURCED FOOD IS TASTIEST
42
MONTCLAIR MAGAZINE HOLIDAY 2016
FARM FRESH Woven Roots Farm in Tyringham, Mass., is profiled in the
Bildners’ book about farm-to-table dining.
a farm in the Berkshires, and the field carrots were as sweet
as sugar.” Because locally farmed carrots are so flavorful, he
says, they’re quick and easy to prepare, and can be served
slightly steamed, then cooked in a pan with just butter.
A lot of the ingredients grown by the Berkshire farmers are seasonal during colder months, he points out,
including pumpkins and root vegetables. Some farmers’
markets still operate during this time of year, including
the Montclair Farmers’ Market, which will be open until
November 19. ■
BILDNERS WITH CHEF MICHAEL BALLON:
COURTESY OF STEPHEN DONALDSON;
WOVEN ROOTS FARM: COURTESY OF ROB BILDNER
For generations, the Bildners have been a local food
dynasty. Longtime resident Rob Bildner’s grandparents
launched Kings Supermarkets; his father, Alan Bildner,
grew the company significantly, focusing on higher-end,
perishable foods; and Rob started RLB Food Distributors,
suppliers of high-quality fruits, vegetables and cheeses. His
wife, Elisa Spungen Bildner, founded Freshpro, manufacturer of a food processor that chops, slices, cores and otherwise cuts up produce. Together, the two wrote a column
for Legal Times called “The Legal Gourmet.” The couple’s
four grown children are foodies, like their parents, and
two of them work in related fields: Ari recently became
general manager of the New Jersey Beer Company, and
Rafi promotes the success of family farms in Alaska.
“We’ve learned a lot from our kids,” says Elisa. “Rafi
started farming our property in the Berkshires, and it
evolved into a more environmentally sustainable garden.”
Ultimately, Rob and Elisa decided to write a farm-to-table
cookbook in collaboration with chef Brian Alberg of the
Red Lion Inn in Stockbridge, Mass. In it, they profile area
farmers, and include recipes inspired by what they grow.
“Eating locally is good because you can taste the difference,” says Rob. “Lettuce from your own garden tastes
different from the lettuce you buy in the store. We went to