My favorite new dish for 2020 is the galette. A kind of free-form pie, it can be sweet or savory, is quick to make and oh, so delicious! If you are looking to introduce a new dish into your rotation, it can hold just about any fresh vegetable or fruit you can find. It’s also a great way to re-purpose leftovers into a whole new meal. A pie dough recipe is included here; a pre-made pie shell would work fine, as well. Enjoy a galette as a fall treat or a new addition to a holiday meal!
National Sister’s Day was celebrated on August 2 this year, a day that celebrates the unique bond between sisters. And there could be no two people more different than me and my sister, Kathy. We grew up together in a small Maryland town nestled in the valley of the Alleghany Mountains. She was the outdoorsy type, while I was happiest indoors, curled up in a chair reading a book or talking to my friends on the phone.
Fall is the time to enjoy deeper, more complex flavors. It’s also a good time to consider our gut health as we head into the cooler months. The popularity of probiotics (live bacteria and yeasts) and their benefits has encouraged people to consume more kombucha, sauerkraut and yogurts. At The Local Grocer, we’ve also had more requests for kimchi – a traditional, naturally-fermented food from Korea that is rich in vitamins and probiotics.
Although over 36 million people lost their jobs due to the forced shutdown of America during the COVID-19 crisis, I believe that approximately a third of those jobs have come back. Please don’t listen to politicians who say that we are in the greatest job creation period of our lifetimes – that statement is quite laughable. At best, we are in the greatest job recovery period. The truth of the matter is that we are in a time of complete and utter chaos and fear-mongering.
We are now over 150 days into “15 days to stop the spread,” which began in mid-March. Consequently, a quick, “v-shaped” economic recovery is not possible. The recovery will be gradual and prolonged, though there are signs of recovery. Monthly job growth has exceeded expectations since May, and the economy contracted by less in the second quarter than people were expecting. The unemployment rate peaked at 14.7%, well lower than the Great Depression level of 25% that many also expected. The economy is recovering, albeit more slowly than we had hoped it would when the shutdowns first began.
This month, as I began brainstorming, it came to mind and I thought, “Nope. Not that.”
A getaway. That’s what we’ve been craving during the coronavirus craziness – an opportunity to escape the confines of our houses and masks and the constant bad news online and on television. I booked us a cabin in a park full of socially distanced cabins. Trees, paths, wilderness, woods, some time in nature and away from our big city lives.
“So, Ed, what did you do on your ‘summer vacation’ from movies at the FIA?” Well, since you’ve asked, I had enough time to finish work on a book that was published in June – with an inadvertent reminder of the current global pandemic.
The Mott Community College Campus has a guardian. Standing in front of Mott’s Ballenger Fieldhouse, a 600-pound, six-foot tall bronze bear statue keeps constant vigil over the campus and its students.
This year, it’s been just one thing after another. It feels as if we’ve been relentlessly bombarded with tragedy, challenges, negativity and fear. Every exhalation is a sigh and every new headline a headache. Feeling overwhelmed? It’s okay to take a break from time to time. If you need to relax and unwind, then Saturday, August 15 is your day – because nothing comes before your inner peace on National Relaxation Day.
The story begins with the purchase of pizza and a salad, and then a bagel. Next thing you know, you have slowly stolen $11.2 million over the course of your career. Your ultimate goal: make your school district No. 1. Based on the true story that rocked the town of Roslyn, NY in 2004 and garnered attention nationwide, “Bad Education” starring Hugh Jackman and Allison Janney focuses on the impressive impact and aftermath of a multi-million-dollar embezzlement scheme uncovered by a high school newspaper. The movie is reminiscent of “Erin Brockovich,” in which one clue leads to another until the truth is revealed in a dark, comedic way.
