M arch /A pril 2022 · Volume 18 · Number 2
Moving up pairing w ines
Fa mous lo ve ves s
ar t s art communii t ies commun
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March/April 2022 n Vol. 18 n No. 2 Published by
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Mari Burns (508) 916-0374 Contributors
Michael J. DeCicco, Ron Fortier, Paul Kandarian, Brian J. Lowney, Sean McCarthy, and Elizabeth Morse Read L ayout & Design
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CONTENTS MARCH/APRIL 2022 Prime living
10 16
Exchanging ideas By Ron Fortier A man for all seasons By Sean McCarthy
Prime season
14 18
The patron saint By Brian J. Lowney A pair of wine pairings By Michael J. DeCicco
Good times
6 12 20
Vive la difference! By Elizabeth Morse Read Building a bridge By Sean McCarthy A season for change By Paul Kandarian
M arch /a pril 2022 · VoluMe 18 · NuMber 2
Moving up pairing w ines
Fa mous lo ve ves s
ar t s art communii t ies commun
O n the cover: The weather may be cold, but the real estate market is still hot! If you’re looking to take advantage of this time and make a move up, pay a visit to Ponte & Associates in Fall River, where Joe Ponte and his 15 agents will find the perfect property for you. Visit ponteassociates.com for more information.
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GOOD TIMES
Vive la
difference! As Valentine’s Day approaches, we all think of loving couples sharing a kiss or a box of chocolates. Throughout history, some couples are remembered for their fiery, sparks-flying romances, or because one partner’s personality was completely opposite the other’s, or others still because their individual Eliz abeth personalities complemented each other and brought out the best in both. Morse Read We remember them because their interactions tickled our funny bones, kept us holding our breath in suspense, or just allowed us to bask in the glow of their glamor and fame. “Honey, I’m home!” The husband-and-wife sitcoms we’ve watched on TV and in movies trace their roots to the slapstick Punch and Judy puppet shows of centuries ago – we’ve chuckled at Mary Tyler Moore and Dick Van Dyke, Lucille Ball and Desi Arnaz, Homer and Marge Simpson, Archie and Edith Bunker, as well as Ralph and Alice Kramden of The Honeymooners, who were so popular that they were later reincarnated in cartoons as Fred and Wilma Flintstone! Going back to the vaudeville/radio/early film and TV days, we’ve always laughed at comedy couples like Jerry Stiller and Anne Meara, George Burns and Gracie Allen, as well as at the pompous straight-man and bumbling sidekick teams like Abbott and Costello or Laurel and Hardy.
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The coy couples Everyone loves to guess “will they? won’t they?” when watching rom-coms. There’s a voyeuristic thrill, cheering on couples who are playing hard-to-get, like Ted Danson and Shelley Long in Cheers, Jennifer Anniston and David Schwimmer in Friends, or Sybill Shepherd and Bruce Willis in Moonlighting. And during the Golden Age of Film, there were also the on- and off-screen Hollywood
Continued on page 8
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Continued from previous page romances that fascinated us, like the tempestuous marriage(s) of Elizabeth Taylor and Richard Burton, the never-to-be-married lovers Katherine Hepburn and Spencer Tracey, and the classic match of super-stars Humphrey Bogart and Lauren Bacall.
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Starting with Adam and Eve, some notorious husbands and wives conspired to break the law in order to gain power, money, or fame. Think of the ambitious nobleman Macbeth and his ruthless Lady Macbeth, who murdered the Scottish king in a bloody scheme to seize the throne. Bonnie Parker and Clyde Barrow will always be remembered for their 1930s crime spree of bank robberies, kidnappings, and murders. And don’t forget Ethel and Julius Rosenberg, the US
couple convicted of espionage and executed for turning over atomic secrets to the Soviet Union.
A ll for love And even royal romances sometimes end in scandal, sorrow, or death. In Roman times, Antony and Cleopatra both committed suicide when they heard malicious rumors of the other’s supposed death. The Indian Shah Jahan was so devastated by his Queen Mumtaz Mahal’s death that he built the world-famous Taj Mahal as her tomb. In the 1930s, England’s King Edward VIII plunged the royal family and his country into chaos by abdicating the throne in order to “marry the woman I love,” an American divorcee named Wallis Simpson. A few generations later, the Duke and Duchess of Sussex – Prince Harry and his American wife Meghan Photo credit: ABC
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When two people with wildly different personalities and/ or lifestyles live together (like the original Odd Couple characters Oscar and Felix), the belly-laughs never stop. Think of Mork and Mindy, Will and Grace, and, briefly, after the Supreme Court legalized same-sex marriage in 2015, there was a viral rumor that the Sesame Street puppets Bert and Ernie were the first TV characters to come out as gay! (Not true.)
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CarmensFamilyChefService.com Unlucky in love “Star-cross’d” lovers, long the subject of Shakespearean tragedies and medieval romances, were destined to suffer disastrous fortunes or untimely deaths – think of Romeo and Juliet, Hamlet and Ophelia, Othello and Desdemona, and the forbidden love affair between Lancelot and Guinevere, which brought on the collapse of Camelot’s Round Table. Markel – stepped away from their royal duties to pursue an independent life in America with their children.
The creative couples When two incredibly talented people live and work together, their synergy can produce astounding results. Think of Marie Curie, the first woman to win a Nobel Prize, and her husband Pierre Curie, who together developed a theory of radioactivity. Marie went on to receive a second Nobel Prize (after Pierre’s untimely death) for discovering the radioactive elements polonium and radium, the breakthrough discovery that made X-rays possible. And who can forget the flood of creativity that resulted from the relationship between John Lennon and Yoko Ono – which also contributed to the break-up of The Beatles. Then there was the eighteenthcentury poet Percy Bysshe Shelley and his early feminist
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wife Mary Wollstonecroft, author of A Vindication of the Rights of Women (and, more famously, Frankenstein). And in mid-20th century America, there was the classic muse/mentor couple: the prolific artist/painter Georgia O’Keeffe and the influential photographer Alfred Stieglitz. No matter what attracted them all to each other in the first place, they’re still remembered years later for the unique dynamic of their relationship and how we all recognize a bit of ourselves in them. And that timeless “couples” formula – whether dramatic, tragic or comic – is what makes the world go round. Vive la difference!
Elizabeth Morse Read is an award-winning writer, editor and artist who grew up on the South Coast. After 20 years of working in New York City and traveling the world, she came back home with her children and lives in Fairhaven. S ou th C oast P r ime T imes
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PRIME LIVING
E xchanging ideas The New Bedford Arts and Cultural Emporium at Kilburn Mill, which opened in June 2021, is a commercial center specializing in the fine arts, humanities, community enrichment, and a variety of educational opportunities. The emporium also offers their students She found that with the life readjustment and reassessment an opportunity for social collaboration and that the pandemic brought, her emporium would “cater not Ron networking. It’s also just about having fun only to our in-house and local artists and their followings, Fortier while increasing a current skill or level of but to the lifelong learners and insatiably curious of all ages knowledge, or immersing yourself in something totally new. across the South Coast as well.” It was easy for Karen to aim for The Emporium is located in excellence with her emporium New Bedford’s latest addition because she could draw from an There are currently over thirty to the creative community, the extraordinary abundance of local Kilburn Mill. The mill is home talent and intellect. courses and workshops being to a growing number of artist The emporium’s goal is to offered ranging from painting and become the go-to place for studios, retail shops, a wonderful café, and regularly scheduled learning, interacting, and drawing to arts and crafts performance events. entertainment. The New Bedford There’s also ample parking Arts and Cultural Emporium and handicap accessibility. Karen Zucas, the owner, artist, and offers a great space to create, a network of interesting fellow manager of the emporium says, “our goal is to offer irresistible makers, and a boost in presenting the finished products and art happenings, keep people coming back for more and bringing to the community. their friends with them.” Karen has operated and managed other The varied course offerings are affordable and, to many of educational and exhibit venues in the South Coast for several the student customers, priceless as well. There are currently years.
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over thirty courses and workshops being offered ranging from painting and drawing to arts and crafts. More and more is being added weekly including free and pop-up events by the emporium’s professional artist instructors. The New Bedford Arts and Cultural Emporium at Kilburn Mill offers local, professional artists, some who have their studios in the mill, an opportunity to pass on their knowledge and experience.
Besides the fine art and crafting classes and workshops, the emporium also offers organized social activities, private and group parties and classes, and corporate bonding events In the few short months since its opening, despite the pandemic, 80 percent of the course offerings have been able to run. These courses, classes and workshops continue to offer an enriching and enlivening education experience for all, from beginners, lifelong learners, the adventurous, the insatiably curious, and other professionals seeking cross-discipline opportunities.
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A maker’s space Zucas, is a graduate of Tufts university and The School of the Museum of Fine Arts in Boston. She holds a master’s degree in Education. Her goal is to continually “provide something for everyone” by offering an “amalgamation of fellow artists, artisans, alchemists, academics, educators, and humanitarians” who offer and provide their knowledge and skills to the residents of the South Coast. The emporium’s programming features classes and workshops that are unique and varied in scope. Some of the instructors on the emporiums roster include native jewelry instructor Elizabeth James Perry, an enrolled member of the Wampanoag Tribe of Gay Head and marine biologist. Joining her is bird carver Michael McCarthy, a local artisan who has produced thousands of birds in his lifetime. New Bedford portrait and seascape artist John Jameson and awardwinning printmaker Elise Parker represent just two of the fine arts instructors. Besides the fine art and crafting classes and workshops, the emporium also offers organized social activities, private and group parties and classes, and corporate bonding events. There’s also an artist matching service for those seeking someone to create a mural, customized ceramics, and new or refinished furniture. For further information, a tour, to discuss your art needs, or to set up a private workshop or event, call 774-628-6415 or visit nbartsandculturalemporium.com.
Ron Fortier is an international artist who emigrated to the Silver Coast of mainland Portugal where he lived, painted, and exhibited.
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GOOD TIMES
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M arch /A pr il 2022
helping people,” Ponte says. “I’ve enjoyed seeing the expression on someone’s face when I got them a new apartment or owning their first home. My greatest accomplishment is giving people what they want.” Ponte’s experience in real estate began in 1998 as an agent, working for franchises and private sector offices. He soon realized that he could give clients more and decided to take the next step in his real estate career by becoming a broker. “Customer service always appealed to me, but I knew I could offer people more, so I opened my own business,” he says. “I love the one-on-one experience of talking to people, getting the idea of what they want to do, and showing them how to realize their goals. We create strategies for meeting people’s needs and making their lives easier.” Today Ponte’s company includes 15 devoted agents working in Massachusetts and Rhode Island. The business is located at 2211 Pleasant Street in Fall River, and
population has ballooned from the original 20 to over 3000. While her husband has kept his IT job, their website can be to found at ponteasEster has been able commit herself to sociates.com. the farm full-time. She prides herself on providing herstarted animals with joyful, stress“Since I got I’ve been a one-stop free should know where shoplives. with“People an old-fashioned Mom-andtheir food comes – you can really Pop approach. Wefrom do everything in the taste the difference,” saidnot Bishop. real estate industry. We’re a revolving
Green acres Bishop’s commitment to “beyond orWe’re not a ganic” farming extends beyond cuddles revolving door and words of affirmation to her livestock. She ensures all the animals provided office, we’rearelike with healthy, organic meals, and that their family waste is repurposed as manure. “You can see how green the grass is where the turkeys have been,”All Bishop door office, we’re like family. of our says. “That’s because they fertilize agents are trained in our philosophythe of soil with their manure. Manure is the excellent customer service and sound basis of organic fertilizers. There are no business strategies. Once the process chemicals added, or needed, when the starts, clients will do business with the animals do their job.” same people, there’s a friendly atmoSpeaking of animals doing their jobs, sphere and attitude throughout. We’ll Bishop has conscripted her goats and sit down with you, we’ll listen to you, pigs into clearing away swaths of underand we’ll put a game plan together with brush on the property – the “gnarly vines” an end result. Understanding people’s that give the farm its name. needs comes We do this to neighseparate Gnarly Vinesfirst. coordinates with ourselves from the chains.” boring farms to provide its customers In late February, Ponte will and open his with a variety of sustainable organic second location at 1 Chase Road in products. Angus beef, for instance, will Freetown, where andas his team will sell out almost ashe soon it comes into stock. But the farm is not bound by terrestrial limitations: Bishops have from partnered ve the benefited with Captain’s Finest and Sakonnet the ups and downs Lobster to bring fresh seafood to market. ofismy ownproud lifeofand Bishop particularly a new initiative at can the farm: food security commuhelp people nity supported agriculture (CSA) plans. because ofnationit CSAs, popular among farms wide, allow customers to pre-purchase “shares” of the farm’s produce, which are continue to provide top-notch service to nearby towns CONTINUED and cities. ON NEXT PAGE “This is a business that has persisted through recessions and market downturns, while many others haven’t,” he says. “After more than 20 years, I’m someone who has hands-on knowledge, someone who knows the ropes. I’ve benefited from the ups and downs of my own life and I can help people because of it. I want people to trust me and know that they’re in good hands.” Anyone interested in joining the Ponte & Associates team as an agent, or someone with any real estate needs or questions can contact the agency at (508) 324-4800 or visit ponteassociates.com.
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PRIME SEASON
The patron saint After a long and cold winter, we pause during March to celebrate St.Patrick’s Day, dress proudly in the traditional Brian J. “Wearin’ O’ the Green,” have Lowney a toast or two with a special beverage and a corned beef sandwich for dinner, and offer a few words of thanks to the patron saint of Ireland. Family and friends often mark this great day by sporting colorful green carnations and sometimes wear small colorful orange, white, and green flags to honor Ireland and its rich cultural and religious heritage. Saint Patrick was a fifthcentury Romano-British Christian missionary and bishop in Ireland. Known as the “Apostle of Ireland,”
his feast day on March 17 is celebrated as a holy day in the “Auld Sod” and many other parts of the world. The popular saint is also well-honored in many nations as “the patron saint of engineers.” I always fondly remember my late mother Catherine baking vanilla cupcakes and decorating them with bright green frosting on St. Patrick’s
“We always celebrated St. Patrick’s Day by going to Mass first because my mother always told us that it was a holy day in Ireland” 14
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Day and serving corned beef and cabbage along with potatoes, carrots, and a hearty slices of Irish soda bread. A few days later, spring beckons, heralding the arrival of beautiful daffodils and other blossoms, robins, and many festive songbirds.
Patrick’s Day by going to Mass first because my mother always told us that it was a holy day in Ireland,” the sister observed. “Since I lived in Astoria, Queens, we had to go into the city (Manhattan) on the subway to see the parade march down Fifth Avenue.
“My mother offered everyone corned beef and cabbage, Irish soda bread, sliced ham and potato salad, and a good Irish drink” Holy Union Sister Bernadette Sullivan, who served as principal at both St. Michael and the former Sacred Heart schools in Fall River, reminisced about her Irish heritage and St. Patrick’s Day in New York. “My mother was born in County Mayo and she came by boat and landed at Ellis Island,” Sister Sullivan shared. “My father was Irish-American and was born in New Haven, Connecticut. “We always celebrated St.
“After we came home, we had a corned beef and cabbage dinner with Irish soda bread and butter. It was a family day,” Sister Sullivan concluded. Holy Union Sister Patricia Mulyran, whose father came from County Mayo and mother journeyed from Galway, has ministered as a religious sister for 71 years and served as principal of Taunton Catholic Middle School for 11 years before retiring. “Our house was filled
Sister Bernadette Sullivan shared the following St. Patrick’s Day recipe by Catherine Waldron Sullivan:
Irish Soda Bread 3/4 cups of flour 12 cup of sugar 2 tsp baking powder 12 box of raisins 1 tsp baking soda 1 egg 1 big pinch of salt 12 quart buttermilk 1/3 box of caraway seeds (optional)
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Catering Services Meal Prep Menu Weekly Meal Delivery Available
Sing “When Irish Eyes Are Smiling” while preparing the bread – this is a must. Sift together the first four ingredients, then add the remaining ingredients and mix with a large fork. Don’t knead the dough too much, only what is necessary to mix wet ingredients. Place dough in a lightly greased cast iron skillet or 9 inch cake pan. With a sharp knife make the sign of the cross through the dough. Prick the dough with a fork BEFORE placing in the oven. Bake in a 350 degree oven for approx. 45-50 min. depending on the oven. Don’t over bake – makes bread too dry.
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Cool in skillet for 10 min. then run a knife around the edge and turn onto a rack to cool.
with people that day,” Sister Mulryan recalled. “I lived on 96th Street and the parade came right down the street. My mother offered everyone corned beef and cabbage, Irish soda bread, sliced ham and potato salad, and a good Irish drink,” she laughed. “My father wore a green shirt and a green bow tie. He sat on the couch all day and he never got up. He just invited all the guests to come and enjoy the food.” Sister Hannah Collins, whose father emigrated from Cork while her mother came from County Kerry, noted that St. Patrick’s Day was always a “day off from school” and from work for many people. “We went to dancing school when we were children,” Sister Collins noted. “We learned the Irish Jig, the Reel, and other dances. We all hoped that we didn’t just fall off the stage.”
Sister Eileen Lavin, whose mother came from Mayo and her father from Sligo, also fondly recalls celebrating St. Patrick’s Day in New York. “It’s really fun,” she emphasized. “Everyone goes to the parade. It’s the best day yet.” After teaching elementary school, Sister Lavin learned American Sign Language and taught hearing-impaired children in the Bronx for several years. “She was loved by her colleagues, the students, and their parents,” Sister Sullivan said.
B rian J. L owney is a freelance writer based in Swansea. His pet show, Fur, Fins and Feathers, can be found on cable access listings throughout the South Coast.
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PRIME LIVING
A man for all seasons Sean McCarthy
As a radio talk show host he broadcasts his opinions across the South Coast. As a private investigator he prowls for bad guys all over the country. And as the lead singer of a Bon Jovi tribute band he performs on stages around the world.
Ken Pittman is leading an interesting but challenging life, with success he attributes to his reliance on family, faith, and friends – and a good sense of humor. For Pittman, there have been days he didn’t want to face and days he didn’t want to end. But ultimately he would rather make you laugh than cry. “I’ve had a lot of turmoil and loss in my life, but I’ve always had faith that God will take care of me, and I haven’t been wrong about that yet,” he says. “I’ve never felt alone, even when my nose was barely above water.” Today the 56-year-old father of six is above water. A Dartmouth resident, he reflects upon the years of his youth on the east side of Brockton, an education in life that has had an influence on him every day, good or bad. When he was only
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11 months old, his father, Paul, died of Hodgkin’s Lymphoma. In August 2002, his wife Kristin died in a car accident, leaving him with three young children. But Pittman’s confidence and determination have led to careers as a talk show host, a detective, and a rock musician.
“
He’s very
personable,
he can talk to
anyone about a lot of different
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things
Many faces “I come from a long line of entertainers,” Pittman says. “My father was the Director of the Boston College Marching Band, and my mother was a Rockette. My grandfather Joe Madden was a famous comedian. Since the age of five it was my job to make my sisters and my friends laugh – I’ve been doing impressions all my life, something that helps when I sing the music of other performers.” And he sings the music of other performers a lot. His band Living On A Bad Name plays the music of Bon Jovi throughout America, the Caribbean, and Europe, from festivals to cruise ships, doing more than 50 shows a year. It’s a gig he’s had for 12 years. And the whole time, the band’s drummer has been his son Keith Pittman, now 25. “Ken’s a fun guy to be around,” says guitarist/bandmate Ethan Brosh of
Newton. “He’s got a great ear and he sings in tune all of the time. He loves to laugh, he makes jokes. We’ve been able to see a lot of the world because of the shows he’s booked for us and we have a great time hanging out together.” “He’s funny all the time,” Keith says of his father. “He’s very personable, he can talk to anyone about a lot of different things. People are comfortable talking to him.” And he’s comfortable talking to others. In January of 2004 The Ken Pittman Show was launched on WBSM in Fairhaven, airing during the vaunted 2 p.m to 6 p.m. slot. He would hold that position until 2012 when the station changed ownership. With no notice, the new company canceled Ptttman’s show. At the time he had five children and a baby on the way. “It took everything in my power to find the energy to make ends meet,” he says. “We were just keeping our noses above water, asking for extensions on our bills. It was embarrassing.” But Pittman’s fortunes would eventually reverse – in 2016 he was invited to return to WBSM, taking the Saturday slot from 9 a.m. to noon. “I like the Saturday morning show, it’s underrated,” Pittman says. “You’re reaching a lot of the soccer moms and people who are out doing errands, I love it.” “Ken is exactly what you want in a talk show host,” says Michael Rock, Director of Content at WBSM and Fun 107. “He’s an avid reader who knows about a lot of things, he’s very well rounded. If you bring up any topic he’ll be able to banter about it.” Politically conservative and a practicing Catholic, Pittman says his urban upbringing affects his perspectives on the news of the day. “Growing up on the east side of Brockton we had people from all corners of the world, a high percentage of minorities,” he claims. “We’d have Little League games and birthday parties, and people’s color or background didn’t matter. Being an athlete, you only cared how well people could play their sport.”
Finding faith Since 2007 Pittman has been at the helm of Pittman Investigations, a job that has taken him around America pursuing cases such as stalkers, cheating spouses, insurance fraud, missing persons, and background investigations. In the last two years his stable of employees has grown to include his 20-year-old-son Paul,
who recently partnered with him on a five-day surveillance investigation in New Orleans. But Pittman still approaches the future while being rooted in his past. “Every year growing up, someone from my school or neighborhood died, whether it was from drugs or something similar,” he says. “I escaped the trappings
“
He’s an avid reader . . .
if you bring up
any topic he’ll be able to banter about it of Brockton because of the choices I made in who I surrounded myself with. I benefited from the people who taught me how to be a good friend. I stay in touch with all of my childhood friends, I value my friendships.” And according to Rock, the people around Pittman value him too. “He’s a religious person who walks it like he talks it,” Rock says. “If a friend or family member needs him he’ll happily drop what he’s doing and rearrange his day to help them. As a dad, he’s a great role model.” Today Pittman lives with his wife Andrea in Dartmouth. In addition to Keith and Paul, his children include Nina, Nicklaus, Marty, and Elena. He describes his wife as “a virtuous girl from a virtuous family who keeps me grounded. She’s the most beautiful girl in the world.” “I can only imagine what my father was thinking when he was lying there dying, leaving an 11-month old, a three-year old and his bride. Because I’ve been through a lot, I don’t take a lot of things too seriously. I don’t worry about the small stuff. But as we go forward we realize we’re not guaranteed to see the people we love around us next Christmas. We take a lot of things for granted. I love my kids and I love my wife. I’m grateful for every day I have with them.”
Sean McCarthy has been a freelance
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PRIME SEASON
A pair of wine pairings Ask local experts what wine goes best with a hearty winter meal and they’ll tell you: it depends. Michael J. DeCicco
What wine you choose depends on what you are washing down with that wine, said Stacie Edwards, longtime Tasting Room associate at Running Brook at 3335 Old Fall River Road in Dartmouth. Red wine is the best winter wine in general because it doesn’t have to be/shouldn’t
A drier wine is good for wintertime because it has less sugar and will warm a person quicker be chilled, and it’s hearty enough to pair with heavy meals, she said. The wine you pick should be based on how rich your foods are, she explained.
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As the temperature drops, she elaborated, “the foods we eat are heartier. So the wine should be a heartier red wine so your meal won’t overpower the taste of the wine like heavy food would against a lighter wine.” It may come down to personal preference, she admitted. “But the general rule of thumb is what I am referencing here,” she said. “None of this is hard and fast, but rather known truisms. Our red wines are bolder and will stand up to richer food. Also, the proper cellar temperature for red wine is 55 degrees; red wine should be put in the refrigerator only 20 minutes before serving. White wine, you take out 20 minutes before serving. It’s like cheese. Experts tell you to take the cheese out of the refrigerator minutes before serving to bring it and its taste up to room temperature.” Her other rule of thumb is that what grows together
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should go together. That means Italian wine with Italian food; French wine with French food. Portuguese food naturally goes with a good red wine because that type of spicy food is bold and should be paired with a bold, red wine, she said. A drier wine is also a good idea for wintertime, she added, because it has less sugar and will warm a person quicker. Running Brook, she said, grows the red grapes that go well with a roast, a steak and Portuguese cuisine. Yet, the Chardonnay, a white wine, that the winery also produces
You can turn the motto ‘red wine with meat and white wine with fish’ on its head depending on how it’s prepared
doesn’t taste as heavy in one’s mouth as other reds. She noted that 100 percent of the grapes Running Brook turns into wine are grown onsite or estate-grown. Running Brook features 14 acres of
vines and 15 separate types of grapes. Its owner is Dr. Pedro Teixeira, who spent most of his childhood in the Azores, Portugal, learning about fine wines from an early age.
Life by the glass Yvonne Rogers is in charge of wine tastings and food at Westport Rivers Winery, 417 Hixbridge Road in Westport. She said this winery’s sparkling wines are always very popular and a very wise choice for the holidays. She said that’s partly because everyone thinks of it as a very celebratory drink and partly because of what its high acidity does to the winter dining experience. Sparkling wines and their esteemed cousins, French champagnes, are acidic because they are made with young grapes that have had no time to develop more sugar content. This higher acidity is good for cleansing the palate, and it causes the diner to salivate, making his or her next bite of food taste much better. She said white wines, gener-
ally speaking, have higher acidity. But cooler climate wines like those produced around the South Coast, such as at Westport and Running Brook, also have a higher acidity that goes well with hearty holiday meals. Rogers added, however, “You can always break the rules and still enjoy your wine, depending on how it’s prepared and what side dishes accompany it.” You can turn the motto red wine with meat and white wine with fish on its head depending on how that meat is prepared, she said. The acidity and the heartiness of the food, whether dark meat or white, and the fats in the side dishes are the important factors. For instance, a blackened salmon can be successfully paired with red wine. She said it doesn’t matter much that ham and turkey are the two staples of winter feasts. “It’s all the rich, fatty foods we consume along with them,” she explained. “To focus on the meat, the protein, is the wrong direction. It’s how it’s prepared and what accompanies it. This season is all about rich, fatty foods. Red wines have tannins that can dry your mouth. Red wines need food. But you can have a higher acidity in the cooler climate wines you find on the South Coast.” The correct wine pairing also depends on what taste combination works for the diners themselves, Rogers said. “It’s hard to generalize, to say always have this with that. It will depend on what you like. “A good wine is in the palate of the beholder.” M ichael J. D e C icco has worked as a writer for over 30 years. He is also the author of two award-winning young adult novels, Kaurlin’s Disciples and The Kid Mobster. He lives with his wife Cynthia in New Bedford.
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GOOD TIMES
A season for change We are finally approaching spring. I almost said we are “racing towards spring,” but at my age (68 and holding, at least until October), I don’t race Paul K andarian towards anything. I don’t want to rush things. Or frankly, break things. There used to be a time when I couldn’t wait to get from one season to the next, sometimes warm to cold, more often cold to warm. But now as miserable as one season may be, warm or cold, I’ll let it linger and enjoy it. Who knows how many seasons we have left, right? Enjoy every damn one of them, I say. There’s a man I know, love, and respect who founded the TED conferences in 1984, Richard Saul Wurman, for whom I’ve worked on book projects and other things. He is the most famous guy you’ve never heard of, and he likes it that way. The guy knows everyone, and I mean everyone. At one of his conferences, I met Sidney Poitier coming out of a men’s room, stepped over a snoozing Yo Yo Ma on the floor of an upper tier of rows and watched celebrity pastor Rick Warren officiate an impromptu wedding between Bill Nye the Science Guy and some young thing he’d literally just met. Anyway, Richard is more than a friend; he’s probably the closest thing to a mentor as I will ever have. In 2004, I attended one of his conferences, TED MED in Charleston, South Carolina when Richard was the age I am now. These days, the never-ending bundle of curiosity lives in Miami but I’d known and worked with him when he lived in Newport. The conference, like anything he does, blew my mind. I wrote a massively long story about that experience and if you want to read it, it is at: wurman.com/publishedarticles/2017/ 4/27/tedmed-and-me.
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At that conference, a fantastic singer friend of his, Jill Sobule, sang a few tunes, one of which she’d written just for him: “11 Summers,” based on Richard’s thoughts at the time he had maybe 11 summers left, summer of course being a seasonal metaphor for the good life. He was 69 then and passed that last lyrical 11th year of summers seven years ago and is still going reasonably strong at 87, having most recently created another life as a sculptor, atop a life of already being an architect, prolific writer, cartographer, conference guru, academic, speaker, and painter, among other things.
We literally make thousands of mistakes in our lives, big and small, and looking back on them is seeing the building blocks that make us us I guess my point I’m trying to make is every year of your life, every moment, really, especially as we get older, could or should be a reinvention. Richard never stops reinventing himself, learning and doing stuff he’s never learned nor done before. He always passed himself off as an empty bucket, filling it with whatever he needed to understand whatever he wanted to understand. I like to think I’m in a constant state of reinvention. When I was young, I would always passionately fantasize – secretly – about being a writer, actor, comedian. I stumbled through a couple decades of trying my hand at college, but not finishing because it wasn’t for me. I don’t say “I failed to finish college.” I do not
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equate failure with leaving something that doesn’t suit my needs. I guess now I’d call that a reinvention. I’d written my whole life, starting as a kid just messing around but became a journalist at 30, and still remain a freelance writer. I started acting at 54, finally finding the courage to do it, and now it is all I do, it’s my full-time job and I will never stop. And the comedian part? I did that a few times at 65 and enjoyed the hell out of it, and hope to keep doing it again soon. You know, it’s funny. A lot of people say you shouldn’t look back, don’t revisit the past, don’t relive your mistakes. We literally make thousands of mistakes in our lives, big and small, and looking back on them and everything is seeing the building blocks that make us us, for better or worse. The way I figure, the biggest mistake you can make is to be afraid of making a mistake. And I was, for a time in my life, fearing doing the wrong thing. But sooner or later I intuitively adopted the “what the hell have I got to lose?” attitude, and to quote the great poet Robert Frost, that has made all the difference. We’re getting older, sure, but no matter the season, just get out there and enjoy yourself, being yourself. Always wanted to try [fill in the blank]? Then try it. No one’s watching, no one’s judging, no one’s gonna shoot you if you screw it up. When someone says they worry about what they look like or if they’re driving the right car or their house isn’t clean enough, I always say “They don’t care. Believe me. Everyone’s got their own mess to worry about, they ain’t got time to worry about yours.” Enjoy the seasons as long as they and you last, my friends. Every damn one of them.
Paul K andarian is a lifelong area resident and, since 1982, has been a profession writer, columnist, and contributor in national magazines, websites, and other publications.
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