by Paula D.
on June 18, 2019 9:02 am in Community
Book 1: Friday night my husband and I drove to The Strand in the East Village. I walked into the bookstore and remembered how much I loved browsing the aisles in college. I could’ve spent hours looking around but we headed upstairs for my friend Amber Scorah’s book reading.
Her memoir, entitled Leaving the Witness, begins with her undercover work in China, proselytizing as a Jehovah’s Witness. While there, she begins to question her faith and ultimately leaves the organization. Her family and friends shun her. Amber, alone, starts a new life in NYC. Her story continues with the unimaginable loss of her baby and how she struggles with this tremendous burden without having a religion to look to for answers.
Amber has been on the The Daily Show with Trevor Noah and on NPR, promoting her book. She’s written on various websites such as nytimes.com, believermag.com and theglobeandmail.com about her memoir.
I can’t imagine the courage it has taken for my friend to pen her story. I’m so proud of her! You can order Leaving the Witness by Amber Schorah on amazon.com.
Book 2: Saturday I randomly stopped by Avoid The Day – the pop-up bookstore located at 211 Beach 90th St., Rockaway Beach. It’s so lovely. The space is open but feels inviting with couches, tables and rugs – the perfect place to avoid the day, truly. The main table showcased Rockaway-centric books. Coffee and wine were for sale (My kind of place!). I spoke with Jianna Heuer, who’s venture, along with her husband, has been a longtime dream. The pop-up is just the beginning, their goal is to have a permanent brick and mortar. Jianna and I were chatting about how much fun it would be to have a women’s book club / wine night events. I picked up Patti Smith’s book Just Kids. It’s been on my reading list for a while and now I finally have a copy and thus, no excuse. Be sure to check out Avoid The Day pop-up bookstore this weekend and show your support.
Book 3: Sunday, I went to the Jamaica Bay Wildlife Refuge Center for the art exhibit and book reading of The Horseshoe Crab’s Crown. The children’s book is written by Heather Feather and illustrated by Valentina Gallup, both Rockaway ladies. The room was so crown-ed! Valentina’s artwork lined the walls and the watercolors are beautiful. I love the bright colors and intricate brush strokes. People were walking around with horseshoe crab “crowns” on their heads. In one corner, there was a table where you had the opportunity to write down your first experience seeing the prehistoric creature. I bought a book for my niece but now I want to keep if for myself! Heather read while Valentina turned the pages of an extra large version of the book. The children gather up front and the adults stood in the back. We all watched each page turn, to reveal another underwater wonder.
If you missed the exhibit, it’s open for another two months. You can order the children’s book, The Horseshoe Crab’s Crown and learn more about the project online here – horseshoecrabscrown.com.
by Paula D.
on June 9, 2019 5:40 pm in Food
I have two quick and easy recipes to share with you. They’re perfect accompaniments for your summer BBQ.
The first is my fiesta corn. It’s a spin-off of a spiced corn I had at PICO a while back. (419 Beach 129th St, Belle Harbor). It’s best to buy corn from a farmstand or from a farmers market (ahem… Edgemere Farm). Maize loses its sweetness rapidly after harvest so the sooner it goes from the farm to your table the better flavor it will have. Choose corn that is in bright green husks and check for a stem that is still moist. Look out for blemishes or wormholes! Here’s what you’ll need for this sweet and spicy treat.
Fiesta Corn on the Cob
(serves 6)
Ingredients:
6 pieces of corn
4 tablespoons butter
Salt
Black pepper
Cayenne pepper
Romano cheese
(Sprinkle to taste as far as spice measurements go)
Directions: Put the corn on the top cooking rack of your BBQ grill in the husk. Cook for about 20 minutes. You can also bring the corn to a boil on the stove top. Let it cool for 10 minutes. Peel back the husks. You can leave them on for a “handle” or take the husk off, whichever you prefer. Liberally rub the butter on the corn. Lay the cob on a platter and sprinkle all the spices and cheese. Rotate and sprinkle again. Corn is tasty alone but with extra spice pizzazz you turn the normal into something extra special that you’re backyard BBQ guests will enjoy.
The next summer side recipe I’m recommending is seasoned watermelon with mint, lemon and salt! You may be a little hesitant to try this but I assure you it’s delicious. There’s a big debate on whether to salt melon or not. I’m pro-salt. My friend Dave introduced me to seasoning melon a few summers ago and I’ve been hooked since. A little salt brings out the flavor and sweetness. Add a healthy amount of mint and lemon and you’ve created something from nothing in a matter of minutes. The combination is so refreshing in the summer heat.
An interesting aside – did you know that the whole watermelon is edible? The rind is packed with nutrients, and in China the rind is stir-fried or stewed. Watermelons are part of the gourd family and in the Middle East, the seeds are dried and roasted, as we do with pumpkins. In the southern parts of the United States, where watermelon grows in abundance, the rind is pickled. I’m feeling another watermelon recipe column happening from these interesting facts!
Here’s what you need for the Minted Watermelon recipe.
Ingredients: (serves 6)
1/2 watermelon
½ cup diced mint and a sprig for garnish
Salt to taste
1 lemon
Directions: Cube the watermelon and toss in a bowl with salt, diced mint, and lemon. Serve chilled. That’s it!
by Paula D.
on June 5, 2019 9:18 am in Food
Garlic has been a part of my life since I can recall smelling. It was “the aroma of the home”. When I was about 10 years old, my mother showed me how to chop and slice it THIN. I take garlic for granted I suppose. It’s like water, a necessity to life! Maybe that’s why I’ve never thought to write about this precious culinary ingredient, until now.
The thought came about when I heard that my friend Diane Cardwell, also a member of the Beach 91st Street Community Garden, planted garlic over winter and had a successful harvest this month! It’s easy to grow in our zone 7. You plant the cloves flat side down in autumn, a month before the frost. It’s harvested in late spring. Just take care to plant it deep – 6-8 inches. This is to prevent the cloves from freezing. When they thaw, it can cause mold or rot. I have to plant garlic this autumn – #gardengoals.
Garlic is the cousin to the onion, shallot, leek and chive. There are over 120 cultivars. It’s origins are not from the Garlic is everything. It’s been a part of my life since I can recall smelling. It was “the aroma of the home”. When I was about 10 years old, my mother showed me how to chop and slice it THIN. I take garlic for granted I suppose. It’s like water, a necessity to life! Maybe that’s why I’ve never thought to write about this precious culinary ingredient, until now.
The thought came about when I heard that my friend Diane Cardwell, also a member of the Beach 91st Street Community Garden, planted garlic over winter and had a successful harvest this month! It’s easy to grow in our zone 7. You plant the cloves flat side down in autumn, a month before the frost. It’s harvested in late spring. Just take care to plant it deep – 6-8 inches. This is to prevent the cloves from freezing. When they thaw, it can cause mold or rot. I have to plant garlic this autumn – #gardengoals.
Garlic is the cousin to the onion, shallot, leek and chive. There are over 120 cultivars. It’s origins are not from the Mediterranean as one would assume. It’s comes from Central Asia and Iran.
Besides the obvious culinary applications, there are many alternative uses for garlic. My friend Melissa Draugsvold swears by “garlic shots” when she gets sick. Mix shaved garlic with apple cider vinegar and a dash of cayenne pepper and honey. The shot will clear your congestion instantly! There is historical merit to her tincture.
Ancient Egypt, Greece, Rome, China and India each have recorded medicinal garlic remedies. It seemed to treat just about any ailment – bladder infections, leprosy, asthma, pneumonia and even animal bites. It was and still is considered to “stimulate the senses” which is why monks refrain. Garlic was used as a performance enhancing supplement in the classical Greek Olympics! What’s remarkable is that each of these distant cultures discovered the valuable properties of garlic independent of each other.
Then there’s garlic and voodoo. My great grandmother, Anna Sanfilippo who we called “little grandma” because she didn’t have legs (diabetes), gave my grandmother (her daughter-in-law) the evil eye when she moved right next door to the newlyweds. My grandmother swore the curse changed the dynamic of her marriage for the worse. Before the spell, it was all romantic bliss. My mom told me after little grandma died, they found a feather and garlic under her bed. What does it mean???
The concept of witchery followed my ancestors from Sicily to New York. Stregheria is what American Italians call it. Witchcraft that is Catholic-based folklore with little connection to authentic Sicilian spell-casting. I see the connection even in myself today, obsessing over “the bad things that could happen”. The Holy Water my mother blessed the house with when we bought it, to cleans the home of evil; the appearance of the soccer ball (that’s another column); the must-have Blessed Mother in the garden, spreading her light over the flowers; and the rosary beads that NEED to hang over the mirror in the car so I don’t get in an accident, (Incidentally, I’ve never gotten in a car accident).
Now that I’m thinking of it, I should hang some garlic above the doorway.
as one would assume. It’s comes from Central Asia and Iran.
Besides the obvious culinary applications, there are many alternative uses for garlic. My friend Melissa Draugsvold swears by “garlic shots” when she gets sick. Mix shaved garlic with apple cider vinegar and a dash of cayenne pepper and honey. The shot will clear your congestion instantly! There is historical merit to her tincture.
Ancient Egypt, Greece, Rome, China and India each have recorded medicinal garlic remedies. It seemed to treat just about any ailment – bladder infections, leprosy, asthma, pneumonia and even animal bites. It was and still is considered to “stimulate the senses” which is why monks refrain. Garlic was used as a performance enhancing supplement in the classical Greek Olympics! What’s remarkable is that each of these distant cultures discovered the valuable properties of garlic independent of each other.
Then there’s garlic and voodoo. My great grandmother, Anna Sanfilippo who we called “little grandma” because she didn’t have legs (diabetes), gave my grandmother (her daughter-in-law) the evil eye when she moved right next door to the newlyweds. My grandmother swore the curse changed the dynamic of her marriage for the worse. Before the spell, it was all romantic bliss. My mom told me after little grandma died, they found a feather and garlic under her bed. What does it mean???
The concept of witchery followed my ancestors from Sicily to New York. Stregheria is what American Italians call it. Witchcraft that is Catholic-based folklore with little connection to authentic Sicilian spell-casting. I see the connection even in myself today, obsessing over “the bad things that could happen”. The Holy Water my mother blessed the house with when we bought it, to cleans the home of evil; the appearance of the soccer ball (that’s another column); the must-have Blessed Mother in the garden, spreading her light over the flowers; and the rosary beads that NEED to hang over the mirror in the car so I don’t get in an accident, (Incidentally, I’ve never gotten in a car accident).
Now that I’m thinking of it, I should hang some garlic above my front doorway.
by Paula D.
on May 13, 2019 9:03 am in Gardening
I first learned of sedum sarmentosum last year. It crept into my garden from my neighbor’s yard. It didn’t seem like a weed, so I looked it up and learned it’s a perennial flowering succulent that is used as a ground cover. It reaches six inches in height and tiny yellow flowers emerge in July, changing the color to a lime hue. It’s drought tolerant, can handle full sun, and will grow just about anywhere, from a crack in the sidewalk to a a bit of sand. Because it spreads quickly, it was often used in cemeteries on the freshly overturned earth after a burial, which is why it is sometimes called graveyard moss! Other names include stringy stonecrop and gold moss stonecrop.
While some gardeners consider sedum sarmentosum a “garden thug” due to its encroaching tendency, I love it and I’ll tell you why. If you’re on a budget, this is the perfect plant to cover large outdoor areas with poor soil quality. It’s a wonderful alternative to grass. It looks nicer (to me) and requires less maintenance. It’s durable and can handle some foot traffic. It can also be trimmed. I used it around my garden path. It grew over the slate but I gave it a haircut with scissors. After the makeover it looked defined and sophisticated. It works well in hanging baskets too, cascading down and creating an organic feel to your arrangement.
I go out on guerrilla gardening missions from time to time and I’ve used sedum sarmentosum for brightening up unkempt tree pits or a median that’s filled with sand and broken glass as it grows anywhere.
Have I sold you on it yet? If not here’s the clincher. Sedum sarmentosum is edible! In China and Japan it’s used medicinally as a general gastric and renal regulator. It’s also known as an herbal estrogen supplement. In Korea, the plant is called dol namul and is used in kimchi. It is also eaten fresh, dressed with a spicy, sweet, and tangy sauce. Mix chili paste, lemon juice, sugar, minced garlic, sesame oil, and toasted sesame seeds together, for your sedum salad dressing.
You know what comes next… I gave it a taste. The plant itself is mildly sweet and earthy. It’s juicy. Since its flavor is light, it would go well in any greens mix. And with a strong dressing such as the one I mentioned. I made a homemade Korean spicy sauce and tried the sedum again. The greens tasted delicious, light and fresh! It had a great punch and zest to it. I’m going to make this throughout the summer for sure.
If your interested in using this plant in your garden or trying out its culinary appeal, email me at pdigioia[at]rockawave.com. I have so much to spare!
