In which we celebrate the change of seasons with a springtime dispatch from author Crescent Dragonwagon, followed by her recipe for a salad made with sugar snap peas.

Get the ebook for only $2.99–offer runs through April 30th!

“Here in Vermont, it’s still Mud Season; we don’t get our gardens in until early May (unless you count garlic, which got planted the previous fall, when the rest of the garden got put to bed). It can be spring on the plate, however, with this lovely, bright flavored sugar snap pea salad, which uses the brand new fresh-from-the-new-season’s-ground edible pod peas (coming in now from Florida and elsewhere in the South) with the good late winter navel oranges. Mint in the vinaigrette makes the whole thing even lighter and more refreshing. We look forward to this one every year.

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“How she would laugh when she would see chicken soup recipes from famous cookbook authors calling for two carrots and a stalk of celery. My mother used two POUNDS of carrots in that soup.

Most chicken soup recipes instruct you to add water to cover. No, no, no, said my mother. Two-thirds is plenty. The vegetables cook down and will be covered soon enough, because what you are looking for is that deep, dark, richly flavorful brew. Resist the temptation to add a cup of water to get another cup of soup, she advised.

Even if you’re not Jewish, you must use kosher chickens. The jury is still out on why they taste so much better. Is it the method of killing? The freshness? The salting? The blessing? Who knows, but there really is a difference.”

—Judy Bart Kancigor on her mother’s chicken soup (see recipe)

photo by Flickr user HerryLawford

Patricia Schultz, author of 1000 Places to See Before You Die, continues her whirlwind tour with another guest post:

I love big cities, so I knew good-lookin’ Sydney would win me over. Established in 1788 as a British outpost, today it’s a beautiful and vibrant modern city that is the NYC and London of Australia. An international center for commerce, art, fashion, culture and tourism, it is understandably rated one of the most liveable cities in the world–in great part due to the 4 million spirited and fun-loving Sydneysiders who call it home. The iconic Opera House always has a world-class performance going on, or you can follow in Oprah’s footsteps and sign up for the Bridge Climb up and over the “coathanger” (it celebrated its 75th birthday in 2007) for breathtaking views of the stunning harbor, the city’s playground. Jump on one of the countless ferries that ply its waters and head out to Manly for a beachfront stroll to watch the surfers; make sure to stop for a bite at Hugo’s at the wharf before heading back.

Tips:

• The Bridge Climb is especially magical at twilight.
• The Bridge Climb is expensive, but you can get a glimpse of the excitement merely by walking across the pedestrian walkway for free!
• With great views of the Opera House and harbor, the nearby newly renovated Park Hyatt is the city’s #1 hotel; it’s also a fun spot to linger for a cappuccino or a late afternoon cocktail.

For more recommendations from Patricia Schultz, check out 1000 Places to See Before You Die and 1000places.com!

photo by Flickr user Ian @ ThePaperboy.com

When we last left 1000 Places to See Before You Die author Patricia Schultz, she was offering tips on traveling to Rio de Janeiro. Now she joins us again for a sojourn to PNG.

Simply put, Papua New Guinea is unreal. Or surreal. Unlike anything I have ever experienced anywhere on the planet. For a country that is wild, untamed, and locked in the Stone Age (albeit a Stone Age where the appearance of a cell phone is not unusual ), its people are unexpectedly warm, welcoming and curious. We traveled there in August 2011 for the 50th anniversary of the Mt. Hagen Sing Sing Festival, but the country is a remarkable destination at any time of year. More than a third of the country’s 5 million people live in dense, rugged rainforest in remote highland villages, and hundreds of tribes travel for days to the festival where they fiercely compete in dance, song, and costume. It’s a heady display of colors and sound proudly put on for the locals and a modest number of international tourists who–if they’re like us–felt as if they had died and gone to National Geographic heaven.
Tips:

• More than 800 languages are spoken throughout the country, but it’s easy to learn a few words of the commonly spoken Pidgin (“Happy noon,” for example. means good afternoon).
• Even if you are not an avid birder, bring your binoculars: Some of the 42s pecies of the Bird of Paradise that live in PNG are found nowhere else.
• You will rarely see an outstretched hand asking for money. You may be tempted to bring practical gifts to the villages (such as the pencils and pens often welcomed elsewhere), but simply interacting and talking with the villagers is most recommended by the local tour guides. Villagers are shy but curious and love, love, love to have their photo taken (and would never dream of asking for remuneration. Something rare indeed!).

For more recommendations from Patricia Schultz, check out 1000 Places to See Before You Die and 1000places.com!

photo by Flickr user priscillajp

This guest post comes from Patricia Schultz, author of 1000 Places to See Before You Die.

Rio–the very name of the city makes me smile! Aptly named “Cidade Maravilhosa,” the exhilarating Marvelous City is one of the world’s most beautifully situated. From atop Corcovado, under the outstretched arms of the 120-foot-tall Christ the Redeemer statue (who wouldn’t embrace this view?), you can see much of the city’s almost uninterrupted 45-mile strip of white-sand beach (most popular are Ipanema, Copacabana, and Leblon). Cariocas (the residents of Rio) have raised life to a seductive art form–always with a score of samba playing in the background. Don’t even think about coming during hedonistic Carnaval season in February or March if you don’t relish the idea of getting swept up by the world’s largest street party. Ditto for New Year’s Eve, when millions of barefoot revelers dressed in white dance to live samba bands on Copacabana beach under a panoply of fireworks.

Tips:

• The two-stage aerial cable to Pão de Açúcar (Sugar Loaf) is open late: go at dusk and watch the lights flicker on across the waterfront city and see the Christ statue illuminated across the bay.
• Take the old-fashioned tram up to the regentrified, hill-top neighborhood of Santa Teresa for a simple meal in a trendy restaurant, then linger in small music venues. Or head to the historic, charmingly shabby neighborhood of Lapa in central Rio, but remember, it doesn’t really get going until after midnight.
• The grand Copacabana Palace was inspired by the old waterfront hotels of the French Riviera and today hosts Carnaval’s most exclusive ball. Come any day for people watching over a potent but refreshing caipirinha, the national drink.

For more tips from a consummate world traveler, check out 1000 Places to See Before You Die and 1000places.com!

(c) Bryan Regan

Special guest blog post from Steven Petrow, author of Steven Petrow’s Complete Gay & Lesbian Manners

If you and your partner are planning to make a beeline to get married in City Hall now that New York has become the sixth state to allow same-sex marriage, you’ll likely find that your first thoughts after deciding to get hitched center on logistics, which is to say wedding etiquette. You’ll realize that you’re now entering unmapped territory for gays and lesbians, since many of the “rules” for same-sex weddings have yet to be determined.

Not surprisingly, there are gay couples who find that old-school wedding traditions serve them remarkably well in their ceremonies and celebrations: formal invitations, engagement parties, gift registries, and frothy white dresses alongside well-tailored black tuxedos. (“We’ll take two, please!)

For many in our community, a very strong spirit of invention is at play as we create new roles and rites, not only for ourselves, but for all those in attendance. The good news is that it’s up to you and your sweetheart—or  fiancé(e), if you prefer—to make these choices, which will no doubt become the foundation of LGBT wedding traditions to come.

With that in mind, here are just a few things we all need to know about same-sex weddings. (After all, if you’re straight, your invitation may soon be on its way.)

Q: Do gay people get engaged?

A: Yes; some of us even get down on bended knee, present a ring, and ask “Will you marry me?” That is, of course, after finding a gay-friendly jeweler who doesn’t keep asking about your opposite-sex fiancé.

Q: What do we call each other?

A: It’s easy for a married straight couple—husband, wife, and spouse cover all the options. Not so easy—or fast—for committed gay couples, who may use partner, spouse, significant other, lover, and (now) husband or wife. Use what feels right—just be sure to let others know how to refer to you.

Q: Where do we sign up?

A: Like every other couple of New York State, you must apply for a marriage license to any town or city clerk, pay your $40, and wait 24 hours. It’s that easy—finally.

Should bride and bride both wear white? And which one gets to walk down the aisle?! Who should pay, and how should we word the invitation?

Join Steven Petrow for a TweetChat Q&A Thursday, 6/30 at 2 p.m.!  He’ll be answering even more wedding questions and addressing everyday LGBT etiquette issues. To participate:

1. Join Twitter (if you haven’t already)
2. Follow @gaymanners and @WorkmanPub
3. Post your questions (140 characters or less) and include the hashtag, #gaymanners
4. If you like, use Tweet Chat, a site that simplifies by feeding you only tweets from this chat

See you there!

In honor of Superman’s birthday, we asked Randall Lotowycz, author of The DC Comics Super Heroes and Villains Fandex, to weigh in on this significant anniversary.

Action Comics #1, by Jerry Siegel and Joe Shuster

On May 3^rd, 1938, a strange visitor from another planet with powers and abilities far beyond those of mortal men first arrived on newsstands across the country in Action Comics #1 by Jerry Siegel and Joe Shuster. I’m talking about Superman, of course, the lone survivor from the planet Krypton who, as an adult, decided to “turn his titanic strength into channels that would benefit mankind, and so was created ‘Superman’, champion of the oppressed…” The initial printing of the comic was 200,000 copies, but the series went on to sell in the millions.

These days, the relevancy of this iconic character is often called into question. He’s seen as old-fashioned, or even cheesy, compared to hipper, darker characters like Batman. His clean-cut image often does not jive with modern sensibilities. But still his appeal endures, and people still seem to care about him, and not just loyal comic book readers.  Last week, in the milestone 900^th issue of Action Comics, Superman decided to renounce his American citizenship in order to best service the interests of the entire world, not just the USA. And news of this comic book story—an imaginary tale—spread like wildfire, with articles in Time, The Huffington Post, The New York Post, and Fox News, to name a few.  Everyone seemed to have something to say about it, either supporting his decision or finding it alarming.

This isn’t the first time Superman’s exploits crossed over from the comics to the real world. When Superman died (it’s comics, they do that sometimes) in 1992, the world took notice. People who weren’t reading comic books went out and bought the issue. Why is that?

The milestone issue, Action Comics #900

I believe it’s because we all have deeply rooted connection to Superman.  For some people, it was watching George Reeves wink at the camera in the 50s television show. For others, it was Christopher Reeve showing us a man could fly, in the 70s film. Others turned to the cartoons, and some have just been loyal comic book readers over the years. I never picked up a comic book before he died in 1992. The ten-year-old me actually had little interest in comics, but something as momentous as Superman dying had to be seen, and read, and discussed. It made me into a lifelong comic book fan. And regardless of how people are introduced to Superman, they all can connect to him. He’s the archetype of modern American mythology, a Paul Bunyan or Johnny Appleseed for a new era. And the fact that he’s renouncing his citizenship in the comics now doesn’t change that. He’s doing what he’s always been doing, serving as a beacon of hope to the world. I’d like to think most people strive, or at least secretly wish, to be the best person they can be. And I believe a large part of that is realizing what makes you who you are and how you can use your unique abilities to make the world a better place. We don’t have to have superpowers or be from another planet. Superman shows us to take what we have and use it.

To quote Superman’s father Jor-El in Superman: The Movie:  We (not just Americans, but all mankind) “can be a great people . . . if they wish to be. They only lack the light to show the way. For this reason above all, their capacity for good, I have sent them you, my only son.” Messianic allusions aside, the message is strong and clear. It appeals to all of us, and will always be relevant and never cheesy. After 73 years, Superman is still around to bring out the best in us. Here’s to another 73 years!

—Randall Lotowycz is the author of The DC Comics Super Heroes and Villains Fandex.

This coming week will be my first Passover without my mother, so excuse me if I’m a bit farklempt. She left us this past September at age 93, and for the first time I am making her famous chicken soup without her.

For many years her soup was her province, a closely guarded secret. If Seder was at our house, she would simply appear with her 16-quart pot, and no one was the wiser. How does she do it?, we’d all exclaim between slurps. Such flavor, such comfort. No one could beat it.

In later years, as her hands became shakier and her memory a bit slower, we worked together, and finally the many secrets of this celestial brew were revealed.

Yes, yes, I know what you’re thinking: YOUR mother’s soup is the best. Sorry. No, it’s not. My mother’s is the best on so many levels, and here’s why. She put the whole produce market into that soup!

How she would laugh when she would see chicken soup recipes from famous cookbook authors calling for two carrots and a stalk of celery. My mother used two POUNDS of carrots in that soup.

Most chicken soup recipes instruct you to add water to cover. No, no, no, said my mother. Two-thirds is plenty. The vegetables cook down and will be covered soon enough, because what you are looking for is that deep, dark, richly flavorful brew. Resist the temptation to add a cup of water to get another cup of soup, she advised.

Even if you’re not Jewish, you must use kosher chickens. The jury is still out on why they taste so much better. Is it the method of killing? The freshness? The salting? The blessing? Who knows, but there really is a difference. (Note: Kosher chickens are salted, so watch that shaker!)

Pack it in! Use as much chicken and vegetables as you can pack into your pot, or conversely, use as little water as possible, to produce the most intense flavor.

You must use fresh dill, and lots of it.

After cooking, reserve the carrots to be sliced into the soup later. Then squeeze the remaining vegetables well through a strainer for extra flavor. Purists will say, “But the best soup must be clear.” I say, give me a choice between clarity and flavor, and I’ll take flavor any day!

Lillian “Honey” Bart’s Famous Chicken Soup
While her exact ingredients would vary as the mood hits her, here is my mom’s recipe from a typical day.

2 chickens (3 1/2 to 4 pounds each) with giblets (no liver), quartered
2 pounds carrots (yes, 2 pounds, not 2 carrots)
2 large onions, cut in half
5 large ribs celery, cut in half
2 large parsnips
1 small sweet potato (6 ounces), cut in half
1 turnip (6 ounces), cut in half
1 rutabaga (6 ounces), cut in half
1 small celery root, cut in half (optional)
1/2 large green bell pepper, stemmed and seeded
1/2 large yellow pepper, stemmed and seeded
2 bunches dill, coarsely chopped (about 1½ cups)
1/2 bunch curly-leaf parsley (about ¼ cup)
3 cloves garlic
Kosher (coarse) salt and black pepper to taste
Chopped dill, for serving (optional)

Makes about 3 quarts

1. Place the chicken in a 12- to 16-quart stockpot and add water to barely cover. Bring just to the boiling point. Then reduce the heat to a simmer and skim off the foam that rises to the top. Add all the remaining ingredients (except the optional chopped dill) and only enough water to come within about two thirds of the height of the vegetables in the pot. (Most recipes will tell you to add water to cover. Do not do this! You want elixir of the gods or weak tea? As the soup cooks, the vegetables will sink and will be covered soon enough. Eight to 10 cups of water total is plenty for this highly flavorful brew.) Simmer, covered, until the chicken is cooked through, about 1 1/2 hours.

2. Remove the chicken and about half the carrots from the pot, and set them aside.

3. Strain the soup through a fine-mesh strainer into another pot or container, pressing on the vegetables to extract all the flavor. Scrape the underside of the strainer with a rubber spatula and add the pulp to the soup. Discard the fibrous vegetable membranes that remain in the strainer. If you’re fussy about clarity (and we’re not), you can strain it again through a fine tea strainer, but there goes some of the flavor. Cover the soup and refrigerate overnight.

4. When you are ready to serve the soup, scoop the congealed fat off the surface and discard it. Reheat, adding more dill if desired (and we do). Slice the reserved carrots and add them to the soup. Serve the soup with matzoh balls and mandlen (soup nuts) for Passover and lukshen (thin noodles) after the holiday.

–Judy Bart Kancigor

————————————————————————————————–

Judy Bart Kancigor is the author of Cooking Jewish: 532 Great Recipes from the Rabinowitz Family and the recently released Workman Short The Perfect Passover Cookbook: Family-Tested Recipes for Matzoh Ball Soup, Kugel, Haroset, and More, Plus 25 Desserts. A freelance food writer and columnist for the Orange County Register, Judy started Cooking Jewish as a family project. To find out more, go to http://cookingjewish.com.

ALERT: PAPERTOY MONSTERS HAVE BREACHED THE WORKMAN BLOG FIREWALL!!! This post may not reflect the opinions of Workman Publishing Company. (But then again, maybe it does…)

<monsterhack> [Begin transmission] </monsterhack>

Nom Nom very excited about Papertoy Monster Day, so excited that Nom Nom hacked himself into the Workman blog to make this post for you. HEE HEE HEE. Nom Nom loves red wine and long walks on the beach, and Nom Nom is the biggest, greenest sewer rat monster you’ll ever meet. Nom Nom also loves dancing (modern and interpretive). Oh, and Nom Nom LOVES TO EAT CITIES! Mmmmm, asbestos. NOM NOM NOM.

Nom Nom heard that the biggest and tastiest city in the world is called the Big Apple, so of course Nom Nom had to visit. Nom Nom was hoping to snack upon a variety of bridges, trains, and, of course, some of the tallest, most scrumptious skyscrapers in the world. The pointy bits of the Empire State Building–they are a delicacy to Nom Nom.

But the city was very cold for this Nom Nom. Nom Nom does not like to eat popsicles of architecture. Frozen trees are not delicious. They do not taste like broccolis. (Nom Nom love broccolis.) So Nom Nom set out in search of tastier things…

Nom Nom traveled to Brooklyn to nibble on some brownstones…  even though it was cold there, too, they were still tasty. MMM BROWNIES!

Nom Nom visits Brooklyn to snack on the brownstones. The snow made for a tasty frosting.

On the way there, Nom Nom saw a pretty view of the river. Nom Nom also spied a long, long highway, which probably tastes like licorice.

Nom Nom poses in front of a tasty-looking highway.

Nom Nom heard that bagels are a popular thing to nom in the city, so he tried one. Nom Nom likes cream cheese. Nom Nom plans to schmear some on the buildings in Philadelphia when he visits there.

Nom Nom likes to eat bagels, but not as much as he likes to eat Guggenheims.

Nom Nom is a bit of a celebrity in his part of the world (Nom Nom’s mommy says it’s not bragging if it’s true.), so he had to stop for a glamorous photo shoot with a top New York photographer…

Nom Nom refrained from eating the photographer and (most of) the photo equipment.

Nom Nom was inspired by the art and graffiti all over New York, so he stopped to doodle a self-portrait…

NomNom manages a portrait before chowing down on his piece of chalk.

Then, Nom Nom was hungry again, so he went to get some hot sauce for his next snack: the Statue of Liberty. Nom Nom could not pose for a photo with Lady Liberty, because he ate her too fast. Oops.

Nom Nom sneaks some hot sauce; he loves to eat buildings when they are wrapped up in a tortilla.

Nom Nom rode the subway to feast upon many more New York landmarks.

Nom Nom is not sure he likes to be underground.

Now Nom Nom is very tired from all his travels, but also very full. BLURP. So Nom Nom is going to settle in for the night and watch some TV.

Nom Nom's favorite show is Iron Chef.

Nom Nom loves New York!

–NomNom, who would like to give a shout out to the Workman editors and assistants who gave him a tour of their fine city (and who helped him learn to read and write for this post)–Megan, Krestyna, Avery, and Liz.

A guest post from Barbara Ann Kipfer, author of 14,000 things to be happy about (1990, 2007)

January is a beginning, time-wise, but it is also smack-dab in the middle of winter—a happy thing for some, not so much for others.  The “big” holidays are over, which is also a relief for some and a downer for others (bills to pay, decorations to put away, etc.).  But just like any other month or time of year, you can train yourself to notice the fun and funky details of life, the little things that say you are awake, aware, and alive.

In case you didn’t know, today is Blue Monday, a made-up date for “celebrating” the most depressing day of the year. The date was determined by an elaborate formula involving weather, debt, time since Christmas, time since failing our new year’s resolutions, low motivational levels, and the feeling of a need to take action.

To that, I say “Huh?”

We can choose to accept and appreciate the weather conditions, vow not to spend so much money when the holidays roll around again, eschew New Year’s resolutions, and find inspiration to learn and do things no matter what all the outside circumstances are.  After all, happiness is in your head, so turn it on and enjoy! With that in mind, here are 25 things to be happy about for January:

1. replacing all the smoke detector batteries on the first of the year
2. every horse having the same birthday, January 1
3. the one leaf still clinging to the tree
4. setting five goals for the year on January 1 and achieving them by the next December 31
5. the symbols of January: carnation, snowdrop, and garnet
6. enjoying the canned fresh fruit from the previous summer
7. soaking in an Icelandic hot spring in January
8. buying a bicycle in January
9. shimmering rooftops under the January moon
10. the slow curl of smoke from the chimney
11. the wind-whistling days of the month
12. eating fresh corn on the cob in January
13. a Hawaiian luau
14. the blinding whiteness of mid-January afternoon
15. walking through a warm greenhouse on a dreary day
16. Knowing January is just a rest stop on the walk toward spring
17. a fireplace fire
18. a January night that engraves itself on your senses
19. skim ice, the thin layer of ice on the water surface
20. looking left at the past year and right toward the new
21. being a homebody
22. plowing through thick novels
23. shopping at the annual January sales
24. trying new recipes for savory soups and yeasty breads
25. celebrating Common Sense Day, January 29, by doing something nonsensical

For more things to be happy about, check out Barbara’s website: www.thingstobehappyabout.com.