by Paula D.
on May 7, 2018 11:47 am in Recipes
Previously published in The Wave.
A few weeks ago on the drive to my cousin Sarah’s baby shower (Yay! Sarah and Dan!), I was talking with my Aunt Brenda about dieting. I told her since I’m not eating much meat, I’ve been munching on way to many carbs. Brenda said she’s been experimenting, using cauliflower as a bread substitute. “It’s really trendy now Paula, you should give it a shot!”
And so I did!
If you’re looking for a creative low-carb bread alternative, make a batch of cauliflower “bread”. I was surprised by how delicious it was and bread-like. The inside was soft and chewy while the outside had a nice hard crust. The basic cauliflower bread/crust recipe can be used to make bread sticks, stromboli, pizza, a turkey club sandwich or top it with an egg for breakfast. I cooked up grilled cheese with the cauliflower “bread” I made. It took a little time but this recipe is tasty and very filling!
Cauliflower Bread Grilled Cheese
Ingredients:
(Makes 2 grilled cheese sandwiches)
For the cauliflower “bread” slices:
1 small head of cauliflower, cut into small florets (yields 3 cups)
1 egg, lightly beaten
½ cup shredded mozzarella
Salt, pepper and oregano to taste
For the Grilled Cheese:
1 tablespoon butter, room temperature
2 slices of cheddar cheese (or cheese of choice)
Directions for the cauliflower “bread” slices:
Preheat the oven to 450°F
Line a baking sheet with parchment paper and liberally grease it with olive oil. Set aside.
In a food processor, rice the cauliflower florets (it should be evenly chopped but not completely pulverized).
Transfer cauliflower rice (about 3 cups) to a microwave-safe dish and microwave on high for 8 minutes. Let it cool for 5 min.
Place the cauliflower rice in a dishcloth (or tea towel) and twist to squeeze as much moisture out as possible. This is very important. The cauliflower rice needs to be dry, otherwise you’ll end up with mush, unable to form the bread.
Transfer the cauliflower rice to a mixing bowl, add egg, mozzarella, salt, pepper, oregano and mix well.
Spread the cauliflower mixture onto the lined baking sheet and shape into 4 patties or squares.
Place in the oven and bake for about 16 minutes until golden.
Remove and let cool for 10 minutes before carefully peeling them off the parchment paper
Directions for the grilled cheese:
Heat a pan over medium heat. Butter one side of each slice of cauliflower “bread”. Add the cheese, making the sandwich. Gently flip and cook until golden brown and the cheese is melted.
I found this recipe on theironyou.com (I modified it slightly).
Photo courtesy of Tim Hill.
Previously published in
THE WAVE 125TH ANNIVERSARY ISSUE
I met Kerry and Jeanne of the O’toole family and Patty Shea last summer as they were walking down my block, all smiles. Turns out, at one time, it was their block too. We had a thriving community back in the day on 91st St.” Jeanne tells me. I was excited to meet these new friends, learning of their lives lived from the 60’s through the mid 90’s, on the same street that I now call home – some 20 years later.
Kerry and Jeanne and their lifelong friend Patty belonged to two of the many families that summered in the 16 bungalows that once occupied the land that is now The Beach 91st St. Community Garden.
Rockaway bungalows were affordable summer retreats for the working class, built mostly in the 1920’s. There are no city records that date back that far, but according to Sanborn fire insurance maps, our bungalow colony – called Oceanus Court – was present in the year 1912, meaning that it was built before that time. The colonies on 91st St. were owned (around the 1960’s) by Abraham Enten, who rented them to folks, mostly from the Bronx, which is where the O’toole’s and Shea’s had their main residences.
The bungalows were originally identical – cedar lap siding, painted white with green trim. There were 8 homes on each side of the approximately 50×150 lot. Allegedly, the ones in the front and back were a bit bigger. The homes were grouped and attached in fours, separated by alleyways, all with small porches. In the center was a community courtyard where families would host birthday parties and the 30 some “kids of the court” would play freeze-tag and other games like hide-and-seek.
Inside, there were three bedrooms, a small kitchen and an indoor shower. No heat. The quarters were so tight, Kerry explained, that her and Patty would knock on the wall and talk to each other back and forth. “It was definitely community living.” Kerry recounts. While the interior living quarters were compact, the vast openness of the beach and fresh breeze felt like a world away from the crowds and congestion of the inner city. “Rockaway was a magical place growing up. As a Bronx kid living in an apartment during the school year, the opportunity for independence and the luxury of walking to the beach and playing baseball on the green [a patch of grass on 91st St. before the boardwalk – 70-80’s], created lasting memories for me.” Jeanne reflects.
“Every morning the bakery truck would come to the court. You could buy fresh bread and cupcakes. All the kids would follow the truck yelling ‘Dugan, Dugan the baker!’ When his sales were finished, the kids would pile in his truck and he would give us a ride to the corner. This was in the late 60’s.” Kerry remembers.
As teenagers, the girls ventured off 91st Street spending time at Pinky’s which had skee-ball – 50 cent specials on weeknights! Of course, they also went to Playland and across the street was Borgiano’s. “They had the best greasy hamburgers and raw clams.” Kerry tells me. Fireworks on the boardwalk happened every Wednesday and the teens would watch the display from the lifeguard chairs. “All three of us got our first jobs at the concession on 86th St., this was 1974, I was 14! Patty was a few years older, she’d ask my mother if she could take me out. My mother loved Patty and didn’t know we were headed to Connolly’s for drinks. (Some things never change!) We even snuck out a few times by climbing through the bedroom window onto the one story roof into my friend Patty’s bungalow.” Jeanne remembers!
“At some point the residents of the colony started buying their individual bungalows but they were always apparently one unit for city tax purposes. The last few were sold to the ‘renters’ in 1979 after Mrs. Enten passed away.” Jeanne explains. As Jeanne, Kerry and Patty entered adulthood, the bungalows became generational. “My sister Mary Jo has four kids that spent many happy summers in Rockaway until my dad sold the bungalow in 1995. The kids cried when it happened and asked, ‘Where will we go on vacation?’”
I tried to piece the story together after the O’toole’s sold in 1995. There was a fire destroying at least two bungalows some time after 1996 and I learned from Beach 91st St. lifers that the properties were deemed derelict sometime around 2000. In 2009 the Department of Housing Preservation and Development stepped in. The once-prospering bungalows were demolished leaving just another empty lot in Rockaway.
Subsequently, a fence was put up by the city and the property accumulated litter, becoming an eyesore. Come the spring, it seemed almost like magic – beautiful, towering sunflowers appeared along the property gate. This was the beginning of the rebirth of 134 Beach 91st St.
Rockaway has always been a “do-it-yourself” type of place and that’s exactly the attitude the community took when Tim Hill, then a resident of 91st St. and Founder of The Beach 91st Street Community Garden, asked for support from his friends and neighbors to transform the overgrown property into an urban garden. The vision wasn’t just to build a producing plot of land. The residents wanted the space to act as a community center, a place for art to be displayed, a sanctuary for children to learn and play, and for natives, long-term residents, and newcomers to connect. In a way, not much different than the way it had been used in the past, when Jeanne, Kerry and Patty spent hot summer days and cool summer nights in the court.
Over a cup of coffee last week, Tim Hill shared with me the history of the garden and how it came to fruition. “Much to our surprise, we didn’t’ get arrested and other residents started to notice the clean-up and gardening efforts we undertook.”
The positive feedback from the neighborhood, gave the rebel gardeners the incentive to continue.
“We began researching the property to ensure our vision of a community garden would be allowable, possible and sustainable. We canvassed the neighborhood, coordinated with the proper city agencies and finding no obstacles, gained support to move forward. Our first project day was in early Oct. 2010 where more than 40 community members came out and cleaned up the property. The NYC Dept. of Sanitation made a special trip for us, to cart away the debris.
Meanwhile, the group started the administrative work, contacting Community Board 14 and Green Thumb NYC for guidance as they moved forward to legitimize the space. By-laws for the garden were put in place to instill a democratic, communal process that would insure sustainability.
The bungalows still held significant meaning to members of the community and Tim Hill knew as much. To fuse the past to the present, the gardeners met with architects Walter and Jen Meyer, and with local residents input, designed the garden to pay homage to the Oceanus Ct. Bungalows of yesteryear. The layout of the garden beds closely mimics the architectural layout of bungalow structures, including the essential courtyard. “It was very important to me that we captured a feeling of pedestrian movement through the garden, as people coming to visit one anothers bungalows – ie. garden plots; and congregate in the courtyard for a sense of community,” Tim explained.
On Dec 24, 2010, 8 local residents and Jim Bulloch’s of Bulloch’s Belle Harbor, transported more than 12 tons of untreated timbers for the garden beds. These reclaimed beams were donated by the NYC Dept. of Parks and Recreation. In early March 2011 with the help of Joe Longo and the use of his Bobcat, the construction began. By mid April the garden beds were built. 34 cubic yards of organic top soil arrived on May 6th and over 60 residents and volunteers were ready to shovel.
The Beach 91st Street Community Garden submitted and was awarded a grant from The Citizens Committee for New York City in conjunction with The New Yorkers for Better Neighborhoods. These funds were used to finish the infrastructure of the garden. And in the summer of 2011 the first growing season began. Without the grass-roots attitude of the Rockaway community, donations from residents, volunteers giving their time and local governmental support, the garden would have never been possible.
The physical change since Jeanne, Kerry and Patty lived on Beach 91st St. is drastic, but I’ve learned through this exploration that the community spirit is the same as it was 60 years ago – welcoming, vibrant, ambitious and in true Rockaway form, maverick. The court of the past and the new courtyard of today’s garden remains a place for children to play and for neighbors to cultivate lasting friendships. This is a testament to the long-standing, tight-knit neighborhood we all call home. It’s my hope that The Beach 91st Street Garden will stand for generations, like the Oceanus Court bungalows before it.
by Paula D.
on May 3, 2018 3:15 pm in Events
Previously published in The Wave.
I’ve driven through Staten Island dozens of times but only put my feet on the pavement 5 times – twice for Denino’s pizza, once for a Cystic Fibrosis walk, once for a book reading and the last time was recently, to see a concert. My mother’s favorite group Home Free was playing at the St. George Theater. We were totally excited for the show and hadn’t even thought about the other fun activities in store for us.
I have to confess that I kinda like Staten Island. So before summer kicks off, at which point you will not want to leave Rockaway, maybe you’ll want to visit the forgotten borough. I have some recommendations to share with you for an eventful day-trip excursion to St. George.
Take the Rockaway Ferry to Wall Street. Only a few blocks away at Whitehall Terminal, catch a free, 5 mile ride on the Staten Island Ferry. Off the bat, the day starts with a relaxing tour of New York Harbor. Ah, but between you and me and the Staten Island Ferry…
The ferry drops you in historic St. George. St. George and the surrounding area is the most urban part of the island so you can explore on foot. Wear comfortable shoes, it’s very hilly (think stairmaster level 10). Right near the terminal is the The St. George Public Library built in 1907 (5 Central Ave. Staten Island, NY, 10301). The grounds are charming and the stained glass windows inside are worth a look. Check in advance to see if there are library events happening the day you visit.
If you enjoy architecture, take notice of the many Victorian homes in this area. Ft. Hill Park is a good place to start.
The National Lighthouse Museum (200 Promenade at Lighthouse Point) is a treasure. In the 19th century, before It was a lighthouse, it was used as a hospital to quarantine people with infectious diseases. It was thought to be suitable for this use due to its geographic isolation. In 1858, it was burned down by a mob of locals! There’s so much history here!
If thrift store shopping is your thing, visit Everything Goes Clothing (140 Bay St.). I stumbled upon this outlet and found some funky wears for only a couple of dollars per item. The bohemian clerk was very helpful. A 10 minute walk away is their quirky affiliate bookstore cafe which also doubles as an event space – Every Thing Goes Book Cafe and Neighborhood Stage (208 Bay St). And yet another, they have a furniture thrift in near by Tompkinsville (17 Brook St.).
After all the walking, seeing and shopping, you’ll be hungry, and Enoteca Maria (27 Hyatt St, Staten Island, NY) is a must. Make a reservation in advance because we missed out and couldn’t get a table. I was so mad! I’m recommending this restaurant because two of my friends told me about it and vouch for it deliciousness and authenticity. In lieu of trained chefs, real grandmothers from around the world cook for you! Gothamist has a thorough write-up on this unique eatery.
Right down the hill from Enoteca Maria you can get some drinks at Steiny’s Pub (3 hyatte St.). 4 dollar well drinks and a super-local vibe, this place reminds me of some of our watering holes here in Rockaway.
The Staten Island Ferry runs every 30 minutes from 6:00AM-7:00PM on Saturdays and 9:00AM-7:00PM on Sundays. Don’t miss the boat and connection to our ferry which will make its last run at 9:30pm.
Don’t forget about the forgotten borough, it has much to offer!
Anne’s husband, Dan Payne getting involved.
I “met” Ann Kirby-Payne (@narrowbackslacker) on twitter some years ago – #rockawaybeach. Last week I saw a photo she posted captioned “I just want to give a shout out to @NYCSanitation and especially our #Rockaway team at the QE14, Stephen Dixon Garage for their quick response to my request to adopt a trash bin around the corner from my house!”
Adopting a garbage can? Intriguing. I wanted to learn more about the NYC Adopt-A-Basket Program and what is required of its volunteers. I sat down with Ann over a cup of coffee at the Rockaway Beach Bakery, just a few blocks from where she maintains her trash bin on 90th St. under the el.
Ann explained to me that The NYC Dept. of Sanitation’s Adopt-A-Basket Program allows for businesses, organizations and individuals to participate in keeping their community litter-free and in turn, healthier and safer. When you volunteer for the Adopt-A-Basket Program, you choose the location in which you feel a receptacle is needed. Most often, the location is near the participant’s residence or business. The NYC Sanitation Dept. provides and delivers the trash bins and liner bags. The volunteer is then responsible for monitoring and changing the liner bag when the basket is full. The full trash bag is placed right beside the basket and New York’s Strongest collects the garbage on scheduled collection days.
I asked Ann how she found out about the program. “Since I moved to 89th St. 10 years ago, my neighbor Federico “Junior” Salinas has been keeping our street tidy,” Ann told me. “And not only by adopting a basket on our corner, but he also trims the overgrown weeds near the train station. His work is contagious. I’ve helped him over the years with his trash bin but for months now, I’ve been meaning to adopt my own basket. Now I finally have. Garbage has always been an issue and I feel it’s gotten worse. I get very frustrated when I see people complaining about our trash problem on social media, instead of doing something about it!”
And it’s not an overwhelming amount of work. “I oversee the trash bin on my own time which makes it convenient,” Ann explained. “For some, It’s hard to meet on a Saturday morning for the community clean-up events and some people are shy, meet-ups aren’t their thing. This public service is perfect for introverts! In one week I average 4 full trash bags. Summertime, I’m guessing it will be much more.”
That’s a significant amount of debris that would have otherwise been on the street, or worse, in the ocean! Ann also mentioned that Elegante Pizzeria has adopted 4 trash bins near their storefront. That got me thinking, how many businesses and/or individuals participate in the program here on the peninsula. I contacted The DSNY press dept. Belinda Mager, Director of Digital Media and Communications for the DSNY promptly replied.”We currently have 19 enrolled in the Adopt-A-Basket program in this area.”
Imagine if one person on every other block in Rockaway adopted a basket. Our streets would be pristine! Thank you to those who have enrolled in our community so far. But I bet we can do more. If eco-conservation and making our neighborhood a beautiful place to live, work and play is important to you, consider enrolling in the Adopt-A-Basket Program. The application can be found here: tinyurl.com/NYC-Adopt-A-Basket. If you’re one of the 19 awesome folks that have adopted a basket or if you’ve signed up for a basket after reading this, please contact me. I would like to write a follow up article about this important program.
