June 2021 June 2021 Food for Thought June Birthdays June is Soul Food Month, a time to appreciate In astrology, those born from June 1–20 are the the rich and delicious culinary tradition of African Twins of Gemini. With a feeling that something Allegria Gazette American kitchens. As the term suggests, this or someone is always missing, Twins forever Allegria At Ocean Grove | 70 Stockton Ave | 732.774.1317 | Activities EXT: 9109 cuisine is more than just nourishment for the seek new friends and opportunities. They are body; it is also food for the soul. The cuisine curious, intelligent, sociable communicators. has sustained generations of African Americans Those born from June 21–30 are Cancer’s Celebrating June Exporting Excellence during the struggle for equal rights. Crabs. Crabs like to retreat into their “shells” and enjoy being surrounded by loved ones at June is Caribbean American Heritage Month, a month to The term soul food is most often home. They nurture deep relationships and Great Outdoors Month recognize the many invaluable contributions Caribbean attributed to the writer Amiri Baraka, become loyal friends. immigrants have made to America. For many, the most who published an article entitled “Soul Audiobook Appreciation famous Caribbean immigrant to come to America was Food” in 1962 as a response to the Mary S. 7th Founding Father Alexander Hamilton, who was born th Month assertion that Black Americans had Patricia 9 on the small island of Nevis and eventually moved to no cuisine of their own. African Mary G. 10th St. Croix before venturing to King’s College in New York Americans know better. The origins of soul food Jacqueline 19th African American Music City to embark on a storied political career. Perhaps just lie in the Deep South. During the era of slavery, Audrey 22nd Appreciation Month as impressive is newly elected Vice President Kamala enslaved people had to make do with whatever Judy 27th Harris, who is both the first female vice president and the meager foodstuffs they were provided. Often Chocolate Ice Cream Day daughter of a Jamaican father. Similarly, former U.S. given the cheapest and least nutritious cuts and Resident Spotlight – Maryann June 7 Secretary of State Colin Powell’s parents were both from provisions, cooks had to use their creativity to Jamaica. Jamaica’s influence extends well beyond the modify African food traditions and whip up new Betteley political—the tiny island nation has exported influential dishes that were delicious and nutritious. While Family Health and artists, scientists, businesspeople, and activists. soul food nowadays is equated with comfort Fitness Day and community, most recipes and techniques June 12 Perhaps no name is more synonymous with Jamaica than were born out of necessity and survival. Bob Marley. During the 1970s, Marley single-handedly popularized reggae music around the world. Through his Flag Day (U.S.) Most soul food features southern staples such music, Marley also delivered messages about Jamaica’s as rice, okra, pork, and greens. Much of the rice Maryann Betteley is from Hamilton, NJ. She June 14 struggles with poverty and inequality, struggles that he grown in the South was of a variety taken from graduated from Hamilton High School West. himself contended with during his life. His hardships west Africa. In the 1700s, rice was South Carolina’s She was on the debate team, business club. Juneteenth began at birth when his white British father Capt. Norval most valuable export and a vital ingredient in Senior year Maryann was nominated girl with June 19 Marley, a colonial superintendent of the island, abandoned many African American recipes. Like rice, okra the longest hair. his young Jamaican wife, leaving her to raise Bob on her was also brought to America from Africa. The own. Marley turned his difficult life story into a universal vegetable became a mainstay in the personal Maryann studied Political Science at Princeton, Father’s Day (U.S.) story of hope and strength for all Jamaicans, transforming garden plots of many enslaved people. The least then studied did her masters and graduated. June 20 hardship into beauty and song. desirable, blandest cuts of pork were often the After graduation she because a legal assistant. only cuts available to slaves. Cooks drew on MaryAnn’s first car was an MGC automatic and Pink Flamingo Day Often, world-famous Jamaicans like Bob Marley overshadow African recipes to liven up the flavor, using also owned a motorcycle. Maryann raised her June 23 others making significant contributions to science and ingredients like hot peppers and vinegar, son David whom she is very close with to this society. For example, Dr. Neil Hanchard is a leading ingredients that are the base of many southern day. Maryann loves arts and crafts, Bingo, fresh expert in the field of childhood genetic disease. Hanchard’s barbecue sauces. Boiled greens are yet another flowers, group outings and garden club. Day of the Seafarer research will improve life for children all around the world. vital southern staple, and they are hardy, resistant June 25 Then there’s chess grandmaster Maurice Ashley, Surgeon to frost, and nutritionally dense. Even leftover General of California Nadine Harris, author Malcolm broth of boiled collards has a prime place at the Tour de France Begins Gladwell, basketball star Patrick Ewing, and so many table. The potent and vitamin-rich potlikker is often June 26 other Jamaicans. It seems that every part of American soaked up with cornbread. So many soul food society and the farthest reaches of the globe have been recipes exist that there are enough to sustain you touched by Jamaica’s influence. through the entire month of June. June 2021 June 2021 Driven to Succeed Pixies Past and Present Mystery Out of Space Lighter Than Air On June 6, 1933, Richard Hollingshead Jr. put a On the Saturday nearest Midsummer’s Day, An eyewitness reported that “the sky was split June may be Give a Bunch of Balloons Month, grand plan in motion. He opened the world’s first the villagers of Ottery St. Mary in England take in two, and high above the forest the whole but there is one person who took a bunch of drive-in movie theater, in Camden, New Jersey. part in an annual rite known as Pixie Day. northern part of the sky appeared covered with balloons to the extreme. In 1982, Larry Walters For 25 cents per car and 25 cents per person, Legend has it that before humans inhabited fire… Then the sky shut closed, and a strong fastened 45 helium-filled weather balloons to a with a maximum charge of one dollar, viewers the town, the land was the domain of pixies. thump sounded, and I was thrown a few yards… backyard patio chair and rose over 15,000 feet could watch the British comedy movie Wives A local bishop decreed that a church be built After that such noise came, as if cannons were into the air on a 45-minute misadventure that Beware from the comfort of their own car seats. and bells for the church be cast at a bell works firing, the earth shook….” gained him worldwide fame. “Lawnchair Larry,” Hollingshead called his establishment Park-In in Wales. This sent the pixies into a panic, for as he came to be known, was inspired by Theatres, and it was an instant sensation. they knew that the bells would sound their For over 100 years, scientists have been trying to another ballooning mishap that occurred in ultimate demise. So, on Midsummer’s Day in explain the events that took place on the morning 1937. Photographer Al Mingalone harnessed Hollingshead came up with the year 1454, the pixies bewitched the monks of June 30, 1908, in a remote part of Siberia near himself to 32 weather balloons in the hopes the idea after his own mother and imprisoned them in a cave by the river, the Podkamennaya Tunguska River. The most of shooting aerial photographs but was lifted complained about how which has come to be known as Pixie Parlour. likely explanation is that an asteroid or a comet 700 feet into the air when his mooring rope uncomfortable it was to sit in One monk, though, stubbed his toe on the exploded over Earth, resulting in a massive broke. Luckily, a local man spotted the floating traditional theater seats. He way to the cave and exclaimed, “God bless explosion 185 times stronger than the atomic photographer and shot two balloons with a first tested his idea in his own my soul!” His words broke the spell, the monks blast that leveled Hiroshima. The Tunguska 22-caliber rifle, allowing Mingalone to land safely. driveway. For a screen, he used two bedsheets were saved, the church bell was rung, and event, as it is now called, is still considered to Lawnchair Larry knew Mingalone’s story and hung between two trees. A 1928 Kodak movie the pixies were vanquished. Each year, to be the largest impact of a cosmic object with had stowed a pellet gun. After 45 minutes, projector shot the movie from the hood of his car. commemorate this fantastical victory, local our planet in recorded history. The account Larry shot a few balloons, but he clumsily In order to prevent cars from obstructing each children dress as pixies and reenact the above was provided by a local farmer who lived dropped the gun overboard and soon found other’s views, he innovated a ramp for each imprisonment of the monks. The monks are 40 miles away. Imagine the devastation if the himself drifting over an airport.