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MAKING PIGNULATA WITH GRACE AND NINA AT CAFFE SICILIA
This past week I stopped by to say hello to Maria and her family at Caffe Sicila. Nina,Ā Maria’s Mom,Ā invited me to come and see she and her sister Grace making pignulata. Caffe Sicilia has dozens and dozens of orders for this wonderful traditional friedĀ pastryĀ desertĀ and they had already begun the first stages several days ago.Ā Nina explains it is most typically served in Sicilian homes around Christmas time,Ā but alsoĀ other holidays too. Making this treat is a multi-step process, and labor intensive in the volume undertaken by Caffe Sicilia. The sisters offered lots of tips for making the mostĀ deliciousĀ pignulata (also spelled pignolata) and I hope I am rememberingĀ all that they shared!
The dough is rolled out,Ā cut into marble-sized bits, and placed in cold oil.
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TheĀ bits of dough are throughly drainedĀ andĀ set aside for several days as they release more oil. When ready to mold the pignulata, a glaze made of boiled honey and sugar is poured overĀ the fried dough.
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Always-in-motion-Maria!
Nina and Grace grew up in Terrasini, Sicily, emigrating from ItalyĀ when they were young teens. The sisters talked about how back in their childhood days, mostĀ peopleĀ did not have a kitchen oven. To bake their weekly bread and to bake treats during the holidays, families would take their loaves and cookies and cakesĀ to the local town baker and “rent” their oven for a nominal fee. Cookies and cakes were placed on long, long wooden trays and carefully placed in the baker’s oven. Now everyone has their own oven, but most don’t bake nearly as much as they did in the old days.
Visit Caffe Sicilia and see their beautifulĀ displayĀ ofĀ cuccidatiĀ (and every other kind of traditionalĀ Sicilian Christmas cookie), wonderfully sweet and spicy gingerbread cakes, cassata cakes, mini pignulata’s, Maria’s handmade marzipan fruits, and much, much more deliciousness!
Caffe Sicilia is located at 40 Main Street.Ā For more information call 978-283-7345.
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NINE DAYS BEFORE CHRISTMAS CAROL COUNTDOWN: JAMES CORDEN AND MARIAH CAREY WITH ADELE, CHRIS MARTIN, RED HOT CHILI PEPPERS, LADY GAGA, AND ELTON JOHN
How to get in the holiday spirit ~ a Christmas thank you from James Corden to his Carpool Karaoke fans
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Very cool early morning sea smoke
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Central Street Gallery – Transition to Online and Satellite Shows
Central Street Gallery (CSG) will be holding an inventory clearance until Christmas Eve featuring 20% off selected works. On December 31st, the Central Street Gallery (CSG) will be leaving its gallery space and transitioning to an online presence and future satellite shows. CSG has spent a wonderful eight and a half years at its present location at 11 Central Street in Manchester-by-the-Sea.
CSG will continue on with an online presence via its website www.centralstreetgallery.com, its electronic newsletter, Facebook and will retain its phone number –Ā 978-526-7650.Ā It will also be an active participant in the annual Festival by the Sea and other art-related events inĀ town, e.g. paint-outs, quick draw competitions.
Central Street Gallery would like to thank the community for its support and patronage over these years.Ā The Gallery opened in 2008 just two months before the economy took a significant downturn.Ā Despite these challenges,the gallery not only survived but thrived. The fourteen artist members are very grateful for the opportunity they have had to display and sell their work in a community that has a deep appreciation for the arts.Ā The decision to close CSGās doors has not been an easy one, however, the sale of the building earlier this year moved the decision forward.
Please stop by to say good-by and to make sure that you are on our mailing list.Ā In addition to the work displayed in the current show, the artists will have additional pieces of work at very attractive prices. For more information, please go to:Ā www.centralstreetgallery.comĀ or call:Ā 978-526-7650.
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Lobster Trap Tree – 2012 -2016
Circa 2012
2014
2016
Entry to the inner sanctum
Cantilevered traps rising towards the dome
Light dots on the floor
All lit up
Artistic license….
The first one I saw in 2012 was amazing and it gets better every year! From the days of stacked traps and colored lights we now have a wider base with doorways opening the inside with cantilevered traps opening up the center of the tree for a great view from inside, a look at the dome and viewing a light show of Christmas Colors on the floor. (The lightshow with its colored moving dots of light brought back memories of college…but that’s another story!) The stack is tighter and now the traps are color coordinated Yellow and Green by level and the colored lights have given way to energy efficient white LEDs. Ā The yearly engineering advances allow for more and more hand painted buoys from the kids at Art Haven. Hard to imagine anything more spirit lifting than just walking past the tree, not to mention spending some time in it and around! I met two photographers who were waiting for the light to go down and then were going from Gloucester to Rockport, ME and Portland to capture some other trap trees. Their take? Others might be a little taller but none are better than Gloucester’s tree!
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Collage of Young Talent (Lobster Buoys)
Gloucester Lobster Trap Christmas Tree Ornaments
Lobster Buoys painted by Gloucesterās YouthĀ (just a small example shown here)
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Visitors from New Hampshire
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Gloucester Smiles-452
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It’s a greasypole Christmas from 2011
This Mathews Family Christmas card was from 2011 when the Greasypole fell down…our dog Gracey almost got the flag lol!
Previous cards in case you missed them…
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Pure Pastry is Pure Perfection
Last week a co-worker arrived in the office with an amazing assortment of gorgeous treats from Pure Pastry in Beverly to share with the faculty and staff.
While delicious almost doesn’t do them justice, let’s back up a bit for a second to theĀ presentation.Ā I’m all about packaging….all about nice little touches…all about made with care. Kim Gregory goes over the top, in a very sustainable, green, and organic way, to make receiving her pastries feel like opening a gift. Ā And, a gift they are! Ā While almost impossible to choose….the two selections that I made were to die for. Truly, perfectly, delicious.
I look forward to finding a reason to order…or maybe even ordering for no real reason at all.
Here’s a bit about what Pure Pastry Stands for…
WHO ARE WE?
We are a unique wholesale and retail kitchen that is naturally organic, locally sourced and home grown. From our warm kitchen, we offer exquisite pastry that can cater to many special dietary needs. We are a small business purely dedicated to the integrity of our clients, to the pastry we make, and the foot print we leave on this earth. Through our beautiful handcrafted confections, let us help you enjoy the simple act of eating sweets together.
Pure Pastry celebrates our pure love for the bounty in the current seasonal treasures.Our Current Confections Menu brings together the mouthwatering flavors of season fruits and vegetables into a wonderful marriage in our naturally organic pastries.
There is much to be learned about Pure Pastry. Ā Please visit their website to read their story and learn about their ingredients, their current confections, their team, their “Forever Menu”, their “Tiny Sweet Market” that is open on Fridays and Saturdays, and much, much more.
LEARN MORE AT THEIR WEBSITE HERE: Ā Kim Gregory and Pure Pastry
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Vote! GMG Community Coffee Maker Showdown Based On Reader Suggestions–Let The Voting Begin!
GMG Community Thinktank- Coffee Makers Please Leave a Comment With Your Favorite
So I asked our awesome readers what their favorite coffee makers were because I just canāt live my life drinking shitty Keurig coffee.
Iāve compiled the reader suggestions and will put them out here for you to read.Ā if you click on the link to each coffee maker you can read their reviews and then vote in the poll for your favorite.Ā Each model has links to its product reviews.
Iām leaning toward
The Bonavita BV1800 8-Cup Coffee Maker
Check out the Bonavita and read the reviews here
We have a Cuisinart with a stainless steel carafe. Highly recommend the stainless steel carafe as it keeps the coffee warm without burning it.
Cuisinart DCC-3200 Perfect Temp 14-Cup Programmable Coffeemaker, Stainless Steel
Brenda D
I have a Keurig out of convenience, before that, I had a Bunn for years that I loved.
BUNN NHS Velocity Brew 10-Cup Home Coffee Brewer
Been using my Chemex since the 70ās- works great!!!!
Chemex Classic Wood Collar and Tie Glass 8-Cup Coffee Maker with 100 Count Bonded Circle Coffee Filters
Karen Pischke BSN, RN
Maybe you could have a ācoffee contestā on a pod cast and compare. My vote ā French Press. First time we had French pressed coffee was on a beach in Tonga. I told my mother about how good it was and she bought my husband a French press 20 years ago. He didnāt think heād use it. Now, not a day goes by that he doesnāt use it 1 ā 2 x a day. 30 seconds to ground the beans, pour hot water and let it steep while you dress. Fresh ground beans of your choice, freshly pressed with great flavor, aroma and a head on it like a fine craft beer. Even though itās glass, itās lasted all these years. Now we have 2 French Press ā one for his full caf, one for my decaf/half caf. We even have another āsingle cupā French press that doubles as a āto-goā cup. French pressed much quicker than you might imagine, and the flavor is totally worth it. āFrench Pressedā all the way.
LINKYO Coffee Press – Stainless Steel French Press Coffee Maker 34oz, 1L
gregbover
My honey got me a stainless steel Thermos French press, the two cup model. Changed the way I make and enjoy coffee.
Thermos NCI1000SS4 Thermos Vacuum Insulated Coffee Press, 34 oz
the bonvita 1900 with stainless carafe is awesome. 10 cup for meā¦.best way to make a bunch of coffee, and to have more for later.
using a single cup pour over (Manual #1) taught me a lot about making better coffeeā¦this was the choice for lots of coffee that will taste great and be available an hour later too. The only way it could be improved would be to build in a burr grinder into the bonavita itself.
Then get a Wacao Minipress for espresso on the go tooā¦
Bonavita BV1900TS 8-Cup Carafe Coffee Brewer, Stainless Steel
Iād second the french press suggestionāseems like a little extra work, but totally worth it. I will never go back to a standard coffee maker, and k-cups are an environmental disaster. Our french press came from Ikeaāstainless steel, double walled so it stays warm. I do wish it was a little bigger (itās pretty big, but we drink a lot of coffee). Oh yeah, ALWAYS grind your beans just before brewing. With our stainless steel french press I believe I make one of the best cups of coffee available on Cape Ann.
UPPHETTA Coffee/tea maker, glass, stainless steel
Chuck.Cook
I second the Chemex. Takes a little more effort but the result is great. Looks really cool as well.
ellie
Chemex. Period. No better way.
The key to drip coffee (besides buying quality coffee) is a Gold Filter
Jerry
technivorm
5 years in, going strong. Hottest cup of coffee and fast brewā¦ I use a burr grinder on the side, but any grounds work wellā
Donāt look back.
Moccamaster KBT 10-Cup Coffee Brewer with Thermal Carafe, Polished Silver
by Technivorm Moccamaster
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I’m not digging this screenshot for my cell phoneĀ
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Vintage Weber TV Commercial With A Redhead Just Like The ’78 I Picked Up Last Weekend
More From Joey’s BBQ Blog-
http://www.northeastbbq.com
The 1978 Vintage Red Metal Bowl Handle Weber Kettle Just Like The One I Drove Two Hours To Buy Last Week In An old School Commercial.
Hereās mine.Ā I still havenāt had a chance to clean her up but with a little elbow grease sheāll be looking close to looking new.
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Warming Centers Available for Residents
Gloucester, MA ā Mayor Sefatia Romeo Theken, with the Cityās Health Department, Sawyer Free Library and the Rose Baker Senior Center, in cooperation with community partners Action, Inc., The Open Doorand the Grace Center, are providing warming centers for vulnerable residents during extreme-cold weather events.
After last winterās February 14th cold-snap, Mayor Sefatia Romeo Theken formed a taskforce with City department directors and community leaders to establish a comprehensive cold-weather response to help ensure the health and safety of residents without permanent housing. The result is a plan, presented in March, that assures those who need shelter from the extreme cold will have a place in the community where they can stay warm.
āWhen temperatures drop this low, our city has an obligation to help those in need to stay warm,ā said Mayor Sefatia Romeo Theken. āWe donāt want anyone out in the cold which isā¦
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JV Girls Fishermen Hit the Home Ice
A nice sized crowd gathered at Dorothy Talbot Rink last night to cheer on the Girls Ā JV Fishermen as they took to the ice for their first home game of the season. Ā It was, in fact, the first home game in many seasons as Gloucester/Rockport has been without a girls’ team for years. Ā And, while the final scored showed them down by one, the team did not disappoint.
I watchĀ a lot of hockey and I have to say that I couldn’t stop smiling. Ā These girls worked hard, showed amazing spirit, and demonstrated great sportsmanship and teamwork. Ā They should be incredibly proud of the team they’ve become and I, for one, am excited to see what the rest of the season has in store.
This year’s team:
Rachel Alexander, Grade 12 Ā Ā Captain
Nicole Tocco, Grade 12 Ā Ā Ā Ā Captain
Brianna Fernandes, Grade 12 Ā Ā Captain
Sophia Pata, Grade 12 Ā Ā Ā Ā Ā Ā
Noelle Perry, Grade 12 Ā Ā Ā
Jenna Taormina, Ā Grade 12 Ā Ā Ā Ā GoalieĀ
Cara Burley, Grade 12 Ā Ā Ā Ā Ā Ā Ā Ā
Samantha Cominelli, Grade 12 Ā Ā
Elizabeth Luster, Grade 11 Ā Ā Ā Ā
Isabella Ciluffo, Grade 11 Ā Ā Ā Ā Ā Ā
Zoe, Venetsanakos, Grade 11 Ā Ā
Jesse Alexander, Grade 10 Ā Ā Ā Ā Ā
Rose Degrange, Grade 10 Ā Ā Ā Ā Ā Ā Ā Ā
Jemina Grow, Grade 10 Ā Ā Ā Ā Ā Ā
Maisie Grow, Grade Ā 10 Ā Ā Ā Ā
Bailey Marshall, Grade 10 Ā Ā Ā Ā Ā Ā
Alaina Noble, Grade 10 Ā Ā Ā Ā
Eliza Nugent, Grade 10 Ā Ā Ā Ā
Caroline O’Leary, Grade 10 Ā Ā Ā Ā
Anna Zerilli, Grade 10 Ā Ā Ā Ā Ā
Marisa Orlando, Grade 10 Ā Ā Ā Ā Ā Ā
Kaylee Burgess, Grade 9 Ā Ā Ā Ā Ā Ā Ā
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Never Swimming in The Ocean Again…
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UNIQUELY FUN AND WONDERFULLY USEFUL GIFTS FROM ALEXANDRA’S BREAD
We all love stopping into Alexandra’s Bread (not just because Alexandra and Jon are always so welcoming) for their yummy cranberry scone’s, breads, cobbles, and cookies. The smells of fresh baked breads emanating from the bake shop are inviting and inviting too are Alexandra’s wonderful selection of fun and practical home and kitchen gifts. Amidst the shelves brimming with aprons, tea towels, vintage dishes, prints, and handmade ornaments, you’ll find one-of-kind gifts as well.
This very unusual sterling silver spoon is etched with schooners and the words Gloucester Mass. The handle has both a lobster and starfish.
Detail of spoon
A favorite of the favorites, I love the neat way to contain clothes pins with this clothes pin bag that you hang on your laundry line.
Alexandra’s Bread, located at 265 Main Street, Gloucester, is open Tuesday through Saturday. For more information phone 281-3064.
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BEAUTIFUL DECEMBER SUPER MOON OVER GLOUCESTER
Last of the 2016 super moon trifecta, the December Frost MoonĀ (also calledĀ Full Cold Moon and Long Night’s Moon by Native Americans) was the brightest moon of the year according to the Farmer’s Almanac. Whatever called, it was stunning to watch as it went down overĀ Gloucester’s skyline on Tuesday morning.
Super Moon over Fiitz Henry Lane House
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TEN DAYS BEFORE CHRISTMAS CAROL COUNTDOWN: ONE REPUBLIC’S CHRISTMAS WITHOUT YOU
One Republic makes some beautiful music
And here is there new song, “Let’s Hurt Tonight,” written for the much anticipated forthcoming film Collateral Beauty.
Good Morning Gloucester 