* Winner: 10 Better Newspaper Contest Awards Merry Christmas, *New York Press Association, 2013 Happy Holidays! See events on pages 8-11 FREE | FRIDAY, DECEMBER 19, 2014 69 MAIN ST., COLD SPRING, N.Y. | www.philipstown.info Toy Donation With Memories, Tears Drive for Children and Smiles, Gordon Affected by Ebola Stewart Lauded for Denniston International, a Life Well Lived Cold Spring –based charity, Service for publisher, speechwriter, is collecting arts supporter and free spirit By Alison Rooney draws crowd t the top of By Liz Schevtchuk Armstrong one of the Amain pag- ith wit, tears, laughter and soaring mu- es on Denniston sic, mourners from diverse backgrounds International’s Wunited at St. Mary’s Episcopal Church website is a quote Sunday afternoon (Dec. 14) to remember Gordon from South Afri- C. Stewart, founder of Philipstown.info and The can novelist Mar- Paper, whose larger-than-life exploits took him ion Molteno: “No Denniston Thomas from New York theater aisles to White House pow- one ever knows Photo courtesy of Danielle er corridors, executive business suites, conductors’ if the little we do Pack McCarthy podiums and the hills of the Hudson Highlands, makes a differ- on the way amazing, inspiring and sometimes ence. But we need to do it just the same.” overwhelming those around him. Putting that statement to work, Danielle Stewart, 75, who moved to Garrison with his Pack McCarthy, the founder of Dennis- family in 2007, died (Continued on page 3) ton International, a small, local 501(c)(3) nonprofit, has organized an ongoing toy drive, collecting donated new and gently used toys, games and more and deliver- ing them to children affected by the Ebola epidemic in Liberia and Sierra Leone. Denniston International (DI) has a mission “to empower underserved chil- dren and youth worldwide to live happy lives and contribute to their world.” It approaches that mission in manageable ways, stemming, most often, from get- ting to know a particular community, be that the community in the town on the island of St. Vincent in which Pack Mc- Beacon’s annual Bicycle Tree lighting celebration; see story on page 5. Frederick Osborn III spoke at the memorial Carthy served (Continued on page 6) Photo by Ethan Harrison service for Gordon Stewart. Photo by Ross Corsair Firehouse Plans Unveiled Three stories; cost estimated there is public support for keeping the fire company on Main Street. “Maybe the at $6 million plus public will be willing to pay a bit more to stay on Main — away from the park,” a By Michael Turton reference to a previous, widely criticized proposal to locate the new firehouse in oward the end of Monday’s (Dec. McConville Park, adjacent to Tots Park 15) special meeting of the Cold on Morris Avenue (Route 9D). TSpring Village Board, leadership Smith, who also heads CSFC’s building from the Cold Spring Fire Company committee, reviewed a series of drawings (CSFC) commented that public input is for the proposed building, prepared at no needed regarding plans for a new fire- cost by Keith Scofield, an architect with house to replace the badly aging existing the Poughkeepsie-based firm of Liscum structure. Given that the cost estimate, McCormack VanVoorhis. Scofield used the at $6 million, is probably conservative Fishkill Fire Department’s building as the for construction of the proposed three- basis for the design. The concept for the story, state-of-the-art facility, it is diffi- firehouse features brown brick and a bell cult to imagine anything but robust com- tower, reminiscent of Cold Spring’s his- mentary from residents. toric character. Mayor Ralph Falloon began the dis- The plans call for the complete de- cussion, commenting that the idea of a molition of the existing building. A ma- new firehouse has “been kicked down jor challenge in designing and building the road” for at least 12 years and, refer- a new firehouse is the small size of the ring to the current building, asked a key property. “It’s tight,” Smith said, describ- question: “Are we going to keep investing ing how Scofield summed up the available money in this place?” Before CSFC Assis- space. “It’s a really hard site,” Smith con- Concept drawing of the proposed three-story Cold Spring firehouse with part of the tant Fire Chief Steve Smith described the tinued. “Almost like a New York City site.” adjacent PCNR building shown to illustrate scale Photo by M. Turton new plans, Falloon said that ultimately the issue will have to be put to the public Modern firehouse design with those found in other firehouses in ready room, exercise room, showers and in the form of a referendum. Scofield’s design “gave us a lot more the region. Plans include a basement; computer facilities; and third-floor meet- than we expected,” Smith said, adding first-floor truck storage, decontamina- ing room, kitchen and bathrooms. Smith Support for Main Street location that it incorporates facilities in keeping Cold Spring’s mayor pointed out that tion area and laundry room; second-floor said that the (Continued on page 4) 2 December 19, 2014 The Paper www.philipstown.info | Philipstown.info Small, Good Things The Lady’s Choice My podno and By Joe Dizney New Orleans–based chef Frank Brigtsen “An oyster, that marvel of delicacy, had recently shared a that concentration of sapid excellence, recipe for his mother that mouthful before all other mouthfuls, Ernie’s oyster-bread who first had faith to believe it, and cour- dressing as a tribute age to execute? The exterior is not per- to her in the New suasive.” Orleans’ Times-Pica- ~ Henry Ward Beecher, Eyes and Ears yune, and while I am hat’s one way to look at it, and partial to such abra- then there’s this: cadabra, especially T “There’s a gallon of shucked oys- around the holidays ters in the refrigerator — whatcha gonna (there is nothing like cook?” ~ Mom (Elmire Marie LeBlanc a good oyster dress- Dizney, or “The Big E”) ing with a roast tur- What is the prodigal son to do when key, goose or slab of confronted with a culinary gauntlet be- beef) the lady of the ing lobbed by a hungry and obviously house has suggested excited nonagenarian (and her octoge- Oysters Mosca. narian “baby” sister who was the actu- Mosca’s is a legend- Oyster-artichoke gratin Photo by J. Dizney al supplier of said bivalves)? You might ary family-run Loui- think this is a somewhat unusual chal- siana Creole-Italian not as much as the effort required to get usually has shucked oysters on hand and lenge, but that’s how my people rock the restaurant of the type that food writers there displaces. This makes a great appe- given a day or two will get quantities, so holidays in South Louisiana. (Calvin Trillin, Jane and Michael Stern) tizer or side dish and is rich and elegant a call beforehand is recommended.) Mom, who held down a full-time job drool over — out of the way, rumored enough to make a meal in itself accompa- Which is just what we did and appar- as a teacher and librarian while raising mob ties, physically charmless and fully nied by a salad and some crusty bread. (I ently it was enough of a success for she- five children and never had much of an genuine and authentic. Oysters Mosca should note that Adam’s Fairacre Farms who-never-cooks to request the recipe. inclination to the culinary arts, (herself (also called Oysters Italian style) is a sig- So here it is, Mom. Merry Christmas. the child of a master, my grandmother) nature dish, “composed” (although they is entitled to such demands. She is how- would never use that term) of oysters in Oyster-Artichoke Gratin ever, an enthusiastic and unrepentant a mixture of sautéed onions, garlic and Serves 4 as a side dish shellfish connoisseur and rapacious epi- spices and baked with a generous dust- cure of the stripe found only in Bayou ing of breadcrumbs and a bit of Parme- ¾ cup breadcrumbs (or panko) 2 cloves garlic, minced Country. san cheese. ¼ cup grated Parmesan cheese 1 stick celery, diced 1½ to 2 dozen shucked and drained And as the progeny of such bloodlines There is absolutely nothing wrong 1 teaspoon oregano I am neither threatened nor intimidated oysters (reserve the oyster liquor) 1 teaspoon basil with this dish. But, never one to leave 4 tablespoons unsalted butter (plus by such provocation — I say, let the games 9 ounce package of frozen well enough alone (“It’s not done ’til it’s a bit for the gratin dish) artichoke quarters begin! For one in the family who actually overdone!”), the second time I proceeded 4 tablespoons olive oil 1 to 2 tablespoons soy sauce does love to cook, this is a typical wel- to make this dish in a week (a gallon of 1 medium yellow onion diced small come for my too-infrequent visits home shucked oysters is a lot of oysters) I was and one I gladly accommodate. reminiscing (or maybe just fantasizing) 1. Mix the breadcrumbs and Parmesan and mix in 2 tablespoons of We’ve done fried oysters: oyster about a combination of oysters and arti- melted butter and a tablespoon or so of the olive oil. Crumble it all po’boys, oyster spaghetti, a Hangtown chokes from somewhere in my forgotten together with your fingers. Set aside. Butter a small gratin dish and Fry (a traditional San Franciscan gold past, and the accompanying recipe is the “dust” with 1 to 2 tablespoons of the breadcrumb-Parmesan mixture rush–era omelet featuring oysters and result of that rumination.