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Yearly Archives: 2017

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From left, Brian Smith, Steven Uihlein, Phyllis March and Joan St. Onge in a scene from ‘Lower Education’. Photo by Peter Lanscombe, Theatre Three Productions, Inc.

By Michael Tessler

Raw, imaginative, thought-provoking and brave. Unafraid to push the envelope and tackle some of society’s most dynamic and difficult issues. At times, irresistibly funny, wildly inappropriate and enormously fun. There are so many ways to describe Theatre Three’s Festival of One-Act Plays but ultimately it comes down to this: theater at its absolute finest.

Tucked below the main stage of Theatre Three’s Athena Hall is a black box theater named after the late Ronald F. Peierls. This second stage creates a wonderfully intimate atmosphere for the audience and provides a perfect venue for all seven shows.

Since the 1998 to 1999 season, Theatre Three has received an incredible 8,000 one-act play submissions. Of those entries, it has presented 113 world premieres by 79 different playwrights. What you’re seeing really is the best of the best.

Clockwise from left, Antoine Jones, Kate Keating, Joan St. Onge and Jacqueline M. Hughes in a scene from ‘Counting Sheep’. Photo by Peter Lanscombe, Theatre Three Productions, Inc.

One-acts, for those who are not familiar, are just that — a single-act show. Often varying in length and subject matter, they are given the flexibility to tackle things playwrights would usually be unable to address with a mainstage production. In my mind, a great one-act is a lot like the center of an Oreo. They skip all the fanfare and get right to the creamy good stuff in the middle. They rely not on orchestra pits, colorful costumes or dynamic sets but rather on vigorous acting, quality writing and superb direction.

“Counting Sheep” by Jae Kramisen, “How Does It Feel to Be a Problem?” by Patrick Gabridgen, “The Kitchen Fairy” by Scott Gibson, “Lower Education” by Lewis Shilane, “A New Lease” by Tony Foster, “Upset over Nothing” by Robin Doupé and “When Driven” by Melanie Acampora all made their debut last Saturday afternoon. These writers vary in age, gender and at least one was from out-of-state.

Just prior to the premiere I had the opportunity to talk to Theatre Three actress and playwright Melanie Acampora. “I started writing three years ago” delving into the process of creating a one-act. It’s less pressure than acting,” she said. One of the hardest parts of writing a script is seeing how it’ll be adapted. When asked if she was pleased with Theatre Three’s adaption, Acampora replied,“It’s even better than in my head, thanks to Jeff [Sanzel].”

From left, Skyler Quinn Johnson and Brian Smith in a scene from ‘How Does It Feel to Be a Problem.’ Photo by Peter Lanscombe, Theatre Three Productions, Inc.

Sanzel, the festival’s founder and director of all seven shows, proves once again what enormous talent we have right here on Long Island. His skills transcend genre and are wonderfully on display — up close and personal for the whole audience to enjoy. How a person could direct so many shows while finding time to sleep is beyond me!

This emotional roller coaster will have you leaving the theater with a newfound appreciation for playwrights. Unlike the bravado of Broadway, they cannot hide behind the pomp and circumstance of massive musical numbers or high-priced sets (although I do love a good ole’ kickline).

Each show’s success depends almost solely on its craftsmanship and its cast. That being said, there was not a single actor I didn’t love during these seven performances. Many of the actors took on not just one role but several in multiple shows, displaying their incredible capabilities and range as performers.

Whether you are a theater aficionado or a first-time theatergoer, get yourself a ticket before they sell out. This wonderful experience is only on stage for a limited time. To the playwrights, my hat is off to you, brava and bravo. Hoping to see more of your work soon!

Theatre Three, 412 Main St., Port Jefferson, will present The 20th Annual Festival of One-Act Plays through April 1 at The Ronald F. Peierls Theatre on the Second Stage. Tickets are $18 per person. To order, call 631-928-9100 or visit www.theatrethree.com.

Please note: Adult content and language. Parental discretion is advised.

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From left, Catherine Keener, Bradley Whitford, Allison Williams and Daniel Kaluuya in a scene from ‘Get Out,’ now playing at local theaters. Photo courtesy of Universal

By Daniel Dunaief

Race permeates Jordan Peele’s directorial debut “Get Out” so thoroughly that the film is like a battery, with the white people on one side and the African-Americans on the other. Between them, the electricity of an unusual horror film flows with a shocking effect.

The film starts off with the feel of Sidney Poitier’s masterpiece, “Guess Who’s Coming to Dinner,” with Rose Armitage, played by Allison Williams, bringing her African-American boyfriend Chris Washington (Daniel Kaluuya) home to meet her parents. Even though she says he’s the only African-American man she’s dated, she makes it clear that her parents will be totally cool with her choice and that they’ll support the biracial couple. And yet, the film quickly disposes of any notion of a simple meeting between an African-American man and potentially liberal white America.

Daniel Kaluuya in a hypnotic scene from ‘Get Out’. Photo courtesy of Universal

While Chris meets several African-American people around his girlfriend’s parents’ house, each encounter has a Hitchcock quality, with an eerie disconnect that suggests an unexplained distance.

On the other hand, Rose’s parents and her over-the-top creepy brother Jeremy (Caleb Landry Jones), who wants to fight with Chris at dinner, introduce a terrifying blend of personalities. Catherine Keener is at her creepy best, playing Rose’s hypnotist mother Missy while Bradley Whitford as Rose’s father Dean seems on the verge of supporting and attacking Chris at the same time.

Chris’s best friend Rod (Lil Rel Howery), who spends much of the movie talking to Chris by cell phone, threatens to steal the movie. A TSA agent, Rod provides comic relief, infusing the movie with humorous lines that seem straight out of a paranoid playbook, until he seems like the only one who might have a clue about what could be going on at Rose’s house.

The movie is a true horror film, which means there’s gore and an undercurrent of violence. Each scene, which occurs in upstate New York, could easily have been filmed in Salem, Massachusetts, home of mass hysteria and witch trials.

As the movie progresses, Peele gradually reviews details about the Armitage family, and the people who share the upstate neighborhood, that blur the line between mundane and creepy. When the plot unfolds, all the details about how Chris and the audience got there become clear.

The final 20 minutes of the film blend horror, gore, comedy and social satire. Some of the particular details of the plot reside in the willing suspension of disbelief. Thinking through the specifics detracts from the film’s value as entertainment and social commentary.

The audience in the packed theater reacted to the climactic scenes of “Get Out” in a way that would likely please Peele, as they shared the drama of a gruesome experience that strays from customary plot points to shocking drama and horror.

While the film offers a disturbing take on race, it also tells a dramatic story that drives the viewer through to the chilling end. While it’s not Mark Twain’s “Huckleberry Finn,” it does reveal a captivating, literally at times, story that keeps the audience guessing and at times horrified.

The best element of “Get Out” is the balance between horror and comedy, provided primarily by Rod, whose fast-talking, high-pitched responses to situations he senses aren’t what they seem are endearing and amusing.

While “Get Out” offers the audience plenty to ponder after the movie ends, the action and the plot won’t appeal to everyone. It earns its R rating with violence, horror, foul language and dangerous, suspenseful situations. Still, the movie exposes a fresh look at the races, albeit with novel plot devices, and it seemed to satisfy its viewers with unexpected and jarring visuals, music and close-ups.

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Scenes from the Friends of St. Patricks 67th annual St. Patrick's Day parade March 12. Photo by Bob Savage
Scenes from the Friends of St. Patricks 67th annual St. Patrick's Day parade March 12. Photo by Bob Savage
Scenes from the Friends of St. Patricks 67th annual St. Patrick's Day parade March 12. Photo by Bob Savage
Scenes from the Friends of St. Patricks 67th annual St. Patrick's Day parade March 12. Photo by Bob Savage
Scenes from the Friends of St. Patricks 67th annual St. Patrick's Day parade March 12. Photo by Bob Savage
Scenes from the Friends of St. Patricks 67th annual St. Patrick's Day parade March 12. Photo by Bob Savage
Scenes from the Friends of St. Patricks 67th annual St. Patrick's Day parade March 12. Photo by Bob Savage
Scenes from the Friends of St. Patricks 67th annual St. Patrick's Day parade March 12. Photo by Bob Savage
Scenes from the Friends of St. Patricks 67th annual St. Patrick's Day parade March 12. Photo by Bob Savage
Scenes from the Friends of St. Patricks 67th annual St. Patrick's Day parade March 12. Photo by Bob Savage
Scenes from the Friends of St. Patricks 67th annual St. Patrick's Day parade March 12. Photo by Bob Savage
Scenes from the Friends of St. Patricks 67th annual St. Patrick's Day parade March 12. Photo by Bob Savage
Scenes from the Friends of St. Patricks 67th annual St. Patrick's Day parade March 12. Photo by Bob Savage
Scenes from the Friends of St. Patricks 67th annual St. Patrick's Day parade March 12. Photo by Bob Savage
Scenes from the Friends of St. Patricks 67th annual St. Patrick's Day parade March 12. Photo by Bob Savage
Scenes from the Friends of St. Patricks 67th annual St. Patrick's Day parade March 12. Photo by Bob Savage
Scenes from the Friends of St. Patricks 67th annual St. Patrick's Day parade March 12. Photo by Bob Savage
Rocky Point VFW Post Commander Joe Cognitore was this year's Grand Marshall in the Friends of St. Patrick parade. Photo by Bob Savage
Scenes from the Friends of St. Patricks 67th annual St. Patrick's Day parade March 12. Photo by Bob Savage
Scenes from the Friends of St. Patricks 67th annual St. Patrick's Day parade March 12. Photo by Bob Savage
Scenes from the Friends of St. Patricks 67th annual St. Patrick's Day parade March 12. Photo by Bob Savage
Scenes from the Friends of St. Patricks 67th annual St. Patrick's Day parade March 12. Photo by Bob Savage
Scenes from the Friends of St. Patricks 67th annual St. Patrick's Day parade March 12. Photo by Bob Savage
Scenes from the Friends of St. Patricks 67th annual St. Patrick's Day parade March 12. Photo by Bob Savage
Scenes from the Friends of St. Patricks 67th annual St. Patrick's Day parade March 12. Photo by Bob Savage
Scenes from the Friends of St. Patricks 67th annual St. Patrick's Day parade March 12. Photo by Bob Savage

On March 12, the Friends of St. Patrick held Rocky Point and Miller Place’s 67th annual St. Patrick’s Day parade. Green and gold were seen down Route 25A to Broadway, as residents from all over the North Shore braved the cold to take part in this year’s festivities.

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Corned Beef and Cabbage

By Barbara Beltrami

Corned beef and cabbage may be the go-to dish to celebrate St. Patrick’s Day, but you certainly don’t have to be Irish to love it. In fact, I have seen people who normally wouldn’t go near a vegetable with a 10-foot pole devour cabbage on St. Patrick’s Day, and I once knew a vegetarian who confessed that she renounced her vows once a year to eat corned beef.

As with so many holiday meals, the leftovers can be great with definitely a sandwich the next day — thin slices of corned beef between slices of good rye bread slathered with mustard or an open-faced sandwich topped with Russian dressing, sauerkraut and melted Swiss cheese for a mouth-watering Reuben. Corned beef and a few boiled potatoes from the original meal can morph into corned beef hash topped with a nice runny-yolked egg or eggs Benedict on a bed of corned beef hash and capped with hollandaise sauce.

And don’t forget the Irish soda bread. Breakfast, lunch, dinner or in between, it’s that other St. Patrick’s Day traditional fare that you don’t have to be Irish to love.

Corned Beef and Cabbage

Corned Beef and Cabbage

YIELD: 6 to 8 servings with leftovers

INGREDIENTS:

4 to 5 pounds corned beef brisket plus accompanying spices

One medium cabbage, cut in thick wedges

6 to 8 pared or scrubbed medium potatoes

6 to 8 pared carrots

2 whole peeled onions

DIRECTIONS: Rinse corned beef under cold water. Place in a large pot and cover with cold water. Bring to a boil, then cook for two minutes. Reduce heat and remove scum from top of water. Add spices provided. Simmer 3 to 4 hours or until it is tender but can still be picked up with a fork without falling apart. Add vegetables and cook over low heat until they are tender but not soggy. Remove vegetables and set aside to keep warm. Remove meat and slice across the grain. Serve with horseradish or mustard and Irish soda bread.

Corned Beef Hash

Corned Beef Hash

YIELD: Makes 4 servings

INGREDIENTS:

2 to 3 tablespoons vegetable oil

2 to 3 cups diced cooked corned beef

2 to 3 cups diced cooked potatoes

One small onion, minced

Salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste

DIRECTIONS: Heat oil in a medium skillet. Combine next four ingredients. Then add the mixture and spread evenly over pan. Cook over low heat without stirring until brown on the bottom. Slide or flip onto plate. Serve with eggs, pickles or salad.

Irish Soda Bread

Irish Soda Bread

YIELD: 6 to 8 servings

INGREDIENTS:

2½ cups flour

2 tablespoons sugar

1 teaspoon baking soda

1 teaspoon baking powder

½ teaspoon salt

3 tablespoons unsalted butter at room temperature

1/3 cup raisins or dried currants

¾ cup buttermilk

DIRECTIONS: Preheat oven to 375 F. Grease a cookie sheet. In a medium bowl, sift together the flour, sugar, baking soda, baking powder and salt. With pastry blender or two criss-crossed knives cut the butter into the dry mixture until it resembles fine crumbs or meal. Stir in raisins or currants and just enough buttermilk so that dough leaves sides of bowl. Turn dough onto lightly floured surface and knead one to two minutes or until dough is smooth. Shape into round loaf and place on cookie sheet. With a floured knife cut a half-inch deep X into top of loaf. Bake for 40 minutes or until golden brown. Serve with butter and any of the above-mentioned recipes or toast it and serve with butter or jam for breakfast.

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Above, members of the New York Chapter of The Children’s Heart Foundation present CSHL Research Assistant Professor Michael Ronemus with a $50,000 check from The Children’s Heart Foundation for his recently funded research grant on Feb. 23. Photo courtesy of ©C. Brukin, 2017/Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory

By Daniel Dunaief

Just before he took a holiday break in December, Michael Ronemus received a welcome surprise. “In the last afternoon before the holidays, I got a call from William Foley. He said, ‘Congratulations,’” recalled Ronemus, a research assistant professor at Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory. “I submitted the application in May and I didn’t know what to expect.”

Foley, the executive director at the Children’s Heart Foundation, was reaching out to Ronemus to let him know he was one of seven researchers — six in North America and one in Europe — to receive funding for his research. Ronemus received a check for $50,000 at a presentation ceremony on Feb. 23.

Scientists are seeking out private foundations more as they search for sources of funding, said Ronemus. The funds will help Ronemus use next-generation sequencing to look closely at 120 families for evidence of copy number variation in their genes.

 

When a person has a different number of copies of a part of a specific gene, that can be a positive, neutral or negative event, depending on the consequence for the individual. Most copy number variations are neutral, which is why people have hundreds of them in their genes. Copy number variations can contribute, however, to de novo mutations, presenting changes in a genetic code that can make the genes of an offspring different from those of his or her parents. If these mutations damage a gene that’s essential for normal development of the heart, they can contribute to congenital heart defects.

Michael Ronemus explains the relevance of his research to the community at the check presentation event on Feb. 23. Photo courtesy of ©C. Brukin, 2017/Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory

Indeed, the Children’s Heart Foundation has contributed $8.7 million to research, hoping to improve the ability to prevent, diagnose and treat the 40,000 people born each year in the United States with a heart defect. Of the children born with a heart defect, about one in four, has a form of critical congenital heart disease, said Jon Kaltman, the chief in the Heart Development and Structures Diseases Branch of the National Heart, Lung and Blood Institute. That means he or she will most likely require surgery within the first year of life, although most have it within the first month.

At this point, doctors and researchers understand the genetic cause of congenital heart disease for a small percent of people. The work of the Pediatric Cardiac Genomics Consortium hopes to make this true for a larger number of people with a congenital heart defect, Kaltman said.

Knowing the genetics of a patient and his or her family could be “helpful for that family to understand what might have caused the congenital heart disease” said Kaltman, who has been a pediatric cardiologist since 2005. “If that family were to have another child” the genetics could help assess the “risk that a second child will also have a congenital heart defect.”

A greater awareness of the genes involved in heart disease could also provide a guide for the way the defect might react to treatment. “We see patients with identical looking hearts [on an echocardiogram] from different families in which they undergo surgery” and have different reactions, Kaltman said. “One does well and has few complications and the other develops arrhythmias at 15 and heart failure at 25.”

The differences in respones to treatment for those patients may be genetic. “For the patient with the genetic signal for the complicated course, we can do more interventions early on,” Kaltman said, which could include earlier valve replacements or more aggressive arrhythmia surveillance.

Working with Bruce Gelb, a professor in pediatrics and cardiology at Mount Sinai Hospital, Ronemus is focusing on a group of patients with a condition called tetralogy of Fallot. Children with this defect develop a bluish color in their skin and can have trouble breathing when they exercise.

New York Chapter president of the Children’s Heart Foundation Jackie Pecora speaks at the check presentation event. Photo courtesy of ©C. Brukin, 2017/Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory

Doctors treat people with this condition with open heart surgery, which fixes a hole between the ventricles and opens up a narrowed right ventricular outflow tract. “Early diagnosis can lead to a straightforward procedure and good outcome,” Ronemus said. “If there is any reason to suspect [that a developing fetus has this condition], we’d like to know.”

By studying copy number variation, Gelb and Ronemus can search for signatures or markers in prenatal screening, which doctors can do through amniocentesis or cell-free fetal DNA analysis, which is a noninvasive form of prenatal testing. A definitive diagnosis even before birth could help doctors prepare for quick intervention that could be more effective, Ronemus said. If not diagnosed, a third of the children with the condition die within the first year and 50 percent in the first three years, Ronemus explained. If doctors know a child has the condition, they can take precautions, like have supplementary oxygen or drugs nearby.

Ronemus, who started his career in plant genetics and then became involved in the study of autism, is applying a genetic technique he co-developed at CSHL for copy number variation detection called SMASH. He applied for the Children’s Heart Foundation grant because of a meeting at CSHL with Jackie Pecora, a resident of East Northport, who is New York Chapter president of the Children’s Heart Foundation. The foundation has 11 chapters throughout the country and raises funds through events like the Long Island Congenital Heart Walk, which will take place on May 21 in Sunken Meadow State Park. Ronemus will be an honorary co-chair for the walk.

Foley said Ronemus’ approach is a “unique way” of looking at congenital heart defects. During the medical advisory board’s discussion of which projects to fund “there was a lot of enthusiasm” for this project. Ronemus is the first New York researcher to receive CHF funds since 2009.

A resident of East Meadow, Ronemus lives with his wife Ana Rodriguez-Fernandez, who is an associate professor of microbiology at the NYU School of Medicine. The couple has three children, Martin, 14, Silvia, 12, and Daniel, 11.

Pecora has family experience with congenital heart disease. After she gave birth to twins 18 years ago, doctors discovered that her daughter Chloe had a heart defect that required surgery. Nine days after she was born, Chloe died from an infection. Pecora got involved because of a bumper sticker for another grassroots fundraiser for a baby with the same heart condition as Chloe. That led her to the Children’s Heart Foundation. While the awareness among the public is improving, there’s still a way to go to combat a prevalent condition, Pecora said. “Look at the clock: Every 15 minutes a baby is born with congenital heart disease. People don’t realize the magnitude.”

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Native to North America, mountain laurel produces beautiful white to dark pink flowers with purple markings in May and June. Photo by Ellen Barcel

By Ellen Barcel

Most varieties of holly need at least one male plant in the area to produce an abundance of red berries. Photo by Ellen Barcel

Broadleaf evergreens are not conifers (which evolved about 300 million years ago), but flowering plants (which evolved about 125 million years ago). It’s just that broadleaf evergreens happen to keep their leaves throughout the winter and in many cases can be used the same way that conifers can — as a year-round privacy screen. Yes, eventually they will lose their leaves, but they will stay on the plant over winter and will present a beautiful, almost Christmas card, scene covered with snow.

Azaleas and rhododendrons immediately come to mind, especially in Long Island’s acidic soil. But, there are a number of other evergreen shrubs to consider.

Euonymus come in a wide variety of sizes and colors. Small cream-colored flowers will produce red berries in autumn on some varieties. Some are fast growers that reach an enormous size and need to be pruned back several times a year — unless you really want a massive shrub. The golden variety can revert to type (that is, have its leaves turn all green), resulting in a shrub that’s part golden and part green.

The foliage on the euonymus often reverts to green, so you wind up with a bush that’s half green and half yellow. Photo by Ellen Barcel

Some are considered invasive in Suffolk County, including Euonymus alatus (winged euonymus, also called burning bush due to its red leaves in autumn) and E. fortunei (winter creeper), and are on the Do Not Sell/Transfer list. I had one that had a branch root underneath a house shutter — how’s that for invasive? Since this shrub has a number of negatives, why plant it? Do so only if you find noninvasive varieties and are sure you have the room to grow it to its potential.

Holly is one of my favorite shrubs, although over time, they can reach the size of small specimen trees. Most varieties need at least one male plant (which does not produce red berries) in the area to pollinate the female shrubs. Even holly varieties that are self-fertile will produce more red berries with a male plant in the vicinity. Holly prefers an acidic soil, so is ideal for Long Island’s soil. Another plus is that they are fairly disease and insect resistant. Some varieties are even deer resistant. While a number of my shrubs has been munched on by deer, the holly have never been touched.

Native to North America, mountain laurel produces beautiful white to dark pink flowers with purple markings in May and June. Photo by Ellen Barcel

Mountain laurel (Kalmia latifolia), in the heather family, is native to North America. It blooms in May and June and is hardy in zones 4 to 9. This can be a very large shrub, maturing at 7 to 15 feet tall and easily about as wide. Do not plant this one in front of a window, unless you really want to block the view. However, it is a slow grower. It prefers full sun and, like rhodies, prefers an acidic soil (in a pH range of 4.5 to 5.5). The plant is toxic to humans and some animals — this is strictly an ornamental here. Its uniquely shaped flowers bloom in white to dark pink colors, all with purple markings.

Firethorn (Pyracantha) are thorny, evergreen shrubs in the Rosaceae family. They tend to be upright, rather than bushy shrubs, and due to the thorns should not be planted anywhere near walkways or pools. The plants can get to be quite tall, up to 12 feet at maturity. They present small white flowers in spring and summer that mature to either orange or yellow berries in autumn, which the birds love but are not edible for humans. They are hardy in zones 6 to 9. It’s an easy plant to grow and pretty much pest free. They grow in a wide variety of soil pH levels from acidic to alkaline. They grow well in shady areas and, an added bonus for those of you with clay soil, do well in sandy, loamy and even heavy (clay) soils. If it wasn’t for the thorns, this would be pretty much a perfect plant.

No plant is perfect for every location. Always read plant tags carefully to check for requirements and final size. You don’t want your home to have its windows blocked by giant shrubs or spend entirely too much time pruning them back.

Ellen Barcel is a freelance writer and master gardener. To reach Cornell Cooperative Extension and its Master Gardener program, call 631-727-7850.

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Banana Walnut Bread

By Barbara Beltrami

Rich in fiber and potassium, bananas are considered a healthful addition to most diets and a quick and satisfying snack. However I don’t usually get excited about them. If I do condescend to eat one, it must be just this side of ripe, firm with just a touch of green near the ends. On the other hand, my husband loves bananas that are just this side of rotten, soft and brown and begging for a visit from fruit flies. Those are the ones I use in recipes.

All that being said, I must confess that there are a couple of versions of bananas that I sometimes actually get a craving for. One is a banana on a popsicle stick, dipped in chocolate sauce and put in the freezer. Try that for a summer treat. Another is banana walnut bread, a comfort food if there ever was one. A third is Bananas Foster, a caramel-y dessert made with split bananas cooked with butter and brown sugar in a skillet, a heavely topping for whipped cream or vanilla ice cream. And how about banana-butterscotch cookies, a (somewhat) healthful goody that can be especially appreciated and popular with even the younger set of avowed junk foodies. Come to think of it, maybe I do like bananas!

Banana Walnut Bread

This recipe comes from one of those spiral bound cookbooks put out by some organization that my mother belonged to many many years ago. Although it is torn and tattered, I still cherish it for this recipe and a few others.

Banana Walnut Bread

YIELD: Makes 10 to 12 servings

INGREDIENTS:

½ cup shortening

1 cup sugar

2 eggs, well beaten

2 cups flour

1 teaspoon baking soda

3 ripe bananas, mashed

¼ cup chopped walnuts

DIRECTIONS: Preheat oven to 375 F. Grease a 9-inch loaf pan. In large mixing bowl, combine shortening, sugar and eggs. Sift together the flour and baking soda and add to wet mixture. Stir in bananas and walnuts. Pour into greased loaf pan and bake one hour or until toothpick inserted in center comes out clean. Serve warm with butter, cream cheese or jam and hot tea or coffee.

Bananas Foster

This dish originated in New Orleans in the 1950s and is traditionally made with a rum flambé. Playing with fire makes me nervous so I leave out the flambé part and just add a splash of rum to the bananas in the skillet right before serving.

Bananas Foster

YIELD: Makes 4 servings

INGREDIENTS:

Half a stick of unsalted butter

4 bananas, peeled and sliced in half lengthwise

1½ cups brown sugar

1 tablespoon vanilla extract

¾ teaspoon cinnamon

Pinch of salt

2 ounces rum (optional)

One pint vanilla ice cream or 1 pint heavy cream, whipped

DIRECTIONS: In large skillet melt butter over medium heat. Gently add bananas; cook over medium heat until golden, about two minutes; gently turn and cook other side until golden, about two minutes. (Don’t worry if they break; they’ll still taste wonderful!). Remove from skillet and set aside to keep warm. Add brown sugar, vanilla, cinnamon and salt to skillet and cook, stirring constantly, over low heat about two minutes. Turn off heat, add rum to skillet, if using, stir, and stand back in case it flames. Return bananas to skillet and gently spoon sauce over them. Place a scoop or two of vanilla ice cream or whipped cream in four dessert dishes. Top with bananas and sauce and serve immediately with vanilla wafers or ginger snaps.

Banana Butterscotch Cookies

I’ve had this recipe a long time, and as with so many old recipes, I can’t remember who gave it to me. There’s something about the combination of bananas and butterscotch that is absolutely intoxicating, especially as the cookies are baking.

Banana Butterscotch Cookies

YIELD: Makes 2 to 3 dozen cookies

INGREDIENTS:

2½ cups flour

½ teaspoon salt

2 teaspoons baking powder

¼ teaspoon baking soda

¾ cup white granulated sugar

¼ cup brown sugar

²⁄₃ cup unsalted butter

2 eggs

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

Two very ripe bananas, mashed

2 cups butterscotch chips

DIRECTIONS: Preheat oven to 400 F. Grease cookie sheet. Sift together the flour, salt, baking power and baking soda. Cream together both sugars and the butter until light and fluffy. Mix in eggs and vanilla and combine with dry ingredients. Add mashed banana and butterscotch chips and stir in thoroughly. Drop by spoonfuls onto cookie sheet and bake 12 to 15 minutes. Place on rack to cool before serving.

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By Nancy Burner, ESQ.

Nancy Burner, Esq.

Being hyperfocused on avoiding probate can be an estate planning disaster. First, what exactly is “probate”? Probate is the legal process whereby a last will and testament is determined by the court to be authentic and valid. The court will then “admit” the will to probate and issue “letters testamentary” to the executor so that the executor can carry out the decedent’s intentions in accordance with the last will and testament.

That usually involves paying all funeral bills, administrative expenses, debts, settling all claims, paying any specific bequests and paying out the balance to the named beneficiary or beneficiaries. Avoiding probate can be accomplished by creating a trust to hold your assets during your lifetime and then distributing the assets at your death in the same manner and sequence as an executor would if your assets passed through probate.

Typically, this would be accomplished by creating a revocable trust and transferring all nonretirement assets to the trust during your lifetime, thereby avoiding probate at your death. Retirement assets like 403Bs, IRAs and nonqualified annuities are not transferred to revocable trusts as they have their own rules and should transfer after death by virtue of a beneficiary designation.

Retirement assets should not be subject to probate. The designation of a beneficiary is vital to avoid costly income taxes if retirement assets name the estate or default to the estate. The takeaway here is that you should make sure that you have named primary and contingent beneficiaries on your retirement assets.

If you name a trust for an individual, you must discuss that with a competent professional that can advise you if the trust can accept retirement assets without causing adverse income tax consequences. Not all trusts are the same.

Avoiding probate can be a disaster if it is not done as part of a comprehensive plan, even for the smallest estate. For example, consider this case: Decedent dies with two bank accounts, each naming her grandchildren on the account. This is called a Totten trust account. Those accounts each have $25,000. She has a small IRA of $50,000 that also names the grandchildren as beneficiaries. She owns no real estate. Sounds simple, right?

The problem is that the grandchildren are not 18 years of age. The parents cannot collect the money for the children because they are not guardians of the property for their minor children. Before the money can be collected, the parents must commence a proceeding in Surrogates Court to be appointed guardians of the property for each child. After time, money and expenses, and assuming the parents are appointed, they can collect the money as guardian and open a bank account for each child, to be turned over to them at age 18. The IRA would have to be liquidated, it could not remain an IRA and the income taxes will have to be paid on the distribution.

I do not know of a worse scenario for most 18-year-old children to inherit $50,000 when they may be applying for college and seeking financial aid, or worse, when deciding not to go to college and are free to squander it however they want.

If the grandparent had created an estate plan that created trusts for the benefit of the grandchild, then the trusts could have been named as the beneficiaries of the accounts and the entire debacle could have been avoided. The point is that while there are cases where naming individuals as beneficiaries is entirely appropriate, there are also times that naming a trust as beneficiary is the less costly option, and neither should be done without a plan in mind.

When clients have a large amount of assets and large retirement plans, the result can be even more disastrous. Consider the case where a $500,000 IRA names a child as a direct beneficiary. If a properly drawn trust for the benefit of the child was named as beneficiary, there would be no guardianship proceeding and the entire IRA could be preserved and payments spread out over the child’s life expectancy, amounting to millions of dollars in benefits to that child over their lifetime. If payable directly to the child, there will be guardianship fees and the $500,000 will likely be cashed in, income taxes paid and the balance put in a bank account accruing little interest and payable on the 18th birthday of the beneficiary.

The concern is that individuals are encouraged to avoid probate by merely naming beneficiaries but with no understanding of the consequences. At a time when the largest growing segment of the population is over 90, it does not take long to figure out that the likely beneficiaries will be in their 60s, 70s or older when they inherit an asset.

Thought must be given to protecting those beneficiaries from creditors, divorcing spouses (one out of two marriages end in divorce) and the catastrophic costs of long-term care. Whether the estate is large or small, most decedents want to protect their heirs. A well-drafted beneficiary trust can accomplish that goal.

Nancy Burner, Esq. practices elder law and estate planning from her East Setauket office.

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CoQ10 is the first new ‘drug’ in over a decade to show survival benefits in heart failure.
A supplement reduces the risk of cardiovascular events

By David Dunaief, M.D.

Heart attacks and heart disease get a lot of attention, but chronic heart failure is something that tends to be overlooked by the press. The reason may be that heart failure is not acute like a heart attack.

Dr. David Dunaief

To clarify by using an analogy, a heart attack is like a tidal wave whereas heart failure is like a tsunami. You don’t know it is coming until it may be too late. Heart failure is an insidious (slowly developing) disease and thus may take years before it becomes symptomatic. It also increases the risk of heart attack and death.

Heart failure occurs in about 20 percent of the population over the age of 40 (1). There are about 5.8 million Americans with heart failure (2). Not surprisingly, incidence of heart failure increases with age (3).

Heart failure (HF) occurs when the heart’s pumping is not able to keep up with the body’s demands and may decompensate. It is a complicated topic, for there are two types — systolic heart failure and diastolic heart failure. The basic difference is that the ejection fraction, the output of blood with each contraction of the left ventricle of the heart, is more or less preserved in diastolic HF, while it can be significantly reduced in systolic HF.

We have more evidence-based medicine, or medical research, on systolic heart failure. Fortunately, both types can be diagnosed with the help of an echocardiogram, an ultrasound of the heart. The signs and symptoms may be similar, as well, and include shortness of breath on exertion or when lying down; edema or swelling; reduced exercise tolerance; weakness and fatigue. The risk factors for heart failure include diabetes, coronary artery disease, high blood pressure, obesity, smoking, heart attacks and valvular disease.

Typically, heart failure is treated with blood pressure medications, such as beta blockers, ACE inhibitors and angiotensin receptor blockers. We are going to look at how diet, iron and the supplement CoQ10 impact heart failure.

Effect of diet

If we look beyond the usual risk factors mentioned above, oxidative stress may play an important role as a contributor to HF. Oxidative stress is thought to potentially result in damage to the inner lining of the blood vessels, or endothelium, oxidation of cholesterol molecules and a decrease in nitric oxide, which helps vasodilate blood vessels.

In a population-based, prospective (forward-looking) study, called the Swedish Mammography Cohort, results show that a diet rich in antioxidants reduces the risk of developing HF (4). In the group that consumed the most nutrient-dense foods, there was a significant 42 percent (p<0.001) reduction in the development of HF, compared to the group that consumed the least. According to the authors, the antioxidants were derived mainly from fruits, vegetables, whole grains, coffee and chocolate. Fruits and vegetables were responsible for the majority of the effect.

This nutrient-dense approach to diet increased oxygen radical absorption capacity. Oxygen radicals have been implicated in cellular damage and DNA damage, potentially as a result of increasing chronic inflammation. What makes this study so impressive is that it is the first of its kind to investigate antioxidants from the diet and their impacts on heart failure prevention.

This was a large study, involving 33,713 women, with good duration — follow-up was 11.3 years. There are limitations to this study, since it is an observational study, and the population involved only women. Still, the results are very exciting, and it is unlikely there is a downside to applying this approach to the population at large.

CoQ10 supplementation

Coenzyme Q10 is a substance produced by the body that helps the mitochondria (the powerhouse of the cell) produce energy. It is thought of as an antioxidant. In a meta-analysis (group of 13 studies), the results showed that supplementation with CoQ10 may help improve functioning in patients with heart failure (5). This may occur because of a modest rise in ejection fraction functioning. It seems to be important in systolic heart failure. Supplementation with CoQ10 may help to reduce its severity.

The doses used in the meta-analysis ranged from 60 mg to 300 mg. Interestingly, those that were less than or equal to 100 mg showed statistical significance, while higher doses did not reach statistical significance. This CoQ10 meta-analysis was small. It covered 13 studies and fewer than 300 patients.

Like some other supplements, CoQ10 has potential benefits, but more study is needed. Because there are no studies showing significant deleterious effects, which doesn’t mean there won’t be, it is worth starting HF patients with comprised ejection fractions on 100 mg CoQ10 and titrating up, as long as patients can tolerate it, although the next study would suggest 300 mg was the appropriate dose.

CoQ10 — a well-run study

Results of the Q-SYMBIO study, a randomized controlled trial, the gold standard of studies, showed an almost 50 percent reduction in the risk of all-cause mortality and 50 percent fewer cardiac events with CoQ10 supplementation (6). This one randomized controlled trial followed 420 patients for two years who had severe heart failure. This involved using 100 mg of CoQ10 three times a day compared to placebo.

The lead author goes as far as to suggest that CoQ10 should be part of the paradigm of treatment. This the first new “drug” in over a decade to show survival benefits in heart failure. Thus, if you have heart failure, you may want to discuss CoQ10 with your doctor.

Iron deficiency

Anemia and iron deficiency are not synonymous, since iron deficiency can occur without anemia. A recent observational study that followed 753 heart failure patients for almost two years showed that iron deficiency without anemia increased the risk of mortality in heart failure patients by 42 percent (7).

In this study, iron deficiency was defined as a ferritin level less than 100 ug/L (the storage of iron) or, alternately, transferrin saturation less than 20 percent (the transport of iron) with a ferritin level in the range 100-299 ug/L.

The authors conclude that iron deficiency is potentially more predictive of clinical outcomes than anemia, contributes to the severity of HF, and is common in these patients. Thus, it behooves us to try to prevent heart failure through dietary changes, including high levels of antioxidants, because it is not easy to reverse the disease. Those with HF should have their ferritin and iron levels checked, for these are correctable. I am not typically a supplement advocate; however, based on the latest results, CoQ10 seems like a compelling therapy to reduce risk of further complications and potentially death. Consult with your doctor before taking CoQ10 or any other supplements, especially if you have heart failure.

References: (1) Circulation. 2002;106(24):3068. (2) Circulation. 2010;121(7):e46. (3) J Am Coll Cardiol. 2003;41(2):21. (4) Am J Med. 2013 Jun:126(6):494-500. (5) Am J Clin Nutr. 2013 Feb;97(2):268-275. (6) JACC Heart Fail. 2014 Dec;2(6):641-649. (7) Am Heart J. 2013;165(4):575-582.

Dr. Dunaief is a speaker, author and local lifestyle medicine physician focusing on the integration of medicine, nutrition, fitness and stress management. For further information, visit www.medicalcompassmd.com or consult your personal physician.

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Last year’s Best in Show winner, “The Children of the Land” by Lorraine Piskin

Gurwin Jewish Nursing & Rehabilitation Center, located at 68 Hauppauge Road in Commack, invites all amateur photographers to participate in its 24th Annual Photo Contest. The unique contest, which garners submissions from across the globe, offers amateur photographers, including students, not only an opportunity to be recognized for their work but also the chance to make an impact on the lives of those living at the nursing and rehabilitation center.

Winning photos are enlarged and placed on permanent display in the center’s renowned Tiffen Photo Gallery for the enjoyment of residents and visitors alike. Submissions not selected for a prize are used by Gurwin’s staff as reminiscence aids, for visual stimulation and for art therapy, providing a source of comfort and inspiration for residents, specifically those in the Center’s Memory Care Unit and Adult Day Care Programs.

Photographers may submit up to seven printed 8×10 or 8×12 photographs for a fee of $5 per entry in the following categories: Landscapes, Travel, People, Pets, Children, Wildlife, Nature, Still Life, Altered/Enhanced, Student, Long Island/New York and Action/Sports. Judging will be conducted by a panel of professional photographers at the close of the contest, and winners will be chosen based on clarity, composition, subject matter and suitability for display at the center. The deadline for submission in April 17.

Winning photographers are invited to a June reception at the Gurwin Center where they will receive their cash prize, award certificate and/or trophy. Applications are available at https://www.gurwin.org/about/photo-contest/or by calling the Public Relations Office at 631-715-2568.

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