Felicia Ciaramitaro Mohan, known to her many followers as Sista Felicia, has written her first cookbook commemorates her family’s Sicilian traditions, lost recipes, and authentic dishes. Gifts of Gold: In a Sicilian Kitchen with Sista Felicia, begins with the end of summer and the harvesting of fruits and vegetables and celebrates all things autumn. On Thursday, November 21, Felicia will be the guest speaker at the Pigeon Cove Circle, providing an overview of how her cookbook was compiles from beginning to end.
Felica’s cookbook contains delicious foods, easy-to-follow step-by -step directions, how-to photos, and beautiful photography, Sista Felicia’s cookbook has also been carefully crafted to highlight beautiful Cape Ann. Thirteen recipes are accompanied by QR codes, which directly link the reader to Sista Felicia’s online how-to videos on her website, www.sistafeliciaskitchen.com[sistafeliciaskitchen.com].
The evening will begin at 6 p.m. with a potluck buffet dinner and speaker at 6:45 p.m. Those attending the potluck dinner are welcome to bring an item for the buffet. There is no fee or pre-registration required. All are welcome attend enjoyable evening.
The Pigeon Cove Circle is located at Six Breakwater Avenue in Rockport. The Pigeon Cove Circle is made up of men and women throughout Cape Ann, a civic group who provide fund-raiser for community needs such a scholarships, and other needs on Cape Ann. Those who would like further information about the availability of the Pigeon Cove function hall are welcome to call Michelle at 978-546-1195.
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A reader emailed inquiring as to where do the Niles Pond swans go during the winter months. The Niles Pond swans are Mute Swans (Cygnus olor) and they are neither mute nor migratory. Mute Swans do not fly south in the true sense of a great migratory distance traveled, but do move around between bodies of water, and may move to a slightly warmer region.
Mute Swans swans grunt, snort, and hiss and their wingbeats make a beautiful throbbing sound when flying. See previous GMG posts about the Niles Pond Mute Swans ~
Please join the Cape Ann Chamber of Commerce Tourism Council as they present Coffee & Connections with special guest, Betsy Wall, Director of the Massachusetts Office of Travel and Tourism (MOTT) on Wednesday, October 30 from 9:00 to 10:30 am, at Rockport Inn & Suites.
Betsy Wall is the Executive Director of the Massachusetts Marketing Partnership and the Massachusetts Office of Travel and Tourism where she is responsible for Massachusetts’ domestic and international marketing programs, the Massachusetts Film and Sports Marketing Offices, and business development marketing. She serves as a member of the U.S. Department of Commerce’s Travel Advisory Board, as a Chairman’s Circle board member of the U.S. Travel Association and as Chair of Discover New England, the international marketing consortium of the New England states.
This complimentary reception features coffee and pastries and a special presentation from Director Wall about the state’s tourism marketing program.
Advanced registration is required for this complimentary reception as space is limited.
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The view outside my window. What did I ever do to deserve this – and to have such great neighbors, friends and amazing community to live in! I am truly blessed, as are we all who live here.
E.J. Lefavour
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Sorellanza, a 14-woman a cappella chorus based in Gloucester, announces its Fall 2013 performance schedule.
Saturday, November 16th at 7:00 p.m. Church of the Holy Name
60 Monument Avenue, Swampscott
Friday, November 22nd, 7:00 p.m. AscensionMemorialChurch
31 County Street, Ipswich
Sunday, November 24th, 4:00 p.m. St. John’s Episcopal Church
48 Middle Street, Gloucester
Sorellanza has been entertaining audiences for 8 years, with an eclectic and upbeat repertoire. Their program ranges from Renaissance to Broadway, sacred songs, rounds, Beatles and jazz. Rockport resident Patti Pike co-founded and directs the chorus. As part of their community outreach program, Sorellanza has invited talented high school seniors to audition for and join the chorus for a year. Audiences will enjoy the youthful additions to the Sorellanza sound.
For more information Contact Karen Koerth
978-546-9570 kfamtl@verizon.net www.sorellanza.com
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The monstrous New England sea serpent, also known as the Gloucester sea serpent, was allegedly seen in Gloucester Harbor in 1817. Kids painted a 20-foot long wooden sea serpent during our Marine Halloween party!
The ornate ghost pipefish is related to seahorses. These tropical fish use their long snouts to feed on tiny crustaceans, such as shrimp.
Pumpkinseeds are a type of freshwater sunfish found throughout North America. These fish are named for the seed-shaped spot on their gill covers.
Gecarcinus quadratus is commonly known as the Halloween crab. Found from Mexico to Peru, these nocturnal crabs live on land but must return to the ocean to breed.
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Each fall growing up my grandparents took a road trip north, which always included a purchase of seven giant pumpkins, one for each grandchild. It became a fall tradition to gather around the kitchen table as a family to make this recipe from the pumpkins they purchased. That tradition of family time together in the kitchen, carving the pumpkins, scraping out the cold flesh and separating the slippery seeds are memories of my childhood that I will forever cherish. Today this tradition continues, my mother Pat, has taken over my grandparents love of annually buying giant pumpkins for my children and my adorable nieces. With always keeping my grandparents spirit a part of todays traditions especially in the kitchen, I always remember to roast our pumpkin seeds on a cookie sheet that once belonged to them. The crunchy seeds taste specially seasoned with their love when roasted on that cookie sheet! You can read more about my grandparents annual journey north in my newly released cookbook “Gifts Of Gold In A Sicilian Kitchen With Sista Felicia”. Click the link below to order your copy for the holidays now.
2 To remove seeds while carving a Jack-O-Lantern cut 1-2 inches around stem, remove and reserve section of stem; if not carving simply cut pumpkin in half; using a large spoon, scrape, remove, and separate pumpkin seeds from pulp, reserve seeds in a colander, dispose flesh
3 Rinse seeds under cold water; transfer to kitchen towel; pat dry, and evenly distribute seeds onto a cookie sheet
4 Season seeds with 2-3 tablespoon kosher salt
5 Roast seeds 10 minutes on middle rack of oven for 10 minutes, toss seeds and roast 5 -10 additional minutes or until slightly golden in color
*A perfect fall snack, especially when served warm from the oven… they never last long in our house!
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I had a visit recently from two folks of Jamestown, RI. I have some familiarity with Jamestown, and we talked a bit. I sent them off with a sticka’ and an assignment to represent in front of their favorite pub flying the Red Sox banner. They came thru: “Pat O’Leary & Ed Godfrey had a great time in Gloucester (Ed likes the historic photos) & enjoyed the Paul Brady concert at Shalin Liu center Rockport. Will return again but not in summer, do not like the circus. We find fall and winter to be the best, just like here on the island in Jamestown.” Jamestown is a small island in between the mainland and Newport. It hosts a bridge on each side. http://www.narragansettcafe.com/
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Hello! My name is Big Kitty, I am part Norwegian Forest. I am a happy and mellow guy. I like napping and playing with toys. I am not so sure about the other cats yet, but my friends here at the Cape Ann Animal Aid said that I am learning to make new friends and those little things; I think they are called kittens. I love attention and can’t wait to be adopted so I can curl up in a lap. When the veterinarian did my check-up, they found I have a heart murmur. My doctor didn’t recommend any treatment right now, but I may need more vet care and monitoring in the future.
If you think we would be a good match, why don’t you stop down to the Cape Ann Animal Aid, located at the Christopher Cutler Rich Animal Shelter in Gloucester and we talk about how I can fit into your life and make you happier. Also, I love the Red Sox and will you please wear some Red Sox gear when you come to adopt me so I may recognize you right away!
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I’m not sure people around here outside of the restaurateurs and shop owners realize the impact that these guys have had on local business.
These hard working fishermen and real life men of character have captured the hearts of America from their legions of fans who watch Wicked Tuna.
I can’t begin to tell you how many people I run into from all over the country that come in and ask where they can see The Hard Merchandise or Tuna.com. They love the show and they come to Gloucester to stay for vacation, eat at our restaurants and shop in our shops. But it doesn’t end there. They stay at our hotels, they book charters and when their charters are filled up they pass off those charters on to other local charter boat Captains.
I hear it over and over and over again and these people are coming from all over the country.
So when you see these guys around town, give ‘em a pat on the back and say thanks for representing our City and making us proud.
I sat with Peter Webber of the Cape Ann Chamber of Commerce and a great group from Newburyport. The Massachusetts Director of Travel and Tourism (MOTT) is Betsy Wall and she’s impressive! She has pushed for investment in this sector, measurable returns, and building success through strong partner engagement. I thought about the Essex National Heritage Trail and MA Smart Growth Alliance. I thought about the great work from Anita Walker and the Massachusetts Cultural Council and the new state Cultural Districts. This led me to wondering how many women were in charge of Departments with Gov. Patrick and how much were their budgets and all sectors? I confess that I would have started to look that up right then and there (wifi was good!), but everything was so interesting I had to listen.
Several dignitaries were introduced.
Massachusetts State Representative Kathleen O’Connor Ives is the co-chair of the Joint Committee on Tourism, Arts and Cultural Development (seems very approachable) along with Representative Cory Atkins (Concord). Ives lives in Newburyport so our table was excited when she spoke! There was big applause from Plymouth and Cape Cod attendees for Therese Murray (Plymouth/Barnstable), the Massachusetts Senate President. Well, she likely supported Plymouth’s 400th Centennial exhibition that will travel across the US and overseas!
The room– and the international table– just beamed for Governor Deval Patrick who was our keynote speaker. Travel and tourism is right up there with other market pillars that have helped the MA economy recover (such as higher education and healthcare). He gave a shout out to…The Berkshires! He presented MOTT awards to several successes in the TT arena including City of Salem, the Freedom Trail, SturbridgeVillage, The Sterling and Francine Clark Institute, and Boston Gay Pride. The international representatives at the table next to us covered Canada, UK, Germany, France, Italy, Ireland and Japan. The three big emerging countries? China, Brazil and India.
Betsy Wall lined up the speakers to cover the big picture on down, and how they’re working and partnering together. The first Guest Speaker was great, President of Brand USA (Discover America), Christopher L. Thompson.
He shared this Roseanne Cash “Land of Dreams” song/video commercial that was done “before he came on board”. I’m not sure if that meant he was cool for it or not! I admit that I was trying to spot Gloucester’s flag and other towns within the great room, and did not concentrate just then on specific shots of MA in this video, but I did see iconic art and bridges. You can see it here http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hrUs_FWqj9s
Incidentally tracking film and tv production within MA falls in MOTT’s domain and Gloucester is one of 70 towns or cities that have been used as location over the past two years. In 2013 alone there have been 16 major productions in MA and estimated spending for the year is north of $215,000,000.
Thompson (and others) described this industry as the nation’s #1 service export and that1 in every 8 jobs reflects this sector of the economy. Massachusetts is big time involved. Massachusetts is a destination for its “must see” sights, and so many of our Nation’s “firsts” are here. Massachusetts is also leading or in the top 5 for work in healthcare, energy efficiency and alternate energy, life sciences and biology. People are visiting their kids at our universities, moving through for military travel, etc. Boston Conventions is the leading INTERNATIONAL headquarters for business, scientific and medical segments of the economy. Although travel is up, it has not reached the levels pre 2001. Brand USA was implemented to raise these numbers. This industry is so ready with measurements and metrics they could easily offer exact data about how much business was lost and the economic impact from the government shut down.
Another speaker, Tom Glynn, CEO for the Massachusetts Port Authority, gave a terrific update. Massport is helping people move through quickly and safely and they have a global outlook. They’ve streamlined the clog (vehicular and exhaust!) at pick up and drop off for Logan by switching to one integrated bus system for all rental car companies (28 vs. 100+). They’ve rearranged curbs and added better wayfinding. They’ve introduced the new TSA program “global entry”. There are big gains in travel infrastructure and many more non stop flights available.
The last speaker up was Patricia Rojas-Ungar, Vice President of Relations for the United States Travel Association (USTA). She spoke about our country being the number one place foreigners say they want to travel to– but then don’t, because of how long it takes to acquire a visa and the travel hassles. She’d say that increased international travel means more American jobs. They’re working on making that travel easier. This means in places such as Brazil and China, two willing markets, people may be able to access digital media for interviews for visas rather than having to take a trip to another location possibly hours away just to apply… to take a trip to the US. It also means spreading the news about the Jolt Act (HR 1354) which supports expanding the Visa Waiver Program to Argentina, Brazil, Bulgaria, Chile, Croatia, Israel, Poland, Romania and Uruguay because it could add billions to our economy and create more jobs. Text from your phone today 877-877, “travel”, and send to sign up for the Power of Travel coalition if you want to help there.
What does MOTT mean for folks, organizations and businesses in Gloucester? You can sign up to meet Director Betsy Wall in person. Peter Webber has arranged for Ms. Wall to visit Cape Ann next week. The Cape Ann Chamber of Commerce is hosting this very special reception on Wednesday, October 30th, from 9AM-10:30AM at the Rockport Inn & Suites. You can RSVP here http://web.capeannchamber.com/events/eventdetail.aspx?EventID=1136
Visit and re-visit MOTT’s website www.massvacation.com. It’s full on engagement, ever updating and rich content. Take some time to submit your business/org listing to the website (no guaranty but worth a try); use great (seasonal) photos, and write ups. See what is already listed. Look at the tabs for LBGT and MA Green and other categories. Add into their social media platforms (send in your photos, posts, comments) and partake in the robust real time marketing they’re making available. It’s going to be a great resource when you want to visit other towns, too.
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Each fall growing up my grandparents took a road trip north, which always included a purchase of seven giant pumpkins, one for each grandchild. It became a fall tradition to gather around the kitchen table as a family to make this recipe from the pumpkins they purchased. That tradition of family time together in the kitchen, carving the pumpkins, scraping out the cold flesh and separating the slippery seeds are memories of my childhood that I will forever cherish. Today this tradition continues, my mother Pat, has taken over my grandparents love of annually buying giant pumpkins for my children and my adorable nieces. With always keeping my grandparents spirit a part of todays traditions especially in the kitchen, I always remember to roast our pumpkin seeds on a cookie sheet that once belonged to them. The crunchy seeds taste specially seasoned with their love when roasted on that cookie sheet! You can read more about my grandparents annual journey north in my newly released cookbook “Gifts Of Gold In A Sicilian Kitchen With Sista Felicia”. Click the link below to order your copy for the holidays now.
Good Morning Gloucester 