Julzie Style

December 13, 2021February 6, 2022

Dance sisters…

Photo by Maria Wulf. She used the timer on her phone.

Yesterday our belly dance group Bennington Beledi Tribal Bellydance( BBTB), had its annual Holiday Hafla…a belly dance holiday party.

Our dance group has been around for a long time; April marks my 19th year. I’ve danced with many women over the years, but Kat, Kathleen, and I have been dancing together for over 18 years.

Callie has been a member of our student troupe Sisters of the Shaw for at least 14 years. Emily also a member of Sister of the Shawl comes next with 7+ years, then our students Trish with 6 years, and finally Maria who has been with us for at least five years. These are the core women that danced at our hafla yesterday. Kathleen beats us all; she started dancing our style of belly dance 26 years ago.

I take selfies with everyone. Everyone always looks great in my selfies that take only 2 seconds.

Since covid hit, our troupe has remained together and dancing. This year turned out pretty good, all things considered. Last winter, Emily & Kathleen kept everyone dancing on zoom; before that, I made weekly videos for everyone to dance along to. An unbelievable thing happened when we were all able to dance in person again after almost six months apart; we all got better and improved tremendously! It was like we didn’t skip a beat.

I am proud to be a part of BBTB and watch our students blossom. Callie is our “oldest” sister of the student troupe, meaning in dance years, not age. She is the rock, the steady one, the one who keeps it together by keeping things in line when they are dancing together.

Emily stepped up last winter and helped teach by dancing with Kathleen during zoom. Emily improved so much during that time. Yesterday, Emily performed a solo basket piece. Basket work is when a dancer balances a basket on their head and makes the basket part of the dance. Emily’s solo was stunning and smooth.

Callie and Emily dance as a duet in our student troupe, Sisters of the Shawl. They are a tight duet, they get into each other’s energy and dance so in time with each other, you would swear it was choreographed. Our biggest compliment after a gig is that when people are floored, it was improv.

Trish came back stronger as well. Trish works hard to correct her technique and zilling, which is getting better and better. She has had to learn to slow down and listen to the music and dance from her heart, not her head. For several months Trish and Callie have been practicing sword work. Sword work is when a dancer dances with a sword balanced on their head. It isn’t easy and takes a lot of practice. Ironically, sword practice forced Trish to slow down, or she would drop her sword, in turn slowing down when she didn’t have a sword on her head.

Trish and Callie performed a sword piece yesterday that was smooth and graceful. It’s much more complicated than it looks with the possibility of dropping the sword at any given time with just one wrong move. Trish and Callie were a perfect duet, they practiced hard, and it showed.

Then comes Maria. When Maria started taking classes with us, she couldn’t step on the beat or hear it. Maria had never danced before and had zero body awareness meaning she was not aware of what the parts of her body were doing when she was moving or standing still. We had to teach Maria how to walk first, then dance.

It seemed a bit hopeless for the first few months, but she showed me little signs that she could dance. Maria didn’t believe me, but with patience, instructions, corrections, and building her confidence, she improved week after week. She was so dedicated and practiced at home, which is rare. She still practices at home, and I can tell each week.

I always say that you have to build up muscle memory first then the moves will follow. The same thing goes for zilling, playing our finger cymbals. Maria didn’t believe me initially, but over time she understood what I meant.

As teachers, Kathleen and I teach the same dance moves repeatedly. The explanations and instructions are different every time we teach them, depending on how we feel that day. For me, it’s whatever inspires me. Kathleen has her way of teaching, and I have mine, meaning there is always something for everyone to learn even if they don’t hear it that time or the next. Trish and Maria have said over the last year, “I never heard you say that before.” I die laughing and tell them they weren’t ready to hear it yet. This is 100% true.

Once you learn to step on the beat, learn the dance moves, play the zills, you have to learn how to lead. We are an improv style of dance, meaning nothing is choreographed. Learning how to lead is intimidating and scary. There are many things to consider when it’s your turn; the rest of the group follows what you are doing, so if you mess up, they do too. We never push someone to lead before they are ready; even if they aren’t too sure, we are.

When Trish would get into the lead, she used to look down, and you could see her thinking so hard it would hinder her dance. She is becoming more comfortable in the lead and is learning to start and stop songs. She is looking up now, thanks to that sword practice again.

When Maria used to step into the lead we had to teach her “how” to step into the lead with confidence. Before, she would have a look on her face like here goes nothing. She didn’t take it seriously because she didn’t think she could lead. We knew she could. When the time was right, she heard the right words at the right time and began to take leading seriously. It’s still intimating and scary for her, but she gets better every time she does it.

When Maria began taking classes, she wanted to dance with an attitude and confidence like we did. After many attitude and confidence lessons, she “gets” it now and is more confident and has a baby attitude, not giant ones like Kathleen and I have when we dance. Lol.

Yesterday, when we watched these four ladies dancing together, you could see how much they trusted each other and enjoyed dancing together. Maria truly was part of the “quad” and looked like she belonged there and believed she did. I can’t tell you how proud I am of her.

Kathleen and I danced to two songs with skirt work. Skirt work uses your skirt as part of the dance, much like the other props, baskets, and swords. The best part of skirt work for me yesterday is that you don’t lift your arms overhead or drop your skirt. My left arm still hurt too much to lift, so these two short songs were perfect.

Kat retired from our dance troupe a few years ago but still comes to my Tribal Workout class each week. Yesterday, she danced to a song with us, and it was wonderful to have her there with us. Kat, Kathleen, and I have danced so many gigs together we couldn’t even count. Even though we don’t dance together often we would still be able to perform together if we had to since we all know each other’s dance moves so well. It’s just like riding a bike.

Wednesday is our last class of the year. My homework for everyone, including myself, will decide what they want to achieve and work on next year. We’ve been around a long time and aren’t going anywhere; our new motto is “We are still here.” You bet your ass we are.

December 11, 2021

A phone book…

Yesterday, when Marty brought in the mail, he said, “Wow! Look, a phone book!” We haven’t had a phone book in years. The cover says, “The real yellow pages. The original search engine.”

When we moved to Vermont from New Jersey 32 years ago, I was in for a significant culture shock. When I say shock, I mean shock. I was dumbfounded the first couple of years we were here.

Silly little things were different. You had to pump your own gas. You could smoke in the grocery store, which delighted me since I was a smoker at the time. Hell, I probably would have lit up even if I didn’t smoke because you could. To the 23-year-old me, this was the coolest thing ever. Now it’s the most disgusting thing in the world! 🤢

The whole food scene was different too. I missed little things like an authentic bakery, a good pizzeria, bars that stayed open late, Entenmann’s donuts, cakes and cookies, Tasty Cake anything, Taylor ham or pork roll. The list goes on and on. What Vermont did have was peace and quiet along with no traffic.

I will never forget the first time I saw a phone book. I was beyond amused that it was so skinny, like a half-inch skinny. The phone books in New Jersey were so thick they were used as children’s booster seats. The phone books in Manhattan could be step ladders; they were so thick. I remember thinking we aren’t in Kansas anymore, Toto, or in my case, NJ.

The thickness is thinner than my glasses.

Last night, just for kicks, I opened to the restaurant section of the yellow pages; I always look at the restaurant sections; it’s always about food with me. Some places have been closed for years and years. The more I read, the more I laughed. The Village Country Inn, The Rattlesnake Cafe, and Carmodys just to name a few.

All the restaurants permanently closed long before the pandemic.

Next, I checked the Hotels & Motels section. Most of the hotels are still in existence. The motels? More than half of them are welfare/halfway houses. I understand there is an extreme need for places like these for people down on their luck or bad situations. A few years ago, Marty and I got duped on a Priceline booking in Connecticut. Us and another family were the only guests of the “hotel,” which turned out to be a motel.

To say the least, it was entertaining watching all the action going on while sitting on our balcony that was 50 yards from the highway. When we were in the pool, we could have tossed a beachball over our shoulder, and it would have landed on a car.

At some point, I was apprehensive because people were whacked out on drugs and crazy. I mean, batshit crazy. Many were transients with vouchers from the state; our next-door neighbor was clearly homeless and wouldn’t leave us alone. We got the hell out of there the next day and said, “never again.” It was a learning lesson of a lifetime!

Back to the phone book, there were also goods and services listed that have been out of business for years. Doesn’t anyone who works for the Yellow Pages check these things? What’s even more puzzling is that they have added new businesses, so why not remove the older than dirt ones that exist anymore?

As far as the original search engine business goes, I looked up a couple of the closed businesses using an online search engine that listed the business as permanently closed. Another thing I started thinking about was who in the fuck even uses a paper phone book these days?

Another restaurant opened up in this space and it is closed permanently as well.

Back in the day when we moved to VT, the phone book was the only way to get local information, and it was trustworthy. This was how we found everything we needed before we had any friends to ask. Now we have the internet.

Also back in the day, whenever we stayed at a hotel somewhere, I would grab the phone book from the drawer with the Bible, jump on the bed, and start leafing through it. They even had menus so we could decide where to eat!

A big part of me misses those days of laying on my stomach with my legs curled up flipping through those pages. Believe it or not, I still look in the Bible drawer to see if there are any phone books; the Book of Mormon has replaced the phone book. BTW The musical The Book of Mormon is hysterical, and I love, love, love the music! I know I got off track here.

Maybe people who still have landlines and no computer use a phone book? Fair enough, so then they should at least have up to this decade’s information listed for these folks. Right?

My last question is, do businesses still pay to have their business ads in the phone book;? Selling yellow pages ads used to be a profitable business, our best man in our wedding Paulie used to sell those business ads. He was quite the salesman and guido!

All these questions and no real answers…it’s like the great phone book mystery that remains unsolved!

December 10, 2021

Tough week…

This week…ugh! It’s been ten days since my booster and I still am exhausted after minor activity. My arm still aches if I move it. It’s still badly bruised. I have a dull headache that comes and goes.

Needless to say, working in the production kitchen was torture. Today was the worst day yet. But I did it. I had to, we have orders to fill and a business to run or we won’t have one.

I apologized once this week for slacking off on writing, but I am struggling. I still have two days until our belly dance Holiday Hafla on Sunday. I am planning on going no matter what, even if I can’t dance as much as I would like. I picked out my costume last night and have it all set to go.

Hopefully this reaction follows the other two and lasts exactly two weeks, that’s Monday. When I feel better I will be raring to go. 🤞🏼

I can’t believe it’s Friday already. I feel like I’ve lost another week by not feeling well. I usually post a cheery Happy Friday, even though I am not up to a happy Friday I still wish one for you all. Cheers!

December 8, 2021January 21, 2022

Silverskin…

Silverskin is a nasty topic they never really address on cooking shows or even in most cookbooks. Home cooks follow recipes in their favorite cookbook or try to recreate dishes they see celebrity chefs make on tv and wonder why the hell their meat came out tough, chewy, and mangled.

This type of cooking mistake isn’t the home cooks’ fault; it’s the food industry in general. Yes, I have a strong theory about famous chefs’ cookbooks and how their recipes are entirely different from what you eat in their restaurants. I’ve spoken with chefs, and they agree 100%.

The quick lowdown is the amount of fat, sugar, and salt used in restaurant food. One quick example out of many is Gordon Ramsey himself said on the tv show Master Chef that his mashed potato recipe is 60% potato and 40% butter with a tremendous amount of salt. No more wondering why his potatoes are so delicious, right? He isn’t making healthy food in his restaurants; he’s making delicious food you can’t replicate at home.

Ok, back to silver skin; what is it, and how do you get rid of it? Silverskin is the connective tissue found in certain cuts of beef, lamb, and pork, most noticeably on ribs.

Silverskin is a silver, translucent membrane found on ribs, pork tenderloin, skirt, flank, other cuts of steak, and rack of lamb. Silverskin isn’t found on poultry. I am not sure about wild game meats since I don’t cook or eat them—sorry, hunters.

Silverskin is different from fat on meats. The fat renders down on a grill or melts away when braising meats. Silverskin doesn’t render or melt away; that nasty shit is there to stay, making the meat chewy and tough. Another thing about silver skin, when it’s not removed, it blocks seasoning and rubs from penetrating the meat. Silverskin mangles the meat when grilled or baked.

When I was learning to cook, I assumed that the supermarket butcher “cleaned” the meat I was buying. What do they say about the word assume? Oh yeah, it makes an ass-out of-u-and me. Butchers will clean and trim fat and silverskin if you ask them to, or you can do it yourself. People who enjoy cooking may get the same satisfaction that I get after cleaning and trimming meat. It’s weird, I know.

The good news is silver skin is easy to remove with a bit of practice. You will need a sharp knife with a thin blade like a paring or boning knife, a cutting board, and some paper towels.

Whenever I make a pot of stew I buy chuck roast instead of stew meat. Stew meat is often filled with grizzled and fat in pieces smaller than I would like. Chuck steak is a relatively inexpensive cut of beef, although these days, nothing is inexpensive. Chuck steak is a tough piece of meat that needs to be braised. Dishes such a pot roast, sauerbraten, stew, or Mexican shredded beef used in tacos.

Lifting the silverskin from a chuck roast.

Chuck roast comes in different shapes; here are two different examples.

Trimming a chuck roast is pretty straightforward. You remove the fat with the knife or your fingers, then check for silverskin. Next, carefully slide the blade of your knife under the silverskin. If the meat is slippery, you can hold the meat with a paper towel for a better grip.

Remember these words…let the knife do the work. Carefully slide the knife under the skin and begin to pull up using your hand. The silverskin will lift off the meat; it’s pretty gratifying for me when I can get a big piece. Go to the next area and repeat, trying not to cut into the meat.

It sounds simple, but it does take some practice. You don’t want to trim meat your first time while rushing to get a weeknight dinner on the table. Practice your meat trimming skills when you have some time. I usually trim meat earlier in the day or the day before, then either marinate, dry rub, or wrap tightly for later use.

Silverskin on ribs is easy to remove and is only on the exposed bone side. Just lift one side with a paring knife, and the whole thing peels right off. Everyone in the bbq world removes the silverskin, so the ribs pull apart easily with that rubbery thing. 🤮

When cleaning a pork tenderloin, the silverskin is only on one side and starts at the end of one side of the tenderloin. The silverskin removal is a little tricky because it’s easy to take some of the meat with it. Getting the knife under the meat is harder than other meats. Slow and steady, then it comes right off with the help of a paper towel if necessary.

Some of our favorite cuts of meat are ones that people don’t know what to do with, let alone how to clean them; these cuts are flank steak, skirt steak, hanger steak, brisket, tres major, and flat iron.

Skirt and flank steaks have a lot of fat, which is easy to remove by pulling it off with your fingers. The silverskin is also easy to remove. You don’t want to remove all the fat since fat = flavor, and it is a fatty cut of meat; however, the fat melts away when grilled, resulting in a very tasty, tender piece of steak.

I have been wanting to write about trimming meat for months. If this is something that you have no interest in doing or are afraid to try doing, ask your butcher to trim the meat of the fat and silverskin for you. You can even ask the butcher department of a supermarket to do this for you as well. If they refuse, then find yourself a new supermarket. You don’t have to tell them to go to hell like I would. LOL!

Hopefully, I could explain meat trimming clearly and understandably. It takes practice like other kitchen skills; you can watch how-to videos on Youtube. Chefs and cooks weren’t born doing any kitchen task perfectly the first or second time they tried doing it. The biggest and most important thing with all knife work is using a sharp knife; if you don’t have one, make the investment and buy a new knife.

To sharpen your knife or new knife that will need sharpening, ask a kitchen store for advice for a good knife sharpener, or take your knives to a professional knife sharpener. Smith’s brand is my favorite kind of knife sharpener, which you can buy in a hardware store for about $17 bucks. Just watch a YouTube video on how to use it, and it will be your favorite too!

I rarely preach something but, you should be sharpening your knives regularly. I sharpen mine every time I use them. They don’t need much, just a new, fresh edge. I know people who have never sharpened their knives or only do it once a year then complain how much they hate cutting things. When people use dull knives, they are pressing down on the knife to cut, not let the knife glide through whatever you are cutting; back to “let the knife do the work.”

Well, I never imagined I would go on and on about silverskin and meat trimming. I hope this information has been helpful if it’s something you aren’t familiar with doing. I guess if you don’t eat meat or cook, this post definitely wasn’t for you.

It’s a snowy night here in Vermont, nothing real but snow showers. I stayed home from belly dance class. I haven’t regained my energy or strength yet from my booster; I need to save the little bit I have for spätzle production tomorrow and Friday. Have a great night!

*** If you enjoy my recipes, please consider making a mall donation to my blog in the “support my blog” section. No matter how small, all donations are welcome and make me feel like my time and effort is appreciated. Thank you so much for your support! 🤗

December 6, 2021

Dragging my ass…

Last Monday, on our way home from deliveries, I stopped at the vaccination site in our area and received my booster shot as a walk-in. Simple. Easy. Efficient.

I was keeping my fingers crossed for no side effects this time. After the first shot, I had a terrible headache that made my blood pressure go up; it lasted for two weeks. The second shot, I was beyond exhausted for two weeks.

You can see the bruise between the cherry blossom branches of my tattoo. Ouch! This is a week later!

After the booster, I had the usual Moderna arm that usually hurt for a day. The vaccination was injected high up on my arm and went right into my tendon. My arm hurt much more this time and still does even to the touch. I finally looked at it by contorting myself and saw an ugly dark purple bruise. Now it’s a green and purple bruise. Seriously WTF?

If the bruising was the only side effect that would be ok, but I am more tired after the booster than the other two vaccinations. Ugh! At least there is no headache.

I have to remind myself that I chose to get the booster in the beginning of December in case became I exhausted again for a couple of weeks. I don’t want to be tired the end of December when my sister Jennifer and the kids come to visit. That God it’s only December 6th and I still have plenty of time to pick my ass off the floor.

I was working on a blog post in the car this morning while Marty was driving; we were on another delivery run. I couldn’t keep my eyes open. It’s funny how many sleep problems I’ve had in the past since I’ve gone to bed early all week and fall asleep before my head even hits the pillow.

The rest of the day in Saratoga, Clifton Park, and Albany were miserable for me. I tried to hold my shit together and not let Marty see how exhausted I was. When I am exhausted I am cranky and want to cry. Thankfully, I didn’t cry but I was completely out of it.

The blog piece I am working on is still a work in progress since I couldn’t write anymore today. I just wanted you guys to know I am not slacking off, I have to get over that two week hump of being tired. It would also be nice if my arm didn’t ache anymore every time I lifted it.

Speaking of lifting my arm, I hope I have a little energy on Wednesday, belly dance day. I look forward to belly dance each week and this week Kathleen and I have to practice for a performance on Sunday.

We are having a “Holiday Halfa” which is a celebration with music, dancing, and food. Usually, we invite guests, other dancers, family, and friends, but with the whole covid thing, Kathleen, our students, and myself will be celebrating and performing just for each other this year. Last year we couldn’t even be together, so this really is a celebration.

I am looking forward to getting all gussied up in my costuming and do my hair and make-up tribal belly dance style. I want to perform and have fun dancing dammit, I need to get my energy back!

I am listening to my body by resting whenever I need to and going to bed early. I’ve been drinking lots of water and not overdoing it. I didn’t think I would be this tired again since the booster was only a half dose of Moderna. I was wrong big time.

I don’t want to scare anyone about the booster shot since everyone reacts differently. I am only sharing what in the fuckity hell is going on with me right now.

I am hitting the hay early again tonight and hope that I start to feel back to my old self when I wake up tomorrow. I would write normal, but we all know that I am not normal and never want to be. 😉

December 4, 2021January 21, 2022

Fondant Potatoes Recipe…

Fondant Potatoes are probably one of the most elegant dishes you can make. These potatoes wow the hell out of people and are pretty easy to make.

Fondant potatoes are something that anyone who goes to culinary school has made. I’m a self-taught cook who likes to learn new things. I was thrilled I nailed them the first time making them. Anyone can do it, seriously.

Fondant potatoes aren’t a well-known dish, and it’s rare to find them on a restaurant menu. They are, however, still served frequently in restaurants in France and England.

The meaning of fondant potatoes is to roast in butter and stock. These gorgeously browned potatoes are crispy on the outsides and creamy in the center. Fondant potatoes look so much like perfectly seared scallops they fool people when presented on a plate.

You only need a few essential ingredients, a sharp knife, and prep time. Yes, it takes a little practice learning how to cut the potatoes into cylinders, but if you love to cook, it’s a fun challenge with a big payoff. I made volcano potatoes that I saw online; what a pain in the ass they were to make and not as spectacular as I was expecting. I wouldn’t make those again.

Russet potatoes are the potato of choice for fondant potatoes; you can not achieve the same crispy exterior and creamy interior with yellow or plain old white potatoes. The cut potatoes are soaked in cold water to remove excess starch, ensuring maximum crispness.

A smoking hot cast iron skillet is the perfect cooking equipment to make these potatoes. You can use any skillet that can get hot and go directly from the stove to the oven.

I mentioned you only need a few ingredients to make this dish. All you need besides the russet potatoes is a little oil, butter, fresh thyme or rosemary sprigs, and kosher salt & pepper to taste. That’s it. Some people put garlic in theirs; I use a lot of garlic in my cooking, but not in this dish. The garlic can burn quickly, so I find it best to leave it out.

Double cut pork chop in a creamy dijon sauce, fondant potatoes, and asparagus.

I’ve wanted to write about fondant potatoes for a while. I figured it’s the holiday season, so why not now? These potatoes are something different to make for holiday dinners or buffets and look super “cheffy” even though they aren’t very hard to make. I would advise practicing making them at least once before serving them to holiday guests; I am sure your family or friends wouldn’t mind being your guinea pigs. Hell, I could probably eat them all myself; they are that good!

Here is the link to the recipe I used the first time I attempted making fondant potatoes; they do an excellent job explaining exactly how to make them. The recipe is also straightforward and easy to follow, the best kind of recipe for dishes you’ve never made or even eaten before.

I missed wishing everyone a happy Friday yesterday but want to wish you all a great rest of your weekend. If life seems crazy and hectic with holiday preparations, shopping, and running around, take a deep breath and remember everything doesn’t have to be perfect. Enjoying life is perfect! Cheers! ❤️

December 2, 2021December 2, 2021

Thundersnow…

I know I wrote back in late October that we haven’t had a hard frost yet. Last Friday, we were hit with a snowstorm leaving us without power and about a foot of snow here in Arlington.

Up until this morning, none of it has melted, and we keep getting another dusting every day. It was still only November. I started getting that we live in a fucking snow globe feeling early this year.

I heard the plow trucks go by our house four times this morning and woke to a slushy, icy mess. I could tell that a climate change and a storm were coming. My body is like a freakin weather stick…thanks arthritis.

Production was difficult for me this morning with arm and shoulder pain on my right side and “Moderna arm” pain from my booster shot I got Monday on the left side. I was fine as long as I didn’t lift my arms. LOL! Over the years, I have found ways to work through and compensate for arthritis; today was no different.

I’ve had arthritis since my 20s, and I have never let it stop me from working, dancing, or living once. It’s called grin and bear it, also known as “suck it up, buttercup.” I have never called out sick because of it, and I certainly won’t let it stop me from working for our own business, that’s for sure. For years my dance students have smelled the wintergreen fresh scent of Ben-Gay that I slather on before I teach classes.

I made it through today’s production and clean-up with tremendous pain, some loud rock music, and a whole lot of determination to finish. Mission accomplished.

This afternoon I needed to run a few errands and pick up milk for next week’s production. It was dark when I came out of a store at 4:15 pm. Sigh. I am just not cut out for the dark days of winter.

I made a quick, simple dinner tonight…tacos. Some people ask if we ever eat “normal shit.” The answer is yes and on paper plates tonight. I even put the cast iron skillet of taco meat on the kitchen island instead of setting the table and putting all the toppings into separate bowls.

Poor Otto looked concerned before the storm.

Poor Otto started running around the house panting and shaking as we were eating. He knew something was about to happen. Thundersnow! Marty and I were sitting in opposite directions, and both saw the biggest lightning bolt ever out the windows.

Marty said it hit close, and it did, just right down the road from us. I love a good thunderstorm, but this was scary; this one shook me to the core. Holy shit!

Klaus never gives a rat’s ass about anything. LOL.

Within minutes the fire department was toned out to a house hit with a possible lightning strike and fire. Marty had his turn-out gear on before he even heard the tone for the rescue squad. After he left, I grabbed a flashlight just in case and filled up my wine glass. I needed to be prepared!

The good news is I just heard on the scanner the fire is out, Otto has calmed down, and Klausie-boy, the bulldog, couldn’t give two shits about any of it. As for me? I need more wine. 😛

November 30, 2021January 21, 2022

Spaghetti & Sand Recipe…

Last night, after a long day on the road, I wanted to eat something flavorful, comforting, and easy to make. We had a big lunch in Albany, so this meal didn’t have to be a five-course meal, just something to put in our bellies before bed.

I’ve been making Spaghetti and Sand for at least 32 years. We lived off of it the first couple of years of our marriage because we were broke! We also ate a lot of oatmeal.

When we moved to Vermont from NJ in 1989, I took a job making $5.05 an hour. That was a huge money loss after working in NYC & NJ, but worth the peace & quiet plus the nicest thing of all…no traffic.

I’m not sure when I first learned about Spaghetti and Sand, but I’m sure it came from one of my Italian coworkers at work in NYC or NJ. It doesn’t matter…forgetaboutit!

I researched the dish and was surprised to find that it’s known to Italians in Italy and here in the US as St. Joseph’s Spaghetti or Spaghetti & Sawdust. Have you made the connection yet? St. Joseph was a carpenter and is the patron saint of Sicily, where there the dish originated. It’s pretty clever calling the breadcrumbs sawdust; it’s brilliant! Thanks are given to St. Joseph on March 19 for preventing a famine in Sicily during the middle ages and his role as Jesus’ father on earth.

Italian Americans celebrate the feast of St. Joseph on March 19 each year.

I wrote a blog post back on March 19, all about St. Joseph’s Day cream puff. (You can read the post by clicking on the underlined blog post.) I found out that Spaghetti & Sand, aka St. Joseph’s Spaghetti, are traditionally eaten on Christmas Eve and St. Joseph’s feast day. Shit, I wish I knew this sooner. I know what I’ll be making for dinner on 3/19 to go with our cream puffs.

Spaghetti and Sand is a peasant food dish. Peasant food doesn’t always have to be categorized as cheap food but food using humble, simple, high-quality ingredients.

St. Joseph’s Spaghetti can go from a rags to riches dish with just a few additional meager ingredients such as anchovies, crushed red pepper, lemon, freshly chopped parsley, parmesan cheese, or fresh clams.

My version of Spaghetti & Sand is straightforward, using just a few ingredients. Most recipes include frying the garlic in olive oil; I poach mine for a clean and not bitter garlic flavor. I use both butter and olive oil as opposed to just olive oil.

I add a small amount of pasta cooking water to the dish before I add the breadcrumbs. I toast my breadcrumbs in a dry skillet and not in the oven as some cooks do.

I use a decent gluten-free spaghetti that works perfectly if you eat it the second it comes out of the sauté pan; if not, the spaghetti will break into pieces resembling something like rice. Forget about leftovers; the spaghetti can’t handle it; it will be a mushy mess the next day.

Adding freshly grated parmesan cheese is optional for the dish. Marty piles it on, and I eat mine without. It’s a personal preference.

Why don’t I use our spätzle instead of spaghetti for the dish? I guess it could be called Spätzle and Sand, but sometimes a gal just wants to twirl some spaghetti with a fork and spoon before shoving it into her mouth. As far as mushy leftovers? There aren’t any leftovers. Ever.

I hope you consider trying Spaghetti & Sand for yourself, and it becomes one of those go-to dishes when you don’t feel like making an extravagant meal or have any meat in the house. Bon Appetito!

Spaghetti & Sand

Ingredients

1/2 cup extra virgin olive oil
2 Tbsp butter
4 cloves of garlic finely minced
1 tsp dried oregano
1 lb or box of spaghetti (I use a 12 oz box of Schar gluten-free spaghetti)
1/2 cup cooking liquid from the spaghetti
1 1/2 cups dried Italian breadcrumbs (I use 4C gluten-free Italian breadcrumbs)
Kosher salt and pepper to taste
Freshly grated parmesan top each dish (Optional)

Directions

In a large skillet, over low heat, heat the olive oil and butter. After the butter has melted, add the minced garlic and oregano. Slowly poach, not fry the garlic until it becomes soft. Turn off the heat.

Meanwhile, bring a large pot of salted water to a rolling boil. Add the spaghetti and cook until al dente.

While the spaghetti is cooking, place the dried breadcrumbs into a dry skillet. Toast the breadcrumbs over medium-low heat for 3-5 minutes, constantly watching, so the breadcrumbs don’t burn. Set aside.

Drain the spaghetti reserving 1/2 cup of pasta water. Reheat the garlic and oil over medium heat. Add the drained pasta to the garlic oil. Stir to combine. Add 1/2 cup cooking water to the spaghetti again, mixing well. Add the toasted breadcrumbs to the pan. Stir to combine—season with kosher salt and pepper to taste. Serve immediately into a large serving dish or individual bowls. Top with freshly grated parmesan cheese if desired.

November 28, 2021January 21, 2022

Eggs in Purgatory…

Eggs in Purgatory are one of my favorite ways to use leftovers while giving them a total transformation. There are many versions of Eggs in Purgatory, meaning you can make them any way you want to. You can serve Eggs in Purgatory for breakfast, lunch, or dinner.

Eggs in Purgatory is the Italian version of Shakshuka. Purgatory? Shakshuka? Let’s start with Shakshuka which is a dish where eggs are poached in a tomato sauce. The dish’s origins are claimed by Libyan, Moroccan, Tunisian, Turkish, and Yemeni cuisines.

Many other cuisines have their versions of Shakshuka containing different spices and spice levels, meats such as minced lamb, sausage, or chorizo, and various cheeses made from sheep, goat, or cow’s milk. The dish can be made with or without meat, making it not only an excellent option for vegetarians but also gluten-free diners.

Eggs in Purgatory Eggs or Uova All’inf”rno or Uo”a in Purgatorio is a dish from Naples, Italy. The hearty, spicy, and robust tomato sauce is the “purgatory” portion of the name; the fiery red tomato sauce symbolizes hell in which the eggs are poached in.

I didn’t learn about Eggs in Purgatory until I was an adult; this wasn’t something I grew up eating. I’m pretty sure I stumbled on it watching some food or cooking show. The first time I made it, I realized it contained all the ingredients that I loved in the first place; using leftovers in the dish makes it even better.

Marinara sauce topped with mashed potatoes. Frying my egg over-easy.

I used a micro-plane grater for my parmesan cheese.

My version of Eggs in Purgatory is made with leftover marinara sauce and usually contains leftover starches such as mashed potatoes or polenta. I do not use meat in my version, and my cheese of choice is parmesan cheese. I do not poach my eggs in the tomato sauce like shakshuka; I serve mine with over-easy eggs topped with parmesan cheese.

Dipping a piece of focaccia bread into a “dippy” egg’s yolk makes the dish so delicious.

There are hundreds of recipes for Eggs in Purgatory and Shakshuka on the internet; it just depends on what you have on hand and your preferences.

I decided to make Eggs in Purgatory this morning for breakfast when I looked through the refrigerator; I haven’t made this dish for a long time. I served it with focaccia bread to dip in the egg yolk. I forget how much I love this comfort food dish, which is like having a tasty, satisfying hug for breakfast, especially on a 14-degree morning.

November 27, 2021

Operation Christmas…

The day after Thanksgiving may be Black Friday to some, but to me, it’s Operation Christmas. Sam and I started this tradition many years ago, and I love it.

When our boys were small, our tree was filled with baby & children’s ornaments such as Baby’s First Christmas or a teddy bear or other cute animals holding age numbers. Almost all of the ornaments were given to the boys from both sets of our parents.

After my dad and Marty’s parents passed, it became hard and harder to get those ornaments out each year. The boys weren’t helping to hang up “their” ornaments anymore since they were grown up; I was decorating the tree alone.

My mother had her stroke eight years ago around Thanksgiving. I couldn’t bring myself to pull out all of those sentimental decorations due to emotional and physical exhaustion. I decided that I would keep those ornaments for the boys when they had homes and families of their own, and I would buy grown-up decorations.

Sam, Marty, and I went shopping and picked out our new purple, silver, and white ornaments. Our tree looked so glamorous, like the kind you see in magazines. Poor Noah was upset because he wasn’t around when all of this happened and was heartbroken about the new decorations. I explained to him why I needed to change things; he got it and was on board.

I still put up my mini Mema Christmas tree every year. Mema was my grandmother on my dad’s side for those who don’t know who she is. When I was small, I remember looking at Mema’s vintage ornaments from when my father was a little boy in the 1940s. I loved a Santa coming down the ceramic chimneypiece with old-fashioned glass bulbs sticking out of it.

When I was in my twenties, she had a box packed up for me when I visited Mema. It was all the decorations and ornaments that I loved. She said she didn’t decorate like she used to and wanted me to have them. It is still one of the most treasured gifts I’ve ever received.

Mema’s ceramic Santa and my Santa’s sleigh.

I have one other Christmas decoration that is special to me as well. I received it when I was four years old. Nana and Grandpop, my grandparents on my mother’s, side bought it for me. It was Santa’s sleigh with reindeer, elves, and a big sack of toys in the back. The sled was studded with different color Christmas lights. I looked forward every year to plugging it in and seeing the sleigh light up.

I loved standing in front of my Santa’s sleigh and playing make-believe. I’ve always used different character voices when I played; I still do with our animals. I would use my Santa voice and call out to the reindeer and elves. When I got married and moved to Vermont, I took my Santa sleigh with me for my own home.

I’m not sure what year it was when the sleigh didn’t light up anymore; it gave me a shock and blew a fuse. After a series of curse words flying through the air, I ran to the fuse box and tripped the power. That was the end of the “light-up” sled, but I still put it on display every year. The funny thing is my boys never paid any attention to it like I did when I was small, but they didn’t have the same connection to it as I did.

After production, Marty and I went across the street to the Arlington Community House, which had their fundraising Christmas trees and wreaths sale. The proceeds help the town fund the community house, which is important to us, and not having to travel anywhere to get the tree is priceless.

Marty cut the bottom of the tree, drilled a hole in it, placed it in the tree stand, and let me have at it. He headed out with Sam to work on a project, so I had the house to myself. I put on Christmas music and slowly started putting up our decorations. It began to snow while I was decorating, which was even more festive.

While organizing everything on the dining room table, I came across a Christmas ornament mailed to us last Christmas. Our tree was down, so I never used it; I put it in one of the Christmas boxes. The ornament was from the care facility where my mother lived, a glass ornament with her photo in it.

You never know when grief is going to sneak up on you or punch you in the face. In yesterday’s case, it hit me right between the eyes. I started to weep, taken by surprise with all kinds of emotions. I let myself cry and let all the feelings go one by one. I was sad, mad, angry, and heartbroken. Marty stopped in for a moment, hugging me, telling me it was ok to cry.

I became over-sentimental and didn’t have the same happiness I started with. In the end, I finished decorating the tree and the house, happy with how everything looked. It was dark out already, and the guys were out on a rescue squad call, so I quickly jumped in the shower.

As soon as I got out of the shower, the power went out from all the heavy snow snapping tree branches and power lines. I let out a big, “What the fuck! You gotta be kidding me,” while standing in the bathroom dripping wet in the dark. I felt around for my towel and went downstairs to light some candles.

The house quickly got chilly since I didn’t have the heat up high while decorating the tree. My thick hair down to my waist takes forever to dry; it was soaking wet, making me uncomfortable and cold. The pleasant and nostalgic feeling that I had when I finished Operation Christmas went right out the window.

When the guys finally got home, we manually lit the gas stove, heating leftovers. I sat with a hat, fleece pants, and a hoodie under a mountain of blankets. The power didn’t come back on until almost midnight, and the road crews still hadn’t been out. We had over eight inches of heavy snow. The guys went outside to start digging out, but the driveway was covered with snow as soon as they made a pass with the snowplow or shovel.

After the power came on, we sat together, catching up with each other’s day. They liked how the tree and decorations came out this year. It was still dumping heavy snow outside, and everything was tranquil. Last night, we decided that we wouldn’t be attending our farmer’s market today, not knowing how much snow we would still be getting and how the roads would be at 5 am.

Today is a gift of a “free” day to use as I wish; we never have a Saturday off, so it is like a luxury to me. Have a great weekend, guys! 🎄❄️⛄️🕯