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Holiday, Seafood, Soup
Christmas Eve Oyster Stew
December 11, 2020 December 16, 2020 by Elaine1 Comment on Christmas Eve Oyster Stew
An Irish Christmas Blessing
May you be blessed with the spirit of the season
Which is peace,
The gladness of the season
Which is hope,
And the heart of the season
Which is love.
The Tradition
While preparing oyster stew for my family some years ago, I called my mother and asked why we served oyster stew on Christmas Eve. She said that she had simply followed her grandmother's tradition, besides it was easy to make on what was the busiest night of the year for a mother with young children. That was reason enough, but I was curious about the genesis of the tradition. A little research suggested that this nearly two-hundred-year old tradition was the result of Irish immigrants adapting recipes from their ancestral home to America's indigenous foods.
The Genesis
In the 1800s, even before the renowned potato famine of 1845–1852, Irish immigrants ventured to the United States for a chance to build a new life, bringing with them their culinary traditions and their Irish Catholic customs. In their island homeland, fish was a major part of their diet. Ling fillets (a type of cod), preserved with salt and dried in the open air, were a centuries-long staple of rural fishing communities. Following the Catholic dietary custom of abstaining from eating meat the day before a religious feast, the traditional Irish Christmas Eve meal consisted of a simple stew made of dried ling, milk, butter and pepper. In America, wild oysters made an acceptable substitute for ling with their briny flavor and slightly chewy texture. Oyster stew quickly became popular along the northeast coast of the US where oysters were abundant, easy to harvest and inexpensive. For folks living farther inland, commercially canned oysters were widely available as early as the 1840s. Fresh oysters, however, were only available during the winter months when they could be packed in seaweed, straw and ice and carried by railroad to larger mid-western cities or by steamship to southern ports, arriving just in time for Christmas.
Thick or Thin
Through the twentieth century, oyster soup recipes were as popular as oysters themselves. Whether using fresh or canned oysters, soup recipes can be divided into two types — thickened and unthickened — with unthickened soup being the most common. A recipe found in The American Woman's Cook Book 1966 titled Oyster Stew – Unthickened (below) is representative of recipes from the first half of the century (and very similar to the way my mother makes oyster stew). An adaptation of the same recipe is thickened with a roux and seasoned with salt, pepper and paprika (the way I make oyster stew):
While researching, it was interesting to note the various methods used in thickening an oyster stew. Of course, a blonde roux, as in the recipe above, was common, as was a reverse roux where a cold paste of butter and flour is stirred into the hot milk and brought to a simmer to thicken. Some soups were thickened with a flour and water paste or a flour and milk paste, but the most unusual thickening agent was tapioca, included in a recipe from General Foods Cook Book 1932 (below). I have used tapioca to thicken stews, but never one with a milk base.
Other thickeners that caught my eye were dried bread crumbs or crushed cracker crumbs that were added to the hot soup just before serving. Below is a charming recipe written in the home cook's own words, calling for saltine cracker crumbs. The final paragraph is written by a woman who compiled the recipes and bound them together in a booklet titled Cooking With Grace 1970. "Grace" was Grace Warlow Barr, food editor for the Orlando Sentinel newspaper in Orlando, Florida during the fifties and sixties.
Being fascinated by the recipe above, I used it as inspiration in making a variation of my own Oyster Stew recipe. As mentioned above, I thicken my soup with a roux, but instead of adding flour to the butter, I simply sauteed the vegetables and added the liquid ingredients — half and half, evaporated milk and the oyster liquor from the canned oysters (sadly, fresh oysters are rarely available in our rural area). I then heated the soup to a simmer. After rinsing the oysters to remove any grit, I added them to the hot soup. Just before serving, I ladled the soup into my most "beautiful tureen" (a bright red Dutch-oven) in which I had placed eighteen crushed saltines. Giving the soup a quick stir, I served up bowls of piping hot Oyster Stew. The flavor was exquisite, however, the texture seemed coarse compared to the velvety smooth mouth-feel of soup thickened with a roux. Yet we could not stop eating it. It was that good! In the future I will have a hard time deciding which variation to make (photos of the process below):
Oyster Stew thickened with crushed saltines.
Prepared oysters for stew.
Saute minced celery and onion in butter.
Add cream and oyster liquer.
Thoroughly crush saltine crackers.
Combine crushed crackers with soup.
Stir in oysters and serve piping hot.
Flavorful Additions
Twentieth-century recipes suggested a variety of seasonings to enhance the flavor of oyster stew. The most common being salt, black pepper and paprika. Frequently, recipes called for vegetables and herbs, such as minced onion, chopped celery or celery leaves, or snipped fresh parsley. A few even called for diced potato. Some recipes included bay leaves, celery salt, white pepper, cayenne pepper, or Old Bay seasoning. Liquid flavorings such as lemon juice, Worcestershire sauce, or hot pepper sauce were also suggested. The most curious ingredients called for were warm spices — nutmeg, cloves, allspice, ground mace and blades of mace. What in the world are blades of mace? According to Google, blades of mace (available on Amazon) are pieces of a web-like covering of dried nutmeg seeds. The flavor is reportedly milder than nutmeg and is commonly used in savory soups, stews and curries. The blades are typically removed before serving just as a bay leaf would be. Ground mace is the same spice in a different form and is a little less expensive than the blades. I have ordered some blades of mace to add to my Christmas Eve Oyster Stew this year. I will report back.
The following is my tried and true Oyster Stew recipe that is thickened with a roux. Alternately, I have included notations for thickening the stew with saltines. Enjoy!
4 (8 oz) cans oysters, (rinse and reserve liquor) OR 2 pints shucked fresh oysters*
1/4 cup (half a cube) butter
1/2 cup finely diced celery
2 Tbsp minced sweet onion
1/4 cup all-purpose flour (omit if thickening with saltines)
1 quart half and half
1/2 cup evaporated milk
Reserved oyster liquor
1 tsp salt (use a little less if thickening with saltines)
Reserved oysters
18 crushed saltine cracker squares, if using
Paprika for garnish, if desired
Drain oysters reserving liquor. Gently rinse oysters to remove any grit; set aside.
In a six quart Dutch-oven, melt butter over medium heat. Saute prepared celery and onion until limp. Add flour, if using, to butter and vegetables to create a roux. Cook and stir 2 – 3 minutes.
Whisk in half and half, evaporated milk, reserved oyster liquor and salt. Bring mixture to a boil. Reduce heat and simmer 3 – 5 minutes to thicken, stirring frequently. Remove from heat and gently stir in oysters and saltines, if using. Add lemon juice. Garnish with a dusting of paprika.
*Note: If using fresh oysters, drain, reserving liquor. Gently rinse oysters to remove grit and bits of shell. Saute oysters in several tablespoons of butter until edges of oysters begin to curl. Add liquor and bring to a simmer. Add to prepared soup, season and enjoy.
Wishing you and yours a Merry Christmas. And may the luck of the Irish be with you in 2021. Elaine
Kid-Friendly, Snacks, Thanksgiving
Thanksgiving Blessing Mix — 1997
November 20, 2020 by Elaine1 Comment on Thanksgiving Blessing Mix — 1997
Thanksgiving Blessing Mix is not a new idea. Many variations can be found on the internet, but I would like to share the recipe that I have used for the past twenty years. Printed in a charming cookbook titled Sweet Surprises for the Holidays 1997, each ingredient is a reminder of the sacrifices made by Pilgrim setters as they struggled to survive in a new land. Tossed together in trail-mix fashion, the salty-sweet mixture is a great pre-Thanksgiving snack.
When my children were growing up, we created a fun tradition of sharing packages of Blessing Mix with our family, friends and neighbors during the month of November. We would simply put the mix in zip-loc bags, but for a fancier presentation, the mix can be scooped into mason jars or other pretty glass jars with a length of ribbon or raffia tied around the neck. We also included a signed note explaining the significance of each ingredient. It's delightful how something so simple can create so many fun memories. Enjoy!
Thanksgiving Blessing Mix
Honey Roasted Peanuts
Goldfish Crackers
Toss Gently and Enjoy!
2 cups Bugles brand corn snacks (found in the chip aisle)
2 cups pretzels (traditional twist style)
1 cup candy corn
1 cup dried fruit (raisins, dried cranberries, diced dried apricots)
1 cup nuts or seeds (mixed nuts, peanuts, sunflower seeds)
1 cup Goldfish brand crackers (any flavor)
In a large bowl, mix all the ingredients together.
Note: Other ingredients such as dry cereal, miniature crackers, marshmallows or candies (think M&Ms) can also be added.
Recipe Compliments of Sweet Surprises for the Holidays and Cookbooklady.com
The following is the type of message we would include with our Blessing Mix:
Servings: Many
Bugles — Shaped as a cornucopia, they represent the bounteous blessings we now enjoy.
Pretzels — Symbolize our arms folded in prayer and thanksgiving.
Candy Corn — Reminds us of the five kernels of corn the Pilgrims were allotted each day during their first winter.
Dried Fruit — Represents a bounteous harvest.
Nuts and Seeds — Represent the hope of a bounteous harvest next season.
Goldfish Crackers — Remind us of the knowledge shared by Native Americans of planting fish along with the seeds to nourish the soil.
Tucked inside the Sweet Surprises 1997 cookbook was a "Dear Abby" newspaper clipping from some years ago:
Wishing you and yours a Happy Thanksgiving! Elaine
Desserts, Pie, Pumpkin, Thanksgiving
Creamy Pumpkin Pie — 1980
November 15, 2020 November 15, 2020 by Elaine1 Comment on Creamy Pumpkin Pie — 1980
"Hurrah for the Pumpkin Pie!"
Lydia Maria Child 1844 — Novelist, Journalist, Poet
I remember Libby's jingle from when I was a kid — If it says Libby's, Libby's, Libby's on the label, label, label — You will like it, like it, like it on your table, table, table, and as Americans, we have loved Libby's pumpkin pie on our Thanksgiving table for generations. Since the 1950s, home cooks, including my mother and grandmother, have been making pumpkin pies using the recipe printed on the back of the label. Calling for simple ingredients — Libby's pumpkin, of course, granulated sugar, evaporated milk, spices, and a couple of eggs blended together and baked in a pastry lined-pan — pumpkin pie (with a dollop of whipped cream) is the perfect finishing touch to a Thanksgiving meal.
Old Recipes Are New Again
Recently, after nearly seventy years of service, Libby's classic pumpkin pie recipe underwent a makeover (recipe above). How did Libby's update their recipe? Simply by changing the way the filling is sweetened. Instead of adding granulated sugar to the pie filling, the recipe calls for a can of sweetened condensed milk. (To adjust for the liquid in the condensed milk, the amount of evaporated milk had to be reduced.) That's it. All the other ingredients stayed exactly the same. Did that make a difference in the flavor of the filling? Absolutely! Something about sweetened condensed milk adds a depth of rich, creamy, almost caramel-y flavor to whatever it's in. It's sort of like magic. As a matter of fact, adding sweetened condensed milk to pumpkin pie filling, was not a novel idea in 2019. Borden's Eagle Brand Milk Company printed a cook booklet in 1952 with a recipe called Magic Pumpkin Pie (below) very similar to Libby's new recipe. I guess it could be said that recipe developers in corporate test kitchens think alike.
A Century of Sweeteners
Curious about the sweeteners traditionally used in pumpkin pie, I took to my twentieth-century cookbooks to see what the old recipes could tell me. Of course, many recipes simply called for granulated sugar. However, in the first half of the century, brown sugar was often the sweetener. Sometimes the brown sugar was paired with half granulated sugar, but frequently, it was accompanied by a little molasses or corn syrup — dark or light.
The Modern Family Cook Book 1953 offers two recipes for Pumpkin Pie — one calling for granulated sugar and the other for brown sugar. Recipe #1 also lets the home cook know what a perfect pumpkin pie should look like:
Perfectly baked pumpkin pie has no wrinkles or cracks on its surface. Long slow baking produces a smooth, shiny surface with the true golden pumpkin color.
Meta Givens, The Modern Family Cook Book 1953
A Lost Method
The instructions in recipe #2 are unique. Calling for canned pumpkin, it says to "turn the pumpkin into a saucepan and stir over direct heat (no heat setting is given) until pumpkin is somewhat dried out and has a slightly caramelized appearance." Evidently this caramelization step has become "lost" as it was not found in any other twentieth-century cookbook. It would be interesting to know if the caramelization adds to the flavor of the pumpkin.
Unusual Ingredients
Along with the typical eggs, milk, pumpkin, sugar and spices, several recipes included some unusual items in their ingredient list — baking soda, rose water, lemon juice, lemon zest, lemon extract, orange juice, brandy or rum, coconut and raisins. Mace and cardamom were each included in a recipe to go along with the traditional cinnamon, ginger, nutmeg, cloves and allspice.
Mid-Century Chiffon Pie
The American Woman's Cook Book 1966, introduces a new approach to pumpkin pie. Instead of baking the pie in the oven, the filling for Pumpkin Chiffon Pie is cooked on the stovetop and cooled, after which beaten egg whites are folded in. The filling is then poured into a gingersnap crumb crust and refrigerated until firm.
A Lost Recipe
In a recipe book titled America's Best Lost Recipes 2007 published by the editors of Cook's Country, a charming story is shared of a young woman who submitted her grandmother's Pumpkin Ice Cream Pie recipe — a Thanksgiving family favorite — for consideration as part of the publisher's "lost" recipes project. Grandmother's recipe made the cut, and after some America's-Test-Kitchen adjustments, the recipe was included in the book. Sadly, what the reader gets is not grandma's recipe, but the test kitchen version. Imagine my delight when I stumbled upon the original recipe.
Found in The Busy Woman's Cook Book 1971, the recipe for Frozen Pumpkin Pie (below) calls for a quart of softened vanilla ice cream, a cup of pumpkin puree, a little sugar (Cook's Country suggests using brown sugar) and some spices. Once the filling is blended together and spooned into a baked pastry shell, it is frozen for several hour (or overnight) — so easy. Another suggestion from America's Test Kitchen was the use of a graham cracker crumb crust as opposed to a pastry shell — even easier. This recipe is going into my "must try" file. I will report on my results.
Creamy Pumpkin Pie
In the 1980s, I came across a recipe for Creamy Pumpkin Pie in an old church cookbook. I tried it and it has become our Thanksgiving family favorite. The amount of filling this recipe makes is a little too much for a traditional 9″ pie pan, so in the past I either baked the extra custard in a lightly oiled ramekin or reduced the amount of warm water to 3/4 cup. This year I tried using a 9″ deep-dish pie plate and it worked perfectly. In place of the pumpkin pie spice, I make my own combination using cinnamon, ginger, cloves, nutmeg and allspice (measurements listed below). Enjoy!
Prepare a pastry-lined pan.
Lightly beat eggs.
Mix in pumpkin puree.
Blend in sweetened condensed milk.
All salt and spices.
Stir in warm water.
Fill pastry and bake.
Difficulty: Intermediate
1 (9 inch) deep-dish unbaked pastry shell
1 (14 oz) can sweetened condensed milk
2 tsp pumpkin pie spice OR 1 rounded tsp cinnamon, 1/2 tsp ginger, 1/4 tsp cloves, 1/4 tsp nutmeg and a dash of allspice
In a two quart mixing bowl, beat eggs with an electric mixer until light in color. Blend in pumpkin puree and sweetened condensed milk. Mix in pumpkin pie spice and salt. Stir in warm water. Pour filling into unbaked pastry shell.
Bake pie on bottom rack for 15 minutes at 450*. Reduce heat to 325* and continue baking 40 to 50 minutes or until a knife inserted off-center comes out clean.
Cool completely before serving. Refrigerate left overs.
Cookie Bars, Desserts, Kid-Friendly, Snacks
November 7, 2020 by Elaine
"These are heavenly and should be called 'Oh-no-I-shouldn't' cookies. They're terribly rich, but terribly good, particularly when served with coffee as a dessert."
Grace Barr, Orlando Evening Star Food Editor, 1968
The Back Story of Sweetened Condensed Milk
In New York, during the early to mid-1800s , the most dangerous food a child might consume was fluid cow's milk. With germ theory yet unknown, contaminated milk was a leading cause of child mortality.
Gail Borden, Jr. 1801 — 1874
Gail Borden, a self-taught food scientist, attended The World's Fair in London in 1851, where he received awards for his invention of a shelf-stable meat-biscuit (think protein bar). Though revolutionary, the dehydrated meat didn't sell well because of its unpleasant taste. While on his return voyage to New York, Mr. Borden witnessed first-hand the horrors that raw milk could hold. Two dairy cows were brought on board the ship to provide milk for immigrant babies whose families had booked passage to America. During the journey, the cattle became sick with an infectious disease and died. In turn, the children fell ill and lay dying in their mother's arms. Mr. Borden was moved with compassion.
Upon his return, Borden immersed himself in the development of a sanitary shelf-stable baby formula. With no knowledge of germs or bacteria, Borden knew something needed to be done to stop the "incipient decomposition of milk." First, he boiled cow's milk in a pot to reduce the amount of liquid to make it more transportable. Then he added sugar. Unfortunately, the result of boiling milk in an open vessel was a burned, bad-tasting mass. Having learned the hard way with his meat-biscuit, Bordon knew that taste and appearance would be key to the success of his product. He went back to the drawing board.
Hearing about a curious way that Shaker's processed medicinal herbs by boiling them in an enclosed vacuum pan, Mr. Borden arranged to spend some time with them to learn about the process. He tried the vacuum method with milk, which resulted in a pleasant tasting product with a creamy milk-like appearance. By boiling the milk in an enclosed vacuum pan, it killed any bacteria that was present and prevented any other bacterial exposure during the cooking process. Bordon also discovered that by adding a substantial amount of sugar, the shelf-life of the milk was greatly extended since bacteria cannot grow in such a sugary mixture.
Cook's Science 2016 from the editors of America's Test Kitchen explains that sweetened condensed milk has 60% of the water removed and has 40% to 45% added sugar. The editors note that an open can of sweetened condensed milk can be left at room temperature for several weeks without spoiling.
The Patent
Borden Newspaper Ad 1922
Borden did not understand the science behind the process he had developed. He just knew that it stopped the decomposition of milk, it tasted good and kept for a long time. His application for a patent on the vacuum boiling process was denied for several years due to the lack of scientific knowledge to understand what he had actually done. In time, science caught up, and in 1856, Borden was awarded the patent he sought. Little by little, the new baby formula began to catch on and is credited with saving the lives of thousands of children. Sweetened condensed milk was to be Gail Borden's greatest accomplishment.
The Fortune
Always a man of hard work and humble means, Borden's fortune was finally made in 1861, when the U.S. Government ordered sweetened condensed milk as part of the rations for the Union army during the Civil War. Canned, compact, and calorie-dense, the rich fluid served the soldiers well, not only through the Civil war but also during WWI. Sweetened condensed milk was later included in the foodstuffs dropped into besieged West Germany during the Berlin Airlift of the late 1940s. Returning soldiers shared their enthusiasm for the product, and "Borden's Milk" was on its way to becoming a pantry staple.
Advertising was important to the Borden company from the beginning. First, for baby formula, then as soldiers and their families began enjoying sweetened condensed milk in their coffee and tea, the company's advertising pivoted from filling a nutritional need to becoming the quintessential ingredient in making desserts from ice cream to fruitcake. The printed advertisements exploded from black and white scientific-style ads in newspapers to full-page colored ads in magazines. During the mid-1960s, a recipe for Borden's Magic Cookie Bars, with sweetened condensed milk as the "magic" ingredient, burst onto the baking scene, and desserts have never been the same.
The Recipe — 1970s
While researching this article, I was interested to learn how the recipe for Magic Cookie Bars has changed over the years. In a magazine ad from the 1970s (below), the recipe calls for one cup (6 oz) semi-sweet chocolate or butterscotch morsels, a 3 oz can or 1-1/3 cup flaked coconut, and a 15 oz can Eagle Brand sweetened condensed milk. The directions say to melt the butter or margarine in a saucepan before pouring it into the baking dish to be mixed with the graham cracker crumbs. The order given for layering the remaining ingredients is illustrated in the ad with sweetened condensed milk poured over the top.
The Recipe — 1999
In a magazine ad from 1999 (below), the recipe for Magic Cookie Bars instructs the baker to preheat the oven to 325* if using a glass pan. The butter or margarine is to be melted in the baking pan in the oven, then combined with the graham cracker crumbs or chocolate cookie crumbs. The sweetened condensed milk is then poured over the crumb crust with the other ingredients layered on top. The can size of sweetened condensed milk was reduced to 14 ounces, and the recipe doubled the amount of chocolate chips to twelve ounces. Yum! Once layered, the home cook is instructed to "press down firmly with a fork" to bind the ingredients together. Some substitutions are suggested at the bottom of the recipe — mini M&Ms, dried cranberries, raisins, mini marshmallows or butterscotch chips. Its evident that part of the "magic" in Magic Cookie Bars is the variety of ways the recipe can be personalized. Several Christmas's ago, a coworker substituted white chocolate chips and Craisins for the usual semi-sweet chocolate chips. They were amazing! It seems that Magic Cookie Bars are limited only by one's imagination.
A Final Note: Not everyone calls these bars Magic Cookie Bars. Sometimes they are called Seven Layer Bars, Hello Dollies, Coconut Dream Bars or Screaming Eagles. I call them delicious!
Appetizer, Apples, Autumn Foods, Kid-Friendly, Snacks, Toppings
Taffy Apple Dip — 1985
October 30, 2020 by Elaine
In the 1980s, I listened to a radio show broadcast from Salt Lake City called The Gabby Gourmet. Fredric Wix, the Gabby Gourmet, a retired marine who loved cooking, helped pioneer the concept of gourmet cooking at home. Fred moved from radio to television when he was invited to host a cooking spot on KUTV's midday news broadcast. Highly successful in both mediums, The Gabby Gourmet went on to publish a cookbook that is now out of print and highly collectible; however, some of his cooking videos are available for viewing on YouTube.
Mr. Wix shared the recipe for Taffy Apple Dip one day when I happened to be tuned in. I quickly wrote it down, and I have been serving it ever since, especially in the fall when the apples are ripe and fresh and crispy. Adults, as well as, children enjoy this dip, and it is much easier to make and eat than caramel apples. I serve the dip either at room temperature or a bit warmer, but it must be stored in the refrigerator. To jazz things up, a sprinkling of salt flakes over the caramel creates a delightfully sweet and salty contrast. Enjoy!
Melt butter over medium heat.
Add corn syrup, brown sugar and kosher salt.
Simmer until brown sugar is dissolved.
Blend in sweetened-condensed milk.
Dip apples and enjoy.
Taffy Apple Dip
Dash of kosher salt
1 (14 oz) can sweetened-condensed milk
Spray the inside of a 1.5 quart saucepan with cooking spray, add butter and melt over medium heat.
Stir in corn syrup, brown sugar and kosher salt; bring to a simmer. Simmer gently for 2–3 minutes, stirring from time to time, until the brown sugar is completely dissolved.
Remove pan from heat and blend in sweetened-condensed milk; set aside to cool.
Serve with apple slices.
Store leftovers in the refrigerator.
Serving Option: For a salted caramel dip, sprinkle a few flakes of coarse salt over dip before serving.
Recipe Compliments of Cookbooklady.com and The Gabby Gourmet
Apples, Autumn Foods, Fruit, Salad, Salad Bar, Side Dish
Waldorf Salad — 1896
October 23, 2020 October 29, 2020 by Elaine
"A seed hidden in the heart of an apple is an orchard invisible."
~Welsh Proverb
As a young man of sixteen, Oscar Tschirky immigrated to America from Switzerland with his mother in 1883 to join his older brother in New York City where they hoped to make a better life. Within a day of his arrival, Oscar landed a job as a busboy in the Hoffman House, an elegant hotel in the city. Five years later he was manager of a dining room in Delmonico's, the best restaurant in New York, where he refined the skills necessary to become the Matre d' of the Waldorf Hotel (soon to become the Waldorf-Astoria). Hired before the hotel opened in 1893, he was essential in stocking supplies, hiring staff and developing management systems. Oscar, himself, turned the key on opening day and went on to become the"face" of the Waldorf-Astoria during his fifty-year career. Ironically, beloved by heads-of-state, Hollywood types and business tycoons, Oscar's lasting claim to fame was the Waldorf salad.
Though not a chef, just three years after the opening of the Waldorf, Oscar published a 900-page cookbook titled The Cook Book by "Oscar" of the Waldorf 1896 which includes a now-ubiquitous recipe for Waldorf Salad. Calling for three simple ingredients, apples, celery and a good mayonnaise (recipe below), it seems much too humble for the glitz and glamour of New York high society, but the salad had had a victorious debut at a gala event planned and overseen by Oscar coinciding with the opening of the hotel.
Coming upon a copy of Oscar's original Waldorf Salad recipe (above), I was disappointed that no particular variety of apple was suggested. It would be interesting to experience the exact flavor profile of the original.
Also being curious about the adaptation of the recipe over the past one hundred years, I researched nearly two dozen twentieth-century cookbooks. Interestingly I found that most of them contained a recipe for Waldorf Salad, many very similar to the original version, with some specifying red-skinned apples. The only twentieth-century cookbook, Cooking In Quilt Country 1989, that mentions using a particular variety of apple calls for Jonathan or McIntosh. Either apple may well have been the variety that Oscar used as they both grew prolifically in New York state at that time. Perhaps part of the charm and longevity of this recipe is that the home cook can personalize it simply by the variety of apple he or she uses.
One of the earliest adaptations of Waldorf Salad is the addition of chopped nuts — walnuts usually, but also pecans as mentioned in The Joy of Cooking 1931 by Irma Rombauer. Curiously, her recipe is one of the few that suggest peeling the apples before chopping. The Waldorf Salad recipe found in The Household Searchlight Recipe Book 1944 (below) stays true to Oscar's original recipe except for the now classic addition of chopped nuts:
What's In the Dressing
Another common adaptation to Waldorf Salad is the dressing, especially early in the century when commercial mayonnaise was in its infancy. Martha Meade's Modern Meal Maker 1939 contains a recipe-ette called Apple and Celery Salad, but its confusing. How is the one cup shredded lettuce intended to be used — mixed in with the salad or as the lettuce cups — Hmmm. The Golden Dressing is the intriguing part of this recipe (below). Its fussy, but maybe not as fussy as homemade mayonnaise. And it sounds delish (recipe below).
Mary Meade's Modern Homemaker Cookbook 1966 suggests adding whipped cream to the mayonnaise dressing. She also suggest using unpared red-skinned apples (recipe below):
Before salad dressings were readily available in grocery stores, cooks made them at home so older recipes frequently call for a "cooked" or "boiled" dressing. A recipe for Waldorf Salad (below) printed in General Foods Cook Book 1932 containing apples, celery and nuts calls for Cooked Salad Dressing made of thickened mustard, sugar, egg yolks, vinegar and milk — sweet or sour:
A curious dressing for Waldorf Salad comes from a recipe found in The American Woman's Cook Book 1966 which calls for a French vinaigrette to dress the apples, celery and walnuts. The salad is served on lettuce leaves and topped with a dollop of mayonnaise.
Adding Variety
Mid-century home cooks began expressing their creativity by including additional fruits in their Waldorf Salad. The Good Housekeeping Cookbook 1963 is a perfect example of this. The recipe titled Pear Waldorf Salad (recipe below) suggests substituting fresh peeled and diced pears in place of apples in an otherwise typical Waldorf Salad. Being intrigued by this recipe and canning pears at the time, I decided to give it a try. It was delicious! Bartlett pears, however, are softer and juicier than apples causing the salad to break down quickly. If I were to make it again, I would follow the recipe's alternate suggestion of using half apples and half pears. Notice the other inclusions in Pear Waldorf Salad — fresh, frozen, or canned pineapple, banana cubes (a strange term) or one cup sectioned oranges, and one cup grapes. The final adaptation of this recipe takes us full circle to the classic Waldorf Salad with unpared red apples, chopped celery, and walnuts tossed with a mayonnaise dressing and embellished with a half cup of raisins.
The final Waldorf Salad entry is a recipe found in Farm Journal's Busy Woman's Cookbook 1971 titled Waldorf Variation Salad — an appropriate title for nearly all twentieth-century Waldorf Salad recipes. It takes a citrus-y spin with frozen lemonade concentrate as the dressing (recipe below):
My Waldorf Salad recipe is fairly traditional, calling for apples, celery, and chopped pecans with a mayonnaise dressing sweetened with a little honey. Sometimes I add a handful of raisins or dried cranberries for flavor and texture. It is a delightfully crisp Autumn salad that is a nice addition to a salad bar or as a side dish. The variety of apple that I often use is Honeycrisp because of its thin, tender red skin. Older varieties such as sweet-tart Jonathon or McIntosh are also tasty choices. For a lighter version of the dressing, a thick plain Greek yogurt can be used in place of the mayo, but the salad will be missing its wonderful piquant flavor. Enjoy!
Dice apples.
Finely chop celery.
Combine honey and mayo or Greek yogurt.
Pour dressing over apples and celery.
Toss in chopped pecans and raisins if desired.
Waldorf Salad
3–4 large red-skinned apples
Juice from a half lemon OR a sprinkling of Fruit Fresh
1 cup finely chopped celery
1/2–3/4 cup mayonnaise or plain Greek yogurt
1–2 Tbsp honey (adjust to your taste)
1/4 cup raisins or dried cranberries (optional)
Dice apples and sprinkle with lemon juice or Fruit Fresh; set aside. Finely chop celery and mix with apples in a large bowl.
In a small bowl, blend honey with mayonnaise or Greek yogurt. Drizzle dressing over apples and celery; toss to coat.
Fold in chopped pecans, reserving some for garnish, add raisins or dried cranberries if desired.
Chill until ready to serve.
Note: Yogurt dressing begins to break down quickly so plan to serve the salad no more than an hour after preparing. The mayonnaise dressing is more stable.
Salad, Side Dish, Summer Salad, Tomatoes, Vegetables
Summer Tomato Salad
September 28, 2020 October 10, 2020 by Elaine1 Comment on Summer Tomato Salad
"It's difficult to think anything but pleasant thoughts while eating a homegrown tomato".
Lewis Grizzard
A recipe from Irma Rombauer's Joy of Cooking 1974 called French Tomato Salad has been the inspiration for a a flavorful addition to my catered salad bars. The recipe calls for six thinly sliced tomatoes arranged overlapping on a serving plate and poured over with a French (vinaigrette) dressing and sprinkled with minced shallots or thinly sliced green onions.
Also taking inspiration from the 1950s Italian Caprese Salad consisting of sliced tomatoes, sliced mozzarella cheese (made with buffalo milk if you want to be authentic), fresh basil and olive oil (Americans often add a little balsamic vinegar as well to give the salad some zip), I have created a hybrid version of these two recipes that is colorful and packed with flavor. I call it Summer Tomato Salad (with or without mozzarella cheese). During late summer when fresh tomatoes are at their peak, I serve this salad often and I sometimes even make a light meal of it for myself (recipe below). Enjoy!
Slice fresh tomatoes.
Arrange tomato slices and insert basil leaves.
Add diced sweet onion.
Pour over vinaigrette dressing.
Option: Add sliced mozzarella cheese to salad.
3 – 4 fresh medium-size tomatoes, sliced
1/2 medium sweet onion, finely chopped
1/2 cup small fresh basil leaves or more as needed
Optional: 1 lb fresh mozzarella, sliced (my favorite)
1/4 cup red wine vinegar
1/4 tsp black pepper or to taste
1 small garlic clove, minced
Thinly slice tomatoes and arrange overlapping in shallow serving dish. Carefully insert a basil leaf in between each of the tomato slices. (If using, insert a slice of mozzarella in between each of the tomato slices then insert a basil leaf between each tomato and cheese slice). Sprinkle finely chopped sweet onion over tomatoes.
In a small shaker jar, combine dressing ingredients, shake well and pour over vegetables (and mozzarella). Refrigerate salad for at least two hours to blend flavors. Serve cold.
Sandwiches, School Lunch
School Lunches — 1948 (Tuna and Cream Cheese Sandwiches)
September 23, 2020 October 29, 2020 by Elaine
<p class="has-drop-cap has-text-align-justify" value="<amp-fit-text layout="fixed-height" min-font-size="6" max-font-size="72" height="80">We have come to the time of year in the northwest when the bounties of summer are being harvested and preserved. My green beans and tomatoes have been canned, the peppers have been roasted and put in the freezer, the peaches and pears are in jars lining the pantry shelves and the local grain has been harvested. Just around the corner, the apples will be ready to pick and process into applesauce and pie filling, the onions and potatoes are ready to be dug, the pumpkins are turning orange and the county fair has come and gone. Our blissful daytime temperatures are in the 80s with our nighttime temps flirting with freezing and the children have gone back to school (although school in 2020 looks somewhat non-traditional).We have come to the time of year in the northwest when the bounties of summer are being harvested and preserved. My green beans and tomatoes have been canned, the peppers have been roasted and put in the freezer, the peaches and pears are in jars lining the pantry shelves and the local grain has been harvested. Just around the corner, the apples will be ready to pick and process into applesauce and pie filling, the onions and potatoes are ready to be dug, the pumpkins are turning orange and the county fair has come and gone. Our blissful daytime temperatures are in the 80s with our nighttime temps flirting with freezing and the children have gone back to school (although school in 2020 looks somewhat non-traditional).
<p class="has-text-align-justify" value="<amp-fit-text layout="fixed-height" min-font-size="6" max-font-size="72" height="80">Early in my elementary career, schools across America began experimenting with school lunch or hot lunch as we called it. Today school lunch is as American as apple pie, but up until then, generations of children brought their lunches from home. While reading from an old cookbook — <em>Watkins Cook Book</em> 1948, I discovered some advice, albeit dated, for packing a child's lunch box. Early in my elementary career, schools across America began experimenting with school lunch or hot lunch as we called it. Today school lunch is as American as apple pie, but up until then, generations of children brought their lunches from home. While reading from an old cookbook — Watkins Cook Book 1948, I discovered some advice, albeit dated, for packing a child's lunch box.
The Lunch Box
Throughout most of the twentieth century, cookbooks were seen as a way of educating housewives on food safety, nutrition and technique. If the cookbook was sponsored by a food production company, one would also find nouveau recipes and methods for using their products. Watkins Cook Book 1948 is one of these cookbooks. Intertwined in the advice and advertising we can catch a glimpse of how lunches might have been prepared and what American school children might have been eating post WWII:
A lunch should be packed in a well-ventilated, sanitary container to protect the food and to keep it compact and odorless upon opening (is that possible with a tuna fish sandwich?). Waxed paper should be used to wrap all food, and covered jelly glasses (remember those in our grandmothers' cupboard) are excellent to use for baked beans, vegetable salad, applesauce, baked apple or for a pudding. Highly-seasoned and rich foods should not be placed in a lunch box.
Milk in some form should be included in the daily school lunch — either plain milk, malted milk, or hot or cold Watkins Cocoa, which may be carried in a pint milk bottle or in a thermos bottle, using a straw for drinking. Fresh fruit in season is appetizing and healthful.
Hard cooked eggs, cooked 30 minutes (yes the book says 30 minutes), are as digestible as soft-boiled. Peeled, wrapped in a lettuce or cabbage leaf and waxed paper, they will make an appetizing salad. Cooked vegetables as a salad add a note of interest to a box lunch. Raw carrot sticks or celery sticks made crisp in cold water, dried and wrapped in waxed paper make a tasty accompaniment to a meat sandwich. Do not pack hot creamed meat, fish and poultry dishes as the food may sour when kept warm for several hours.
The lunch box should contain sandwiches, a raw vegetable, a relish, fruit, pudding, cookies and a beverage (More on a complete school lunch below).
If sandwiches are to be kept a long time, do not use lettuce or other salad greens. Use a mayonnaise dressing as the oil will not soak into the bread.
For making sandwiches in quantities, wrap them in a napkin dipped in hot water and wrung dry. Or wrap in waxed paper and fasten with a rubber band.
Watkins Cook Book 1948 offers the following suggestions for sandwich fillings. I wonder how popular or even practical some of these suggestions were back then, however, a #7 on wheat toast sounds pretty good.
A Compete School Lunch with Advertising
Extending the suggestions for sandwich filling, Watkins Cook Book 1948 lists ten ideas for complete school lunches (mixed with a little advertising). I wonder about the feasibility of these lunches as they seem quite labor intensive and unrealistic. However my mother-in-law packed her children's lunches with sandwiches made from homemade bread well into the 70s…then she would go out and milk the cows (No kidding!) It also seems like a lot of food for a child.
Tuna and Cream Cheese Sandwiches
Most of the time when I took a cold lunch or sack lunch to school, it contained a tuna sandwich on store-bought white bread and that wasn't bad. I actually liked them especially with potato chips placed under the top slice of bread just before eating. It makes me hungry just thinking about it. A number of years ago I purchased a cookbook that I often refer to — Cooking from Quilt Country 1989 by Marcia Adams — featuring Amish and Mennonite recipes. This book contains a recipe for a tuna salad with cream cheese, toasted pecans and lemon juice. I adapted the recipe and served these sandwiches at a women's luncheon a few years ago. The ladies enjoyed them and many asked for a copy of the recipe. Thankfully the tuna fish sandwich is not obsolete, it has just had a makeover. (Well drained canned chicken can be substituted for the tuna as well). Enjoy!
Soften cream cheese.
Blend cream cheese, mayo and lemon juice.
Add tuna.
Fold in chopped celery or black olives.
Fold in toasted pecans
Spread fillling on buttered bread.
Tuna with Cream Cheese Sandwich.
Tuna and Cream Cheese Sandwiches - 1989
1 (8 oz) package cream cheese, softened
2 (7 oz) cans tuna OR a (13 oz) can chicken, well drained
1/2 cup finely chopped celery OR black olives
12 slices white bread
Softened butter
In a medium mixer bowl, combine the cream cheese, lemon juice and mayonnaise; blend well.
Fold in tuna or chicken, chopped celery, pecans and salt and pepper. Chill filling for several hours.
Spread filling on lightly buttered bread. Garnish with lettuce if desired.
Cucumbers, Salad, Salad Bar, Side Dish, Summer, Summer Salad, Vegetables
Cucumber Salad with Sour Cream Dressing
September 11, 2020 by Elaine
Heaven is a homegrown cucumber. ~Alys Fowler
Cucumbers taste like summertime. Simply sliced with a sprinkling of salt or added to a green salad they are a refreshing bite. We are all familiar with the classic Cucumber Salad made with slices of fresh cucumber marinated in vinegar and salt and pepper. Its a recipe that has been around for generations. In this post, I'm sharing another favorite cucumber recipe — Cucumber Salad with Sour Cream Dressing. It is a combination of sliced cucumbers and leeks seasoned with fresh garlic and dill and marinated in a sour cream dressing. I have served this dish as a part of a catered salad bar and as a summer side-dish and it is a crowd pleaser. Enjoy!
Slice cucumbers and leeks
Toss together in a bowl.
Add garlic, seasoning salt and dill to cream cheese.
Combine dressing ingredients.
Toss cucumbers and leaks with dressing.
1 large English cucumber, sliced
6 – 8 slices of leek, white part only
2 tsp seasoned rice vinegar
1/2 tsp dried dill weed
1/4 tsp seasoning salt (my favorite)
1 small clove garlic, minced
Dash of kosher salt and cracked black pepper
Peel cucumber, if desired, and cut in 1/4″ slices. Thinly slice leeks and toss vegetables together in a bowl; set aside.
To prepare dressing, whisk together sour cream and seasoned rice vinegar in a small bowl. Stir in minced garlic, seasoning salt, dill weed, salt and pepper.
Toss cucumbers and leeks with prepared dressing. Refrigerate for two hours or more in an air-tight container to allow flavors to blend. Serve cold and garnish with additional dill weed.
Option: For a tasty and colorful addition, slice a fresh Roma tomato in 1/4″ slices and add to the dressed cucumbers and leeks.


I criticize discussions of the "energy-water nexus" as too superficial in their focus on that particular junction when other factors (e.g., population, carbon, environment, policies) play a far larger role in either. I cannot say the same about the "government-business" -- or state-market -- nexus.* Governments can make or break markets. Markets can have a big influence on (usually corrupt) governments.
The Irish government recently introduced austerity measures that included water metering. I think this trend will affect other countries. My question to investment managers is, therefore "Do you think that the austerity measures (e.g., increasing taxes, implementing water meters, etc. will change you business model?"
These ideas will not surprise anyone worried about state or regulatory capture, nor those familiar with the "grabbing hand" of government. Indeed, those phrases describe exactly the same phenomena: the over-reach of market or state, respectively, into each other's legitimate action space.
I took those perspectives into account when organizing both of my books into Parts I (economic water) and II (social or political water) as a means of addressing both sides of the issues. For those of you who have read my book (everyone, no doubt, since it's free to download :), I recommend taking some time with this excellent review, "The Business of Water" [pdf], in which Karen Bakker (no friend of "neoliberals"**) carries out a measured and thorough investigation of this, more interesting, nexus. Bakker may more glass half-empty than half-full, as far as the benefit of business participation in the water sector, but she is far more objective and balanced in her analysis. Read it.
* I wrote a paper -- "When worlds collide: business meets bureaucracy in the water sector" -- on these matters. I need to dust it off and get it published.
** She defines neoliberalism as "the doctrine that the market can, and indeed should, act as a guide and medium for all human action," a definition that probably 95% of economists would disavow, so it's often a strawman.


The Chatham Football Club is dedicated to serving the youth of Chatham in the sport of football. The members of this committee have volunteered to improve our program and enhance your child's football experience. Their many years with the Chatham Youth Football Program are an asset to you, your children. Members include the Head Coach for each grade level, former head and assistant coaches, the head of the Cheerleading program, reps from the Recreation Advisory Committee, the Suburban Football League Rep for Chatham Football, the Recreation & Deputy Rec. Directors and a Flag Football coordinator (TBA).
Committee Members: Bob Kautzmann, Tom Aloia, Dan Moskowitz, Chris Agnew, Amy Kaisand, Francis Cuttita, John Agnew, Steve Coffey, RJ Maloney, Gino Pascarella and High School Coach Jason Izsa.
Safely teach the fundamentals of tackle football in an atmosphere that promotes the concepts of teamwork, dedication, commitment, and fair play. The goal at each level is to have 100% of the boys continue to play at the next level.
Teach the basic football fundamentals of stance, blocking, tackling, running, throwing, and catching. Formations and plays should be simple and limited as the majority of the practice time should be allocated to learning proper technique, not more plays and formations. Mismatches are to be avoided during all contact drills. Playing time on Sunday should be as equal as possible based on practice attendance.
Majority of practice time should still be focused on fundamentals avoiding mismatches during all contact drills. Formations and plays should remain simple and limited as it is much better to run 4 or 5 plays to each side well than 20 plays poorly. Playing time will be fair but not necessarily equal and will based on preparedness (practice attendance, effort, and knowing assignments).
More advanced techniques, formations, and plays are introduced. Imperative to avoid mismatches during contact drills and have "quick whistles" when scrimmaging.
All boys who attend practice will get into Sunday's game. Playing time will be based on preparedness and the ability to safely execute the assignments. As the opponents get bigger and more aggressive, the risk of injury increases and players who cannot safely execute pose an injury risk to themselves and their teammates on the field who are dependent upon them. We can avoid mismatches in practice but not in games.
8th: It is imperative to avoid mismatches (no waivers at this level) and high speed collisions during contact drills and use "quick whistles" during scrimmaging. To keep practice injuries to a minimum and the boys ready for Sunday's game; overall weekly amount of contact should be monitored closely. Since the boys are bigger, faster, and more aggressive, the impact force when blocking and tackling is much greater than it was in 7th grade. Practice drills need to focus more on technique.
All boys who practice will get into Sunday's game and the playing time will be based on the ability to safely execute the assignments. The ability to execute assignments is directly related to the relative size, speed, and aggressiveness of the opponents. In general, game playing time increases for our smaller, less aggressive players when playing smaller, less aggressive teams.
Our Chatham Youth Football teams participate in the Suburban Youth Football League playing against surrounding communities. Travel to away games is required.
Schedules (these are subject to change with the final coming from Chatham Recreation.
Coaches are approved by the football committee with input from the recreation department.
Previous playing and coaching experience are necessary.
Coaches must attend 5 hours of approved coaching clinics per year in order to be eligible to coach.
Coaches must be Rutgers's certified and in good standing with Chatham Recreation.
Coaches will be fingerprint background checked and CPR/Defib trained along.
Anyone not designated a coach (by the Rec. Dept.) will not be permitted on the field during practice or at games. No exceptions!!!
Volunteer coaches are dedicated to our mission statement and the goals and objectives for their grade level.
Each coach has your son(s) best interest and safety in mind.
All participants must register through the Chatham Football Club website, if they are not registered they are not permitted on the field or sideline.
Code of Conduct: As per our registration requirement, parents & coaches are required to adhere to such policy - this policy is part of your registration. Please review it - see the back of this handbook.
Practice starts the week of August 18th.
Commitment by all players and parents is required.
Players who miss these beginning sessions will have to catch up. Depending on how much they have missed will determine their ability to play in the first game(s) regardless if they played before or their skill level.
Tackle football is a unique sport - we want the players to enjoy what they are learning. They then have to execute that knowledge on the field, against other teams, which is why practice is critical. While we don't mean for this to sound harsh, safety is our ultimate concern. The players need to be prepared both for themselves and also for their teammates they are playing with or protecting on the field. See Grade Level Objectives!!!
Football is a TEAM sport - each player is needed to do their share together both at practice and at the games. This is not an individual activity!
First league game is Sunday, September 9th There will be a league scrimmage prior to.
Practice schedule (once school begins) will be: Tues/Thurs at 6pm and Saturday morning.
When the full schedule is developed, some of the days could be subject to change based on a school conflict, a field situation or the weather. Players need to be flexible.
Before first game – as per the league a team can only practice 36 hours.
After first game – as per the league only a maximum 6 hours per week.
League games are normally on Sundays. With larger teams we will do some Saturdays later in day. There are some teams that may have lights and will want to do a game on a Saturday night.
Players must drink water before practice and make sure they bring it to practice. Put their name on the container.
If your son is not at a Saturday practice – please contact the coach to find out last minute info or directions to away games.
Families need to arrange your own transportation and car pools. Coaches will be asked not to take other players to games, home, etc.
Players & coaches are responsible to clean up the field after each practice and game. Parents are asked to please clean up the bleachers/sitting area.
General questions or concerns should be directed to the head coaches. Consult with the head coach ONLY!
If unresolved or of a serious nature refer to policy below.
An individual who has a serious or unresolved complaint or concern regarding a volunteer or aspect of the program must notify the grievance committee. See contact info on website.
All questions or concerns should be directed to only the head coach.
24 Hour Rule: If you have a concern please speak to the head coach directly. Contact the coach 24 hours after incident/concern.
Do not approach any coach on the field during or directly after a practice or game.
A phone call is the best procedure 24 hrs later – cooler heads do prevail.
If of a serious nature, please contact grievance committee (see website for contact info).
Coaches should report prior to their start time. Do not drop a child off if the coach is not present.
If for some reason a coach is late or doesn't show up, another father, brother, etc. cannot step in to run the practice. Only the coaches assigned by the Recreation Dept. will be permitted to take the field and coach a practice.
Don't send players too early.
Park in designated parking spots.
There will be an area by the Lum gate with bleachers where we ask parents/siblings to stay and watch all practices and games held at Lum.
Only players and coaches are to be on the turf field. Spectators should all remain between the fence bordering the turf and the fence/bleacher area bordering the parking lot. Spectators should also not be on the sides or far end of the field.
Pick up on time. Weeknight lights go off at 8pm sharp.
LIGHTS at Lum field – leave them be – don't adjust them, move them, etc.
There will be up to eight league games. There will be league playoffs for Grade 5 and above.
Home league games are normally at Cougar Field.
Other games may be held at Lum.
League schedules are determined by NJSYFL. HOME GAMES on Sunday start at 10:30am. Any potential Saturday games are normally later in the day.
Code of Conduct: The Chatham Recreation Code of Conduct is on Community Pass as well as the Chatham Recreation website and at the back of this book. We also abide by our Suburban Youth Football Rules.
On game days and for practice parents, siblings, etc will not be permitted on the game field or sidelines.
Players Play, Coaches Coach, Parents Cheer & Support!!!
The Chatham Recreation Code of Conduct can be found on the website and is part of the registration process.
2014 - Players can not be a running back or handle the ball if they are over 100 pounds on the 5th grade "D" team, 115 pounds in the 6th grade "C" Team, 130 pounds on the 7th grade "B" Team and 160 pounds on the 8th grade "A" Team.
Weight limits and waivers are determined by league vote. Coaches will place a stripe on a waivers helmet for identification.
If your child is hurt or becomes sick at practice or a game, please have them inform a coach immediately. A parent will be contacted.
If there is any concern about the injury or illness, the emergency squad will be called.
If you will not be home and you have someone else taking responsibility for your child – make sure you let the coach know.
Coaches will not take the player home nor will they allow another parent to take them home. That will be your responsibility if you are called. If it's warranted, the squad will be called.
If your child is hurt at practice or a game – an injury report MUST be completed by the coach within 24hrs of the incident or injury. Severity of injury does not matter. Injury/incident reports are required.
If he has a cast, he will not play until it is removed and a doctor's note determines the player is well enough to resume practice. Dr. notes are to go directly to Chatham Recreation and not the coach. Injured players can not practice.
If your son is injured or not feeling well but it's anticipated that he will return to the team, if he is ok we would like him to attend practice to watch & listen.
If your child is hurt at practice or a game a doctor's note is required for him to return. The note is to be submitted directly to Chatham Recreation PRIOR to a practice or game. Chatham Recreation will then notify the coach of potential return to play. Notes will NOT be accepted at the field or by the coach.
Phone calls to the coach or Recreation for return permission will not be accepted.
If he has a cast, he will not play until it is removed and a doctor's note determines the player is well enough to resume practice. Injured players can not practice.
In order to help protect the student athletes of New Jersey, the NJSIAA has mandated that all athletes, parents/guardians and coaches follow the NJSIAA Concussion Policy.
A concussion is a brain injury and all brain injuries are serious. They are caused by a bump, blow, or jolt to the head, or by a blow to another part of the body with the force transmitted to the head. They can range from mild to severe and can disrupt the way the brain normally works. Even though most concussions are mild, all concussions are potentially serious and may result in complications including prolonged brain damage and death if not recognized and managed properly. In other words, even a "ding" or a bump on the head can be serious. You can't see a concussion and most sports concussions occur without loss of consciousness. Signs and symptoms of concussion may show up right after the injury or can take hours or days to fully appear.
3. Balance problems or dizziness.
4. Double vision or changes in vision.
5. Sensitivity to light or sound/noise.
6. Feeling of sluggishness or fogginess.
7. Difficulty with concentration, short-term memory, and/or confusion.
1. Appears dazed, stunned, or disoriented.
3. Exhibits difficulties with balance or coordination.
4. Answers questions slowly or inaccurately.
6. Demonstrates behavior or personality changes.
7. Is unable to recall events prior to or after the hit.
What can happen if my child/player keeps on playing with a concussion or returns too soon?
is the key for student-athlete's safety.
Any athlete even suspected of suffering a concussion should be removed from the game or practice immediately. No athlete may return to activity after an apparent head injury or concussion, regardless of how mild it seems or how quickly symptoms clear. Close observation of the athlete should continue for several hours.
received written clearance to return to play from that health care provider.
You should also inform you child's Coach, Athletic Trainer (ATC), and/or Athletic Director, if you think that your child/player may have a concussion. And when it doubt, the athlete sits out.
If a player has concussion type symptoms he is to be removed immediately from practice or game. The player is then NOT permitted to return to participate or play for that day. No exceptions!!!!
Coaches must complete an incident report regarding the injury to keep on file. The report is to be submitted to the Recreation Office within 24hrs.
The player MUST then be examined by family physician or neurologist prior to the next practice or game.
A doctor's note is required for him to return. The note is to be submitted directly to Chatham Recreation PRIOR to a practice or game. NO Note = NO Play!!!
*Note should include type of injury, length of time away from field, date of return to participation and how much & type of participation. Limited contact, no contact etc.
Chatham Recreation will then notify the coach of the potential return to play. Notes will NOT be accepted at the field or by the coach.
Chatham Recreation and the Chatham Youth Football program encourages all participants to have a baseline head testing completed. Please refer to our website chathamrecreation.org - go to the sidebar for Training/Certification for the ImPACT Test information and link. This annual test is in the best interest of your child and is free!! Information is also inserted at the end of this handbook.
All players should be tested prior to the first practice.
At Lum Turf and Cougar Field.
Coaches will be CPR/Defib trained.
Players that played last year have the option of ordering a new jersey if theirs does not fit.
If you will be using a shirt from last year - TAKE IT OUT NOW AND MAKE SURE IT FITS.
If you played last year and ordered a new shirt – you will get the number from last year.
Parents are to supply white practice pants, navy game pants (for games), a girdle to hold his pads and a mouthpiece. Coaches will discuss the mouthpiece with the families.
Chatham Football Club will supply your son with a helmet, shoulder pads, a navy belt, hip, thigh, knee pads and tail piece, You MUST buy your own mouthpiece. ALL players are required to wear a protective cup in their girdle for practices & games.
Only equipment issued by Chatham Football Club can be used for practices and games.
HAIRCUTS are suggested prior to helmet fitting.
Your son's are responsible for making sure they have all their items for their practices and games. Get them a bag to keep their things together.
Parents & players are responsible for all equipment. Any item lost, damaged and/or not returned will require a monetary replacement fee to be charged.
On the helmets – Inform your son he is not to put stickers, names, etc. on his helmet and he is not to trade helmets or facemasks with another player.
Only football fitters should be adjusting helmet inflation and fit - proper fit is important along with not rupturing the helmet bladder with incorrect inflation tools.
The only one that will be permitted to change a facemask will be a coach. Players need to understand helmets are fit to their head and another child's may not be safe for them to play.
Put a piece of tape with their name inside the helmet and the shoulder pads.
After equipment is issued, new parents will be required to come to a practice so parents can see how they go on.
Players should practice putting their items on.
Coaches will tell them to tape on the hooks for the shoulder pads so they stay.
Don't unsnap the helmet ear pads or they will be lost.
If the boys aren't equipped with their full uniform, mouthpiece, etc. at practices or games they are not permitted to participate.
Sunday, Aug 17th - Grades 5-8.
Players will be assigned a time slot to come in for equipment.
Requests for earlier times will not be honored.
Players that are away will get their equipment a night when they return after practice.
Communication with the youth football program are done via-email.
Football emails are not to be used for any purposes other than the Chatham Football Club communications.
If the weather turns bad after practice begins, head back to field to see if they will cancel early. Emails will be used and we will also try to get it on website depending on timing.
Rain on the artificial turf does not cause an issue – thunder and lightening does!
Volunteers are critical for field/chain markers at home games, running the clock for home games, field set-up and take-down, publicity, fundraising, water, laminating the player cards, team dinners, etc.
Field chain markers - Handle the chain/yardage markers for your grade level home game.
Clock - Run the clock for your grade level home game.
Field setup/Takedown - First grade level home game sets up side markers and gets chains set for the game. The last grade level game puts away the chains and field markers.
Publicity - Takes game photos to submit to paper with a brief write-up. A limited number of parent photographers are issued a league photo pass.
Fundraising - Assist committee with any ordering and/or distribution of items.
Water - Fill and bring to each game a water jug (supplied) and a rack of filled water bottles for the players.
Laminating cards - Get team rosters with player names and numbers from recreation and have them laminated by grade. These are distributed to families for the games.
Team Dinner Chairman - Organize your grade level end of season dinner at the High School. All grade level chairmen work together on this so all follow the same pattern. Gr 8 takes the lead.
Team dinners are held at the HS.
Awards are given only at the 8th grade.
Trophies/plaques for the B-D teams are only given if a team won division/league championship.
Certificates/pictures are distributed to the younger grade levels.
Key to it all is communication.
Best wishes for a safe & successful football season!!!!


occurred on the 24th and 26th of March and the grapes were thankfully ripe and dry.
Crop level was 2kg per vine.
Intense tropical fruit with a hint of cut grass. Fragrant yet powerful.
At the peak of its youthful vibrance in the first two years but, following the pattern of previous vintages, will develop the steely, mineral character of classically aged Sauvignon over a decade or so. Certainly will age gracefully.


text:
Numbers of school pupils with knives a 'national crisis'
The number of pupils caught in West Midlands schools in 2017/18 hit 100
Figures released by the West Midlands Police – and published by Express & Star – show that over 100 pupils under the age of 18 were caught with a knife or another sharp weapon at school in the area in 2017/18.
Five years prior to that, the number was just 23.
Overall, between 2012 and 2018, 375 children were caught with bladed weapons at school in the West Midlands.
In the wider West Midlands, the vast majority of reports were at schools in Birmingham, with 110 reports in Birmingham East and 107 reports in Birmingham West.
The local police have now introduced knife arches to detect pupils carrying knives.
Liberal Democrat campaigner, Leyla Abbes, said: "These figures must be a wake up call for everyone. Children carrying knifes is a horrific indictment of society.
"Passing more laws won't be enough as we need real action at every level from families to councils and the police.
"We all need to do something to fix this national crisis."
knife crime
'Weak'-rated school vows to make swift changes
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redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaCommonCrawl


text:
Q: Spring Boot ProGuard Embedded Tomcat Obfuscation I'm not sure ProGuard is suited for this.
I've a Spring Boot app that I need to obfuscate. Using proguard-maven-plugin I reached a point where I have my code obfuscated. Anyway I had to repackage some jars because spring loader doesnt support compressed ones, but this is not the problem.
Something is wrong in the way the embedded tomcat start because i get this problem:
[main] ERROR o.s.boot.SpringApplication - Application startup failed
org.springframework.context.ApplicationContextException: Unable to start embedded container; nested exception is org.springfram
ework.context.ApplicationContextException: Unable to start EmbeddedWebApplicationContext due to missing EmbeddedServletContaine
rFactory bean.

proguard-maven-plugin configuration
<?xml version="1.0" encoding="UTF-8"?>
<project xmlns="http://maven.apache.org/POM/4.0.0" xmlns:xsi="http://www.w3.org/2001/XMLSchema-instance"
    xsi:schemaLocation="http://maven.apache.org/POM/4.0.0 http://maven.apache.org/maven-v4_0_0.xsd">
    <modelVersion>4.0.0</modelVersion>

    <parent>
        <groupId>org.foogroup</groupId>
        <artifactId>foo</artifactId>
        <version>0.0.1-SNAPSHOT</version>
    </parent>

    <name>fooname</name>
    <description>foo description</description>
    <groupId>foogid</groupId>
    <artifactId>fooaid</artifactId>
    <version>0.0.1-SNAPSHOT</version>

    <packaging>jar</packaging>

    <properties>
        <!-- Specify Java Compiler Version -->
        <maven.compiler.source>1.8</maven.compiler.source>
        <maven.compiler.target>1.8</maven.compiler.target>
    </properties>

    <dependencies>

        <dependency>
            <groupId>org.apache.pdfbox</groupId>
            <artifactId>pdfbox</artifactId>
            <version>1.8.11</version>
        </dependency>

        <dependency>
            <groupId>com.itextpdf</groupId>
            <artifactId>itextpdf</artifactId>
            <version>5.5.3</version>
        </dependency>

    </dependencies>

    <build>

        <resources>
            <resource>
                <directory>src/main/resources</directory>
                <filtering>true</filtering>
            </resource>
        </resources>

        <plugins>
            <plugin>
                <groupId>org.springframework.boot</groupId>
                <artifactId>spring-boot-maven-plugin</artifactId>
            </plugin>

            <plugin>
                <groupId>com.github.wvengen</groupId>
                <artifactId>proguard-maven-plugin</artifactId>
                <executions>
                    <execution>
                        <phase>package</phase>
                        <goals>
                            <goal>proguard</goal>
                        </goals>
                    </execution>
                </executions>
                <configuration>
                    <obfuscate>true</obfuscate>
                    <injar>${project.build.finalName}.jar</injar>
                    <outjar>${project.build.finalName}-small.jar</outjar>
                    <outputDirectory>${project.build.directory}</outputDirectory>

                    <options>
                        <option>-optimizations !class/marking/final</option>
                        <option>-adaptresourcefilecontents
                            **.properties,META-INF/MANIFEST.MF,META-INF/spring.*</option>
                        <option>-keepattributes
                            Exceptions,InnerClasses,Signature,Deprecated,SourceFile,LineNumberTable,*Annotation*,EnclosingMethod</option>
                        <option>-keepclasseswithmembers public class * { public static
                            void main(java.lang.String[]);}</option>
                        <option>-keepclassmembers class * {
                            @org.springframework.beans.factory.annotation.Autowired *;
                            @org.springframework.beans.factory.annotation.Value *;
                            }
                        </option>
                        <option>-keep public class org.foo.**</option>
                        <option>-keep public class org.springframework.**</option>
                    </options>
                    <libs>
                        <lib>${java.home}/lib/rt.jar</lib>
                    </libs>
                    <injarNotExistsSkip>true</injarNotExistsSkip>
                </configuration>
                <dependencies>
                    <dependency>
                        <groupId>net.sf.proguard</groupId>
                        <artifactId>proguard-base</artifactId>
                        <version>5.2.1</version>
                        <scope>runtime</scope>
                    </dependency>
                </dependencies>
            </plugin>
        </plugins>
    </build>
</project>

I found some tips here but doesnt mention anything about any issue with embedded servlet containers.
I suspect that i'm doing something wrong in the process and I cannot find any reliable working sample/tips on the web about this specific issue.
If you guys have suggestions on how to address this I'm all hears :)

A: I was running into the same issue too.
In fact this issue was not caused by 'embedded servlet container'. I think it is because Proguard obfuscated some classes or interfaces before spring-boot repackage them. But somehow the classes / interfaces information(like name or path) in spring boot-info was not modified accordingly. Hence spring boot cannot initialize the beans and failed to startup the app.
I fixed it by simply add '-keepattributes xxx' into my proguard.conf file.
Since you already have '-keepattributes' in your configuration. I suggest you narrow the scope of protected files by using '-keep class !xxx', it might help you to find out the one who caused the issue.
My progard config:
-target 1.8
-dontshrink
-dontoptimize
-dontnote
-keepattributes Exceptions,InnerClasses,Signature,Deprecated,*Annotation*,EnclosingMethod
-keep class !com.hbyuan27.demo.service.DemoService { *; }
#-keep class !com.hbyuan27.demo.**.service.** { *; }

A: Try with changing the order of plugin, so first give the proguard plugin and then spring-boot-maven-plugin with repckage. For me this would works fine.

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaStackExchange


2. Choose the Web Template you wish to use from your list of Web Templates.
3. Specify the location where you want to publish your new web. This may be a local folder on your hard drive (for example, C:\My Documents\My Webs\newWebName) or you may publish directly to your server.
4. Click OK and FrontPage will create a new web for you using your template.
1. If you do not see a taskbar on the right of your screen in FrontPage, go to File/New/Web.
2. On the taskbar to the right, choose "Web Site Templates" under "New From Template." FrontPage will also list some of your recently used Web Templates if you want to choose one of those instead.
3. Choose the Web Template you wish to use from your list of Web Templates.
4. Specify the location where you want to publish your new web. This may be a local folder on your hard drive (for example, C:\My Documents\My Webs\newWebName) or you may publish directly to your server.
5. Click OK and FrontPage will create a new web for you using your template.
1. If you do not see a taskbar on the right of your screen in FrontPage, go to File/New.
3. Choose the Web Template you wish to use from your list of Web Templates. Our products install into the "My Templates" directory.
Save the download (.zip format) to your computer (note the location so that you can find it!). You will need a utility such as WinZip to extract to a folder. Open the folder.
In FrontPage 2003, go to File > New, then click More Web Site Templates.
Click the "My Templates" tab and look for your web template.
Specify the location for your new web if necessary, and click OK to build the new web.
You may then open pages from the Folder List and begin editing in the "editable regions." We encourage you to review the template's instructions for more information about changing your logo and using the templates.


text:
using System;
using System.Collections.Generic;
using System.Linq;
using System.Text;
using System.Threading.Tasks;

namespace RaraAvis.nCubed.DDD.Core
{
    using System;

    /// <summary>
    /// Contract for 'UnitOfWork pattern'. For more
    /// related info see http://martinfowler.com/eaaCatalog/unitOfWork.html or
    /// http://msdn.microsoft.com/en-us/magazine/dd882510.aspx
    /// In this solution, the Unit Of Work is implemented using the out-of-box
    /// Entity Framework Context (EF 4.1 DbContext) persistence engine. But in order to
    /// comply the PI (Persistence Ignorant) principle in our Domain, we implement this interface/contract.
    /// This interface/contract should be complied by any UoW implementation to be used with this Domain.
    /// </summary>
    public interface IUnitOfWork
        : IDisposable
    {
        /// <summary>
        /// Commit all changes made in a container.
        /// </summary>
        ///<remarks>
        /// If the entity have fixed properties and any optimistic concurrency problem exists,
        /// then an exception is thrown
        ///</remarks>
        void Commit();

        /// <summary>
        /// Commit all changes made in  a container.
        /// </summary>
        ///<remarks>
        /// If the entity have fixed properties and any optimistic concurrency problem exists,
        /// then 'client changes' are refreshed - Client wins
        ///</remarks>
        void CommitAndRefreshChanges();

        /// <summary>
        /// Rollback tracked changes. See references of UnitOfWork pattern
        /// </summary>
        void RollbackChanges();

    }

}

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaGithub


text:
Q: CS50 pset3 plurality program doesn't print_winner function (did not print both winners of election) i just finish to program my plurality cs50 program. it runs smooth but when i run a check it says that it doesn't print the winner's name but it does. here it's the code, can anybody help me?
as i said the function print_winner() works, if i run debug50 I can see that.
with a command-line argument i'm suppose to declare no more then 9 candidate, chosse how many vote i want, vote for the candidate and then the program is suppose to declare the winner(s). the problem is that it does it, but according with bot50 it doesn't.
#include <cs50.h>
#include <stdio.h>
#include <string.h>

// Max number of candidates
#define MAX 9

// Candidates have name and vote count
typedef struct
{
    string name;
    int votes;
}
candidate;

// Array of candidates
candidate candidates[MAX];

// Number of candidates
int candidate_count;

// Function prototypes
bool vote(string name);
void print_winner(void);

int main(int argc, string argv[])
{
    // Check for invalid usage
    if (argc < 2)
    {
        printf("Usage: plurality [candidate ...]\n");
        return 1;
    }

    // Populate array of candidates
    candidate_count = argc - 1;
    if (candidate_count > MAX)
    {
        printf("Maximum number of candidates is %i\n", MAX);
        return 2;
    }
    for (int i = 0; i < candidate_count; i++)
    {
        candidates[i].name = argv[i + 1];
        candidates[i].votes = 0;
    }

    int voter_count = get_int("Number of voters: ");

    // Loop over all voters
    for (int i = 0; i < voter_count; i++)
    {
        string name = get_string("Vote: ");

        // Check for invalid vote
        if (!vote(name))
        {
            printf("Invalid vote.\n");
        }
    }

    // Display winner of election
    print_winner();
}

// Update vote totals given a new vote
bool vote(string name)
{
    for (int i = 0; i < candidate_count; i++)
    {
        if (strcmp(candidates[i].name, name) == 0)
        {
            candidates[i].votes++;
            return true;
        }
    }
    return false;
}
// Print the winner (or winners) of the election
void print_winner(void)
{
    int n = candidate_count;
    typedef struct
    {
        string name;
        int votes;
    }
    bubble;
    bubble bubbles[n];
    for (int i = 0; i < n; i++)
    {
        for (int j = i + 1; j < n; j++)
        {    //doing a bubble sort to move the max vote at the end and doing
               the same with the candidate name

            if (candidates[i].votes > candidates[j].votes)
            {
                bubbles[0].votes = candidates[i].votes;
                candidates[i].votes = candidates[j].votes;
                candidates[j].votes = bubbles[0].votes;
                bubbles[0].name = candidates[i].name;
                candidates[i].name = candidates[j].name;
                candidates[j].name = bubbles[0].name;
            }
        }
    }
    for (int i = 1; i <= n; i++)
    {
        if (candidates[n - i].votes == candidates[n - 1].votes)
        {
            printf("%s ", candidates[n - i].name);
        }
        printf("\n");
    }
}

A: It would be nice to see more of your code, like where candidates and candidate_count are defined/initialized, and for instance, if you're doing #include <string> which indicates you're actually using std::string and not some other version of a string.
If that's the case, your use of std::string is odd.  Typically strcmp() requires a pointer to a C-style array of chars or the type const char*... as does printf()... so you should append .c_str() to your usages of name and candidates[n - i].name.
I.e. strcmp(candidates[i].name.c_str(), name.c_str()) and printf("%s ", candidates[n - i].name.c_str());
Again, though, that's assuming you're actually using std::string.


text:
Lions Bestow Melvin Jones Fellowship on Two Lion Members
Posted on October 8, 2021 by breddick
Lion David Blair, left, receiving his Melvin Jones Fellowship from President Michael Harris.
Lion Gary Warriner, left, receiving his Melvin Jones Fellowship from President Michael Harris.
Lions Gary Warriner and David Blair were recently honoured by receiving the prestigious Melvin Jones Fellowship. This worldwide award, named after Melvin Jones, the founder of Lions, is the highest form of recognition and embodies the humanitarian ideas and purpose of Lionism.
The Melvin Jones Fellowship Award was created in 1973 to recognize individuals who display qualities such as generosity, compassion, and concern for the less fortunate. It is unlike other Lions awards that acknowledge specific accomplishments. The fellowship is open to non-Lions and can be awarded posthumously.
There have been six individuals in the history of the Westport Lions Club who have received the Melvin Jones Fellowship: Lions Wayne Bent, Jim McGlade, Marty Hawkins, Gary Warriner, David Blair, and volunteer Lucille Bresee. It has been told that when Lucille was racing out of her burning house, she grabbed her treasured MJF plaque off the wall.
Both new recipients have had a long history with the club. Lion Gary has been a Westport Lion for 38 years and Lion Dave for 33 years. During that time, both men have been generous with their time in helping others and providing service to our community. Congratulations Gary, and Dave, for this well-deserved honour.
Calendar Winners for October 4 – 9, 2021


Kirna Zabête is happy to partner with well-established and respective sites, blogs, and influencers in the luxury fashion, lifestyle, design, travel and art spaces.
of the Kirna Zabête Affiliate Program.
Please allow 2 weeks for review of your application and next steps.
You may also email us at [email protected] with your information.


Summary: Natural Pest Solutions, a provider of home pest inspections and organic pest control has now opened its first office in the US. All residents of Scottsdale and the Greater Phoenix Area in Arizona can now be rid of any pests quickly and efficiently.
Natural Pest Solutions is a home pest inspections and control service that made a name for itself in Canada and Australia. From now on. The residents of the US also have a chance to benefit from its expertise in removing pests using a variety of organic and natural solutions. Safe, efficient, and long-term, these are the promises that the service gives its clients when contracted to deal with a pest infestation, and it keeps them diligently.
The new Natural Pest Solutions office is located in Scottsdale, AZ (https://mynaturalpestsolutions.com/arizona/pest-control-scottsdale-az/). However, it services the entire Greater Phoenix Area. This also includes Kamloops (https://mynaturalpestsolutions.com/ca/pest-control-kamloops/).
This new branch has joined the already well-established infrastructure of Natural Pest Solutions in Australia and several offices in Canada. Due to using organic and natural pest control methods, the service is particularly popular in Canada. There its main offices service a big part of the vastly-populated areas of British Columbia. They are located in Surrey (https://mynaturalpestsolutions.com/ca/pest-control-surrey-bc/) and Kelowna (https://mynaturalpestsolutions.com/ca/kelowna-pest-control/).
No matter the location, all branches of Natural Pest Solutions provide the same high quality of service. The company ensures quick pest removal, but most importantly, it does not harm the environment.
Natural Pest Solutions is particularly adept in natural scorpion control, which Arizona residents can appreciate greatly. Scorpions are one of the most common pests in the state. The species native to the region, the bark scorpions, are rather dangerous. Therefore, these pests must be removed immediately and thoroughly.
What Does Natural Pest Control in Scottsdale Do Aside From https://mynaturalpestsolutions.com/scorpion-pest-control/?
This includes pre-purchase inspections that are guaranteed to find any pest-related issues with the property.
The company's experts can find any kind of termites and effectively remove the infestation.
This treatment will get rid of baby termites fast.
Beehives are removed fast and with minimal damage.
Rodents will be removed using natural methods that are safe for pets and babies.
As Arizona has poisonous spider species, this service is on par with scorpion control in its importance.
This service will effectively save homeowners lots of headaches and expenses.


As a home seller and buyer, you go with what is successful. That's why we are repeat customers of Geni Manning. We were going to take advantage of the guaranteed buyout program Geni offers, but it turned out that we didn't need it because she sold our house in six days! That's why we chose to use her again to sale our current home. Geni is also a great negotiator! She was able to get us much more than we expected from our builder on the home we're building.


text:
Q: Armadillo : use of sp_mat I have a problem with sparse matrix in Armadillo.
I installed Armadillo library on my computer (I use Ubuntu 12.10 and Codeblock) and I can use matrix, eigen value and others functions of Armadillo, but when I use for exemple:

sp_mat D;

or

sp_mat D(N,N);

to declare D as sparse matrix, I read the followings errors:

diag_periodique.cpp: In function 'int main(int, char**)':
  diag_periodique.cpp:194:5: erreur: 'sp_mat' was not declared in this
  scope diag_periodique.cpp:194:12: erreur: expected ';' before 'D'
  diag_periodique.cpp:195:5: erreur: 'D' was not declared in this scope

I tried to compile using shell (and not Codeblock) with the following command:

g++ Prog.cpp -o Prog -l armadillo

But it didn't work either and I got the same errors.
Do you know what is the problem ?
I need to construct a big Matrix and to obtain its eigen value. Without Sparse matrix, I have a core dump error or somethinh like that.
Thanks


text:
Announcing the 3-Wheeled Trikke
Invented a dozen years ago by Gildo Beleski, the three-wheeled Trikke (prounced trike), a cross between a scooter and a tricycle, was unveiled to the public in 2002 after the Brazilian inventor partnered with John Simpson, a former distributor of the highly popular Razor scooters.
But, while Beleski created the Trikke to give riders the sensation of skating downhill with control, Trikke's backers have faced an uphill battle in turning it into a craze like those inspired by Hula Hoops, Pet Rocks and Razor scooters themselves.
"When things become a phenomenon, they happen very quickly. The Trikke's already been out a few years and I think 'phenomenon' is too strong a word for it," said one sporting goods industry executive.
Simpson said the biggest challenge is in raising awareness about the odd-looking Trikke, of which about 200,000 have been shipped to date by Trikke Tech and sell from $100 to $200.
"When you're launching an innovation into this huge market, it takes a lot of explaining," he said.
Indeed, Simpson said he was embarrassed for Beleski when he first saw him on the preposterous-looking cambering vehicle three years ago, but then changed his mind when he saw how easily it was maneuvered.
Second Generation Online..
Mapping the Next..


text:
From war to whiskey, former Green Berets will open St. Pete distillery
[ ] Hide Caption [ ] Show Caption
Courtesy: American Freedom Distillery
By Laura Moody, FOX 13 News
Posted Sep 20 2018 09:10AM EDT
Updated Sep 24 2018 09:19AM EDT
ST. PETERSBURG (FOX 13) - In the days after 9/11, the first group of special forces were sent to battle the worst enemy the country had ever known. It was a successful mission, but a covert one, so America would never know. They returned to their lives as if nothing happened.
Now they're retired, But these days, the only mission they're working on is 95-proof, and building the American Freedom Distillery, set to open sometime this fall in St. Petersburg.
For former Green Beret Scott Neil, this is the very definition of the American Dream. After a lifetime in special operations, he found a place to retire with his family -- a place to start a business with the brothers he risked his life with.
"Here are we are 17 years later and a lot of us are retiring and we're returning out of MacDill -- home of Central Command," he explained to FOX 13, "and we were like, 'What are we going to do?' We've spent our whole lives together. Our kids grew up together."
He was part of the famous Horse Soldiers, which American has recently learned about their bravery. They were the first wave of Green Berets to go into battle in the weeks after 9/11. Four armies of 12 soldiers who came from the four corners of Afghanistan to defeat an Al Qaeda army of 50-thousand. They were outnumbered, outgunned and on horseback.
It battle so unbelievable they wrote a book about it, there's a documentary up for an Emmy next month and it became a feature film starring a big Hollywood hunk.
Their story caught the eye of Hollywood producer, Jerry Bruckheimer. The movie, "12 Strong", starring Chris Hemsworth, came out earlier this year.
It's flattering, Neil said laughing, but a pretty loose adaptation.
"When you have the big Hollywood stars, it's all about one man. It's about the Captain and Mark is very humble. He lives with his family here in Tampa," said Neil.
Mark Nutsch, the Commander of Horse Soldiers Special Forces, and Bob Pennington, the Deputy Commander, who is portrayed by actor Michael Shannon, both retired and joined Neil, fellow Special Forces comrades Rob Schaefer and John Koko and their friend Elizabeth Pritchard. Soon after, Tyler Garner came on board.
They capitalized on the blockbuster opportunity to launch their brand of Horse Soldier whiskey.
"It became so successful, we sold in a month what we thought would take a year. We sold in the second month what we would be two years," Neil went on, "Just like Green Berets, we're behind the scenes -- unknown. You won't see us anywhere and then we launched our brand the same time the movie came out and we're in over 1,300 locations throughout Florida."
The civilian world was a foreign one, but they took classes in business, learned about money management and started the paperwork. Now they do it all. They make their own barrels. They make the bottles. The mold for the glass is steel from the World Trade Center.
They are distilling and bottling off site right now, but soon they will be making their craft whiskey in the St. Pete location at 5th Avenue South and 22nd Street, n the trendy Warehouse Arts District.
"The history of America is bound in whiskey," said Neil, "From the whiskey rebellion to the old west, whiskey is very pioneering. Just having a glass means victory."
The group traveled the world together learning to make the world's finest whiskey.
"What we wanted to do was show people what we learned in Scotland in their tasting rooms at Glenfiddich and Glenmorangie, what we learned in Ireland," Neil explained.
There will be a restaurant on property, in addition to the distillery, and right in the middle will be two 12-foot log tables that will seat 150 people. A retail shop will sit adjacent.
"We have our own private bar, and that's the only place you will see things from our past. Our brand is about what we're doing today," he said. "Now we make whisky, not war."
By Aaron Mesmer, FOX 13 News
Hillsborough County commissioners moved a step closer Wednesday to ironing-out the details of a transportation tax approved by nearly 60% of voters last fall.
The tax had been in limbo due to lawsuits challenging its legality. A judge, however, ruled the tax is constitutional. Now commissioners are re-establishing the funding allocations stripped away by the judge, essentially returning the charter amendment to its original writing.
"This is doing what the will of the voters said," Commissioner Les Miller said. "The citizens of this county and All for Transportation had the wherewithal and the cojones to put it on the ballot and it passed by 57% of the vote."


My BIGGEST regret the first time I went on a cruise was NOT bringing a waterproof camera. I remember snorkeling and seeing all the beauty that lies under water and was so sad I couldn't capture it! This time, packing a waterproof camera was first on my check list. I was very eager to go snorkeling in Grand Turk with my trusty waterproof camera. I couldn't believe the amazing images that I was able to take during the off shore excursion under the sea. Looking through these images made me so happy and thankful that I was able to fully capture this experience. I know what you're thinking, and yes, the water really IS THIS BLUE!! Beautiful huh?


Highly persuasive legal writer with extensive practice-area expertise in appeals at all state and federal levels, personal injury, products liability, civil rights, environmental and business litigation. Assist top Louisiana attorneys in high-stakes cases by providing appellate consulting, appellate briefs, trial motions and legal research memoranda. Proven success achieving favorable rulings on appeal, increasing damages, winning summary judgments and obtaining remands from Federal Court. 95% success rate for the past 5 years.
Practice includes appellate consulting, preparing appellate briefs, writ applications, trial motions and research memoranda in high-stakes cases for top Louisiana attorneys state-wide.
Invited to speak on "Persuasive Legal Writing" at 2018 Loyola Law School Annual Family Law Seminar in New Orleans, LA.
Authored the winning briefs in in the landmark case Kelly v. State Farm Fire & Cas. Co., 169 So. 3d 328 (La. 2015) in the Fifth Circuit Court of Appeals and on Certified Question to the Louisiana Supreme Court. Kelly, listed in Coverage Opinions as one of the nation's top 10 significant insurance coverage decisions of 2016, held that Louisiana insurers owe to their insureds a good faith duty to initiate settlement negotiations.
Authored the winning briefs and obtained reversal of a judgment against a Louisiana sugarcane farmer in Gardiner Farms, LLC v. Advanced Agriculture, Inc., 2017-423 (La. App. 3 Cir. 12/13/17), 2017 WL 6350579, and was called "Heroine of the Sugarcane Farmers."
Provided appellate consulting and brief-writing services to benefit the disabled plaintiff in Covington v. McNeese State Univ., 2008-505 (La. App. 3 Cir. 11/5/08), 996 So.2d 667, writ denied, 2009-0069 (La. 3/6/09), 3 So.3d 491, a case resulting in correction of an estimated 15,000 ADA violations on a Louisiana university campus.
Assisted top Louisiana attorneys state-wide with high-stakes federal and state appeals and motions, including summary judgments and motions to remand, winning 95% of appeals and motions for the past five years.
Appellate Attorney with the Law Firms of Louisiana Supreme Court Justice Mack A. Barham and Robert E. Arceneaux - BARHAM & ARCENEAUX, BARHAM & CHURCHILL - New Orleans, LA.
Law Clerk for Chief Justice John A. Dixon, Jr., - LOUISIANA SUPREME COURT.
Received Rutgers Award for Best Brief, National Philip C. Jessup International Law Moot Court Competition, Washington, D.C.
Member: American Bar Association; Louisiana State Bar Association; Louisiana Association for Justice; Southwest Louisiana Bar Association; Lafayette Bar Association.
Advisor, 1995 - Present, Heckhaven Wildlife Rehabilitation Center; Member, 1987 - 1989, Advisory Board, Crescent House Shelter for Battered Women; Advisor and Legal Consultant, 1987-1989, Associated Catholic Charities, Project S.A.V.E; Member, 1985 - 1990, Junior League of New Orleans, Inc.
Speaker, Loyola Law School 2018 Annual Family Law Seminar, New Orleans, LA: "Persuasive Legal Writing."
Speaker, 2007 Southwest Louisiana Bar Association CLE Seminar, "Appellate Law and Brief Writing Basics."
Panelist and Speaker, 1994 American Bar Association CLE Seminar, "Developing and Keeping a Successful Appellate Practice."
Moderator, 1988 Associated Catholic Charities Televised Panel Discussion, "Spouse Abuse Victim Awareness."
Lee A. Archer, Insurers Must Initiate Settlement Negotiations - Even With No Demand Within Limits. Guest Author Lee Archer, Claimant's Appeal Counsel In "Top 10's" Kelly v State Farm, Addresses What She Sees As The "Modern View," Coverage Opinions, January 13, 2016, Vol. 5, Iss. 1.
References available upon request. Or click here for client comments.
After numerous requests, Lee now offers sample federal Fifth Circuit and Louisiana appellate briefs, writ applications, practice forms and checklists, which you may print out and use in your practice. Please click the following link to visit the Sample Louisiana Appellate Briefs and Writ Applications page. If you purchase a Brief or Writ Application, Lee will also conduct a pre-filing review of your document for rules compliance at a discounted rate.
Copyright 2006-2018 Lee A. Archer, Attorney at Law. All rights reserved.