Cathy Burnham Martin's Blog, page 94

Bill of Rights Day

James and Dolly Madison sculpture by Ivan Schwartz

This day celebrates the ratification of the first 10 Amendments to the U.S. Constitution. The Bill of Rights was introduced by James Madison, who later became the 4th President of the United States.

In recognizing this day, in 2021 President Biden said, “The Bill of Rights is important not only in the freedoms it protects but in its demonstration of America’s enduring commitment to self-improvement and striving to continuously form a ‘more perfect union.’”

Since 1791, 17 additional Amendments have been ratified for a total of 27 Amendments to the Constitution.

National Bouillabaisse Day

Photo by Henry Perks

 

Bouillabaisse is a hearty seafood stew that harkens back to ancient Greece, where Marseille was founded in 600 BC. To be authentic, the classic French soup must include Provence, France’s indigenous red scorpion fish.

 

However, in the United States and elsewhere, we substitute red snapper, sea bass, grouper, cod, or some other fish. Bouillabaisse comes from the old word “bolhahaissa,” which means to boil and simmer.

Many people believe Bouillabaisse and Cioppino are interchangeable, but they are not quite the same. Cioppino has a rich, tomato-based broth and, while it includes a firm-fleshed white fish, Cioppino usually emphasizes special shellfish, such as king crab legs or lobster (depending on your location). The broth for Bouillabaisse uses a spicy, white fish stock as a base, with some diced tomatoes added. Bouillabaisse is also characterized by the addition of saffron or fennel, plus white potatoes and often some orange peel. (Unless I want them for thickening purposes, I tend to omit the potatoes.)

Photo by Stefan Schauberg

When serving Bouillabaisse, the broth and fish are generally served separately, along with hearty, sliced bread with a rouille spread, which is like a garlicky mayonnaise. In truth, to Super Simplify this, serve garlic French bread… and picture yourself sitting at a sunny surfside table in the south of France. But, of course! Oui, oui!

Bouillabaisse

This is Super Simplified of the full-on version. Now and then, I enjoy preparing recipes with many ingredients when the end result is a traditional and timeless classic.

1 each: leek and lg sweet onion, chopped

28-oz canned petite-diced tomatoes

¼ – ½ tsp each: cayenne pepper & red pepper flakes

1 bouquet garni (2 bay leaves, 4 sprigs thyme, 1 sprig tarragon, 2 whole cloves, & 6 peppercorns)

Olive oil (½ cup)

2 lb white fish… sea bass, halibut, grouper, cod; cut in chunks

2 each: carrots & celery stalks, finely chopped

¼ c pinot grigio (or other dry white wine)

1 tsp orange zest (or crushed dried orange peel)

3 qts fish stock

Salt to suit your taste

½ – 1 tsp saffron threads, soaked in 1/8 c hot water

Meat from 2 lobsters (1-2 lbs each), cut into pieces

1 lb. lg large or jumbo shrimp, shelled & deveined

½ lb sea scallops, rinsed & patted dry

1 lb mussels, rinsed & scrubbed

4 oz calamari rings

1 T finely chopped or minced garlic

4 T fresh lemon juice (1 medium-sized lemon & its zest)

¼ c finely chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley

In a glass bowl, combine ¼ of the leeks, onion, and garlic. Stir in all the diced tomatoes, cayenne, red pepper flakes, bouquet garni, and ¼ c olive oil. Add fish chunks to the bowl, stirring to coat. Cover and refrigerate overnight.

Heat remaining olive oil in a large Dutch oven over med heat. Sauté remaining leeks and onions, plus all the carrots and celery for 5 minutes. Add remaining garlic; continue cooking & stirring for 3 min. Then stir in wine, orange zest, fish marinade (but NOT the fish chunks), and the fish stock. Salt to suit your taste. Bring to a simmer for 15 minutes; stir in saffron. Stir in fish and mussels; let cook 5 -7 minutes. Then add shrimp, scallops, calamari, lemon juice (& zest); let cook another 3-4 min. Then stir in lobster and parsley. Divide among warmed soup bowls and serve. Serve with toasty garlic bread. Makes 4-6 servings.

KISS Tips: There are some amazing products on the market now, such as Better Than Bouillon. I like adding a T of their Lobster Better Than Bouillon to fish stew bases. Though completely non-traditional, I love this 2-3 slices of hearty, diced bacon, cooked before the leeks and onions. Oh, yeah!!! To prepare bouillabaisse the old-school way, divide your fish and seafood into warmed soup bowls and serve, ladling broth over the top of each bowl. (You can even start with a slice of your garlic bread in the base of the bowl.) Or serve the bowls with the broth in them and pass a platter with all the fish and seafood on it. Would you like to fancify this with some traditional, old-world flavor? After adding saffron to the base, heat ¼ c Pernod (anise-flavored French liqueur) briefly, ignite, and pour over the bouillabaisse.

National Cocoa Day

There are moments in life when nothing is quite as satisfying nor comforting as a toasty warm cup of cocoa. Straight up? Served with large or mini marshmallows? Topped with the decadence of whipped cream? Pick your style, and then pour yourself a cup.

I also believe that the proper consumption posture requires your feet to be propped up. Relax.

Take a deep breath. Ahhhhhh… I can smell that dark chocolaty yumminess wafting through the air now. Yummmmm!

National Gingerbread Decorating Day

 

Perhaps you enjoy making, seeing, or eating decorated gingerbread houses or cookies. Dad and Mom taught my sister and me to love decorating (and eating) spicy, chewy gingerbread cookies, both large and small.

 

Huseyin Isguzar with George, the baker, and Baker Bob aka Dad (2017)

 

 

 

Before he passed, Dad was great friends with Huseyin Isguzar, the Chief Culinary Officer at my folks’ retirement community in Florida. He and Dad, dressed in the Baker Bob apron that I made for him, along with a dashing hair net… so enjoyed baking in the kitchen together.

In addition to hanging Dad’s photo in the bakery, Huseyin continues Baker Bob’s tradition, with hundreds of gingerbread boys each year and a tribute to Dad as the centerpiece.

 

 

 

 

 

Annually, Mom leads an enthusiastic team of volunteers to decorate all the delightful and highly prized cookies.

For the 2022 Annual Friends and Family Christmas party, Huseyin and his team worked tirelessly to present an enormously festive and fabulous appetizer and dessert buffet for hundreds of happy attendees. The dining room looked as if St. Mark Village had turned into a 5-star cruise ship! Dad’s photo and the 750 gingerbread boys, decorated by Mom and her culinary crew of volunteers, make a meaningful centerpiece for all who knew and loved Dad.

Decorate your gingerbreads. Make lovely, lasting memories.

Visiting Mom

Just returning home from a delightful, though brief 1-week visit with Mom. She is one dynamic person and classy lady. Never mind that she is active and healthy and vibrant at 92½ years young! As “President of my fan club,” she even booked a mini book promotion tour for me. I spoke at the Christmas meeting for the Palm Harbor district for the PEO, a philanthropic educational organization that raises college scholarship money for young women.

I also addressed an enthusiastic Men’s Breakfast Club meeting. Mom was my Plus One. We then held a book signing for residents at the large independent living complex where Mom lives. I feel most humbled that we sold out of both Books 1 and 2 in the Destiny series and started taking orders! I feel honored to make Mom feel so proud.

Tilapia with mango salsa, broccoli, and sweet potato

 

Plus, I helped her with Christmas decorations. And, yes… I ate wayyy too much along the way. Mom kept my personal, business, and social calendars packed. And, as usual, she kept her effervescent self sparkling. I am one very fortunate woman.

Mom as Fun Chorus gave gift to Director Shelley DennisIn addition to The Hall Sisters (from yesterday’s article), we enjoyed some other super-superb entertainment during the week, as well. Award-winning, Clearwater-based singer-songwriter Nick Dukas and his band got folks singing and smiling.

And the 16-member Madrigal singers from East Lake HS in Tarpon Springs totally blow away many pros I have seen.

http://goodliving123.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/12/12-12-22-06-East-Lake-High-School-Madrigal-Singers-2022-12-05-15.03.41.mp4

Noted for performing with medieval style and acapella to boot, they also graced us with other musical styles. Jaw-dropping from start to finish! These talented and top-notch young people are not only extremely talented, but they are also leaders academically. Congratulations to the students and their director, Robert Knabel. Their season is full of performances, both locally and at such places as Disney World and Carnegie Hall.

http://goodliving123.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/12/12-11-22-East-Lake-Madrigal-Singers-2-2022-12-05-15.18.43.mp4

 

 

The Hall Sisters

Do you know of a musical quartet known as The Hall Sisters from Garner, North Carolina? These extremely talented sisters have played everywhere from the Grand Old Opry to Carnegie Hall. Mom and I had the pleasure of watching them in a Christmas concert this week. Talent. Talent. Talent. Talent. And lots of love. Each is a talented musician, and their vocal harmonies are stunning. (My video is not at all, but I hope you get the idea.) You can get more information at TheHallSisters.com or on Facebook.

http://goodliving123.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/12/12-10-22-The-Hall-Sisters-2022-12-08-18.51.25.mp4

Trust Yourself

Dare to be you, because you are “enough.” Easy to say, but it is not always easy to do. Trusting in ourselves can be quite a challenge.

A dear girlfriend, Janice Gilbert, gave me a bracelet of hers… a bracelet I have since worn nearly every single day. Its single round silver disk is engraved with powerful words.

“You are Braver than you believe, Stronger than you seem, and Smarter than you think.”

 

Lately, in speaking to groups about my new book, I found myself questioning whether I could say anything meaningful. It matters little that I have spoken before both large and small audiences countless times. Each time, I worry… I ponder… I pray. I care about them and the precious gift of time that they are entrusting to me.

“Why on earth would anyone want to go out of their way to listen to me speak?”

“What can I possibly say that will bring value to their lives?”

“Was I presumptuous to even write 21 books, never mind go out to speak about the latest one?”

Blessedly, when I put on my positive face and start to speak I have been richly rewarded by faces that beam with smiles and heads that nod excitedly in agreement. Presentations have been followed with so many gracious compliments and excited comments like, “Best program ever!” Then I am humbled even further.

I believe it is very easy for each of us to fail to recognize that we each matter… and perhaps very much to someone. We need not have a worldwide impact to be valuable. When we can touch even a single life, make even one small and positive difference for someone, or inspire a person to recognize a perhaps long-forgotten value in themselves, then we have had a wonderful day, month, year, or life!

We humans are very easily knocked down in this life. And it can take multiple positive thoughts to begin to squelch a single negative thought.

Try to associate with people who encourage you and appreciate you and respect you. YOU are worth it. Be good to yourself.

“Trust yourself. Create the kind of self that you will be happy to live with all your life. Make the most of yourself by fanning the tiny, inner sparks of possibility into flames of achievement.”

— Golda Meir (1898 – 1978)

4th Prime Minister of Israel, 1969 – 1974

Exciting News!

I have learned that my latest book, “Destiny of Determination: Faith & Family” has just been recognized with a lovely honor! The Literary Titan Award recognizes authors for “expertly delivering complex and thought-provoking concepts, vivid scenarios and characters, and original ideas.”

Woo-Hoo!!! I gladly accept! We write because the words and concepts need to get out and leap onto a page. It’s much the same as why we sing… or dance… or act out roles on the stage. But to receive this special recognition is both humbling and rewarding.

Literary Titan also interviewed me. Check the “Interviews with the Author” under the “About the Author” page on this site.

Plus… marvelous reviews have been praising book 2 with even more enthusiasm than book 1, “Destiny of Dreams: Time Is Dear.” One reviewer, Amy Shannon of Amy’s Bookshelf Reviews let me know that I lucked out and “Destiny of Determination: Faith & Family” got picked as her site’s Featured Book of the Month for December! Shweeeeet! It’s a random selection, so I feel very fortunate as she is one highly respected reviewer. Here’s that link:

https://amysbookshelfreviews.com/book-of-the-month

More exciting is her fantabulous review! PLUS she has “Destiny of Determination: Faith & Family” at #3 in her Top 10 Books of 2022. Can I get a big “Woo-Hoooo” one time? Woooooo-Hoooooooo!

 

Top 10 Books of 2022

Distant Early Warning  by  Jeff WidmerGateway To Mars  by H.E. WilbursonDestiny of Determination: Faith and Family by Cathy Burnham MartinWild Wolf’s Twisted Tails by Rod Glenn, Ricki Thomas, Poppet, I S Paton, C W Lovatt, Jo Reed, A J Kirby, Mark Sinclair, Tony Wright, Kirsty Neary, Kevin TomsettTell me a story, Babushka  by Carola SchmidtKingdom of Acatalec by  S.M McCoyRunaway Train by Lee Matthew GoldbergSolstice Shadows  by Avanti CentraeA Thousand Days In Auschwitz by Brenda Marie WebbUnder Dark Skies by AJ. Scudiere

 

Pearl Harbor Remembrance Day

 

“May we never forget our fallen comrades. Freedom isn’t free.”

— Sgt. Major Bill Paxton

U.S. Marine Corps, retired

 

On this day we honor all who lost their lives on December 7, 1941, in the bombing of Pearl Harbor on the Hawaiian island of Oahu. More than 3500 Americans lost their lives or were wounded in the early morning aerial attack by the Japanese that drew the U.S. into World War II.

 

 

Pearl Harbor remains the final resting place for many of the crew of the USS Utah, USS Arizona, and USS Oklahoma.

 

 

Often, crew members who survived the attack chose to have their ashes interred with crew mates. RIP

 

Robert Bishop, distinguished US Army Veteran; Korean War

 

Freedom isn’t free. Ask any military veteran. Thank every military veteran.

#PearlHarborRemembranceDay

Happiness Cannot Be Bought

 

“Happiness is not something ready-made. It comes from your own actions.”

— Dalai Lama

 

To me, these are great words at any time of year. Their meaning grows at this time of year, however, because money will not deliver happiness. People scurry to buy just the right gift for friends and family. In truth, our presence is often the most valuable present. In loving and kind actions, we find the happiness we both give and get.

(Photo by Stefan Schweihefer)