by Paula D.
on March 8, 2021 3:25 pm in Memories
Like many Italians in the late ’50s, my grandparents moved out of Brooklyn (Bed-Stuy) to “The Island.” Well, not exactly the island. They moved to Bellerose, Queens in 1957. My father was 11 years old. It must have been a big change from playing outside on Nostrand Ave.
My grandfather Mickey followed his brothers there – Uncle Dick, Babe, Pasqual, Severne and Aunt Rosie, and Marie. He doesn’t know why the family picked this particular area of Queens. My father tells me that Bellerose at the time was mostly German. They lived on 241st Street off of Jamaica Ave. and that’s where my Grandmother Pauline stayed the rest of her life (besides some elaborate travel), a single mom of two. My grandfather passed away at the age of 42. I never met him.
Before his passing, my father remembers his dad would spend time with the neighbors next door. He can’t recall the husband’s name but the wife’s name was Hazel. And Hazel’s extended family also lived there. They’d drink German beer on the stoop on the weekends, becoming good friends.
Hazel was the last in the household to pass away of cancer some years later. My father recalls when relatives came to clean out the house next door, a man approached him and gave him two lamps. It seemed odd to my father because he was only around 14 years old at the time. He brought them inside to his mother and that’s where they stayed until my father took them when my grandmother passed away in 2005.
Both lamps were quite unique. One was made of wood. It was circular and it had a man and a woman also carved in it. Unfortunately, it broke a while back, my father told me.
The other is now the one that I possess and adore. My father gave it to me when we bought our home in Rockaway in 2014. He knew I admired it. The base is brass and the glass bowl lamp is hand-painted. The unique feature is that the rose painting is on the underside of the glass. The outside has a texture. It’s dark green, dull and uninteresting when the light is off. When the light is turned on though, it glows magnificently like stained glass church windows. My father said it has to be at least 100 years old. The brass base was painted silver when Hazel’s family gave it to him. My father refurbished it to its natural glory decades ago but you can still see a tiny bit of paint by the lightbulb socket. He believes since brass is hard to clean, someone thought to paint it. “What a sin!” he said to me.
As I always do, I wanted to find out more about this treasure. There’s no brand marking. But there are two lamps on eBay that have distinct similarities. And one is selling for $5,499. That brand is the Handel Company (1885–1936). The factory was in Meriden, Connecticut, and they had a showroom in NYC. While many were making these fashionable lamps in that period, this company was esteemed as the best, for their hand-painted artistry.
Maybe mine is a knock-off of the time or maybe the Handel name and number signature wore away. Regardless, this lamp will always be special to me. I will keep it my whole life. And after I’m gone, the journey of this lamp will continue and give beauty and light to another. Just as it did for Hazel, my grandmother, my father, and myself.
by Paula D.
on February 6, 2021 8:07 am in Cats / DIY
My family has always been savvy thrifters. After all, my father was one of New York’s Strongest for 35 years, and he was always looking for hidden treasures “on the job,” so it’s in my blood.
As a kid, my dad would take me to various junk shops but our favorite, “upscale” place was St. Vincent De Paul. It’s close to our house, just a town over in Garden City Park. I don’t get there much any more, but my father still goes regularly in search of a great deal. He’ll look for stuff I “need” and call from the store, “They got a great set of red wine glasses, real cheap, do you want’em?” He knows my style and anything red to match my kitchen I usually take.
The other day when I saw him he looked excited, “I got something for you! I think it’s worth money, look it up on the internet.” Part of the game is to find thrifted items that are expensive and then we try to resell it for a profit. Back in the day my father sold to his “Junk Lady” Ruthy; now my sister does it on Ebay. My fathers has been doing this his whole life and that extra cash adds up. His junk finds paid for my art classes in high school and stuff like expensive sneakers and Cavaricci’s I wanted for Christmas.
He handed me a miniature black cat figurine. The face is so unique looking, I see why he picked it up. It’s not exactly a cat’s face– it’s more human or frog-like. My father taught me as a kid to look for labels and engravings. The cat has a label “Part of a range of images of Ireland paying tribute to its culture and heritage, Island Turf Crafts have re-created these images in turf cut from Irish bog lands… made in Ireland.
This was intriguing to both of us. I took to the internet to research my new treasure. My black cat was in fact lucky – The Lucky Bog Cat of Ireland. I’ve never heard about this or the Irish bogslands for that matter. Legend goes…
“Ireland’s bogland was once home to the much sought after black bog cat which was said to roam the vast bogland near the shores of Lough Neagh. It was larger than the usual cat and lived on insects and small animals, and was said to bring luck and great wealth and happiness to those whose path it crossed. Similar stories are told about a large black cat seen in the boglands in midland Ireland and with its intelligent cunningness always evaded capture.”
Google said my cat was worth 12 euros. My father got it for a buck. I told him it wasn’t worth much but that it was lucky and would bring us money and happiness. He laughed! It’s so interesting to me that Ireland is known for the lucky shamrock and apparently … the lucky bog cat. Is this common knowledge to Irish folks?
I read further about the boglands of Ireland. They’re wetlands that accumulate peat, a deposit of dead plant material including mosses. Most bogs form where the water at the ground level is acidic and low in nutrients. Boglands have very specific biodiversity and numerous wetlands throughout the world are environmentally projected by the government.
For centuries Irish bogland has played an intrical part of life and culture. Every farmer and most every family’s rural home had their own turf bank (another name for peat fossil fuel). Irish turf was dug from the bogs, dried and used as fuel for cooking food and heating. It is still used today but less so with a push for green energy. In 2018 dozens of factory bogland closed. Many in Ireland felt it was an “end of an era.”
What I love about thrift store finds is that they unfold a little mystery and can teach you something you didn’t know about before.
If you have a story about the Irish Bog Cat or more information on its symbolism I would like to hear from you. Email me here.
Reference: https://houseofcladdagh.com, https://en.wikipedia.org, http://www.bbc.co.uk/
by Paula D.
on February 1, 2021 7:58 am in Recipes
I’m in Key Food and I spot these gorgeous, bright purple Chinese eggplants. I had to buy them simply for their beauty. I had no recipe in mind but I knew I’d figure something out. Oftentimes that’s actually how I shop. I pick the best produce by sight and touch. It’s a fun little challenge too – figuring out what recipe to make with my random purchases.
I unpacked the groceries and snapped a picture of the lovely eggplants for Instagram. I captioned, “What should I make with these?” Several people responded. My friend Kevin Kushner, (who is an excellent cook and grill master btw), suggested a recipe from pickledplum.com, classic and easy Chinese eggplant with garlic sauce. “It’s incredible.” He said. Incredible and easy was enough to convince me.
Most of us think eggplant equals Italian food. Or at least that’s what us Italians think. Eggplant is believed to originate from India and has been cultivated in southern and eastern Asia since prehistory. The first written record of the plant is found in Qimin Yaoshu, an ancient Chinese agricultural text from 544 C.E. In the middle ages, melanzana (Italian for eggplant) was widely grown in Arabic countries and the Mediterranean.
There are countless cultivars of eggplant in different sizes and shapes. Japanese eggplant and Chinese eggplant can be hard to distinguish. They have a similar elongated shape. The difference is, Chinese eggplant is bright purple, whereas Japanese eggplant is darker purple or ink colored. And sometimes Japanese eggplant is longer.
The fleshy texture of all eggplant and mild flavor makes this fruit perfect for meals with rich sauces. Other favorites made with eggplant besides eggplant parmesan are, BBQ grilled, stir fry, stuffed eggplant and smoked roasted eggplant dip or baba ganoush.
Chinese Eggplant With Garlic Sauce
Ingredients:
2–3 long Japanese or Chinese eggplant, sliced in half lengthwise and chopped
2 tablespoons peanut oil
4 large cloves garlic, peeled and minced
1 tablespoon ginger, peeled and minced
2–3 Chinese dried red chilis, chopped
4 scallions, finely chopped on the bias
For the sauce:
2 tablespoons soy sauce
2 teaspoons granulated sugar
1 tablespoon chinkiang vinegar
1 tablespoon shaoxing wine or dry sherry
1 teaspoon sesame oil
Note: I couldn’t find chinkiang vinegar, a good substitute is rice vinegar. I also couldn’t find Chinese dried red chilis so I used a half fresh chilli pepper. Double the sauce amount if you’re serving with rice or another starch.
Directions:
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Whisk all the ingredients for the sauce into a bowl and set aside.
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In a large pan over medium high heat, add 1 tablespoon peanut oil and eggplant. Stir fry for a few minutes (about 5 minutes) until the sides are golden brown and the center is tender.
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Transfer eggplant to a plate and add remaining 1 tablespoon peanut oil to the pan. Add garlic, ginger, red chilis and cook for 1 minute.
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Add eggplant and scallions, toss and pour the sauce. Stir fry for 1 minute, until all the vegetables are coated.
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Turn the heat off and serve with white, brown rice for low carb tofu.
This was my first time making Chinese garlic sauce so I followed the recipe closely. The main takeaway is adding the sauce at the very end to avoid soggy eggplant. And make sure your pan is hot. It was very easy to make and only took 30 minutes from start to finish.
To my excitement, it tasted like … real Chinese food – salty, sweet and sour, yet it felt less “heavy” than Chinese takeout. The garlic was strong and I like heat so I added a nice amount of the chili for that good ol’ punch! As an accompaniment, I bought bean threads (thin noodles) because they looked interesting and it ended up working really well.
Give this one a try, it won’t disappoint!
Reference: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Eggplant
by Paula D.
on January 25, 2021 10:56 am in Recipes
On New Year’s Eve I made a decadent tray of ziti. I put the cheesy videos on Instagram stories. Several people messaged me asking for the recipe. I gave them some quick pointers because I don’t have a recipe written down.
To elaborate, I want to share my secrets to a delicious ziti here. And I’ll say, it’s more about these tips than it is about following a recipe to the measurement.
The Sauce: It’s easy to make a good sauce if you throw a piece of pork or sausage in the pot. The true skill comes with traditional vegetarian marinara. Colavita extra virgin olive oil is one of my secrets. Start the garlic and onions in that (and use a lot of everything). Make sure the pot is hot first (2-3 min.) Many home cooks forget that starting off with a high temperature is key to prevent sticking and burning.
I like a little texture in my sauce – I use two diced cans of Sclafani and two puree.
It’s all about the spices – fresh sprigs are preferred but use what you have especially now in the winter. Here’s what I do – salt, black pepper, red pepper, oregano, basil, thyme. If I have it in, I’ll add capers (and use less salt). I add red wine and/or sugar to taste. Some form of sugar is important to cut the bitterness. I add lots of Pecorino Romano. The block of cheese somehow tastes better than the pre-grated. And this is my big secret – black cured Moroccan olives. It gives the sauce meaty richness.
The Pasta: Al dente! The ziti must be a little hard because it still has to cook in the oven. A common mistake is over cooking pasta and it becomes too mushy, breaking apart in the tray. Always salt the water.
The Cheese: Use plenty of cheese and never use part-skim. You’re making ziti – it’s not a low calorie meal, so just go for it. For one tray (1 pound pasta) I use one 16 oz. Polly-O mozzarella. I put chunks of mozzarella mixed in with the pasta and sauce and layer the rest on top. For the top layer, cut the cheese thin and add many layers overlapping. Also add, three heaping scoops of Polly-O ricotta. And again … a bunch of Pecorino Romano. Make sure the mixture of cheese/ pasta / sauce is very fluid. The pasta will absorb this mixture and if you don’t use enough of everything, it will dry out.
The Oven: Don’t overcook the tray. My oven, which is a convection, gets very hot, fast. I cook the tray of ziti for 30min covered with tin foil. Take off the foil for the last 5 min. to get a little crispness on the edges. If you’re unsure of the time, just open the oven and take a peek at the cheese. It should be melted and bubbling only a little bit.
Serve: I mention “don’t overcook” because when you take the tray out of the oven, the pasta and cheese is still cooking. Wait 5 minutes before serving. Drizzle additional olive oil on the top of the ziti before bringing it to table. So important – always have extra sauce and Pecorino when serving.
Follow me on Instagram for the day-to-day in the kitchen – @theglorifiedtomato
