The Yankee Chef ®

Dealing With Grief The First Time

2026-08-13T10:51:23.305-04:00

For the past 5 years, Thomas has been enamored by his great great aunt Marion Bailey. She would have been 99 years old in less then a month. Over the past years, she has attended every single concert with the Bangor Symphony Youth Orchestra and Thomas has played for her privately in her home and assisted living facilities she has resided in. Not just for her, but during the summer and Christmas as well. And every single time, Thomas would look over and see a huge smile on her face, as if he was HER son.

As the past few years have quickly slid by, so wasn't aunt Marions memory and ability to be as active as she always had been. But I think this was also a reason her and Thomas got so close. If we wanted to spend time with her, we would have to do so in an intimate setting. There were so many times she wanted him to bring his violin with him while visiting and he did just that because you could instantly see the joy she received from listening to him play.

As her memory faded, she quite often forgot my name(THomases father) but when Thomas entered the room, her eyes lit up, her lips curled into adoration and we heard "Oh Thomas!" as she held out her arms. He didn't need that welcome though because his arms were already open and ready to give love to her.

He constantly made bread, banana bread, cookies, sweet treats and cakes for her once he found out the sweet tooth she had. He wanted to make sure she knew just what she meant to him because of the reverence she showed him.

Every single concert she attended, Thomas would walk out, sit down and the very first person he would wave to was aunt Marion in the front row, even before acknowledging his own parents, hahahaha. I remember so well we would be waiting on aunt Marions daughter, Carole, to bring her into the building before the concert and it usually took a little more time because she was in a wheelchair. Thomas would pace back and forth, afraid that he wouldn't be able to see her before the concert.

I could go on and on about all the love that was obvious between the two of them, but then yesterday came. We had just visited aunt Marion Monday and brought her a pound of chocolate fudge. She was sleeping, Thomas walked in, walked over, bent over and whispered to aunt Marion. She opened her eyes and after the usual hugs and smiles and kisses, Thomas gave her the fudge and the look on her face will be something that neither of us will ever forget.

She smiled bigger then we had ever seen as she clutched the fudge and held it against her chest with a passion even I had ever seen, and I have known her the 64 years I have been alive. She had an accident a few days before and fractured her spine so she was bed ridden and under medication that severely limited her speech and coherence, but God must have helped her because she again blurted out "Oh Thomas!"

We left after our visit. feeling sprightly and content after spending time with this beautiful woman. After we returned home, Thomas wanted to play her favorite hymn and send it to her to listen to, not knowing if she would be able to hear it herself. He played In The Garden and sent it to her cell phone.

We went about our day yesterday and when we came inside after THomas spending some time on his dirtbike, he got the message from a family member via text. I will never forget he just froze in his step. He stared at me and I thought he was joking around with me again. I waited a few seconds and he blurted out "She's gone."

I knew immediately and before I could even walk the 3 steps to him, Thomas got emotional. "Aunt Marion is dead." All I could do was hug him and try to make it better. This was the time to let it out rather then immediately try to convert hurt to happy remembrances. He did just that. It took a couple hours for him to get over the initial shock and when he did, he started asking questions.

To make a long story a little shorter, he is doing much better this morning and wants to do a remembrance video about our aunt Marion.

Here is the video of In The Garden. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HH6MQGvLEr8

25 Years Ago Today

2026-02-13T09:33:00.002-05:00

I simply cannot believe that 25 years have gone by and I still miss my father as much as the day he passed. I think it is more profound now because of how I wish he could see everything today. He would have harsh, but sensible, words to some and gloating words for others.

My father at 10 years old with his father

I tell Thomas that Dad is ALWAYS watching over us though and knows/sees everything. Even though I selfishly wish he could be physically around to watch and admire, I do know he knows. I am at his age when he passed and I just cannot fathom leaving family behind. How it must feel when you know the life you know is about to end.

My father while attending the Northern Conservatory of Music, in Bangor, Maine.

I think the greatest joy he would have if he was still with us is my son Thomas playing his violin. I can picture him now showing a wide smile that covers up an even wider delight.

My father as the chef at Howard Johnsons in Bangor, Maine

It was a vicious cycle that ended his life, as well as his fathers life at the same age. Now here I am at the same age but the one thing my father taught me wasn't learned until after his passing. It was alcohol, or the abuse of it I should say, that prevented him and my grandfather from enjoying a longer life. I saw what it did to him even from my childhood and how it prevented him from attaining any goals he had for himself.

I never could beat him at arm wrestling.

He could have become one of the great violinists but booze prevented that. He could have become very successful in the food industry, but booze prevented that. He could have seen his grandson with the same musical objective, but booze took that away as well.

My grandfather, playing violin in 1962

That is why I do not drink anymore, because that is what he would have wanted.....to break that nasty cycle. I never drank to excess as he or my grandfather did but when you are genetically engineered or susceptible to alcoholism, it is best to just leave it alone. Sure I can have a beer or glass of wine every now and again, but why?

I teach Thomas the same thing. He knows booze is bad! I know some of you will say booze is not bad, but when you are the child of an alcoholic, you are much more prone to continuing that revolution.

Dad, I love you and miss you with all my heart every single sober day.

We Need To Do Something...and quick!

2024-12-30T19:24:00.003-05:00

This post is about children and how to get them more inclined to concerts and the orchestra. For teens, that is a little more difficult and I will offer my observations about that soon.

Yes, the BSO does a lot for the younger BSYO by offering free or reduced tuitions and now hosting a side by side concert in the first half of 2025, but we simply cannot rest on our laurels if we want to keep our beloved BSO a true community orchestra for generations to come and hire the best local musicians. Other orchestras around the state and in New England are having an even rougher time, so we really need to focus our attention to the young musicians and those who have musical tendencies yet to surface. But in order to do that, we need to make sure we HAVE local musicians in the future, and that can only be done by nipping the issue of musical decline in the butt.

I expounded on the hurdles many families face when trying to get their children involved in playing an instrument, from beginning to continuing, in today's world in my last post. Now I would like to say a few words about the adult version of the same topic.

I have noticed over the years a decline in interest in youth orchestras around the state of Maine as well as many pro orchestras. Although the Bangor Symphony Orchestra do great things and are a marvel to watch and listen to, I feel there can be much more done to captivate younger audiences, entice a wider variety of concert goers and especially to get children attending their remarkable concerts.

We need to look ahead, and quickly! This post is by no means a castigation of this Maine institution. They reach out to the community more than many other pro orchestras. I am simply going to give my two cents worth regarding how we can better capture a new audience and sustain our proud musical culture here in Central Maine and other orchestras around the state that are having a very rough time with concert attendance and finding musicians.

Just the same as restaurants and other businesses do, they must bring the children in because with children, are parents. Not only will this bring new blood into the fold, but it will help solidify the future of this great institution.

My son Thomas is a 6th generation Maine violinist, with his grandfather and great grandfather attending the New England Conservatory of Music and the Boston Conservatory. They taught violin in Maine since the early 1920s and have had their own orchestras and performed with other orchestras around New England. I can only hope that my son will continue on with this legacy and perform with the BSO as soon as he has finished his musical schooling. In the meantime. I hope the BSO orchestra is still going strong when it is his turn.

Here are just a few ideas right off the top of my head as I sit hear and write my post.

Host interactive concerts.

This can be easily done in a myriad of ways that is fun, exciting , informative and engaging to children, and thusly to the parent. Have question and answer sessions from children. Bring them up on stage, have them try an instrument, ask a question or two, ask if a certain performer can play their favorite childrens song or even play a popular children's song and see what child can identify the song.

Turn the lights down low, have the orchestra play a simple song from a chldrens show or movie while wearing glow in the dark bracelets, necklaces, hats, head bands, ....anything the glows in the dark and hand the same out to any child who attends. Have the conductor tell the children to wave their hands a certain way or pretend to conduct the orchestra themselves while they are playing an elementary song. Let the kids be part of the concert they are attending.

Incorporate a singalong. We all know children not only love to sing and dance, but when they think they are part of a pro orchestra...well, they will not only be exciting to them but may foster an interest in an instrument.

Use video cameras and wide screens to show closeups of the children singing, dancing, playing an instrument. Let the children see for themselves how much fun it would be to be onstage.

Have more themed concerts.

Have a fairy tale concert where children dress up as someone or something in the theme of the night. Have a movie themed concert and do the same thing. Popular childrens video games r zoo animals would be a great fit as well. Before each of these themed concerts, have a fun hour before the concert with pre-show activities relating to the theme of the evenings concert. Or have a pre concert workshop to allow children to see the instruments and talk to the musicians on a one to one basis. Heck, even have a pre concert face painting room for children where they can have their faces painted in the evenings theme. Have a craft making room available after the concert so they can make something to take home with them after the concert.

If, for example, you will be doing a Peter and the Wolf concert, have the conductor or announcer read a portion of the story with light background music to enhance the story or read, then play, read more, then play more....

Use Creative Marketing Ideas

You do not need to hire expensive marketing consultants. Hand out simple and colorful brochures of a certain childrens themed concert in schools, the local Y, museums...anywhere that children congregate. For example, have a Halloween Themed Concert where children can attend wearing their favorite costume, but do not forget to have the orchestra and conductor do the same. The whole premise is to show children that the performers onstage are simply one of them, just a little more grown up.

Have a superhero night where children can dress up as their favorite super heroes and the orchestra can play the theme songs from Superman or any superhero movie or sound track. This would work equally well using Harry Potter, Ghostbusters.....the list is endless. Have a disco night with children dressed up in disco clothing.

Have a scavenger hunt by handing out simple fliers at the beginning of the concerts and let the children go on stage to find an instrument that is shown on their flyer. Then find out the names of them, having the performer of that instrument play a few bars in order to show the children what it sounds like.

Have a contest either on promotional material before the concert to chose a guest, child conductor for one song, or a couple of winners to conduct a few minutes at a time. This would be sooo thrilling to these children.

Remember that children's attentions spans are short comparatively so keep the concert no longer than an hour or so but during that time, make it engaging and go from one experience to another without spending too much time on one particular element of the concert.

The music and program needs to be simple and inviting. Don't tell the kids you are going to play J.C. Bach Symphony in G minor, Opus 6 No. 6 because that means absolutely nothing to them. They simply cannot relate to something like that, no matter how much you hype it up.

I could go on and on but because even some adults have short attention spans, I will end this post post haste. The message I am trying to spit out is...

We need to do something quick or orchestras will continue to get smaller and smaller as the years go by and there are simply too many ways to counteract this decline if we just quit thinking of concerts as boring and too time consuming for children. The answers to these issues are so simple I just don't understand why the adage "If there is a will there is a way" isn't utilized more often.

If I can come up with all these ideas simply by sitting here and typing in an hour or so, imagine what could happen with the entire board of directors, conductor and musicians and marketing people from community orchestras can come up with.

Musicians in Trouble

2024-12-11T07:20:00.001-05:00

....and then there were none.

The days of children picking up an instrument at an early age are slowly waning. I am not talking about band or the child who teaches themselves on the electric or acoustic guitar because they want to teach themselves from YouTube videos how to play like Eddie Van Halen or Hendrix. I am talking about the violin, viola, cello, bass or even the piano.

When I was a child and picked up the violin in the later 60s, there were so many children who played in school orchestra that the program was at capacity every year. We were able to find an instrument of our choice quite easily and cheaply. Lessons were given at a very reasonable price and the added expense did not alter our standard of living(which was low to begin with at times).

But over the years, at least here in the U.S., the cost to a parent to be able to afford an instrument, pay for private lessons and keep their child interested has seriously declined. Sure, there are some things that we just cannot control and one of them is the advent and soaring popularity of electronics. Most every child has a PlayStation or x-box and at roughly $20 a month subscription, they can have fun and play with their friends online at the drop of a hat. FAR cheaper then it would cost to rent a violin and to take lessons, not to mention paying for music camps, joining a community orchestra and paying for lessons.

This post is not to diminish a teachers role in charging for lessons. I get it! They spent exorbitant money to get a degree in music and need to earn a living as well...I truly get it! But that does not mean that 'different times require different measures' if we are going to keep music alive and orchestras sustainable.

Private lessons cost anywhere from $45 an hour up to, and beyond, $100 an hour. There aren't many families that can afford that. Let me give you an example of what I am trying to say. I am a chef. If it cost me $30,000 to get a culinary degree and if I were going to use the same logic, I would charge $75 an hour because "I have to pay for my education". Noooo, that is now how it works. I go into my chosen field knowing that it is going to take years to pay it back and I would have to work and get paid no different than any other career. I do what I can in my chosen field. I don't think to myself I am any better then the chef who worked their way up the ladder the hard way to become a chef.

Over the past couple of years, my 13 year old violinist son and I have reached out numerous times to help those families whose child wants to play an instrument but simply cannot afford it. We have offered to teach them free of charge for the first number of months to make sure their child is seriously interested. Not only does this help a family's financial burden but this offer also helps a child learn with another child(my son) and in turn, makes it more interesting and fun instead of sitting in your room at home practicing by yourself. THAT is boring and not very conducive in fostering attention or interest. I am with my son at every home practice. Even it I were not a violinist, I would still sit down with him every day and do everything I could to make him feel as though his practice was not only important, but he was doing a great job.

I will never forget a former teacher of his who came highly recommended. He was loving her for a while then all of the sudden, on week, he came out of practice and I could tell he was saddened about something. I mean he looks really upset. I found out why. His teacher came out with him and her first words were "I did not see any improvement this week at all". I just didn't know what to say. Is she kidding me? Nope, those were her exact words...at right in front of Thomas. I was upset to the point of wanting to say something to her but I did not. He has practices at least 2 hours a day for 6 days a week and just because he did not show improvement that one week, she needs to make sure he hears her say that to me? Tell him what he improved on rather than embarrass him like that. Within a week we found a new teacher and she has been so positive for his growth and are still with her today.

Our offer of free lessons has been accepted numerous times but have not continued for a variety of reasons, some beyond a family's control while others saying negative things about the schools music teacher and the added expense of a violin. The one good thing is you can rent a violin at a very very reasonable price from your local music shop. There are schools that also have instruments that belong to the school as well and you can use them free of charge. This is a great beginning but I am afraid that is where kindness ends many times. I have seen time and time again where the stringed players are mixed in with band members, first year string players are practicing with multi-year brass players and the complete lack of attention from the band/string teacher in order to foster a childs interest in strings. Now if this were decades ago, I would understand because there were literally dozens and dozens of students playing instruments but today(at least in the district my son attends), there are under a dozen.

Community youth orchestra's are declining at a rapid pace, worse then school orchestras. You would not believe how many students have no idea about the local community orchestra because it is not offered by their teacher at school. Every music teacher worth their weight should be telling every music student about their community orchestra. For example, here in Bangor, Maine. Every school district in the surrounding areas who have a music program should be telling them about the Bangor Symphony's Youth Orchestra's. There are 3 of them at varying levels of discipline, from the very beginner to the more advanced. Yet after speaking to parents, they had no idea. Shameful!!!!

Now having said that, the cost of joining a community orchestra, such as the BSYO is very very agreeable to many families. There are even scholarships and help with the expense. Kudo's to them for providing this but if students and children do not know about it, what good does it do? The only thing I would change about the BSYO is to put a crazy amount of effort into reaching out to each and every school orchestra and band....before it is too late. The cost would be minimal but so well worth that minute cost and effort. There is no reason(if a music teacher is truly a lover of music and wants it to continue) each and every music teacher does not talk to the school children about this. They should work as hard as the student to foster growth and excitement. In just the past 10 years, many youth orchestra's are not even close to the numbers once seen. And please don't give me the Covid excuse because that is just what it is, an excuse.

I understand that in many foreign countries, there are programs set up to help parents with the cost of getting their child to play an instrument. It is a shame that we don't see something like that here in the U.S..

To put this all in a nutshell, we need to change with the times if we truly love music and we are in it for the devotion to our craft and the future of it.

Lets make it affordable for young people.

Let's get the word out to every single school and tell students there are more opportunities for them outside the school.

Let's get school music teachers to actually help encourage students to "spread their wings".

Let's get the community involved in the child musicians. If half the effort went into this as it does with the adult pro's, you will be ensuring future orchestra's are full of talented musicians.

We need private teachers to offer reduced or even free lessons to just 1 student. Come on, giving 1 hour a week to a student in need would make such a difference. If my 13 year old and I can do it, anyone can.

If you are a teacher, give a little, you will get so much more back.

If you are business owner or one who could help a child, consider sponsoring a child fora just one year in the BSYO. It costs just $300 for 2 seasons and boy oh boy, will that make a difference.

Something needs to be done because if not, this decline will continue and it truly will not be long before more youth orchestra's will shut down or have to increase their costs simply because of lack of enrollment. And this lack of enrollment was something that could have been avoided in the first place.

Such simple steps but above all, change with the times people.

We are STILL Bullying!

2024-04-10T11:01:00.002-04:00

I have been meaning to write a blog post about this for a very long time, which is a travesty to begin with because this behavior seems to be getting worse. I honestly thought that people were more aware now then in the past with regards to bullying, of any type and have learned some empathy. But because of all the drama that continues to unfold online on various social platforms as well as a daily 'news item' on unbecoming behaviors, my voice will have little to no impact.

I remember the days when I was a child just barely older than my current youngest son and the trauma, humiliation and torment I went through being bullied. If I did not comply with the thoughts and demands from my "abusers"(for a lack of a better term for all those who bullied me), I would not only widely ridiculed but mocked and picked on even more. If the person bullying me told me to agree with them about something, I was persecuted even more. Only when I agreed that he/she was "the toughest" or to outwardly believe in whatever they said, was the persecution eased somewhat. But if I did meekly agree and say or do what they said, it would just bring bullying tactics by them even more frequently as well as a mob mentality. If another friend of the person who bullied me heard that I could be 'coerced' or 'frightened to agree with them', then that would bring yet another bullier to take advantage of me.

The ONLY way I was able to crawl out from underneath that cloak of agony and suffering was to stand up for myself. I learned to box and the very moment I learned self defense(that is why I will always think of my trainer Cal Ware with adoration) the torment completely and utterly stopped.

I never had to 'believe' in what others said or believed. I could disagree with their ideas and actions without the fear of retribution of any kind. I wasn't called names anymore. I wasn't hassled in any respect because of my opinions or disagreements. I think when people knew that I wasn't going to stand for it anymore yet I STILL respected their ideology and opinions(no matter how absurd they were), I was treated with the same respect.

UNTIL........the time we are living in now.

It is off the wall how people are hiding behind their keyboards now while they obliterate those who think differently. This is called RELATIONAL(or even cyber) BULLYING. I have never seen the amount of bullying that is happening today before. You can argue the point that it is not considered bullying all you want, but the bottom line is that it is exactly that...bullying. I even have to shut off comments on my 13 year old sons youtube channel because actual adults will get on there and simply lambast him if he gets notes wrong, his tempo is different then theirs or a host of reasons.

An example of which I recently encountered. Albeit slight and minimal, it goes to show the mindset of someone who disagrees with your point of view today. A couple days ago, I posted a question. Very innocent, but still JUST a question. I asked what the the fervor over the eclipse was because I though I was missing something I had no knowledge of. It was just not so important to me so I asked if there was something special that I was unaware of regarding the eclipse. I friend of mine, within a day, had posted on her timeline somthing to the effect of 'some people are so ill-informed and spend way too much time posting memes and spending hours a day online instead of educating themselves about the eclipse. In other words, I must have been "not very bright". I did not respond because I had a choice. Do I begin an argument and 'fight back' with words or do I easily just skip on by and unfriend her? Naturally I took the high road because I, alone, create the atmosphere in which I think. I can ask questions all day long if I so chose. So to ridicule someone for asking questions ....I don't need to harp on that triviality now do I?

I have been right down the middle when it comes to politics. There are obvious flaws in all parties and once in a while I will post a meme that pokes fun at both candidates. But I have NEVER bullied anyone to believe the way I do about anything. I have never resorted to name calling just because someone does not think the same way I do. I have never said someone is any nasty adjective because of who they vote for. I have never pressured someone to do or say something because that is what I want them to do.

Is it because I was bullied for such a long time and realize how hurtful it is and the damage it causes? Is it because I learned that 2 rocks thrown at each other does not advance trajectory? Maybe.

I tell my son so often(which should be a dead give-a-way of the times we are in) that "Not everyone has to believe the way you do nor do you need to believe the way they do." BUT, we don't mock, ridicule or bully those who think differently! Every single day he sees and hears adults act like schoolyard bullies or that the world revolves around them. Everyday he sees and hears people who try to force their beliefs on others. And if these "others" don't respond the way these people want, they are called names or tormented either online or in person.

There has been times when I have had to tell my son NOT to respond to someone who is saying nasty things. "Just walk away" as my father drilled into my head when I was his age. Sage advice. Stress kills and because I learned just how stressful, non-ending, non-resolving and non-learning these bullying tactics can be, it is simply best to remove yourself from the situation and "enjoy who you are!" Let everyone else be upset and mad their entire lives.

And it is not just politics. If you live differently then others(your lifestyle choices) you should not be bullied either. This is called PREJUCIAL BULLYING. Live how YOU want to live.

But if you are tormented in any manner because of your lifestyle, simply walk away.... if you can. Speak to someone about what is happening. Do what you can to stay level headed and content with who you are. Those people who are bullying you have no right to try and change you to "their side" simply because they think they can dictate how YOU should live. But understand that the same principles extend to everyone. I could never call people names because they don't live my lifestyle. I can honestly say I am your friend regardless of how you live your lifestyle and would not be mad at you because of it. Treat me with the same respect.

We ALL need to respect each others decisions, not just one side. That is what created conflict and absolutely nothing will change or get better. You simply cannot legislate morality as much as we may want to. There will always be those who lash out, bully, torment in some fashion or disagree with you. There will always be people that are just plain mean, nasty, horrible or cruel. You honestly have to learn to be happy yourself.

Sure bullying is just plain wrong! We can all agree on that! But it is still not illegal. We can all say it should be...absolutely! But it is not. So we need to take our own personal steps to keep it from ruining our lives in any manner.

Do what you can to facilitate change but do it responsibly.

I end my diatribe by acknowledging that there will be those who will disagree with me on how to handle certain obstacles. And that is perfectly fine! That is where conversation begins.

5 Months Without A Post

2024-01-29T10:57:00.001-05:00

I have never gone this long without posting something and the guilt finally caught up with me. Even though I should be out in the woods getting next years wood cut, deep cleaning the entire house as I do every year(usually right after Christmas though) and painting what needs to be painted around the house, I opted to spend most of my free time with my son Thomas in his quest to become the best violinist in the world....at least in Maine to start.

His work load is incredible but he never complains. I think because he would get bored practicing simply 1 or 2 pieces over and over again. Plus add onto that, his homework in which he needs constant help with and the fact that I have spoiled him with regards to practice. He has never practiced by himself, I have always been there right next to him to help him with his mistakes. Granted, he gets upset with me a lot because I will have him repeat certain bars over and over again or continuously make sure his pinky is down, his knuckles are flexible in his bowing hand and he sits up correctly but honestly, he would not have it any other way nor would I.

Over the past few months of my hiatus from this blog, Thomas has taken over the concert master position with the Bangor Symphony Youth Orchestra Prelude division. We think this may be his last season with the prelude because at the same time he is playing with the prelude, his teacher and conductor(one and the same lady)has placed him with the "big kids" Philharmonic orchestra. As kind of a send off from the prelude, he is going to be playing his very first "professional" solo in April with the orchestra back up. He is so excited. He has also been selected to have a master class with the Bangor Symphony Orchestra's concert master in April as well as being invited to perform at the BSO's Soiree, I believe sometime in April as well. This is their biggest fund raising event and includes some of the most prestigious violinists all joining in to raise money for the BSO.

Thomas is also getting ready for another competition in April at the Bay Chamber Music School in April. His teacher hasn't decided which piece to play with Meditation by Massanet. It will either be the 3d movement of Summer by Vivaldi or the first movement of Winter, also by Vivaldi, his favorite composer.

I urge you to subscribe to his youtube channel because it means a lot to him to see his subs climbing, however slow it does. It is uplifting for him and gives him a sense of purpose. I can see every now and again, he is not as dedicated or enthusiastic playing the violin, but that happens to most of us at one time or another. It doesn't help that from the very first day of his Christmas vacation from school, around the 20th of December, until this morning, he has been sick. He had a bout with covid and then I think he had some type of RSV, progressing to an ear infection. He is still having wicked difficulty in hearing, can't taste food still and his sense of smell is negligible. Poor kid.

One of his highlights this past half year was having his great great aunt Marion watch him play as concert master for the very first time. He was so excited. She is 96 years young and simply adores Thomas, and the feeling is quite mutual. He played a concert at the home she resides in and was given a very hot reception after. He nailed it and you should have seen how proud his aunt Marion was, as I was as well. We are hoping she will attend his very first solo in a couple months as well.

He was equally excited to have his "pretty"(his own words, LOL)cousin Sage attend along with his cousin Carole, who has been so supportive of Thomas since day one.

Below find his youtube channel. We turned off comments because, as everyone know by now, there are always bad apples in the barrel and even adults can't stop themselves from being rude. We don't mind criticism, but many adults have taken it wayyyyy over the top, which is so childish. I could NEVER in a million years degrade a child for any reason.

https://www.youtube.com/@6thgenviolinist383

Just a short of Thomas warming up...Not bad for under 4 years of playing I must say.

The Charleston International Music Competition

2023-08-31T18:53:00.006-04:00

I wanted to share a brief post and link to a very special young man. My son Thomas, who is 12 years old, has made the final cut of of this worldwide music competition. He is one out of about 150 who made it this far and the only one from New England.

I would like to ask that you click on the link and just listen for 30 seconds at least. He is crazy talented and the hardest working young violinist I have ever heard. So take a moment and give him the gift of you like or view. It would mean the world to him.

Thank you in advance.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OjiHne619c8&list=PLgdkUhRgoAHqYhTIWWQiQyhQt4W6s0Zuz&index=80

Darned if you do....darned if you don't!

2023-08-18T16:55:00.000-04:00

My 12 year old son Thomas has been playing the violin now for a little over 3 years and he has a particular knack for this instrument, as any of my children would have had if they would have picked it up and given it a chance. No doubt each of them would have excelled as well and fast as Thomas is. Although this is a gift, it also leads to a dilemma that I truly believe is not of our making.

Here is my favorite picture of Thomas(holding the violin) and others who accompanied him to the Pine Tree Competition in 2023. Sascha Lorimer(the lady to his right)and Rob Lorimer(the gentleman in the blue shirt) have been and continue to be instrumental in his violin endeavors. Sascha is not only his maestro in the orchestra but is a profound mentor to him privately as well. Her husband, Rob, is also a dedicated fan and supporter of Thomas in ways that he will never understand.

Now don't get me wrong, I believe positive reinforcement is key to a childs growth and self worth. For example, if a child, and I mean a youngster under the age of around 14-15, plays for any sports team they should be given play time equal to all the other children regardless of their experience or affinity to the game. Good sportsmanship medals or recognition is a great way to encourage youngsters to continue with their dreams and allows them to believe they have a chance at greatness. Any recognition at all is a great boost to moral, plain and simple.

And then we have the cases of gifted children. No, this is not coming from a biased parent or a misplaced sense of grandiose. Thomas is truly gifted as his a 14 year old friend of his who excels at the cello. Each has an uphill struggle for identification and their place. Sure, Thomas has a great chance at being first chair in the Bangor Symphony Youth Orchestra this season but he is constantly playing in quartets, chamber groups and his schools band that include children who are far below his level of playing. Some music teachers will say that it helps the other students with their playing and I do agree to a point. Thomas has helped others with their violin playing many times over and has endured playing with children less advanced than he is for 2 years now but now it is time for him to stop up and truly be challenged. He needs to be with older children that can now "teach" him or be his inspiration.

What could possibly be the reason for certain music school directors, teachers, conductors, mentors and others "in the lead" to NOT place him in such a group? Are they afraid of singling out one student over the other? And are they trying to put all violinists of his age together, regardless of skill? To me, this is wrong on so many levels. Thomas could easily play with teens, even advanced teens but he has not been given the opportunity. This is problematic because it keeps him down, which is extraordinarily unfair and detrimental to his growth as a musician.

"We didn't know of his skill" could be one answer if I were to ask this question. To me, I believe this is an excuse because there is only one way of determining a child's skill(as in any sports team) and that is to listen to them play a variety of pieces that show his musicality, much as a try-out for a sports team. If Thomas were to go up to the coach of a football team, after having been sitting on the bench, and ask him why he isn't playing and not to have been given a chance to show the coach what he can and cannot do, and ask "Why can't I play?", what would be the wise answer? The coach should be drilling the child to see his skillset. The same goes for playing the violin. A teacher or coach should make determinations based on observation and intelligent dissemination of that childs skills, NOT on age alone.

So here we have Thomas and his cellist friend who are consistently playing music far below their level simply because of their age rather than their skills. There is NOTHING in this type of judgement that enables someone to grow....period!

There, I am done ranting and would love to hear from any of your parents that are in the same boat.

A Few Of My Summer Favorites

2023-06-26T09:23:00.003-04:00

Yankee Chinese Red Spareribs

This will be you favorite recipe during this summer when you have an urge to cook some Chinese-style spareribs. Honestly, you will never order out again, they are that good! Althouh the glaze/marinade is thick, it is the perfect consistency not only to marinate the ribs, but to keep as a slathering glaze and for dipping as well.

1/2 cup maple syrup

1/2 cup brown sugar

1/2 cup soy sauce

1 teaspoon Chinese 5 spice

1/2 teaspoon garlic powder

15 drops(about 1/4 teaspoon)red food coloring

2 tablespoons vinegar(see NOTE)

1/2 teaspoon celery seed, optional

2 pounds boneless, country-style pork spareribs

In a large bowl, whisk together first 8 ingredients; set aside. Cut spareribs in half from top to bottom, making each half as thick. Place in a shallow container in a single layer and pour bowl of sauce over the top, making sure each rib is fully covered. Refrigerate at least 24 hours and as long as 2 days for an intense flavor.

After removing the ribs from the marinade, transfer to a sauce pan and bring to a boil. Once boiling, remove from heat, cover and serve alongside the ribs for dipping.

Preheat only one half of an outdoor grill on high. Place ribs on the grate that is NOT over the flame. Close top and indirectly cook ribs for about 10 minutes before flipping over to continue cooking until completely done.

If you want to cook these on the stove top, simply add 3 tablespoons oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Add ribs, in a single layer, and cook for about 10 minutes per side, until thoroughly cooked.

NOTE: Because this is a Yankee recipe, of course I use apple cider vinegar. It imparts a fantastic flavor, but use rice wine vinegar if desired. If you would like, add a 1/4 cup hoisin sauce as well, but it really isn't needed. Honey can also be a great substitution for maple syrup.

Country Kitchen Potato Salad with Crabmeat

I remember so well one of my parents first restaurants in Maine. It was the Canaan Country Kitchen. It was here that I first learned his recipe for cole slaw dressing that I have never had since. So what a perfect marriage, combining cole slaw, great dressing, some crunchy vegetables and crabmeat. Think about it for a moment......done? Now go make it!

Country Kitchen Dressing:

1 cup mayonnaise or salad dressing

1/2 cup buttermilk

1/4 cup apple cider vinegar

1 tablespoon sugar

2 teaspoons prepared horseradish

1 teaspoon each lemon pepper and Old Bay Seasoning

Salt and black pepper to taste

Salad:

4 cups cooked, cubed potatoes

2 cups cole slaw mix

1/2 cup cooked, whole kernel corn

1/2 cup minced cucumber

4 ounces cooked crabmeat *

Whisk together Country Kitchen Dressing ingredients until smooth; set aside.

In a large bowl, add all salad ingredients, tossing to combine. Fold in the dressing to the potatoes well. Cover and refrigerate at least 1 hour before serving.

* Your choice of crabmeat will be just fine, including canned(but drained well), freshly cooked and chopped or even imitation that has been chopped.

Picnic Seafood Pasta Salad

Who doesn't invariably have leftover lasagna noodles in the cupboard? I do constantly! So rather than looking at them every single time I open the door, I cooked them up for this refreshing, cool and great tasting seafood salad. Nothing fancy, high-end, gourmet or even expensive. Just good ol' eatin'!

4-6 large shrimp, peeled and deveined

1 cup mayonnaise or salad dressing

1 cup plain yogurt or sour cream

2 tablespoons honey

1 tablespoon lemon or lime juice

2 lasagna sheets, cooked, rinsed and cooled *

3-4 ounces cooked crabmeat

1 cup frozen California mix vegetables, thawed

1/2 cup chopped, fresh cilantro

Cook shrimp in any manner desired. I simply boiled them for 2 minutes before cooling. Slice shrimp in half to form two identical halves, as seen in image; set aside.

Cut lasagna noodles into thin strips, either from end to end or side to side; set aside.

In a large bowl, mix mayonnaise, yogurt, honey and lemon juice. Toss in the pasta, shrimp, crabmeat, vegetables and cilantro, blending very well. Serve cold.

Enough for 2-4 servings

Escabeche

The Spanish answer to Ceviche, but cooked. Like ceviche, this "pickled" fish dish is enjoyed during the summer months(see NOTE). A refreshingly light and delicious broth that is just as vibrant as the dish itself, but Yanked ™!. I also cut way back on the amount of olive oil traditionally used in Escabeche, substituting more broth for a fully flavor.

1 pound firm, white fish of your choice

3 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil

1 each green, yellow and red bell peppers, julienned

1 small onion, diced

1 habanero pepper, seeded and minced

2 cups vegetable broth

1/2 cup white wine vinegar *

1 tablespoon chopped, fresh basil(or 1 teaspoon dried)

1 teaspoon garlic powder

1/4 teaspoon dried ginger

Pinch allspice, optional

Salt and black pepper to taste

Cut fish into bite-sized pieces; set aside. In a large skillet, add olive oil over medium heat. When hot, add bell peppers, onion and habanero pepper. Stir to combine and cook until all vegetables are crisp tender, about 5 minutes.

Stir in the broth, vinegar and all spices as well as the basil. Lay the fish pieces on top, cover, reduce heat to low and simmer until the fish is cooked through. Remove cover to serve hot.

NOTE: Classically, the fish in Escabeche is breaded and only cooked about half way before adding to the remainder of ingredients before being refrigerated overnight so that the fish finishes cooking in the acidic marinade. It is then served either cold or at room temperature. If desired, chill the soup completely before serving with crusty bread.

* I think white wine vinegar is phenomenal in this recipe, but use your favorite.

If he would have only listened....

2023-04-10T10:35:00.006-04:00

.....to me that summer morning at Canaan Country Kitchen, Dad would have turned 85 today. I will never forget that few moments on a Saturday morning in Canaan. I remember it so well because to the rest of my siblings at the time, my fathers drinking was just an every day occurrence and it became a typical visual whenever we would go see Dad next door at the restaurant.

I remember it was about mid morning or so because it was just starting to get warm out and I was taking a break from helping Dad in the kitchen. He told me to go take a break and if I wanted, I could go to the take out window and he would scoop me some ice cream in a cone. On my way out, 2 men walked in(even though we weren't open at the time)and said hi to me as we passed one another. I knew who these men were and they were very friendly to me...always had been. There names were Harold and David. I knew them not only because they came to visit Dad frequently, but they would bring him in a pint bottle of vodka a couple times a week. But for some reason, this one morning it just rubbed me the wrong way.

Anyway, I stood at the take out window for a few minutes and waited for Dad to come and give me my ice cream cone(I was about 12 or 13). He didn't come over so I put my hands up to the winder to shade the sun and looked in. I saw Dad and his 2 friends in the kitchen tipping up that bottle, each sharing a swig. This was the first time that I remember being upset. I started crying as I stood away from the window.

I remember turning around and just looking out onto the street out front, wicked upset. I wanted to say something to him so bad. I wanted my father to just stop drinking!!! As I am writing this, I am getting angry at him for drinking, but I also feel that lump in my throat at the same time. Angry and upset, at the same time. Not often that happens I must say.

I then turned around and decided to pound on the window to get his attention. I was going to have to go back in the kitchen to help Dad in short order and I wanted my ice cream. I pounded, he looked over at me and then just turned around and began swigging, joking and chatting with his friends. I didn't want to pound again cause he had an awful temper. Not a temper where he would physically hurt me or even yell at me, but the kind of look that would quickly "put me in my place".

To heck with it, I started crying and I mean sobbing crying. I decided I wanted more than an ice cream at that point. I put my hands up on the window again to shade my face as I put my nose right onto the glass. I, very gently, knocked one more time. He turned to me and walked over. He opened the sliding glass window and with the most stern face I remember he just stared at me with his pursed lips. I knew that meant he was angry but I didn't care.

"Dad, will you please stop drinking?" I actually asked him that while very audibly crying. I honestly thought he was going to get mad but he didn't. His face turned to a more loving look and he replied "We will talk about it later." I said okay, wiped my cheeks and he dipped into the ice cream freezer and scooped some ice cream into a cone. After handing it to me, he just stood there and looked at me. I remember me telling him that I loved him and he almost...almost....nodded his agreement. I could tell, even though he didn't acknowledge it, that he loved me too.

He never did stop drinking and I soon forgot all about what had happened after Dave and Harold left. I went back to work and all I remember is him being so nice to me for the rest of the day. But he didn't bring that little conversation up again.

To this day, that was the most upsetting time of my life...right next to the day he passed away in the ICU room when it was just him and I together.

Today he would have been 85 years old.....and still alive if he had just listened to me. Boy I hate you Dad for not listening to me, and I love you more than anything.

A 6th Generation Violinist

2023-03-15T11:15:00.004-04:00

Sure , parents brag about their child all the time and I am no different, but I truly do not embellish. Thomas is America's ONLY 6th generation violinist!

If I say my youngest son Thomas does not swear(even behind my back or while hanging out with his friends), I truly mean it!

When I tell family members that all kinds of people will come up to me to let me know how polite and friendly Thomas is, they really do!

When I mention that Thomas does not bully or ridicule others, he honestly is that kind of young man.

Thomas also buys children bicycles every summer as well as Thanksgiving and Christmas meals for parents who are down on their luck. He even paid off lunch debts from children whose parents fell into arrears on their bill. Paid every cent of outstanding bills!!!!

Now I am hearing from many adult, professional musicians and those in the world of strings that Thomas is gifted and a natural talent on the violin, not only am I telling the truth, but he is quite literally the best 11 year old on the violin with only 3 years practice I have ever heard....well besides some prodigies I see on social media.

I have been teaching Thomas for this duration and just recently gave some of my teaching up to a very skilled violinist named Sascha Lorimer of Bangor, Maine, albeit it begrudgingly. But he is continuing to excel and I could not be happier.

Thomas has attended the Bay Chamber Music Schools Envision Program in Rockport, Maine, belongs to his schools band(a very meager ensemble of mostly wind instruments and a few violinists who are miles behind Thomas in relation to experience. He hated to go to it last year but after being informed by his music teacher at the school that Thomases presence is helping the other kids, he does it.

He is a second season, first violin member of the Bangor Symphony Youth Orchestra, starting in the third row and now the assistant principal while filling in for the first chair.

He will be attending Kneisel Hall Chamber program this summer.

He is entering the Pine Tree Competition at Orono, Maine in a few short weeks playing Czardas, Schindler's List and Arioso.

He is competing in the Glen Jenks and Elsie Bixler competition in Rockport as well.

So as you can see, he stays busy and loves to be competitive. On the other hand, his love of baseball is first on his list ever simmer, being a great pitcher.

He began his own youtube channel, and while we do not click-bait or over dramatize the video titles, he finds enjoyment from the few subscribers and likes that he has garnered so far.

I admit, the videos are not for everyone because they tend to be boring to those who do not enjoy the violin. But I am writing this post to see if I can drum up more support for him on this channel.

So I guess, in short, what I am asking is for anyone who would visit his channel to either subscribe or like any of his videos, I and Thomas especially would appreciate it. Just the simple things like that makes all the difference in the world to a child. And the one drawback we have is that we live here in Maine. Although we love this state, it offers very little in the way of publicity or renown. Heck, most people don't even know where Maine is. As for competitions, he can win state competitions but there is no chance at all to advance outside of Maine, which is not only frustrating, but it doesn't give him any hope for long term happiness.

So I will ask once again, please like or subscribe to his channel if you would. It would mean the world to him and I cannot thank you enough.

https://www.youtube.com/@6thgenviolinist383

2023-02-03T12:12:00.002-05:00

Amazing Italian Grape-nut Pudding

Although Grapenuts was first produced in the late 19th century, within the next couple of years, these little grains were used as a crispy topping for baked custard. Here in New England, Grape-nut Pudding was at its culinary pinnacle in the 1920s and has stayed popular for almost 100 years. I created this recipe because my children dislike custard. So if I could reproduce the flavor of this classic Yankee dessert, without the overpowering flavor of eggs, than I could keep this dish alive, hopefully for another century. And this did the trick. Creamy and smooth, the flavor and crunch of Grape-nuts isn't lost, but that eggy flavor is. Don't be dismayed however, the creaminess and a sweet crust forms all throughout and around this classic, making it even better!

Nonstick cooking spray

1 1/2 cups ricotta cheese

4 eggs

3/4 cup raisins

1/2 cup sugar

1/3 cup Grape-nuts cereal *

1/4 cup milk

1 tablespoon vanilla

1/2 teaspoon each cinnamon and nutmeg

Grease an 8-inch square pan with nonstick cooking spray; set aside. Preheat oven to 350-degrees F. Blend all ingredients in a bowl with an electric mixer until as smooth as possible, on low speed. Pour into prepared pan and bake 34-36 minutes, or until firm to the touch in the center. Remove from oven to cool before covering to refrigerate completely.

*If you don't want to spend the money for an entire box of this cereal, your favorite granola makes a fantastic substitution.

Apple Pie Fritter Bread

On a day like this, I don't need to tell you how good this would taste sitting at home.

Apple mixture:

2 apples

2 tablespoons granulated sugar

1 teaspoon cinnamon

Spice Mix:

1/3 cup brown sugar

1 teaspoon cinnamon

Batter:

1/2 cup oil(I used canola)

2 eggs

2/3 cup brown sugar

1(6-oz.)container vanilla or plain yogurt or use milk

1 teaspoon almond or vanilla extract

1 1/2 cup flour

1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder

1 teaspoon cinnamon

1/2 teaspoon nutmeg

1/4 teaspoon ground cloves or allspice, optional

2 tablespoons butter or margarine

Grease a loaf pan; set aside. Preheat oven to 350-degrees F. Peel, core and dice apples very small and mix with sugar and cinnamon; set aside. in a small bowl, blend brown sugar and cinnamon; set aside. In a large bowl, beat oil, brown sugar,

eggs, yogurt and extract until smooth. Add flour, baking powder, cinnamon, nutmeg and cloves. Continue beating until well incorporated. It does not have to be lump free. Pour half the batter in prepared pan. then half the apple mixture evenly over the top, then half the spice mix evenly over the apples. Repeat , this time pressing the apples just slightly into batter. Dot with the butter and bake 75 minutes, or until the middle bounces back when pressed. Remove from oven to cool before glazing with a mixture of 1/2 cup powdered sugar with 3 tablespoons milk or water.

Crispy Cheesy Potatoes au Gratin, Two Ways

Who doesn't like that crispy edge often found around a great mac and cheese? Now take that a step further and give this recipe a try. Not only is it far easier to prepare(and foolproof I might add), but you get that same cheesy crispness in every single bite!

2 pounds russet potatoes, peeled

11 tablespoons butter or margarine, divided

2 tablespoons olive oil

1 tablespoon maple syrup

1 large Spanish onion, peeled, halved and sliced thin

1/2 cup panko bread crumbs

1 teaspoon minced garlic in oil

1/4 cup flour

2 cups milk

1/2 teaspoon both salt and black pepper

1/2 cup(2 ounces)shredded milk Cheddar cheese

1/2 cup(2 ounces)Gruyere cheese, shredded

Begin by slicing potatoes 1/2-inch thick. Place in a large saucepan, cover with water and boil until just fork tender, about 8 minutes. Carefully pour into a strainer allowing to drain and dry while making Caramelized Onions and cheese sauce.

Prepare Caramelized Onions first by placing 2 tablespoons butter with olive oil and maple syrup in a large skillet over medium high heat. When butter has melted, add onions and cook for about 20 minutes, stirring often, or until browned. Remove from heat and immediately transfer to 9-inch square baking pan, or equivalent; set aside to cool. It may harden, which is perfect.

Preheat oven to 400-degrees F.

Melt 3 tablespoons butter and mix with panko crumbs evenly; set aside.

Melt remainder of butter, with garlic, in a medium saucepan over medium heat. Cook 3 minutes. Whisk in flour until smooth. While still on heat, add milk, salt and pepper, blending well. Continue cooking and whisking until milk has thickened. Add both cheeses and remove from heat. Sir until cheese has melted.

To assemble, layer cooked potatoes over the onions. Pour cheese sauce over the top evenly and sprinkle panko crumbles over the top. Cook 20-25 minutes, or until bubbling and lightly browned. Remove to serve hot.

NOTE: If you don't care for the Caramelized Onion layer, simply omit the entire process and follow directions for the rest of the recipe.

Bacon Cheeseburger Soup

This is probably one of my best soups for winter. And I hate to even call it a soup, more like a cheeseburger chowdah to be honest. Creamy, cheesy, thick and delicious. Many will make it a Deluxe or even a Royal with the addition of diced tomatoes and/or onions. By all means double it if you are cooking for more than two. After all, what soup isn't tastier the second day?

3 tablespoons butter or margarine, melted

2 tablespoons flour

4 ounces ground beef

4-6 ounces yellow American cheese, thinly sliced

4 strips cooked bacon, crumbled

2 cups milk

2 egg yolks, lightly beaten

1/4 teaspoon black pepper

Whisk the melted butter and flour in a small bowl; set aside. In a medium saucepan, add ground beef over medium heat, breaking apart with a spatula or large spoon. Cook, continuing to break apart, until cooked through. Carefully drain grease and return to stove. Add bacon, milk, yolks and pepper, stirring well. Bring to scalding, stirring frequently and add cheese, bacon and butter mixture(roux). Stir well and continue cooking and stirring until thick, creamy and cheese has completely melted. Serve hot.

If you decide to make this either a Deluxe or Royal version, simple add diced tomatoes at the very end or cook a quarter cup diced onion with burger.

Blueberry Coffee Cake

With the wind gusting and the temperature already in the minus category, I have absolutely no issue starting up the oven and keeping it going all day long. I remember my father saying that HIS father used to repeat "Maine has 2 seasons. Winter and August". It is almost true. So sitting down to a great tasting New England coffee cake is a feel good snack or dessert. Even a husband can make this delightful cake.

Topping:

1/3 c. brown sugar

3 T. flour

1/2 t. cinnamon

2 T. butter or margarine, melted

Cake:

Nonstick cooking spray

2 c. flour

3/4 c. sugar

1 T. baking powder

1/4 c. butter or margarine, melted

3/4 c. milk

2 eggs

1 T. lemon juice

1 1/2 c. fresh or frozen blueberries

Preheat oven to 350-degrees F. Grease an 8-9-inch square baking pan or cake pan liberally with nonstick cooking spray; set aside.

In a small bowl, blend together brown sugar, flour and cinnamon. Add melted butter and stir until flour mixture is entirely moist; set aside.

In a large bowl, place all cake ingredients at once, except blueberries, and beat with an electric mixer until smooth. Fold in blueberries. Pour batter in prepared pan and evenly sprinkle crumb topping over the top. Bake 45-50 minutes, or until the topping is crisp and the cake bounces back when touched in the middle. Use a toothpick if needed to make sure it comes out clean. Remove from oven to cool slightly before cutting to serve.

Christmas Candy......and a pudding.....and some cookies!

2022-12-16T13:38:00.004-05:00

There aren't many times of the year when I actually take the time to make candy but when I do, it is through the Holidays. I simply love the following candy recipes but especially adore Pumpkin Pudding. My recipe for this smooth pudding is the quickest you can find.

Gingerbread Fudge

This fudge tastes EXACTLY like gingerbread, I promise! Light, smooth and very creamy, this noncook version takes only minutes to make and even less time to eat. Make a batch to share. See the NOTE below for alternate ways of making this fudge if all you have is marshmallows. It will be just as good!

2 cups sugar

1(12-oz.)bag white chocolate chips

1 1/4 cups marshmallow creme(see NOTE)

1/4 cup molasses

1/2 cup evaporated milk

1/2 teaspoon each cinnamon and ginger

1/4 teaspoon each allspice and nutmeg

1/8 teaspoon ground cloves

Line an 8-inch square pan with waxed or parchment paper; set aside. Place all ingredients in a medium saucepan over medium low heat. Continue to heat until everything is melted and smooth, stirring a few times. Immediately pour into prepared pan and refrigerate at least 2 hours, or until firm.

-If you do not have marshmallow creme, it is easy enough to make your own or use just marshmallows in this recipe instead. If you decide to use all marshmallows, add an extra 2 tablespoons evaporated milk. Here are a couple of tips using marshmallows and marshmallow creme.

-You can substitute 1(7-oz.)container of marshmallow creme with 4 cups mini marshmallows or 40 large marshmallows. Place 1(16 oz.) bag of marshmallows in a large saucepan with 1/4 cup corn syrup and slowly heat and stir until smooth. Transfer to a covered container and cool.

-10 large marshmallows equals 1 cup mini marshmallows, which is 2 ounces. One(7-oz.)jar marshmallow creme equals 2 1/2 cups, or 1 ounce of fluff equals about 1/3 cup.

"Candied" Fruit Nougat

Really not a true candied fruit, these candies are delicious none-the-less and kids adore them. If you want, use real candied fruit in this recipe. This is a gooey messy treat, so be ready to pick your teeth afterwards. As many know, there are basically 2 kinds of nougat. One that is filled with little holes and is much less dense. Then there is true nougat, which is the consistency of stringy, sticky, very dense and thick caramel. This is just such a recipe.

2(12-oz.)bags white chocolate chips

2(10.5-oz.)bags mini marshmallows

1(9-oz.)bag gummy fruit slices

Cut fruit slices a half an inch wide; set aside. Line the bottom of a 9-inch square pan with parchment paper: set aside. In a large bowl add marshmallows and chocolate chips. Microwave for 2 minutes and stir. If the chocolate chips have not completely melted, continue microwaving at 15 second intervals until completely melted. Add sliced gummy fruit, blend well and pour into prepared pan. Refrigerate until cold and set, about 2 hours.

Loosen the edges with a knife and invert onto work surface, peeling parchment paper from the bottom. Cut to desired sized pieces and serve.

Chocolate Buttermint 'Cookies'

Although technically not butter cookies, using cream cheese gives these treats an amazing taste. These cookies taste exactly like fudge, even the texture! We all love this easy recipe for the Holidays and I am sure once you make and try them, you will be handing them out to family and friends as a remembrance of Holidays long ago.

1/2 cup(4 ounces) cream cheese, softened

4-5 cups powdered sugar

1 cup baking cocoa

2 teaspoons peppermint or spearmint extract

Simply place all ingredients(starting with 4 cups powdered sugar) in a large bowl and beat on high with an electric mixer until it is as smooth as possible. I would use a paddle attachment because it will get very thick. Add extra powdered sugar if needed to bring it to the consistency of modeling clay(Play Doh for example).

Pinch off 2 tablespoon measure amounts and roll it on the counter to form a seamless ball.

Place on a pan that has been lined with parchment paper or film wrap and press down with the tines of a fork as you would a peanut butter cookie until about a half inch in thickness.

Place them in refrigerator for at least 36 hours to dry and form a "shell". You can leave them on the counter as well, but refrigerators dry items out the best.

Once dried, you can place them in a container and enjoy.

Old Fashioned Butter Mints

Butter mints, I am afraid, have seen their days. I think the last time I heard of anyone making them was back when I was a child and my grandmother whipped up batches and batches.....But then again, we didn't have dozens of choices of sour this and extreme that in stores either. In fact, as children, it was a treat to go to the store for our favorite candy necklace or licorice once a month. But come Thanksgiving and Christmas, well these little gems were just part of our choices, as they are my children ever year as well.

P.S., everyone has asked me why there is no 'mint' in this recipe. Simply because they were not originally made with mint. The second question, invariably, is "Why are they called Butter Mints then?" I simply have no idea but if you feel better, add a 1/2 teaspoon of peppermint oil or extract to the recipe. Me? I enjoy them just the way they are!

1/4 cup butter or margarine, softened

1/4 cup sweetened condensed milk

5 cups powdered sugar, plus extra cup if needed

Simply place all ingredients in a large bowl and beat on high with an electric mixer until it is as smooth as possible. I would use a paddle attachment because it will get very thick. Add extra powdered sugar if needed to bring it to the consistency of modeling clay(Play Doh for example). See NOTE.

Pinch off 1 cup measure amounts and roll it on the counter until it is about 1-inch in diameter. With a non serrated knife, cut off 1-inch long segments and place on a pan. Continue until all dough is formed into mints, making sure they don't touch. Place them in refrigerator for at least 26 hours to dry and form a "shell". You can leave them on the counter as well, but refrigerators dry items out the best.

Once dried, you can place them in a container and enjoy.

NOTE: If your mixer isn't powerful enough and you don't want to break it, mix the dough as much as possible with electric mixer then finish with you hands.

Eggnog Pumpkin Fudge

A little on the sweet side......okay, a LOT on the sweetness scale, but just don't sit down to the whole pan when it's ready. You can actually taste both the eggnog and pumpkin in this recipe and it was soooooo good!

Nonstick cooking spray

3 cups sugar

1/2 cup butter or margarine

2/3 cup eggnog

1/4 cup evaporated milk

1 1/2 cups canned pumpkin

2 tablespoons maple syrup

1 tablespoon pumpkin pie spice*

10 ounces white chocolate chips

1/2(10-ounce)bag(3 cups)mini marshmallows

Lightly grease an 8-inch square pan with nonstick cooking spray; set aside.

In a large saucepan, place first 7 ingredients and stir well. Bring to a boil over medium high heat, stirring almost constantly to prevent scorching. Continue to boil and stir until your candy thermometer reads 240-degrees F, which is the high end of the soft ball stage. This will take roughly 10 minutes.

Remove pan from heat and immediately stir in white chocolate chips and marshmallows, until everything is completely melted. Pour into prepared pan and cool at least 3 hours, or until firm.

* Or make your own by blending 2 tablespoons cinnamon, 1 tablespoon nutmeg, 2 teaspoons ginger, 1 teaspoon allspice and 1/2 teaspoon ground cloves.

Creamy 5 Minute Pumpkin Pudding

I don't know why I never made it before this year. Incredibly inexpensive, simple and delicious. If you want to bump it up a notch or two, soften 8 ounces cream cheese, beat until smooth and add to the cooled pudding, beating until the whole thing is creamy. Think pumpkin cheesecake in a bowl!

1 1/2 tablespoons cornstarch

1/4 cup sugar

1 teaspoon cinnamon

1/2 teaspoon allspice

1 3/4 cups milk or egg nog

1 beaten egg

2 teaspoons vanilla or molasses

1/2 cup canned pumpkin

In a medium saucepan, whisk together cornstarch, sugar, cinnamon and allspice. Add milk, egg and molasses(if you are using) and whish until thoroughly blended. Place over medium heat and bring to scalding. When it starts to get hot, you will have to whisk almost constantly. Continue whisking for 1 minutes when it begins to thicken. Remove from heat and whisk in pumpkin and vanilla(if using). Immediately transfer to a bowl, cover and refrigerate until completely cooled, about 2 hours.

When ready to serve, whisk one more time until smooth.

Soft and Puffy Gingersnap Cookies

There are two different types of people. Those who love crispy, delicate gingersnaps(see NOTE) and those who love pillow soft, fluffy gingersnaps. Here are directions for both!. If you want darker cookies, use light or dark brown sugar in place of granulated in cookie dough. This recipe is foolproof and should be saved for many years to enjoy.

3/4 cup(1 1/2 sticks) butter or margarine, softened

1 1/2 cups sugar, divided

1 egg

1/3 cup molasses

2 1/4 cups flour

1 1/2 teaspoons each baking powder and cinnamon

2 teaspoons dried ginger *

1/2 teaspoon ground cloves

1/4 teaspoon nutmeg

Cream the butter and 1 cup sugar in a large bowl until as smooth as possible with an electric mixer. Add egg and molasses and continue beating until well combined.

In a separate bowl, blend remaining ingredients and add to butter mixture slowly. After everything is beaten as smooth as possible with an electric mixer, cover and refrigerate at least 1 hour or until firm enough to handle without being too sticky.

Preheat oven to 350-degrees F. Pinch off enough dough to form a 2-inch ball, roll it between your palms and then roll in remainder of sugar. Place on an ungreased cookie sheet. Repeat with remaining dough, leaving at least 1-inch between cookies. Bake 14-16 minutes, or until puffed up and starting to show small cracks on top. Remove from oven to cool slightly before removing to wire racks to completley cool.

Make 24

* Because I think all gingersnap cookies should be well pronounced with the flavor of ginger, these cookies stand up to that mantra. If a less pungent taste of ginger is desired, cut the amount in half.

NOTE: For Crispy Gingersnaps, after mixing all ingredients, transfer dough to a work surface and roughly shape into an 8 to 10-inch log. Place this rough log into the center of a large piece of film wrap. Roll the dough in wrap, forming a more uniform log as you do so. Place in freezer at least 2 hours, or until firm. Remove from freezer, unwrap and cut into 1/2-inch slices. Coat each side with sugar and place on an ungreased cookie pan with about 2-inches between each cookie. Bake in a 350-degree F oven for 10-12 minutes, or until the bottom of each is darker the the tops and the centers are firm. Remove to cool as directed above.

3 Of My Favorite Thanksgiving Recipes

2022-11-16T09:56:00.001-05:00

The difference between butternut and buttercup squash is like the difference between night and day. I adore the dryness and more pronounced flavor of buttercup and it stands up to the "liquidy" texture of the applesauce much better than butternut, which is a wetter squash. The yield may be lower in buttercup but remember what the general rule of thumb is for vibrantly colored vegetables? More antioxidant power is headed your way!\

Butternut Squash... Simple!

4 - 5 pound butternut squash, sliced, peeled and seeded
1 (15-ounce) can applesauce
Salt and black pepper to taste
1/2 cup maple syrup or brown sugar
1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
1/4 teaspoon(s) dried ginger
1 pinch dried, ground cloves.
Cover squash with water by 1-inch, cover with lid and cook over medium heat until softened, but not mush, about 10 minutes. Immediately, and carefully, strain.* Let squash sit in strainer until all liquid has drained.
Carefully, and with the rounded side of a large spoon, gently push the squash against the sides of the colander, draining even more liquid. Transfer to a large bowl and add remainder of ingredients. Using a potato masher or hand-held electric mixer, mash or beat squash until as smooth as possible. Serve immediately.
* If there are only a couple of you dining on this squash recipe, I urge you to cut the squash as directed(although the amount should be halved), place on a microwave safe dish, cover tightly with film wrap and microwave for 3-4 minutes. Do not add any liquid at all, for the natural liquid found inside the squash will suffice in the cooking process. Remove when soft to the touch. Unwrap and there is no need of draining before mashing.

Candied Yams

I think you just may be preparing these salty-sweet gems for your Holiday tables instead of the classic Candied Yams. They really don't take any more time to prepare then the old standby, but the flavor makes any extra work well worth the effort.

6 small sweet potatoes, peeled
1/4 cup brie cheese (or use bleu cheese, crumbled)
1/2 teaspoon dried rosemary
1/2 teaspoon dried, crushed thyme
1 teaspoon minced garlic in oil
1/2 teaspoon cracked black pepper
4 ounces thinly sliced prosciutto
3 tablespoons crushed nuts (your choice)
3 tablespoons minced, dried cranberries
6 tablespoons maple syrup
Preheat oven to 425 degrees F. Peel potatoes then boil them for about 5 minutes or until starting to soften. Immediately remove from water and let cool enough to handle. Potatoes may not be cooked completely but will finish cooking in the oven.
Meanwhile, add the cheese, rosemary, thyme, garlic and black pepper to a bowl. Mash ingredients together until all is well combined: set aside.
Once potatoes are slightly cooled, slice potatoes in halve length-wise. Make sure to remember which two halves go together, as you will be sealing up the filling.
Using a small spoon, scrape out a shallow path, length-wise down the middle of each side of the potato. .Fill the bottom half each potato with about 1-2 t. of the cheese herb mixture, spreading it evenly throughout the shallow path. Do not over fill the potatoes. Place the top half of the potato over the bottom to form a whole sweet potato. Try to gently work the halves closed so that the stuffing doesn't seep out during the cooking process. Repeat this process with all of the potatoes.
Wrap each of the stuffed sweet potatoes with thinly sliced prosciutto, working carefully so the prosciutto doesn't rip. Try to wrap the prosciutto as tightly as possible, using a toothpick if desired(just remember to remove them before serving . Remove potatoes to a wax paper, foil or lined baking pan and bake 15 minutes, or until ham is starting to crisp. Meanwhile, mix together the nuts and cranberries in small bowl. Remove potatoes from oven and sprinkle nut mixture over the top. Drizzle about 1 T. maple syrup and continue cooking another 10 minutes. Remove from oven and serve hot. Enjoy!

10-Minute Snowflake Pudding

Pure white and a refreshingly cool taste, this pudding reminds me of a subtly flavored, creamy peppermint pattie, but with the great taste of spearmint. If preferred, by all means use peppermint extract or oil.

2 tablespoons cornstarch
2 tablespoons sugar
2 cups milk
3 egg whites, beaten
1 -2 teaspoons clear spearmint extract*
3/4 cup white chocolate chips
Multi-colored candy canes, for garnish
Whisk first 4 ingredients well together in a medium saucepan. Place saucepan over medium heat, stirring almost constantly until scalding and thickened. It will get foamy and start lightly boiling. This is the time to remove it from the stove, taking about 4-5 minutes. Stir in extract and chocolate chips until chips are completely melted. Transfer to a bowl, cover with film wrap and refrigerate at least 2 hours, or until completely cooled and set.
When ready to serve, remove from refrigerator and beat, vigorously, until as smooth as possible.
Divide among serving dishes, garnish with candy canes and serve.
* If you are unable to find clear spearmint extract, try oil of spearmint of another clear minty extract or oil. I love to keep this pudding as white as newly fallen snow. One teaspoon extract will give you that perfect, subtle flavor but if you prefer a more robust minty flavor, add 2 teaspoons.

Fall and Food

2022-09-20T09:04:00.001-04:00

Well, it looks as if there won't be much in the way of colorful leaves when the National Fall Foliage Week begins the last Sunday of this month. Although there are a few vibrant leaves and quite a collection of them drifting down to my pool(I made a huge mistake placing my pool under the largest elm tree on my property), it is still a great time of year to get on outside with your kids, sans the cell phone.

See more here about this New England-inspired holiday week.

In the meantime, we will ease into using the oven now that the cooler fall weather has hit us here in the Northeast.

Bacon-Jacked Jam

A friend of mine(actually family)who owns the IGA in Orono, Maine advertised Bacon Jam on sale last week and it was the very first time I have ever seen it for sale. If you haven't ever tried it, you are in for quite a pleasant surprise.

This jam is the perfect addition to a gooey American/mild Cheddar cheese sandwich or simply slathered on a homemade English muffin sandwich. This is truly for all bacon lovers.

8 ounces bacon, chopped small

1 apple, peeled, cored and small diced

1/2 teaspoon cracked black pepper

1/2 teaspoon paprika

1/2 cup each maple syrup and apple juice

2 teaspoons apple cider vinegar

2 tablespoons Apple Jack, or bourbon, optional

Add bacon to a saucepan or large skillet and cook over medium heat until as crispy as desired. Carefully drain fat, keeping bacon in pan. Add next 5 ingredients and bring to a boil, stirring well.

Reduce heat to low and simmer until most liquid has been absorbed, leaving just enough to hold the jam together. Remove from heat and stir in vinegar and Apple Jack, if using.

Use while warm or transfer to a container, cover and refrigerate until needed.

Puffy Chicken and Dumplings

One of the most sought after recipes has got to be Chicken and Dumplings. But isn't leftover turkey just as good? I think so! No matter what time of year it is, people have an affinity to this comfort classic, but they also want a simple and economical recipe, especially if uses leftovers. These are the softest dumplings you will ever make. If you have any leftover cooked vegetables, by all means add them right before the dumplings.

Nonstick cooking spray

1 pound cooked chicken(or turkey), chopped

1/2 small onion, minced

2 potatoes, peeled and diced

4 cups chicken broth

2 cups flour

1 tablespoon baking powder

1 teaspoon each salt and black pepper

1/2 teaspoon each dried thyme and rosemary

3/4 cup milk

4 tablespoon butter or margarine, melted

4 tablespoons water

3 tablespoons cornstarch

In a medium saucepan, coat bottom with nonstick cooking spary and place pot over medium heat. Add onions and cook until the onions have softened, stirring often. Add turkey, potatoes and broth. Bring to a boil. Meanwhile, make dumplings.

In a large bowl, combine flour, baking powder, salt, black pepper, thyme and rosemary. Stir in the milk and melted butter. Set aside. Make cornstarch slurry by mixing water and cornstarch until smooth; set aside. When broth is boiling, cook potatoes until they are just beginnning to soften, called crisp tender. This will take only 10 minutes or so, according to the size of your potatoes. Stir in the cornstarch slurry(see NOTE) until broth has thickened and it is smooth. Reduce heat to low.

By the rounded tablespoon, dot the top of the stew with dumpling mixture. They will stay floating. When the entire surface is covered with dumplings, place tight-fitting lid over the top and simmer about 12-15 minutes, or until the dumplings have puffed up and are light as a feather when cut open. Remove cover and serve immediately.

NOTE: As you can see, I used cornstarch slurry instead of roux(melted butter and flour)as a thickener. I do this because using unlike roux, slurry does is easily and completely stirred into broth to thicken, unlike roux which is almost impossible to stir the clumps smooth when you have other items in the liquid.

Enough for 4 servings(or 1 hungry sole)

Apple Fritter Coffee Cake

Ever wanted that great taste of apple fritters that you can simply mix, pour and bake? Here you have all that and more! Reminding me of banana bread, this perfect Sunday morning sweet bread can only be topped with that hot cup of coffee. It's Just That Simple!™

Nonstick cooking spray

1/2 cup(1 stick)butter or margarine, softened

2/3 cup brown sugar

1/2 cup milk

2 eggs

2 teaspoons lemon juice

1 cup flour

2 teaspoons baking powder

1 teaspoon cinnamon

1 large apple

1/2 cup raisins

Grease a 9-inch loaf pan with cooking spray; set aside. Preheat oven to 350-degrees F.

In a large bowl, using an electric mixer, beat butter and brown sugar until smooth and creamy. Add milk, eggs and lemon juice, continuing to beat until well blended.

In a separate bowl, blend flour, baking powder and cinnamon. Add dry to wet.

Peel, core and dice apple. Add to flour and butter mixture along with the raisins and continue beating, on low speed, until everything is thoroughly mixed. It does not have to be smooth.

Pour into prepared pan and bake 45-50 minutes, or until cracked on top and it bounces back in the middle when lightly pressed.

Remove from oven, cool slightly, loosen the edges and invert onto a large platter or serving dish.

Hearthside Apple-Sugar Cookie Tart

Sweetly crisp and reminiscent of the coming Holidays. But why wait? Especially with apples ripe and ready to pick now.

Sugar Cookie Crust:

4 tablespoons butter or margarine, room temperature

2/3 cup sugar

1 beaten egg

1 teaspoon rum extract or vanilla

1 cup flour

Powdered sugar, as needed

Caramelized Apple Topping:

1 large or 2 small apples

2 tablespoons butter or margarine

2 tablespoons brown sugar

2 tablespoons granulated sugar

Cinnamon

Nonstick cooking spray

Make Sugar Cookie Crust

In a large bowl, add the butter and sugar. With a stout spoon, mix very well. It doesn't have to be smooth and fluffy, just combined well. Add the egg and rum extract, continuing to mix thoroughly. Add the flour and mix until well incorporated. Sprinkle some powdered sugar on a work surface, transfer cookie dough and knead for 30 seconds, continuing to add powdered sugar as needed to prevent sticking.

Roll out to about a 1/2-inch thick and large enough to fit into a 9 or 10-inch nonstick, oven-safe skillet. If you don't have nonstick pan, a cast iron pan will work just fine.

Place rolled cookie dough on a sugar-dusted plate and put in refrigerator until needed.

In the meantime, preheat oven to 375-degrees F. and peel, core and wedge apple(s) to 3/4-inch in thickness; set aside.

Heat 2 tablespoons butter into your 9-10-inch nonstick, oven-safe skillet over medium high heat. When melted, sprinkle both sugars over the butter evenly. Let cook until it becomes a light brown, or amber-colored. Keep an eye on this because once it starts to brown, it can burn in a matter of seconds, and you think baked-on lasagna is hard to clean........

Remove from heat and lay apple wedges in a circular pattern carefully into this sugar syrup using tongs if needed, reduce heat to medium, place back on burner and cook apples for 5 minutes. Carefully flip each apple wedge over, dust with desired amount of cinnamon and cook an additional 5 minutes. Grab your sugar cookie dough and carefully place it over the apples, pricking the top of it for steam venting. Immediately put the skillet into the oven and bake 12-14 minutes, or until the cookie is starting to brown on top. Immediately remove from oven to rest for 1 minute, NO LONGER. Grab a plate the same size or larger, and immediately before the sugar begins to harden, very carefully invert your creation onto the plate. Spray a pizza cutter with nonstick cooking spray, or use a sharp, non serrated knife that has been sprayed, and cut into wedges. Enjoy while warm or let it cool to form an amazingly crispy, sugary, caramelized crust.

The FRIENDLIEST Town in Maine....so far

2022-08-10T08:47:00.002-04:00

Between August 1-5, 2022, my 11 year old son and I had the opportunity to spend the week in Rockport, Maine. He was performing with the Bay Chamber Music Schools Envision Program, culminating in a concert on Friday, Aug. 5. Thomas spent between 9-4 each day practicing a couple of pieces and since it took an hour and a half each way, I decided to just hang around town each day rather than travelling back and forth and I sure am glad I did....at least for the most part.

My first day, or rather I should say my first hour, was spent enjoying the scenery and walks around town as soon as I could find my first cup of coffee. That simple "first step" seemed an easy one until I found it to be the toughest step of all, but more on that in a minute.

Rockport, Maine should be considered a stop over when visiting this neck of the woods in Maine because there is only absolutely nothing to do in Rockport, for adults and children, which is a wicked shame. I found this depressing observation out very soon after walking around. BUT......there were several saving graces that has now changed my mind. The first was a little place called Graffam Brothers Seafood.

I will tell you much more in short, but first I want to mention the people of Rockport.

I felt as though I was in an episode of the Twilight Zone...honestly! From the moment I turned to walk down the street after seeing Thomas off for the day, the greetings began amongst the seagulls cries. "Good morning", "Howdy" "Hi there" and so many variations of a mornings salutation were immediately offered.....AND EACH WITH A SMILE!!!. Of course being the Yankee I am, I replied in kind, both audibly and with a returning smile.

Graffam Bros. fish case

Well, maybe it was the fact that I was a stranger. Maybe I just caught everyone on a clear, warm and beautiful Monday morning. Nope, this happened every single minute I was walking around town, no matter what part of town. In fact, at least once a day as I was leisurely strolling about town, a person would actually engage in conversation if I asked about something. For example, one day I asked an elderly lady how far down the road Camden was and after telling me, she asked "Do you have a minute?" Of course I did! She began her 30 minute chat with her very first home purchase some 50 years earlier and ended with he husband passing 2 years before. No, although she may have been lonely, she was extending on a conversation I had begun with her about how beautiful the community was and how friendly the folks were in Rockport. She had honored her hometown with pride and I was happy to spend some time with her.

I would like to mention just one more lady and her companion that I 'bumped into' while strolling as well, although I could go on and on. As I continued walking toward Camden to see if I could break up my day a little with some shopping, I noticed some beautiful flowering shrubs to my right and a lady tending to them. (I am going to shorten this so you will continue reading without getting bored.) She was a learned lady named Barbara and her companion Bob. Not only had I inquired about her flora but she began schooling me on how to care for, tend to these plants as well as her lifes' educational background. Too long to list here, she was a gem to talk to and Bob was just as cordial to me as well, never letting his facial expression offer anything other than a smile and genuine, small town graciousness. The both were such that I made it a staple to walk by their home every morning on the way to Camden and early afternoon coming from Camden. In fact, they have emailed me since with pictures of their plants as well as the names of them so that I can make some informed decisions here at my home. I look forward to running into both Barbara and Bob each time we visit Rockport and they too, reflect the laid back, productive and cordial, salty atmosphere of this town. Thank you folks!

The very first morning, my first job was to find a cup of coffee. One would think this would be easy but noooooo......There was not one place in this town to find a cup of coffee to start the day. Ordinarily this would have set the tone, but the saving grace was the greetings from everyone around. Everyone told me to walk to Camden if I needed one, which was "only a couple miles down the road". The walking did not bother me one bit. In fact, I had a lot of time on my hands anyway, so off to Camden I went. After rounding the corner where the new library was(a place where I spent a considerable amount of time as well) I spied a seafood market on my left by the name of Graffam Bros. Seafood.

Nothing about coffee in their windows but it couldn't hurt to try. I walked in the front door and of course was immediately greeted by good mornings from patrons and employees. But more importantly, as I looked to my left, it was like that movie moment where the music accentuates a glorious event. There they were, 6 pump cannisters with different coffees in each. A sign next to it stating a $1.25 price.

Walking over I saw some tables just beckoning me to sit down, grab a paper and relax. It reminded me so much of my parents restaurants.

A simple, brightly lit dining room that was more akin to a diner than a seafood market...which was just what I was looking for!

The first encounter I had with a member of the staff was a young transplant from another state in the midwest by the name of Harrison. I new he was a transplant because of our conversation we had when I walked up to the counter.

Finnan Haddie

He was a genuinely nice man who, along with everyone else at Graffam Brothers, greeted customers not only with a natural smile(as opposed to a forced one you often see so early in the morning) but with a willingness to engage with a customer, regardless of how busy he was.

A true gem to Graffams and the community. He stepped out from behind the counter to let me know the different types of coffee and the flavor profiles of all six flavors.

I told him I wanted a coffee that my spoon could stand straight up in...in other words STRONG! Although he told me about the intenseness of one of Carrabassett's coffee, he nudged me toward Jamaican Me Crazy...which was a great choice.

For the next couple of days, I made it a priority to stop here for my morning coffee, with Thursday morning being my most memorable coffee breaks. I decided to walk around this "shop" and see what else they had for sale. I was honestly blown a way! Not only did they have a fresh seafood case(two of them in fact)but the prices of the fish, mollusks, shellfish and seafood were honestly outstanding.

I again saw Harrison behind the counter and after exchanging greetings again(with the same gratuitousness as the first time I might add)I asked to speak with the manager on duty. After just a minute, a man came up to me, offered his hand in introduction and said he was Leni. I introduced myself as well and he was actually the owner. After a few minutes of banter, he walked with me around his place as I asked him questions about items in his freezer, fish case and dry goods. Now the entire time, he was carrying his money bag, obviously on his way out the door to make his morning deposit, but he still took the time to answer each of my questions and extend the same type of cordiality his employee extended.

Why did I need to ask him anything? Let me just say I was truly feeling the Yankee blood and the New England food historian part of me coming out. He had finnan haddie in 3-4 pound filets for sale. Other than a great friend and family member of mine in Orono who owns the Orono IGA, by the name of Bob Craft, Leni's store was the only other place I found this childhood(and true New England)favorite. On top of that, he carried salted cod. Not many of you will be familiar with this true Yankee original, but there was a time when families had cod balls or cod cakes or simply salted cod simmered in milk for a weekends meal. And Graffam Bros. had this centuries old staple in a packaging that instantly brought to mind the 1800s. It was sold in real wooden boxes!

He also carried probably the best chowder I have had in a long time, with the prices reflecting pre-supply chain and inflation levels. And his prices were the same across the board. In fact, take a look at his menu board! He introduced me to one of his cooks, his daughter. He introduced me to another worker, again another daughter. Both just as pleasant as everyone else at Graffams. His dry goods section also reflected a small New England community with local fudge(CHEAP I might add)Bar Harbor Foods products(of which I am intimately knowledgeable of) and a range of Swedish products, including a cracker that easily takes place of the now defunct Crown Pilots for our chowdah.

I truly could go on and on about this place but will conclude by saying that directly across the street was Graffam Bros. eat outside "picnic" area. I say picnic because that is exactly how I noticed everyne enjoying themselves after getting there food from the shack. No cell phones or any distraction, just families sitting on picnic tables enjoying Graffam Bros. fare. Kudos to you folks for making an out of towner feel at home from your initial greeting to "See you tomorrow".

It was a truly great experience!

I need to give a shout out to Brother Shuckers as well. When Thomas and his musical peers had their lunch down at the shore every day, I happened to stop in at this nondescript food trailer. I immediately saw their chalkboard and in particular the Pub Dog. I grilled hotdog with grilled onions. I asked the owner what the onions were seasoned with, if anything at all. He said only Maple Pepper. I had never heard of it but it sure sounded like a perfect combination. I ordered it while Thomas was playing with his black lab. It was actually the BEST hot dog I have ever EVER had. Kudos to you as well brother Shucker! (And by the way, his menu consisted of shucked oyster......and clams. Something you don't see often. I have forgotten other items but suffice it to say, it was a varied menu and very worthy of my business again and again.....)

Thomases week at the Bay Chamber Music school was just as enjoyable to him. He met some wonderful friends, of which two of them wanted to stay in touch until they see him again next year. Both Josie and Sophie Davis(two of the violin teachers at the school)were a perfect match to not only handle the 20 or so children that attended but were an inspiration to the future musicianship of each.

They made it fun and exciting for Thomas each and every day and that is exactly the point I have been trying to make for some time now. Times have changed since I was a child taking violin lessons. Children have so much technology at their disposal now that easily takes over their interest over instruments.

You have to adapt to the times and the Bay Chamber experience did just that. Thomas thoroughly, and I mean thoroughly, enjoyed interacting with his peers and each of them treated each other with kindness and fun.

To round off my experience in Rockport?? It was a far cry from the sky high prices in Camden, a huge leap from any culinary mecca found in large cities and if I had known there was a Reny's just around the corner from downtown the first day I was there, there would have not been any reason to walk all the way to Camden each day.

It was the most friendliest town I have ever visited...anywhere!

The Maine Summer Youth Music Camp and others.....

2022-07-20T13:22:00.004-04:00

This monologue may rub some of you the wrong way, especially those who deem yourself a tax bracket or two above others simply because you are a teacher of classical music. And that is okay. Read on to understand what I mean.

I want to vent a minute with regards to this Maine Summer Youth Music Camp(MSYM)held at the University of Maine School of Performing Arts. In particular the Junior Camp held every summer for a week. Click here for more information.

I was fortunate enough to have been a first violinist in its very first "camp" all the way back in 1972, 50 years ago this July. I was the same age as Thomas is when I attended and we both thought that it would be exciting and very beneficial for him to go to this. I fondly remember attending during the day, eating my lunch outdoors on the grass and just plain having such a wonderful time! Although I was THE youngest one in this orchestra and didn't have a single friend there(because all the others were teens)I still have such wonderful memories because it was just during the day and I was home with my family at night...as I believe 10 year olds should be.

Anyway, I should have dug deeper before taking any further steps because I found out that it was no longer a day session for 5 days. We live over an hour away and I had to have him there by 8 in the morning and could pick him up at 9 at night. So 8 am to 9 pm for a 10 year old was bad enough until I figured in the driving time, which would have made it from 6:30 am to 10:30 every single day! We decided this was simply not conducive to our goal of keeping Thomas interested and happy with the violin.

I( reached out to Mr. Chris White, director of this program, in order to see if there was anyway whatsoever we could shorten the days so that Thomas could still attend. It was important to him because his conductor, Sascha Zaburdaeva (see her profile here)

is the principal teacher and conductor of this camp and he really does adore her, as I do because she is really REALLY great with children. After emailing and speaking with Mr. White on a couple of occasions, the earliest he could do was 7 pm, which was still not acceptable. I know many of you would feel fine with this but being a 5th generation violinist myself and being taught by my father as well as other teachers, notably Mrs. Lindz and Mrs. Marian McKenney of Bangor, Maine, I understand what it takes to keep children interested, happy, proud and desirous of continuing with the violin, and to layer on so much time on a child is NOT the way to do it. Things were different back when I was a child because we didn't have electronics to occupy our spare time, therefore the number of music students were triple what it is now. So we need to adapt. We need to fit in enjoyment in the least amount of time so that interest is not lost.

Well, this type of sentiment was lost with Mr. White, plus it didn't help that he was not the least bit personable....not even close. It just bolsters the persona that classical musicians, teachers and those involved in such, have a "holier than thou" attitude. Even many of the parents I have come across whose child is a musical peer of Thomases in the orchestra have the same type of aloof personality. (I think that is why I smile when they hear Thomas playing, and at only 2 years of learning, he is an advanced student and he takes joy in knowing his playing is above many of his contemporaries who have been playing for more years.)

Couple this with the fact that his excitement is doubled whenever he is playing fiddlin' music! His grandfather, great grandfather, gr. gr. grandfather and gr. gr. gr. grandfather all played fiddlin' music at various grange halls of old in Maine since the mid-1800s and that only causes more of a "nose pointed up" attitude from other parents of classical child musicians. Besides the BSYO, the Bay Chamber Music Schools Envision Workshop in Rockport, Maine in 2 weeks, fiddlerman.com has given him such joy. He participates not only is discussions in the many forums on this site, but learns a great deal about fiddlin' music, is invited to perform in the myriad of group projects and is helped along by some wonderful members. Even Pierre, fiddlerman himself, is not a stranger when it comes to personally reaching out. A wonderful group and we are lifelong members of this extraordinary site.

It was a shame that I had to pull Thomas from the MSYM camp this year, because those in charge have no clue how to teach. And I am not talking about knowledge, of course they are professionals in their fields. I am talking about changing with the times and understanding how to keep children active and interested in a musical instrument. ....or even caring for that matter. You could be the smartest, most proficient violin teacher in the world, but lack the common sense as to exactly what it takes to make a child happy and want to thrive in this musical atmosphere of today, i.e. classical music. This is not 1970 on back! If the School of Performing Arts, and Mr. White, would have just continued with the day schedule, it would have been more of an incentive for more students to enroll. It was such a pity that Thomas could not have experienced the joy I did...50 years ago.

Now we have the Bay Chamber Music Schools, Envision Program in Rockland. I have enrolled him here and their hours are most appropriate for learning, having fun and keep a child wanting to continue playing. Click here to see more. Josie Davis(see her profile here) has been a peach to talk to. She immediately responds to my emails, answers any and all questions and is superb in making the violin an instrument of pleasure, rather than work. (See an article about her and her sister Sophie here)

Sophie and Josie Davis, sisters

Even though it is still about an hour away, my son can be home for supper, learn from some of the best violinists in Maine, be in the company of his peers and above all, be in the musical care of a lady who obviously is grounded when it comes to children and what is needed to keep them interested in the violin. (I am willing to bet that she has children who mean more to her than sounding classically trained). If not, she should, LOL.

Regardless, we are thrilled to be part of this and look forward to many more years of involvement with the Envision program.....maybe even come back when Thomas is a famous violinist "making lots of money on stage"(his words) and perform as a soloist.

My point from all of this? Follow Josie's(and her sisters) way of teaching. Make it enjoyable, fun, exciting and at the same time learn! Don't think this is back a generation when ps4's, cell phones(I threw mine away many years ago and haven't looked back because my moments with Thomas as we are walking downtown, at the park or simply shopping mean more to me than being glued to that darned thing). Don't ever think your child is the best simply because they strictly play classical music. Thomas is advanced because I give him the time for everything else in his life and if he wants to play some downhome fiddlin' double stop reels...have at it. Heck, I might just be slapping my knee while he is doing it! My grandfather, Samuel Bailey, was classically trained at the Boston Conservatory in the 1920s, yet his favorite piece was......Fiddlin' The Fiddle, by Rubinoff. He loved that piece so much that when Rubinoff came to Maine in the 1950s, my grandfather was his guest at the head table when he got up and played Fiddlin' the Fiddle in 12 variations!!!

Simple Yankee Way of Life

2022-06-02T09:31:00.002-04:00

American and international literature is inundated with images of the old New England home and hearth. From Longfellow's depiction of Priscilla Mullins at her spinning wheel in The Courtship of Miles Standish to the fantastic musings of Harriet Beecher Stowe in Oldtown Folks. Frugality, hard word and dry morality are given "air-time" by Francis Underwood in Quabbin, but with equally warm, satisfying and level-headed principles paralleling. Some may say a Yankee home is the ideal home, a small cottage nestled in amongst the tall pines while the rest of the world whizzes by physically and technologically. In some ways, it is true but I do think that is why home and hearth(not to mention family ties) is so important to us and why New England has always been, and will continue to be, the epitome of comfort food.

Although I must preface my introduction to the New England way of living as relaxed, we are still informed. The domestic images that have enchanted New England writers and artists since time immemorial have been romanticized, but not exaggerated. Even many academic historians display their interpretation of the New England home and hearth with the same colorful representation as Whittier and Jewett. And you know the old adage, there is a grain of truth even in folklore.

Find below a brief account of who we are, for that has directly evolved from where we came from and how we got here. Let me tell you a little story.

During the early part of new England's colonization and well into the 19th century, families cooked in the fireplace. Large kettles or pots were seen in every home. Most of the time, a certain pot was solely used for soap making while boiling and stewing food was done in another. Having a nest of iron pots of different sizes, a gridiron, Dutch oven, skillets of various dimensions along with a spider and bakeware were essential to early cooking. For those who could afford it, brass kettles were often seen in door yards of old filled with pale, white, bubbling homemade soap or fresh tree sap being reduced for the family's year-long sugar needs.

Francis Underwood, author of Quabbin, extolled the "girth" of breakfasts in the late 19th centuries

..... "a substantial breakfast that was begun by a preliminary nip of hard cider. This might be followed by ham and eggs, or a salt fish prepared with cream, or of bean porridge(for which a ham bone furnished the stock), or of cold corned beef, with hot potatoes, and usually hot bread(called 'biscuits') resembling muffins; and with sauces, pickles, and other provocatives in plenty."

Although Mr. Underwood was writing fictionally, it truly resembled the breakfasts of a few generations ago.....well, maybe a light breakfast. This author has read accounts of much heartier morning fare. But why so much breakfast? Because Yankee's had much to do.

Harriet Beecher Stowe also mentions food in her Oldtown Folks, "I can inform all whom it may concern that rye and Indian bread, smoking hot, on a cold winter morning, together with savory sausges, pork, and beans, formed a breakfast fit for a king, if the king had earned it by getting up in a cold room, washing in ice-water, tumbling through snow drifts, and foddering cattle." There are also many accounts of family's waking up in the middle of the night or in the morning covered with a fine dusting of snow because of the unchinked openings between the logs of the home.

Harriet's representation of the New England breakfast was more of the norm than Mr. Underwood's, although many of our ancestors subsisted on any leftovers from the night before or simply milk, bread or porridge.

Although we do love our time together nestled around the dinner table and talking about the days events, back a couple of hundred years ago meals were, more often than not, just simply time enough to quench your hunger as opposed to relaxing and gossiping. This way, the days' work could either be started or finished without loosing much time.

The difference between lunch, dinner and supper.

The travelling aristocrats that came here from abroad often demeaned much of what us Yankee's either ate, were employed at or our everyday life habits. Cases in point. In many self written books from the Puritan to the Colonial era by these same affluent and wealthy "tourists", there are narratives about the pewter and ceramic serving dishes of the 'typical' New England family. This was not, and I repeat NOT, what most families ate from . Certainly a single large pewter platter or goblet was seen in many homes, but this was usually an artifact that was handed down from one generation to another or that particular family only was able to afford one. Homemade wooden trenchers were widespread throughout our homes, much to the chagrin of these wealthier travelers from abroad.

Also, the habit of 'taking dinner' in the middle of the day while 'refreshing our bodies' with a small viand(the supper) in the early evening was something often ridiculed by those who were ignorantly blind to our dinnerware. During what we call lunch now, our ancestors piled on the food in the middle of the table for everyone to dig into. And most of the time during this meal(especially in the backwoods of New England and the poorer communities) this consisted of a piece of pork surrounded by boiled beans. Nothing fancy, nothing extravagant, just pure fuel for our bodies. Sure we had cheeses, pies, cakes and various sweet treats, but these were lavished on the household infrequently up until the 19th century. It was from the early 1800s onward that we see variety on the kitchen table because of the prevalence of spices, fruits, sugar and all things that couldn't be grown in New England soil but were either bartered for or shipped into the local "store".

Lyndon Freeman of Sturbridge, Massachusetts writes(early 1800s):

"At the setting in of winter every farmer was presumed to have at least a pork and beef of sufficient quantity. The larder was well supplied with butter, cheese, applesauce, pickles, sausages, souse, etc. Their dinner commonly consisted of boiled pork or beef or both, potatoes, cabbage, beets, carrots, etc.....A mug of cider was upon the table never forgotten of as all drank as freely as we do of water today. The meat and sauce left of the dinner were hash-up for breakfast the next morning. The supper was usually brown bread and milk for all."

Food was also a way of obtaining much needed supplies for a large family. There truly shouldn't be much of a distinction between bartering and paying from the early New England era. Since few people had actual cash, gong to the "store" to obtain and pay for supplies was usually done with whatever extra the family had. Wool, tools, pots and pans, ironwork and spices were bartered at every store and even this type of system was prevalent among neighbors. I f one family had an abundance of butter or cheese and their neighbors had a good stash of vegetables or rum, you bet neighbors subsisted on each others kindness. Many men would also take in any food items they were blessed with an abundance of to the nearest tavern as well, in exchange for a few nips of rum or port but store barter for barrels of coffee, tea, tools, molasses and flour. Over time, housewives were able to barter for cinnamon, sage, nutmeg, pepper, cloves, mace and many other essential additions in our well known baking repertoire.

For families to have bread or cakes, some type of meal was needed. Be it wheat, rye or corn, all three needed to me ground. And in the winter when the rivers and streams of New England froze, this was next to impossible for a community to do. In order to keep a supply on hand, you either had to plant plenty of corn to dry and bring to the grist mill before winter or barter.

Some type of leavening was also needed for baking and this was rather easy to keep on hand, even the poorest of homes. Skimming the top barm from a barrel of cider usually did the trick for light and airy breads well as pinching a knob of dough from one unbaked loaf to keep for the next batch. Then another pinch would be taken from that loaf for the next. On and on this frugality occurred and now you know where us Yankee's get if from. There is even an account in my family of Ol' Gus Bailey who dipped his spoon in a pile of "new fallen snow" and mixed it in with biscuit batter in a lumber camp to leaven these white must-haves with baked beans. Did it work? Sure did!

Baking day was but once a week for those who had an oven built into their fireplaces. For those who didn't, this is where neighbors came in handy yet again! Many families had their own Dutch ovens though, because of the scarcity of neighbors in many rural communities. These were shallow iron kettles that stood over coals with three legs and were fitted with a deep lid onto which hot coals would be piled in order to offer all-around heat. Can you imagine puddings, pastries, cakes, gingerbreads, custards and cobblers baked this way? I certainly would love to take a trip back in time just for one day not only to taste what was cooking on the open hearth but to sample the cheeses that were homemade, with not one tasting like the other.

Churning and cheese days were also a chore that, although needed to be done, was not met with open arms. With the females of the home obtaining the milk, this was just the beginning. The pails needed to be scrubbed first, then the milk was to be scalded, skimmed and churned. The butter then had to be worked and that was no easy chore.

Sarah Emery, an ancestor of mine, relates:

"In those summer days, when my recollection first opens, mother and aunt Sarah rose in the early dawn, and taking the well-scoured wooden pails from the bench by the back door, repaired to the cow yard behind the barn. We owned six cows; my grandmother four. Having milked the ten cows, the milk was strained, their fires built, and breakfast prepared...The milk being from the ten cows, my mother made cheese four days. Aunt Sarah having the milk the remainder of the week. In this way, good-sized cheeses were obtained. The curd having been broken into the basket, the dishes were washed, and unless there was washing or other extra work, the house was righted. By the time this was done, the curd was ready for the (cheese) press....After dinner the cheeses were turned and rubbed." The cheese would then be stored in the buttery.

More commonly known, at the time, as a buttery, this room was generally the cellar where the cool air was needed in order to set the pans of milk and ripen the cheese. Many rural families denoted a lean-to as a buttery as well, using their cellar for vegetables and cider. But the cheeses were always kept down in this "root cellar" for keeping throughout the winter to prevent freezing, while meats were kept in these lean-to's.

There is nothing that irks me more than reading that meat and fish were not that plentiful for our ancestors. Many famous historians have mentioned that it was a rare treat for the man of the house to have any wild life barreled up for his family. That ranks right up there with another historical inaccuracy purveyed by most of the history professors and authors of New England life, which is that us Yankee's very seldom lived in log cabins. Absolutely rubbish this Yankee avers to both.

It is true that our Puritan ancestors relied heavily on salted meat and fish, but as the generations passed, fresh meat and fish was more the staple because of better guns and methods of fishing and trapping. Although historians say that fresh meat was hard for our 18th and 19th century forefathers to find, not only is this inaccurate, but we were still salting our meats for winter preservation. Why? Mostly because we always made sure our family's were secure in every aspect, but especially being fed. It was far better to have more than not enough and with such large families and hard work for everyone in the household, extra food was still not the norm.

When it was butchering time, usually in the late fall when the weather here in New England was cold enough to preserve without much salt, everyone helped with the slaughter. From cleaning the tripe, trying out tallow and lard, getting the head and feet ready for making headcheese or foot pies, cleaning out the intestines for sausage casings and cutting the meat into family-sized portions for preservation in fat or salt. Hams were salted as well, to ready it for the smoke house and fish was cleaned and hung from the rafters to dry out.

I am not ashamed to say that our poorer ancestors(as many of mine were) along with the more remote populations, forest creatures of every type were caught, trapped and shot for consumption. I have so many hand-written notes and recipes from my ancestors for partridges, quails, woodchucks, beaver, squirrel, birds of all types, musquash, rat, porcupine and skunks, to name a few.

The same holds true for our lakes, streams, rivers and ocean. My father(right up until the day he died) always prepared eel the same way, he said, our great great great grandmother did during the Revolutionary War period. I remember well Dad stringing up the eel on the side of the house and ,with a dry cloth and sharp knife, he would draw the skin from the tail end to the head. Gutting it was done while suspended, and leaving the head intact. He would then skewer that bad boy with a long, green stick from the woods behind our house and "barbecue" it over an open fire. To this day, that is the only way I will thoroughly enjoy eel.

Try this on for size! Did you know that lobsters were so plentiful in the early days of New England that many families, including the poorer farming households, looked at lobsters with disdain. The reason? Because before the over-harvesting of these delectables, these crustaceans literally littered our shoreline. They would wash up on shore by the hundreds, along the many miles of New England. After a number of years of the free-for-all taking, families simply stopped snatching them up because they 'had their fill'. I just can't imagine ever getting sick of lobsters, but then again I have never had the pleasure of eating them day in and day out.

It is easy to imagine the basis of our New England standby of codfish cakes and codfish balls every Saturday night and Sunday mornings. Fish of all sorts was that important and available throughout our waterways. The most abundant, believe it or not, was salmon, shad, mackerel and smelts. Unlike meat, fish could not be frozen to preserve. Salting or drying had to be accomplished in order to store for the winter when it was simply too much work to dig through the ice to fish. The most amazing dish I have ever eaten that was prepared according to an old-time "receipt" book was Cod Scootin 'Long the Shore. It was prepared by cutting up cod and placing in a cast iron skillet that is been greased with some bacon. On top of it lay some diced potatoes, beets, onions and some salt pork. Drizzle some oil over the top, salt and pepper liberally and cover. Baked in an oven until done. This classic Yankee dish rivals any Michelin-star meal served anywhere. Fish was often served or cooked with vegetables during our Yankee beginnings because of the salt used to cure fish. Vegetables seemed to take the 'bite' out of this spice.

I have had the pleasure of visiting my ancestors homes, although all that is left are their "root cellars", which were rock lined cellar holes. I have found two of them, one made by the hands of my great great grandfather(Josiah Bailey, 1778-1869) and his father(Nathaniel Bayley, 1740-1796). I just stand at the edge of each hole and marvel at the work it must have taken to not only dig the hole but roll these boulders into it to make these cellars. And to top it all off, within 20 feet of each was their rock lined water well. Now THAT was a marvel of engineering. One of them is at least 30 feet deep and lined with rocks that are still solidly intact unto this day(2013).

In these root cellars, our fore-families kept their apples, cabbage, pumpkins, turnip, beans, peas, beans, potatoes, carrots and squash. They would easily last the entire winter without softening in the least bit. As for the corn, we dug corn holes, or potato holes as some have referred in journals of old, in order to keep corn from shriveling up too fast. Although we dried much of our corn harvest for grinding, corn could be kept better by covering with birch bark and pine boughs, then covered with a layer of dirt to keep the wild-life from scavenging. This method was taught to us from our Native American friends. In fact, my ancestor, Nathaniel Bailey, was stabbed to death in 1796 by a Native American after digging a corn hole. He had agreed to pay a Passamaquoddy Indian in rum if he helped with the harvest and storage of corn in one of these corn holes. One night when the rum was all imbibed by the Passamaquoddy, he came back to Nathaniel's cabin on top of Bailey Hill in Baileyville, Maine and wanted more rum. Not having any left, the Native American began to get angry and stabbed Nathaniel to death.

My book, above and here on Amazon, tells Nathaniel's complete story for the first time. An Amazing Journey also includes a treasure trove of information about life in New England from the 1600s to the 1800s, from the eyes of the backwoods family and those who eked out an existence.

With regards to fruit and berries, there is no shortage of literature written about our love of all things naturally sweet. Pumpkins, of course, were the number one staple in our kitchen for generations. A seeded out whole pumpkin roasted in the embers of a fireplace, then removed and warm milk from the family's dairy cow poured into the center was a real treat with everyone.

Apples, of course, would be a very close second. When apple picking time was at hand, not only would they be baked in pies, made into applesauce and squeezed for cider and eaten as is, strings of sliced apples filled every home that dotted our landscape. When dried, they could be used for an entire year in everything from savory dishes to sweet. Apple Pie, and Apple Cider Pie, is truly not only an American dish, but a proud Yankee offering to the world.

It is funny to read journal entries of New England family's when they regale of the joy of sharing certain fruits with neighbors. Now you need to remember that many fruits that we take for granted today were simply too expensive and hard to find centuries ago.

In one entry, Ruth Bascom treats her neighbors to a delicacy. In August "sent a piece of our great Savannah Watermelon, which we received 2 or 3 weeks ago cut today and distributed a part to our neighbors."

Even up to my father's day, born in 1938, he would always add an orange to our Christmas stockings growing up in the 1960s. He followed that tradition to the day he died in 2001. I asked him why? Since oranges could be had anytime I wanted to take a trip to the supermarket, yet he made it a point to add one to my stocking every year. His answer was pure Yankee. "When I was a kid" he glumly explained "We didn't have the money to buy much fresh fruit. So when we did get them, it was a treat. And oranges were too expensive, so my father used to buy them once a year and put them in our stocking".

Cooking and recipes was something that was passed down from one generation to another. I am aftraid that this custom is becoming more scarce as the years zoom by. In this generation, eating out seems to be more of the norm than preparing a meal and eating in.

Many people thought cookbooks were a waste of money(again, a Yankee dread) because everything you needed to know was taught to you. One needn't measure by the teaspoon or cup. Simply add a pat of butter the size of an egg or scoop out flour with your teacup. You either cooked something over a fire or in a low, moderate or hot oven. Only the upper class, who wanted to indulge with food that was being enjoyed by their equally wealthy English counterparts, began the idea of purchasing cookbooks usually written by someone across the pond in the early days. It wasn't until Amelia Simmons, in 1796, that an American author had made such a great impact on the cookbook craze. What made her cookbook so successful was that she incorporated many ingredients and recipes with the New England housewife in mind. Johnny Cake and Indian Slapjacks are among the recipes that drew even the poorer families to purchase

Puttin' Our New England Dialect To Rest

2022-05-25T06:07:00.002-04:00

There has been so much debate on the Yankee accent, both about the origin, geographic cut-offs and the 'why's', that I feel the need to finally give it a rest and give you the truth.

The reason I find myself addressing New England so much lately is because of a certain television show, new this year, that has me thinking if us Yankee's are truly that despised throughout the country, as well as the South. I sure hope not because we certainly don't harbor resentment for any reason toward anyone, honestly! So let's begin by taking some truly ludicrous, too drawn out, too complicated and overly studied opinions, and studies, and give you the correct answer as to why we talk the way we do and everything in between.

Let's begin by, who I believe to be, a great American(and Yankee) lexicographer, Noah Webster and his American Dictionary. Many historians have mentioned that Noah's Dictionary was not American at all, but a New England dictionary. I think many scholars preconceived this before they even started reading it, just because of the preface. Noah stated "New Englanders spoke and spelled the purest and best form of English of any people in the world". Bravo Noah! There is also a book that was printed in Boston in 1892, by Francis Underwood, called The Story of a Small Town. In this book, he offers observations regarding our dialect and accent in very unflattering terms, which I assume was the general perception of us Yankees at the time, if you have read my two previous posts::

"The Yankee Twang-

The nasal tone in New England, it is said, was caused by the severe climate and the prevalent catarrh; but those were not the sole causes. Catarrh debases speech, both in quality of tone and in distinctiveness of articulation; but the disease is more prevalent now than formerly, while the general speech is probably less nasal. Australians are said to have nasal voices, and they are not afflicted with catarrh. The New England drawl and the nasal tone were probably derived originally from the meeting-house and the prayer meetings; both defects became fixed by habit, and, of course, have been greatly heightened by climatic conditions.

The virtue constantly insisted upon in the old times by parents and religious teachers was humility, self-abnegation. In repeating passages of Scripture, or of the Catechism the one was subdued. The religious spirit was manifested in awe and reverence, seldom in cheerfulness, and never in exaltation-except in such exaltation as was accompanied with moistened eyes and "tears in the voice". It was "a dying world" in which our fathers lived; the expression of their ideas and feelings would not require the expansive lungs, nor heave the deep chest, of a vigorous and well-developed man. The noise, no less than the manner, of a burly fox-hunter and athlete, would be abhorrent to one whose soul was melted in penitence, and who in his daily devotions intoned in dragging minor intervals the prayers that he dare not address to the Dread Majesty of Heaven with steady eyes and many voice......

Let such usages of speech go on for generations, and the infection will pervade the community. The child will be soothed by a nasal lullaby, and will drawl from the time he leaves his cradle. He will drawl at his lessons, and make catarrhal yells in the playground. As a lover he will drawl to his mistress, and repeat loves litany through the nose. when his duet with her is finished, and his snuffy voice extinct, he will be drawn(slowly) to his grave, to drawl no more.

It appears to be certain that the nasal and drawling tone is in a large measure the result of two and a half centuries of Puritan training; just as the peculiarities of language, including local and obsolete terms, half-articulated contractions, and clipping or words, are the result of the fusion of many illiterate British dialects. The bucolic speech is dying out, for school-teachers are uprooting it, as farmers do thistles, but the tone hangs on, lie the scent of musk in Hosea Biglow's "draw"."

Here is another example of what others have said about our Yankee accent. A well known scholar from South Carolina:

"By Yankee I do not mean everybody from north of the Potomac and Ohio. Lots of them have always been good folks. The firemen who died in the World Trade Center on September 11 were Americans. The politicians and TV personalities who stood around telling us what we are to think about it are Yankees. I am using the term historically to designate that peculiar ethnic group descended from New Englanders, who can be easily recognized by their arrogance, hypocrisy, greed, lack of congeniality, and penchant for ordering other people around. Puritans long ago abandoned anything that might be good in their religion but have never given up the notion that they are the chosen saints whose mission is to make America, and the world, into the perfection of their own image."

Linguists and historians alike have stated various points, geographically, where our accent is most prevalent and where it starts to fade. Many agree that the Connecticut River forms the boundary where people start speaking "normally". See map with the pink line denoting the rough(very rough) passage of the Connecticut River.

These same "scholars" give the following distinctions, using the Connecticut River and the boundary for East New England(ENE) and West New England(WNE)

" 1. R-dropping. ENE speakers tend to show higher rates of r-dropping, as in pahk the cah in Hahvid yahd or New Hampshah, whereas in WNE these r’s are almost always pronounced.

2. The "broad a." Another highly recessive feature of ENE, this so-called "broad a" is often heard in words like aunt, father, laugh, half, can’t, etc. It’s also typically heard in "ar" words like car. For most older speakers, father and bother do not rhyme (the only area in North America where this is still true). For WNE speakers, father rhymes with bother and can’t rhymes with rant.

3. The horse-hoarse distinction in ENE. This characteristic is the most recessive of all, appearing only in the speech of older speakers, and is most prevalent in coastal areas (particularly in Maine). For these speakers, horse is pronounced like "hoss." Similarly, morning and mourning are not pronounced the same ("Good monnin’" is a common greeting in the area). Speakers also show this pattern in words like orange and Florida, whose first syllables do not sound like oar or floor, but rather use the vowel in fog."

Other linguists, studies and professionals declare something that just plain doesn't make any sense at all, such as Noreen Swanson in her The Influence of Settlement Patterns on the Dialects of New England. In this, she says that the port cities of New England would have been acquainted with various European emigrants and traders, therefore Yankee speech patterns "would not have been so prevalent". What???

Yet in Farewell to the Founders: Major Dialect Changes Along the East-West New England Border, states that three professional linguists say the that line separating people who drop their R's from those who don't is at the Vermont-New Hampshire border. The study’s authors — James N. Stanford, Thomas A. Leddy-Cecere and Kenneth P. Baclawski Jr. — also discovered an erosion of several other distinctive features of eastern New England speech, "including the different vowels for "father" and "bother" and for "Mary," "merry," and "marry." (The distinction between "horse" and "hoarse," however, seems to be hanging on.)"

Let's wrap this up, once and for all! Look at where we came from during the early colonization of New England. See map. The areas contained within the shapes are the places in New England where our speech pattern is most predominant.(read on).

I do agree with one study done in the 50s. the Survey of English Dialects ascertains that the non-rhoticity(the non-pronunciation of the "r" and the use of the 'schwa' sound in words such as bath is very predominant(even to this day) "throughout a huge band of Sothern England", which is exactly who most of the present day Yankee's are descended from. It has also been proven that these are the same counties in England that gave us New Englanders our dialect and accent. this area is called the NEME Triangle(New England-Mother England Triangle)

Over time, these ancestors children, and their children, moved inland and upward. A full 90 percent of these families were poor farmers and fishermen and chose to live on farms in the back country in order to raise their own crops and find land either free or cheap in which to farm. More often than not, land was granted to families who could clear a certain portion fit for crop, and could talk other families into following them. Many simply moved up the coast(which, of course, was the easiest route to travel) and fish for a living.

Because of their solitude, their speech patterns remained the same for many generations, only slightly varying or diminishing. Just visit any Downeast community to hear for yourself. As for the coastal communities one most often hears of our unique dialect. If there is one group of Yankees that is more stubborn than either a Yankee seaman or fisherman, I have never heard. So with stubbornness in mind, should I really tell you that there is no-one on the face of the earth that they will emulate? And although this sounds cartoonish, profiling, flippant and rhetorical, it is absolutely true!

I must cover one more quick item. I have read over and over again that New Englanders take out the 'R' in places and put it back in places where it doesn’t belong. As a new England Historian, I have never NEVER once come across that as being distinctively Yankee. Historians and linguists alike have said that we say 'warsh' instead of 'wash'. Where to *$^# did that come from?

We, as full blooded Yankees have a dry sense of humor(for example-it is said we don't like ghosts in our homes because they don't pay rent) and hold true to the adage "As stubborn as a Yankee". I think some generational hatred for us comes from the fact that we are also known for being very shrewd in our business dealings. Now mind you there is a different meaning between shrewd and unfair. We have always been fair, but we watch every penny. Shrewdness and cheapness go hand in hand. Many colonial fathers didn't take kindly to us Yankees simply because of our "shrewdness".

It is only a matter of geography, in the simplest form, that our dialect and accent fades at certain points in and out of New England. The further away you go from either the back-country or shore line, the less our way of speaking has been heard. That is because other people of differing nationalities and monetary classes took root. These people, of course, didn't talk Yankee. And as with anything in life, the less you hear it, the less you will say it. For example, if you were from Maine and called that fizzy beverage a 'Soda' growing up, and then spent the last 50 years of your life down South(for example), you will find yourself not only losing your accent, but referring to 'Soda' as 'Pop'. It really is that simple.

Sometimes you only need to find the simple solutions to difficult questions, and this is one of those times. One other reason why we don't pronounce our 'R's is because of laziness. Now don't be sending me a bunch of emails, because this is true! Sure, we DO know that we should be pronouncing the R, but why take that little bit of effort in something that just plain doesn't make a bit of difference? To make ourselves sound a little more genteel or aristocratic? Like I mentioned before, we just don't care. We don't care what people think of us most of the time. I know many families(including mine) that simply don't have anything to prove to anybody.

And there you have it. Where we get our speech pattern, where the cutoff points are, why we talk the way we do and why we are slow to change. I would love to give you a more exciting and scientific reason behind all that I have said, but sometimes, there isn't one, and this is one of those times. I must add one more item to this article however. And just to let you know. My family is so Yankee that I have tried many times to pronounce my r's but I simply cannot do it. I have tried many times, and told my producers, publicist, marketing agents, booking agents and anyone that is involved with my Yankee Chef persona that I want to pronounce it, but I just can't. It sounds quite foolish to even try.

Why on earth do people fail to say Scallop correctly. How do you say 'ALL'? Well, take that same phonetic sound and apply it to sc-ALL-op. It ain't sc-AL-op!!

'Nuff said!

My Son Thomas.....Once Again!

2022-04-27T10:46:00.000-04:00

I know, I know. Too much of a good thing kind of gets tiring after a while. But I truly would like to add one more post about my son Thomas and his violin playing.

I am so tickled that he is doing such a tremendous job on the violin. Although his first love is the good, old fashioned double stop jigs of yesteryear, he is excelling very rapidly with his classical training. He is now the proud student of Lynn Brubaker, who is the assistant concert master for the Bangor Symphony Orchestra. Thomas loves her and I am very glad for this opportunity, although it bothers me somewhat having someone else assist me in teaching my son the violin. But she has truly been instrumental in his development.

Thomases Grandfather

He just also wrapped up his first concert with the Bangor Symphony Youth Orchestra. Although he didn't care to be in the third row(with questions still lingering as to why he was placed there in the beginning)he absolutely adored being part of a real orchestra and is very excited about joining again in the fall.

His accomplishments keep piling up as well. He is a very proud member of fiddlerman.com and has learned a great deal from Pierre, not to mention the great comradery of the members who have helped him with his fiddlin'. He has participated in the past Christmas group project with Pierre as well and looks forward to a long-lasting friendship with everyone on this site. I urge all of you to at least pay a visit and check it out. Here is the link to White Christmas, the group project. Can you spot Thomas? https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5NSTrFtP_Dg&feature=youtu.be

Thomas has also appeared on television twice as America's ONLY 6th generation violinist, which is the pinnacle of my pride. https://www.foxbangor.com/news/item/10-year-old-continues-violinist-tradition-for-a-6th-generation/

My father, grandfather and so on would be absolutely thrilled that another generation has picked up the violin, especially the same fiddle as his great grandfather once owned. Thomas also has his own youtube channel, with the link here....https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCKI-_r2GB9HQXDMdHQlq1Mw

I could go on and on but will refrain for the time being. Suffice it to say, I am very proud of this young man and the dedication he has put into his everyday practice, all the while keeping up with his school work and baseball practice.

Here is Thomas with his beloved great great aunt Marion.

He will also be attending the MSYM this year. Now get this. Back in 1972, I was with the very first music ensemble at the Maine State Youth Music festival at the same age my son is. He will be doing it exactly 50 years from the day I played with the same group. https://umaine.edu/spa/msym/?fbclid=IwAR3nb1_tjN0IX_kuF169BEUbF4b2jD_0ZqbHRcaj3P5WfFzlfJDXHidgFh0

St. Paddy's Day Music and Food

2022-03-14T10:55:00.009-04:00

I see that it has been a while since I last posted so I thought I would play a little catch-up here. My 10 year old son Thomas has been keeping me busy for the past number of months with his violin playing and he is certainly keeping the family tradition alive. He is now the sixth generation violinist/fiddler and I could not be more proud. Please visit his channel on youtube to see his progression but I must first apologize to you. I am not one you would call tech/internet savvy so when you see his videos, understand that it was put together(from recording to posting)by me with a lot to be desired, right down to that annoying clicking sound you may faintly hear in some of the videos. I am posting another video today, of Thomas playing that Irish classic Swallowtail Jig, which he has been practicing for a couple of weeks not. Although not professionally played, he is only able to practice this tune twice a day because of his commitment with school, the Bangor Symphony Youth Orchestra and his private lessons with another teacher. I am using a different recording medium, so that that clicking will be gone. But in the meantime, here are a few great recipes for the Irish in you. (Now to get my oldest boy into the violin, but I think he has things in his life that are more......attractive....then the curves of a violin!)

At 10 years old, not only has he been accepted into the Bangor Symphony Youth Orchestra as well as being a proud member of the fiddlin' community on fidderman. com. He is believed to be the only 6th generation violinist in America. He is extremely talented and has been featured on several news broadcasts here in Maine and I couldn't be happier. Check his progression out and see for yourself.

https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCKI-_r2GB9HQXDMdHQlq1Mw

Traditional Pan Haggerty

Simple? Yes! Traditional? Yes! But don't let this seemingly mundane dish prevent you from making it. There are so many things I could do to this dish to keep those "food snobs" at bay, but why play with a recipe that has been enjoyed for so long in Ireland? Us Yankees have been enjoying this dish for just as long, but calling it "Scootin' 'Long the Shore". And as much as I would like to add this and that to the recipe, I think you will find this dish perfect all on its' own.

3 slices bacon, diced

1 small onion, peeled and diced

3 large potatoes, about a pound, diced

2 cups chicken or vegetable broth

1 cup shredded Irish(or cheddar)cheese

Salt and black pepper to taste

Sour cream, if desired

Heat a large oven-safe skillet over medium heat. Add and cook bacon until crisp or to your liking. Remove bacon to crumble or dice and add back into the skillet. Add onion and cook an additional 5-6 minutes, or until onion is soft but not browned. Drain fat and add potatoes and broth. Stir to combine, bring to a boil and cover. Reduce heat to low and simmer 8-10 minutes(according to the size of your potato cubes), or until the potatoes are firm, but tender and the liquid has been absorbed. If you still have liquid after potatoes are done, simply increase heat to medium and continue cooking, uncovered, for a few more minutes until liquid has evaporated and absorbed. Preheat broiler and place oven rack at least 3-inches from heat source. Remove skillet from burner, evenly sprinkle cheese over the top and broil until as crisp as you like. Remove to serve immediately. Top with sour cream if desired.

Irish Apple Bread Pudding Pie

This bread pudding is anything but typical. It is beautifully sweetened, less dense and ‘gummy’ than many other equivalent puddings and the sweet, caramelized crust that forms makes you want to just pick it off first then eat the middle later.

Taitneamh a bhaint as!

4 large plain or cinnamon muffins*

4 teaspoons butter or margarine

3 large Granny Smith apples

1 cup apple juice or water

1/4 cup maple syrup

Nonstick cooking spray

3/4 cup milk

3 eggs

1/3 cup brown sugar

1 teaspoon cinnamon

1 teaspoon vanilla or almond extract

Juice and grated rind of 1 lemon

1/2 teaspoon dried ginger

Slice muffins horizontally about 1-inch thick. Butter all cut sides and grill over medium heat until well browned. Place on a plate and let cool in refrigerator for an hour, preferably overnight to dry out.

Meanwhile, add 2 apples that have been peeled, cored and diced into a saucepan along with apple juice and maple syrup. Bring to a boil over medium heat, stir, reduce to low and simmer 6-8 minutes, or until it has thickened and apples are done, but still firm. Remove from heat and set aside.

Spray a 9-10 inch cake pan with nonstick cooking spray liberally; set aside. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.

Cut muffins into cubes and add to a bowl along with remainder apple that has been peeled, cored and diced.

In another bowl, whisk together milk, eggs, brown sugar, cinnamon, vanilla, juice and grated rind and ginger. Pour over muffin cubes and gently toss to evenly coat. Transfer to prepared cake pan, evening out the top. Spoon cooked apple mixture over the top evenly and bake 40-45 minutes, or until it is firm when touched in the center with a spoon or fork.

Remove pie to cool slightly before running a dull knife around the edge to loosen. Cut into wedges and serve.

* Use whatever muffin you desire, I just happened to adore cinnamon but regardless of what you choose, make sure you have 5 cups total after cutting.

Bailey's Irish Whiskey Cake

Yes, I already know. There is no such thing as Bailey's Irish Whiskey. This beautifully scented, Irish cake is, however, brought to you by a Bailey and has a hint of Irish Whiskey both in the cake and on 'top'. You can, however, substitute a few drops of rum extract in the milk below or just leave out any hint of alcohol, and its' taste, altogether. The curdled milk is a great way of adding buttermilk flavor without the added expense while giving this upside down cake perfect flavor and moistness.

1/4 cup whole milk, half-and-half or light cream

1/2 cup Irish Apple Whiskey or Irish Apple Liqueur, divided

1 teaspoon lemon juice

3/4 cup(1 1/2 sticks) butter or margarine, divided

1/4 cup brown sugar

1 large, firm apple. peeled, cored and wedged 1/2-inch thick

1/2 cup dried cranberries

1 1/2 cups flour

2 teaspoons baking powder

1/2 teaspoon ground ginger

1 cup brown sugar

2 eggs

In a small bowl, whisk together milk, 1/4 cup whiskey and lemon juice and let sit 30 minutes to curdle while preparing rest of recipe. Melt 4 tablespoons butter in a 9-inch round cake pan over low heat. Using a wooden spoon, stir in the brown sugar and cook, stirring for about 3 minutes until smooth and bubbling. Remove pan from heat.

Lay the apple slices on top of melted butter/brown sugar mixture decoratively. Sprinkle the dried cranberries over the top and evenly drizzle remainder of whiskey; set aside. In a bowl, whisk together flour, baking powder and ground ginger. In another bowl, beat remainder of butter and sugar on high until light and fluffy. Scrape down sides and add eggs; beating very well. Reduce speed to low and beat in the flour, a little at a time. Beat in the milk mixture just until moistened. Spoon batter over apples and even out top without disturbing the apple arrangement. Bake 35-40 minutes, or until toothpick inserted in middle come out clean. Cool cake in the pan for a couple of minutes and then run a knife around the edge of the pan to help release. Invert onto a serving platter or plate quickly and carefully. Serve warm or at room temperature.

Deliciously Cheesy Irish Boxty

Boxty's are prepared and cooked in many different variations. Some enjoy this 'must have' side to the classic British breakfast puffy and soft, while others enjoy it crispy. Being a Yankee, I enjoy crisp potato with my breakfast, and with the addition of Cheddar cheese, I think you will be making this year round.

1/2 cup mashed potatoes

1/2 cup shredded raw potatoes

1/2 cup shredded apple

1/2 cup powdered rolled oats *

1/4 teaspoon each nutmeg, salt and black pepper

1/2 cup fat free evaporated milk

1/2 teaspoon baking powder

2 tablespoons oil

1/2 cup shredded Cheddar cheese

Place all ingredients, except oil and cheese, in a bowl and mix very well; set aside. Place oil in a large skillet over medium high heat. When hot, pour half the Boxty mix into the skillet, spreading it out to cover bottom of pan. Evenly sprinkle cheese over the top and pour remaining Boxty mix over the cheese. Again, spreading it out evenly, covering cheese. Reduce heat to medium low, cover and let cook for 6-8 minutes, or until well browned on the underside. Carefully flip over, cover and continue cooking an additional 6-8 minutes, or until browned on bottom as well. Remove from heat, cut into wedges and serve immediately.

* This works so much better than the usual flour added to Boxty, but each are interchangeable. To make powdered rolled oats, simply place oats in a blender or food processor and pulse until it is in powdered form.

Biscuits and Molasses......remember?

2022-01-12T10:01:00.000-05:00

Although I like to think I am not that old, I am old enough to remember my father enjoying a side dish of molasses with his biscuits. Whether it was for breakfast, lunch or dinner, I don't recall there was ever a time when he didn't have a small bowl of that quintessential dish of molasses to spoon over each bite of buttered biscuit. He would split them in half, lather real butter on top and drizzle this sweet, dark, thick syrup at each mouthful.

And his biscuits were amazing! Fluffy on the inside and a mm layer or brown crispness on top. Why wouldn't he just dip the biscuit in the molasses instead of spooning? If you make a biscuit correctly, you will know that they are drier than yeast rolls or other types of baked breads, as they should be. They should let loose some crumbs ever time you bite them or slice them. Now many of you will cringe at the thought of eating both together. Many of you grew up with simple butter or maple syrup as additions to biscuits. There is something about mixing salty and sweet together that continues to be taunting us.

Now his biscuits weren't your run of the mill either. He always used buttemilk and half the time, he didn't have it on hand, so he would take the amount of whole milk called for in his recipe and add a tablespoon of apple cider vinegar and set it aside. After a couple of hours, it had separated into curds and whey. These lumps of soured milk and the whey at the bottom were each added to the mix and the result was an amazingly flavorful biscuit that I continue to make today. Not only does this clotted milk add flavor but it hepls immensely in the rising of the biscuit when working in conjunction with baking powder. So without talking on and on as a true Yankee, let me give you his recipe.

Real New England Biscuits

Makes 6(3-inch)biscuits

1 1/3 cup whole milk

1 tablespoon apple cider vinegar

2 cups flour

2 teaspoons baking powder

1/2 teaspoon salt

7 tablespoons butter or margarine

Stir milk and vinegar in a bowl and set aside until it curdles, with visible lumps floating on top. This will take about an hour or two, depending on how warm your kitchen is. Obviously the warmer the environment, the quicker it will turn into curds and whey.

When ready, preheat oven to 375-degrees F. blend flour, baking powder and salt together in a large bowl. Using a sturdy fork or your fingertips, crush the butter into the flour mixture until it resembles half the size of peas. Add soured milk and thoroughly mix until dough is mixed well. There will be lumps, which is perfectly normal.

Liberally flour your work surface and transfer dough to surface, Need only a couple times and press out until about 1 1/2-2-inches in thickness. I use a 3-inch cutter or mouth of a cup to cut out biscuits but you can cut them any size you want.

Place cut biscuits on an ungreased pan and reshape dough in order to cut a couple more biscuits, kneading as little as possible in order to hold together.

Once on pan, brush(or use your fingertips)milk, half and half or cream on top of each biscuit and bake 30-32 minutes, or until lightly browned on top. No need to check inside, they will be thoroughly cooked.

Remove from oven and immediately brush with melted butter or grab a stick of butter, pull some paper from the end and run it on top of each hot biscuit liberally. Set aside for a minute or two and enjoy.

And don't forget the molasses!

Thomases Progress

2021-12-04T18:14:00.000-05:00

Here is Thomas playing a selection of music that encompasses third position, which is hard in itself. But what I found out what was even harder for him to learn was vibrato. I never gave it much thought, but I can imagine it is difficult for a 10 year old, but he is doing fantastic! Hope you think so as well. Now I do want to say that I used my laptop to live feed it to facebook. Yes...I am still a dinosaur when it comes to anything tech related. So you will notice his bow strokes don't match the actual audio, being a second behind. For that, all I can do is apologize.

WOW!!! Over two months and not one single post.....

2021-09-27T11:08:00.006-04:00

I don't remember the last time I took so long to post something on this blog. Marketing professionals always tell me to post something at least once a week to keep your audience coming back, but you know something? I think family is much more important than audiences! That is why I got rid of my cell phone years ago, reverting to a simple landline WITHOUT an answering machine. As growing up, if someone wants to contact me and talk, they call and if I don't answer.....they call back. Life is much less stressful when you take control of your own life and do as you see appropriate. And my anxiety and stress levels have never been lower, which means my life is full and much more robust.

Anyway, the past few months have been spending time with my 10 year old in a host of things, from sports, schooling, horse back riding and violin. He has been playing for a year and a half and finally is with the Bangor Symphony Youth Orchestra program, which he is very excited about. Although he has now joined the school band, he is not learning anything BUT is spending time with his friends during the practice sessions and it seems to have worked, keeping his interest high. He is the last of this generation to keep violin going and I couldn't be more proud. Five generations...think about that!

I have also been working on my first nonfiction and just completed another book, on sale now on amazon here.

https://www.amazon.com/dp/B09GJFZ7D1

A simple, low content journal in time for the Holidays. It comes in both paperback and hard cover and is a keepsake to hand down throughout your family for generations to come so that they can refect on all the Holidays you enjoyed any given year. This is a 2 year journal and comes with tips, hacks and ideas to make those special days even more special.

Now I wouldn't be a true Yankee Chef if I didn't add a couple of my all-time favorite, fall recipes so here is my #! and #2 favorite recipes for this time of year. Enjoy and I will not wait so long again to write.

5-Minute Indian Pudding-Two Ways

The original Hasty Pudding, or Indian Pudding, is probably the very first dessert ever made on New England shores by our European ancestors. Don’t listen to other so called culinary historians when they note that Indian Pudding should be baked in order to be classic. This is entirely untrue! This New England dessert was made in a “great kettle” over the open fire. Eggs were not wasted in this pudding originally, and are not needed now. When eggs are added, then Indian Pudding should be baked, creating a firmer textured preparation.

This recipe is perfectly spiced as our Yankee ancestors prepared, but with a little cranberry tartness added. By letting this 'hasty pudding' chill in the refrigerator, the dried cranberries absorb the liquid, making them soft, tender and super flavorful.

2 cups milk

1/2 cup dried cranberries or raisins, optional

1 1/2 teaspoons cinnamon

1/2 cup molasses

1/2 cup sugar(optional but recommended)

3 tablespoons butter or margarine

1/4 teaspoon each nutmeg and dried ginger

1/3 cup plus 2 tablespoons cornmeal

1 tablespoon vanilla

Vanilla ice cream or heavy cream if desired

Place first 7 ingredients in a medium saucepan and stir well. Place over medium high heat, stirring once or twice to prevent milk from scorching. Once milk mixture is scalding hot, and while constantly stirring with one hand, slowly pour the cornmeal into milk. Once added, reduce temperature to low and constantly stir for 2 minutes. It will thicken substantially.

Remove pan from heat and stir in vanilla. Transfer to a bowl and serve hot with vanilla ice cream melting over the top or cover and refrigerate until completely cold. Serve as is or with a dab of heavy cream over the top.

Makes about 3 servings or if your’e a Yankee….less

To make Baked Indian Pudding, double the amounts above, but use 1/2 cup cornmeal and simply allow stove top Indian Pudding to cool 10 minutes before slowly adding 2 beaten eggs. Pour into a greased 10-inch greased cake or pie pan and bake for 1 1/2 hours at 300-degrees F, or until the center is just firm.

Blueberry Coffee Cake

I hate to start with the oven being turned on now. It just doesn't seem possible that both spring and summer has come and almost gone. I remember my father saying that HIS father used to repeat "Maine has 2 seasons. Winter and August". It is almost true. So sitting down to a great tasting New England coffee cake is a feel good snack or dessert. Even a husband can make this delightful cake.

Topping:

1/3 c. brown sugar

3 T. flour

1/2 t. cinnamon

2 T. butter or margarine, melted

Cake:

Nonstick cooking spray

2 c. flour

3/4 c. sugar

1 T. baking powder

1/4 c. butter or margarine, melted

3/4 c. milk

2 eggs

1 T. lemon juice

1 1/2 c. fresh or frozen blueberries

Preheat oven to 350-degrees F. Grease an 8-9-inch square baking pan or cake pan liberally with nonstick cooking spray; set aside.

In a small bowl, blend together brown sugar, flour and cinnamon. Add melted butter and stir until flour mixture is entirely moist; set aside.

Where Has All The Music Gone?

2021-07-04T10:50:00.006-04:00

My grandfather and father.

Although the internet and anything related to this unseen world has taken over the worlds interest and hobby enjoyment, there is one extra curricular activity that has been the hardest hit....musical instrument interest!

When my grandfather was a child, back in the first decade of the 20th century, there was little else but imagination that fed a childs hunger for excitement. Playing an instrument was a luxury because of the cost. Jump ahead to the early 1940s, when my father was a child, purchasing a violin, for example, became easier because wealth had increased and instrument costs were lower because of the supply and demand aspect.

Now taking a leap to my childhood in the late 60s and purchasing a violin was even cheaper and many more kids my age was in an orchestra or band. I was proud to show off my musicianship to neighborhood friends and family. I had the luxury of my father teaching me at home and having the two finest teachers of violin as my teachers at school, Mrs. Lyndz and Marion McKenney. With my grandfather Samuel having graduated from the Boston Conservatory and my father attending the conservatory in Bangor, Maine, I had the distinct privilege of wise instruction from the age of 5 years.

Now here we are in the 2020s, with my 10 year old son Thomas being the fourth generation to pick up the same violin and he is at a brick wall. I have been teaching him for over a year now and it is getting more and more difficult to keep him interested. Sure, I(as a parent)control his time in front of the computer or game system but the issue that is facing him, as with so many other kids today is keeping them interested beyond the home. None of his friends play the violin, the school he attends has no orchestra program, even when he enrolls in high school!

So I have looked outside the box, to the Bangor Symphony Youth Orchestra. But even this ancient organization is severely lacking in offering something that would keep children involved musically. And this is such a shame. He does belong to this group and has even participated in a virtual session, which has yet to be put together by those in charge. It truly is heartbreaking to think at any given moment, Thomas will lose interest even before he becomes fully aware of his potential. I will never forget the thrill I received when the telephone rang one day when I was 9. My mother answered, her face and demeanor lit up while she was speaking with someone on the other end and burst out with joy after hanging up the receiver. I was invited to play with an orchestra of teens at the University of Orono, Maine that summer as a first chair violinist. Even I was ecstatic.

It is sad to think what our youth is going to be like without the opportunity to indulge in music at the level of past generations. I would love to hear methods, stories, ideas or gimmicks from those of you who are experiencing the same thing but have found a way to keep our kids curiosity and motivation piqued.