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Vanessa Leggard

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(Sag Harbor, NY) Secrets to keeping your fruits and Veggies fresh longer: Greetings Hamptons Mouthpiece Readers...Lets talk Food….Average American family waste $1000-$2000 worth of food every year and mostly produce. It makes me so sad because there are so many starving people right here in this country. Here are some tips on how can you save yourself some money. The 2 biggest enemies in the refrigerator are moisture and air. The temperature in your refrigerator should be 40 degrees and your freezer should be 0 degrees and, if they’re not able to get to or maintain those temperatures, you might need to call an appliance repair san francisco company, or someone more local to you, in to fix the problem.
Baby greens and tomatoes

Have you ever bought fresh fruit and vegetables and they go bad on you before you have an opportunity to use them? Makes you crazy right? I recently watched a Rachael Ray show and she shared some tips to help us keep our produce longer and save money…

  1. Label and list things in your freezer
  2. Store liquids in freezer bags and lay flat…label & date
  3. Keep freezer well stocked…an empty freezer works too hard when it is not as cold as it should be…keep it crowded
  4. Keep fruits in one side of the refrigerator and vegetables on another side…all fruits and veggies should be refrigerated
  5. Treat your fresh herbs like flowers…put them in water..even your asparagus
  6. When you bring your lettuce or greens home…wash them and air dry them, then bag them, include a paper towel and refrigerate. If you are like me, and after grocery shopping the last thing on your mind is to wash your greens. Put them in the refrigerator in the bag you brought them home in, then wash before you are ready to eat.

Tip: Lettuce is the #1 cause of food born illness…make sure you wash them twice….

  • Fruits….if you have one bad berry in the container, remove it immediately because one bad berry can spoil the entire bunch. Take them out of the container you brought them home in. Put the berries in a bowl, lightly wrap, allowing for a bit of air and refrigerate. Don’t wash until you are ready to eat. Berries are perishable and you don’t want them to be wet.
  • Tip: To prevent guacamole and avocado from turning brown spray with vegetable spray and cover…

Foods that do not go in the refrigerator

  • tomatoes
  • onions…keep them in a basket with plenty of air (make sure you keep them separate from your potatoes)
  • Bananas (tip….bananas are great frozen to add to smoothies)
  • avocado’s (tip: you can put avocado in the refrigerator to prolong the ripeness)
  • Potatoes and Yams (store in a dark cool place)

Tipif you want to speed up the avocado that is not ripe…put it in a brown paper bag…and if you really want to speed up the process add a banana to the bag…bananas give off a gas called Ethylene. . Ethylene is A colorless flammable gas, C2H4, derived from natural gas and petroleum and used as a source of many organic compounds, in welding and cutting metals, to coloring citrus fruits and as an anesthetic. Bananas really should be stored in a basket by themselves.

Secrets to keeping your Fruits and Veggies fresh longer will save you money during the year. Please share any secrets you may have.

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Hamptons Happenings: Stony Hill Stables Foundation Annual Benefit

Scholarships to be Awarded at the Stony Hill Stables Foundation Annual Benefit
Saturday, June 30, 2018, 6 p.m. – 8 p.m.
Special Dressage Exhibition & Pony Drill Team Performance

  Stony Hill Stables, owned and operated by the Hotchkiss family for more than five decades, will host the annual Stony Hill Stables Foundation Benefit on Saturday, June 30, from 6 p.m. – 8 p.m. on the pastoral grounds of Stony Hill Stables, located in Amagansett on Town Lane.  The Stony Hill Stables Foundation, a not-for-profit organization created to promote equine sports through riding education and competitive opportunities for children and young adults in the East End community, continues to be the only stable in Long Island to offer this unique scholarship program.   

Attendees enjoy the Pony Drill Team performance at the Stony Hill Stables Foundation Benefit

Now in its seventh year, the scholarship program is on sound footing and has given local riders a path to their equestrian dreams. With a grass-roots approach, the scholarship program has opened its barn doors to local kids.  Scholarships are customized to suit each recipient, and each recipient participates in creating his or her own program, based on the budget of their scholarship, and their individual goals and interests.

Event Chairwoman, Bailey Thompson, who currently trains with Stony Hill Stables owner and USDF Gold Medalist, Wick Hotchkiss, has been involved with the foundation since its inception.   “For the past six years I have had the privilege to serve on the Benefit Committee where I have witnessed the amazing mission of the foundation come to fruition. I am honored to be named the 2018 event Chair. This foundation is very special to me because I understand how significant these scholarships are and the great opportunities they provide to the recipients,” said Ms. Thompson. 

Bailey Thompson and Wick Hotchkiss perform a colorful Pas de Deux at the SHS Foundation Benefit

 Stony Hill Stables prides itself with offering a safe, educational, and positive environment for equestrians of all ages to learn and grow. “I have been lucky to ride at Stony Hill since I began my riding career at the age of seven. I, along with many others, have learned so many tangible and intangible life lessons and skills that go beyond the stables; an experience that not many people may get in their lifetime,” said event Chair Thompson, “I am extremely proud to be part of a program that provides local children the opportunity to reap the benefits of our wonderful sport. I couldn’t be more honored to further this hallmark tradition”.

The Pony Drill Team gives a demonstration at the 2014 Stony Hills Stables Benefit Cocktail Party on the grounds of the stables on Saturday, June 21st, 2014

 This year’s annual family-friendly event promises to be full of surprises. Scholarship students as well as Grand Prix riders will take to the ring.  Bailey Thompson and USDF Gold Medalist Wick Hotchkiss with perform Dressage, the Stony Hill Stable’s Pony Drill Team will delight attendees with a specially choreographed performance, and there will even be an exhilarating Jumping Exhibition!

Wick Hotchkiss and Bailey Thompson Dressage Demo

Hotchkiss and Thompson Dressage Demonstration at the Stony Hill Stables Foundation Benefit

 Scholarship applications for the 2018 season are currently being accepted. Five to seven scholarships will be awarded annually. Local residents of Montauk, Amagansett, East Hampton, Sag Harbor and Southampton are encouraged to apply.  Scholarship applications are available on-line at https://www.stonyhillstables.com/foundation.

Deadline for submitting applications is June 22, 2018.  Scholarship winners will be announced on June 30 at the Stony Hill Stables Foundation Benefit!

Stony Hill Stables Pony Drill Team

 Tickets for the Stony Hill Stables Foundation Benefit are priced at $125 for a single ticket, $200 for a couple. Children under 12 are free!  Tickets can be purchased in advance on-line. Tickets can also be purchased at the gate the night of the event.   Contributions are gratefully welcome:  Stony Hill Stables Foundation, P.O. Box 283, Amagansett, NY 11930 or https://www.stonyhillstables.com .   For more information about Stony Hill Stables and the Stony Hill Stables Foundation, please visit the website or call: 631.267.3203.

The Stony Hill Stables Foundation is a not-for-profit program established to offer scholarship equestrian training for local residents. The goal is to promote equine sports, riding education, and good sportsmanship providing local children and young adults a healthy, enhancing life experience. Stony Hill Stables Foundation is a 501 (c) (3) program providing a unique atmosphere for children and young adults to become skilled in equine sports, build friendships and connect to the East End Community. For information on the Stony Hill Stables Foundation contact us at 631-267-3203 or [email protected]

content provided by Lynn Stefanelli, photo credit: Stony Hill Stables Foundation

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Hamptons Wellness: The Benefits of Ginger: Ginger is widely used throughout the world for treating loss of appetite, nausea and vomiting after surgery, nausea resulting from cancer treatment, flatulence,stomach upset, colic, morning sickness and motion sickness.

Some people find ginger helps them with the symptoms of upper respiratory tract infection, bronchitis, cough, menstrual cramps, arthritis and muscle pain.

In some parts of the world, ginger juice is applied to the skin to treat burns

GINGER: Nausea, upset stomach…When I was pregnant with both of my daughters I have really bad morning sickness and I was nauseous all the time, literally until they were born. This is why they are 6 1/2 years apart and why I only have 2.

Some say drink Ginerale & Saltine Crackers but the sugar from the gingerale made me feel sicker…Ginger Tea is the Best..Treat yourself to a cup of piping hot ginger tea, a healthy drink that’s great for digestion. Why go out and buy old tea bags when you can easily make your own homemade ginger tea at home using fresh ginger? Here’s how to make the tastiest ginger tea you’ve ever had!

Home-made Ginger Tea
Recipe Type: Tea
Cuisine: Liquid
Author: Vanessa Leggard
Prep time:
Cook time:
Total time:
Home-made ginger Tea…piping hot ginger tea, a healthy drink that’s great for digestion
Ingredients
  • 4-6 thin slices raw ginger
  • 1 1/2 – 2 cups water
  • juice from 1/2 lime, or to taste
  • 1-2 tbsp honey or agave nectar, or to taste
Instructions
  1. Peel the ginger and slice thinly to maximize the surface area. This will help you make a very flavorful ginger tea.
  2. Boil the ginger in water for at least 10 minutes. For a stronger and tangier tea, allow to boil for 20 minutes or more, and use more slices of ginger.
  3. Remove from heat and add lime juice and honey (or agave nectar) to taste.

9 Terrific Benefits of Ginger

  • Eat fresh ginger just before lunch to stoke a dull appetite and fire up the digestive juices.
  • Ginger improves the absorption and assimilation of essential nutrients in the body.
  • Ginger clears the ‘microcirculatory channels’ of the body, including the pesky sinuses that tend to flare up from time to time.
  • Feeling airsick or nauseous? Chew on ginger, preferably tossed in a little honey.
  • Ginger helps reduce flatulence!
  • Ginger helps with Tummy moaning and groaning under cramps?
  • Ginger, with its anti-inflammatory properties-can bring relief. Float some ginger essential oil into your bath to help aching muscles and joints. You can combine it with CBD soap from websites like https://missionfarmscbd.com/cbd-soap/ to help with the inflammatory pain.
  • Chewing ginger post-operation can help overcome nausea.
  • Stir up some ginger tea to get rid of throat and nose congestion. And when there’s a nip in the air, the warming benefits of this tasty tea are even greater

Hamptons Wellness: The Benefits of Ginger:

(Hamptons) How about making your own General Tsao’s Chicken …I thought I would share this recipe with all of you because it is so delicious. Perfect with any type of Rice, you really will never want to order General Tsao’s chicken from a Chinese Restaurant again. I do not use peanut oil in my recipe or red chillies, I substitute the Jalapeño peppers instead, they are not as hot as the red chili peppers.

General Tsao’s Chicken II
Recipe Type: Entree
Cuisine: Asian
Author: chefdaddy
Prep time:
Cook time:
Total time:
Serves: 6
A genuinely mouthwatering dish with an Asian kick that will knock your chopsticks off! Don’t be fooled by other General Tsao impostors: this is simply the best Chinese chicken you will ever have. With a flair of peanut oil, a streak of sesame, a dash of orange, and a sweet spot for hot, this is sure to be a favorite. Just don’t forget to deep-fry twice! Serve with steamed broccoli and white rice.
Ingredients
  • 4 cups vegetable oil for frying
  • 1 egg
  • 1 1/2 pounds boneless, skinless chicken thighs, cut into 1/2 inch cubes
  • 1 teaspoon salt
  • 1 teaspoon white sugar
  • 1 pinch white pepper
  • 1 cup cornstarch
  • 2 tablespoons vegetable oil
  • 3 tablespoons chopped green onion
  • 1 clove garlic, minced
  • 6 dried whole red chilies
  • 1 strip orange zest
  • 1/2 cup white sugar
  • 1/4 teaspoon ground ginger
  • 3 tablespoons chicken broth
  • 1 tablespoon rice vinegar
  • 1/4 cup soy sauce
  • 2 teaspoons sesame oil
  • 2 tablespoons peanut oil
  • 2 teaspoons cornstarch
  • 1/4 cup water
Instructions
  1. Directions
  2. Heat 4 cups vegetable oil in a deep-fryer or large saucepan to 375 degrees F (190 degrees C).
  3. Beat the egg in a mixing bowl. Add the chicken cubes; sprinkle with salt, 1 teaspoon sugar, and white pepper; mix well. Mix in 1 cup of cornstarch a little bit at a time until the chicken cubes are well coated.
  4. In batches, carefully drop the chicken cubes into the hot oil one by one, cooking until they turns golden brown and begin to float, about 3 minutes. Remove the chicken and allow to cool as you fry the next batch. Once all of the chicken has been fried, refry the chicken, starting with the batch that was cooked first. Cook until the chicken turns deep golden brown, about 2 minutes more. Drain on a paper towel-lined plate.
  5. Heat 2 tablespoons vegetable oil in a wok or large skillet over high heat. Stir in the green onion, garlic, whole chiles, and orange zest. Cook and stir a minute or two until the garlic has turned golden and the chiles brighten. Add 1/2 cup sugar, the ginger, chicken broth, vinegar, soy sauce, sesame oil, and peanut oil; bring to a boil and cook for 3 minutes.
  6. Dissolve 2 teaspoons of cornstarch into the water, and stir into the boiling sauce. Return to a boil and cook until the sauce thickens and is no longer cloudy from the cornstarch, about 1 minute. Stir the chicken into the boiling sauce. Reduce heat to low and cook for a few minutes until the chicken absorbs some of the sauce.
Calories: 633

 

Sag Harbor 8th Annual HarborFrost 2018 …. Get Your Freeze On!
The Sag Harbor Chamber of Commerce hosted The 8th Annual HARBORFROST on February 24TH 2018 in Sag Harbor, New York. It was a beautiful day in the harbor, not as icy cold as it had been in previous years. It was a perfect day for many brave people to take a dip in the frosty water.

A benefit for the Sag Harbor Ambulance Corp. Rich Daly who holds the record for the fastest ice carver in Guinness Records was present entertaining the crowd with his incredible artistry of ice sculptures.

Photo and video credit: Kurt Leggard, Photography by Kurt
https://www.smugmug.com/gallery/n-b584PJ/i-wnDB48d