Category: Uncategorized

Todd Farm Flea Market in Rowley is always a lot of fun. Many Cape Ann citizens (and even a few GMG contributors, like Alicia) are regulars at the Flea Market. We know a good thing when we see it. If you happen to be over there tomorrow morning, stop in and say hi. There might even be a free cup of coffee in it for you! I’m on twitter @therovinghome if you want to have a flea market tweet-off tomorrow or need to track me down…

That we can get into some very lofty discussions over here at Madfish Wharf on Rocky Neck?  This morning Wendie Demuth and I were talking about cooking bluefish, after Adam Bolonsky said he was going bluefishing and would bring us one if he was successful.  I said I had only cooked bluefish once, baked with mayonnaise and capons.  Wendie said there was no such thing as a capon, except to describe a superhero after he has gotten dressed, and I must have meant capers, which is what I had meant.  But in fact, capons are roosters that have been castrated to improve the quality of their flesh for food. 

Caponization is the process of turning a rooster into a capon, and can be done by surgically removing the rooster’s testes, or may also be accomplished through the use of estrogen implants. With either method, the sex hormones normally present in roosters are no longer effective. Caponization must be done before the rooster matures, so that it develops without the influence of sex hormones.  Capons, due to the lack of sex hormones, are not as aggressive as normal roosters. This makes capons easier to handle, and allows capons to be kept together since their reduced aggressiveness prevents them from fighting.

The lack of sex hormones results in meat that is less gamy in taste. Capon meat is also more moist, tender, and flavorful than that of a hen or rooster, which is due not only to the hormonal differences during the capon’s development but is also because capons are not as active as roosters, which makes their meat more tender and fatty.  Superman is protecting this rooster from caponization.

Capers on the other hand are the unripened flower buds of Capparis spinosa, a prickly, perennial plant native to the Mediterranean and some parts of Asia. Their use dates back beyond 3000 B.C. where they are mentioned as a food in the Sumerian cuneiform Gilgamesh, an ancient retelling of a great flood and ark legend.  The small, green herb buds lend a piquant sour and salty flavor to salads, dressings, sauces, vegetables and a variety of main dishes. They add a nice flavor to bluefish, and probably to capons too, and can be enjoyed by superheroes everywhere, with our without their capon, and whether or not they are trying to solve capers.

E.J. Lefavour

www.khanstudiointernational.com

Hi, Joey,
As an ex-gloucesterman and artist I look at thousands of local pictures and maps.  I know that the East Gloucester Ferry ran from the railways on Rocky Neck to about where the Coast Guard Base is today.  But I’ve never seen a picture of the Ferry which someone told me was Little Giant.  Wonder if any of your eaders could send in one to GMG?  Also, there are a number of sizable granite piers on Lobster Cove in Annisquam and I know it was frequented by coasting and fishing schooners in the past.  I’d like to now when the wooden(now footbridge) was built and, it it originally had a span that opened.  I hope one of your readers can answer that too.
Bill Hubbard
—

Doug Silva manager at The Topside Grille writes us that you can go in and ask for a free raffle ticket to win two front row Nascar tickets for tomorrow at Laconia.

Joey,
You’ve had some great blogs thes past few weeks especially the Fiesta pictures.
Hers’s my latest painting.  It’s based on a 1909 post card that was titled, Coasting schooner in Gloucester Harbor.  I could not recognize the local from the picture but it was probably around the head of the harbor and it does look familiar.
Bill Hubbard
—
Visit my artists website at:
http://bill-hubbard.fineartamerica.com

That Juni Van Dyke from the Rose Baker Senior Center (she’s been there 20 years) is working on an amazing quilting project called “Gloucester: A Community of Neighborhoods” banner project?  Fifteen neighborhoods have been identified so far to be included in this collaboration overseen by the senior citizens at the Rose Banker Senior Center under the direction of Juni Van Dyke.  The neighborhoods include West Gloucester, East Gloucester, Magnolia, Annisquam, Lanesville, Rocky Neck, the Waterfront, Briar Neck, Stage Fort Park, Riverdale, Bayview, Downtown (East Main Street, West Main Street, Rogers Street, and the Library neighborhood).  The project started in the Fall of 2010.  There is a core group of 18 seniors that meet on Monday, Tuesday and Thursday mornings, and bring snacks to share with each other.  They love the project and it has created a great sense of camaraderie, support and sharing between the participants.  When completed, the banners will be hung at City Hall and auctioned as a fundraiser for the City Hall Restoration project and the Senior Center.

Pictured here are West Gloucester (created by Lois Stillman) and The Fort created by Pauline Dion and Gerri Lovasco – good friends who grew up on the fort. The photos really don’t do them justice; these quilts are incredibly detailed and beautifully made.  Rocky Neck is the next neighborhood banner that has been started and so far includes the paint factory, but additional input and collaboration is desired from the artists of Rocky Neck.  If you are interested in being involved in collaboration input on your neighborhood (particularly Rocky Neck, as that is the neighborhood currently being worked on), contact Juni at 978-526-7248, email junivandyke@yahoo.com. 

E.J. Lefavour

www.khanstudiointernational.com

Joey,
We are running our annual Summer Overstock Sale tomorrow through Sunday over at Coveted Yarn. There will be quite a bit of yarn on sale both online at http://www.covetedyarn.com and in the store at 121 East Main St. I was wondering if you would be so kind as to put the word out for us. Our hours for the sale are:
Friday 10:00 am to 9:30 pm
Saturday 10:00 am to 8:00 pm
Sunday 10:00 am to 8:00 pm
We will have some special guests on Saturday and Sunday. Leslie Wind, a silversmith from Rockport who makes beautiful shawl pins and Tewelry (tools you can wear) and also Heather Bolcome Spellman, a Gloucester native and yarn dyer under the trade name of Mad Color Fiber Arts. Come on by and Satisfy Your Yarning!
Thanks!
-Robert
— Coveted Yarn
121 E. Main St.
Gloucester, MA 01930
(978)282-8809
http://www.covetedyarn.com
info@covetedyarn.com

Boy Scout Troop 112 Fundraiser to defray costs of equipment and Summer camp.

Free Car Wash

Saturday, July 16, 2011

East Gloucester Marina, East Main St., Gloucester

8am to 12pm

 

Before and After. The GMG\Ryan Wood Sail

Do you really want to see what came in between these Three shots?

Look for the money shot on Monday!

If You Dare.

I didn’t take too many pictures because I was having such a great time last night but I’m sure we will be getting some photos from our friends that were aboard.

Huge thanks to Paul Giacalone of the Old Cuban Cigar Co, Bobby Ryan at Ryan and Wood for the fantastic rum tastings and of course our hosts The Ellis Family and the Thomas Lannon.

If everyone else had half as much fun as I did I’d say it was a wildly successful event.

If any of you guys wants to send your pictures I’d love to post them.