home for the holidays 2011 | east edition | hersam acorn newspapers

8/3/2019 Home for the Holidays 2011 | East Edition | Hersam Acorn Newspapers

1/8

Special Section to: The Valley Gazette I The Stratford Star I The Milford Mirror I The Amity Observer I The Trumbull Times I Fairfield Sun I The Huntington Herald I The Monroe Courier I The Easton Courier

HOME

by Robin E. Glowa

Every holiday season I take downa small, slightly battered blackbox from my bookshelf and gen-tly dust it off. Opening it, I pullout a small pile of recipe cards. Ismile as I look at the familiar hand-

writing, the spindly, shaky hand of mygrandmother, and the perfectly formedletters that my mother so care-fully inscribed. These preciouspieces of paper, now slightlyfaded and beginning to frayat the corners, are part of myown personal history anda loving reminder ofgentler, sweeter, moresimple days.

I love the ritual of baking forthe holidays. As I lay out therecipes on my kitchen table, Ireach for paper and pen to make my shopping list.Flour, sugar, fresh baking powder and baking soda.

Must be sure to have plenty of confectioners sugar,butter and both dark- and light-brown sugar. Orangesand lemons, dark chocolate and, of course, severaldozen eggs.

Soon my kitchen will be filled with the fabulous fra-grance of cinnamon and spices, and my heart will befull with the memories of being in my grandmotherskitchen. I was given free (little girl) rein in her kitchento use the vast selection of tin cookie cutters to cut outstars, trees, ornaments and Santa Claus cookies. Ontothe baking sheets they would go, emerging light goldenbrown, and I could scarcely wait for them to cool sothe ultimate fun of decoration could begin.

Our Santa Claus cookies were so beautiful. We wouldspread freshly made white icing, brightened up with a

touch of fresh lemon zest over the beard and cap. Thebeard would then receive a shower of coconut flakesand the cap, sparkly red sugar crystals. A little dab oficing would secure small pieces of raisins for the eyes,and a dab on the nose would get a red cinnamoncandy. This was one of the most delicious combina-tions of sugary, crunchy, melt-in-your-mouth cookieexperiences.

HOLIDAY

BAKING

for the holidays

Visions of gingerbread

DECEMBER 2011 HERSAM ACORN NEWSPAPERS

One of the treasured memories of Christmas is baking holiday cookies, especially when shared with other familymembers. There are all those intriguing cookie cutters and sprinkles for decoration, the wonderful aroma thatfills the kitchen as they bake in the oven, and then, of course, a proper sampling ... to be sure theyre just right!Cookies continued on page 3


2/8

2 HOME for the Holidays Hersam Acorn Newspapers December 8, 2011

Award-winning gouda and cheddar, delicious homemade choco-late and pure Vermont maple syrup are just a few of the tastytreats featured in an array of artisanal gift baskets from Graze, anonline delivery service that brings fresh food from New Englandsfamily-owned farms to local tables. Founded by Westports ChristyColasurdo and Julianna Doherty-Konczal, owner of Barnum HillFarm in Bristol, Vt., gourmet gift baskets are the latest offeringsprovided by the popular food-delivery company.

Families in Fairfield County look forward to their weekly deliveriesof milk bottled right on the farm from cows that graze freelyin open pastures. Artisanal cheese, fresh eggs, grains, homemade

jams, syrups and a full line of prepared foods are sent from localfarms and producers.

Our gift baskets are in keeping with Grazes mission to supportlocal farmers and small businesses, explained Christy. People

really appreciate the handmade quality of these baskets, whichare so much more personal than the mass-produced baskets onthe market. Packed in handmade wooden crates with naturalwood stuffing, our artisanal baskets are just so much more rusticand less commercial than the baskets we are used to seeing.People love them.

As an example, Christy pointed out that the addictive toffee foundin Grazes popular Cheese & Chocolate Gift Basket is handmadein small batches by a local Vermont toffee company. Most of theitems youll find in our gift baskets are unique because they arehandmade in Vermont, she said.

Julianna said that the idea to add gift baskets to Grazes assort-ment of specialty foods came from a good customer, and wordof mouth spread quickly.

Special deliveries from Vermontby Karen Kovacs Dydzuhn

Gourmet gift baskets are filled mostly with items made in Vermont.

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3/8

December 8, 2011 HOME for the Holidays Hersam Acorn Newspapers 3

Once all the sugar cookies were bakedand decorated, we would start in on thegingerbread men. The scent of ginger andcloves was so intoxicating. My grandmoth-er would mix up a dozen different colorsof icing, and there were just as many dif-ferent sugars to embellish with, includingthe very regal

silver and gold shots and little white pearls.

Many joyous hours were spent together,our heads bent to our task. She would setout a glass of milk for me and a cup oftea for herself when it was time to sampleour efforts, and we would happily crunchaway.

My mother would prepare many tins ofcookies and confections to present tofriends for holiday gifts. Haystacks were amarvelously simple treat made from pret-zel sticks, red-skinned peanuts and whitechocolate. Once she had slowly melted thechocolate and stirred in the pretzels andpeanuts, I would scoop up spoonfuls anddrop them on to wax paper to harden asthey cooled. The sublime mingling of sugar

and salt makes Haystacks one of my favor-ite holiday indulgences to this day.

Mrs. Beaulys Snowballs were always onthe must-make list. I have no recollectionsof who Mrs. Beauly was, but these tenderlittle balls of buttery richness dusted inconfectioners sugar were superb. As Igrew older and discovered recipes on myown, I came to realize that Mrs. Beaulywas making her own version of the widelypopular Mexican tea cake, also known as aRussian tea cake in some circles.

The true gift of Christmas is love, found intreasured memories and in the sweetnessof sharing time together.

Holiday Haystacks12 oz. white or dark chocolate, chopped

1-1/2 cups salted Spanish peanuts with skins

1-1/2 cups thin pretzel sticks, broken into half-

inch pieces

Melt chocolate in a double boiler, stirringuntil smooth. Stir in nuts and pretzels.Drop by tablespoonfuls onto a waxed-paper-lined cookie sheet. Refrigerate untilsolid. Will keep in refrigerator for severalweeks.

Mrs. Beaulys Snowballs2 cups flour

2/3 teaspoon salt

1/2 cup soft butter

1/2 cup shortening

2 tablespoons sugar

2 teaspoons vanilla

1 cup chopped pecans

Mix ingredients together untildough holds together. Roll doughinto small balls. Bake at 325 for

about 20 minutes, until just turn-ing golden.

Do not overbake! Remove fromoven and when slightly cool, roll

in confectioners sugar.

Along with a Cheese & Chocolate GiftBasket ($59), the selection of bountifulbaskets created by Graze includes The BigKahuna ($149). Designed for the ultimatefoodies on your gift list, the Big Kahunafeatures one-year aged cheddar, VermontSmoke & Cure pepperoni, Taylor Farmaward-winning gouda, Vermont Harvesthabanero jelly (to put on the cheese),Mapled Nut Co. mixed nuts coated with100-percent organic maple sugar, andmuch more.

Additionally, there are several smaller bas-kets from Graze, tailor-made for corporateclients. Last year, a pleased recipient sentGraze baskets to her entire corporatemailing list, said Julianna. His clientsloved them so much that they called usand placed orders for their corporategifts! she said. Many of our last yearscustomers have already placed orders fortheir entire client lists this year.

There are also plenty of smaller themedbaskets, such as the Tea & CookieAssortment and Maple Love, which are

just right for babysitters, bus drivers andschoolteachers.

Gift baskets may be ordered online andsent anywhere in the United States.Special orders may be made in advance,too. We want to make sure that yourbasket gets delivered to a corporate officewhen the right person is there to receiveit, Christy said. We work hard to get thetiming exactly right.

She also noted that all gift baskets couldbe customized according to the recipientspersonal tastes. For example, if someonewould prefer to add more cheese thanchocolate to a themed basket, this specialorder could be easily accommodated.Grazes customer-service team easily pro-cesses multiple orders with diverse spe-cial instructions.

In addition to gourmet gift baskets,Grazes main business is making week-ly deliveries of farm-fresh eggs, cheese,milk, baked goods, pasture-raised meatsand other foods made by local Vermontfarmers to customers throughout FairfieldCounty every Monday (delivery is free).

For more information about weekly deliver-

ies and gift baskets, go to grazedelivered.

com. To request a gift catalog, which high-

lights all of this seasons offerings, send an

e-mail to [email protected] or call

888-934-7293.

Cookiesfrom page 1


4/8


John has lived an unconventional life. He is a

client at Westports Gillespie Center, a tempo-rary homeless shelter sponsored by Homeswith Hope, an organization that addresses theneeds of the chronically homeless in FairfieldCounty. Before he became homeless, John(not his real name) lived off the land in acamper in a wooded area. At the age of 25,he worked intermittently at odd jobs to buyfood and other necessities. John said that heloved not having to pay bills for rent, utilitiesand insurance. He ate what he caught whilefishing in Long Island Sound, and used acooler to keep his groceries chilled.

Deciding that he wanted to see more ofthe country, though, John saved up enoughmoney to buy a little Honda motorcycle,

and for three years traveled around. John

said that he worked on sugar plantations and

sheep ranches, trading a bed and some foodfor his labor. He eventually returned to theEast Coast and began living with his motherand working a full-time job as a securityguard. This lasted for 10 years.

However, because John enjoyed imbibingvodka, a bit too much, he said, his motherkicked him out of her Massachusetts apart-ment, which they shared. This led to a stay ata local homeless shelter.

Eventually, John made his way back toFairfield County. He spent four months atthe Norwalk shelter and then moved to theGillespie Center, which he prefers because ofits size and its clients.

Ive found some people here who are like

me; theyre well mannered, they ask forwhat they want and they know how to saythanks, John said.

The Gillespie Center can accommodate 19men and women, said program directorMaryellen Estrada. There are strict guidelinesfor clients to follow, which include maintain-ing a drug-free lifestyle. They are also respon-sible for daily chores. The average length ofstay is 55 days, but it depends upon what thebarriers are to ending the clients homeless-ness, Ms. Estrada said.

Ending an individuals homelessness is, infact, the ultimate goal. Through one- on-oneand group work, she and her staff try to figure

out what led the person to become homeless.

by Karen Kovacs Dydzuhn

HOMES WITH HOPE

Finding a home and self-respect

The Gillespie Center, sponsored by Homes withHope, is a haven for those who are homeless.

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Thanks to an ingenious invention a teeny-weeny plastic hook a beautifully decoratedfireplace mantel is sure to spark conversationamong holiday guests. Lauded by many design-ers, said hook, made by 3M, comes in a variety ofsizes and is available in most office and generalmerchandise stores.

Kathleen Mathiesen, a professional holiday deco-rator, says that in the past, she couldnt affix any-thing on a mantel. With the hooks, however, shecan now deck the halls and mantels no matterthe surface, including lacquer, high-polished woodand marble. When the holidays are over, the hookspeel off effortlessly, damage free.

Not everyone has a substance-abuse prob-lem or mental illness. In addressing someof the causes of his homelessness, theclient has a better chance of making it onhis own and living in his own permanentdwelling.

The Gillespie Center is one of severalsupportive-housing programs operated byHomes with Hope (HwH). Formerly knownas the Interfaith Housing Association,Homes with Hope has evolved from its

founding, in 1984, as just an emergencyshelter and community kitchen. Today itsmission is to provide supportive servicesand permanent shelter to enable the home-less population it serves to achieve an inde-pendent and self-sufficient life. We cur-rently provide beds to about 80 individualsper night, said Jeff Wieser, president andchief executive officer at HwH. We havehad great success in providing permanenthousing to previously homeless individu-als. This has allowed them the security andstability to rebuild their lives and becomeas active in their communities as possible.It is a great day when we can move oneof our shelter residents into a supportiveapartment. With the stability of a full-timehome, they can start to plan a life free of

the uncertainty of homelessness.

When I recently visited the Gillespie Center,I was impressed by the mutual respect andcare exhibited between the clients andstaff. John seemed to genuinely appreciatethe services including the shelter, mealsand friendships offered to him. I think thiskind of compassion is a critical piece toalleviating homelessness. Giving people thegift of self-esteem and self-worth enablesthem to acquire the confidence needed

to get a job that will support all of theirneeds.

Homes with Hope is fortunate to have hun-dreds of volunteers who support its work.The organization also receives donations offood, time, clothing, and so on. However,what is most needed is financial assistance.We really, really appreciate everything thatpeople give us, but we also need cash tokeep everything running, especially duringthese economic times, Ms. Estrada said.

For more information about Homes with

Hope, go to hwhct.org. Donations may be

sent to Homes with Hope, 49 Richmondville

Ave., Suite 112, Westport, CT 06880-2053.

by Anastacia Lytwyn

Mantels aglowin holiday cheer

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In the 1970s, when the American ShakespeareTheatre in Stratford was producing a full sea-son of plays, big-name stars would cometo perform. It was not unusual to find fansasking for an actors autograph after a show.Angela Corso Galli of Huntington, however,did something that most people would neverthink of doing. She collected the autographsof world-famous actors on pre-cut pieces ofcloth. Years later, when she had accumulatedquite a few of these signature swatches, sheused them to create a memorable, and nowhistoric, quilt it is a treasure to behold.

Even as a kid I used to collect autographedphotos of the stars, said Angela. Id sendaway for them and keep them in a scrapbook. As an adult, I worked in the office atthe Shakespeare Theatre, and my daughterworked in the concession stand right in thetheater. She got to meet all the performers,Angela said. I thought about the autographopportunities, but I also wondered what Iwould do with a lot of pieces of paper; thatswhen I thought about the fabric.

Then, whenever there was a show, shewould have her daughter get the autographsof three stars from the production, each onwhite cloths that were shaped like bricks together they measured 20 inches by 20inches. Now they are featured on a stunning60-inch-by-60-inch quilted wall-hanging.

I started this quilt 27 years ago, she said,but since time has a way of slipping by,when she finally got around to finishing it,she decided she wanted to put the showsin chronological order, which meant visitingthe Stratford Library and tracking down thedates of all the shows. It became really diffi-cult after 1977, because thats when the the-ater started doing musicals, which were notrecorded as were the Shakespearean plays,she said. Some of the musicals includedare Godspell, Fiddler on the Roof andLil Abner. She also had autographs from

Jane Powell and Howard Keel from SouthPacific, an Ed Ames autograph and many

others. Searching through microfilm of localnewspapers, she finally got the information

she needed.

From time to time, Angela put theShakespeare quilt aside because she wasbusy making other unusual quilts. One wasa family crossword puzzle that she gave toher daughter, Nancy Pittala. It features thenames of two entire families grandpar-ents, aunts, uncles and cousins. Done inshades of pink and wine, which border thewhite-and-black crossword squares, the quiltnot only captures a familys legacy but alsois a stunning work of art. Unique in conceptand design, it was featured in Ladys Circlemagazine. One of her other quilts won an

award from Good Housekeeping magazine.For her niece, Christine Seger, she created a

quilt with a fan pattern, using various printsin shades of blue it is quite extraordinary.

I first learned to quilt at a program at SheltonLibrary and then attended church quiltinggroups. The first thing I made was a quiltedpillow, Angela recalled. She advanced quick-ly, and soon her work gained recognition.Still, she had those signature pieces, whichshe had hand-quilted before tucking themaway. She knew she had to finish that proj-ect. She began by quilting the ShakespeareTheatre at the top of her quilt. Against adark green background filled with stars, shequilted gold-colored bricks, and in between,

under the titles of every show, she put thesignature pieces. Under Lil Abner, oneactor, Dirk Benedict, signed his name with acute message: Happiness is a warm quilt.Little did he know how true this statementwould be.

While Angelas quilts have always drawnattention, she is also quite skilled at crochet-ing and knitting. Years ago, she and her sis-ter-in-law, Josephine Corso, were very popu-lar at craft fairs. We would go and set up abooth, but it was a lot of work, said Angela,and Ive slowed down now, so we dont do

that anymore.

When the Shakespeare Theatre in Stratfordwas alive and filled with professional the-ater people, it not only drew audiences butprovided jobs. Creative people are drawnto creative sites. The arts are like magnetsfor artists and craftsmen in all fields. Weneed that theater back up and running. Weneed to have prominent artists filling thattheater, and, when that day comes, perhapsAngelas quilt will be proudly on display. Onewonders, however, whether other autographseekers will arrive with precisely-sized piecesof material.

The art of quiltingRECORDS A HISTORY OF THE THEATRICAL ARTS IN STRATFORD

by Joanne Rochman

Left, a crossword quilt is not only a novelty butalso a record of all the relatives in two families.Above, This quilt features a history of the many

shows at Stratfords American ShakespeareTheatre.


7/8


What is the number one popular thingto decorate in the home for Christmas?You got it, the tree. The fireplace mantel,according to Kathleen, along with the ban-ister, hits the number-two slot. Enthusedyet? Good! Homeowners may want torethink their decorating plans to createa memorable ambiance for gathering toshare the joy of Christmas.

Traditional? You know, Santa and all thatstocking stuff. Contemporary? How abouta square wreath of greens over the man-tel, which can complement a minimalistdesign? Funky? Kathleen, who has spentabout the past 15 Christmas seasons deco-rating houses in Connecticut, resides year-round in the Fort Lauderdale area, and shecan tell you about decorating a mantel withseashells!

The former Connecticut resident arrives inthe state the day after Thanksgiving. Sheworks for some three weeks in conjunctionwith the Christmas shop that she had origi-nally started at Dariens Seasons Too, astore specializing in patio furniture and gift-

ware. They say it wouldnt be Christmaswithout me coming to Connecticut, so Ihave to come.

One memorable season, her fellow decora-tor, Debbie Sneider, who works at the storeyear-round, created a mantel where therewasnt one talk about novel! The mantelappeared, because, yes, those little hooksattached the garland to the bare wall.

Most people just want the garland, andthats really the best way to decorate,Kathleen says, adding that its the tradition-al way to decorate a mantel. At SeasonsToo, budget-conscious patrons can special-

order a garland, which takes about two

days to assemble, instead of hiring a homedecorator.

Both decorators agree that using artificialmaterials like greens and flowers is the wayto go. It looks gorgeous, and its going tostay there until you take it down, Debbiesays. If you take care of it, it lasts years andyears and years. Whether running straightacross or scooped at the sides and in themiddle, colors vary, Debbie says. Familyrooms lean toward the traditional red-and-green look. Living rooms tend to be whiteand gold, with the second choice beingsilver. Kitchens, on the other hand, havea more natural pinecone-type of design,highlighted with reds. Hunter green is

still very popular, but bright citrusy greenhas also been growing in popularity in thelast couple of years, Debbie says, adding,bronze is becoming popular, too.

Garlands, flowers, bows, stockings,Christmas-tree ornaments, miniatureChristmas villages, candles, angels or amanger are all effective... the choice is asvaried as a mantels dimensions and anindividuals taste.

Lighting the manger scene depends on theavailability of electricity. It looks great ifyou can, but you dont want the wires run-ning all through ... it really depends on the

setup of the room, Debbie says.

If the fireplace is not used, do-it-your-self decorators can fill the empty spacewith poinsettias or candles. A very prettyeffect, Kathleen says is a candle center-piece of multiple heights.

People are enjoying home decoratingbecause theyre not traveling as much,Debbie says. Instead theyre staying home,perhaps doing more entertaining.

With that in mind, for this Christmas sea-son, home is, definitely, where the hearthis.

Jackie Perry,editorBryan Haeffele, designer

Thomas B. Nash, publisher

For advertising information

call 203-926-2080

Special Section to:

The Valley Gazette The Stratford Star The Milford Mirror

The Amity Observer The Trumbull Times Fairfield Sun

The Huntington Herald The Monroe Courier

The Easton Courier 1000 Bridgeport Avenue, Shelton CT 06484203-926-2080

Copyright 2011, Hersam Acorn Newspapers, LLC

HOMEDECEMBER 2011 VOL V, ISSUE 12

Mantelfrom page 5

DETAILS

Decorating by Kathleen (Mathiesen):

954-240-1370, decoratingbykathleen.com/about.

Debbie Schneider, Seasons Too, Darien:

203-655-8444, seasonstoo.com/contactus.

Often a fireplace is the focal point of a room, and one that is beautifully decorated makes it evenmore so. Perhaps its a garland and stockings, hung by the chimney with care, or a manger scenewith candles. Whatever your choice, it enhances the festive spirit.

Something of Bevs


8/8


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