advertising@montynews.com
Phone:(908)874-0020
Fax: (908) 874-0032
serving
Montgomery Township
and Rocky Hill, NJ
Elks Celebrate 50 Year Anniversary
On Saturday December 3 the Ladies Auxiliary of Princeton Elks Lodge #2129 celebrated their 50th Anniversary with a dinner dance held at the Lodge on Route 518, Blawenburg, NJ. They celebrated their 50 years of dedication and support to their Lodge by donating to various charities of the order.
President of the Ladies Auxiliary Lee Robotti, presented each representative of 5 charities with a check for $1,000 in honor of each 10 years the ladies dedicated their service to the lodge. The charities were: Elks National Foundation - presented to Millard Horner, Past State Vice President; Army of Hope - presented to Thomas Cavanaugh, Past Secretary of Princeton Lodge #2129; Elks Camp Moore - presented to Michael Arons, Past District Deputy of West Central District; Somerset Treatment Center - presented to Louis Possemato, Past State President; Princeton Elks Lodge Memorial Walk - presented to Wayne Rudolph, Past Exalted Ruler Of Princeton Lodge #2129
Precautions To Take in Unlikely Encounter of a Coyote
On Sunday December 5, Police were called to a residence on Kilpatrick Lane in the Belle Mead section of the township regarding an animal incident. Upon arrival, the homeowner informed police she was raking leaves around 12:30 PM when she observed two coyotes in her rear yard. One of the coyotes approached the woman and she tried to scare off the animal. She reported the coyote then attempted to bite at her legs and she struck it several times with the rake before she was able to get inside her house. She described the coyote as yellow/tan in color and the size of a small German Shepherd. The woman was uninjured. New Jersey Fish and Wildlife was contacted and they advised they will attempt to capture the coyote.
While coyotes are native to our area, normally they are reclusive creatures that prefer to avoid human contact and are rarely seen. There is no problem with coyotes in open areas exhibiting typical behaviors, usually late at night.
If you see a bold coyote coming near human activity during the day, police should be notified. If unusual behavior patterns are identified, they will be able to notify wildlife officials and take appropriate action. Use caution with pets and explain to children. Experts encourage parents to show young children photos of coyotes to help them recognize the animals.
If you encounter a coyote, rather than run away, act aggressively by yelling, waving your arms, stamping your feet, or throwing stones until it leaves to let the coyote know it is unwelcome. Do not approach the animal but slowly return indoors until it leaves.
Coyotes should never be fed, even inadvertently by allowing access to pet food left outside or household refuse.
The above guidelines will discourage coyotes from becoming acclimated to unsuitable areas such as residential neighborhoods.
Thank you for your cooperation.
Police: 9-1-1- or 908-359-3222 for Emergency or Assistance
MHS Grad serves in AmeriCorps NCCC
Sacramento, Calif. – Eric Bachrach of Rocky Hill recently began 10-month terms of service in the National Civilian Community Corps (NCCC), an AmeriCorps program. Bachrach, based out of the AmeriCorps NCCC regional campus in Sacramento, began work on their first project the week of November 7.
Founded in 1994, AmeriCorps NCCC is a residential national service program that supports disaster relief, the environment, infrastructure improvement, energy conservation, and urban and rural development.
Bachrach arrived at their regional campus in October to begin a month of training. This training, which prepared them for 10 months of full-time service with AmeriCorps NCCC, emphasized teamwork, leadership development, communication, service learning, and certification by the American Red Cross.
As a Corps Member, Bachrach will be responsible for completing a series of six- to eight-week-long service projects as part of a 10- to 12-person team. Their first service projects will end on December 16, at which time their teams will break for the winter holidays and begin a new project in a new location in January.
Twenty eight teams composed of 300 Corps Members and Team Leaders began service projects in November throughout the Pacific region, based in Sacramento. Some of these projects include providing services to homeless clients at Sacramento Loaves and Fishes, and providing long-term disaster recovery in Musselshell, Mont., among others.
There are four additional NCCC campuses located in Denver, Colo., Perry Point, Md., Vinton, Iowa, and Vicksburg, Miss., each of which is a hub for its respective area of the country. These other campuses begin their 10-month cycles at different times of the year.
Before joining the NCCC, Bachrach attended Montgomery High School and graduated in 2006. Eric is the child of Stacey Bachrach.
AmeriCorps NCCC members, all 18 to 24 years old, complete at least 1,700 hours of service during the 10-month program. In exchange for their service, they receive $5,550 to help pay for college. Other benefits include a small living stipend, room and board, leadership development, team building skills, and the knowledge that, through active citizenship, they can indeed make a difference. AmeriCorps NCCC is administered by the Corporation for National and Community Service. For more information about AmeriCorps NCCC, visit the website at www.americorps.gov/nccc.
Something Interesting in the Aisles of Wine Stores
Smart retailers are now promoting bottles that don’t cost a fortune
In my never-ending quest for wines that won’t break my slender bank account, I have noticed an encouraging new development in savvy wine shops. Realizing that a lot of people out there are just like me, stores are now promoting bargain wines and seem to be offering more of them. The top of the line wines may still be locked behind glass doors and cost $200 or more a bottle, but the bargain ones are now also proudly upfront. A good example is a wine store that I frequent in Rhode Island, where I live for six months of the year. It has two large bins, one for red and one for white, devoted to wines selling for $15 or less. The selection is very good and there are products from all over the world. Now I can pass on the more expensive ones and concentrate on selecting an interesting and inexpensive wine that I haven’t tried before. Discovery is one of the important side benefits of drinking wine.
When I was last in New Jersey, I noticed that the Wegman’s stores now have a whole line of $6 wines that they prominently promote. They seem to have at least 14 in that category. There has been a glut on the world wine market for several years, which is good for consumers because it forces producers to lower prices, and it looks like the Wegman’s people have been taking advantage of the situation by buying wines from all around the globe. The brands may not be familiar, but the wines are good. And at this price, you can try a few and see whether you like them. I did, and I do. I have tried seven. The Wegman’s Chardonnay, for example, is called SilverGum and comes from Australia. The Bodegas Molina Malbec comes from Argentina. The Le Altane Pinot Grigio is from Italy. I also liked the Shiraz, Chianti, and Montepulciano varieties. The Jaume Serra Cristalino Cava is a Champagne-like white from Spain. It was a delight. I’m a big fan of Torrontés, a dry wine with lots of fruit that is similar to Rhône whites, and I had great hopes for the Bodegas Molina Torrontés. Unfortunately, I was disappointed and it was flat and short on fruit. But, hey, six out of seven is not bad, especially at that price. I hope that other liquor stores will pick up on this trend. Who knows? People looking for bargain wines for these tough economic times might even start a revolution.
George M. Taber’s latest wine book is A Toast to Bargain Wines: How Innovators, Iconoclasts, and Winemaking Revolutionaries Are Changing the Way the World Drinks.
Volunteers Ready to Help Out This Tax Season Appointments Available Through April 15
Volunteer tax counselors have been trained to assist Somerset County residents in preparing their federal and New Jersey income tax returns.
After passing the IRS and AARP tests, these volunteers are ready to help low- and middle-income residents prepare their tax returns. Special emphasis is placed on helping senior citizens and residents with disabilities.
All volunteers have taken additional training in order to help county residents who wish to file their returns electronically. E-filing enables taxpayers to obtain a more rapid refund if they have money coming back to them.
Tax-preparation volunteers will be working at locations around the county. Six sites – in Hillsborough, Raritan, Manville, Bridgewater, Franklin and Green Brook – have been designated for e-filing.
In 2011, approximately 2,090 tax returns were filed with the assistance of county volunteers.
To take advantage of this free service this year, gather up all the required documents – W-2 forms, bank, broker and Social Security statements, medical and other expenses, and a copy of your last year’s returns – and call the Somerset County Office of Volunteer Services at (908) 541-5710 for an appointment.
The program runs through April 15 and is by appointment only.
2012 Master Gardener Graduates & Helpline
As winter fades to spring the impact of Mother Nature’s extreme weather scenarios during 2011 is bound to have an affect on local home gardens. From Hurricane Irene’s daunting winds, rain and awful flooding, October’s early snow storm that crackled the landscape under its weight to alternating warm/cold winter weather conditions this year’s gardening questions will be challenging for new and experienced gardeners alike. The NJAES Rutgers Master Gardeners of Somerset and Hunterdon Counties are busy getting ready to open the Helpline offices in both counties and will welcome 23 new graduates to the volunteer staff. Rutgers Cooperative Extension is an equal opportunity program provider and employer. Contact your local Extension Office for information regarding special needs or accommodations. On April 3, 10 residents of Somerset County and 13 residents of Hunterdon County will graduate from the NJAES Rutgers Master Gardener program and will begin their apprenticeships under the guidance of certified Master Gardeners on the two county Helplines.
The Somerset and Hunterdon Counties Rutgers Master Gardener Helplines provide a service every home gardener can take advantage of throughout the growing season. Each season brings new and different gardening questions and the NJAES Rutgers Master Gardeners are trained by Rutgers University staff and faculty as well as local horticulturalists to answer those questions and assist county residents in a variety of ways. The Helpline volunteers cover a myriad of home gardening issues including: providing the materials and information needed to obtain a proper soil sample for analysis from Rutgers' labs, soil pH testing, lawn care, and plant, tree and shrub identification with advice about the right plant for the right place and recommendations on deer resistant plant material. With suitable samples, the Master Gardeners can also diagnose plant diseases, identify insects, weeds, and other pests of the home and garden and give written advice about the cultural recommendations for their control following Integrated Pest Management techniques.
Beginning on March 1, 2011 in Somerset County, Helpline volunteers will be available to provide assistance on the phone or on a walk-in basis. The Rutgers Cooperative and Extension office of Somerset County is located at 310 Milltown Road in Bridgewater. Hours are 9AM-12Noon. Inquiries can be made by phoning 908-526-6293 press option 4 or residents can bring a sample of their problem to the office on Milltown Road.
Rutgers Master Gardener volunteers will be staffing the Hunterdon County Master Gardener Helpline beginning March 5th. Residents can make phone inquiries to 908-788-1735, or bring samples to the Helpline office at 314 Route 12 County Complex, Building #2 in Flemington. The Master Gardener Helpline office is open from 9:00AM -12:00 Noon Monday through Friday and on Monday and Wednesday afternoons from 12:30 PM-3:30 PM.
Pothole Reporting Hotline
Got a favorite pothole? Report it to the Township Pothole Hotline, 908-874-8947. Pothole reports are monitored every week day. If it is a weekend and an emergency, notify the Township Police Dept, at 908-359-3222.
Local Alcoholics Anonymous Meetings
(Subject to change)
www.nnjaa.org
www.24-club.org
SUNDAY
8:30am, 24 Club (located behind Vespias/Goodyear at the Princeton North Shopping Center, Rts 518 and 206), 5:30pm, 24 Club
7:30pm, Rocky Hill Reformed Church, Rt 518
MONDAY
7:15am, 24 Club, Rocky Hill
12noon, 24 Club
5:30pm, 24 Club
7pm, 24 Club
8pm, Hillsborough Presbyterian Church, Rt 206 and Homestead Rd
TUESDAY
7:15am, 24 Club
12noon, RH Reformed Church
5pm, 24 Club
7pm, Double Trouble, 24 Club
WEDNESDAY
7:15am, 24 Club
12:15pm, 24 Club
5:30pm, 24 Club
7:30pm, RH Reformed Church
8 pm, Mens Meeting, 24 Club
8pm, Hillsborough Presb. Church
8 pm, Men’s Meeting, 24 Club
THURSDAY
7:15am, 24 Club
12:15 pm, 24 Club
5:30pm, 24 Club
7 pm, Women’s Meeting,
24 Club
7:30pm Carrier Clinic, Main
Building, Garden Cafe
FRIDAY
7:15am, 24 Club
12:15pm, 24 Club
3pm, Carrier Clinic Outpatient Building
5:30pm, 24 Club
8pm, Hopewell United. Meth. Church.
SATURDAY
7:15am, 24 Club
5:30pm, 24 Club
Alcoholics Anonymous is a fellowship of men and women who share their common experience and help each other to recover from alcoholism.
To Our Readers
The Montgomery News, circulation 20,900, is mailed for free into every home in Montgomery Township and the Borough of Rocky Hill. We mail a total of 19,269 as of Jan 20, 2012. If you have not been getting a copy, please let us know by calling 908-874-0020, or sending an email to editor@montynews.com and don’t forget to include your address!
Extra copies are available for free at boxes scattered around the Township, including at the Village Shopper Shopping Center, the Montgomery Shopping Center, and the Princeton North Shopping Center, as well as at the Mary Jacobs Library, Orpha’s Coffee Shop, Buy the Cup Coffee Shop, and from our office at 2106 Rte 206 (across from the red barn).
Many of you have come to rely on our advertiser-supported website, www.montynews.com, where we post late breaking news and calendar events. We have been getting more than 3,000 hits per day since April, many of them from readers who come back for more.
Advertisers can post a display ad with a link to their site for as little as $45 a month.
County Prescription Drug Discount Card Available
Staggered by the extortionate prices of prescription drugs? The Somerset County Freeholders have a better idea. They've set up a prescription drug discount program, which, they say, will provide discounts of 10% to 50% off from the price of prescriptions for Somerset County residents.
Applicants must fill out a form, available online, provide proof of residency in Somerset County, and pay an annual fee of $20 per household, or $40 for three years. The card is a discount card, not a managed care card and cannot be used with other programs for the same prescription purchase.
For more information online, http://service.govdelivery.com/service/docs/NJSOMER/NJSOMER_38/NJSOMER_38_20030701_071500_en.pdf
Neshanic garden Club at the NJ Flower & Garden Show
Neshanic Garden Club member Jeannie Geremia was Vice Chair of this year’s Garden Club of New Jersey’s “Movie Magic” which was part of the overall theme of the New Jersey Flower and Garden Show, “Movie Classics”. The Show was held at the Raritan Convention Center in Edison on February 16 -19. Several NGC members worked on committees in preparation for the show and ten club members had entries in the show. There were also sixteen entries from children involved in NGC’s youth program.
In the Design Division, Arline Pagliaro received a second place award in “Gone with the Wind: Jeannie Geremia received a third place award in “Guess Who’s Coming to Dinner”; and Carmella Shepley received a third place award in the “Concession Stand”.
In the Horticulture Division the following members received awards in the Arboreal Section of Needled Evergreens: Norway Spruce – Wilma Cornely, a second; Diana Reinhardt, a third; Marylin Hulme, a fourth. White Pine – Diana Reinhardt, a second, Alice Girette, a third. Mugo Pine - Pilar Advani, a fourth. Blue Atlas Cedar - Mary Kay Muckenhoupt, a third. Golden Cypress - Pilar Advani, a third. Douglas Fir - Alice Girette, a third. Canadian Hemlock - Diana Reinhardt, a first, Marylin Hulme, a third. Yew – Marylin Hulme, a fourth.
In the Arboreal Section of Broad Leaf the following members received awards: Holly - Diana Reinhardt, two first places; Wilma Cornely, a fourth; and Arline Pagliaro, a fourth. Rhododendron – Arline Pagliaro, a first; Mary Kay Muckenhoupt, a second; and Diana Reinhardt, a second.
In The Amaryllis Challenge - Diana Reinhardt received a first place and Jeannie Geremia received a second place. In the Potted Plants Sections: Begonia - Diana Reinhardt, a first place. In African Violet – Diana Reinhardt received two first places.
In the Special Exhibit Division, Youth Section, sixteen youths received award for their floral designs. Alexis Dima received a second; Arjun Deishpande, a third; Ryan Lee, a first; Mikayla Shephard, a second, Victoria Dembowski, a second; Nicholas Vegas, a first, Abigail Goldman, a second; Juliet Dima, a second, Caitlin Kazim, a second; Katharine Scheflen, a first; Andara Chisarick, a first; Surya Pillai, a second; Sweta Kumaar, a second; Francesea Fazio, a second, Isabel Dima, a second; and Andre Scheflen, a third.
For further information about Neshanic Garden Club and its activities, contact club president Janet Gibson at 908-359-0176.
FOOD FOR THOUGHT Popeye’s Secret Weapon
Spinach may have provided Popeye with superhuman strength, but its real life potential is far less lofty. In fact, its nutritional reputation is somewhat inflated. Spinach contains oxalic acid which inhibits the absorption of its calcium and iron. Moreover, it contains other nutrients that are not fully absorbed when it is consumed raw. This is not to say that spinach is not good for you. But, like many health and nutritional claims, the surface hype usually obscures the underlying scientific reality.
Spinach originated in Persia, (modern day Iran). The earliest records of its cultivation go back 2,000 years. It was introduced to China in the 600’s and to Spain around 1100. By the 16th century it was well established in Europe. The Spaniards brought it to America. Spinach was the first vegetable frozen and sold commercially. That honor goes to Clarence Birdseye in Springfield Massachusetts in 1930. Fresh spinach is available year round. California and Texas are the major growers.
There are four main types of spinach. The first is Savoy which sports crinkled, dark green leaves. Flat or Smooth-Leaf spinach is self-descriptive. Semi-Savoy spinach has leaves that are in-between Savoy and Flat. Finally, Baby spinach is a smaller Flat-Leaf variety. Baby spinach is very tender and desirable for salads. Choose spinach with crisp and vibrantly green leaves. Avoid specimens that are limp or discolored. Store it in the fridge in a bag for up to three days. Spinach can be very gritty and must be rinsed thoroughly, even when it is sold “pre-washed” in plastic bags.
Despite the aforementioned encumbrance to utilizing its calcium and iron, spinach nevertheless offers a number of nutritional benefits. It contains vitamins A, C, and B9, (folic acid), and the minerals magnesium and potassium. Spinach is high in carotenoids, a group of substances espoused to fight cancer and perform other miracles. However, just like carrots, the spinach must be cooked to optimize the absorption of the carotenoids.
My favorite way of enjoying spinach is simply to sauté it with garlic and olive oil. It’s great for salads, soups, pasta sauces, dips, or flavoring a risotto. For the latter, blanch the spinach in boiling water, wiz it in the blender and stir it into your risotto at or near the end of cooking. Spinach is very high in water. One pound of spinach will reduce to one cup cooked.
CREAMY SPINACH SOUP
2 and a half ounces of Israeli couscous, (or the pasta of your choice)
1 small to medium onion, chopped
1 hot pepper, chopped, (optional)
Salt and pepper to taste
Olive oil as needed
1-2 cloves of garlic, chopped
1 pint chicken broth
1 pound baby spinach
4 oz. heavy cream
Boil the pasta separately from the soup. While the pasta is cooking sweat the onion and hot pepper with salt and pepper in the olive oil. Do not brown the vegetables; merely soften them. Add the chicken broth and bring to a boil. Add the spinach in bunches until it all wilts. Add the cream, simmer for a few minutes and add additional salt and pepper if need be. Add the pasta and serve.
SPINACH ENCHILADAS WITH HOT PEPPER SAUCE
1 medium onion, chopped
2 jalapeno peppers, finely chopped
4 oz. mushrooms, finely chopped
Vegetable oil as needed
1 lb spinach
3 cloves garlic, chopped
Half teaspoon cumin
Half teaspoon coriander
Half teaspoon chili powder
Salt and pepper to taste
8 corn tortillas
Hot pepper sauce, (see recipe below)
1 cup shredded Monterey Jack cheese
Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Sauté onion, jalapenos, and mushrooms in vegetable oil until soft. Add spinach in batches until it is all wilted adding more oil if needed. Add garlic, cumin, coriander, chili powder, salt and pepper, and cook one minute more. Set filling aside. In a separate skillet heat some vegetable oil and then dip each tortilla, one at a time, in the oil for a few seconds until it is limp. Drain it on paper towels, place some filling in it, roll it up, and then place in an oiled baking dish. When all the enchiladas are filled, cover them with sauce, sprinkle with cheese, and then bake them until the cheese is melted, about ten minutes.
HOT PEPPER SAUCE
1 cup water
1/3 cup of red wine vinegar
1-3 hot peppers, depending on heat level desired.
1 large red bell pepper
Half a small onion, chopped
2 cloves garlic, chopped
1 tablespoon paprika
1 teaspoon cumin
1 teaspoon salt
Chop the peppers, onion and garlic. Bring all the ingredients to a boil and simmer for eight minutes. Allow it to cool somewhat and then puree in a blender. Eliminate the hot peppers if you want a mild sauce. Use jalapenos for hot or habaneros for very hot.
The Old Gardener - It Takes Practice, Not Money - Feb 2012
Well, OK. It takes both Time and Practice. Fussing with plants takes time. Doing it well takes practice.
Practice means learning from your mistakes. If you mess up a thirty five dollar plant, it is about the same as taking your family out for pizza. Not cheap, but not the end of the world either.
Just make sure you've learned thirty five dollars worth, then it wasn’t money wasted.
Learning has gotten easier with the advent of the web. I spent the day poking around viewing what information was available, finding one clear choice: www.finegardening.com/how-to/videos/intro-dividing-perennials.aspx?nterms=74878. Although I would argue a few points with this one.
First I want to know where she is gardening – 'cause I'm going to move there. Looks like river bottom topsoil. Perfect, perfect consistency. Textbook perfect. Dug right up, no sullen lumps, no squooshy bits or slick patches. Screaming jealousy aside, the demonstrator had some really good techniques going, along with complete explanations of what and why she was doing.
My quibble arises from the fall anemones she gaily moved in full bloom. In our heavier soil we don't have a real good survival rate for those anemones, fifty to seventy five percent, maybe – and that only in the spring. They are worth it though, once established, they produce an amazing display on really tough long lived plants.
In one of the next videos a gentleman went on to discuss dividing big grasses; at which point (not being too fond of watching wrestling matches), I clicked back for a quick look at the other nine groups of videos. All worth watching. Fine Gardening, is trowel down, the best gardening how-to website out there.
Dave's Garden www.davesgarden.com/ is my go to site when looking for plants. Unfortunately I was very disappointed in the how-to videos. Not only are there advertisements, but the videos were produced by amateurs (all very well and good) waving at invisible areas off camera, where things may or may not be happening at some undetermined time in the future. If an advertiser wants my eyeballs for ten seconds I'd better get something in return. Yes, it made me grumpy.
Don't bother with Horticulture magazine. No freebies on their site.
Even Burpee, http://www.burpee.com/, had a little blip on dividing perennials. Meh. I just couldn't develop any faith in a gardener wearing a clean shirt.
Of course Burpee is best known for seeds, and many of us get our start with Burpee. But it is a wide world out there and many companies have much to offer the novice.
Eventually, you too will develop reliable favorites; mine is still Johnny's Selected Seeds http://www.johnnyseeds.com/. Unfortunately the videos available there are aimed at the professional grower. Of course there is nothing wrong with taking advantage and shopping where the big boys shop; their equipment is top notch.
Our guys at the Belle Mead Coop carry several different brands of seeds including one of my old favorites Renee's Garden www.reneesgarden.com/. Renee has tons of helpful articles and recipes. Yes recipes, the site is really aimed at cooks who like to garden, or gardeners who like to cook.
Cook's Garden was founded with a similar idea and was an excellent source of hardy winter lettuces and greens. Unfortunately it has since been purchased by Burpee and has lost much of its small business feel.
The Coop is also carrying High Mowing Seed www.highmowingseeds.com/ an independent organic outfit. If you decide to go that route, spend some time on their site to read about the varieties so you don't spend the afternoon staring at seed racks. You are supposed to be out in the garden.
Belle Mead also carries an extensive line of seed starting supplies and can offer plenty of advice on local conditions.
Montgomery Gardens also carries a selection of seeds and seed starting supplies. When it warms up a bit there will be table after table full of plants in four inch pots. Gorgeous selection of ornamentals too.
Make a list of perennials to be divided. Later, practice on some of those old fashioned green and white hostas. It is really hard to hurt a hosta.
Investigate on-line sites, decide what you want to grow.
Next month we'll put it on paper.
Catch up with the Old Gardener articles you might have missed on http://sagegardeners.com/blog.
VES 4th Grader Ping Pong Fundraiser Jan 28
Ishaan Ravichander is a 4th grader at VES. He wanted to host a table tennis tournament in his basement for charity, charging $5 per person as a registration fee. He also convinced his sister Aanya Ravichander an 8th grader at OHES, to sponsor the trophies for the event with her piggy bank savings. Tennis and Table Tennis are both sports that he is extremely passionate about and has started to play competitively.
The charity organization he chose to donate to is the Association of India Development's (AID) EurekaKidz Project, which has an active Princeton chapter. They were thrilled by his creative initiative and offered him webspace to host his fundraising, efforts, www.runforindia.org/runners/ishaan.
He has already successfully raised $700 via his website in a few days. He wants to reach $1000 which will allow him to adopt an entire village. He has 50 RSVPs within few days of announcing it) of potential participants in the tournamen to be held on January 28. The school has also acknowledged and are proud of his initiative and posted it on their Village Elementary School website.
Three Cheers for a Sparkling White Zinfandel
A surprising sparkler that turned out to be a lot better than its reputation
The most fashionable thing for supposed wine experts to do is knock White Zinfandel. Those wine snobs are always criticizing it for being sickly sweet and so pedestrian. It doesn’t matter than this is one of the best-selling wines around and has been since 1975, when Sutter Home in California accidently discovered it. The story has since become legendary. As you probably know, alcohol comes from the sugar in grape juice. Back in 1975, the winemaker at Sutter Home had a problem and all the sugar had not turned into alcohol, resulting in a slightly sweet wine. Not as sweet as a Sauternes or a Port, but still a little sugary. Rather than throw it away, the winery put it on the market as White Zinfandel. To everyone’s surprise, Americans loved it, and it was soon the top-selling wine in the country. The mass of Americans loved it, but the wine snobs, especially the critics, hated it. And for the past thirty-five years, they have not missed a chance to knock it.
I bought a lot of inexpensive wine to taste for my new book “A Toast to Bargain Wines.” Most of them I liked, but some I didn’t. One I hadn’t gotten around to trying was a Beringer White Zinfandel from California. It cost me less than $10. So here I am on the afternoon of New Year’s eve trying to decide what wine to serve with dinner. It had to be a bubbly for the occasion, and I had plenty from countries ranging from France to South Africa. My wife and I were home alone, so there was no need to impress guests. The bottle that caught my eye was the Beringer White Zinfandel Sparkling. Why not try it? I asked my wife if she minded, and she didn’t veto it. Nonetheless, I had a backup plan of opening a bottle of a Italian sparkling wine called Franciacorta, which I was sure was good because I had recently enjoyed it at home.
The White Zin looked a lot like a Champagne Rosé. The pink color in a clear bottle looked quite attractive. When I twisted off the cork and heard the always inspiring pop that can turn a regular meal into a feast, I felt even better. Then I tasted it, without pouring any at first for my wife. I still wanted to be able to yank the wine if it was bad and open the Italian one. But I was pleasantly surprised. It was not overly sweet. Just a touch, and that was a positive, not a negative. It went very well with the lamb chops my wife served. We downed the bottle, and both enjoyed it.
The moral of the story is don’t let the wine experts determine what you like. Keep trying new wines because you never know what you will get. Above all, trust yourself when it comes to wine.
George M. Taber’s latest wine book is A Toast to Bargain Wines: How Innovators, Iconoclasts, and Winemaking Revolutionaries Are Changing the Way the World Drinks.
YWCA Princeton offers Free GED Preparation Classes for ESL students
The YWCA Princeton now offering free GED preparation classes for English as a Second Language (ESL) students. At the request of students and community members, Paula Rossi, ESL Director at the YWCA Princeton, introduced the GED class last fall with success. She is proud to announce that this new program has resulted in its first student completing the test and obtaining her GED.
“This opens the doors to many new opportunities that aren’t possible without that GED,” states Rossi. The YWCA’s GED classes arose due to a lack of classes in the Mercer County area, particularly classes held during the day to accommodate those working in the evening and for those whose first language is not English.
During the fall term, students wanted to concentrate on the math practice portion of the exam. In addition to one student earning her GED as a result, other students successfully passed sections of the test and continue to work toward passing the other sections. Having a fellow student graduate so quickly has become a source of inspiration for the others.
Classes run on Mondays and Wednesdays from 12:30 to 2:30 pm at the YWCA in Princeton located at 59 Paul Robeson Place.. For more information about the ESL GED classes and other ESL programs, contact Paula Rossi at (609) 497-2100 ext. 306, or email prossi@ywcaprinceton.org. Students can enroll in the class at any time throughout the year and continue until they pass the GED exam.
FOOD FOR THOUGHT - Unscrambling the Egg
Foodforthoughtonline.net
Which came first, the chicken or the egg, asks the ancient and proverbial question. Men have pondered this seemingly simplistic, yet intriguingly paradoxical query for time immemorial. Why? Because the real answer is neither, (assuming that “egg” refers only to chicken eggs). Chickens evolved from more primitive birds whose ancestral lineage emanates from the dinosaurs. There is no specific point in time hallmarked by the first chicken but rather a gradual evolution of wild fowl culminating with the modern chicken.
The egg is a complex, biological powerhouse of nutrients with innumerable culinary uses. One large egg contains 70 calories, 6 grams of protein, 5 grams of fat, (of which only 1.6 grams are saturated), and at least 14 vitamins and minerals. Most of the nutrients and 45% of the protein are in the yolk. The white contains mostly protein. Egg protein is one of the highest quality proteins on the planet, second only to breast milk. And while one large egg contains 213 mg. of cholesterol, it is saturated fat consumption that is more related to serum cholesterol levels than actual cholesterol consumption itself. Thus, with only 1.6 grams of saturated fat, eggs are not as unhealthy for your heart as generally supposed.
Fast Facts:1) Eggs are graded, in descending order, AA, A, and B. Grades are based on quality which is influenced by the egg’s freshness. Grade A is the most common grade found in supermarkets.
2) Brown eggs are no different than white eggs in terms of taste or nutrition. They merely signify a different breed of hen.
3) Store eggs in their carton. Eggshells are porous and absorb surrounding odors inside your fridge.
4) It is easier to separate the yolk from the white with a cold egg.
5) To whip egg whites to maximal volume, start with room temperature whites, ensure there is no yolk in them, and use a copper bowl. Copper bowls produce the most stable and voluminous whipped egg whites because of the interaction between copper ions and proteins.
4) To determine the freshness of an egg submerge it in water. Eggs have an air pocket that grows with time. Fresh eggs will lay flat on their side in water. As they age the one end will start to rise. If your egg floats, don’t eat it.
5) For scrambled eggs, heating the pan before adding the eggs will reduce sticking.
6) Egg whites lose their integrity with age. Thus, fresh eggs are best for poaching since the white will disperse less. Adding vinegar and/or salt to the water will further reduce its diffusion.
7) Older eggs are best for hard-cooked eggs. (Culinary professionals avoid the term hard-boiled since the eggs are not actually boiled). The higher pH of older eggs allows the shells to peel easier. Thus, don’t add vinegar to the water for hard-cooked eggs. Over cooking causes greenish blemishes, the result of a reaction from the iron in the yolk with the sulfur in the white. For perfectly hard-cooked eggs, warm the eggs in hot tap water. This reduces the chance of them cracking. Then place them in cold water and bring to a boil. The instant it boils remove them from the heat and allow them to steep, covered, for 12-13 minutes. Then submerge in cold water to stop the cooking.
Tired of the usual methods for preparing eggs? Try a frittata, i.e., an Italian omelet. Unlike a French omelet where the egg is folded over the ingredients, the ingredients are actually mixed into the eggs. This recipe comes from Lynne Kaplan, a chef who owns the Victoria House Bed & Breakfast in Spring Lake, NJ. For a gourmet B&B check them out at victoriahouse.net.
8 eggs
½ cup sour cream
1 cup milk
salt/pepper to taste
1 portobello mushroom, stem removed, sliced 1/4" thick
4 tablespoons olive oil
1 small yellow onion, diced
½ pound prosciutto, diced
2 plum tomatoes, diced, seeds removed
2 teaspoons chopped basil
1 teaspoons chopped oregano
1 cup shredded fontina cheese
Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Vigorously whisk the eggs, sour cream, milk, salt, and pepper and set aside. Sauté the mushroom in two tablespoons of olive oil until browned and set aside. In a 10", non-stick, oven proof skillet, sweat the onions in two tablespoons of olive oil until softened but not brown. Add the ham and sauté two minutes. Arrange mushrooms on top on ham/onion mixture and then sprinkle with chopped tomatoes. Stir herbs into the egg mixture and pour it over everything in the pan. Cook on top of stove slowly, lifting the edges to let uncooked egg run under. Do not brown the bottom. When almost set, sprinkle on the cheese and place in oven until cheese melts and browns slightly. Remove from oven. Loosen around the edges and slide onto a serving platter. Serves 6-8.
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
| Monty's Own Poll | ||
|
Created by J&M Marketing Communications