Home Cooking

Rosh Hashanah, the Jewish New Year, is a time to reflect on the past year – and look forward to the coming one. The holiday’s celebratory meal can include favorites like yeasty challah, honey cake, gefilte fish, matzo ball soup, classic beef brisket in a slow cooker, pot roast with thyme-glazed carrots and apples dipped in honey. One of the most popular Rosh Hashanah customs involves eating apple slices dipped in honey, sometimes after saying a special prayer. Ancient Jews believed apples had healing properties, and the honey signifies the hope that the new year will be sweet. The second night of Rosh Hashanah is time to enjoy new seasonal fruit symbolizing gratefulness for being alive such as a pomegranate (one of Israel’s seven species).

CHICKEN & TZIMMES

1 onion, 4 tbsp. oil, 2 cloves garlic crushed, salt, 2 lb. carrots, 1 medium sweet potato grated, ¼ cup raisins, ¼ cup dried cranberries, 1 orange, 1 lemon, 4 chicken thighs, 4 chicken drumsticks

Directions: Preheat the oven to 400°F. Slice the onion in half rounds. Peel the carrots and slice thinly. Pour the oil into a large frying pan (use a pot if you don’t have a large enough frying pan) and sauté the onions over medium heat until translucent. Salt to taste. Add the crushed garlic and fry for a minute. Add the grated sweet potato, carrots, raisins, and dried cranberries. Stir. Add another tablespoon or two of oil if necessary. Reduce heat slightly. Zest the orange and the lemon directly into the carrot mixture. Then cut and juice the orange and pour in the juice. Simmer for a couple of minutes until carrots are just steamed through but still firm, then remove from heat. Taste and add salt as needed.

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BOOK NOOK Strolling through Tombolo Books, I picked up Paul Wilborn’s hilarious novel Florida Hustle (2022) and Craig Pittman’s quirky essays The State You’re In (2021). Both are great beach reads. With a folksy style, an eye for the absurd, and a passion for the history and environment of his home state, Pittman describes some of Florida’s oddest wildlife as well as its quirkiest people and exotic animals including a love story involving the most tattooed woman in the world, a deep dive into the state’s professional mermaid industry, and an investigation of a battle between residents of a nudist resort and the U.S. Postal Service.

Another great summer read from Florida-born Stephen Burdick is The Gray Detective, available on Amazon. A retired civil servant living in Tampa Bay, his first book, Deemer’s Inlet, was published in 2020. Burdick shared the plot with us: “Homicide detective Joe Hampton and his wife, Joyce, had planned to move to Clearwater Beach, Florida, once he retired from the Philadelphia Police Department. After Joyce unexpectedly passes away, Joe goes ahead with the move. Once he’s settled into the Crimson Conch condominiums, his hopes of starting over again are realized—until a series of murders upends his plans for a peaceful retirement. Finding the body of a resident in the channel behind the condominiums, Joe is drawn back into the world of criminal investigation. A rocky beginning with Detectives Carly Truffant and David Sizemore develops into a successful partnership as Joe assists them in their search for the killer.”

“Never permit a dichotomy to rule your life, a dichotomy in which you hate what you do so you can have pleasure in your spare time. Look for a situation in which your work will give you as much happiness as your spare time.” – Pablo Picasso

GET CREATIVE When the kids go back to school, it’s time for the adults to learn some new tricks as well. Why not get crafty with me? Recently I learned the art of flower hammering, creating cards by tapping pigment out of flowers, very soothing. Next up for me is rag basket making @Beach House 5317, 9/17 in Gulfport. Taught by Lakeland artist Heidi Wineland, a folk artist who works with a variety of materials, including a number of fiber techniques. Her “Kitty Allen” brand soft stuffed dolls and monsters are sold in galleries and shops throughout the U.S. All supplies are included; reservations required.

VIRTUAL ARTS Presented by The St. Pete Arts Alliance, Curate St. Pete showcases online video series highlighting St. Pete’s art galleries, studios and talented artists in the seven arts districts. Here you can meet in a Virtual ArtWalk, bid for art from local artists in a Virtual Auction, and enjoy dance, music, theatre, and film including artists at Creative Clay, Mize Gallery, Soft Water Studios, Zen Glass Studios, Florida CraftArts, Duncan McCllelan and more. www.curatestpete.com/explore

Have you found your place in the world?

ACTIVE

Clearwater

2065 Brendla Road

4 Beds | 3 Baths 2,014 SF | $599,900 Melinda Persuitte | 813.777.6336

St. Petersburg

6294 Bahia Del Mar Circle Unit #304

2 Beds | 2 Baths 1,500 SF | $599,900 Karen J. Wilson | 727.204.4405 ACTIVE

ACTIVE

St. Petersburg

663 4th Avenue S

3 Beds | 2.5 Baths 2,100 SF | $749,000 Melinda Persuitte | 813.777.6336

St. Pete Beach

3629 Gulf Boulevard

2 Beds | 2.5 Baths 1,579 SF | $675,000 Melinda Persuitte | 813.777.6336 PENDING

Luxury Homes Group

813.777.6336 melinda.persuitte@compass.com

Compass Florida, LLC is a licensed real estate broker and abides by Equal Housing Opportunity laws. All material presented herein is intended for informational purposes only. Information is compiled from sources deemed reliable but is subject to errors, omissions, changes in price, condition, sale, or withdrawal without notice. No statement is made as to the accuracy of any description. All measurements and square footages are approximate. This is not intended to solicit property already listed. Nothing herein shall be construed as legal, accounting or other professional advice outside the realm of real estate brokerage.

By Nanette Wiser

What am I drinking this summer? Trader Vic’s 1972 Tequila Matador! Shake 1oz. tequila (Milagro Silver) with 2oz. pineapple juice and juice of 1/2 lime with shaved ice then strain into a cocktail glass. Also, Grey Goose vodka, pink lemonade, club soda on ice. At Coco Wood Grill, I discovered RumHaven, a coconut rum made with coconut water and pure cane sugar in the Tide Turner, a refreshing cocktail made with 2oz. rum, 2oz. pineapple juice, 1oz. coconut cream and ½ oz. fresh lime juice.

For happy hour with friends, RumFish Grill Tuesday 4-5pm in the bar for ½ off small plates (three dips, firecracker shrimp, calamari, parma flatbread, blue cheese chips) paired with $3 drafts (3 Daughters Beach Blonde Ale) or $5 house cab or chardonnay plus other sips. Stan’s Tapas Lounge has wine/beer and a couple ½ price tapas specials during the week and Fri. 4-6pm and food is 20% off with a drink.

Downtown, Ceviche’s 4pm-close Tapas Tuesday with $6 white or red Sangria, $4 marinated olives or deviled eggs and more tapas $5-$12. Check out their Happy Hour daily 3-6pm are sensational with $6 (well, white or red wine) or $7 bar and bites. Rococo Steak’s happy hour 4-6 pm daily offers chic drinks and delectable eats including Martin Ray Chardonnay, Lucas & Lewellen Pinot noir and a ruby red grapefruit mojito, best sipped with the salmon sliders.

Oktoberfest kicks off in September at local craft brewers and bars. Best of show is the German American Society party 9/30, 10/1, 10/8, 10/14-10/15 @5pm with dancing, drinking, singing and food. Get a head start with a full bar, German dishes, live music, dance lessons and dancing every Sat. night 7-10, 8098 66th St. N in Pinellas Park. For Oktoberfest, check out the German Knodle, 3 Daughters, Green Bench and Big Storm for events/specials. Sept. 24 is the 20th Annual Dunedin family/dog friendly Oktoberfest 5K at HOB Brewing Company in downtown Dunedin.

A celebratory toast to Sea Salt St. Pete, Parkshore Grill, Bascom’s Chop House, Ceviche, Birch & Vine, Rococo Steak, Salt Rock Grill, Seminole Hard Rock Hotel & Casino Tampa and others for their Wine Spectator Restaurant Award 2022.