IN THE KITCHEN WITH: AUSTIN CAREW

Former mayor offers recipe for baby back ribs, By Laurie Gordon Vernon — Austin Carew was born, raised and educated in New York City. He and his wife, Helen, moved to Vernon close to 40 years ago after his sister, Regina, who had built a house in Highland Lakes near her husband’s family vacation home. After working as an Art and Creative Director for an advertising agency in New York for many years, Carew opened Carew Graphics, in Manhattan, in the early 1980s. “I always had a desire to be self-employed,” he said, “When the Internet was perfected and I built up a good client base, I felt I could eliminate the daily commute to Manhattan and relocate to my hometown of Vernon. My customer base was always very diversified, my overhead manageable and with the help of my daughter Tara and son Mathew, I feel I have created a special niche of competing with larger companies throughout the country,” he said. Carew had been active in local politics for many years. He just completed a term as mayor, a challenging job he undertook in challenging timess. “When I was asked by my fellow council members to serve as mayor, our local and national economy was the worst in 85 years. We were faced with a dwindling tax base, a county mandated tax re-evaluation, which cost Vernon a million and half dollars, significant tax appeals, salary increases mandated by public contracts, a severe ice storm at a cost of $700,000, theft by our payroll company, emergency equipment repairs and interest on debt that we did not create. We were further challenged by new staff, new clerk, new attorney, new manager, new CFO, new accounting firm.” Despite all that, Carew said, “We met these challenges well. We attempted to stabilize the tax rate, maintain and improve services all without bonding.” Among the organizations council established during his time that he points to with pride, are the Beautification Committee and a Green Committee, “which we wove into our existing Environmental Commission.” He notes, as well, that Vernon “successfully engineered the first shared service contract for our health services with the county, saving the town $550,000.” Always active Over the past years, Carew has served on Vernon’s Environmental Commission, serving as its chairman. He has also served on the School Board, Planning Board, Board of Health, Economic Development, Beautification Committee, chaired the County Open Space Committee, chaired the First Aid Squad, was a member of the Board of Directors for the Chamber of Commerce and chaired the Tourism Committee. “As my term has expired as Mayor and council member, I have taken a short break from town boards and commissions,” he said, “I am still on the County and Town Chamber of Commerce, the Vernon Republican Organization, the Vernon Republican Committee and active with several scholarship committees.” Something most people may not know about Austin Carew is that he a watercolor painter. He’s also an avid hiker and a naturalist. The recipe provided by Austin Carew is one for which he has received many compliments.

Austin Carew’s Spare Ribs
Coat the racks of baby back ribs with Kosher or sea salt.
Use a rack that allows the ribs to stand up vertically. Sit rack into roasting pan filled with about half inch of beer. Cook on a low barbecue setting, (325 degrees) for about 1 hour 45 minutes. Take off grill, cut ribs apart, coat with honey, teriyaki sauce, black pepper and a very light dusting of salt.Cook at a medium setting directly on grill until crispy (about 7 minutes). Take off grill and “Invite me over.”