Weather ~ Jerry/Tractor ~ Picture of the Day ~ Oyster New York ~ Creamy Herb Fries ~ National Eat a Red Apple Day

  

Good 39º raining morning. 

 

 

Yesterday we had rain on and off and we topped at 48º.

 

On this day in 1997 Jerry and I bought this Oregon house.

We moved from Temple City in 1998... Jerry almost immediately bought this 1940 John Deere tractor... (BTW, 1940 was his birth year.)

 

Picture of the Day 😁

 

 

Interesting about oysters in New York............

 

Oysters in New York City have a long history as part of both the environmental and cultural environment. They were abundant in the marine life of New York–New Jersey Harbor Estuary, functioning as water filtration and as a food source beginning with Native communities in Lenapehoking. The "Oyster Islands" of Upper New York Bay were Ellis, Liberty and Black Tom.

 

In colonial New York, oysters were sold on the street, and also pickled and exported to other colonies, and the Caribbean. These pickled oysters were typically seasoned with nutmeg and black pepper.

Industrial history

The oyster's local history is documented in the 2006 book The Big Oyster: History on the Half Shell, focusing on the height of the oyster harvesting and restaurant industry in the 19th century.^[5][6] A leading restaurateur of the early 19th century was African American Thomas Downing.

 

City Island, Bronx was a major source of harvesting among other places, but severe over fishing led to devastation of the oyster population. By 1916, most of the five borough's oyster beds had been closed. New York lost its status as an oyster capital in 1927 when its final remaining local oyster beds closed.

 

Modern era

Restaurants

 

The most famous oyster bar in New York City is the Grand Central Oyster Bar. Opened in February 1913, the 440-seat eatery was popular among travelers making their way to and from the City.^[8] It originally operated until 1972 when the original location declared bankruptcy and closed. In 1974, the MTA had the approached restaurateur Jerome Brody to reopened the original location, bringing the restaurant - and oysters - back to Grand Central Station. The location remains open today, even despite COVID-19 closures and restrictions, and undergone many restorations and remodels.

 

(^ This building was used in one of Tom Selleck's Magnum PI shows. He and  his friend walked out and someone shot them)

Another historical oyster restaurant was the Downing’s Oyster House, owned and operated by Thomas Downing. Downing, the child of former slaves from Virginia, moved to New York City in 1820 after being discharged from the Army following the War of 1812 and opened the Thomas Downing Oyster House in 1825. He would go on to be the richest man in New York, nicknamed the "Oyster King," operating not only the restaurant, but a catering, take out, and international mail order business all centered around locally harvested oysters.

 

Restoration projects

Billion Oyster Project

Started in 1994 by Murray Fisher and Pete Malinowski, the Billion Oyster Project set to return oysters back to New York Harbor. The program was designed to, at first, use artificial reefs to let young oysters - or spat - attach to and grow. In 2015, the Project started the Shell Collection Program, collecting used shells from oyster, clams, and scallops donated by restaurants in New York City. Sea shells provide hard surface and are rich in calcium carbonate, a perfect environment for the baby oysters to grow.

 

The Project has fifteen locations around the Five Boroughs where they've established “field stations" where the Project or partner organizations bring in students or community programs to educate the public about their efforts. Locations includ Bayswater Point State Park, Brooklyn Bridge Park, Governors Island, and Soundview Reefs at the mouth of the Bronx River. They also have restoration sites at Lemon Creek Park, Mario Cuomo Bridge, and SUNY Maritime College.^[16]

 

City Island Oyster Reef Project

City Island Oyster Reef is conducting a similar effort in the western Long Island Sound near City Island. City Island Oyster Reef is attempting to restore the oyster population, not for consumption but to improve harbor water quality. Edible oysters will not be available for about a century.

 

 

From Mr. Food

 

One bite of these Creamy Herb Fries and you won't even realize that there is no salt! Plus, they're baked, not fried, so you won't feel guilty snacking on these bad boys.

 

• 6 Idaho potatoes, washed and peeled
• 1 cup fat free sour cream
• 1 tablespoon dried rosemary
• 1 tablespoon dried thyme
• 2 tablespoons olive oil
• 1 teaspoon salt substitute
• 1/2 teaspoon cracked black pepper

 

1. Preheat oven to 425º.
    
2. Wash the potatoes and cut into 1/4" rectangles the length of the potato. Dry thoroughly with paper towels.
    
3. Blend the olive oil, salt substitute and pepper in a bowl. Add potatoes to coat.
    
4. Spread potatoes in one layer on a nonstick baking sheet and bake at 425 degrees for 25 minutes. Turn potatoes over half way through the cooking with nonmetallic tongs or spatula.
    
5. Mix the sour cream in a bowl with the rosemary and thyme for the dipping sauce. Serve while fries are still warm.

 

 

 

Historically this date.......

1824 – United States presidential election, 1824: Since no candidate received a majority of the total electoral college votes in the election, the United States House of Representatives is given the task of deciding the winner in accordance with the Twelfth Amendment to the United States Constitution.

1885 – First serving of the soft drink Dr Pepper at a drug store in Waco, Texas (United States).

1952 – The New York Daily News reports the news of Christine Jorgenson, the first notable case of sexual reassignment surgery.

1969 – Vietnam War: The first draft lottery in the United States is held since World War II.

2001 – Captain Bill Compton brings Trans World Airlines Flight 220, an MD-83, into St. Louis International Airport bringing to an end 76 years of TWA operations following TWA's purchase by American Airlines.

And births this date include....

1913 – Mary Martin, American actor and singer (d. 1990)

1933 – Lou Rawls, American singer (d. 2006)

 

1935 – Woody Allen, American film director, actor, and comedian

1939 – Lee Trevino, American golfer

1940 – Richard Pryor, American comic and actor (d. 2005)

 

Raised in a brothel run by his grandmother where his mother was a prostitute beaten by his ne'er-do-well father; a victim of sexual molestation at age six; abandoned by his mother at age ten; a high school drop-out by 14; a father himself by 17... 6 wives, 7 children. Pryor set himself on fire after freebasing cocaine while drinking 151-proof rum. The man was a mess! Heart attack and multiple sclerosis.

1945 – Bette Midler, American actress and singer

1951 – Treat Williams, American actor (d.2023)

 

 

 

All I know. Nuff said. Have a good Friday. Ciao.

xo Sue Mom Bobo

On December 1, National Eat a Red Apple Day encourages everyone to eat a red apple. As the adage goes, “an apple a day keeps the doctor away,” and today is a perfect time to put that theory to taste.

An apple is both delicious and nutritious. With over 7,500 varieties of apples and over 7.5% of the world’s production coming from the USA, apples are widely available.

When it comes to a difference in health benefits between red and green apples, it’s a close call. Both have their advantages. Green apples beat the red apple slightly in fiber content. They also have less sugar and carbohydrates. However, red apples tend to taste better eaten fresh. They’re already naturally sweet and don’t require added sugar. The red apple slightly edges out the green in antioxidants.

Most green apples are reserved for baking and preserves. Since most green apples are tart, the added sugar in recipes brings about a better flavor for eating.

HOW TO OBSERVE 

Sink your teeth into a delicious and juicy red apple. This time of year, apples of all kinds are plentiful. Pick up several and give a few to friends to enjoy, too. They make great snacks with a slice of cheddar cheese or with a small cup of yogurt, too. Sprinkle them with a little cinnamon.