by Paula D.
on February 25, 2025 6:23 am in Food
Juicy roasted tomatoes, zesty green tapenade, and creamy ricotta.
It’s been a while since I shared a solid recipe post. Last week, I whipped up this Italian treat to perfectly accompany the wonderful sourdough from Rockaway Bread I’ve been buying weekly. Plus, I realized I was not eating enough olives. Ingesting them promotes a sense of inner peace. (the olive branch effect).
This Mediterranean dish is versatile, serving as an appetizer or a satisfying main course. I highly recommend using high-quality olive oil to elevate the flavors. And as always, I’ll push my fav, Colavita — some things are worth your hard-earned shekels.
Ingredients:
(Serves 2, 4 as Appetizer)
For The Green Tapenade:
1/2 cup pitted green olives
1 tbsp. capers (not heaping)
1-2 cloves garlic
1/2 lemon, juiced
A healthy pinch of pecorino romano
Black pepper to taste
2 tbsp. extra virgin olive oil
For The Tomatoes:
12 Campari tomatoes (or whichever looks ripe), quartered
2 tablespoons balsamic vinegar
1 tablespoon sugar
A pinch of basil flakes
Salt and pepper to taste
The Other Stuff:
15 oz container of Polly-O Ricotta
Rockaway Bread
Directions:
- Take the ricotta out of the fridge ahead of time. The cheese should be at room temperature for serving.
- Quarter the tomatoes. If you buy a different variety, cut them to about 1 inch. Heat the oil in a pan on the stovetop and drop in the tomatoes. Season with salt, pepper and basil flakes. Cook on high for 3min. Add the balsamic and then reduce the heat. Cook until the tomatoes break down, about 8 min.
- Prepare the olive tapenade by combining all the ingredients in a food processor. Let this mixture sit for at least a half hour so the flavors infuse. The longer the better. You can make this in advance.
- Plate the meal. Place the ricotta in the center of a serving dish and top with the olive tapenade letting some of the oil drip on the ricotta. Arrange the tomatoes around the ricotta in three sections, and fill in the remaining spaces with bread. Have fun with plating—it’s a creative thing!
by Paula D.
on February 25, 2025 6:19 am in Food
Non-organic: $0.70 to $1.00 per lb. Organic bananas: $1.00 and $1.30 per lb. About five bananas.
We were in Puerto Rico and needed to eat something before a 3-hour session at Wilderness. We thought the roadside stand was a smoothie shack, but it turned out to be a fruit stand, and the only eat-on-the-go fruit there was bananas.
Before surfing, you don’t want to eat a lot, but you need something—especially for a long session with drift and chest-high waves.
Can we eat more than one banana?
I love bananas so much, but my whole life I was told—or at least thought—that you can only eat one banana a day because bananas will “back you up.” I started to wonder, is this even true or is it a wives’ tale? It’s strange—I never thought to look it up until this moment on the dusty road at 7 a.m. in Puerto Rico. I wanted that second banana so badly.
The answer: you can eat two bananas a day! Unripe bananas can cause digestive issues and constipation because they contain more starch and are harder to digest, although there are no studies that say bananas cause constipation. All these years??! Very ripe bananas, on the other hand, can actually help relieve constipation because they contain a good amount of soluble fiber, which absorbs water in your gut and softens stools, making them easier to pass. The takeaway: bananas may improve or worsen constipation depending on their level of ripeness. Fascinating.
Remember though, a balanced diet is best, so don’t go bananas with the bananas now that you can eat more than one a day.
Another banana-related thing—I’m not sure if it’s just me or many of us—but the dilemma of buying organic bananas vs. non-organic ones seems more stressful than making other organic choices. I’ve had to be really “thrifty” the past few years. So I’m in tune with this. And maybe it’s because, in Key Food, the side-by-side display with the big price sign screams, “Which matters more: your financial wellness or your physical wellness.”
Organic means that food is grown without synthetic fertilizers, pesticides, or genetically modified organisms. All those things are bad, so it appears we should always opt for organic. It also seems unfair that there is a price point on our health based on economics. Non-organic bananas range from $0.70 to $1.00 per pound (about five bananas), and organic bananas cost $1.00 and $1.30 per pound. Take it for what it’s worth…
Other interesting facts about bananas:
- The word “banana” comes from the Arabic word “banan”, which means “finger”… checks.
- Surf fuel: bananas are a great pre-workout snack because they’re high in potassium, which helps nerve and muscle function.
- On Nov. 8, 2024, during a media preview at Sotheby’s, a banana duct-taped to a wall, titled “Comedian” was displayed and auctioned off—selling for $6.2M after six minutes of bidding to a cryptocurrency entrepreneur, which turned it into a viral sensation. The buyer eventually ate the banana in Hong Kong.
- Bananas were first imported to the U.S. in the 1870s. At the first World’s Fair (1876), bananas wrapped in tin foil were sold for ten cents each to curious shoppers (good price). Within a few years, they became a common street food.
- Banana peels are exceptionally slippery due to their low-friction surface—a phenomenon that earned researcher scientists an Ig Nobel Prize in Physics. So yeah, bananas are slippery, don’t find yourself with one foot on the banana peel.
Source: healthline.com, todayifoundout.com, nbcnews.com
We’re in the icy heart of Rockaway Winter. And it’s a good thing. Every year – 10 years now – I enjoy the winter more and more here. It’s a time to rest and recharge and be kind to our bodies. It’s time to plan our goals. It’s a time to connect with friends in a more intimate way. It’s a time to catch up on the things you set aside during the active summer that were postponed because the holidays popped up so fast. It’s a time to visit the shore at dawn, just you and the water birds, and watch the beautiful winter sunrise.
To make this time of year even more awesome, there’s exciting food news I’d like to share. Part of being kind to ourselves is nourishing ourselves, right? We have four “new, underground” food things happening:
Seany’s Pizza: Imagine a deep-dish, thick, buttery crust with slightly crispy, caramelized edges, an airy dough inside, melted Vermont white cheddar, and parmesan reggiano, topped with homemade sauce. You can eat that every Sunday if you like. Seany’s Pizza, Detroit style is decadent. To-go orders are every Sunday after 5 p.m. in Rockaway Beach. Order the week before. He sells out, so get on it. DM on Instagram (@seanypizza) for the price, placing orders, and pick-up location. If you’d like to have Seany’s Pizza for a Pizza Party (!!) he’s catering too!
Edgemere Farm Eggs: An added bonus to Rockaway Bread pick-up at the Rockaway Beach spot is that sometimes there are @edgemerefarm eggs! Just Venmo using the QR code at the location. With the whole eggs shortage (so sad) situation happening, this alternative source to fair-priced, organic eggs is no yolk! To note after Feb. 12th you can purchase Edgemere Farm Eggs at Tracy’s Bakery (@rockawaybeachbakery) located at: 87-10 Rockaway Beach Blvd. through May!
Rockaway Bread: Nico the Baker is exceptionally talented, and his breads are simply irresistible. His Sunday selections include three choices of Sourdough: The Loaf, The Boule, and Focaccia. Nico’s bread is rustic with that classic tangy flavor, its all natural fermentation which is the nourishing type of bread we need to be eating. Rockaway Bread’s savory, golden crust and softened bread that sleeps inside, is just right. Bread-making is an art and science. It takes patience to create. And so, you taste the care and kindness in each bite of Rockaway Bread. Get your weekly bready buy: pick-up on Sundays. 117th Street, from 10 a.m. to 12 p.m. or porch pick-up in Rockaway Beach anytime after 1 p.m. Orders should be placed by 5 p.m. the Friday before. DM on Instagram (@rockawaybread) or email at: ncregor@gmail.com, for pricing, to place orders, and for specifics on grab-and-go. locations.
The Warehouse Market: The Warehouse Market, a beloved organic food hub, has relocated to a new spot at the corner of 99th Street and the Blvd. Find the laundromat and walk towards the bay. It’s the first door on the right. Operating throughout the winter season, the market is open: Fridays: 2 p.m. to 6 p.m., Saturdays & Sundays: 9 a.m. to 12 p.m. Each week, the market features an array of fresh produce, artisanal cheeses, and premium eats sourced from small farmers across New York City and the State. Check-in on Facebook and Instagram (@thewarehouse.market) before the weekend to see what special treats will be available!
Thank you to these culinary heroes for keeping Rockaway warmly well-fed and smiling throughout these wonderful winter months!
I was in the dollar store when I spotted a package of white paper doilies—I love them! They remind me of the Valentine’s Day cards I used to make for my mother and father in grammar school. If you fold a doily in half and cut an angled edge at the bottom, it forms a heart. Or you can find heart-shaped doilies, too. Layer construction paper and ribbon, glitter, and maybe even collage. The lacy texture feels tender and lovely—it’s wonderfully nostalgic and a personal way to tell someone you care about them.
I bought two packs of paper doilies to make Valentine’s Day cards and began to wonder about the origins of this tradition. The internet told me, crafting and card-making with paper doilies emerged in the late nineteenth century when mass manufacturing took off. I recall seeing Valentine’s Day cards from the 1950s and 1960s that featured printed doily patterns, which is an interesting twist on this tradition.
With my new paper doilies I also plan to use them when hosting. They’re perfect for protecting the dining room table, and with the vintage feel, you really can’t go wrong. It’s such an easy way to add a sweet, decorative touch that also makes a fun conversation piece.
Before the paper version there was the fabric type of course. “They must be English.” I thought. I guessed right, The term “doily” originated in 17th-century England, possibly named after a London draper named D’Oyley (or Doiley) who sold a type of ornamental fabric.
A doily was/is essentially a fancy napkin used by the upper class to protect fine clothing and furniture from spills during tea service and meals. By the 19th century, crocheted and lace doilies became especially fashionable in Victorian homes, reflecting the era’s emphasis on intricate handiwork and refined interior décor.
I have some crochet doilies that I’ve picked up from thrift stores over the years. I use them on my glass end tables in the living room for style and to hide streaks! The patterns are so beautiful—truly a special piece of history and a lost art. They remind me of snowflakes, with endless possibilities of patterns. Doilies also serve as a reminder of simpler times, when humans had the time to create beautiful things by hand, instead of buying endless things from Jeff Bezos.
Let’s set aside some time this month to make something beautiful with our hands, for someone we love, using doilies. Send me a photo of your creation and I’ll post it on theglorifiedtomato.com and share your artwork on my Instagram account: @theglorifiedtomato. Love, Paula
Source: en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Doily, hhhistory.com
