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December 3, 2023

Talbot Spy

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Local Life Food and Garden Notes

Adkins Mystery Monday: Can You Guess What This Is?

November 20, 2023 by Adkins Arboretum Leave a Comment

Happy Mystery Monday!  Can you guess what is pictured in photo #1?
The answer to last week’s mystery is Eastern red cedar, Juniperus virginiana, pictured in photo #2.

While technically not a true cedar, Eastern red cedar is a juniper, and gets its name from its reddish heartwood.
The red, aromatic wood is used for chests, closets, interior finish, posts, pencils, and other objects. An oil from the resin is used for ointments, soaps, and to flavor gin.
Eastern red cedars are a favorite traditional Christmas tree in many homes.
Compared to other edible berries, Eastern red cedar berries take 3 years to mature. They’re considered ready to pick when they’re a darker blue. They do have a waxy white, protective coating, which can rub off to reveal a deeper color underneath.
Seeds that have traveled through the digestive tract of waxwings and other birds have a higher germination rate than those that have not.
Adkins Mystery Monday is sponsored by the Spy and Adkins Arboretum. For more information go here.

The Spy Newspapers may periodically employ the assistance of artificial intelligence (AI) to enhance the clarity and accuracy of our content.

Filed Under: Food and Garden Notes

Spy Minute: Academy Art Museum Members’ Exhibition

November 19, 2023 by Spy Agent 5 - 00 Section

It only takes a few minutes in the Academy Art Museum’s main galleries to remind oneself of the extraordinary wealth of artistic talent that occupies the Mid-Shore. On the walls and in cases, some of the AAM’s best artists and photographers are taking center stage as the museum continues its annual Members Exhibition.

We sent a special agent to capture just a sample of what can be seen until November 26th.

This video is approximately two minutes in length. For more information about the Academy Art Museum please go here. 

The Spy Newspapers may periodically employ the assistance of artificial intelligence (AI) to enhance the clarity and accuracy of our content.

Filed Under: Brevities

Food Friday: Thanksgiving Prep

November 17, 2023 by Jean Sanders

This is the final countdown to Thanksgiving. Six days to go! I went to the grocery store yesterday, just to get some milk, and was practically trampled by stressed-out shoppers with carts full of turkeys, aluminum pans and stacks of canned green beans and pumpkin purée. Here are a couple of things to remember:

Make your pie dough now. Melissa Clark’s All-butter Pie Crust recipe keeps in the freezer for three months; defrost it in the fridge overnight before you need to bake.

After writing out your Thanksgiving menu, divide your grocery list into perishables and non-perishables. Get those non-perishables this weekend, if you can! Join the stressed-out folks at your grocery store!

This is one of my favorite cautionary tales of Thanksgiving. I have since learned to keep it simple. Don’t promise to deliver a dish to the feast if you haven’t made it before. It is perfectly fine to buy items to bring – time is short and we have enough demands on our already-fraying nerves. We are not Martha, and we do not have a staff. And not everything is made to be photographed, Instagrammed or put on Threads. Life is messy. Got it?

I lived in London the year after I was graduated from Washington College, with another WC alum and one of her childhood chums. We were sight-seeing by day, and waitressing in Covent Garden restaurants by night. It was the end of the 70s, and there were Mohawks galore, and cute punky girls wearing Doc Martens, sporting safety pin jewels.

We had been invited to a posh Thanksgiving dinner and were responsible for bringing a dish to share. Our assignment, as the token Americans, was to bring scalloped potatoes. That seemed simple enough. But we were kitchen novices. Our spaghetti sauce had sent boys with potential scurrying from our flat – because we thought chopped onions were an excellent thickener for the runny tomato sauce. Fully aware of our limitations, and these being the olden days before the Internet and smart phones, we set off to the Royal Borough of Kensington and Chelsea’s library, in search of a helpful cookbook. At least we were smart enough to have library cards.

We hauled the weighty Mrs. Beeton’s Book of Cookery and Household Management back to our flat to do our research. Mrs. Beeton’s book, unlike many of Nigella’s or Ina Garten’s friendly and photo-heavy volumes today, was complicated and bewildering to us. Illustrations? Few and far between. Breadcrumbs? Bechamel sauce? Grams instead of cups? And the cooking times were distressingly vague, too. 1 1/2 to 2 hours? That could make the difference between half raw potatoes and a dishful of burnt glue!

After thumbing through the book we finally realized that Mrs. Beeton did not have an easy-to-follow recipe for scalloped potatoes. We were left to our own devices; young women who thought chopped onions were the salvation for watery spaghetti sauce have no business trying to invent scalloped potatoes. We didn’t even have a potato peeler! We hacked the raw potatoes into hunks, covered them with ropes of processed gloopy cheese, and too much milk, and shoved them in our tiny oven. Our scalloped potatoes were a lumpy, sloshing mess.

We somehow transported the now-cooled baking dish (where did we ever find one?) on our knees on the Tube ride to Chiswick. Once we had arrived and said our hellos, we warmed the potatoes up it an intimidating Aga range, which did nothing to improve the potatoes’ appearance. Those sad-looking, gray potatoes were inedible. We were not sure of the etiquette for this situation. Our dish remained untouched by the discerning Brits who were already suspicious of anything American: particularly loud young American women who perhaps drank a bit too much of the Beaujolais Nouveau… Our hearts were in the right place, though, and we helped with the washing up, before retiring to drink port and smoke cigars with the former RAF pilots, who were telling the best stories we had ever heard.

The lesson here: if asked to bring something specific and complicated for Thanksgiving, and you are pressed for time, see what your grocery store or bakery has to offer. You might be surprised. Otherwise keep it simple. Or avail yourself of internet videos. Scalloped Potatoes It is amazing what you can find these days. “Dear Mrs. Butler, I hope it is not too late to apologize for the scalloped potatoes we brought to your very nice dinner party. Thanks again for inviting us.”

The garlic is a lovely, unexpected flavor with the creamy potatoes. And the layers of grated Gruyere melt in a divine fashion; the cheese was evident in every bite. The RAF chaps would have enjoyed these potatoes.

Good luck with your Thanksgiving planning, lists, travel and cooking. We will be having old-fashioned, lumpy mashed potatoes once again this year, but we will be enjoying a very fancy, store-bought chocolate pie. I can’t wait!

“The more we peeled, the more peel there seemed to be left on; by the time we had got all the peel off and all the eyes out, there was no potato left – at least none worth speaking of.”

― Jerome K. Jerome

The Spy Newspapers may periodically employ the assistance of artificial intelligence (AI) to enhance the clarity and accuracy of our content.

Filed Under: Food Friday, Spy Top Story

Talbot Historical Society Project Rewind: Catching at Flight at Newnam Field

November 17, 2023 by Talbot Historical Society

 

Love this picture of a model airplane show that was held at Easton Airport/ Newnam Field in Easton, Maryland in 1960! Do you remember attending this event? Maybe you know someone who had one of these model airplanes from the past! Photo from the Talbot Historical Society’s Collections.

Contact: Cathy Hill [email protected] to share your old photos and purchase our collections photos. Comment, Like our page and join the Talbot Historical Society!

The Spy Newspapers may periodically employ the assistance of artificial intelligence (AI) to enhance the clarity and accuracy of our content.

Filed Under: Brevities

Planning Begins for Maryland House & Garden’s 2024 Talbot Tour

November 14, 2023 by Spy Desk

The TCGC Talbot County Tour Committee includes: Front row (l. to r.) Louise Peterson, Mary Helen Cobb, Nancy Thompson, Caroline Benson, Chloe Pitard, Eleanor Denegre; Middle row Laura Carney, Colleen Doremus, Tracy Garrett; Back row Co-Chairs Zandi Nammack & Kim Eckert, Carolyn Rugg, Pam Keeton, Fran Jenkins, Maxine Millar, Georgia Adler, Virginia Sappington and Maribeth Lane. Not pictured: Rebecca Gaffney, Susie Granville, Marsie Hawkinson, Pat Lewers, Rita Mhley and Sara Robins.

The Talbot County Garden Club recently kicked off planning for the 2024 Maryland House & Garden Pilgrimage’s Talbot County Tour. The tour, which invites visitors to several notable private properties, will take place the Saturday of Mother’s Day weekend – May 11, 2024. Kim Eckert and Zandi Nammack co-chair the event. 

“Our committee is focused on creating an event filled with extraordinary and enjoyable experiences at every stop,” says Eckert. “This year, the Club will be honored to use the proceeds generated by the tour to help restore and preserve two historic churches in Trappe.”

Nammack adds, “We have a fabulous array of properties for you to visit – from a largely untouched house built in the 1700’s to grand sweeping estates to houses packed with unique and creative touches that will inspire you. There is truly something for everyone on this tour.”

Properties on the tour include Canterbury Manor, Ellenborough and a lovely home on Hanson Street (all in Easton) plus Chlora’s Point Farm, Hayfields and Lloyd’s Landing (all in Trappe). 

Scotts United Methodist Church and Saint Paul’s Episcopal Church in Trappe will benefit from the tour

Chairs of the tour sub-committees include:

Advertising: Louise Peterson

Flowers: Mary Helen Cobb

Homeowners’ Party: Eleanor Denegre and Maxine Millar

Hospitality: Georgia Adler and Susie Granville

Hostesses: Chloe Pitard

House Selection: Sally Akridge, Caroline Benson, Laura Carney, Christine Dayton, Kim Eckert, Zandi Nammack and Nancy Thompson

Parking: Colleen Doremus and Carolyn Rugg

Patrons: Pat Lewers and Zandi Nammack

Photography: Laura Carney and Marsie Hawkinson

Publicity: Pam Keeton and Rita Mhley

Publicity Design: Rebecca Gaffney

Road Markers: Caroline Benson and Nancy Thompson

Script: Sara Robins, Kim Eckert and Zandi Nammack

Tour Bells: Caroline Benson

Treasurer: Virginia Sappington 

More information about each of the properties, as well as ticket information will be available in the new year.

 

 

The Spy Newspapers may periodically employ the assistance of artificial intelligence (AI) to enhance the clarity and accuracy of our content.

Filed Under: Food and Garden Notes

Indoor Gardening by Kate Emery General

November 13, 2023 by Kate Emery General

Azaleas, Boston ferns, and coleus are house plants that thrive in the bright winter sun in Wyoming. Every table top and bookshelf in my college apartment had a plant sitting on it. I had several coleus and philodendron as they were easily propagated. I loved caring for my plants and I enjoyed sitting next to them while reading. What I didn’t know then was the health benefit of having plants in my living spaces.

According to The Farmer’s Almanac; not only do indoor plants make for beautiful home decor, they may also boost your health and wellbeing. Research suggested that we spend 85% of our lives indoors and houseplants are an easy way to bring nature into your home.

Plants replace carbon dioxide with fresh oxygen. According to a NASA study, houseplants can improve air quality by removing cancer-causing chemicals like formaldehyde and benzene from the air.

A couple of weeks ago as the overnight as temperatures started to drop, I brought the plants on my deck into my house. Living in our bedroom year round, we have a philodendron, a Christmas cactus, a money plant, a snake plant, and a spider plant. I added a hibiscus and a banana plant and my husband commented that he feels like his sleep has improved.

One of the greatest architects of all time, Frank Lloyd Wright, said: “Study nature, love nature, stay close to nature. It will never fail you.” He translated this philosophy into structures in harmony with humanity and its environment, something he called “organic architecture.”

Humans are hard wired to respond positively to nature; the crackling sound of burning logs in the fire, the smell of fresh rain on the soil, the color green, and being in proximity to animals.

This principle of organic and nature-inspired design grew slowly into a movement, and biophilic design was born. Biophilic design is a human centric approach to interior and building design that focuses on the human connection to the natural world. Biophilic design comes from an intuitive knowing that we are not separate from nature and when we put ourselves in spaces devoid of nature, we don’t feel well. Biophilic design promotes well-being by incorporating elements that establish a relationship between nature and human biology. This includes using natural materials, greenery, an abundance of natural light, and making room for natural ventilation.

Incorporating elements of nature in our home and work environments have been demonstrated through research to reduce stress, blood pressure levels and heart rates, while increasing productivity, creativity, and self reported rates of well-being. Our connection to plants is so strong that sometimes it takes only a few minutes of being in their presence to feel better. In one experiment, participants who spent even five to ten minutes in a room with a few houseplants felt happier.

College students in one study who spent a few minutes repotting and transplanting an indoor plant reported feeling a lot less stressed at the end of the task compared with peers engaged in computer-based activity. Houseplants and nature can help us feel recharged and grounded. In an indoor space, having any type of greens, including photographs of plants have a positive effect on our mood.

The catalysts influencing the adoption of Biophilic design are; the COVID pandemic, climate change, and focus on mental health. Biophilic design or green infrastructure can reduce CO2 emissions, boost the biodiversity of plants, and regulate the temperature of buildings. Sunlight is healthy and Biophilic design emphasizes light and space. Humans are genetically predisposed to be attracted to nature because of a deep, primordial connection.

Collecting and caring for houseplants boomed in popularity during the pandemic, especially among younger adults who don’t have abundant outdoor space. Vibrant communities blossomed on social media, like the #PlantTok corner of TikTok, uniting plant parents and making it easy to swap tips (and mail each other cuttings).

When you grow plants indoors you are connecting to nature no matter what the season and you will reap the positive psychological benefits that come with it. The more plants that we grow, the more oxygen we will have and the more carbon dioxide will be absorbed, combatting the effects of climate change. Nothing can replace the natural living beauty that indoor plants provide.

Kate Emery General is a retired chef/restaurant owner that was born and raised in Casper, Wyoming. Kate loves her grandchildren, knitting and watercolor painting. Kate and her husband , Matt are longtime residents of Cambridge’s West End where they enjoy swimming and bicycling.

The Spy Newspapers may periodically employ the assistance of artificial intelligence (AI) to enhance the clarity and accuracy of our content.

Filed Under: Brevities

Adkins Mystery Monday! Can you Guess What this Is?

November 13, 2023 by Adkins Arboretum

Happy Mystery Monday! Can you guess what is pictured in photo #1?
The answer to last week’s mystery is sassafras, Sassafras albidum, pictured in photo #2.
Sassafras is a thicket-forming tree native to much of the eastern US, and can have three types of leaves: ovate, mitten-shaped and three-lobed.
Because of its aromatic qualities, sassafras was one of the first trees exported from North America to Europe and commanded premium prices. Ground sassafras leaves have a lemonade-like aroma that some people liken to Fruit Loops, but with hints of camphor and old wood, while sassafras roots are the original source flavor in root beer.
Sassafras leaves are traditionally ground into a spice called filé powder which is a mainstay thickener and flavor of Creole cuisine including gumbo.
Adkins Mystery Monday is sponsored by the Spy and Adkins Arboretum. For more information go here.

The Spy Newspapers may periodically employ the assistance of artificial intelligence (AI) to enhance the clarity and accuracy of our content.

Filed Under: Food and Garden Notes

Food Friday: The Time Has Come for Cabbage

November 10, 2023 by Jean Sanders

After this past week of unseasonable warm fall weather it might actually be time to put away the shorts and flip flops, close the windows, find the wool sweaters, and think about a few meals before we get caught up in the confusion and mayhem of planning Thanksgiving cooking. Let’s say farewell to cole slaw, and hello to warm, braised cabbage.

Cabbage is cheap, and packed with nutrition, as well as being versatile. The last cabbage I pulled out from the heap weighed 4 pounds, and was just brimming over with meal potential. You can easily spice up your weekly menu without spending lots of money. And cabbage doesn’t have to be just the stinky accompaniment to corned beef once a year; there are lots of new and enticing ways to prepare it. I’ll bet you that right this minute someone in Brooklyn is experimenting with an artisanal bespoke organic cabbage smoothie cocktail, infused with saffron and CBD.

When winter rolls around we tend to think of oven-baked meals as a way to keep the kitchen cozy and our roll-poly bellies full. Whenever we cook pork chops I reflexively think of cole slaw and apple sauce as good side dishes. Samsin Nosrat (Of Salt Fat Acid Heat fame.) has a better idea than my mother’s 1950’s Hellmann’s mayonnaise-inspired slaw dish. You should try this: Samin Nosrat’s Bright Cabbage Slaw. It incorporates cabbage and apples, without the fat and calories of mayonnaise. It is a bright treat on a dark winter night. You can pretend you are in California.

Nigella’s Sweet and Sour Slaw is a little more time consuming – it might be perfect for a Saturday night meal, and it is quite festive and deelish.

Now you can take your new knife skills and try something fun for Taco Tuesday: Not Your Traditional Korean Tacos. Our friends at Food52 always have a tasty and clever solution for dinner, and these fresh Korean tacos will set you apart from the sodium-laden Old El Paso-recipe dependent households.

A more sophisticated take on cabbage and wraps comes from Bon Appétit: One-Skillet Hot Sausage and Cabbage Stir-Fry with Chives. Mr. Sanders is always buying Italian sausage, and we wind up using it repeatedly for sausage and peppers, or as pizza topping. This adds another meal to our burgeoning repertoire for winter 2024.

And where would we be in the midst of a gelid winter without an easy peasy every-thing-is-in-the-kitchen-already recipe? I love recipes where everything is already on hand; in the fridge, in the pantry, in the larder, ready to roll: Pasta with Cabbage, Winter Squash and Walnuts. We’ve got plenty of walnuts on hand for brownies, and Thanksgiving emergencies. No need to go out.

Cabbage probably won’t ever be the flashy media darling that kale was, but it is dependable. Like an old friend, or an old pair of jeans. You remember it fondly and it soothes your soul. The Washington Post food section has this nice, warming cabbage dish for you: Roasted Cabbage Bowls with Quinoa and Soft-boiled Eggs

Next week we will finally talk about Thanksgiving. Get ready!

“‘The time has come,’ the Walrus said,
      To talk of many things:
Of shoes — and ships — and sealing-wax —
      Of cabbages — and kings —
And why the sea is boiling hot —
      And whether pigs have wings.’”
—Lewis Carroll

The Spy Newspapers may periodically employ the assistance of artificial intelligence (AI) to enhance the clarity and accuracy of our content.

Filed Under: Spy Top Story, Food Friday

Talbot Historical Society Project Rewind: Getting Down to Work

November 10, 2023 by Talbot Historical Society

This Talbot Historical Society H. Robins Hollyday photo presents a bit of a mystery! Do you recognize where this was taken? Maybe it’s Newcomb, Maryland next to the bridge? The water in the background looks like the Miles River but the buildings and gas station do not look familiar? The trucks and equipment that are next to the two railroad cars appear to be either for farming or road building? Notice the man standing in the railroad car, maybe he shoveled slag out into the trucks below?

Contact: Cathy Hill [email protected] to share your old photos and purchase our collections photos. Comment, Like our page and join the Talbot Historical Society!

The Spy Newspapers may periodically employ the assistance of artificial intelligence (AI) to enhance the clarity and accuracy of our content.

Filed Under: Brevities

Adkins Mystery Monday: Perhaps Connected to a Local River?

November 6, 2023 by Adkins Arboretum

Happy Mystery Monday!  Can you guess what is pictured in this photo?
The answer to last week’s mystery is Northern sea oats, Chasmanthium latifolium, pictured in photo #2.
Northern sea oats most often occur in rich woods or rocky slopes along streams and on moist bluffs. Sea oats naturalize by reseeding and spread by rhizomes. They make a good habitat for some species of birds, offering food in the form of seeds, as well as cover.
Flat, green “flowers” develop on the arching stem tips from July through September. The flower heads are alluring and a slightest breeze will send flower heads fluttering on their stems. In fall, they become tan before the foliage turns to a copper color in early winter.
Snow adds eye-catching appeal to sea oats. The flowers gradually shatter ito make way for new spring growth, providing almost a full year of interest.

Adkins Mystery Monday is sponsored by the Spy and Adkins Arboretum. For more information go here.

The Spy Newspapers may periodically employ the assistance of artificial intelligence (AI) to enhance the clarity and accuracy of our content.

Filed Under: Food and Garden Notes

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