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Let’s Eat: A salute to George Washington on Presidents’ Day

by Heidi Sutton - February 15, 2025

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By Heidi Sutton

What better way to celebrate Presidents’ Day on Feb. 17 than with delicious cherry-inspired recipes in salute of George Washington’s birthday!

Martha Washington’s Cherry Bread and Butter Pudding

Recipe courtesy of Martha Washington

YIELD: Makes 6 servings

INGREDIENTS:

12 slices white bread (Pepperidge Farm or similar works best)

Butter or margarine

Cinnamon

10-oz. cherry preserves

4 eggs

2 and 2/3 cups milk

2 tablespoons of sugar

DIRECTIONS:

Preheat oven to 325 degrees F. Spray an 8 x 8 x 2-in pan with nonstick cooking spray. Cut crusts from 12 slices white bread or leave crusts on, depending on your preference. Spread butter on one side of each slice. Arrange 4 slices bread in bottom of dish and sprinkle each lightly with cinnamon. Spread a spoonful of cherry preserves on each slice. Repeat, making two more layers. Beat eggs in a medium mixing bowl. Add milk and sugar and stir until well mixed. Pour over bread and bake for 60 to 70 minutes, or until top is golden brown and the custard is set. Serve warm from the oven or serve cold.

Cherry Filled Crepes

Recipe courtesy of Milk Means More

YIELD: Makes 8 crepes

INGREDIENTS:

For the Cherry Sauce:

16-ounce bag frozen unsweetened tart cherries

1/2 cup sugar

3/4 cup water, divided

2 tablespoons cornstarch

For the Crepes:

1 cup all-purpose flour

1 tablespoon sugar

1 1/2 cups milk

4 eggs

3 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted and cooled

1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract

Powdered sugar, for dusting

DIRECTIONS:

To make the cherry sauce, bring the cherries, sugar, and 1/2 cup water to a boil in a medium saucepan over medium heat. Whisk the remaining 1/4 cup of water and cornstarch and a small bowl until smooth and add to the boiling cherries. Return the mixture to a boil, stirring often, and cook until thickened. Remove from the heat and keep warm.

To make the crepes, add all of the ingredients to a blender and puree until the mixture is smooth. Let the batter rest for 10 minutes at room temperature.

Heat a crepe pan or 12-inch nonstick skillet over medium heat and lightly coat with butter. Using a 1/3 cup measure, add batter to the pan and quickly swirl it around to completely cover the bottom of the pan evenly. Cook until the underside of the crepe is golden brown, about 3 minutes. Loosen an edge of the crepe with a rubber spatula, then using the spatula and your fingertips, quickly flip. Cook another minute more. Slide the crepe out of the pan and repeat with the remaining batter, coating the pan with more butter as needed.

To serve, lay two crepes open on a plate. Spoon a couple of tablespoons of the cherry sauce into the center of each crepe. Fold over each side to close the crepes. Add a little more cherry sauce to the top, then sprinkle with powdered sugar.

Eleven couples say ‘I do’ at annual Valentine’s Day Marriage Marathon in Huntington

by Press Release - February 14, 2025

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It was a day to celebrate love as Huntington Town Clerk Andrew P. Raia carried on the now 30 -year tradition of officiating over the Valentine’s Day Wedding Marathon at Huntington Town Hall on Feb. 14.

First initiated in 1995 by then Town Clerk Jo-Ann Raia, the Annual Huntington Town Valentine’s Day Marriage Marathon has always been well received by all the participating couples and guests. Town Clerk Andrew Raia was honored to continue this special event initiated by his predecessor and mother, Jo- Ann Raia.

“Huntington’s Valentine’s Day Marriages has not only been a family tradition for my mother, Jo-Ann Raia and I, but it has become a family tradition for many of the brides and grooms,” said Town Clerk Raia.

“For many of them are following in the footsteps of their parents, who also took their marriage vows on Valentine’s Day at Huntington Town Hall. I am thrilled to be continuing the tradition established by my mother. This event has always been received enthusiastically by the couples that have participated and everyone here at Town Hall. It is truly a special day,” he added.

At this year’s Valentine’s Day Marathon, Raia officiated 11 marriages in the Huntington Town Board Room, which was beautifully transformed into a wedding chapel filled with a wedding arch, flowers and candles, a setting fit for the most discerning bride and groom.

“This event would not be what it is without the support of so many local merchants,” said Raia. “They have always been very generous and supportive of this event.”

The following merchants — consisting of bakeries, restaurants, florists, supermarkets/food stores, and pharmacies — donated special gifts and sweet treats for this year’s celebration.

Stop and Shop – Huntington

Buttercooky Bakery – Huntington

Cactus Salon Spa – Huntington

Copenhagen Bakery – Northport

Fiorello Dolce Patisserie – Huntington

Flowerdale by Patty – Huntington Station

Hengstenberg Florist – Northport

Bon Bons – Huntington

The Market Place at Southdown – Huntington

Good2Go – Huntington

La Piazza Cucina Italiana & Wine Bar – Melville

Hometown Bake Shop – Centerport

Sweetie Pies – Cold Spring Harbor

Hummel Hummel Bakery – East Northport

Main Street Nursery – Huntington

Rite Aid – Huntington

Stella Blue Bistro – Huntington

Bagel Biz Platter – Melville

Laura’s Floral Elegance – East Northport

A Tisket – A Tasket – Huntington

Dortoni’s – Huntington

Value Drugs – Huntington

Wild by Nature – Huntington

And, for the first time, the Town offered complimentary photography services to the event. Local photographer, Michelle Bogdanowich, donated her services and photographed each wedding ceremony. The bride and groom will receive a complimentary portrait of their special day on behalf of the town of Huntington and Bogdanowich’s company, Ciao Bella Photography, located in Greenlawn and can be contacted at cbellaphoto.com.

Eye on the street: How did you meet your partner?

by TBR Staff - February 14, 2025

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By Luciana Hayes

Valentine’s Day isn’t just about love, it’s also about stories. But are stories really like the ones we see in movies and read in books?

This Valentine’s Day TBR News Media chose to ask the people of Long Island about the moment they fell in love and took a better look at the movies of peoples’ lives

Pamela and Vincent Giglio of Northport

Pamela and Vincent met in August, 1977 at a club called the Penrod in East Meadow when “disco was really big”. After parting ways, they then ran into each other again three weeks later at another club and the rest is history. They will be celebrating their 45th anniversary this summer and will be spending this Valentine’s day with their new grandchild.

Brian and Josette Lebowitz of East Setauket

Josette and Brian met on a blind date that was set up by a mutual friend. They married in October of 2019 and will be spending the upcoming holiday with their family.

Taly D. and Leron D. of South Setauket

Taly and Leron met on a Jewish dating website called JDate. The two plan to celebrate this Valentine’s day early and casually.

Mary and Pete Mantia of Patchogue

Mary and Pete met in a supermarket just after Pete had finished serving in Vietnam. They will be spending this Valentine’s day in the city with their family and friends.

Diane and Jeremy Flint of East Setauket

Diane and Jeremy met in the sunshine state of Florida while playing in an adult coed soccer team. They later married in Iceland before moving to Long Island to start a family. They plan on spending Valentine’s day as a family by making heart-shaped pizzas and sweet treats.

Happy Valentine’s Day from Times Beacon Record News Media!

Stony Brook University hosts Valentine’s Day Craft Fair

by TBR Staff - February 14, 2025

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On Feb. 8 and Feb. 9, Island Fairs held a Be My Valentine Craft Fair at Stony Brook University. Vendors sold crafts, art and treats: perfect gifts for that special person.

— Photos by Michael Scro of Media Origin Inc.

History Close at Hand: A sentimental Valentine’s Day

by Beverly C. Tyler - February 14, 2025

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IMG_20250125_0003 — Vintage Valentine’s Day cards. Photo courtesy of Beverly C.Tyler

By Beverly C. Tyler

“I was very happy to hear from you and to hear that you hadn’t forgot me and thought enough of me to send me a Valentine.” (Mary Bayles to Nichols Hawkins February 16, 1840)

The celebration of Feb. 14 began as an ancient Roman ceremony called the Feast of the Lupercalia. It was on the eve of the Feast of the Lupercalia in the year 270 that Valentinus, a Roman priest, was executed. According to an article in the Nuremberg Chronicle, published in December 1493, “Valentinus was said to have performed valiant service in assisting Christian Martyrs during their persecution under Emperor Claudius II. Giving aid and comfort to Christians at that time was considered a crime, and for his actions Valentinus was clubbed, stoned and beheaded.”

It is thought that when the early Christian church reorganized the calendar of festivals they substituted the names of Christian saints for the pagan names and allocated February 14 to St. Valentine.

The tradition of sending messages, gifts and expressions of love on Valentine’s Day goes back to at least the 15th century. In 1477, in Britain, John Paston wrote to his future wife, “Unto my ryght wele belovyd Voluntyn – John Paston Squyer.”

By the 17th century, Valentine’s Day was well established as an occasion for sending cards, notes or drawings to loved ones. An early British valentine dated 1684 was signed by Edward Sangon, Tower Hill, London. “Good morrow Vallentine, God send you ever to keep your promise and bee constant ever.”

Vintage Valentine’s Day cards. Photo courtesy of Beverly C.Tyler

In America the earliest known valentines date to the middle of the 18th century. These hand-made greetings were often very artistically done and included a heart or a lover’s knot. They were folded, sealed and addressed without the use of an envelope. Until the 1840’s, the postal rate was determined by the distance to be traveled and the number of sheets included, so an envelope would have doubled the cost.

In 1840, Nichols Smith Hawkins, age 25, of Stony Brook sent a valentine to his paternal first cousin Mary Cordelia Bayles, age 18. The original does not exist, but her reply, written two days after Valentine’s Day, says a great deal. “Much Esteemed Friend – I now take this opportunity to write a few lines to you to let you know that I received your letter last evening. I was very happy to hear from you and to hear that you hadent forgot me and thought enough of me to send me a Valentine. I havent got anything now to present to you but I will not forget you as quick, as I can make it conveinant I will get something for you to remember me by.

“You wrote that you wanted me to make you happy by becoming yourn. I should like to comfort you but I must say that I cannot for particular reasons. It isn’t because I don’t respect you nor do I think that I ever shall find anyone that will do any better by me. I sincerely think that you will do as well by me as anyone. I am very sorry to hear that it would make you the most miserable wretch on earth if I refused you for I cannot give you any encouragement. I beg to be excused for keeping you in suspense so long and then deny you. Believe me my friend I wouldn’t if I thought of denying you of my heart and hand. I think just as much of you now as ever I did. I cannot forget a one that I do so highly respect. You will think it very strange then why I do refuse you. I will tell you although I am very sorry to say so it is on the account of the family. They do oppose me very much. They say so much that I half to refuse you. It is all on their account that I do refuse so good an offer. I sincerely hope that it will be for the best.”

We don’t know the members of Mary’s family who opposed her marriage to Nichols. Was it her parents who had died in 1836 and 1838 respectively, or the family members that Mary lived with when she became an orphan at age 16 or 17? Whatever the circumstances, their love for each other continued to bloom.

Four days after replying to the Valentine letter, Mary again replied to a letter from Nichols. “Dear Cousin – I received your letter yesterday morning. I was very sorry to hear that you was so troubled in mind. I don’t doubt but what you do feel very bad for I think that I can judge you by my own feelings but we must get reconciled to our fate…Keep your mind from it as much as you can and be cheerful for I must tell you as I have told you before that I cannot relieve you by becoming your bride, therefore I beg and entreat on you not to think of me anymore as a companion through life for if you make yourself unhappy by it, you will make me the most miserable creature in the world to think that I made you so unhappy…I must now close my letter with my love to you. – This is from your most unhappy cousin M__________________ ”

At least two other letters, written the following year, were sent to Nichols from Mary. The letters continued to express the friendship that existed between them. The story does not end there.

On Feb. 11, 1849, Nichols Smith Hawkins, age 34, married Mary Cordelia Bayles, age 27. Coincidentally, Nichols’ parents, William Hawkins and Mary Nichols were married on Valentine’s Day in 1813. Nichols and Mary raised three children who lived beyond childhood (two others died in 1865). Nichols was a farmer and the family lived in Stony Brook. Mary died Jan. 30, 1888 at the age of 66 and Nichols died Feb. 10, 1903, at the age of 88. They are buried at Oak Hill Cemetery in Stony Brook. Mary’s letters are in the Three Village Historical Society archive collection.

Valentines became fancier and more elaborate through the second half of the 19th century. After 1850, the valentine slowly became a more general greeting rather than a message sent to just one special person. The advent of the picture postal card in 1907, which allowed messages to be written on one half of the side reserved for the address, started a national craze that saw every holiday become a reason for sending a postcard and Valentine’s Day the occasion for a flood of one-cent expressions of love.

Beverly Tyler is Three Village Historical Society historian and author of books available from the Three Village Historical Society, 93 North Country Rd., Setauket, NY 11733. Tel: 631-751-3730. WWW.TVHS.org

Valentine’s Day fundraiser at Save-A-Pet will be a dog gone fun time

by Julianne Mosher - February 13, 2025

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By Julianne Mosher

Who needs a box of chocolates when you can adopt a puppy this Valentine’s Day?

Save-A-Pet Animal Shelter will be hosting its first annual Valentine’s Day Yappy Hour on Feb. 14 from 5 to 7 p.m. at its Port Jefferson Station location for a special holiday fundraiser.

According to Dori Scofield, president of Save a Pet, the Yappy Hour will feature wine, charcuterie boards and desserts inside the adoption center, which they are transforming into a romantic setting for a purr-fect night out.

“We’ll have tables set up with candlelight and roses for the women,” she said. “It’s going to be a really fun night.”

Proceeds from the event will go towards helping dogs who need orthopedic surgeries, including Teddy, above. Photo courtesy of Dori Scofield

Just this month, the shelter, which is already home to several dozen cats and dogs up for adoption, received 30 puppies from Georgia and Puerto Rico.

“The shelters there are just too overcrowded,” said Scofield.

Those little loves, who will be joining you for your date night roaming the room, are up for adoption and the $25 ticket price will come off the adoption fee, Scofield added.

Proceeds from the event will go to continue support for the adoption center and also help care for three special cases; dogs who need orthopedic surgeries. One dog, Teddy, who is not for adoption, was unfortunately hit by a car and thanks to his latest procedure will be at Yappy Hour sporting his new cast and overseeing the night’s schedule.

If you’re looking for a lovable cat or dog who might be a little older, all the other animals available will be adoptable, too.

Those animals come from all different situations, Scofield said. “We have strays, animals who were abandoned, left in the woods, left in the streets… abandoned, abused and neglected.”

And you won’t need Cupid to shoot an arrow through your heart to fall in love with one of them.

Save-A-Pet, 608 Route 112, Port Jefferson Station will hold a Valentine’s Day Yappy Hour on Feb. 14 from 5 p.m. to 7 p.m. Tickets are $25 per person. For reservations, visit www.saveapetusa.org. 631-473-6333.

‘Lasting Love’ pre-Valentine’s dinner celebrates Long Island couples married 50+ years

by Press Release - February 12, 2025

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Third Annual Event Hosted by Cona Elder Law honors couples and their secrets to relationship success

Long Island couples who have been married 50 years or more gathered for a pre-Valentine’s celebration at the 3^rd Annual “Lasting Love” Valentine’s Dinner on Feb. 11 to toast their successful relationships.

“This room is full of beautiful people who got it right,” said Jennifer Cona, Founder and Managing Partner of Cona Elder Law. “There are a lot of things older adults can teach us, including the secrets of staying together. Lessons of patience, of compromise. All those things that it takes to stay together for so long.”

Held at Verona Ristorante in Farmingdale, each participating couple feasted on a complimentary traditional Italian dinner including appetizers, dinner and dessert plus a glass of wine or a cocktail.

Couples also had the opportunity to share their stories about how they met and how they have been successful in their marriages and offer advice to younger couples on their own path to relationship success.

“We got married very young and we grew up together,” said Shelley Rudes of Woodbury. She and her husband Jonathan have been together for 51 years. “We never go to bed angry.”

“I think it takes a lot of patience and a sense of humor,” said Diane Powell, of Roslyn. She and her husband Tom have been married 52 years. “You need to keep your relationships with friends and family and be ready to face things you don’t expect. You have to stick together in good times and bad.”

The event was sponsored by Melville-based Cona Elder Law, which concentrates in the areas of elder law, estate planning, estate administration and litigation, and health care law. Cona Elder Law takes a holistic approach to elder law, providing support and resources for older adults and caregivers, and maintains long-term, partnering relationships with clients to provide the best solutions for multiple generations.

Eye on the Street: Love at first sight?

by Jennifer Donatelli - February 9, 2025

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By Jennifer Donatelli

Valentine’s Day often sparks the age-old debate about whether love at first sight is real or just a romantic notion. Some people swear by it, claiming that an instant connection or an inexplicable bond can form in the blink of an eye. For them, it’s more than just attraction — it’s a deep, immediate understanding or a shared energy that can’t be ignored. Others, however, argue that love is something that builds over time, shaped by experiences, conversations and vulnerability. They believe that true love cannot be rushed, and that the initial spark is often mistaken for infatuation or chemistry.

TBR News Media recently asked Long Islanders what they thought about love at first sight.

Lisa Goldfeder from Babylon

“I don’t believe in love at first sight. You have to get to know someone first, spend time with them, be friends, then the love will come. People who say they believe in love at first sight are more like infatuated to me.”

Lonnie Goldfeder from Babylon

“I believe you can fall in love when you first meet someone. You have that feeling that they’re ‘the one’ and everything else follows.”

Frank Borrero from Huntington

“I believe in love at first sight, but not the kind of love that lasts forever. I love women, so every woman I meet is love at first sight to me. A pair and a spare is my motto.”

Neil Clay from Stony Brook

“I believe in love at first sight. It’s how I met my wife. We both went outside to throw our garbage in the dumpster and I knew from that minute I met my soulmate.”

Lucia Trowe from Huntington

“I definitely think you can fall in love with someone when you first meet them. My husband told me seconds after we met that he loved me and asked me to marry him. We were married 40 years.”

Michael Joseph from Huntington

“I don’t believe in love at first sight unless you’re picking a dog. How can you know you love someone from a chance meeting or look?”

History Close at Hand: Valentine’s Day greeting cards reveal a glimpse into the past

by Beverly C. Tyler - February 8, 2025

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By Beverly C. Tyler

“To My Best playmate Blanche GUESS FROM WHO?”

This is the message on a 1925 Valentine’s Day postcard sent to my mother in Port Jefferson. Mom was born in November 1914, so she was ten years old when she received the postcard. The front of the card shows a cherub with pots of heart flowers. The address on the postcard was simply addressed to her at “Port Jefferson, L.I.” This particular postcard was sent from Brooklyn, NY. Mom kept only a few valentine postcards. The majority of the valentine messages she kept were cards in the shape of the figure or image.

In the first three decades of the 20th century, Valentine’s Day figure and image cards were favored over postcards, especially by children. In my mother’s case most of these cards were put in envelopes and hand-delivered to the mailbox on the street or to the front door by their neighborhood friends. This makes it difficult to know what year the cards were sent. The presence of a few postcards with 1920s postmarks helps, especially as my mother kept both the postcards and the cut out cards in the same box.

Greetings cards became a world-wide phenomenon. This remarkable development was fueled by the postcard’s convenience and cost. The postcard was, before the wide-spread use of the telephone, the quickest means of making contact with a friend, relative or tradesman.

Interestingly, within a century, the personal computer, through the use of the internet, would begin to fill the same need. The only major difference being that, at the end of the 19th century, everyone had mail delivery, whereas at the end of the 20th century personal computers and the internet were not yet in every home.

Many greetings cards such as these were saved and placed in postcard albums. Today they provide us with a glimpse of life in the late 19th and early 20th centuries.

Beverly C. Tyler is Three Village Historical Society historian and author of books available from the Three Village Historical Society, 93 North Country Rd., Setauket, NY 11733. Tel: 631-751-3730. www.TVHS.org

Hundreds celebrate the life of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. at annual Brookhaven Town Luncheon

by Press Release - January 31, 2025

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Document — Clockwise from left, Town of Brookhaven Legislative Aide for Councilmember Kornreich, Amani Khan; Councilmember Jonathan Kornreich; Supervisor Dan Panico; Councilwoman Karen Dunne Kesnig, Councilman Neil Manzella; Councilwoman Jane Bonner; co-host Hon. Valerie Cartright Lorraine Mazza Kuehn; Cheryl Felice; Assemblywoman Rebbeca Kassay; and Town Clerk Kevin LaValle.

A special “Day of Service” luncheon was held January 20 at the Bellport Golf Club to honor the life and memory of civil rights leader Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Brookhaven Town Supervisor Dan Panico presided over the annual holiday luncheon, and he thanked co-hosts Hon. Valerie Cartright, a Supreme Court Justice and Marvin Colson, of the Brookhaven Town Branch of the NAACP for their help, as well as Faith Baptist Church and Zeta Phi Beta Sorority Inc.

Town Supervisor Dan Panico (center) with guests at the Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. annual luncheon.

Special thanks went to the Community Sponsor “Dare to Dream Community Outreach” in connection with the community service project, and Rho Omega Zeta Chapter for organizing the program, entitled “Mission Possible: Protecting Freedom, Justice, and Democracy in the Spirit of Nonviolence 365. Entertainment was provided by the Faith Baptist Church Choir led by Rev. Diane Jones.

The event was attended by more than 350 children, teens and adults. There were inspiring readings and liturgical dance performances, as well as musical selections to recognize the vision, courage and unwavering commitment to nonviolence and justice by Dr. King. In partnership with the Long Island Coalition for the Homeless, the Town of Brookhaven Supervisor and Town Council members assembled care packages for those in need, honoring Dr. King’s belief in the power of service to uplift communities.

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