Posts from — December 2007

Yields 2 pints

4 cups figs
1 cup sugar
1/2 lemon, thinly sliced and seeded

1. Rinse figs and trim stem ends. Put into a heavy-bottomed saucepan with sugar, lemon slices and 1 cup water. Simmer over low heat, stirring occasionally, until a thick syrup forms (patience please, turn on a movie, it will be a good hour).
2. Transfer hot figs to 2 sterilized 1 pint Mason-type jars, top with sterilized lids and seal in a hot water bath according to the jar manufacturer’s directions. Cool and store in a dark place.

A version of this recipe by food writer Julia Reed, originally appeared in The New York Times.

Yesterday I had a conversation with a former colleague, who is also a friend, regarding her world at her company and my world with canvas.

In her world, the newspaper world, the Chairman of their parent company stepped down, effective the end of the year. An announcement that the company is being taken private should be made today, December 20. Several former employees who were part of a circulation scam at that company are supposed to be sentenced for their actions today as well. Ongoing revenue declines and what’s been described to me as leadership voids throughout the management ranks of the company compound all these issues.

Our world at canvas faces the challenges almost every small business faces in their first years. Needing to ramp up revenue faster. Struggles to do a lot with little; making payroll and get vendors paid, the impact of changes in limited personnel. Fortunately our struggle has not included market acceptance. As a matter of fact, we cannot meet demand for the magazine. We run out of copies every month. We’ve had people tell us they collect and save each issue because of the beauty of the covers and value of the content we provide.

Why am I sharing this? Because this person shared a story with me about my world that made me really stop and look—not simply glance—at what we have accomplished.

For lack of space and time, here’s the short version of the story:
Her son, a twenty-something, was at a networking event attended by Nassau County Executive Tom Suozzi and other Nassau politicians, as well as some business people and nonprofit groups. The young man called his mother to tell her how impressed he was that canvas magazine was mentioned a number of times, and the positive regard all these people held us in.

After sharing the story, she said to me “Tom, no matter what else happens with canvas, think about the impact you have had in a year.” She continued, “He [her son] was so proud that he knows you and to hear these people talking about your magazine the way they were.

“Think about what’s going on here [at her and my former company] and think about what you’ve accomplished. I don’t know many people who could have taken a magazine to where you have in one year … to have the impact you’re having, that it’s talked about at a meeting like this…”

After we spoke, this time it hit me. Wow! She was right, look at what we’ve accomplished in a year. While we had ambitious goals and thought we could get there, we’re usually too mired in the daily operation to see the forest through the trees.

So here’s the tale of two cities: The small independent publisher facing business-threatening challenges every day is having the impact of a large company with myriads of resources at their fingertips. I look forward to the day we’re a larger company with ample resources making an even bigger impact.

Onward and Upward for 2008!

Tom Pellicane – Publisher, canvas Magazine

Saturday we hosted a second Artist reception in the Footprint Gallery, aka, canvas offices. The show features about 40 works from the Nature and Wildlife Photographers of Long Island. They have some really talented photographers and some great work.

It was another great event, although I am biased since these are our events. If you didn’t get a chance to join us for this event we have a Greendrinks Event coming up January 10, 2008 at Cirella’s Restaurant and an Open Mic Night Jan. 17 at the Footprint Gallery.

You can check them out here
Nature and Wildlife Photographers of Long Island.

Last weekend I watched Leonardo Dicaprio’s film, Blood Diamonds. My 16-year-old daughter sat with me and began to watch the movie, too. She bailed out after about 30 minutes or so saying the movie was “horrible,” not in a cinematic sense, but in her ability to absorb what was portrayed. I then tried to recruit my wife, Adele, to watch it with me; she bailed out after a couple of scenes for the same reason.

The movie made me think of LOHAS and what it’s all about. LOHAS consumers are supposed to be conscious of the world around them, and awakened to what is going on in today’s society. Although I don’t like labels, I guess I fall into this category. I ate a heritage turkey at Thanksgiving, have gone from a 6 to 4 cylinder car, and from now on will be very conscious of any diamonds I purchase.

As I watched the film it struck me just how ignorant and naïve I am to some of the happenings in the world, and I believe I’m actually more informed them many people I come in contact with. I understand the challenge in Darfur and other issues of today, but the absolute disregard for human life as portrayed in the film stuck with me. How can we, humans have such little regard for one another?

During the movie I thought back to when I was buying a diamond engagement ring for Adele. I recall saying “let’s pick a bigger one,” and Adele said “no, I don’t want an obnoxious ring with a diamond that too big for my hand.” I couldn’t understand her logic then, but I’m happy with her thought processes now.

I’ve learned that Adele was LOHAS long before we were together and probably long before the label existed. I’m sure had she known of blood diamonds at the time she would have declined a diamond of any kind. I guess LOHAS means continuing to learn about things affecting our world and trying to do something to try and change them for the positive. It also means questioning things, not just accepting them at face value—even if we’re desensitized.

As we move toward the New Year, an election year, it’s important we ask more questions, not take things at face value, and make the effort to push for positive change.

Tom Pellicane – Publisher, canvas Magazine

Seasonal Spirits with a Twist

Written by: Chirs O’Hara
Why settle for ho-hum when entertaining this holiday? Swing into the spirit of the season with these festive spins on traditional holiday drinks.

Poinsettia
Two of the most popular holiday staples, cranberries and Champagne, join forces in this holiday classic blazing with festive color. It’s a drink of fairly recent origin, with quite a few variations: I’ve seen it made with triple sec, Cointreau, and Grand Marnier. I prefer a small splash of Cointreau, the clear orange liqueur made from both sweet and bitter orange peels.

Serves 8

1 Large Orange
8 ounces Cointreau, triple sec or Grand Manier, chilled
16 ounces Cranberry juice cocktail, chilled
Two 740 ML bottles Champagne, or other dry sparkling wine, chilled

Using a vegetable peeler or a small paring knife, remove the zest from the orange in long, ½-inch-wide strips, avoiding the bitter white pith. Pour 1 ounce of Cointreau and 2 ounces cranberry juice into the bottom of each martini glass (or use large Champagne glasses). Fill the glass with Champagne, and garnish with an orange twist.

Witches’ Yule Tea
Modern-day witches, known as Wiccans, celebrate a winter solstice festival called Yule right around December 21st. According to their Book of Shadows, this is the appropriate tea to drink while celebrating an authentic Yule. I think it’s delicious year-round.

Serves 8

Peel from half a lemon
5 whole cloves
4 cinnamon sticks
1 Tsp allspice berries
1 whole nutmeg
1 bay leaf
1 Tsp dried Chamomile
8 teabags of black tea
1 apple, peeled and thinly sliced

Stud the lemon peel with the cloves, and place in a square of cheesecloth along with the remaining spices and chamomile. Tie the sachet using kitchen string and place in a large pot or teapot along with the teabags. Bring 6 cups of water to a rolling boil in a separate pot and pour over the sachet and teabags. Allow to steep for at least 3 minutes, then serve the tea in mugs with the apple slices floating on top.

Chocolate Eggnog
It took me a long time to get used to drinking traditional eggnog during the holidays. I liked eggs, but couldn’t stand the thought of drinking raw ones. Fortunately, my combined love of rum and Christmas eventually got me over it, but some people still have trouble. For those folks, there’s chocolate eggnog. It seems that chocolate can overcome any fear of eggs, and by replacing the rum with more milk, you can even make an alcohol-free chocolate nog.

Serves 15

For the Batter:
8 large eggs
1 ½ cups unsweetened cocoa powder
1 cup packed brown sugar
2 Tbs vanilla extract
2 cups whole milk
8 ounces dark rum

For the Chocolate Whipped Cream:
4 ounces milk chocolate
3 cups heavy cream
pinch of salt

For the Garnish:
8 ounces semisweet chocolate, grated
15 cinnamon sticks

Make the Batter:
Separate the eggs, depositing yolks and whites into the two separate bowls. Place the whites, covered tightly, immediately into the refrigerator. Whisk the yolks with the cocoa powder, brown sugar, and vanilla until very smooth. Gently stir in the milk and rum. Cover the bowl tightly with plastic wrap and refrigerate for several hours
until cold.

Prepare the Chocolate Whipped Cream:
Chop the chocolate into small chunks and heat it in a bowl placed over a saucepan of boiling water, stirring frequently until the chocolate melts. Cool briefly in the refrigerator, but do not allow the mixture to solidify. Meanwhile, whip the cream to soft peaks. Stir in the cooled, melted chocolate and blend thoroughly.

Remove the egg whites from the fridge and beat with a pinch of salt until soft peaks form. Fold the whites into the chilled egg-yolk mixture and pour into mugs. Garnish each with a dollop of chocolate whipped cream, some grated semisweet chocolate, and a cinnamon stick stirrer.
Reprinted from Hot Toddies, by Christopher O’Hara and William A. Nash.
Copyright © 2002.  Published by Clarkson Potter, a division of Random House, Inc.