West Main Street Gets Sweeter!

What’s Cookin’? – Smithtown

 By Nancy Vallarella

Sweet Lucille’s Desserts of Smithtown is a welcome addition to Smithtown’s culinary repertoire.   Recently celebrating with a ribbon cutting ceremony, the community gathered to wish this partnership of local friends and neighbors good fortune as they launch their bakery/café in the space formally occupied by Country Rotisserie – 264 West Main Street. 

Although the business’s location is new, the quality products have been enjoyed throughout Smithtown for almost two decades.   Executive Pastry Chef and Smithtown resident, Lucille Kelley has been baking her sweet treats first from home and then at Butera’s restaurant for over 16 years.   Lucille explained, “It started with baking a variety of cookies as gifts for our family doctor, dentist, auto repair person, neighbors and friends.  The response was so positive, I was inspired to explore different desserts and commit to formal training at the Star Career Academy of Long Island.”  

Carrot Cake is the iconic crown jewel of Sweet Lucille’s products. The recipe was passed down from Lucille’s Aunt Annette and has made believers out of carrot cake naysayers.   It is the foundation from which all products are produced - using wholesome ingredients and made the old fashion way.  The commitment to quality ingredients combined with unique presentations and a variety of flavors make Sweet Lucille’s products a refreshing contribution unlike standard bakery items.

Sweet Lucille’s Mini Bites and Mini Cakes are popular products. They are small indulgences that are calorie worthy with only a fraction of guilt. The variety may overwhelm but the good news is there is a flavor available to make everyone happy.  Mini bites and mini cakes are a great option for entertaining guests.  Of course there is carrot, red velvet,  banana bites and cakes with cream cheese frosting but there are also chocolate cake varieties with frostings such as mint chocolate chip, peanut butter , cookies and cream; yellow cake varieties with cannoli cream, chocolate buttercream, coconut cream cheese frosting and much more. 

One item sure to wow your guests this holiday is Sweet Lucille’s Chocolate Peppermint Layer Cake.  It is a fact, that upon eating a slice of this cake while dining at Butera’s, recently reelected Senator John Flanagan immediately  ordered  an entire cake for his staff to enjoy.   – Was this the secret to winning reelection? We will never know for sure but I can vouch for the Senator’s palate being on point!

If you are more of a pie person, Sweet Lucille’s is taking orders for the holidays. Apple, Pumpkin, Chocolate Cream and Banana Cream are available. This banana cream pie is apparently awesome, light and airy. Unfortunately, falling victim to a short tryptophan coma on Thanksgiving, I can only determine this to be the truth through observation. Of the dozen or more desserts at the buffet, there was only one empty pie dish among them - the one that held Sweet Lucille’s Banana Cream Pie. 

Having a birthday this time of year is always over shadowed by the holidays.  Need to make that special day stand out?  - Sweet Lucille’s Custom Cakes to the rescue!

Sweet Lucille’s has seating for 30 and serves coffees making it ideal to get together for dessert! They are open until 9 pm on Friday and Saturday.  Stop in and try one of the dozens of goodies available! Here’s a tip for those who are intimidated by making a left into Sweet Lucille’s  parking lot while traveling west on Main Street:  Make left onto Brookside Drive and a right in back of La Famiglia to access side parking.

On Saturday, January 19th from 6:00 – 8:30 pm Sweet Lucille’s will be participating in the 5^th annual St. Patrick School Restaurant Showcase located on Middle Country Road in Smithtown.  

Update on Monday, January 7, 2013 at 10:06PM by .

This article has been amended to reflect the correct date of the St. Patrick School Restaurant Showcase -Saturday, January 19th from 6pm - 8:30 pm. 

This year Give YOURSELF The Gift Of Health - Think "Core"

Being as healthy as you can be is the first step to enjoying the holiday season. Seeing your physician, good nutrition and listening to your body are ways to ensure that you maintain a healthy body and mind. 

The benefits that come with exercise are extensive. According to the Mayo Clinic exercise can boost your mood, control weight, combat health conditions and disease, boost energy and help you sleep better. Exercise makes you feel better both mentally and physically. 

Take care of yourself and you will be better able to take care of the important people in your life.

Think “Core” by Kia Edwards

You’ve been hearing about core exercises and core strength for quite some time.  Let’ start off by defining what “core strength” is and why it’s important.  So here it is.  Core muscles are important because you need to look good in your bathing suit.  That’s probably what you’ve been hearing at least, but there’s a lot more to core strength than looking good (just think of that as a great side effect).  Core muscles are the muscles that support your spine.  Most people tend to think of the abdominals when they think of core strength, but that’s just one area that provides support.  The other two areas are the oblique muscles, and the deep muscle tissue which provides most of the support for the spine.

The core muscles help you out in another way: they help maintain posture.  Social implications aside, good posture is a useful little thing to have because it helps to keep your organs in place, which allows them to operate with maximum efficiency.  Here’s an example: if you slouch, the lungs’ ability to fully expand is compromised.  This keeps the lungs from processing oxygen in the most effective manner.  A weak core can lead to two undesirable things- back pain and people thinking you’re somebody to avoid (I’ve yet to have somebody tell me that slouching would greatly improve my chances of being recognized as a confident person).  Bad posture puts pressure on your back and the stress can cause back pain.  

So how do you keep your core strong?  Most people do sit ups, but that just works out the upper abdominal area.  You also have to strengthen the lower abs and the obliques.  Reverse crunches, planks and side planks are a good start.  Try a few reps of each and make an honest effort to keep good posture.  Here’s a way to test yourself:  Stand with your heels against a wall.  Your calves, buttocks, upper back, shoulders and head should be able to comfortably touch the wall.  All this will help keep your spine healthy…and your efficient lungs will help you run away from throngs of admirers when bathing suit season starts.  

Kia Edwards is a certified personal trainer and nutrition specialist who lives in New York City. She studied French and Economics at Colgate University, spent 15 years as a high-level competitive gymnast and 6 years as a gymnastics coach.  Her business, La Fortesse At Home Fitness Training, helps clients get healthy with simple at home exercises and nutrition counseling. www.LaFortesse.com

What's Cookin'? - Smithtown - Holiday Foodie Finds 2012

What’s Cookin’? – Smithtown

 By Nancy Vallarella

Holiday Foodie Finds 2012

You don’t have to look far to find that perfect gift for the foodies in your life.  In and near Smithtown are great restaurants and specialty food purveyors offering gift certificates, gift baskets and cook books for purchase.  Buying local will not only save time and gas, it will also give a boost to the health of the local economy.

Want to wow your foodie friends and give them a health boost? One of the most extraordinary local finds available this year is The Infused Palate – cooking with extra virgin olive oils and balsamic vinegars by Eileen Sanger Profit.  It is not just another cook book; it is an adventurous exploration and learning experience. It will awaken anyone’s current recipe repertoire and help guide the sense of taste, smell, sight and touch with new ideas and ingredients for familiar dishes. 

Eileen Sanger Profit’s muse came calling when she accepted employment at The Crushed Olive of Stony Brook. It is here where she began helping customers pair the flavor infused balsamic vinegars and extra virgin olive oils. She then began experimenting with recipes at home and offering samples at the store.  Customers loved her samples and asked for the recipes. As time passed the number of recipes grew.

Having a background in art coupled with a sound enthusiasm for food and wine, Ms.  Profit channeled these passions through her palate and onto the page for all to enjoy.  Purchase this book along with a Crushed Olive gift certificate for the perfect gift pairing at all three store locations (link available through Smithtown Matters Food & Restaurant Guide).  A book signing schedule and on-line purchase of The Infused Palate can be made at www.theinfusedpalate.com.

My other fabulous cookbook find this year is The Hamptons & Long Island Homegrown Cookbook.  Author Leeann Lavin takes an intimate look at local, seasonal, sustainable, farm fresh products with the local chefs that use them and the artisans that produce them.  Like The Infused Palate; this book is much more than a collection of recipes. It is a history of local farmers, fishers, poets and culinary artisans that shape our island.  Beautifully photographed, this book belongs on your coffee table. It does contain recipes from local super rock star chefs such as:  Guy Reuge, Tom Schaudel and Eric Lomando; to name only a few. If one feels worthy of trying recipes of such local culinary greatness this book belongs in the kitchen.  I keep my copy in my car.  I use it like a passport to some of the most remarkable meals I have eaten. Each meal is documented with that chef’s signature (the stamp) proving my attendance to an amazing dining experience.  This is a foodie must have gift. Pair it with a gift certificate to the one of the restaurants profiled in this book for a truly memorable culinary event. 

I have also had the experience of attending a book signing dinner featuring The Hamptons & Long Island Homegrown Cookbook at Mirabelle this past summer. Chef Guy Reuge prepared his recipes from this book.  There is a game among chefs.  It is the verbal sharing of one’s ultimate meal, your last meal…a Death Row Meal – I had mine that night at Mirabelle.    

The Hamptons & Long Island Homegrown Cookbook can be purchased through Amazon.com, Barnes and Noble or at a scheduled book signing. For information on book signings and book signing dinners  -  “ LIKE” The Hamptons & Long Island Homegrown Cookbook on Facebook .  Rumor has it there will be a book signing dinner at Tom Schaudel’s Jewel in Melville in January.  Maybe Eric Lomando will follow with one at Kitchen A Bistro? – My Christmas Wish. 

EDITORIAL - They Want To Do What?????

“Power tends to corrupt, and absolute power corrupts absolutely”  Lord Acton in a letter to Bishop Mandell Creighton 1887

Smithtown Board members would be well advised to consider this quote.  The Supervisor’s budget message provided the grim news that property values have decreased significantly with the average home’s assessed value dropping from $6,000 to $5,500. A decrease in property value has major implications for taxpayers, but  it did not prevent the Town Board from raising taxes and giving pay raises.  For some town employees raises were part of contract negotiations, not so for everyone.  Board members voted, unanimously, to award a ten percent increase to each member of the Planning Board (PB) for the 2013  Budget year. This is the same PB which Council members now want to take away their responsibilities for overseeing commercial development. Is the PB doing a good job worthy of a ten percent pay hike or responsible for the stagnation and blight in our downtowns? Which is it? Tax payers deserve to know.To read editiorial click on First A Raise Then A Power Grab By Smithtown Town Board

Editorial - First A Raise Then A Power Grab By Smithtown Town Board

“Power tends to corrupt, and absolute power corrupts absolutely”  Lord Acton in a letter to Bishop Mandell Creighton 1887

Smithtown Board members would be well advised to consider this quote.  The Supervisor’s budget message provided the grim news that property values have decreased significantly with the average home’s assessed value dropping from $6,000 to $5,500. A decrease in property value has major implications for taxpayers, but  it did not prevent the Town Board from raising taxes and giving pay raises.  For some town employees raises were part of contract negotiations, not so for everyone.  Board members voted, unanimously, to award a ten percent increase to each member of the Planning Board (PB) for the 2013  Budget year. This is the same PB which Council members now want to take away their responsibilities for overseeing commercial development. Is the PB doing a good job worthy of a ten percent pay hike or responsible for the stagnation and blight in our downtowns? Which is it? Tax payers deserve to know.

It seems that Town Board members have chosen to forget the  2011 GRAND JURY’s investigation into the Town’s interference into the commercial development of the Nassau - Suffolk Lumber site across the street from Town Hall. The report documented the clandestine activities that put health and well being of residents at risk and decreased the tax liability of a commercial land holder to the detriment of taxpayers.

The Grand Jury concluded that the Town lacked certain protocols that would prevent runaway elected officials from behaving in ways that are detrimental to the taxpayers of Smithtown.  The Grand Jury urged the Town to set up a system that provides for an honest and open review of the application and permitting process.  

THE GRAND JURY Concluded:

# 3. The Town of Smithtown must enact legislation which allows for the appointment of an independent Board of Site Plan Review.Town Board members must no longer be allowed to serve in this additional capacity. The presence of an appointed Board of Site Plan Review will introduce new individuals to the process whose singular roles as public servants will be to ensure that the legal mandates of Site Plan Review are enforced. These members should be selected in the same manner in which members of other Town boards and commissions are appointed.

#4.The Town of Smithtown must amend the Town Code so that the process of Site Plan Review requires notice and an opportunity to be heard for property owners situated next to the property of the applicant. This notice will not only provide these homeowners an opportunity to voice their concerns as to the application, but may also afford the Town knowledge of conditions and issues that might be unknown. This provision must establish a minimum time period for providing notice, and also allow for an appropriate period of time for response.

In a Nov. 21 article in the TIMES of Smithtown “Speeding Up The Pace of Government in Smithtown”, Planning Director Frank DeRubeis is quoted  saying  “It’s hard to convey the sophistication of reviewing a large site plan,” “Also, the Planning Board holds public hearings during its portion of the site plan review process, something the Board of Site Plan Review does not.By cutting out the Planning Board, DeRubeis argued, discussion of the plan’s many details may fall to the wayside.”

The article sites assurances from Councilman Wehrheim and Malloy they that they will continue to seek input from departments to discuss the necessary details of the plan.

This Town Board appears to be thumbing its collective noses at the Grand Jury report and the residents of Smithtown.  Fresh off their success in passing a budget that blamed higher taxes on everything but the very raises they were doling out, your Town Board now wants to consolidate its already considerable power to include uninhibited decision making devoid of Board and presumably Departmental review. 

 “Power tends to corrupt, and absolute power corrupts absolutely”.  What could they be thinking?

A public hearing is scheduled for December 11, 2012 at 2pm