Maple Syrup time at Bothways Farm in Essex!

Hi Joey,

          I thought the GMG readers might enjoy seeing a couple pictures of our Maple Syrup production at Bothways Farm in Essex,We have 10 Maple Trees tapped with 20 metal buckets that we collect the sap from.So far we have collected about 90 gallons of sap.It taking us 70 gallons of sap to make a gallon of syrup.We boil it down in the wood fired evaporator for hours until the sap starts to turn brown from its original clear color.Once it just starts to stick to a ladel we transfer about a half gallon to a smaller pot.We then burn the rest off until the sap starts to foam,that means its real close.We then test the sap in a metal tube with a Hydrometer which tests the density of the sap.Once it hits a red line of the Hydrometer that means its now got a high enough sugar content and has changed into the syrup you put on your pancakes.Lets just say its about 10 hours of watching sap boil to 10 minutes of pure terror getting to density just right,because if you don`t and it gets too thick you get sap rock candy.The cold weather has been delaying our collecting of the syrup just like everyone else in New England.

Thanks

Dean Burgess

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ST. PARTY!!! RHUMB LINE!

Brian n Craig ask ” Why are u not here?”

This dude is reppin!

The Band is killing it!!!

Next stop? Stones????

New Film: Making the Special Saint Joseph Altar Bread

Artists-in-the-Kitchen Maria Cracchiolo, and her parents Domenic and Nina Damico, demonstrate how to create beautiful bread in shapes symbolic of Saint Joseph and inspired by nature. Watch as Maria, Nina, and Domenic artfully shape angels, a carpenter’s saw, San Giuseppe scroll, Saint Joseph sun, snails, flowers, butterflies, grapes, and more.

Many thanks to Sefatia Romeo Thekan for the suggestion to contact Maria and family to interview for Gloucester’ Feast of  Saint Joseph film project.

For improved viewing experience, click off the Vimeo HD icon in the bottom right hand corner and the video will load much more quickly.

As you will hear Maria’s story unfold (while deftly shaping the dough), her family’s tradition of making the Saint Joseph altar bread began several years ago, for a very heartfelt reason. In 2010, her young daughter was facing a very serious operation. Maria had never made the special Saint Joseph bread, but decided that year to make it her devotion to Saint Joseph. Maria taught herself how to shape the bread, finding inspiration in old photos of altars, and also from images, which she found online, of bread made in Sicily. Maria lived in Italy for five years, attending art school and studying fashion design. When I write “Artists-in-the Kitchen” you’ll see why after viewing the video.

Both of Maria’s parents, Nina and Domenic, were born in Sicily and grew up celebrating the Feast of San Giuseppe in the Sicilian tradition of feeding the poor and orphaned, and welcoming all who came to their table. Thank you Maria, Domenic, and Nina for graciously welcoming me into your Caffe Sicilia’s kitchen!

Saint Joseph Bread is available by special order at Caffe Sicilia. Call to place your order at (978) 283-2345

San Giuseppe Bread Caffe Sicilia ©Kim Smith 2014

See previous posts related to Caffe Sicilia:

Filming Continues on Gloucester’s Feast of Saint Joseph Film Project, Today at Caffe Sicilia

Caffe Sicilia’s St. Joseph Zeppole or, in Other Words, A Cloud of Sweetness Sent from the Heavens 

Sfinci di San Giuseppe

LIVE ST. PADDY’s DAY! The Rhumb Line!

Git yerrr butts down here!

Miss St Techno Ras!

Toby love’s Life!

27th year these guys showed up! Tom O’Brians Boru!

Play dat thang!

Fiddle in da middle!

St. Pimpin!

Why are you not here?

Yarn Crawl 2014

The Coveted Yarn has beautiful yarn and instructions to help you get started. For more information please follow the link below.
http://www.covetedyarn.com/stores/coveted-yarn/
March 16, 2014 how cute is this

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If you want to make a living playing music, you have to make a living playing music!

One of my favorite local stars, Inge Berge, shared a post on his Facebook page about this “Call For Performers” by the city of Yellowknife, NT in Canada:

As we head into Gloucester’s spring/summer/fall busy season, I’m glad he brought this topic up because that’s often when musicians are asked to play for free in return for “exposure.”

I don’t expect musicians to perform for free, because I don’t work for free.  Actually, the last time I asked any musician to play without pay (except for passing the hat) was when Vickie and I were helping organize the first Block Parties in 2008, at which I played for free too.   And that was only because everyone involved in starting the Block Parties donated their time.  By last year  (could have been 2012) the Block Parties had evolved to the point where the Block Party Committee raises money and pays musicians.

Don’t get me wrong, I do volunteer my time for various causes that I feel are worthwhile — and I sometimes work for trade.  But in every trade case, I’m getting something in return for my work — something of equal value to the value of my work.

Next time somebody asks you to play for free, ask “What am I getting in trade?”  If the answer is something like, “Oh, you’ll get great exposure,”  my advice is just say no.

Lugging your gear into your car, driving to the venue, setting up, breaking down, loading your gear back into your car and driving home would be enough to demand some pay (at least what stage hands get).  Then there’s performing, which (among other things) requires years of practice, tremendous dedication, a willingness to trust your artistic instincts and … talent.  That should be reserved only for those occasions where the people who’ve asked you to perform value the fact that you’re digging deeper into the human soul than most people ever get and sharing what you find with the rest of us. 

I could rattle off a dozen reasons why mere “exposure” is no where near enough compensation for performing — and the first one that comes to mind is that if you’re playing anywhere on Cape Ann, you can get plenty of free exposure right here on GMG and on gimmesound.com.

Plus, because you don’t want to play to an empty room, you’ll probably plug the event on your own social media pages, which gets free exposure for the people who’ve asked you to perform in the first place.

Feel free to share this post with everybody who asks you to play for free …

Live From Sista’s Kitchen…Noble Electric Saves St. Joseph Braed Making Day!

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HUGE Thank You to Steve Noble from Noble Electric. Today is Bread making day for the St. Joseph Trolley event tomorrow night. We successful maixed 50 lbs. of dough and then the mixer stopped working!!!!! YIKES!!!!!! I immediately reached for my phone to call our good friend Steve Noble. Within 5 minutes of my emergency phone call Steve was behind the door, to fix the technical problem with the electric mixer. We are back up and running Thanks to Steve!

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OBrien’s Boru @ The Rhumb Line 6:oopm…Always a fun filled event!

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http://obriensboru.com/

THE RHUMB LINE BAR & RESTAURANT
40 Railroad Ave.

Gloucester, MA 01930

phone: 978-283-9732

http://www.therhumbline.com/index.htm

Have You Bought Your St. Joseph Pasta Ingredients Yet?

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Producer manager Tom and his coworker Andrew at Stop & Shop has a beautiful display of Cauliflower and Anise Bulbs ready and waiting for St. Joseph Feast customers

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Scalafani  Bakery  # 978-283-6622  &  Virgilio’s Bakery # 978-283-5295. Both are currently taking orders for St. Joseph bread rolls, nd both have amble supplies of semolina flour, and dried fava beans

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Café Sicilia is located on 40 Main Street # 978-283-7345.  Café Sicilia has announced that they will be selling St. Joseph Pasta on Wednesday March 19, and they are also currently taking orders for St. Joseph Zeppole. Call Nino & Maria and reserve your orders…They sell out quickly!

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Cape Ann Fruit Company  978-281-5176 ~ Scott and his crew have been busy all week supplying  host families  around town with cases of lemons Oranges, Anise, and Cauliflower all week. They provide  fresh produce and are great to do business.

…I hope this directory is helpful…and please don’t forget to tell them Sista Sent you !

St. Joseph Pasta Making Day At Maria Cannavo Home

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This past weekend  The Cannavo Family were one of many who began preparing for this weeks St. Joseph Feast Day March 19th. Nino & Maria Cannavo, were joined by family and friends Sefatia “The Godmother of Gloucester,  Pietro Locontro, Maria Margiotta Rossi, Mimma Cusenza, and many more yesterday to prepare over 50 lbs. of homemade pasta.  Preparing for The Feast Of St. Joseph, is a celebratory tradition that family and friends look forward to each year.   It’s gathering like these that make memories that last a lifetime

 

Monday March 17th , 2014 Cape Ann Weather..

Marine Forecast…
Mon N winds 10 to 15 kt. Gusts up to 20 kt in the morning. Seas 2 to 4 ft.
Mon Night N winds around 10 kt. Seas 2 to 3 ft.

Today mostly sunny with some high clouds highs in the upper 20’s to lower 30’s.. North winds around 10mph ..
Monday night mostly clear with lows in the teens to lower 20’s .. Light north east winds 5-10 mph …
Tuesday sun and clouds 33 degrees with east winds 10-15 mph..
Hourly Forecast …

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Extended Forecast…

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Long Range outlook from the NWS Boston , frigid late March with a new “Polar Vortex ” … Here’s a look at late March …

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Thanks for viewing .. Here’s a few comics for St.Patricks Day … Enjoy ..
Peter Lovasco
GMG
Weatherman

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Community Stuff 3/17/14

 

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Registration for FREE Adult Education Classes at Wellspring House

Celebrate spring with a new plan for growth! Registration for FREE adult education classes at Wellspring House in Gloucester is going on now for those interested in attending our Spring Session. Classes begin Monday, March 24th   and you must be registered before that date.
Wellspring’s Adult Learning Initiative (ALI) provides 8 weeks of FREE classes in Computer Skills, Career Development, English and Math for men and women interested in passing the high school equivalency test, returning to school or finding a career. Classes run from 8:45 am -12:30 pm, Monday – Friday for 8 weeks.
The goal of the ALI program is to help individuals move toward personal and financial self-reliance by gaining self-confidence, direction, motivation and workplace skills necessary to further their education and careers.
Whether your goal is to get a better job or go back to school, call Career and Education Advisor, Mary Scofield, for more information or to sign up for classes at (978) 281-3558, ext. 304. Wellspring House is located at 302 Essex Ave., Gloucester MA.

Be Courageous!!

Mary Scofield
Career and Education Advisor
ALI Program
Wellspring House, Inc.
302 Essex Avenue
Gloucester, MA 01930
(P) 978-281-3558 x304


Hey Joey!

Just wanted to spread the good news! My daughter Bailee who is now 8 is being recognized as a Hometown Hero by the Red cross on Thursday the 20th at their Annual Hometown Heros Breakfast. She is being honored among firefighters and nurses and others who were at the finish line of the Boston Marathon. They are being recognized for their response on that horrible day. We are so proud of her and want to thank all the Glostonians who have supported her by coming out and buying lemonade at all of her stands! She will be opening up soon in the spring with a new focus…still thinking on where she wants to donate this time. But we will have characters in costume!! I will keep y’all posted! Thanks Joey for all your help with spreading the word! She gets ALOT of customers because of GMG!!

Brieana Militello


 

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They Came, They Clawed, They Fricked It Up!

Would You Look At These Pretentious Bananaheads Crowing Around All Proud Of Themselves For Messing Up Perfection?

If you want to read the horror story that they pass off as a recipe (and claimed they conquered no less) Click Here-

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Will They Ever Learn The Rules Of Lobster Roll Making Is To Not Get In The Way Of The Most Delectable Meat Known To Mankind- Lobster Meat?

Why I ask you do, they feel the need to mask the flavor of the most succulent meat on earth with not one, not two, not three, but no less than unlucky 13 lobster roll ingredient violations???

Why not squat down over the mixing bowl and lay down a nice fat shit in there to compliment the flavors while you’re at it?

Read the ingredient list these dopes from The Tasting Table put together (Violations Highlighted in Red)-

We Came, We Clawed, We Conquered Messed It Up

Building the perfect lobster roll (Or Not)

INGREDIENTS

  • Salt
  • 1 lemon
  • 5 whole star anise pods
  • 2 heads garlic, halved
  • 4 dried árbol chiles
  • 1 (6-inch) piece fresh ginger, peeled and cut into ¼-inch coins
  • 3 stalks lemongrass, trimmed, tough outer layer removed and stalk bruised and tied into a knot
  • 2 (1½ pound) live lobsters
  • ¼ cup mayonnaise
  • 1 tablespoon finely minced parsley
  • 1 tablespoon finely chopped chives plus 1 tablespoon chives, cut into ½-inch pieces
  • 2 teaspoons reserved lobster cooking liquid
  • 1 teaspoon lemon juice
  • ½ teaspoon lemon zest
  • ¼ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
  • ¼ teaspoon celery salt
  • 3 tablespoons butter
  • 1 teaspoon Old Bay seasoning
  • 4 split-top hot dog rolls

Anise?????  Like as in Licorice anise?  In a lobster roll?   I wish Patrick Ewing was still in his prime so we could set him up right in front of where ever these dopes tried to serve these lobster roll abominations and he could swat them into the stands like a basketball and then stand over the servers and flex and growl like he just made the most impressive shot block in the history of the NBA.  Just like “Get That Shit Outta Here!” 

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Arbol Chile?   Really????  What are we at Taco Bell now?  Lemongrass?  Ginger?  Please.  This is absolutely criminal.  

I guess I should have stopped reading when I read these pretentious buffoons were writing in from New York where they root for the Yankees and all.  I mean WTF do they know about lobster rolls anyway, right? 

Maybe it’s a March thing where they want to get out in front of all the other pretentious food bloggers who will inevitably write their own versions of the Perfect Way to Fuck Up a  Good Lobster Roll.

When I saw the laundry list of lobster roll purist violations I just couldn’t leave this debacle go unchecked.   There are plenty of pretentious food bloggers who will throw in 2-5 violations but when you go over the top with 13 you have to know that someone with some common sense is gonna call you out on it.

Listen here anyone who would describe themselves as  a “Foodie”.  Do all us normal real folk a favor and spare us your stupid frickin lobster roll recipes that include anything other than a split top roll.  Spare us your French baguettes, spare us your frickin lemon zest bullshit, spare us your ginger and your anise and your arbol chlis.  

Hellooooo, we wanna taste the lobster.  How hard is that to comprehend?  If we wanted to eat Mexican we’d order a goddamned Burrito.    

This is a lobster roll.   The purist of the pure.  Time tested.  Tradition.  Like a Fenway Frank, only a bajillion times better.

It’s easy, there’s no need to go out of your way to try to fuck it up with your laundry list of  Lobster roll no-nos like anise and garlic and lemongrass.

Here’s the way to do it and not to do it-

Bad-

How to F^@K Up a Lobster Roll

Good-

Ingredients For The Worlds Greatest Lobster Roll

Read the ingredient list these dopes from The Tasting Table put together (Violations Highlighted in Red)-

 

  • Like a right of Spring I feel compelled to get us all off on the right path to Lobster Roll righteousness.  I’m not sure if we should have expected more considering the source- Foodie Bloggers From New York.  Maybe we don’t have to expect more but we certainly can’t let this shit go unchecked.

    Read past year’s lobster roll rants-

    Rating and Ranting- The Lobster Rolls From Tasting Table’s Lobster Roll Rumble

    A Preemptive Lobster Roll Refresher Course Before Anyone Gets All Crazy

    Bastardized Lobster Roll on Tap Today At Gloucester Gourmet

    What Is Wrong With People???? Another Lobster Roll Disaster From Some Broads In California

  • Viva San Giuseppe

    An important and wonderful tradition that is continuing and being passed on to the younger generation.

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