The South Coast Insider - December 2020

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DECEMBER 2020 Vol. 24 / No. 12

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Editor Sebastian Clarkin

3⅓ cups sifted all-purpose flour 2 teaspoons pumpkin pie spice or cinnamon or spices of your choice 2 teaspoons baking soda

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1 teaspoon baking powder

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1½ teaspoons salt

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2 cups sugar

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Start thinking about your Thanksgiving dinner plans.

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⅔ cup oil

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4 each eggs 2 cups *squash – pureed (can change to pumpkin or banana)

Deadline 20 days prior to publication.

⅔ cup water

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⅔ cup nuts, raisins, or dates – chopped (optional)

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Contributors Deborah Allard Dion, Steven Froias, Stacie Charbonneau Hess, Paul Kandarian, Tom Lopes, Brian J. Lowney, Sean McCarthy, Elizabeth Morse Read

Get a $20 Gift The South Coast Insider is published monthly for Card for every visitors and residents of the South Coast area and $100 in Gift Cards is distributed free of charge from Mount Hope Bay to Buzzards Bay. purchased. Offer Fall is in the air. copyright ©2020 All contents ends 12/24/20.

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Ingredients

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Takeout Dock Service Roof Top Bar Publisher and Editor-in-Chief Published by Coastal Communications Corp.

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Give the Gift of Good Taste!

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Beat sugar and oil in a bowl until light and fluffy on high speed.

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Add eggs, one at a time, beating well, after each addition.

Beat in squash.* Add dry ingredients alternately with water in sugar mixture at low speed.

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CONTENTS DECEMBER 2020

November 2020 | Vol. 24 | No. 11

COVER STORY

Published by Coastal Communications Corp.

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Publisher and Editor-in-Chief Ljiljana Vasiljevic Bundled and buckled up

By Sean McCarthy Editor Sebastian Clarkin

— Holiday Hours — Thur., Dec. 24, close at noon Fri., Dec. 25, closed

t e your ss t pri. hode local ver to ence rkets st hop , and

Thur., Dec. 31, close at noon Saturday, November 2020 Fri., Jan.28, 1, closed

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family ties

Contributors

By Stacie Charbonneau Hess Sebastian Clarkin, Deborah Allard Dion, Steven Froias, Paul Kandarian, Brian J. Lowney, Elizabeth Morse Read

THINGS TO DO

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The South Coast Insider is published monthly for visitors and residents of the South Coast area and Finding the festivities is distributed free of charge from Mount Hope Bay Buzzards By to Bay.Deborah Allard Dion All contents copyright ©2020 Coastal Communications Corp.

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Incredible edible gifts!

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By Elizabeth Morse Read be reproduced, by any means, without written permission from the Publisher. All information contained herein is believed to be reliable. Coastal Communications Corp. does not assume any financial responsibility for typographical errors in advertisements, but will reprint that portion of an advertisement in which the typographical error

The “Ave” is alive! occurs.

BUSINESS BUZZ

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By Steven Froias

Deadline 20 days prior to publication.

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E-mail It’s no secret that this holiday will be editor@coastalmags.com different from those before it. But

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THINGS TO DO

Finding the festivities

By Deborah Allard Dion

Being thankful in a world changed by the pandemic won’t be easy without the warmth of Santa’s lap, the smell of chourico and peppers mingled with cinnamon-scented wreaths at the annual craft fair, or the absence of auntie’s sweet potato casserole surprise at the dinner table.

It’s true that grandparents and grandchildren may only be enjoying one another’s company where there is a reliable internet connection. But the drive-by gift exchange, with presents being passed between sanitized hands like a Saturday night pizza, should prove to be the real plumb pudding of the season.

We can take the advice of the late greats Fred Astaire and Ginger Rogers when they sang “Let’s call the whole thing off,” or we can try to have a merry little Covid Christmas and a happy communicable Hanukkah, even in this plague year.

So, grab your festive facemask and pick up some pine-scented hand sanitizer because the holiday season is still on. And we’ve got a few ideas to help you find your holiday spirit from a socially acceptable distance:

Decorate with abandon. String up

the lights and garland just as you would any other year, or think about adding a few glitzy extras.

Bedeck the yard too where the twinkles will make you and your smile and cheer every passer-by. Don’t forget to take a ride and gaze at other light displays in your city or town, too.

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Make magic in your kitchen. No

one can take away your family recipes, whether it’s your beloved turkey dressing, sticky sweet ham glaze, or top-notch sugar cookies, so don’t skip it just because you’re afraid it’s too much work just for your household. Cream the butter and sugar and get to baking those cookies. It’s not about the food, really, but rather keeping the tradition alive.

Visit the LaSalette Shrine at 947

Park Street in Attleboro. The annual Celebration of Lights will go on as planned through January 3. Some 40,000 thousand lights will illuminate the sky daily from 5 to 9 p.m.

There’s also refreshments and a gift shop for picking up some holiday and holy trinkets. (And, while you’re there don’t forget to say a prayer for a better 2021).

Soothe your soul. Stream your

favorite Christmas films like “A Miracle on 34th Street” (available to rent on Amazon Prime Video) or tune into the Hallmark channel on television for Christmas flicks 24 hours a day.

December 2020 | The South Coast Insider

Read a seasonal tale. Try out the

new romance novel, Jingle all the Way by Debbie Macomber, or if mystery is more your thing, check out Silent Bite by David Rosenfelt. Don’t forget the kids. They might enjoy 5 More Sleeps til’ Christmas by Jimmy Fallon or Little Red Sleigh by Erin Guendelsberger.

Sip the season. Add some cheer

by consuming your favorite holiday goodies, whether it’s the gingerbread latte and red-andgreen sprinkled doughnut from Dunkin’ Donuts or a Starbucks eggnog latte (tip: sugarplum danish is also on the ‘bucks’ holiday menu). Culinary fun can also be had in the supermarket. Check out the seasonal coffees, creamers, teas, eggnog, and cookies to perk up your holiday pantry.

Help someone else. Donate food or

a supermarket gift card to the Salvation Army or United Way to help feed the less fortunate. Other organizations in need include PACE Inc., at 166 William Street in New Bedford; Citizens for Citizens Inc., at 264 Griffin Street in Fall River; and the Veteran’s

Association of Bristol County, at 755 Pine Street in Fall River. You can also donate pet food to your local shelter. You’ll feel good about yourself and help someone in need.

Anne T. Converse PHOTOGRAPHY

Try something new. Have you

ever built a gingerbread house?

If not, give it a try, you can find kits in local grocery stores or online, like Wilton’s gingerbread Santa’s workshop (available on Amazon).

Go virtual. Check the “events”

tab on Facebook where you can attend a virtual paint night or holiday bazaar. Local libraries offer events too, like virtual book clubs. If you enjoy crafting Christmas decorations, watch some tutorials on YouTube or check out Pinterest for ideas.

A collection of photographic prints - marine, travel, equine and people and the author of “Wood, Wind and Water: A Story of the Opera House Cup Race of Nantucket”.

Move your body. While

you’re online, search for free yoga and Zumba videos. You can even learn to salsa and belly dance right in your own living room.

For more information contact Anne at 508 728 6210 anne@annetconverse.com | www.annetconverse.com

Pick up some handmade presents. Though much has

been cancelled this season, there are a few ways to support local artists, which is a great way help you get your shopping and decorating done. Meet Your Maker at Hope & Main, at 691 Main Street in Warren, will be offered on Sundays, December 13 and 20 from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. You’ll find brunch, lunch, cocktails, and vendors (to be announced). The new Craftyish Shop that features handmade items and workshops by local artists is open at 9 North Main Street in Fall River, each Wednesday to Sunday from noon to 7 p.m. The Tiverton Winter Farmers Market offers more than produce each Tuesday from 2 to 6 p.m., at Sandywoods, 43 Muse Way.

Appointments are highly encouraged.

Holiday hours will be extended.

Financing is available.

Be kind. Everyone has been

affected by the pandemic, and some have faced loss in numerous ways. Check on your elder neighbors. Maybe bring them some of those extra sugar cookies. Call a buddy who may need some special cheering up. And smile hard under that mask so your eyes crinkle “hello” to friends and strangers.

167 Borden Street Fall River, MA

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December 2020 | The South Coast Insider

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BUSINESS BUZZ A new mural by artist Eden Soares adorns the Cape Verdean Community Center on Acushnet Avenue.

The “Ave” is Alive!

By Steven Froias

This isn’t supposed to be happening.

D

uring a pandemic and an economic downturn, new businesses are opening up and down Acushnet Avenue, the north end of New Bedford’s unique urban commercial corridor.

In the last few months, a Puerto Rican-themed gift and specialty store, Muralla, Maquinas & Mas, has opened at 1690 Acushnet Avenue. A few blocks south, a new mattress store has appeared. The former Tilia Cafe has a sign announcing that a new restaurant is coming soon.

And just where The Ave (as it is affectionately known) meets Brooklawn Park, something totally different has just opened: Pita Food Mart, featuring Lebanese, Middle Eastern, and Mediterranean groceries and produce.

The owner, Hassan, says he decided to realize a dream and open Pita Food Mart when the space next to his smoke shop next door became available. The spacious storefront was perfect for the wide and plentiful variety of stock he wanted to carry.

Pita Food Mart is an amazing culinary adventure, with rows upon rows of bottled grape leaves, boxed baklava, havlah, and even fresh foods like spinach and cheese pies.

Since opening at 1890 Acushnet Avenue, the store has attracted a following and its reputation has already spread throughout New Bedford. It’s now a destination, and a perfect

fit for an area that’s officially dubbed the city’s “International Marketplace.”

Where old meets new

The birth of these new businesses is matched by the resilience of the long-time enterprises which give The Ave so much flavor.

The beloved Taqueria La Raza Mexican restaurant just opened up at their new, much larger location on The Ave at number 1218. The huge new space has been totally remodeled to reflect the sense of fun their former smaller space brought to dining out.

Supporting many of these businesses is the Community Economic Development Center (CEDC) at 1285 Acushnet Avenue, led by Corinn Williams.

Working at a breakneck pace during the pandemic to ensure area residents were able to navigate everything from unemployment claims to healthcare, the CEDC and Williams in particular still pursued an expansive view of broad economic equality on The Ave. In fact, its Urban Agenda Initiative got fully underway this past summer and into the autumn.

The Urban Agenda program was funded by the legislature to promote economic vitality and cultivate stronger urban neighborhoods across Massachusetts. The CEDC received one of 23 total awards distributed by Governor Baker in late 2019.

The Urban Agenda program was funded by the legislature to promote economic vitality and cultivate stronger urban neighborhoods across Massachusetts.

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December 2020 | The South Coast Insider

The $100,000 grant is designed to stimulate economic development along Acushnet Avenue by working with small businesses, community members, and other stakeholders to fill vacant storefronts with arts and culture displays, make physical improvements on existing storefront facades, and create family-friendly events to attract new customers.

That last one is largely put on hold right now, but the CEDC did partner with the arts organization 3rd EyE Unlimited to bring a popup event to the north end that saw a “free wall” graffiti mural created for street artists, while other virtual events took place during the evening.

The soaring Eden Soares mural was erected on the side of the former Strand Theater and future Cape Verdean Community Center Combined with the storefront facade portion of the Urban Agenda project, it has already brought a new visual element and more public art to The Ave, which will continue through the end of the year.

Related to the streetscape but not part of the Urban Agenda project – yet nonetheless a significant milestone – the soaring Eden Soares mural was also erected on the side of the former Strand Theater and future Cape Verdean Community Center in early November.

The Cape Verdean Association of New Bedford (CVANB) has partnered with Waterfront Historic Area League (WHALE), a non-profit organization committed to preserving New Bedford’s history and architectural heritage, to reimagine this patch of The Ave. Veterinary Services The organizations teamed up with the City of New Bedford, We are open to care for our patients SouthCoast Community Foundation, CEDC, local artist Tracy but are still not allowed in of building.

Barbosa,owners studio2sustain Architects, and members the neighPlease call for an appointment. borhood group Love the Ave, to create Island Park alongside the former Strand Theatre at 1157 Acushnet Avenue.

It is overlooking the new Island Park that the multi-panel mural painted by artist Eden Soares now hangs. It is designed to function as a welcome to Island Park.

“Our Board and many community volunteers have been working for many years to open the Cape Verdean Cultural Community Center,” says Raquel Dias, CVANB Board President.

“The addition of Island Park will connect the CVA community center to the neighborhood and help to expand our future Schedule an appointment programming,” Indeed, it will function a welcome and gateway to the entire with us today and as meet north end and its commercial corridor, historic Acushnet Avenue. our compassionate staff Where, despite all odds, an economic and cultural renaissance is of professionals. gaining speed and energy heading into 2021.

Dr. Corinne – Serving the events South Coast – out You can follow and find about everything M.more Slaughter happening on The Ave by logging onto lovetheave.com. It’s clear that something amazing is happening on The Ave, andMA that 726A Dartmouth Street Dartmouth, it’s beating the odds and delivering on its promise as an urban destination like no other on the South Coast.

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Whether you’re enjoying pumpkin pie or making snow angels, a safe and enjoyable winter season is something to be experienced both indoors and out. Exercise, fun, and nutrition can greatly reduce the possibilities of health problems that can arrive with the colder temperatures and inclement conditions.

Heed what local professionals recommend as much of their advice is simple to follow and can contribute to a safe and healthy winter trek.

One of the easiest and most important steps someone can take this winter is to “get a flu shot,” according to Vicky Paine, an Advanced Registered Nurse Practitioner with Southcoast Physicians Group Cardiology in Dartmouth. These can be done at pharmacies, doctor’s offices, and walk-in centers such as urgent care facilities. The average flu shot requires approximately two weeks to have effect.

But after you get your shot the options are up to you. They’re not difficult.

Paine claims that food preparation such as baking and cooking can be an enjoyable and bonding experience for families, and that eating the right foods can contribute to good health.

“Kids learn from participating,” Paine says. “It’s a good way to teach them to be healthy. Families can have an outing by going to apple orchards and pumpkin patches and bringing home fruits and vegetables to prepare and enjoy. You can make a lot of substitutions with breads including cranberries and other foods. You can teach kids to bake healthy; there are

December 2020 | The South Coast Insider

a lot of different options to enjoy. You can continuously explore new recipes.”

Paine says that healthy food ideas can include spices that can be added to foods such as ginger, cinnamon, turmeric, and curry. Beneficial antioxidants include onions, garlic, and cilantro, as well as omega-3 fatty acids found in fish, plant seeds, and nuts such as walnuts and almonds, which can contribute to helping relieve joint pain and depression.

Paine also recommends green and orange vegetables such as sweet potatoes, carrots and squash, green pepper, and broccoli – foods that will also increase your fiber intake.

“Try to get your food as colorful as possible,” Paine says. “You’ll only eat what you buy at the market so be cautious.”

And while many people stock cookies, cake, and candy, Paine suggests a snack of dark chocolate.

Tea is a perennial option for indoor enjoyment – there is a variety of herbal teas that can be enjoyed both in regular and organic forms from local supermarkets.

Winter doesn’t mean that you can’t step outside. There is often the possibility to enjoy some fresh air by going for a quick walk, perhaps around the block. Paine recommends getting outdoors four to five times a week or more. Dress accordingly in layers and always be cautious of any surfaces where people could slip and fall.

Use correct footwear.

Children can also enjoy the outdoors in

One of the easiest and most important steps someone can take this winter is to “get a flu shot”

a creative way with a winter treasure hunt, as they can search for items such as pine cones and animal footprints in the frozen snow. The only limits are your creativity.

Being socially active can be beneficial – stay in touch with friends while you may also take the opportunity to get in touch with someone you haven’t seen in a while.

In addition to the phone you can use Skype or Zoom.

“Socializing is a good way to beat the winter blues and boost your energy levels,” Paine claims.

Other enjoyable indoor activities can include doing yoga, something that is beneficial for both body and mind and for people of all ages. It can employ the use of muscles that don’t often get accessed.

It is particularly recommended for people with sedentary lifestyles.

“Yoga will help decrease stress, improve your mental health, and help you sleep better,” Paine says.

And speaking of sleep, Paine notes the benefits of keeping a regular sleeping routine. She claims that the average person requires six to eight hours of sleep per night and that going to bed and waking up at the same time is a healthy approach.

Safety during the winter days is also important. Be cautious of falling while decorating as well as lighting open flames such as candles.

“I suggest that elderly people who want to decorate their home put a light in the window and a wreath on the door,” Paine says. “Don’t go out and spend money you don’t have and don’t take risks where you might fall and hurt yourself. You can always use an electric candle instead of an open flame and connect it to a timer.”

Another precaution that Paine points out is the use of heating pads, electric blankets, and space heaters – devices that should always be turned off before sleep to prevent burns or fires.

“With the holidays arriving there’s a lot to think about, so try to think ahead,” Paine says. “Stay informed about the weather and watch the news. Do the necessary shopping and planning ahead.

Always have things on hand such as flashlights and water, and make sure your carbon monoxide and fire detectors are working. Make sure there’s salt on your steps and that you’re washing your hands frequently.”

December 2020 | The South Coast Insider

11

THINGS TO DO

Incredible Edible Gifts!

By Elizabeth Morse Read

F

or those of us who are culinarilychallenged, the prospect of making holiday cookies can be daunting – was that baking powder or baking soda I was supposed to use? What do I do with all those tiny containers and bottles of exotic ingredients for the rest of the year? (Trust me – once you master baking these cookies, you’ll be making them year-round, not just at holiday time!)

Here’s the ultimate foolproof baking hack – cake-mix cookies! They are way easier to make than cookies from scratch and they produce soft moist cookies that look and taste like they came from the bakery. And while you may not be able to be there-in-the-flesh at your family’s holiday gatherings this year, your thoughtful gift of a box of homemade cookies will be a big hit!

Cake-Mix Cookies Basics

Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Select two cookie trays that will fit side-by-side on one oven rack, rather than on separate racks – that way you won’t have to rotate the trays half-way through. (Opening the oven door will screw up the cooking time

12

and could result in burnt-on-the-bottom or dried-out cookies.)

In a large mixing bowl, whisk your favorite flavored 14.25 oz. cake mix with your selected dry add-ins like cocoa powder or spices, then use a stiff spoon to mix in two whisked large eggs and 1/3 cup vegetable

They are way easier to make than cookies from scratch and they produce soft moist cookies that look and taste like they came from the bakery oil and your selected wet add-ins like flavored extract or syrups. Once it’s all blended thoroughly, add in ½-1 cup of any extra dry ingredients – chopped nuts, flavored morsel chips, raisins/chopped dried fruit, flaked coconut, etc. Let dough

December 2020 | The South Coast Insider

cool in the fridge for 10-15 minutes to make it less sticky and easier to scoop.

If you’re planning on coating your cookie dough with dry powdery ingredients like cinnamon sugar, confectioner’s sugar, finely crushed nuts, flaked coconut, or cocoa, add ½ cup to a small mixing bowl.

Crush any lumps with a fork. Using a 1 ½ teaspoon cookie scoop, drop a small, rounded scoop of the dough into the powdered coating and shake it a bit to cover thoroughly.

Place the dough scoop on ungreased cookie trays lined with parchment paper (tip: buy pre-cut sheets online!). Leave about two inches between each scoop, as cookies will spread and flatten as they bake.

Bake for exactly ten minutes; remove trays from the oven and let cool for a few minutes before using a thin spatula to transfer cookies to a wire cooling rack.

Each of the following recipes makes about 20 cookies. Keep in an air-tight container on the countertop for three days or up to a week in the refrigerator – or freeze the batch on a cookie tray for 30 minutes, then put them in a freezer bag or plastic container for up to three months.

If you’ll be dropping off a batch of one

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66 State Road, Westport ground ginger, 1 tsp. anise extract, ½ cup 508-675-7185 chopped hazelnuts or walnuts. Roll cookie shop.lafrancehospitality.com dough in confectioner’s sugar before White’s has been offering family-style baking, as per instructions. takeout and curbside meals pickup for DutchsoWindmill Cookies Use a months, when Turkey Day comes spice cake addbet ½ tsp. pumpkin around, it’smix, a good they’ll have a spice, han½ teaspoon cardamom, ½too. tsp. dle (or ratherground a drumstick) on that Currently, the restaurant offering¼meal ground ginger, 1 tsp. aniseisextract, tsp. packages andTop platters its “Taste white pepper. eachlike dough scoopof with New England” thatin comes with pattern. chowfour almond slices a windmill der, quahogs and clam cakes or its Italian Spiced Oatmeal Cookies Use a package of salad, lasagna, meatballs and moist carrot cake (orserve spice six. cake mix), breadsticks.

Both mix meals Also ½ cup oil (instead of 1/3 cup), 2/3 cup available are dinner-for-two meal packs quick cooking oats, ½ cup finely chopped like fish and chips, lobster rolls, bourbon walnuts raisins.

Flatten dough beef tips,and/or and even kid-sized pasta and slightly with fork With before baking. meatballs fora two. more than 60 years in theChip hospitality industry, Mocha Cookies UseWhite’s a rich is accustomed to cooking for a crowd. chocolate cake mix, add 3 tsps. coffee syrup or 2 tsps. powdered espresso, ½ McGovern’s Family Restaurant cup dark chocolate chips, ½ cup chopped 310 Shove Street, Fall River nuts (optional).

508-679-5010

Pumpkin Rocky Road Cookies Old-Fashioned

mcgovernsonthewater.com Use a rich chocolate cake mix, add ½ cupand miniThis well-known restaurant banquet facility Laurel Lake First you’lloverlooking need to concoct cinnamon usually in for½ a large buffet syrup.packs Mix ½them cup sugar, cup water, on Thanksgiving The menu and a three-inchDay. cinnamon sticktypicalin a lysmall includes turkey dinner pan.traditional Bring it just to a boil, turnwith off Paul’s stuffing, butternut squash, prime the heat and let it cool. Remove the rib, ham, andstick much more.

Theor restaurant cinnamon and discard use it to has beenthe offering dine-in takeout, garnish cocktail if youand like.

The syrincluding itsfor locally famous beef up will last three weekscorned in the fridge. andTo make the cocktail, fill a shakcabbage, for 50 years. Here’s a protip: you can’t wait Thanksgiving er ifhalfway with ice.until Combine ¼ cup for a pumpkin roast turkey dinner, don’t have to – puree with you three ounces it’s on the regular menu. bourbon, two ounces maple syrup, ¼ ounce cinnamon syrup, one ounce or-

ange liqueur, and Waterfront two Merrills on the

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Pork • Meat • Chourico • Chicken Buffalo Chicken • Chili • Salmon Also try Stuffed Quahogs and Desserts

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1955 on the historic thatand dates Delicious Custom Cakes,wharf Cupcakes Desserts to the 1700s, isn’t all about summer.

Last year they served up a feast of turkey, roast prime rib, sausage stuffing, and more. The restaurant currently offers dine-in and takeout, including some oven-ready dishes like seafood casserole and stuffed lobster.

BUS

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roasted coffee, White’sLocally of Westport

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White’s has been offering family-style takeout and curbside meals pickup for months, so when Turkey Day comes around, it’s a good bet they’ll have a handle (or rather a drumstick) on that too.

Currently, the restaurant is offering meal packages and platters like its “Taste of New England” that comes with chowder, quahogs and clam cakes or its Italian package of salad, lasagna, meatballs and breadsticks.

Bothready mealsfor serve six. Also Everything takeout. available are dinner-for-two meal packs Monday - closed • Tue-Thu 11:30am-9pm Lots of outside seating! like fish and chips, lobster rolls, bourbon Fri-Sat 11:30am-9:45pm • Sun 12-9pm beef tips, and even kid-sized pasta andRI 279 Water Street, Warren, 177 Columbia St. • more Fall River, MA meatballs for two. With than 60 (508) 675-7018 years in the 401.245.7071 hospitality industry, White’s is accustomed to cooking for a crowd.

E S T. 1 9 0 0

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Pork • Meat • Chourico • Chicken Buffalo Chicken • Chili • Salmon Also try Stuffed Quahogs and Desserts

dashes orange bit-New Bedford 36 Homers Wharf, ters. Shake well.

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401-619-5639 • EmilyHirsch@hotmail.com HartleysOriginalPorkpiesFallRiver and a cherry.

Last year, Merrill’s served up turkey and facebook.com/athaliaofnewport CONTINUED ON NEXT PAGE prime rib, all the sides like apple sage stuffing, and sweet corn and polenta ravioli, plus pies galore.

4 November 2020 | The South Coast2020 Insider December | The South Insider 13 19 The South Coast Insider | November 2020 Delicious Custom Cakes,Coast Cupcakes and Desserts

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marshmallows, ½ cup dark chocolate chips, ½ cup chopped walnuts (optional).

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Mint Chip Cookies Use a rich chocolate cake mix, 1 tsp. spearmint or peppermint extract, ½ cup crushed peppermint hard candies; top each dough scoop with more crushed candies.

German Chocolate Cookies

Use a rich chocolate cake mix, 1 tsp. vanilla extract, 1 cup loosely-packed coconut flakes, ½ cup chopped walnuts or hazelnuts.

Almond Cookies Use a moist yellow/butter cake mix, ½ tsp. pumpkin spice mix, 1 tsp. almond extract, ½ cup crushed almonds; top each dough scoop with a whole almond before baking.

Butterscotch Cookies Use a moist yellow/ butter cake mix, 1 tsp. vanilla (or butter-flavored) extract, ½ cup butterscotch morsels; top each dough scoop with a whole walnut or more morsels.

Vanilla Lavender Cookies Use a

Get Them to the Holiday Party on Time!

Ideally, you can drop off your cookies to family, friends, and neighbors within driving distance, but if you’ve got far-flung people you want to ship them to, be especially careful about packing them so that they’ll survive the journey – and get there on time. It’s important to keep your baked goods moist and fresh by tightly sealing them in plastic wrap or waxed paper inside an airtight unbreakable container – you don’t want them shifting and crumbling while in transit, so don’t choose a container that’s too large for the total contents. Use a rigid cardboard box 2-3 inches larger than your container, and surround it with bubble wrap or crumbled newspaper on all sides, including top and bottom, before taping the box. (Better yet, let UPS or FedEx do the packing for you for an additional charge.)

You want your cookies to arrive fresh, so choose the fastest and most reliable shipping option – during holiday season, there can be many unexpected delays if you just send them through the post office (usps.com). United Parcel Service (ups.com) and FedEx (fedex.com) are more expensive, but you can feel more confident that your package will arrive in a timely fashion depending upon which shipping option you choose.

It’s a good idea to ship early in the week to avoid having your package getting stuck in a warehouse over a weekend. And you can track the status of your package on the carrier’s website so that you can let the intended recipient know ahead of time when to expect it.

Happy baking!

It’s important to keep your baked goods moist and fresh by tightly sealing them in plastic wrap or waxed paper inside an airtight unbreakable container

moist yellow/butter cake mix, 1/2 tsp. vanilla extract, 1 tsp. butter-flavored extract, 1 tsp. lavender paste or 2 tsp. lavender extract (optional), lavender sprinkles. Place dough scoops 3 inches apart, instead of 2 inches – they spread.

Lemon cookies Use a moist lemon-with-pudding cake mix [I recommend Betty Crocker], 1 tsp. lemon extract.

Roll the cookie dough in confectioner’s sugar before baking, as per instructions.

Bake only 9 minutes instead of 10 – the bottoms burn quickly.

Strawberry Cookies Use a strawberry cake mix, add 1 tsp. baking powder, ½ tsp. vanilla extract, 1 cup white chocolate chips, ½ cup chopped dried strawberries (optional). Bake only 9

9 Insider e South Coast | November 2020 December 2020 | The South Coast 14 Insider

minutes instead of 10 – the bottoms burn quickly.

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The South Coast | November 2020 December 2020Insider | The South Coast Insider

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Planting roots

By Sebastian Clarkin

18

V

By Brian J. Lowney

Thanksgiving to-go

isitors to this bucolic and

By Deborah Dion will be pristineAllard community

captivated by the enticing aroma farm-fresh cranberries grown on local bogs throughout the South Coast.

It’s no wonder why travelers from other Close toare home for to tour parts of the world so eager local farms and purchase fresh cranberthe holidays ries, jamsby and conserves, andRead honey Elizabeth Morse produced on pristine family properties.

Scott and Joanne Harding of Stone Bridge Farm have owned and operated Stuffed on stuffing their cranberry farm for more than 25

By Deborah Allard Dion years on their three acres of bogs.

“We have been operating continuously in the same location ever since we started,” begins Scott. “In mid-June, the bogs are in full blossom and are covered with tiny pink flowers.”

THINGS TO DO

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Making waves

He adds that harvest begins in early October when the bogs are flooded.

“It’s very impressive to see fully-ripened red fruit framed by the autumn foliage, which is a scene often repeated all across Southeastern Massachusetts and Cape Cod.” According to Scott, growing cranberries requires “a lot of hard work” and is labor intensive.

“There are many sleepless nights,” he continues, adding that weather conditions often require continual irrigation. The Hardings are members of the Cape Cod Cranberry Growers Association and as members, are notified of the likelihood of frosts that could kill or severely damage the ripening berries.

Joanne shares that Stone Bridge Farm cranberries are packaged and sold at the

by Steven Froias

Cranberry Nut Tart

163 large Theeggs squeeze on squash

by Brian J. Lowney 1 C brown sugar

der, e.

t.

2020

1/2 C light corn syrup tsp vanilla ON 1MY MIND

1/4 c melted butter 1 T flour

221/4 Fall drops tsp salt

by Paul Kandarian 1 1/4 C chopped, roasted pecans 3 C whole fresh cranberries

(9-10”)COVER pie crust shell ON 1THE

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Bake pie crust shell at 425 degrees Thanksgiving is theRemove quintessential Newoven for 10 minutes. from the England tradition, and is an opportunity and cool for 10 minutes. Lower oven to to recognize the important role farms and 350 degrees. farmers play in combine our community.

Learn In a bowl, the first fivehow Gnarly Vines Farm (gnarlyvinesfarm.com) ingredients. Whisk in flour and salt hasuntil found its place in the South Coastand on smooth.

Fold in cranberries page 12. Photo by Meredith Brower.

uth Coast16 Insider December 2020 | The South Coast Insider

nuts. Pour into the pie crust shell and bake for 45 to 50 minutes or until tart is set. Cool on the rack and then store covered at room temperature.

Serve with vanilla ice cream or fresh whipped cream.

Slow Cooker Cranberry Pork Chops

Place six bone-in pork chops in a slow cooker and top with a mixture of: 14 ounces of whole berry sauce (homemade is best!)

1/2 cup of cranberry juice 1/4 cup sugar 2 Tablespoons spicy mustard Cook on low 4 to 5 hours and enjoy with a side of rice and your favorite vegetable.

or a orpo-

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CLOTHING • JEWELRY • ACCESSORIES • GIFTS farm. She also sells homemade cranberry sauce, honey, and farm-fresh eggs.

“Cranberries are a rich source of several vitamins and minerals, especially Vitamin C,” she says. “A cup of raw cranberries contains 46 calories, zero grams of fat, 12 grams of carbohydrates, four grams of fiber, four grams of sugar, one gram of protein, and two milligrams of sodium.

“Cranberries do not only improve the quality of one’s overall health but are also a delicious addition to many foods, including main dishes, delicious lunches, breads, desserts, spreads, and various condiments and beverages.”

Joanne shares that she enjoys creating new recipes made with ingredients found on the family farm.

“I also like to hear about what other people have been making using our farm products,” she continues, noting that some innovative “foodies” have used cranberries to create liqueurs, dessert toppings, candies, and snacks.

Stone Bridge Farm continues to offer (by appointment only) cranberries, assorted condiments and jams, honey, and farm fresh eggs. For more information, email: eventsonthefarm@gmail.com or call (508) 951-1551.

Submitted Mary Delaney Murphy from Followingby are some recipes using Stone her lateFarm grandmother Mary (Sheehan Bridge cranberries: Delaney

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Irish stuffing

Potatoes (decide on the amount based on the number of people and size of turkey) Cranberry Apple Grilled n Butter Cheese Sandwich n Cream or milk This treat is delicious when served with n Onion, chopped a few carrot and celery sticks or n Celery, chopped a handful of potato chips. n Poultry seasoning, to taste 2 slices of sourdough bread

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Add celery,Smith onion,apple, salt, pepper 1/2 of a Granny sliced and poultry seasoning to taste. Mix all and very thin place in turkey. As the turkey bakes, the 2 tablespoons of whole berry dressing will pick-up the baking and juices cranberry sauce (more or less to of the turkey. taste) n

Portuguese stuffing

Assemble the sandwich, and grill it with just a bit of mayo on it to toast. Flip and Submitted

by Patti Linhares grill the other side.

Serve. from her late mother Mary S. Correira 12 torpedo rolls n 1½ to 2 pounds ground chouriço n 2 Tbs. crushed red wet pepper n 2 Tbs. minced garlic n 2 Tbs. olive oil n 2 Tbs. marinade (Michael’s Portuguese chouriço marinade) n

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COVER STORY The “Brunelle” family tree, dating back to the late 1700s

French, Friendship, and Family Ties

By Stacie Charbonneau Hess

R

ecently, I rediscovered my great-grandmother’s family tree. It’s a coneshaped collection of names that ends with my great-grandmother, Jean Blanche Brunelle, born in the late 1890s. My family and I estimate, by the number of rows in the cone, that her lineage is traced back to the late 1700s. The research required to produce this kind of document is a baffling endeavor someone must have taken on with gusto (a forward-thinking relative of my mother’s) with the gumption and commitment to write it all down.

Since COVID, I have taken to sorting through old pictures and artwork that encapsulate my life and my family’s memories. Life seems more tenuous now, begging us to slow down and take stock of our everyday blessings. Studying the cone again, I noticed something I didn’t when my mother first gave me this image.

Among the names are, not surprisingly, Françoise and Marie Therese, but also Charlotte and Madeleine. My own daughters’ names are Charlotte and Madeleine, spelled just that way. I named them long before I saw this cone-shaped image. I suppose it could be a coincidence, but I

18

like to think that somewhere there is, and always has been, ancestral knowledge guiding me. I could have named my kids Ashley or Jennifer, but somehow these names, French in origin and traditional, felt right, even though my own name is decidedly American and (I think) even a little boring. Sorry mom, but I used to long to be Anastasia or Mariel or Penelope.

When I talk to someone who is fluent, who has full command of a language of which I only possess a rudimentary command, I am humbled Speaking of ancestral guides, last year a friend of mine called me out of the blue and mentioned that she found a place for her and her daughter to take French

December 2020 | The South Coast Insider

classes. Would I also be interested in coming on Saturdays with Charlotte? I immediately agreed, and signed us up for a ten-week session. Then another.

Every Saturday for six months, Charlotte and I headed to Providence to Alliance Française. It’s a local chapter of a national organization, a nonprofit that exists to carry out cultural activities. The school is situated in a modest house in a residential neighborhood of Providence, with a garage that is affectionately called “la maison” where Carrie and I took classes.

Our kids headed upstairs to draw, listen, and learn in French. For ninety minutes each week, Carrie and I fumbled through our French conversations, our entire class consisting of six people at different levels of beginner. One of our classmates was Canadian and pronounced everything “wrong” according to our Parisian teacher, who had a sweet way of correcting our (nearly) every word.

Like most people, I took a language in middle and high school. When we began taking classes last year, I had a couple years of Latin and six years of French under my belt, but let’s be honest, decades have gone by. I have always loved listening to French music and singing

Westport Butternut Squash Bread

songs, but I never took the timenew to the region’s coastal charms.

Their property a former farm, commit towas learning the tomato language for perfect supporting couple’s newmy hobreal, for until now. Still, Ithe bragged about by: raising chickens. command of French. “My grandparents for them, they a in knack allFortunately spoke French,” I would say.had “It’s for Before too long, the Bishops had my it. blood.”

When we went on a family more eggs than they knew whatwhat to doI trip to Montréal, though, I spoke Ingredients with.

They began selling the surplus, thought was French to our server andand n 3⅓ cups sifted all-purpose flour learning about how to expand the farm in she immediately answered me in English. aWhen healthy and sustainable way.

I finally stepped foot on French n 2 teaspoons pumpkin pie spice or Tocinnamon give a sense of how this soil in June of 2018, I thought Rick or spices ofsuccessful yourmy choice expansion been, crash-course the farm’s chicken Steves andhas Duolingo would n 2 teaspoons baking soda population has ballooned fromsigns the origihave me covered.

I could read and nal 20 to over 3000. n 1 teaspoon menus, bien sûr,baking but when I opened my powder Whileto her husband kept his IT job,by mouth speak, I felthas mute, unmoored n 1½ teaspoons salt Ester has been able to commit herself to my inability to translate my thoughts into n 2 the farm full-time.

She prides herself on cups sugar coherent phrases and sentences. providing her with joyful, stressNow here is animals where I state the obvious: n ⅔ cup oil free “People know I am lives. a writer.

I teachshould writing, too.where In my n 4 each eggs their food comes from –power you can really classes, we learn about and taste the difference,” said Bishop. n 2 cups rhetoric —*squash who gets– to speak, who has the pureed (can change mic.toPeople who speak have power pumpkin orcan banana) Green acres to ask for what they want, create a new n ⅔ cup water Bishop’s commitment to “beyond orreality for others and themselves. So what ganic” farming extends beyond cuddles n ⅔ cup nuts, raisins, or dates – do you do when you don’t have the words? and words of affirmation to her livestock. chopped In my writing(optional) classes, I am the leader, the She ensures all the animals are provided “expert.” I am used to being listened to, Directions with healthy, organic meals, and that their and because of this, I believe that what I waste repurposed astogether; manure. set n Siftis dry ingredients say matters.

“You can see how green the grass is aside.

Not so in French class! It’s so strange where the turkeys have been,” Bishop tonbe straining to understand tolight be Beat sugar and oil in a bowland until says. “That’s because they fertilize the understood.

In French, I am at a clear and fluffy on high speed. soil with their manure. Manure is the disadvantage.

When I talk to someone n Add basis of eggs, organic fertilizers. arewell, no one at a time,There beating who is fluent, who has full command chemicals added, or needed, when the after each addition. of a language of which I only possess a animals do their job.” n Beat in squash.* rudimentary command, I am humbled, Speaking of animals doing their jobs, vulnerable.

In Zoom, I cannot compensate n Addhas dry conscripted ingredients alternately with Bishop her goats and with hand signals and body language, so I in sugaraway mixture at low pigswater into clearing swaths ofspeed. undermust have the words. brush on the property – the “gnarly vines” n Pour into two 9x5x3 inch loaf pans.

In learning newits language, that give the afarm name. I have n Bakethat learned I need to55 be minutes. willing fail. at 325°F for Gnarly Vines coordinates withto neighI need to be okay with using the wrong boring farms to provide its customers n Let cool and remove from pans. tense.

I might of open my mouth and want to with a variety sustainable and organic say “I went swimming today even though products. Angus beef, for instance, will it is out winter” but as it comes out “I swiminto at sell almost soon as it comes beach but the water is very cold.”

I can stock. get my point across, but notby eloquently.

But the farm is not bound terrestrialI am used to being an expert, used to limitations: the Bishops haveI am partnered beingCaptain’s eloquent.Finest Now Iand have to settle for with Sakonnet soundingtolike a first grader.

Lobster bring fresh seafood to market.

I have learned to be student Bishop is particularlyaproud of again. a new In inilearning I must be silent. tiative atFrench, the farm: foodoften security commuI must concentrate.

I must ask a lot of nity supported agriculture (CSA) plans. questions.

I must be willing learn a CSAs, popular among farmstonationnew way of customers seeing the world, which is the wide, allow to pre-purchase “shares” of the farm’s produce, which are CONTINUED CONTINUEDON ONNEXT NEXT PAGE PAGE

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8 2 November 2020 The South 13 Coast Inside The South Coast Insider | November 2020 December 2020 | The South Coast| Insider 19

COVER STORY

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In a word

One of the subjects I teach in my community college classes is Native American literature. I am passionate about contemporary Native Lit, and all the ways that these books reveal knowledge and wisdom, ancient and yet living. Along with the Lit, I teach my students Alliance française instructor Armelle leading a Zoom class aspects of American History that they may not that technology can help me. I sprung for have learned in school, such as the Indian a subscription to Linguistica 360 ($19.99 Boarding Schools. At boarding school, a month) which comes with a well-prowhere native children were sent as a matduced, relevant podcast called “News in ter of assimilationist policies (sometimes Slow French” (also in Italian, German, and against their parents’ desires), indigenous Spanish). This is an incredible resource languages were banned. Teachers literally as every Friday I get the week’s news beat the language out of Native students. at a pace I can understand. (Turns out, Think of it: What is within a language COVID dix-neuf dominates the French that is so threatening? Whole worlds news as well, as does American elections). of knowing. Family Of course, I can’t memories, cultural understand every knowledge. Ancestral word on the first try, wisdom. but I keep listening, While I fumble and eventually I see through my French, how the pieces fit. I The “accidental farmers” Ester and then, I keep in mind hearGabi the expressions: Joel Bishop with children and Zach. that I am learning the Tout a fait! and Que language of my own le rideau s’ouvre! and ancestors. It’s not the I repeat them, like a same, of course, as mantra, as I drive in learning an indigenous my car. (Absolutely! language, but I am Let’s open the cognizant of the tie curtain!). between culture and On Netflix, I found memory and lanBy Sebastian Clarkin a French version guage. I can’t help but of Chef’s Table. I think of indigenous ravehave about this to Together, the Bishops found ass tourists and locals alike peoples and what was marvel at fall foliage, the anyone remotely French or tonishing successinterested by raisingintheir animals lost when students were rendered gazes at Gnarly Vines silent Farm cooking.

Thisand is asustainable four-show series that in an ethical manner. by oppressors. is occurring onThe 241opposite Cornell Road in features passionate French chefs and They began their journey four years ago. now by the way.

I am sure to tell my Tiverton remain fixed on the gives audience a peek into their lives, Today,the they supply “beyond organic” students that indigenous languages are ground. There, the “accidental farmers” their neighborhoods, passions, and meats to restaurantstheir across the South more and more commonly being taught Ester and Joel Bishop (and their children,at their families. I have watched it with and Coast. all levels, universities.

Gabi and even Zach)intend to a collection of turwithout subtitles and Paulo, learn something Originally from São Brazil, Ester keys, chickens, goats, rabbits, pigs, and New language technology new every time. moved with her husband from Boston to Like my students, I am finding new ways Here is another thingfalling I’ve done to speedmore. the South Coast after in love with

At boarding schools, where native children were sent as a matter of assimilationist policies, indigenous languages were banned

Planting roots

A

November 2020 || The TheSouth SouthCoast CoastInsider Insider December 2020

to visit the safe outdoor pop-up markets (waterfire.org/art-mart). And on First Thursdays (November 5) you can “shop and dine local” in Bristol, and up process ofBarrington, immersion.

I changed thethe region’s coastal charms. Their new Warren property wasthe a former tomato farm, Siri, and (discovernewport.org). even navigation in my car,perKick-off the holiday season at Frerichs fect for supporting the couple’s neware hobto French.

Everywhere, my gadgets Farm inme Warren with “Girls Night by: raising chickens. telling to tournez à gauche or Out” tournez for had alest knack on November 6, 7them, and 8they – buy your à Fortunately droite – and listen carefully I do, I get for it.Granted, Before long, Bishops had holiday trees,too greenery, and gifts there, lost. it’s a littlethe hard to quickly more eggs thansortie they knew to195 do process taking 24Then surwhat Route too (frerichsfarm.com). mark with.

They(the began selling the surplus, in French French have long-winded your calendar for the Newport Block and learning about how toat expand theWharf farm in numbers, and you have to do some math) Party & Holiday Stroll Bowen’s a healthy and sustainable way. butNovember I trust myself and just letwatch it sink in, on 27 – you can ToIlluminated give a sense of how successful this hoping somehow that it does.

Instead of the Boat Parade while expansion has been, the farm’s chicken saying “Hey, Siri” I now say, “Dis Siri” and you shop and enjoy Caribbean music population has ballooned the origihope she understands myfrom commands. (bowenswharf.com). nal 20 to over 3000.

I read that learning a new language While husband has kept his IT job, can helpher stave off Alzheimer’s.

I haven’t It’s the thoughtful gifts Ester has been able to commit herself to looked into the science of this, but that count the farm full-time.

She prides herself on it makes sense to me. On the other providing animals with side, joyful, stressAnd if you can’t find gifts for all the speside of myher family, my dad’s we freepeople lives.

“People should know buying where cial in your life, consider have one remaining grandparent.

My theircards foodto comes from – you canvinereally gift restaurants, memére, Norma, has beenshops, in a nursing taste the difference,” said Bishop. yards, special event venues, local farms, home for two years now. She has lived e-commerce websites, or grocery through COVID, and each time I visitstores. she Green acres Use mail-order services to deliver flowremembers little except for the Willie Bishop’s commitment tofoods “beyond orers, sweets, and specialty Nelson “Starlight” album I play foryearher ganic”to farming extends beyond cuddles round someone you want to thank or on my iphone. She lives in the perpetual and words of affirmation to her livestock. to express your appreciation. moment, telling me bawdy jokes from her She ensures all the animals are provided For those whoafter are always hard tothe buy youth or asking her brothers, with healthy, organic meals, and that their a gift for, consider signing them for “boys” she needs to babysit.

Theup irony waste is repurposed as manure. an annual subscription to a streaming is not lost on me, this sifting through “You can see how green the grass is service, podcast, premier sports/ memoryapp, for words, that awkward gap where the turkeys have been,” Bishop movies/cultural channel, magazine, or when we can’t find the words. says. “That’s because they fertilize the In with writing this article, I was going to newspaper.

Ormanure. make a Manure donation their soil their isinthe share with you the humbling aspects name to their favorite charity, educationbasis of organic fertilizers. There are of no learning a new My ego, outthe the al institution, orlanguage. cultural organization. chemicals added, or needed, when window Itheir stumble and mumble my way Consider how much would be apprecianimals as do job.”it toSpeaking comprehension.

I thought I was writing ated if you upgraded an oldertheir relative’s of animals doing jobs, a storycapabilities about beingwith a student again.

When digital an easy-to-use Bishop has conscripted her goats and Ismartphone, saw that picture of my French heritage tablet, or notebook and pigs into clearing away swaths of –underthough, that is about somethen set upthis Zoom or Skype. brushhelped onI realize theto property – the “gnarly vines” thing more.

Learning French is not about that farm name.spirit Yougive canthe keep theits holiday alive this impressing my coordinates server, even my family Gnarly Vines with year, even though you or may not allneighbe toand friends.

I am doing this me—this boring farms to provide its for customers gether to celebrate It justis Federally insured byThanksgiving.

NCUA my journey.

Perhaps I am connecting with with a variety of sustainable and organic takes some imagination and good cheer! my ancestors by learning they have products.

Angus beef, forwhat instance, will always night, ascomes I say bonne sell outknown. almost Each as soon as it into nuit and je t’aime to my youngest child, stock.

I am the words – goodnight, I Butrepeating the farm is not bound by terrestrial love you – that spoken the people limitations: thewere Bishops havebypartnered with rest Captain’s and Sakonnet who in thatFinest cone-shaped image my Lobstergave to bring to market. mother me fresh years seafood ago. Charlotte, Bishop is particularly proud of a new iniMadeleine, Françoise, Jean, Yvette, tiativeTherése. at the farm: food commuMarie They aresecurity all helping me nity supported agriculture (CSA) plans. learn, opening my ears to the sounds of a CSAs, popular among the farms nation- of language that created experiences wide, allowlong customers pre-purchase my family before I to was born. “shares” of the farm’s produce, which are J’ai beaucoup à apprendre, bien sûr. Je

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8 November 2020 The South 21 Coast Insid 13 The South Coast Insider | November 2020 December 2020 | The South Coast| Insider

ON MY MIND

A pandemic paean

by Paul Kandarian

2020 HAS BEEN one of those years we want to put in the rear view and watch it careen out of control, plunge over a cliff, and explode into a fiery bouquet of a gloriously necessary incendiary end.

Like many people, I get caught up in the madness, the insanity of public opinion writ large and ugly over the screaming landscape of social media. I vow to not pay so much attention on this feed or that screed and then I watch my participatory hours silently stack up on some social media activity tracker I did not know I had, the hours, minutes, seconds of online presence creeping up, making me think that’s what it would have been like in my Catholic upbringing, those pre-atheist days, if the priest in the confessional booth of shame had a tablet that listed the sins I had actually committed or merely thought of committing.

The old expression of slowing down to smell the roses is cliched but so essential. When you think of the world after the Industrial Revolution until a generation ago, how progress was slow and steady for two

22

centuries plus – how it gave us time to acknowledge each step along the way, accept and adjust, evolve and embrace, at a workable, absorbable pace – you realize that the insane alleged accomplishments of the last couple of decades happened in the historically comparable blink of an eye.

Consider the slow slog of time that led to the battery, electricity, photography, rubber, pasteurization, vaccines for polio, mumps, chicken pox, TB, radios, fire extinguishers, elevators, the telephone, the telegraph, the teletype, anesthesia, x-rays, MRIs, radios, jet engines, dishwashers, television, frozen food, planes, trains and automobiles and digitized lions and tigers and bears, oh my.

Now consider the last 20 years: The Internet, Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, AI, buying

without setting foot in a store or interacting with a human, laptop computers, electronic books, electric cars, 200 channels and nothing to watch, intuitive, intrusive algorithms that know us better than we know us, iPhones, iPods, iEverything, Me Me Me What About ME?!?

Then and now. It’s like going from preparing a days-long Thanksgiving feast to cooking a three-minute egg in 3 seconds. It is scary and it is real. And no one has control over how we deal with that.

Except us.

It’s the little things that are big, and for me, slowing down to breathe is simple.

For one thing, every day I open the newspaper (they still exist) and take 20 minutes to do the crossword and drink coffee. No TV, no news, no distractions. Just me, my pen, my mind. My late mother did crosswords every day and

It’s the little things that are big, and for me, slowing down to breathe is simple.

December 2020 | The South Coast Insider

continued even after getting Alzheimer’s. She died before the cruel finality of that disease completely devoured her beautiful mind, and I think doing crosswords helped immensely.

I love to cook (another gift from my mom) and nothing is more relaxing than racing madly about the kitchen, timing dishes especially when cooking for guests – no TV, no news, no distractions – who appreciate what I crank out.

I’ve always been creating and cooking is amazingly creative.

Getting into the woods (got that from my dad) to hike and forage. I’ve been into hiking since I quit smoking four years ago, and vowed to stay healthy.

The pounds have crept up since then but it would be worse if I didn’t get out into the woods, the fresh air, hot or cold, and just move. And in the last few months I’ve taken to foraging mushrooms, which many feel is dangerous, but not if you educate yourself to make sure what you take to eat is safe. I also take extracts of certain mushrooms designed to alleviate inflam-

mation and arthritis and find them powerfully effective.

But by far, the most relaxing and rewarding thing I do is spend time with my grandson, now nearly six, a nonstop whirlwind of energy, imagination, love, and sincerity. I don’t see him nearly as often as I’d like but just the mere thought of him slowly spreads a smile across my face before I even know it’s there. Like now, writing this.

I’ve gotten him off the bus lately to help his working mom out, and those hours we have are precious and few, simple and sublime. Recently, we were together and he spotted a noisy carwash, insisting we go through. We made a great adventure of it, screaming at the madly swishing sudsy strands of cloth, imagining them to be snakes, the whirling orange brushes becoming savage aliens, all intent on eating our car and

us. He vacuumed my car later, proclaiming of the messy interior, “Grandpa, you’re like a hoarder.”

Then in a heartwarming reminder of what’s truly important, when I told him his mother was going to get him a pizza for later even though he just ate, he said, “It’s okay, Mommy might be hungry and it can be for the family.”

And just before I could melt into a teary proud Grandpa puddle, he added dramatically, “Because that’s what the man does” with a wave of his hand, adding impeccable comic timing to his repertoire of insanely cute behavior.

2020 is gone soon, but not forgotten. And hopefully unwittingly imparting to us all the lesson that sometimes you gotta work at your own sanity. But it is so worth it. The year doesn’t matter. How we handle it is all that does.

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