by Paula D.
on December 30, 2021 10:06 am in Recipes
I worked at Marzullo’s Bakery on Long Island when I was 16 years old. Marzullo was one of those tough Italian types. I felt intimidated by him at that young age. But I respected him and learned a lot from Tony.
He was an incredible cook and baker. Sometimes he’d make us lunch in the back kitchen. I’ll never forget this linguine with clam sauce. It was absolutely, perfectly delicious. Other times Tony insisted that I test out foods and pastries he was experimenting with. You just didn’t say no to him. This kind of employer / employee relationship probably would not be accepted in today’s world!
Besides picking up cooking techniques from him, Marzullo taught me a lot about cleaning. Afterall, it was one of my main job responsibilities. And Italians like everything spotless. I have one memory in particular about cleaning that is very vivid. I had just started working there. I was mopping the floor before closing. Tony came from behind the counter with his arms flailing in the air screaming, “Gagootz, Gagootz!!!” There was a glaze of muddy water all over the floor and I couldn’t get it up. He grabbed the mop from me. I had never used one of those yellow mop buckets where it has that squeegee mechanism. With a scowl, he aggressively started mopping, showing me the correct way, while intermittently yelling things in Italian. I learned fast that day.
Gagootz, if you’re wondering, is Italian slang for “crazy in the head” or “squash for brains.”
I bring these memories up because the other day at Ciro’s Pastry Shop (415 Beach 129th St), I saw semolina bread and it reminded me of my time at Marzullo’s Bakery. Tony got his bread from his guy in Brooklyn but nonetheless, it was always fresh and delicious. My mother always made me bring a loaf home for dinner.
In Tony’s honor, I wanted to enjoy a loaf of semolina for its taste, in a simple way. I decided to make garlic bread. Fresh herbs and roasted garlic can take bread to another level. And what’s better than bread and butter? I think Tony would approve this recipe, give it a try!
Herb Buttered Garlic Bread
Ingredients:
1 loaf semolina bread
1 stick soften butter
Fresh basil, oregano and chives (or other preferred herbs)
1-2 large garlic bulbs
Salt and fresh ground pepper
Marinara sauce for dipping (optional)
Directions:
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Preheat the oven to 400 degrees. Peel the papery part off the garlic. Cut 1/4 inches of the tip off the garlic bulb. Rub the bulb with olive oil and enclose it in a piece of tinfoil, cut end up. If you’d like to roast several bulbs at once, use a muffin pan. It works so well! Don’t forget to cover the top with foil. Roast for 35-40 minutes. Let the carmelized garlic cool to the touch. Then gently remove the garlic cloves from the skin.
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Chop the herbs. Slice the bread and liberally butter both sides of the semolina. Smear the roasted garlic on top of the butter. Add the chopped herbs, salt and pepper.
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Carefully join the two halves of bread and enclose in tinfoil. Set the oven to 250 degrees and place the bread in for 25 min. Serve with a side of marinara!
by Paula D.
on December 30, 2021 9:44 am in Gifts
Little known fact, I’m obsessed with the classic sitcom Frasier. I’ve watched all 11 seasons at least five times. Honestly, I lost count. One episode that pops in my head often is called Selling Out (season 1, episode 9). Frasier signs with Bulldogs’s agent, the fierce Bebe Claser. She persuades him to accept commercial endorsements but Frasier, being Frasier, is confronted with an ethical issue. He doesn’t feel comfortable endorsing a product he hasn’t experienced and enjoyed. To deal with this conundrum, he tests out the advertiser’s products to determine if he will promote them on his radio program.
While my influencer status is smaller-scale compared to Dr. Frasier Crane, I feel similarly to his views on endorsement. All of the businesses, makers, or events I’ve written and advocated for over the years are people and products I truly believe in. And I feel it’s important to share that information with our community to assist our small businesses and push growth from within.
On that note, I’d like to introduce you to Omyst (OM). This product is an all natural, organic herbal first aid spray. Its healing and antibacterial properties are derived from 100% organically grown, ethically foraged plants: calendula, yarrow, plantain, and wild roses. The spray treats cuts, burns, bug bites, acne, rashes, sutures, scrapes, tattoo care and more.
Over the summer I had an incident. A bottle broke on the cement and a large piece of glass cut my leg. I had to get 10 stitches. It was a deep gash. My friend Meredith gave me her Omyst spray and said, “Trust me, it will work better than anything you can buy at the drugstore.” She was right. I used the spray three times a day. I never developed redness around the wound or swelling. And the healing process was fast. I also believe it helped with minimal scarring. I use it for any type of skin issue now and I still have the original bottle from the summer.
OM is mindfully developed by one of our own, Noreen Mulvanerty, a long-time Rockawayite. As a mother of five, and now grandmother, she has dealt with her share of cuts and scrapes! But her knowledge goes beyond beach horseplay and falls in the playground. Noreen is a retired Family Nurse Practitioner with a degree from Georgetown University. She continued her education and passion for holistic therapy at Columbia University, where she studied botanical medicine in modern clinical practice, earning a postgraduate certificate in Chinese Medicine and AMMATherapy. Her creds are legit!
Supporting our local vendors this holiday season and year-round is vital for Rockaway to continue prospering. Follow @omystfirstaid on Instagram to learn more about this healing product and visit omyst.com to purchase last minute Omyst gift packages and other items such as soaps, body creams, and lip balm. Omyst is the perfect gift for your accident prone friend, moms with little ones or any loved one, because we all need healing care from time to time!
Photos courtesy of @omystfirstaid
I’ve been to the Rockaway Hotel many times for rooftop cocktails, seasonal markets and for dinner and luncheons. The food is top-notch and the cocktails are 5-star. Whenever I walk in the door, I feel like I’m in Manhattan for the evening, yet I’m only 10 minutes from home!
Last week I signed up for my first experience at the hotel – a wreath-making class hosted by Amy Febinger. Amy is a floral designer living and working in Rockaway. She creates beautiful sculptural arrangements for all occasions including weddings, corporate events, dinner parties, and other community or family events. Amy is known for her modern, romantic aesthetic but her installations are always curated for her clients’ specific needs or celebration.
I walked up the stairs and was greeted by a server offering champagne. The room was set up beautifully with flowers and greens atop large wooden tables. Unexpectedly, Amy began the event by letting all the participants introduce themselves. We were asked to say a little bit about why we were interested in the class and what we were grateful for. It set the tone for an intimate workshop where we felt relaxed and inspired.
Amy gave us a demonstration, showing us the technique. She spoke about the different flowers and greens we can choose from and how they may work well together, based on color and texture.
Everyone chose their materials and we got to work. It’s interesting, my vision for the wreath turned out completely different than what I expected. It was a wonderful little surprise. I gravitated towards bright colors and fruits rather than heavier, classic Christmas greens.
Midway through the class, crafters started walking around admiring people’s work and asking for advice or providing feedback. It was interactive and fun to meet new people with like-minded interests. My friend Jacquie, who I signed up with, went big, bold, and organic. She was inspired by some of the creations Amy featured on her IG account. I must say, everyone was commenting on how lovely and unique Jacquie’s wreath was!
I asked Amy if she planned on another wreath-making class. She said a workshop in the spring and mid-summer was very likely.
I had such a wonderful day, the most fun I’ve had in months actually. The holiday season can be difficult or stressful for many. Taking the time to do something for yourself is so important. I’m grateful for people like Amy Febinger who follow their passion and in turn, give that light and enthusiasm back to our community.
Support local businesses this holiday season and visit bourgeonflowers.com for floral arrangement gifts. Follow @bourgeonflowers on Instagram to view Amy’s breathtaking designs. And make sure to check out The Rockaway Hotel’s happenings page (herockawayhotel.com/happenings) to find out about upcoming events!
