Page 23 - Valley Table- Winter 2025

PHOTOS (LEFT TO RIGHT) COURTESY OF ROSIE GENERAL; BY CATSKILL IMAGE
gingham-wrapped jams. For
those feeling overwhelmed
by the bounty, stop by on
weekends. “We’re starting to
do samplings, like at Costco,”
he says. “Come in and try
something new.”
PARACASA
391 NY-296, Hensonville
First things first: the cinnamon
rolls. For some, that’s all they
need to know about Paracasa,
the café and general store
owned by Danielle and Ely
Franko. The couple—whose
local projects include the
Hunter Houses Airbnbs,
the Henson Inn, and the
restaurant Matilda—opened
Paracasa in September 2022
ROSIE GENERAL
to provide high-quality
pantry items and light fare for
guests at their properties and
locals alike.
The shelves and cold cases
also beckon with international
nibbles—the owners are
unabashed fans of ham, with
mortadella, coppa, salami,
and other variations, sliced
to order. Other customer
favorites include pot pies and
top-notch steaks sourced from
Highland Hollow Farm, up the
road in Schoharie.
For adventurous eaters,
Paracasa doesn’t disappoint:
There’s umeboshi (Japanese
pickled plum paste); kelp
salsa; Scotch Bonnet hot
sauce; and (yes) tinned fish.
Paracasa stocks housewares
as well, including a rainbow
of taper candles and vintage
candlesticks, perfect for
warming up long winter nights.
ROSIE GENERAL
39 Broadway, Kingston
Located on a busy corner in
Kingston’s historic waterfront
ROSIE GENERAL
district, Rosie General is
a family labor of love. It’s
shepherded by the Sasso
siblings and named after their
mom Rosie. What they’ve
created is a beautiful eatery
and shop that mixes things
up in the most delicious way.
“I got inspired after a cross-
country road trip in 2019,”
explains Anthony Sasso
(the chef and baker), “seeing
what general stores offered
and how they tied the
communities together.”
Open since May 2022, Rosie
General invites guests to grab
a seat at the curved marble
bar and have a classic Reuben
or one of their freestyle menu
items—avocado bialy, roasted
mushroom toast, or perhaps
olive oil citrus cake. Elsewhere
in the airy, tin-ceilinged space,
you’ll find a head-spinning
array of packaged and
prepared items (the same as
the kitchen uses), where
Price have created a café
and provisions shop worth
traveling to. For starters,
the couple knows a thing or
two about great coffee: They
owned cafés in Australia
before heading stateside circa
2021 and reinventing Tivoli
General in 2022.
Breakfast is always popular
(they run through 20 dozen
eggs a week), and their
sandwiches are straight-up
TIVOLI GENERAL
triple-cream
Camembert,
marinated white
beans, chimichurri
sauce, homemade
pickles, and scallion
ash await. Of that
ash, Anthony says,
“Everybody loses
their heads over it!
It’s burnt scallions mashed into
a paste with some oil and salt.”
Don’t bother calling to check
their hours, as Rosie General
proudly states: “No phone.
Old-school eat-in or to-go
only. We put everything into
this historic space and want to
enjoy it in person with you!”
TIVOLI GENERAL
54 Broadway, Tivoli
In just 500 square feet,
Andrea Shilling and Cameron
addictive, as anyone who’s
had their smashed dolmas
(stuffed grape leaves) on
focaccia can attest. The cold
case is stocked with locally
sourced eggs, bread, beer, and
meat, plus such delights as a
spiced chickpea salad. While
it’s a charming spot to sit at
the communal table and sip a
latte, it’s also a smart pitstop for
pantry staples and the owners’
beloved Japanese items.
Ramen, panda-shaped cookies,
sodas, and condiments have
pride of place.
On occasion, Tivoli General
is open late on Fridays and
Saturdays for drinks and light
bites. Yes, the space may be
petite, but it plays a big role
in the life of the increasingly
popular hamlet—which, after
all, is what makes a general
store tick.
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