Tags Posts tagged with "Father’s Day"

Father’s Day

METRO photo

By Heidi Sutton

It’s easy for families to fall into a routine when it comes to celebrating Father’s Day. Certainly dinner, cards and gift-giving is traditional, but there are additional ways to provide Dad with the day he deserves. Here are some fun ways to spend the holiday on Long Island. See more calendar events on page B22.

Father’s Day at the LIM

Take Dad on a historic adventure exploring the Long Island Museum, 1200 Route 25A, Stony Brook on Sunday, June 15 from noon to 5 p.m. Visit their latest exhibition, The Triumph of Nature: Art Nouveau from the Chrysler Museum of Art, the state of the art Carriage Museum, and enjoy the beautiful grounds dotted with art installations, gardens and historic buildings. Free admission for fathers and grandfathers all day! 631-751-0066

Open Weekend at Benner’s Farm

Benner’s Farm, 56 Gnarled Hollow Road, East Setauket celebrates Father’s Day weekend on Saturday, June 14 and Sunday, June 15 from noon to 4 p.m. See sheep, goats, and chickens, ride the Big Swing and see the new babies born this spring. Live music on Saturday. Admission is $12 adults, $10 seniors and children. 631-689-8172

Father’s Day at the TVHS

Dads get free admission to the Three Village Historical Society, 93 North Country Road, Setauket on Sunday, June 15 from noon to 4 p.m. Visit the SPIES! exhibit with hands-on activities including writing with invisible ink and decoding spy letters, explore the new history art gallery, and check out the beautiful new gardens by ReWild Long Island on the grounds. 631-751-3730

Father’s Day at the Whaling Museum

Treat Dad to a special day at the Whaling Museum, 301 Main St., Cold Spring Harbor with free admission with a paid ticket on Saturday, June 14 and Sunday, June 15 from 11a.m. to 4 p.m. Plus, kids can enjoy a weekend of self-serve Father’s Day ​crafts — a perfect heartfelt gift! 631-367-3418

Father’s Day at The Hatchery

Celebrate Father’s Day, Sunday, June 15, at the Cold Spring Harbor Fish Hatchery & Aquarium, 1660 Route 25A, Cold Spring Harbor from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. featuring the largest living collection of New York State freshwater reptiles, fishes and amphibians. Free admission for Dads when accompanied by their children. 516-692-6768

Father’s Day Festival

Harbes Family Farm, 715 Sound Ave., Mattituck will hold their annual Father’s Day Festival on Saturday, June 14 and Sunday, June 15. Dads get half-price admission to the Barnyard Adventure, an eight-acre family friendly experience which includes a musical hayride, Sports Zone, farm animals, play areas, live music and more. 631-482-7641

Mattituck Strawberry Festival

Dads get free entry with a paid child admission at the 70th annual Mattituck Lions Club Strawberry Festival, 1105 North Road, Mattituck on Sunday, June 15 from 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. Highlights include strawberry shortcake, strawberries dipped in chocolate, live music, over 100 arts and craft vendors, carnival rides, food and fireworks (weather permitting). www.mattituckstrawberryfestival.com

Long Island Fun Fest at SCCC

Suffolk County Community College, 478 Wicks Road, Brentwood hosts the Long Island Fun Fest on Saturday, June 14 and Sunday, June 15 from 3 p.m. to 11 p.m. featuring rides, games, carnival food, dinosaur experience, circus, BMX stunt show, and petting zoo. $5 admission includes shows, extra fee for rides. www.longislandfunfest.com

METRO photo

Each year, the third Sunday in June is a time to pay homage to fathers and the millions of other men who have stepped into the role of father. While it may seem as though Father’s Day has been around forever, it didn’t become a nationally recognized holiday in the United States until 1972.

One account says Grace Golden Clayton came up with the idea in 1908 in Fairmont, West Virginia. Clayton was inspired to celebrate fathers after 362 men died in an explosion at the Fairmont Coal Company mines in Monongah in the previous December, described as the worst mining disaster in America, but it was a one-time commemoration and not an annual holiday.

The next year, a Spokane, Washington woman named Sonora Smart Dodd tried to establish an official equivalent to Mother’s Day for male parents. In 1909, while attending a Mother’s Day sermon in church, she felt fathers were equally deserving of praise. 

To honor her own father, William Smart, a Civil War veteran and widower who raised six children alone, initially petitioned for the holiday to fall on his birthday, June 5. However, the Spokane Ministerial Alliance chose the third Sunday to give ministers more time to prepare their sermons. Washington State celebrated the nation’s first statewide Father’s Day on June 19, 1910.

Slowly, the holiday began to spread. In 1916, President Wilson honored the day by using telegraph signals to unfurl a flag in Spokane when he pressed a button in Washington, D.C. In 1924, President Calvin Coolidge urged state governments to observe Father’s Day.

By the 1930s, advertisers and retailers began promoting Father’s Day as a commercial holiday, encouraging people to buy gifts and cards. The National Council for the Promotion of Father’s Day helped push the holiday into wider public acceptance through marketing campaigns.

The breakthrough came when President Lyndon B. Johnson issued America’s first presidential Father’s Day proclamation in 1966, acknowledging that the third Sunday in June had for many years been observed as Father’s Day. 

“In the homes of our Nation, we look to the fathers to provide the strength and stability which characterize the successful family. If the father’s responsibilities are many, his rewards are also great—the love, appreciation, and respect of children and spouse,” he said at the signing.

In 1972, when Sonora Smart Dodd was 92 years old, President Richard Nixon signed it into law as an official national observance.

Greek Cheeseburger

By Heidi Sutton

While Father’s Day is for honoring dads, it’s also a great opportunity to honor the men who have been father figures to us — stepfathers, grandfathers, uncles, even friends who have played that role in our lives.

This year, take some extra time to tell those men how much they’ve meant to you. A card or letter, a phone call … or have them over for a special dinner. Grill up Greek Cheeseburgers or Curried Turkey Sliders to make them feel really special. Serve with fries or a pasta salad. And don’t forget dessert!

Greek Cheeseburgers

Recipe courtesy Marcia Stanley

YIELD: Makes 5 servings

INGREDIENTS:  

Garlic Mint Sauce

3/4 cup cottage cheese, any type

1/2 cup (2 oz.) cheese, crumbled feta

1 teaspoon minced garlic

1/2 teaspoon lemon juice

2 tablespoons chopped red onion

1 teaspoon chopped fresh mint leaves

Sandwiches

1 cup cottage cheese, any type

2 tablespoons dry bread crumbs

1 tablespoon chopped fresh oregano, or 1 teaspoon dried oregano leaves

1/2 teaspoon salt

1/8 teaspoon cayenne pepper

1 pound lean ground beef

5 hamburger buns

1 1/4 cups baby Arugula

10 thin slices tomato

1/2 cup thinly sliced cucumber

DIRECTIONS:

In large bowl combine 1 cup cottage cheese, bread crumbs, oregano, salt and cayenne pepper. Add ground beef and mix well. Shape into five 1/2-inch-thick patties. Grill directly over medium heat for 10 to 13 minutes or until done (160°F), turning once. 

Line bun bottoms with arugula. Top with burgers, tomato slices, cucumber slices, Garlic Mint Sauce and bun tops and serve.

Curried Turkey Sliders

Recipe courtesy of Culinary.net

YIELD: Makes 6 servings

INGREDIENTS:  

1 pound lean ground turkey

1/4 cup finely diced onion

2 tablespoons chopped cilantro

1 1/2 teaspoons curry powder

1/2 teaspoon salt

1/4 teaspoon ground black pepper

12 mini burger or small dinner rolls split and toasted

Chutney:

2 green kiwifruit peeled, finely diced

1 tablespoon golden raisins

2 teaspoons sugar

1/8 teaspoon salt

DIRECTIONS:

Combine kiwifruit, raisins, sugar and salt in small bowl and mix. Make chutney just prior to serving. Preheat grill to medium. Combine turkey, onions, cilantro, curry powder, salt and pepper in medium bowl. Shape into 12 2-inch mini burger patties. Grill patties for 2 to 3 minutes on each side, turning once, until cooked through. Place on buns; top with chutney before serving.

Image courtesy of The Atelier at Flowerfield

The Atelier at Flowerfield, 2 Flowerfield, Suite 6 & 9, St. James presents an in-studio Father’s Day workshop for children ages 6 to 12 on Saturday, June 14 from 10 a.m. to noon. Learn how to paint this awesome monster truck painting for Dad or that special Dad in your life with step-by-step instruction from Miss Linda.

$55 per child includes an 11″ by 14″ canvas and all art supplies.

To register, visit theatelieratflowerfield.org or click here. For more information, please call 631-250-9009.

Pixabay photo

By Serena Carpino

Father’s Day is always a special time of the year. Families go out for breakfast at Sweet Mama’s, rent kayaks in the Stony Brook Harbor, play a round of golf at St George’s in Setauket, or continue their own fun traditions. 

As Father’s Day approaches, TBR asked local personalities, “What does Father’s Day mean to you? How do you celebrate Father’s Day? What’s the best present you’ve given your father over the years?”

— Photos by Serena Carpino

Eric Rectanus, Stony Brook 

Father’s Day is “a way of honoring the person who took care of you. It’s the person who put a roof over your head, made sure you had food in your belly, loved you and cared for you no matter what.” Rectanus, who lost his father last year, said. “Seeing Father’s Day now compared to when I had my dad, I see really what Father’s Day means because I don’t have him anymore. It’s just that person who gives you unconditional love, no matter what you do in life.” 

Mario Solis, Stony Brook 

“For me, it’s just a time that [my family] can get together, especially with my dad. We don’t have that close of a relationship, so that’s really the only time that I get to spend time with him.” 

Solis said that he and his family celebrate Father’s Day with food. “We eat — eat and just spend time together. It’s nothing special but it means a lot to us.” Solis added that the best gift he has given his father was a tool set. 

Solis declined for his picture to be taken. 

Tatjana Trajkovic, East Setauket

 “Father’s Day is a day to celebrate your dad because a lot of us who have dads sometimes take them for granted and don’t realize that some people aren’t as fortunate as us. So, it’s a day to appreciate these special people,” Trajkovic said.

The family celebrates her father and sister as a “two-for-one special” since her sister’s birthday is the same day. “Usually, we get a cake and split it between them,” she said.

 Trajkovic will be attending college in the fall and hopes to give her father a meaningful present before she leaves. She explained, “On TikTok there’s a special Father’s Day present that’s trending where you have your dad write down all of his important memories and the best stories of his life. I want him to write all of these in a notebook so that I can carry them to college. That’ll probably be the best gift I’ll ever give him, but I suppose it’ll be a gift for me too.”

Christian McClain, Shoreham

Christian McClain, a student at Shoreham-Wading River High School, said that, to him, “Father’s Day means celebrating and appreciating the love, guidance and support my father has given me throughout my life.”

On Father’s Day, McClain always has baseball tournaments. So, to celebrate his father, he wears light-blue socks and a light-blue wristband. In addition, McClain said that the best gift he ever gave his father “was when my family surprised him with a trip to Italy over the summer.”

Karen Gilmore, Stony Brook 

For Father’s Day, Gilmore said that her “daughter gets a present and gives it to him. We usually take him out to dinner or something like that … we like to go to Ragazzi [Italian Kitchen & Bar, in Nesconset].”

This year, Gilmore’s daughter made her dad a nice picture with watercolor in a recent art class. Gilmore said, “She’s really proud that she’s going to give it to him. [It’s important because] it’s something personalized, something that she made, more than just buying something. It’s something that means something from the heart.”

Kona Pineapple Chicken Kebabs

By Heidi Sutton

This Father’s Day, go ahead and shower dad with some love straight off the grill. You can make the day even more memorable by sharing the experience together. Grilled skewers keep the whole family happy and come together in less than 30 minutes, making them perfect for quick and healthy meals without the hassle. Serve with a side salad and rice for a satisfying feast.

Kona Pineapple Chicken Kebabs

Recipe courtesy of Perdue Farms

Kona Pineapple Chicken Kebabs

YIELD: Makes 4 skewers

INGREDIENTS: 

1 can (6 ounces) pineapple juice

2 tablespoons vegetable oil

1 lime, zest and juice only

1 tablespoon sugar

1 package diced chicken breast

1/2 fresh pineapple, cut into 16 chunks

1 large red bell pepper, cut into 16 chunks

4 metal skewers or 8 wooden skewers (12″)

DIRECTIONS:

In bowl, whisk pineapple juice, vegetable oil, lime juice and zest, and sugar until sugar dissolves. Add diced chicken breast, cover and marinate in refrigerator 30 minutes. Thread alternating pieces of chicken, pineapple and red bell pepper onto skewers. Discard remaining marinade. Heat lightly greased grill or grill pan to medium-high heat. Grill kebabs 10-12 minutes, turning every 3-4 minutes until chicken feels firm to touch and a meat thermometer inserted in the center reaches 165 F. Remove kebabs from grill, rest 2-3 minutes and serve.

Shrimp, Broccoli and Potato Skewers

Recipe courtesy of Family Features

Shrimp, Broccoli and Potato Skewers

YIELD: Makes 4 skewers

INGREDIENTS: 

1 pound small potatoes

1 bunch broccoli

12 large shrimp, peeled and deveined

1 1/2 lemons, juice only

3 tablespoons fresh thyme, chopped

2 tablespoons olive oil

salt and pepper, to taste

DIRECTIONS:

In large, microwave-safe bowl, microwave potatoes on high 5 minutes. Chop broccoli into large pieces. Add broccoli and shrimp to bowl once potatoes are steamed. Add lemon juice, thyme and olive oil; evenly coat potatoes, shrimp and broccoli. Season with salt and pepper, to taste. Build skewers and grill 10-15 minutes on medium-high heat, until shrimp is cooked through.

Note: If using wooden skewers, soak in water 30 minutes to keep skewers from burning on grill. If using metal skewers, remember chicken will cook faster because metal will conduct heat and cook chicken cubes from inside along with grill heat cooking chicken from outside.

Fresh Strawberry Pie

By Heidi Sutton

Strawberry season marks the beginning of so many wonderful things on Long Island — longer days, warmer weather, the promise of summer … and Father’s Day. Bright red throughout and still warm from the sun, freshly picked strawberries are flavorful and sweet. If some strawberries make it home after picking them out east, try making one of these delicious pies for that special man in your life.

Fresh Strawberry Pie

Recipe adapted from Pillsbury

YIELD: Makes one pie

INGREDIENTS:

1 pie crust

6 cups whole fresh strawberries

1 cup sugar

3 tablespoons cornstarch

1/4 cup water

sliced strawberries

1 cup sweetened whipped cream

DIRECTIONS: 

Heat oven to 350 F. Press pie crust into 9-inch glass pie pan. Bake 9-11 minutes, or until lightly browned. Completely cool pie crust, approximately 30 minutes. In blender, crush strawberries to make 1 cup.

In saucepan, combine sugar and cornstarch. Add crushed strawberries and water. Bring to boil, stirring constantly. Cool to room temperature. Arrange sliced strawberries in cooled crust. Pour cooked strawberry mixture evenly over strawberries. Refrigerate for 3 hours. Top with whipped cream before serving.

Strawberry Cream Cheese Pie  

YIELD: Makes one pie

INGREDIENTS:

1 pie crust, parbaked and cooled 

1/4 cup heavy cream 

8 ounces whipped cream cheese 

1/4 cup powdered sugar 

1/3 cup water 

3 tablespoons cornstarch 

1 pound strawberries, hulled and halved or quartered if large

2 tablespoons sugar 

DIRECTIONS: 

Filling: In a mixing bowl or the bowl of a stand mixer, beat the heavy cream for about 5 minutes until fluffy and soft peaks form. Add the cream cheese and powdered sugar and continue to beat until smooth and combined. 

Strawberries: Whisk together the water and cornstarch. Heat a skillet to medium heat. When the skillet is hot, add the berries, sugar, and cornstarch mixture. Stir until the mixture bubbles and thickens, then turn the heat off. Let the berries cool slightly. 

Scoop the cream cheese filling into the prepared pie crust. Use a spoon or spatula to scrape some of the filling up the sides of the crust, essentially lining the crust with the cream cheese mixture. Fill the crust/cream cheese mixture with the still-warm strawberries, mounding them up in the center of the pie. 

Chill the strawberry cream cheese pie for at least 2 hours, preferably 4 hours or more. To serve, slice the pie straight from the fridge and enjoy cold or at room temperature.

Pixabay photo

By Leah S. Dunaief

Leah Dunaief

Medical scientists released fantastic news Sunday that made me think of my father and weep. In a small trial of 18 patients with rectal cancer, who took a particular drug, the cancer totally vanished. My dad died of rectal cancer in 1975.

Dr. Luis A. Diaz Jr of Memorial Sloan Cancer Center was an author of the paper published in The New England Journal of Medicine explaining the results, according to The New York Times. He said he knew of no other study in which a treatment completely obliterated a cancer in every patient.

“I believe this is the first time this has happened in the history of cancer,” the NYT quotes Diaz as saying. The trial was sponsored by the drug company GlaxoSmithKline. My dad and all these other patients faced chemotherapy, radiation and surgery with possible colostomy bags as treatment for their cancer. Unlike my dad, with the benefit of the new drug, dostarlimab, 47 years later, they all seem to be cured, although only time will tell. So far, it has been three years. And none of the patients had “clinically significant complications.” The medicine was taken every three weeks for six months and cost $11,000 per dose.

“It unmasks cancer cells, allowing the immune system to identify and destroy them,” according to the NYT.

I guess we are thinking of our dads this month in particular since Father’s Day is coming quickly, and we need a gift for the occasion. This incredible breakthrough seems like the ultimate present for any fathers suffering from this disease, and of course for anyone else, too. But it has come too late for my adored dad.

My father, born in 1904, came to the City from the family’s Catskill dairy farm when he was 13. One of 9 children, “the middle child,” he would like to distinguish himself by saying he was sent off by his father to build his life since he was now considered an adult. He liked to tell us stories about his total ignorance of urban life.

A favorite concerned the boarding house in which he first rented a room. It was in a brownstone a block away from where his next older brother lived in Brooklyn. He had only shortly before arrived, had dutifully sat down to write a letter home explaining his new circumstances and had gone out as instructed by his landlady to mail the letter in the mailbox on the corner. Deed done, he turned around to return, only to discover that each building looked the same. He had no idea which held his room. Ultimately someone came out to find him.

He quickly found a job delivering packages to various parts of the city. But that proved a puzzle. He had a map and was able to figure out his destination for each delivery. He rode the buses so as not to lose his sense of navigation. But he could not understand why one time the bus would go where he wanted but other times would turn off and head in a different direction. So to be sure of winding up where he needed to go, he ran. He ran all over the city until he was fired. He was deemed to be too slow.

Another early instance of having arrived in an alien world happened when he followed his brother into a tiny room in a tall building. Surprised when the doors slid closed behind, he could feel the floor drop beneath his feet. Bending into a crouch, he prepared to cushion the shock of the landing when he realized the others in the space were staring at him. He was in his first encounter with an elevator.

Of course, he was the constant victim of teasing in the next office in which he worked. He still remembered when the office manager gave him a folder to bring to the stationery store down the block. Wise now, he retorted, “I’m surprised you would try to trick me, Miss Murphy. I know every store is stationary.”

My dad went on to become a successful businessman in Manhattan. But that’s a story for a different day.

METRO photo

Father’s Day presents an opportunity for people to honor the special men in their lives. These include not only dads, but father figures and other influential men who offer care and guidance to the people they love. Many celebrations continue to look different than they were prior to the pandemic, and Father’s Day festivities may still require some modifications this year, even if celebrations are not governed by the same restrictions as in 2020. The following are some ways to show dads they are appreciated.

Backyard bash

Restrictions on outdoor gatherings have eased up considerably in many areas. Outdoor parties are some of the safer ways to bring people together, particularly if attendees maintain their distance. Weather permitting, families can host barbecues and enlist someone other than Dad to man the grill. Serve foods buffet-style and space out tables so people can safely celebrate.

Plan a sports outing

Professional sports teams are once again welcoming fans to stadiums and other venues, albeit with reduced capacities to maintain safety. It may be possible to purchase tickets to an upcoming game and surprise Dad or Grandpa with tickets on Father’s Day. Make Father’s Day festivities sports-centric, with coordinated decorations and themed foods to set the scene.

Plan a game day

Whether your father likes board games, video games or crossword puzzles, gear Father’s Day around fun and games. Let Dad lead the way and choose the activity, and then everyone can step away from their screens and come together at the table over jigsaw puzzles or trivia questions.

Host a beer tasting

If Dad is a beer lover, organize a trip to a local craft brewery to sample their offerings. If establishments are closed or still restricting indoor seating, pick up beers from a few different breweries and create a flight at home.

Set up an outdoor movie night

Perfect for a father who is a movie buff, borrow or purchase a projector and show a movie on an outdoor screen or against a blank outdoor wall. Select one of Dad’s favorite movies to watch and invite friends and family to join in on the fun. Make sure there are refreshments at the ready and plenty of hot popcorn. Celebrating Father’s Day this year may require some ingenuity, but there is still fun to be had.

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

 

METRO photo

By Barbara Beltrami

Chances are this Father’s Day, if you’re not taking Dad out, you’re probably grilling. And since Dad is usually the one who’s slaving over a hot grill (even though he may have an ice cold beer in one hand), wouldn’t it be nice if you did the grilling for a change? No? Well then, how about you do some marinating to make whatever he’s grilling moist, tender, flavorful and fit for the king of the household and patriarch of the family. Here are some marinades to give that meat, poultry or fish an extra special taste. The rest is up to you. Note: Salt should be added to all marinades just before grilling.

Lemon, Garlic and Rosemary Marinade

YIELD: Makes about one cup.

INGREDIENTS:

Freshly squeezed juice from 3 large lemons

1/3 cup olive oil

1/3 cup dry white wine

1/4 cup fresh rosemary leaves or 2 T dried

2 garlic cloves, minced

DIRECTIONS: 

Combine all ingredients except salt in a small bowl and whisk vigorously; pour into gallon size resealable plastic bag. Place meat in bag and tilt to coat thoroughly. Rotating and tilting bag every half hour, refrigerate for 3 hours. Use marinade to baste while grilling. This is especially good with chicken or pork accompanied by roasted potatoes and Vidalia onions.

Teriyaki and Scallion Marinade

YIELD: Makes approximately two cups

INGREDIENTS:

1 cup soy sauce

1/2 cup dry white wine

3/4 cup brown sugar

1 tablespoon vinegar

2 tablespoons vegetable oil

4 scallions, trimmed and sliced

4 garlic cloves, minced

Freshly ground black pepper to taste

DIRECTIONS: 

In a medium bowl whisk together all ingredients. Pour into resealable gallon plastic bag and add beef, pork or poultry, then seal; tilt bag to coat thoroughly; refrigerate for up to 12 hours, rotate and tilt bag every so often to evenly distribute marinade. Use marinade for basting. This is best with beef but also very good with fish, poultry or pork accompanied by your favorite rice and a cucumber salad.

Cilantro and Lime Marinade

YIELD: Makes about 1 1/2 cups

INGREDIENTS:

1/3 cup vinegar

1/3 cup vegetable oil

1/2 cup chopped fresh cilantro

1/4 cup rose wine

3 garlic cloves, minced

Freshly squeezed juice of one large lime

1 tablespoon cumin

3 tablespoons chopped oregano leaves

1 tablespoon chili powder

Hot red pepper flakes to taste

DIRECTIONS: 

In a medium bowl combine all ingredients except salt. Whisk thoroughly, then pour into resealable gallon plastic bag, add meat or poultry and seal; tilt to evenly coat. Refrigerate for up to 12 hours; tilt and rotate bag frequently. Use marinade to baste. This is a wonderful marinade for steak or chicken accompanied by fresh corn and roasted peppers.

Tropical Citrus Marinade

YIELD: Makes about 1 2/3 cups

INGREDIENTS:

1/2 cup pineapple juice

1/2 cup orange – mango juice

1/3 cup soy sauce

Freshly squeezed juice of one lime

1/2 cup brown sugar

1 garlic clove, minced

1 tablespoon freshly grated ginger

Salt and freshly ground pepper to taste

DIRECTIONS: 

In a medium bowl whisk together all the ingredients; let sit until sugar dissolves, then transfer to a gallon resealable bag; add chicken, fish or pork, seal bag and tilt to coat thoroughly. Refrigerate for up to one hour for fish, 4 hours for pork or chicken; tilt and rotate from time to time to even distribute the marinade. This is particularly good with swordfish, chicken or pork accompanied by pineapple salsa and sweet potato fries.