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  • Tai Chi at MGH’s Benson-Henry Institute

    This summer I've been taking tai chi training at MGH's Benson-Henry Institute. It is one more move forward in my healthy living program. Friends will tell you that I'm recommending Tai Chi, and especially this particular program, for anyone who has thought about exploring ways to reduce stress, improve balance, and strengthen their bodies.

    Screen Shot 2017-07-06 at Thursday July 6 20174.08.23 PM

    Why Tai Chi?

    My fascination with this form of mind/body exercise began years ago when I would walk in the Boston Public Garden and watch Asian men and women, young and old, practice this ancient art.

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    In September I added a morning walk to my daily routine. Most days the highlight of that walk is the time I spend in the Public Garden. 

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    Each morning, in the warmer weather, this group of women gather at the Swan Boat landing and work out together. 

    Why the Benson-Henry Institute?

    I've been a long, longtime follower of Herbert Benson, MD, and his research into mind body medicine. I took a Relaxation Response class with him many years ago and have kept up with his work at Harvard and MGH and read a number of his books and audio books. 

    When I decided to take tai chi training, I felt assured the staff there would be of the highest caliber and the training would be focused on goals that would fit my needs. 

    The next set of classes will not be scheduled until fall, but there are resources available online for meditation and to learn more about the other programs they offer. 

    I recommend that you contact them now by email and tell them what program you would like to join. I did and they let me know when registration opened for the classes.

    Here is their homepage.

    Here is their Facebook.

    And here is their Twitter.

     

    Do you have an Amazon Gift Certificate to use? Or do you need to buy one for a gift? Remember to click over to Amazon from here to support this site!

    Details:

    Words: Penny & Ed Cherubino
    Photography: © 2017 Penny & Ed Cherubino  

  • Cutting Celery, Chinese Celery, Smallage, Par-Cel, Have You Tried It?

    A few weeks ago, after asking Halley Stillman at the Copley Farmers Market Stillman's Farm stand why so few local farms grew celery, she offered to bring in some of the cutting celery they were trying out back on the farm.

    Unspecified

    The next week, she had it on the stand. I bought it, popped it into a vase of cold water by my kitchen sink to refresh it, and proceeded to add it to a variety of salads, pasta dishes, and other recipes where I might have used celery or parsley. Each morning, I changed the water, washed down the stems, and continued to clip away at my bunch.

    IMG_8215-COLLAGE

    A week later, I was pleased to report to Halley that I loved this product and would be a customer for cutting celery – if it became a regular offering.

    Reporting back to local vendors is important. While some of these experiments may never make it to the mainstream, others will, if they make good business sense for the farmers.

    IMG_8363

    Here it played a supporting role in a Sicilian Cauliflower Salad. It is much stronger in flavor than celery and I learned that the strength of the flavor can vary from bunch-to-bunch.

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    In her book, Bitter: A Taste of the World's Most Dangerous Flavor, with Recipes, Jennifer McLagan explained that in 15th Century Italy growers began to reduce the bitterness of wild celery and this has continued until it resulted in the blanched stalks we know today.

    IMG_8405

    Cutting celery, on the other hand, still has that strong flavor. It also has hollow stems and was sometimes use as we use straws.

    1675698673

    One of my favorite food writers Deborah Madison in Vegetable Literacy had a great approach for those new to the powerful flavoring agent. 

    "When using the stalks or the leaves of cutting celery, such as Chinese celery or Par-Cel, taste them to judge their strength. Start small and add more, as if it were chile."

    If you have a home garden, you should think about adding this to your herb patch. It's widely used as an herb by Asian and European cooks. 

     

    Do you have an Amazon Gift Certificate to use? Or do you need to buy one for a gift? Remember to click over to Amazon from here to support this site!

        

    Details:

    Words: Penny Cherubino
    Photography: © 2016 Penny Cherubino  

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    Mussels Are Sustainable, Easy to Cook, and Fun to Flavor
    Healthy Alternatives for July 4th Cookouts, Pot Lucks, or Picnics

  • Cutting Celery, Chinese Celery, Smallage, Par-Cel, Have You Tried It?

    A few weeks ago, after asking Halley Stillman at the Copley Farmers Market Stillman's Farm stand why so few local farms grew celery, she offered to bring in some of the cutting celery they were trying out back on the farm.

    Unspecified

    The next week, she had it on the stand. I bought it, popped it into a vase of cold water by my kitchen sink to refresh it, and proceeded to add it to a variety of salads, pasta dishes, and other recipes where I might have used celery or parsley. Each morning, I changed the water, washed down the stems, and continued to clip away at my bunch.

    IMG_8215-COLLAGE

    A week later, I was pleased to report to Halley that I loved this product and would be a customer for cutting celery – if it became a regular offering.

    Reporting back to local vendors is important. While some of these experiments may never make it to the mainstream, others will, if they make good business sense for the farmers.

    IMG_8363

    Here it played a supporting role in a Sicilian Cauliflower Salad. It is much stronger in flavor than celery and I learned that the strength of the flavor can vary from bunch-to-bunch.

    516Vg1-IEvL

    In her book, Bitter: A Taste of the World's Most Dangerous Flavor, with Recipes, Jennifer McLagan explained that in 15th Century Italy growers began to reduce the bitterness of wild celery and this has continued until it resulted in the blanched stalks we know today.

    IMG_8405

    Cutting celery, on the other hand, still has that strong flavor. It also has hollow stems and was sometimes use as we use straws.

    1675698673

    One of my favorite food writers Deborah Madison in Vegetable Literacy had a great approach for those new to the powerful flavoring agent. 

    "When using the stalks or the leaves of cutting celery, such as Chinese celery or Par-Cel, taste them to judge their strength. Start small and add more, as if it were chile."

    If you have a home garden, you should think about adding this to your herb patch. It's widely used as an herb by Asian and European cooks. 

     

    Do you have an Amazon Gift Certificate to use? Or do you need to buy one for a gift? Remember to click over to Amazon from here to support this site!

        

    Details:

    Words: Penny Cherubino
    Photography: © 2016 Penny Cherubino  

    Related articles
    Mastering Hamersley's Roast Chicken Recipe
    Mussels Are Sustainable, Easy to Cook, and Fun to Flavor
    Healthy Alternatives for July 4th Cookouts, Pot Lucks, or Picnics