Picnicking and Penguins in Florida

Oh, wait. Did I say Penguins? Sorry, I've had Penguins on my mind ever since a man yelled to someone trailing behind, “Hurry, come and see the (bleep) Penguins!” For a moment, we were stunned into silence, I, because he had been so thoughtless with his (bleep) language in a family-like setting, and my friend Phyllis, because he had mistaken Pelicans for Penguins.

Phyllis is a sea world buff and after a brief pause, and deciding he has harmless, she patiently explained to him the many differences between a penguin and a pelican. His reply: “Are you sure?” Obviously, he was a visitor to our shores!

We were standing on the North Jetty at the Southern end of Nakomis Beach in Florida. After our Penguin versus Pelican incident our attention returned to the sun setting over the Gulf of Mexico, although one could not help but glance to our right from time to time to watch the amusing antics of the dozen or so Pelicans fishing for their supper in the rather choppy water.

Earlier we paused near the rocks in the small channel between the North and South Jetties where we spotted playful dolphins and while watching the various boats come and go. I'm not sure how many fish were biting but the fishermen attracted plenty of water birds looking for a free hand-out.

A few days later, I returned with a picnic supper, arriving almost two hours before sunset and settling myself at a picnic table near the jetty. In between watching all the goings-on, I enjoyed the late afternoon sun, and read. Shortly after unpacking my picnic a couple asked if they could share my table and we soon stuck up a conversation. It was a pleasant diversion.

As they were preparing to leave the husband remarked that he was getting hungry, and I said no wonder, having to watch me feed my face. I decided the next time I go alone I will be sure to bring extra food; it would have been nice to be able to share dinner with such enjoyable company.

A few minutes before the sun was ready to set I walked down a sandy path adjacent to the Jetty with my camera. My best photograph this day: An orange sunset framed by a Palm tree on the left and a boat on the right.

What I like best about this destination and so many others in Florida is that whenever I visit I am guaranteed to see the same beautiful beach, water, sand, rocks, or palm trees, yet depending on the season, weather and group dynamics, there will always be that element of unpredictability.

Although there is one thing I'm sure we won't see in this area - a Penguin.

The Ultimate Picnic

A google announcement came across my computer recently describing a one-of-a-kind dream trip where guests can fly to a private, uninhabited island or sand bar on Little Palm Island. Here, hidden away in the Florida Keys you will be served The Ultimate Picnic.

Key West Seaplanes, the region’s premier provider of luxury seaplane charter service will also fly you to the Island for brunch, lunch, dinner, or an overnight stay to Little Palm Island Resort & Spa, only accessible by seaplane or private ferry service.

A few days later, I received an email advertising Tropical Super Bowl Trips where visitors pull up lawn chairs and “lots of picnic tables” in front of a big screen on the beach.

I took these two messages as a sign for me to turn off my computer and get out to my own beach for my first picnic of the year. Although my beach wasn’t private and my picnic would be simple, it would nonetheless be fun and entertaining.

Venice Public Beach in Florida was scheduled to have a drumming circle on this night so I arrived just after 5:00. In previous years I had been to drumming circles on Siesta Key and Nakomis Beach and had enjoyed not only the drumming, but the impromptu dancing, hula hoop-ing and general feeling of merriment while waiting for the sunset.

There were quite a few people already there when I arrived, but because they were all sitting on towels, stretching, I suspected they were waiting for a Yoga class. They were. I must have misread either the date or the place. Well, I could have just moved to a different part of the beach and still had my picnic without the drums. But the seagulls were lined up by the dozens and although they were facing the water, I've learned you cannot fool these birds. The first morsel that went into my mouth would signal a free-for-all.

One of my "7 Rules for a Perfect Picnic" is to Be Flexible. I have had years of practice in Connecticut through the years when it rained on our picnic and we had to move it indoors.

Here, being flexible simply meant moving a few feet off the beach to an outdoor patio next to the concession stand where a performer was already singing and playing the guitar. It was still musical entertainment, just a different kind.

It may not have been one of the exotic picnics that had been trying to tempt me, but hey, I was outside in beautiful Florida in February having a picnic.

On this day, when I really needed a break, it was perfect!

Enjoy the Holiday Season

The newspapers and magazines are chock-full of things to do in Connecticut during the holiday season and I'd like to join with all the other revelers out there and share some of my own favorites:

Florence Griswold Museum: "The Magic of Christmas, A Holiday Tradition." www.flogris.org
Gillette Castle: The castle has been transformed to reflect "The Nutcracker Suite." www/ct/gov/dep/site. Click Outdoor Recreation. Click State Parks & Forests.
Mark Twain House & Museum: Variety of Christmas functions are being offered. www.marktwainhouse.org
Mystic Seaport: Check out the popular "Annual Lantern Light Tours." www.mysticseaport.org
Mystic Aquarium: "Breakfast with Santa" and "Winter Waterland." www.mysticaquarium.org
Connecticut Trolley Museum: "Winterfest." www.ct-trolley.org
Stamford Museum & Nature Center: Various Christmas exhibits and displays. www.stamfordmuseum.org

In addition, many of Connecticut's vineyards have organized special events and extended hours for the holidays: A sampling worth checking out:
Gouveia Vineyard (www.gouveiavineyards.com)
Haight-Brown Vineyard (www.haightvineyards.com)
Hopkins Vineyard (www.hopkinsvineyard.com)

For complete information on these destinations and others, check out the special price of $8.00 (half off retail) for Cruising Connecticut with a Picnic Basket purchased during the holiday season. And, remember, a personalized and autographed book is the perfect holiday gift for all your favorite people. www.cruisingconnecticut.com.

HAPPY HOLIDAYS!

Football Tailgating Recipe

In 2006 when I was doing research for a Football Tailgating Party Chapter for Cruising Connecticut with a Picnic Basket, I was lucky enough to discover the website of Joe Cahn, the Commissioner of Tailgating. He says, “Tailgating is the last great American neighborhood, the tailgating neighborhood, where no one locks their doors, everyone is happy to see you and all are together sharing fun, food and football.”

Joe not only granted me a telephone interview (he lives in New Orleans) but generously shared his recipe for the Jambalaya he brings with him as he travels to football stadiums across the country. Oh, along with the pot of Jambalaya, he also brings his cat “and navigator” Sophie and a 40-foot motor coach. What fun.

For all the football tailgating fans as well as the couch potato football fans, I am happy to share Joe’s recipe:

Joe’s Jambalaya

“This is my favorite recipe because you can put just about anything in it. If it walks, crawls, swims or flies, it can be thrown into Jambalaya. Everything goes into one pot so clean-up’s a breeze.”

1/4 cup vegetable oil
1-1/2 lbs. boneless skinless chicken breasts
cut into 1 inch pieces
Salt and ground black pepper
1-1/2 lbs. Sausage cut in 1/4 inch slices
4 cups chopped onions
2 cups chopped celery
2 cups chopped green bell pepper
5 cups chicken stock or water flavored with chicken bouillon
1 tbs. minced garlic
4 cups long grain rice
2 tbsp. Kitchen Bouquet (browning agent)
2 tbsp. seasoning salt
2 cups chopped green onions


•Season chicken with salt and pepper; brown in hot oil in 8 quart Dutch oven or stockpot over medium high heat.
•Add sausage; cook 5 to 7 minutes.
•Remove chicken and sausage from pan; set aside.
•Add onions, celery, green peppers and garlic; cook, stirring 7—10 minutes or until vegetables begin to wilt.
•Stir in chicken stock, reserved chicken and sausage, seasoning salt and Kitchen Bouquet. Bring to a boil.
•Add rice and return to a boil.
•Cover and reduce heat to simmer.
•Cook 10 minutes; remove cover and quickly turn rice from top to bottom completely.
•Replace cover and cook 15 to 20 minutes or until liquid is absorbed and rice is tender.
•Stir in green onions.
•Serves 12-15.

For brown jambalaya, add 1 heaping tbsp. brown sugar to hot oil and caramelize, or make a roux, or use Kitchen Bouquet. For red jambalaya, add approximately 1/4 cup paprika or use 1/2 stock and 1/2 tomato juice or V-8 for your liquid. For seafood jambalaya, add cooked seafood when rice is cooked.
If using an electric stove, reduce cooking time by 3-4 minutes.

Four Tips:
•Use 1 cup of rice for every 2 cups of vegetables (onion, celery, bell pepper)
•Use 1-1/4 cups of liquid for every 1 cup of uncooked rice
•1 cup of uncooked rice will make 3 cups of cooked rice, season accordingly
•Cook jambalaya for a total of 25 to 30 minutes, stirring well after 10 minutes

Happy Tailgating and Happy Thanksgiving.

A Connecticut Fall Foliage Day Trip

According to the Fall Foliage Experts there is still time to enjoy Connecticut’s changing color. Last Sunday I drove to Keene, New Hampshire in place of my usual foliage trip where I had a wonderful afternoon and a visit with someone special. However, if you haven’t had an opportunity to view the spectacular color yet, try my favorite Connecticut day trip. These destinations are all located in Litchfield County, and have great picnicking facilities.

Hopkins Vineyard, New Preston ~ At the big red barn you can have a wine tasting, find some terrific gifts for yourself or others, and sit upstairs at the Hayloft Wine Bar for a glass of wine and a cheese and fruit platter white savoring the view from the window. Outside, look down the hill and across Lake Waramaug and marvel at one of the best foliage sights in the state. Picnic at a table outside the winery. www.hopkinsvineyard.com.

Kent Falls in Kent ~ the parking lot is conveniently located right off the main road. Walk through a covered bridge, then cross the meadow to the foot of falls that plunge approximately seventy feet in a dramatic cascade. Make the one-quarter mile climb to the top with vantage points along the way. Have a game of Frisbee in the adjacent meadow. Picnic at a table near the falls. www.ct.gov/dep/site. Click Outdoor Recreation; click State Parks & Forests; click Find a Park.

Cornwall Covered Bridge in West Cornwall ~ located just seven miles North from Kent Falls on Route 7. Drive through the 173-foot long bridge which has been in continuous operation since 1864, park the car on the other side and walk through the bridge and back again, peeking out the window openings on each side for postcard views of the Housatonic River. Who knows what you might see. Picnic at tables or on the ground while watching the river activity.

Mohawk State Forest in Cornwall ~ Drive up the 1,683-foot mountain, less than 4 miles. Enjoy great foliage during the drive, but expect to be wowed at the top with a panoramic view including Mount Greylock to the North, and the Catskill Mountains to the West. Picnic at tables at the top or at pullout areas on the way up or down. (See website under Kent Falls)

Special for lovers of books, day trips, picnics or recipes

Those of you who are a regular visitor to my blog know that I love to talk about all the great leisure-time activities there are available in Connecticut. You may even know that I am nearing the 200 mark for book talks to libraries, civic groups, women's and men's clubs, newcomers and garden clubs, PTO's, and other organizations.

On Thursday, September 22nd at 7:00 pm. I will be speaking at the Windsor Library, 323 Broad Street, Windsor, Connecticut.

My talk will focus on stories about my years of scouring the state looking for the best day trips and picnic areas and the menus and recipes that are customized for each trip. They are all in my book Cruising Connecticut with a Picnic Basket, which on this evening only is available at a great discount.

Since this presentation will be filmed by Win TV, a local television station, I hope to have a packed house for the event. Therefore, anyone who hands me a piece of paper with the words "Special Blog price" may purchase a book or books at half price, which is $8.00 including tax. The rest of the audience will get the usual direct purchase discount of $15.00 including tax. (The retail price is $15.95 plus tax.)

Please come if you live in the area. I would love to meet you.

Recipe for Labor Day Parties

Labor Day Weekend originated as a way to honor the everyday working people, and I guess it still does so today. After all, we have a three-day weekend, a last hurrah for the end of one season and the start of another. What will you do to celebrate? If you fall into the majority, at some point during the weekend you will have a cookout or a picnic.

Here is one recipe that is fun to make and easy to serve for an at-home picnic but with a little planning can be prepared ahead, carried to your picnic in a cooler and assembled at the picnic site. Either way, it’s sure to wow anyone who gazes upon its colorful bounty. Oh, and it’s tasty too!!

Jan's Antipasto Platter (taken from Cruising Connecticut with a Picnic Basket)

I start with a 24X16 inch platter, although any size will do depending on the number of people you plan to serve. Here is what I place on the platter:

First, the bottom is spread with lettuce leaves (I use Boston lettuce because the leaves are flat.) Then, I take one each of a green, orange, and yellow whole pepper, carefully shaving off the bottom if necessary to keep them standing straight, then hollow out the inside and arrange in opposite corners and middle of tray. They hold carrot sticks, burgundy olives and stuffed green olives. In the opposite corners of the tray I place two short ice cream dishes, one holding cherry tomatoes and the other, marinated mushroom caps. Somewhere in the middle of the tray sits a pile of sweet roasted red peppers and a tiny fork.

Now that the color palate is complete it is time to think about heartier fare. This is where the rolling, stabbing, stacking and threading begins, followed by the creative placement of each item in between the peppers and bowls.

First, one pound of ham and one pound of Swiss cheese are rolled up together, slice by slice, the ham on the outside and the cheese on the inside, held together with toothpicks. Each one in cut in half or thirds. A pound of hard salami is simply folded over, piece by piece, piled in two stacks and fanned out. Next, a stick of pepperoni is sliced into one-quarter to one-half inch slices, and a block of cheddar cheese is cut into cubes. Then they are threaded on colored plastic picks, first a pepperoni slice, then a cube of cheddar cheese, then another pepperoni. When I get tired of threading, I simply scatter the rest around to fill up empty spaces. Cheese twists (mozzarella and soft cheddar) are partially separated at the top pulling each of the three or four pieces down about 2 inches to form a curly top. These are placed in two separate piles on the tray, although I decide they would also look smashing standing up in something.

Finally, I add springs of fresh parsley here and there and a clear container of colorful plastic toothpicks.

This Antipasto Platter can be modified in dozens of exciting ways. Just have fun with it but don’t forget, it’s not only about filling up the platter with favorite foods, it’s also about the presentation. For your platter to be the attention-grabber it longs to be, there needs to be a variety of shapes and lots and lots of color.

Happy Labor Day.