Cathy Burnham Martin's Blog, page 26

Oh, Bother!

English author A.A. Milne and English illustrator E.H. Shepard created the m ost beloved fictional teddy bear. Winnie-the-Pooh first appeared in London’s Evening News for Christmas 1925. However, Winnie-the-Pooh was “born” on August 21, 1921, inspired by a stuffed toy the author had bought for his son Christopher Robin and by a bear they’d seen at the London Zoo. The first book of Winnie-the-Pooh stories was published in 1926. Happy National Winnie-the-Pooh Day!

 

“If there ever comes a day when we can’t be together, keep me in your heart. I’ll stay there forever.”

— Winnie-the-Pooh

Patriotism

 

“Patriotism is supporting your country all the time and the government when it deserves it.”

— Mark Twain (1835-1910)
American author and humorist

Thank You for Your Service

 

“In war, there are no unwounded soldiers.”

— José Narosky (1930 – )
Argentine writer

Happiness & Success

 

“Success is not the key to happiness. Happiness is the key to success.”

-Albert Schweitzer 1875-1965)
German-French philosopher, physician, musician & Nobel laureate

Welcome Ainsley Jo!

 

“A new baby is like the beginning of all things… wonder, hope, a dream of possibilities.”

— Eda J. Le Shan (1922-2002)
American writer

 

 

 

Sir Ronald and I thank Adam and Caiti for blessing us with our third granddaughter. Ainsley Jo was born on January 8th. She joins her two big sisters, Ayla and Adaline, who are delighted with their truly terrific trio. We are overjoyed and look forward to greeting her in person.

 

 

 

 

And yes, mother and baby are home now and doing beautifully.

Peachy Perfection

For National Peach Melba Day, let’s whip up a batch of this delectable Victorian-era dessert, originally made from peaches, raspberries, and ice cream. (Hmmm… rather like a frozen Bellini.) The dish was created by French Chef Auguste Escoffier in 1893 at London’s Savoy Hotel and named after the opera singer Nellie Melba. (Yes, the Melba Toast was also named after her.)

Super Simple Peach Melba
Sauce: 4 c fresh (or frozen) raspberries
2 T powdered (confectioners’) sugar
1 T lemon juice
¼ c water
Peaches: 4 c water
2 c sugar (or monkfruit)
¼ c honey
1 tsp 100% pure vanilla extract (or paste or a split vanilla pod)
2 T lemon juice
8 peaches (2½ – 3 lbs), halved (pits removed, if easy)

1 pint (or more) vanilla or French vanilla ice cream
Fresh raspberries, for garnish

Make the sauce by simmering the raspberries, powdered sugar, lemon juice and water for 8-10 minutes. Then pour and press (with the back of a spoon) through a fine sieve into a medium bowl to remove all seeds. Set aside. Poach the peach halves by combining water, sugar, honey, vanilla, & lemon juice in a Dutch oven over med-low heat till sugar dissolves. Increase heat to med-high and bring to a boil for 5 minutes. Reduce heat to med-low again and poach the peach halves for 2 min on each side. Use slotted spoon to turn them over and to transfer peach halves to an ice bath (large bowl half filled with ice and water) to stop the cooking before transferring to a plate. (Remove any remaining pits.) Use a sharp knife to peel off and discard the peach skins. Let the peaches cool completely and chill in the refrigerator. To serve, arrange 2 peach halves on each of 4 plates, along with a scoop (or more) of ice cream. Drizzle raspberry sauce over it all (or use it as a base). Garnish with fresh raspberries, if desired. Makes 4 servings.

KISS Tips: This is also nice garnished with some coarsely chopped, roasted pistachio nuts. You can refrigerate the poached peach halves in the poaching liquid. Also, you can transfer the cooled poaching liquid to a freezer bag and freeze it till your next peach poaching project.

KISS Variations: Go for the Frozen Bellini Melba by omitting the water in the sauce, but adding ¼ – 1/3 c chilled Prosecco (Italian sparkling wine) just before drizzling over the peaches and ice cream. Or opt for Peach Melba Parfaits, by simply dicing the peaches and layering in tall, clear glass flutes with ice cream, raspberries, and a drizzle of sauce… and perhaps some chopped almonds or pistachios.

National Glazed Donut Day

The deep-fried cakes we know as doughnuts or donuts enjoy a long European history and an even longer Middle Eastern legacy. Arab cooks fried up small portions of dough and drenched them in surgary syrup. In Ancient Rome and Greece the fried pastry strips were coated with honey. Called oily cakes or fried cakes, they were introduced to the Western hemisphere by Dutch immigrants in New AmsterdamThe deep-fried cakes we know as donuts enjoy a long European history and an even longer Middle Eastern legacy. Arab cooks fried up small portions of dough and drenched them in surgary syrup. In Ancient Rome and Greece the fried pastry strips were coated with honey. Called oily cakes or fried cakes, they were introduced to the Western hemisphere by Dutch immigrants in New Amsterdam, now called Manhattan.

Egg yolks were later added to the dough along with holes in the centers to aid even cooking of our now famous donuts. How lovely for National Glazed Doughnut Day to land in January, when so many people are trying to trim waistlines by avoiding sweets! We need a sweeeet sense of humor!

National Arkansas Day

Never mind that they just got slammed with record amounts of snowfall, this is National Arkansas Day.

 

 

 

As part of the Louisiana Purchase in 1803, Arkansas become the 25th state in the US. Its capital is Little Rock, which is also home to the American Taekwondo Association National Headquarters.

 

 

In 1957, Arkansas became the first state below the Mason-Dixon line to integrate schools.

 

 

Photo by Samantha Beaty

 

 

Hot Springs National Park is listed as the 15th national park. However, President Andrew Jackson designated it as America’s first Federal Reservation in 1832, 40 years before Yellowstone was designated as the first national park. Home to many parks and water bodies, the Wonder State or Natural State is especially known for its hot springs.

 

 

 

Also known for its million-acre forest, quartz, and diamonds, Arkansas is home to the nation’s only public diamond mine.

 

 

Yes, you can dig for diamonds there. One lucky digger found this 2.38 carat gem.

 

 

Photo by Aaron Burden

 

 

The honeybee is the state insect, the apple blossom is the state flower, and the mockingbird is the official insignia.

 

 

 

Photo by Mick Haupt

 

 

With more than 3 million residents, it ranks as the 34th most populous state and is the 29th largest state.

 

 

 

 

The town of Alma is known as the Spinach capital, growing more than half of America’s spinach.

 

 

 

Arkansas is the USA’s largest producer of rice, growing more than 9 million pounds each year. Other major crops include apples, cotton, wheat, and soybeans.

 

 

 

 

Tyson Foods started here as a single food truck.

 

 

 

 

Photo by Sean Davis

 

 

And long before it had 10,500 stores worldwide, Walmart was founded here by Sam Walton in 1962.

 

 

 

Ernest Hemingway, one of the world’s most famous authors lived in Arkansas when he wrote “A Farewell to Arms.” John Grisham is also from Arkansas.

 

 

 

Johnny Cash was born here in 1932, and his boyhood home is now a small museum…

 

 

 

 

…as is the barbershop where Elvis Presley received his customary flat top after he enlisted in the Army in 1958 and was sent to Fort Chaffee.

 

 

 

 

 

Fun facts include that mispronouncing Arkansas is illegal, but there is no penalty. (The final “s” is silent.)

 

 

 

And, at just 98 feet long, the world’s shortest St. Patrick’s Day parade is hosted in Hot Springs. The mega-event is attended annually by famous actors, musical artists, and the Dallas Cowboy Cheerleaders.

Fairy Dust

Photo by Alison Archer

“When the first baby laughed for the first time, the laugh broke into a thousand pieces and they all went skipping about, and that was the beginning of fairies. And now when every new baby is born its first laugh becomes a fairy. So, there ought to be.”

 

 

— James Matthew Barrie 1860-1937)
Scottish novelist & playwright
(Best known for writing “Peter Pan”)

Silence Is Golden

“An effective technique in developing a peaceful mind is the daily practice of silence. Begin to listen for the deeper sounds of harmony and beauty that are to be found in the essence of silence.”

— Norman Vincent Peale (1898-1993)
American author & Protestant clergyman
(from his 1952 book “The Power of Positive Thinking”)