Candace Karu

The Best Last Hurrah

Candace KaruComment

My mother was one of a kind. Her obituary needed to be as unique as she was.

 

 

On May 12, 2021, Jean Pilk, who gave life to the concept of the Cool Mom, died peacefully at her home, surrounded by her adoring family, in Palmyra, VA. 

 

At 4’10 inches tall and a whopping 79 pounds fully dressed, she was much like Dr. Who’s Tardis - inside the tiny container was a world of wonder and contradiction.

 

Born in Kansas City in 1924 (thank God she’s dead, she’d kill us for announcing her age), her mid-western roots stuck with her for her lifetime. She was impossibly sophisticated; her clothes were of the latest fashion and tailored perfectly to her tiny frame. Her shoes were Ferragamo and Chanel for dress and leopard print Chuck Taylor’s for her walkabouts. She read The Wall Street Journal and Vogue with equal enthusiasm, tore through mystery novels with the intensity of her favorite literary gumshoes and collected coffee table art books obsessively. She liked plain food, fancy clothes, and juicy gossip in equal measure.

 

Jean received her bachelor’s degree from Marymount College in Tarrytown, New York, but her real education began at the Art Students League where she studied portraiture with her mentor Herbert Abrams. Though she declared herself an artist at the age of 5, capturing images of anyone who would sit for her, her time at the ASL secured her resolve to make art her life’s work.

 

After art school, Jean married into the military at a ceremony at the United States Military Academy and began to work on her second passion — producing children of extraordinary talent, keen intelligence, diverse accomplishments, and questionable life choices. She would tell anyone who would listen “I had five children so I was assured there would always be someone around to take care of me.” Little did she know then how well her plan would serve her.

 

Her career got off to a slow start. In between babies, Jean taught drafting to high school students, and had a thriving career doing illustrations for retail advertising. Her renderings were in demand because her turnaround time to produce the images was twice as fast and of demonstrably higher quality than her competitors, most of whom were men. Jean often used her initials when working on these jobs, obscuring the fact that the work came from a woman. This made getting and keeping the jobs less fraught and awkward. More than one pink slip was issued upon her employers finding out that a mere housewife was producing their illustrations.

 

While she never stopped drawing and painting people, her portrait career began to gain momentum shortly after her last child was born and her husband was on a year-long deployment to Vietnam. She set up her studio in the kitchen and went to work at first turning out small portraits of children, then slowly building her client base to include a variety of subjects. In between commissions, she painted discreet nude figure studies with her middle daughter as muse. These studies were sold at a tony Georgetown art gallery in Washington, DC. From that point, it was, as Jean used to say, off to the races.

 

It was in DC that Jean began her lauded career as a well-known and in-demand artist of official portraits for women and men at the highest levels of government. Her favorite subject during that time was General Colin Powell, whom she considered a man of extraordinary warmth and character. Other luminaries in her portfolio were Supreme Court Justice Sandra Day O’Conner, Astronaut Michael Collins, Representative John Dingell, past Governors from Virginia, South Carolina, and Maine. Jean was the only artist to have a wing of her work hanging in the Pentagon, where she painted 12 former Chairmen of the Joint Chiefs of Staff. Her work hangs there to this day. Jean’s portraits also hang in the halls of Congress, in statehouses, in museums and in private collections around the world.

 

With an unrelenting work ethic, her production was prodigious. She painted until she was 95, stopping only when her eyesight began to fail, and she could no longer mix her distinct — and top secret — color palate.

 

Though she traveled the world and lived both in the United States and abroad, the three places she loved most were her beloved mid-west where she established her roots, Cape Elizabeth, ME, where she thrived with her children nearby, and in Palmyra, VA, a community that embraced her in her final years.

 

Jean is survived by her proudest accomplishment — her five children who throughout their peripatetic lives formed a small but fierce band of eccentrics who marched to a drummer only they could hear. Roberta MacDonald, the oldest, is a business leader, a witch (the good kind) and a friend to anyone in need. Frank Pilk is an economist, a teacher and perhaps the only one of Jean’s children who will make the cut at the pearly gates. Candace Pilk Karu is a writer, a designer and let’s not forget her tenure as a nude artist’s model. Stephanie Pilk is a floral designer, a retail designer and has a wit that can cut core 10 steel. Jack Pilk can build anything fix anything and as a man of few words, is unlikely to speak to you unless you are on fire.

 

Jean is also survived by nine grandchildren, five great grandchildren and a gaggle of attached spouses, exes and hangers on, all of whom loved Jean passionately.

 

In Jean’s memory, please stop and smell the flowers, hold your loved ones close and be kind to strangers.







 







The Best Mother's Day Gift

Candace KaruComment
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Mother's Day this year will be particularly poignant for people around the country. Illness, quarantine, distance, even death, mean many people will not get to hug their mothers or let them know, in person, just how much they love them.

With Mother's Day just around the corner (May 10th), I once again trot out my annual reminder that, in spite of life's current vicissitudes, a Mother's Day gift your mom will cherish forever is only a slip of paper and a pen stroke away.

The secret to the best Mother's Day gift ever:

Step away from your computer. Instead find a plain piece of paper. And a pen. Sit down and think of a special time you spent with your mom. Write about this experience. Use adjectives. And maybe an exclamation point or two (but not in multiples). Don't worry about cross outs or coffee cup stains or even a few tear drops. Just write about a time you spent with your mom that made you feel happy and safe and loved. Seal the note in an envelope. Mail it if you live far away. Or bring it to her with a bunch of flowers if you can (from a safe distance, of course). And tell her you love her.

Nothing could make her happier. Trust me on this one.

And if your mom is no longer with you, sit in a quiet place and think of a happy time you had with her. And know that she is in you heart. And she loves you.


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Dear Little Mumma:

My favorite times with you were almost always in your studio, a place that was messy and quiet and filled with light and the smell of oil paints and turpentine. I loved being there with you because it was the place you seemed to be the happiest. We didn’t talk much

The Return of the Peace Sign

Candace KaruComment
P E A C E

P E A C E

Since March 15, when I began to quarantine, I have left my house only to shop for groceries and to run or walk in my neighborhood. Though I live in a small city, the streets and sidewalks of my neighborhood are rarely crowded. As I walk my dogs or run for exercise, I only occasionally run into others. It is easy for me to cross the street or walk in the road to maximize the distance between us.

Pre-Covid, I was a greeter. I always smiled and said hello to the people I passed. Some people responded, others went on their silent way, but I felt good every time I acknowledged those around me.

Everything has changed in our post-Coronavirus world. I run with a mask and sunglasses, so my face is an anonymous blank of pattern and reflection. No more can I acknowledge my neighbors or greet visiting strangers. And that makes my heart hurt a little.

Last week, I decided to resurrect a symbol of my hippie past and bring back the peace sign. In my college days this was preferred form of greeting on campuses around the country. Flash forward to the spring of 2020; when I’m walking or running, when I pass a fellow pedestrian, I’ve started raising my right hand, index and middle finger in the distinctive “V” and nod my head.

In my own way, with my archaic shorthand I am saying “I see you. I care about you. I wish you peace.”



I see you. I care about you. I wish you peace.

I see you. I care about you. I wish you peace.


Back to the Future

Candace KaruComment

Reinventing Food from My Childhood

My mother, Jean Pilk, is 94. A woman of abundant gifts, she is blindingly talented. Jean is a nationally recognized portrait artist who still paints almost every day. She reads prodigiously and although we agree on nary a single issue of political significance, I respect her dogged tenacity in this arena. My mother practices yoga and walks in all weather, fair and foul. She is exotically attractive and dresses better than I ever will. Though she weighs in at a whopping 85 pounds (and that is fully dressed with a few rocks in her pockets), she has an enviable strength of both body and will.

One thing my mother is not is a foodie. Jean is a child of the Midwest, a meat and potatoes girl, though truth be told, she exists almost entirely on sweets. Snickers, Almond Rocha, Peanut M&Ms, cookies, donuts, cake, ice cream, Circus Peanuts—the list is without end. If she can’t have sweets, she’s happy to stick to chicken fingers and french fries or a steak cooked medium well.

I’m not sure if my love of food—eating it, preparing it, talking about it, writing about it—is a reaction to the simple meals of my youth or is just a fluke, one of the inevitable permutations of preference in a large and diverse family.

In spite of my mother’s somewhat limited repertoire at mealtime, there are still dishes that live on, for good or ill, in family lore. They are indelibly imprinted in my memory and have the ability, in a single bite, to conjure up places and times long past.

I found three of my mother’s go-to recipes that were particularly resonant in my memory. Of these, two were bland and benign. The third was—if I’m honest—an abomination.

I felt it was my filial duty to take these recipes and reinvent them for the new millennium, to update these family “favorites” for a new generation.

Say Cheese Ball!

Holidays and cocktail parties in my youth meant cheese balls—cream cheese, maybe with a dash of Worcestershire sauce, rolled in chopped walnuts. At Christmastime, the ball was rolled into a cylinder shape and covered with nuts to represent a log. Log or ball, this sturdy and serviceable hors d’oeuvre was not the thing foodie dreams are made of.

In my effort to re-imagine family food favorites, here are two of my favorite cheese ball iterations that are perfect to serve during the holidays.

Perfect for fall (or Thanksgiving snack), the Pumpkin Cheese Ball, top, is simple to make. Photo by Candace Karu

Pumpkin Cheese Ball

Pumpkin Cheese Ball

PUMPKIN CHEESE BALL

1 package (8 ounce) cream cheese at room temperature
8 ounces sharp cheddar, shredded (about 2 cups)
2 tablespoons plain Greek yogurt
1 clove garlic, minced
1 dash Worcestershire sauce
1 dash Sriracha or Tabasco (optional)
Orange food coloring (if using white cheddar)
Cilantro, bell pepper stem for garnish

Combine all ingredients thoroughly and refrigerate for 2 hours or overnight. If you’re using white cheddar and want your pumpkin to be orange, add food coloring when combining ingredients.

Form a ball with the cheese and make an indentation with your thumb in the top middle. You can use a twisted pretzel stick or a bell pepper stem for the pumpkin stem. Add a bit of cilantro for the leaves.

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PEANUT BUTTERSCOTCH NESTS WITH SALTED DARK CHOCOLATE DRIZZLE

My mom made these little nests with butterscotch chips and chow mein noodles. End of story. Here’s my updated version. Because…salted dark chocolate!

12 ounces butterscotch chips
1 cup smooth peanut butter
8 ounces chow mein noodles
3/4 cup roasted peanuts
6 ounces dark chocolate chips
flaked salt to taste

Line a cookie sheet (or two) with waxed paper.

Heat the butterscotch chips in the microwave until they are melted. (Each microwave is different. I heat on high for 30 seconds and stir, go for another 20 seconds and stir. I keep this up until the chips are melted.)

Mix the peanut butter into the melted butterscotch and stir until blended and smooth. Add the chow mein noodles and peanuts and continue stirring until all the noodles are coated.

Drop by small spoonfuls onto the waxed paper. Refrigerate until nests are hardened. Small nests are easier to eat. You can always go back for more!

While the nests are cooling, melt the chocolate chips according to the instructions for melting the butterscotch chips. When the chocolate is thoroughly melted and the nests have set, spoon chocolate into a small sandwich bag and clip a corner from the bottom of the bag. Drizzle chocolate onto the nests. Sprinkle with a bit of flaked salt on each one.

Pine Cone Blue Cheese Ball

Pine Cone Blue Cheese Ball

PINE CONE BLUE CHEESE BALL

2 (8 ounce) packages cream cheese, softened
1 cup crumbled blue cheese
1 cup sharp cheddar, shredded
1/4 cup minced onion
1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce
1 cup whole roasted almonds
fresh rosemary

Combine all ingredients thoroughly and refrigerate for 2 hours or overnight. Create the pine cone’s oval shape on serving platter. Add almonds as pictured (pointed ends into the cheese) and use fresh rosemary to create the stem. Serve with crackers, pretzels or veggies.

Cheese Ball Pro Tips

• Let your imagination loose when it comes to making cheese balls. A little horseradish adds great flavor. Pepper jack cheese makes a bold, spicy statement. Any cheese makes a fantastic cheese ball.

• Don’t stop at these shapes. Try new ones of your own. A football shape covered in pepperoni would be a hit for any tailgating party. How about a heart shape for Valentine’s Day?

• Mini cheese balls with pretzel stick handles are a fun way to change up your cheese ball game.

• Cheese balls are best served slightly chilled or at room temperature.

• If there’s any left over, try serving the remaining cheese ball with pasta. Cook pasta according to directions and reserve a bit of the pasta water. Put the drained pasta in a saucepan, add the cheese ball and pasta water and heat until melted.

On Volunteering, Grilled Cheese & Farm Love

Candace KaruComment

A Profile of Cabot Farmer Jenni Tilton-Flood

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While the crisis crashes around our homes and neighborhoods, we pray for front line workers, especially those essential workers on our lines making sure our farmers milk gets to and through their plants to bring you the Cabot products you count on.

While April is National Volunteer Month, and also National Grilled Cheese Month, we wanted to take a breather from CDC guidelines and our role in flattening the curve to introduce you to one of Cabot’s favorite farmers – super volunteer and grilled cheese ninja, Jenni Tilton-Flood.

Her fan club is large and inclusive; she gives new meaning to the concept of a bigger tent, she makes room and time for anyone who needs her. Jenni Tilton-Flood – wife, mother, daughter, friend, farmer, colleague, activist and volunteer – leaves a wake of positivity and light, and a healthy dose of straight talk – delivered extra spicy – wherever she goes. She’s a no-nonsense, let’s-get-this-done kind of woman who makes the people around her feel better about life.

Jenni grew up in Maine, the daughter of a John Deere tractor salesman. Her love of everything Deere (her Instagram handle is @jennideere) manifested early and has persisted to this day. As a teen, she started working for her dad in the John Deere dealership’s parts and service department.

Fate intervened when she and her now husband met cute in a scene that wouldn’t be out of place in a Hollywood rom com. A handsome young farmer comes in for tractor parts and meets a pretty girl in a flannel shirt and a grease stain on her nose. The handsome fella was Dana Flood, a third generation dairy farmer from Flood Brothers Farm in Clinton, Maine. “He told me later that he noticed me carrying two five-gallon pails of hydraulic oil for an older customer,” Jenni recalls, “and thought to himself, ‘That’s the woman for me.’”

Jenni took to farm life like a calf takes to a fresh spring pasture – with gusto, determination and unbounded joy.

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She has many jobs on the farm – there are children to raise, meals to cook, communities to be served. Jenni represents the farm and the agricultural community on social media. She was one of the driving forces behind promoting the #farmlove hashtag which has been used more than 110,000 times on Instagram alone. She travels to conferences around the country to speak about agricultural cooperatives, sustainability, and farming practices.

But her work doesn’t stop there. “On our farm I am also referred to as ‘Somebody,’” explains Jenni, “especially when they need ‘Somebody’ to give a tour of the farm or go to the state capital to sit in on legislative hearings or when ‘Somebody’ needs to do anything that nobody else really feels like doing.”

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Jenni is also a passionate and dedicated volunteer. She credits Mrs. Wentworth, her elementary school librarian, for sparking her volunteer flame. When she was in the fourth grade, she volunteered in the library, stacking books and working with younger readers. “It isn’t the tasks I remember as much as I remember the time being a reward,” Jenni recalls. “It was the reward of exploring the bookshelves and all the books I might never have discovered otherwise; the reward I got from watching a younger kid learn new words and love reading.”

Since then, volunteering has taken different shapes for Jenni, from classroom assistant, to fry lady in the snack shack at football games, to volunteering at events that support charities near and dear to her. Years of service have led to Jenni’s position as a Commissioner representing the business community on the Volunteer Maine Service Commission. She is particularly honored by her appointment to this state-level organization, whose mission is to foster and inspire community service and volunteerism to address critical needs in the State of Maine. “I’m really proud that I represent the business community,” she explains. “Farmers and agriculture are often overlooked as being part of our economy and business.”

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Jenni has another passion, cooking for family and friends. As a dairy farmer and member of the Cabot Creamery Cooperative, she knows how important wholesome, nutritious foods are. Jenni knows that Cabot cheddar is at the top of the food chain. “Some people say ‘all you need is love,’” says Jenni. “I’m always going to add some cheese to that love.”

During these challenging times, volunteers will be feeding those on the medical front lines as well as people dealing with food insecurity. Jenni is no stranger to feeding a crowd, whether as a volunteer or her extended family’s go-to chef. “I love making sure that people are well-fed,” Jenni explains. “Food is a great way to say ‘I care.’”

Here are a few of Jenni’s favorite “Big Dish” recipes, perfect when you’re cooking for a crowd.

First up are BBQ Big Dish Enchiladas, a hearty dish that is loaded with rich barbeque flavor and loaded with Cabot Cheddar and Monterey Jack.

BBQ Big Dish Enchiladas

BBQ Big Dish Enchiladas


Who doesn’t love a delicious dish of Mac & Cheese? And this Big Dish Tomato Basil Mac & Cheese is perfect to feed a hungry crowd. Yes, please!

Big Dish Tomato Basil Mac & Cheese

Big Dish Tomato Basil Mac & Cheese


Pimento cheese may be a staple from the Deep South, but just about everyone – above and below the Mason Dixon Line – loves a grilled cheese made with rich and tangy pimento cheese. If you’re cooking for a crowd, check out this recipe for Big Dish Pimento Grilled Cheese. It’s just right in April – National Grilled Cheese Month – or any time there are hungry mouths to be fed.

Big Dish Pimento Grilled Cheese

Big Dish Pimento Grilled Cheese

These three recipes, each created to serve a hungry crowd, all sport the Jenni Tilton-Flood Seal of Approval!

This post originally appeared on the Cabot blog. Find lots more farm stories, recipes and Cabot goodness there.

Pack and Go!

Candace KaruComment
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Making lunchtime healthier, tastier and mobile

If you don’t usually make your own lunch, you’re missing out on an opportunity to eat healthier, manage your time and save money.

Packing your lunch to take to your office, to school or in the car as you run errands just makes good sense, especially if you struggle with control issues like I do. Making an effort to prepare my own midday meal has been a game changer in my life. It started a couple of years ago when I was following a fairly strict low-carb diet. Food choices made at home for my packed lunches meant I wasn’t tempted to “cheat” with restaurant food. It ultimately saved me time as well as money, and I found that eating a homemade lunch left me with time to fit in a brief—but much needed—noontime fitness break.

Lately I’ve become a strong proponent of meals made at home. I save restaurant outings for special occasions, when spending the money and calories becomes a celebration, not a habit. Cooking at home lets me control what and how much I eat, both components of a healthier diet.

Taking your lunch to work has become a much easier task these days. There are abundant choices when it comes to packing food, keeping it cold—or hot— and even eating your desktop meal in style.

Packing your lunch to take to your office, to school, or in the car as you run errands just makes good sense.

Packing your lunch to take to your office, to school, or in the car as you run errands just makes good sense.

TOP TEN TIPS

Here are my top ten tips for packing a scrumptious lunch. Bon Appetit!

1. Be prepared. Before you start your week, get your calendar and plan lunches for the weekdays. Note days when you may not need to pack a lunch and then schedule the rest.

2. Shop ahead. Make a list on Saturday and Sunday for all the meals you will be making—lunch and dinner—and shop accordingly. Make things for dinner that will provide leftovers for lunch the next day.

3. Shop healthy. Be sure to buy things that will not only pack well, but will also provide wholesome, nourishing meals.

Find containers that suit your lunch style. If you don’t have access to a refrigerator at work, invest in an insulated lunch bag.

Find containers that suit your lunch style. If you don’t have access to a refrigerator at work, invest in an insulated lunch bag.

4. Contain yourself (and your lunch). Find containers that suit your lunch style. If you don’t have access to a refrigerator at work, invest in an insulated lunch bag. A high-quality thermal vacuum bottle will keep drinks and soup hot or cold, depending on your needs. Glass jars are convenient and easy to clean. Plastic containers are better for kids and klutzy adults…like me! If you must use disposables, try biodegradable paper goods instead of plastic—brown or wax paper bags instead of Ziploc, paper straws not plastic.

5. Don’t forget utensils. Reusable cutlery and plates are great for serving a packed lunch. Cloth napkins are an environmentally friendly choice.

6. Buddy up. If you’re lucky enough to have a foodie friend at work, you might be able to trade off lunch duty. She brings lunch Monday and Wednesday for both of you. Tuesday and Thursday, you get the duty. Friday you can go out for a salad. It’s a win/win/win!

If you want to see how creative and delicious your packed lunch can be, look no further than Pinterest. Search “packed lunch ideas for adults” and go down the delicious rabbit hole.

If you want to see how creative and delicious your packed lunch can be, look no further than Pinterest. Search “packed lunch ideas for adults” and go down the delicious rabbit hole.

7. Stay prepared. Keep salt and pepper, mustard and mayonnaise packets, crackers, individually wrapped cookies—anything you might need for lunch or a quick snack—at the ready.

8. Make it a family affair. Let your kids help plan the menu and make lunches for the week. As they get older, rotate lunch duty through everyone on the lunch list.

9. Pack it ahead. If you’re packing leftovers from dinner, pack them as you clean up the night before.

10. Pin it to win it. If you want to see how creative and delicious your packed lunch can be, look no further than Pinterest. Search “packed lunch ideas for adults” and go down the delicious rabbit hole. There are thousands of great lunch ideas only a keystroke away.

This article originally appeared in the September 2017 issue of Maine Women Magazine.

New Life for Leftovers

Candace KaruComment
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Last month I had an eye-opening experience. I kept a food diary. It’s not the first time I’ve tracked my food consumption in the pursuit of eating healthier or losing a few pounds. But last month was different. I tracked everything about the food I ate, bought and threw away.

I was shocked—and ashamed.

Writing my food habits down made all the difference. The amount of food I tossed into the compost bin or garbage was mind-blowing.

I learned a few things from paying attention to how I dealt with the food I bought, grew, ate or threw away.

Cooking for one is part of the problem. Boxes of crackers or cereal often go stale before I can finish them. Sour, curdled milk is not an unusual occurrence. Dishes made with all the good intentions of eating tasty leftovers are more often than not found in the recesses of my refrigerator covered with a fine blanket of mold.

Leftover ingredients like these—pasta, wilting vegetables, a few slices of cheese and the remainder of pesto and cream cheese—can come together into an amazing dish (instead of being tossed into the trash or compost).

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When I cleaned out my freezer, I found containers sparkling with crystalline freezer burn, unmarked and unidentifiable. Was this spaghetti sauce? Chili? Vegetable soup? I had no idea. A prolonged stay in cold storage ruined even the dishes and freezer bags I had carefully dated and identified.

It’s estimated that between 30 to 40 percent of food is wasted annually in the United States, and yet one in eight Americans struggles with hunger. Like many problems, the solution to hunger lies within each one of us.

I needed strategies to reduce the amount of food I wasted. It’s not rocket science; most solutions are relatively easy. They involve a few extra steps or a minor investment of time and resources.

Here are a few of the things I’ve started paying attention to when it comes to feeding myself and others.

• Because I live alone, even though it is more expensive, I buy the smallest amount of cereal, crackers, cookies, oil, milk and almost anything that comes pre-packaged.

• I buy fewer pre-packaged foods. Making my own granola or cookies allows me to control the amount. If I have to make larger amounts, it’s easy to share homemade goodies with my friends.

• I invested in a food vacuum sealer. This proved to be invaluable when my garden went into high gear after a particularly productive growing season. Freezer burn is now a thing of the past.

• I date and describe everything that goes into my freezer.

• I committed to eating leftovers when I am at home for lunch, which is most of the time.

I’ve also made a promise to myself that, once a week, I will make a meal that uses the bits and pieces left in my pantry and fridge.

And with this promise I give you a totally delicious “recipe” developed over the years, one that has stood the test of time and used the everyday scraps left to wither in cold storage. Keep in mind it’s more of a concept than a recipe. I give you the legendary Karu family favorite, Mess O’ Mac.

A filling and delicious dish of vegetables, pasta and cheese made from leftovers that might have otherwise been wasted.

Mess O’ Mac, a family favorite for repurposing leftovers.

Mess O’ Mac, a family favorite for repurposing leftovers.

MESS O’ MAC

First, I took all the almost-empty boxes of pasta and line them up according to their cooking time. In this iteration I had a few ounces of egg noodles (11 minutes), six spinach fettuccine nests (8 minutes) and four lasagna noodles that I broke into small pieces (7 minutes). I dropped the noodles into the boiling water, waited 3 minutes, added the fettuccine, waited 1 minute and in went the lasagna, all to be cooked and drained.

Next, I scoured the refrigerator for all the veggies that were lonely or about to lose their youthful appeal. I sautéed half an onion, some slightly wilted celery, a small bunch of sullen scallions, a handful of baby carrots, three brave mushrooms that were on life support and two cloves of garlic until they were softened.

I always have a jar of store-bought spaghetti sauce on hand or a frozen container of homemade. For this dish I used a jar of the store-bought stuff, added the sautéed veggies, included three chopped artichoke hearts and set them to simmering. I had a splash of leftover red wine (I know, leftover wine? Who knew?). Into the pot it went along with a dollop of pesto, finishing an opened container. Last Sunday’s bagel breakfast left me with a few ounces of cream cheese that gave the sauce a creamy flavor with a dreamy pinkish color. Finally, I added chicken left over from dinner two nights ago to complete a super-tasty sauce.

The cooked pasta was blended into the simmering sauce along with a few ounces of grated Parmesan cheese. Then the whole shebang went into a casserole dish, topped by three slices of Swiss cheese that were aging, or more accurately languishing, in the meat drawer of the refrigerator.

After 30 minutes in a 350º oven, I had a dish that is practically irresistible. It was loaded with veggies, had three kinds of cheese, as well as pasta. What’s not to love?

Top 10 Tips for Reducing Food Waste

1. Log your food habits. Monitor what you buy, eat and discard for a week. See if you can identify wasteful patterns. If you routinely have to dump the last third of the milk in the carton, buy a smaller size. Freeze half the cereal in the box before it can get stale.

2. Plan your meals and snacks. Before you shop look at your calendar and figure out what meals you will make at home and what you need to buy to make them. Don’t forget to include healthy snacks. Avoid impulse purchases and don’t buy things that aren’t on your list.

3. Invest in storage. A vacuum sealer or high quality freezer-safe containers will help you store leftovers. Don’t forget to identify and date what you freeze.

4. Rotate your freezer. Place newer foods behind already-frozen selections. Choose older leftovers for meals before newer ones.

5. Don’t forget the plain janes. Remember, produce doesn’t have to be pretty to be pretty tasty. Veggies that may have passed the crudité stage can still be delicious in soups or stews. Save stems, ends and wilted produce to make stock. Skins and stems are nutrient dense and full of flavor.

6. Get small. Single serving sizes are a great way for single people to cut down on food waste. Why buy a family size bag of pretzels, when you can get 10 single serving bags for a little more money but less waste? If you buy the large bag, make your own snack packs for the freezer.

7. Stretch it out. Prepare dishes that will make yummy leftovers that you can eat right away. A roast chicken makes for a delicious dinner, but think of the great chicken salad you can make for lunch and the soup you can make with the bones.

8. Have a dump day. Designate one day a week to make a Clean Out The Fridge meal. Check out my instructions for my signature dish—Mess o’ Mac. Other good choices are egg stratas, stews, chili and soup. Chopped veggies, even if less than lovely, and leftover meat or chicken make all these dishes delightful.

9. Learn new skills. Methods like canning and pickling can preserve produce for months and are a flavorful way to reduce food waste. Don’t stop at just pickling traditional veggies like beets, beans and cucumbers. Did you know that lots of fruit pickles perfectly too? You can search the Internet for pickling ideas using watermelon and pumpkin rinds, lemons, figs, pears, mangos and even pineapple. Don’t stop there—try pickled eggs for an old fashioned treat.

10. Compost. If you do have to discard unusable food and scraps, the best way to do it is to compost. If you’re a gardener, you can create your own compost pile. Services like Garbage to Garden (garbagetogarden.org) and We Compost It! (www.wecompostit.com) offer some Maine towns and cities curbside composting pickup for a monthly fee.

This article originally appeared in the August 2017 issue of Maine Women Magazine.

It's a Rad, Rad, Rad, Rad World!

Candace KaruComment
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There’s so much more to the retiring radish than you ever knew

Radishes are the Rodney Dangerfield of the garden vegetables. They really don’t get the respect they deserve. They are most often relegated as a colorful afterthought to a salad or ignored completely.

I’ve come to love the versatility of the humble radish. They are hardy and are one of the first eager arrivals in my spring garden. Radishes tide me over as I wait for the veggies around them to mature.

What’s more, radishes are loaded with vitamin C, as well as being a good source of folate, fiber, riboflavin and potassium. They’re pretty, they’re tasty, and they’re good for you. What’s not to love?

My friend Rebecca, a food blogger and recipe developer of rare talent, introduced me to the joys of a perfect French radish—they’re the long, graceful version—split in half, smeared with butter and topped with flaked sea salt. If you haven’t tried a radish like this, you must drop everything and do so immediately…c’est magnifique!

In a quest to make the most of my abundant radish crop, I’ve gotten creative when it comes to deploying the radish troops. One of my favorite ways to enjoy these vivid veggies is to simply toss them in olive oil, top them with chopped radish greens and a little salt and roast. This is a side dish that is ridiculously easy to prepare as well as fresh, colorful and totally delicious.

And speaking of radish greens, they’re completely edible and perfect to use as a garnish or in salads and sautéed vegetables.

Another brilliant use of this spicy, crunchy root is in raita, a yogurt-based dish that originated in India. A raita is often prepared with cucumbers, but the addition of peppery radishes gives this tasty dish a zesty boost. You can use it as an accompaniment to fish or meat or simply spread it on warm pita bread.

Radish & Cucumber Raita

Radish & Cucumber Raita

RADISH & CUCUMBER RAITA

1 cup plain Greek yogurt (I use Cabot)
1/3 cup chopped radish greens or chopped fresh cilantro
2 tablespoons finely chopped red onion
1 tablespoon fresh lime juice
1/2 cup coarsely grated English cucumber
1/2 cup coarsely grated radishes
a pinch of red pepper flakes
Salt to taste

Mix all the ingredients together. Garnish with a drizzle of extra virgin olive oil, radish greens and julienned radishes and serve with fresh vegetables, fish, meat or warm pita bread.

Roasted Radishes

Roasted Radishes

ROASTED RADISHES

Go to your garden, your local farmer’s market, your CSA box or your grocery store and buy some pretty radishes. Don’t get the huge ones, as they are likely pithy, mealy and past their sell-by date. Wash the radishes—including the greens—a few times to make sure they’re squeaky clean.

Cut the greens off and set them aside. Slice the radishes in half, lay them cut side down on a baking sheet. Chop a handful of greens and sprinkle liberally on top of the sliced radishes. Drizzle it all with good olive oil, sprinkle with sea salt and roast for anywhere from 15 to 25 minutes, depending on the size of your radishes.

RADISHES—they’re not just for salads anymore

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Fun with spring’s spiciest veggie!

Sandwiches: Slice them thin and add them to your ham and cheese or egg salad sandwich for a bit of a kick.

With Dips & Aiolis: Crunchy, peppery radishes are a perfect balance to cool, creamy dips and aiolis.

With Butter & Salt: So easy, so divine.

Pickled: Pickling is a great way to preserve radishes. They make a yummy addition to all kinds of side dishes.

Topping for Smoked Salmon: Do you crave a bagel with cream cheese and smoked salmon? Try adding thinly sliced radishes to the mix. You can thank me later.

In Slaw: One of my favorite radish applications is adding them to a cabbage and carrot slaw. They up the slaw game significantly.

An Avocado Toast Topper: Avocado toast is the current darling of the food world. Add sliced radishes for color, crunch and a spicy counterpoint to the creaminess of the avocados.

Sautéed with Spinach: A handful of fresh chopped radish greens will give plain sautéed spinach just the boost it needs to take it to the next level.

Snacking: Keep clean, chilled whole radishes in a container in your refrigerator. These cold, crisp, spicy veggies are the perfect summer snack.

Salad Daze

Candace KaruComment
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Making Summer Easier and Yummier—One Potato Salad at a Time

Few dishes say “summer” quite as perfectly as potato salad. This picnic staple is family friendly, wholesome, easy to prepare and beloved by young and old alike. It is also a versatile dish, open to a dazzling variety of interpretations.

Whether you’re feeding your family for dinner, cooking for a crowd or packing up a summer picnic, you can’t go wrong with potato salad.

And here’s a bonus. Maine potatoes are the best potatoes. Full stop.

Following are three ways to enjoy this classic dish—even if one of them has a little secret. Dig into these recipes and then experiment on your own with summer’s tastiest way to eat tubers.

Roasted Potato Salad with Southwestern Pesto

Roasted Potato Salad with Southwestern Pesto

Roasted Potato Salad with Southwestern Pesto

Salad

1–1 1/2 pounds new potatoes
2 tablespoons olive oil
1 pint cherry tomatoes, cut in halves
1/4–1/2 cup, Southwestern Pesto

Pesto

4 cups fresh cilantro leaves
4 cloves garlic
1 jalapeño, chopped
Juice of two limes
3/4 cup olive oil
1/2 cup water
1 cup nuts (pine nuts, almonds, macadamia nuts, walnuts, pistachios or a mix)
1 cup grated Parmesan cheese (Cheddar works, too.)
Salt and pepper to taste
Preheat oven to 450º.Cut potatoes into bite-sized pieces. Toss in two tablespoons of olive oil, salt and pepper. Roast until potatoes are fork tender, about 20–30 minutes.Add the cilantro, garlic, nuts, jalapeño, cheese, salt and pepper to a food processor. Process until incorporated, about 15 seconds. Slowly add oil until incorporated. Add water and lime juice and process until pesto is creamy. Adjust seasoning.Toss warm potatoes and tomatoes with pesto. Serve at room temperature.

PRO TIP: Store leftover pesto in an airtight container for up to seven days in the refrigerator or six months in the freezer. It is delicious on fish and perfect on pasta!

Potato Salad with Lemon, Garlic & Mustard Vinaigrette

Potato Salad with Lemon, Garlic & Mustard Vinaigrette

Potato Salad with Lemon, Garlic & Mustard Vinaigrette

Potatoes and fresh veggies—I ask you, what could be better? This recipe, which is infinitely adaptable to whatever your garden or local farmers market is featuring, is just right for warmer weather because there are no ingredients that will spoil if left out too long. And the golden Lemon, Garlic & Mustard Vinaigrette makes friends with just about every vegetable it meets, so let your imagination run wild.

Salad

2 pounds new potatoes, cut in bite-sized pieces
1 pint cherry tomatoes
1 cup fresh green beans, cut in bite-sized pieces
1 cup fresh asparagus, cut in bite-sized pieces
1 cup thinly sliced celery
1/4 cup fresh basil, chopped
Boil potatoes until fork tender, about 8–10 minutes.Steam green beans and asparagus (together) until bright green, retain a bit of crunch, about 3–4 minutes. Drop in ice bath to stop cooking and drain.Combine veggies in a large bowl and dress with Lemon Garlic Mustard Vinaigrette. Garnish with basil. Serve at room temperature.

Vinaigrette

2 garlic cloves
2 tablespoons lemon zest
1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
1/4 cup fresh lemon juice
1 teaspoon apple cider vinegar
1/4 cup mustard
1/2 cup canola oil
Put garlic cloves through garlic press and mix with lemon zest and salt to make a paste. Combine lemon juice, vinegar and mustard. Add to the garlic paste. Whisk oil in slowly and adjust seasoning.

PRO TIP: The great thing about this salad is that you can incorporate any veggies you have on hand. Peas, corn, carrots, kohlrabi, radishes, arugula, chopped cabbage—it’s all delicious when combined with tender potatoes and this flavorful dressing.

Classic “Potato” Salad — with a healthy twist

My mother’s go-to potato salad recipe came from the Hellman’s Mayonnaise label, and it was delicious. Lately, in an effort to reduce my carb intake, I adapted her recipe and made potato salad with …cauliflower!

Don’t get me wrong. This recipe would work wonderfully with potatoes. But if you’re feeding someone who’s keeping an eye on carbohydrates or is going the Paleo route, try this scrumptious summer salad hack.

Cauliflower “Potato” Salad

Cauliflower “Potato” Salad

Cauliflower “Potato” Salad

1 large head of cauliflower, cut to bite-size pieces
1/2 cup mayonnaise
1/2 cup plain Greek yogurt
1 teaspoon mustard powder
1 cup thinly sliced fennel (keep fronds when cleaning)
2 tablespoons fennel fronds, chopped
1/2 cup green onion, chopped
2 hard-cooked eggs, chopped
1/4 cup sweet pickle relish
Sweet pickle chips for garnish
Salt and pepper to taste
Steam cauliflower until tender but not mushy, about 8–10 minutes. Drain and cool slightly.Combine mayonnaise, Greek yogurt, mustard powder and fennel fronds in a large bowl. Add cauliflower, fennel, onion, relish and eggs and toss gently.Garnish with sweet pickle chips. Best served chilled.

PRO TIP: If you don’t like fennel—or don’t have any on hand—you can use celery in the salad and add a little dill to the dressing. If you use fennel, save the fronds. You can add them to soups and salads. If you’re poaching fish, drop fennel fronds in the poaching liquid for a delicious, fresh taste.

This article originally appeared in the June 2017 issue of Maine Women Magazine.

Finding Zen in a Maine Garden

Candace KaruComment
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A recipe for summer’s bounty

A garden is a magical place that is both laboratory and classroom, spiritual center and fitness destination. Its properties are immediate and perennial. A garden connects us to the earth and to the rhythms of the natural world in a way that can often be lost in our busy lives.

My gardening experience is limited, but my enthusiasm is immeasurable. It began in my youth on my apartment’s tiny balcony with one tomato plant in a terracotta pot and a window box filled with herbs. As a homeowner, my garden has expanded into a fairly elaborate deer-proof fenced space with raised beds and a jungle of raspberry canes bordered by an ancient asparagus patch, as well as a thriving huddle of blueberry bushes in the corner of my yard.

In spite of land ownership, my apprentice gardener status requires that I am second in command of this lush and fecund patch of earth. All planning and direction is overseen by my friend and neighbor, who for purposes of this article shall be known as The Garden Whisperer, a man educated in the ways of soil amendments, plant selection, planting seasons and pest control.

Like many pursuits that segue from practice to passion, I now have a coterie of gardener friends—we call ourselves The Garden Girls—who mentor me, inspire me and commiserate with me over all things that grow in the earth.

Photo by Candace Karu

One such friend is Joan Samuelson. Most Mainers know Joan Benoit Samuelson as an Olympian, winner of the gold medal in the first Olympic women’s marathon in 1984. They know her as the founder of the world-renowned TD Beach to Beacon 10K, the road race run every August in Cape Elizabeth that attracts the top runners in the world. They know her as a Nike spokesperson who still manages to stay at the front of her age groups as she runs through her busy life.

Samuelson also is an attentive wife and mother, a thoughtful and caring friend, a dedicated home cook, a hiker, a skier and, as my luck would have it, a master gardener.

Samuelson’s real downtime comes in her garden that overlooks Maquoit Bay in Freeport. She calls it playing in the dirt or her down-and-dirty time, the time she spends planting, weeding and tending to her vegetables and flowers. “It’s my therapy,” she says. “It may seem mindless, but gardening makes me slow down and let the other demands of my life take a backseat. It allows me to take in the beauty and the wonders of the world around me.”

She’s known for her award-winning celery, which is earthier and saltier than any other celery I’ve tasted. Her secret comes from the sea. “I use eelgrass to mulch the beds, which are all organic,” she says. The proof is in the celery—and the beans and the kale and all the other gorgeous produce that emerges from her labors. “It’s just so cool to watch all this come up from the earth,” she says with her ever-present enthusiasm. A true purest, she starts everything indoors from seed.

Samuelson’s garden is so productive that in the summer her kitchen looks like a mini farmers market. Her friends are often the lucky recipients of this bounty and she helps fill the shelves of the food pantry at Freeport Community Service. Samuelson’s passion for gardening also extends to her volunteer work with Freeport’s Wolfe’s Neck Farm, a non-profit organization that provides education for children and adults about sustainable agriculture.

When a summer garden is in full bloom, there are often more veggies than there are meals to consume them. Salads are the easiest way to make the most of garden fresh produce. Another fail-safe dish that takes advantage of a variety of garden veggies is Gazpacho, a cold, tomato-based soup that is both refreshing and satisfying. My family likes it accompanied by chilled shrimp or lobster and a crusty baguette. It’s a light meal, loaded with the flavors of a summer day. And it’s perfect for company because it can be made ahead and chilled until you are ready to serve.

SUMMER GARDEN GAZPACHO

4–5 tomatoes, chopped
1 red/yellow/green/orange pepper (your choice) chopped
3 celery stalks, chopped
1 red onion, chopped
1–2 cucumbers, peeled, seeded and chopped
5 radishes, chopped
3 cloves garlic, minced
1/4 cup cilantro, chopped
4 cups tomato or vegetable juice
4 tablespoons lemon juice
1/4 cup red wine vinegar
2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
Salt and pepper to taste

Combine all the ingredients in a large bowl. Blend together to desired consistency in blender or food processor, 2 or 3 cups at a time (I like mine chunky). Chill for at least 3 hours. Serve cold.

This article originally appeared in the May 2017 issue of Maine Women Magazine.

Everyday Exercise - Fit for Life

Candace KaruComment

During his eight years in office, President Barack Obama consistently worked out six days a week, alternating between strength training and cardio, also fitting in pick-up basketball games, a couple of hundred rounds of golf and a boatload of baby-lifting.

If the former leader of the free world can fit in a daily workout, the rest of us have little excuse not to get our butts off the couch.

Of course, I totally get the avoidance. I came late to the fitness game—very late. Well into my 30s, my idea of exercise was running to catch a cab in my stilettos (cardio) or carting a small human around on my hip (strength conditioning).

I had a full-time job in advertising and two young children. “Me time” was non-existent.

One cold New Year’s Day, I ditched the kids with my husband and just ran, aching to be alone and breathe fresh air. On that day, out of sheer frustration and desperation, I became a runner.

I didn’t run to get fit or to lose weight. I ran to regain some part of me that had disappeared during the time I exited two tiny people from my body, spent every waking hour trying to keep them alive, and struggled at a job that demanded more from me with each new client, each new campaign.

It was hard. I was flabby and out of shape. I hated running. But I loved being alone. I loved being surrounded by nature. I loved having thoughts that didn’t involve deadlines, dirty diapers or doctors’ appointments.

There were unintended consequences. I got fitter. I got happier. I lost some flab. I met a bunch of motivated, quirky people. I entered races. I became an athlete.

Six months after I ran screaming out of my door in Converse tennis shoes and an old sweatsuit, I ran the Marine Corps Marathon. It wasn’t fast. It wasn’t pretty. But it was done.

Many years and 19 marathons later, fitness is my jam. I bike, I swim, I CrossFit, I snowshoe, I kayak. I like a good hike. SUP? Yup!

Here’s the thing. Your body was made to move, so move it. Move it in ways that give you joy. Move it in ways that challenge you. Scared of heights? Get yourself over to the rock climbing gym and experience the thrill of conquering that demon. Release your inner dancing queen and sign up for tango lessons or Zumba classes.

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Wait…you say you’re already fit and fabulous? Don’t rest on your laurels. Try something new. Learn a new sport. Learning new stuff is as good for your body as it is for your brain. Or take an unfit friend under your well-developed wing.

If none of this works for you, if you still prefer lounging to lunging, make small changes. Make a bunch of them. Pace while you talk on the phone. Do sit-ups and push-ups while you watch the evening news. Take the freakin’ stairs. All the damn time. Every time a commercial comes on TV, stand up and run in place until it’s over.

You live in Maine, one of nature’s wonders. Take regular walks and congratulate yourself on your life choices. Buy a pair of snowshoes and cheer the incoming snowstorms. While you’re at it, find a workout buddy. It’s not so easy to skip a workout if someone is waiting for you to show up.

Now go out there and get moving. Need a little motivation? Email me at cpkaru@mac.com—I’ve got plenty to spare!

This article first appeared in the January 2017 Maine Women Magazine.

#MeToo - My History

Candace Karu21 Comments

I fight because if you look closely you will see the fine cracks beginning to appear in a veneer of oppression as old as time. Listen closely, in the far distance you can hear the sound of waves gathering to create a tsunami that will overwhelm and destroy an unjust, uncaring, and untenable paradigm.

Celebrating the Sixties

Candace Karu34 Comments
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What they never tell you is how embarrassing getting old is.

I knew my looks would fade. I was aware of the impending slump of boobs and butt. Nora Ephron warned me about what would happen to my neck. It is no surprise then that, as I arrive at 65 all hell has broken loose in my body. Everything takes a little longer – running, walking, getting to sleep, waking up, sex, and personal hygiene. You cannot begin to imagine the time and energy required to get a 65-year-old female body ready for public inspection.

Getting old feels a little playing strip poker and losing. Each year takes away an article of psychic clothing – athleticism, grace, mental acuity – until you are stripped bare of all the attributes that armored you against the world. Getting old leaves you feeling naked. And not in that fun, sexy way. More like in that “sitting bare-assed nekkid waiting for the doctor to come in” way. It’s embarrassing.

Yup, the 60s are a uniquely challenging age. But then I think, so were my teens – zits and raging hormones. And my 20s – self-involvement and abject idiocy. And my 30s – toddlers and sleep deprivation. And my 40s – more raging hormones and divorce (and I didn’t even notice how fabulous I looked). And my 50s – empty nest and professional upheaval.

Bette Davis was right. Old age is no place for sissies.

Well I’m no sissy and I know I have it better than most. I love my family and friends. I love my work. I love where I live and the astonishing beauty that surrounds me. Being old has slowed my roll. It has allowed me to pay attention to all this love, to nurture it, and sometimes, when I’m lucky, to pay it forward.

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Getting older means abandoning all those unnecessary fucks that I used to give, that gave me so little in return.

Getting older means since my looks won’t get me anywhere, I’ve worked at cultivating my big, old brain to compensate.

Getting older means my heart might be physically compromised but its capacity to love and withstand loss has grown exponentially.

Getting older means less judgment and more perspective, less complacency and more audacity, less fear and more courage.

If I’m honest, my 60s have been pretty fantastic – I road an elephant in Thailand, sailed through the Panama Canal, lingered in quiet campos in Venice, discovered secret places in Maine, moved to an old farmhouse, worked on professional projects with each of my children, made new friends, reconnected with old ones, took up gardening and CrossFit, actually got fit, rescued a couple of adorable dogs and a pair of feral cats, made a few fateful, fruitful career changes.

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So I’m going to celebrate my Medicare birthday – with a vengeance. I’m going to embrace getting old, neck wattle be damned. If you need me, look around. I’ll be the old lady across the room having way too much fun.