Publication: I'm Not Martha
Celebrating Memorial Day | |
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I'M NOT MARTHA - Wednesday, May 23, 2007
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Hi! I'm Lizzy!! and I'm not Martha!!!
Memorial Day Weekend!!! Summer! I am so happy when summer comes! I
love this weekend. It is a round of get-togethers from beginning to
end. My family has always spent time during the weekend to help
place flags on the soldiers' graves in remembrance of their service
and sacrifice. sometimes we incorporate it into the gathering that
is planned.
Traditional observance of Memorial day has diminished over the years.
Many Americans nowadays have forgotten the meaning and traditions of
Memorial Day. At many cemeteries, the graves of the fallen are
increasingly ignored, neglected. Most people no longer remember the
proper flag etiquette for the day. While there are towns and cities
that still hold Memorial Day parades, many have not held a parade in
decades. Some people think the day is for honoring any and all dead,
and not just those fallen in service to our country.
Memorial Day, originally called Decoration Day, is a day of
remembrance for those who have died in our nation's service. There
are many stories as to its actual beginnings, with over two dozen
cities and towns laying claim to being the birthplace of Memorial Day.
Memorial Day was officially proclaimed on 5 May 1868 by General John
Logan, national commander of the Grand Army of the Republic, in his
General Order No. 11, and was first observed on 30 May 1868, when
flowers were placed on the graves of Union and Confederate soldiers
at Arlington National Cemetery.
The first state to officially recognize the holiday was New York in
1873. By 1890 it was recognized by all of the northern states. The
South refused to acknowledge the day, honoring their dead on separate
days until after World War I (when the holiday changed from honoring
just those who died fighting in the Civil War to honoring Americans
who died fighting in any war).
It is now celebrated on the last Monday in May (passed by Congress
with the National Holiday Act of 1971 (P.L. 90 - 363) to ensure a
three day weekend for Federal holidays).
P.S. If you're interested we now have a forum. You can post
comments on this and recent issues at... Not Martha forum
* Here are some ways you can celebrate yourself:
Put flags or flowers on the graves of men and women who served in wars.
Visit monuments dedicated to soldiers, sailors and marines.
Tune into the National Memorial Day Concert, broadcast live from the
west lawn of the U.S. Capitol.
Participate in a National Moment of Remembrance at 3 p.m. local time.
Memorial Day Rituals.
Of course, Memorial Day is still a day off, and many take advantage
with backyard barbecues. According to the National Cattlemen's Beef
Association, close to 60 million pounds of hamburgers and steak will
be eaten this Memorial Day!
Others will flock to the movies. Many also take a trip to the beach
or hit the road. According to the American Automobile Association,
more than 37.6 million Americans plan to travel 50 miles or more from
home this weekend.
So this is not a tooo toooo somber edition, I came across a very nice
recipe for a cookie that goes really well with ice cream...homemade
of store bought.
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CRYSTAL DIAMONDS
These crisp-crunchy cookies feature the wonderful rich taste of
caramelized sugar. Pair them with a dish of blueberries or
blackberries (or the fresh, local berry of your choice) for a simple
end to a summer meal or picnic. Or use them as a pretty (and tasty!)
garnish in your next ice cream sundae.
1 1/2 cups (6 1/4 ounces) Unbleached All-Purpose Flour
1/2 cup + 1 tablespoon (4 1/2 ounces) whole milk
2 drops lemon oil*
1 teaspoon instant yeast
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 cup (4 ounces, 1 stick) unsalted butter, cut into 8 pieces
1 to 1 1/2 cups (8 to 12 ounces) coarse white or Demerara sugar, for
rolling
*Yes, 2 drops. You want just the merest hint of citrus here; it
should be almost unidentifiable, just enough to make people wonder
what they're tasting.
Mix together the flour, milk, lemon oil, yeast and salt till well
combined. Using an electric mixer, beat in the pieces of butter one
at a time, beating for 1 full minute after each piece is added. The
dough will be very smooth and elastic. Remove the dough from the
mixer, place it in a small bowl, cover the bowl, and refrigerate it
for 2 hours, or as long as overnight.
Preheat your oven to 275°F. Sprinkle your work surface heavily with
coarse sugar (white or Demerara). Divide the dough in half. Working
with one half at a time (and keeping the other half refrigerated),
roll the dough on the sugar-covered surface as thinly as possible,
adding additional sugar to the work surface from time to time.
Halfway through the rolling time, turn the dough over so that both
top and bottom surfaces end up heavily coated with sugar.
Using a cookie cutter or (less trouble) a rolling pizza wheel or
sharp knife, cut the dough into squares or diamonds. Try to cut
pieces about 2 1/2 inches in size; they'll shrink a bit, and by the
time they're finished baking, they'll be about 2 inches, a nice size
for this particular cookie.
Note: If you make them too large, the edges brown way before the
middle; the goal is an evenly browned cookie. Transfer the cookies to
parchment-lined baking sheets. Repeat with the remaining dough.
Bake the cookies for 45 to 50 minutes. They should be a deep, golden
brown, but not burned. The closer you get to deep brown, the better
they'll taste. Remove them from the oven and transfer them to a
cooling rack as soon as possible, otherwise they may stick to the
parchment.
Yield: about 5 dozen 2" cookies.
Wishing you and yours a happy holiday...and if you have someone you
know serving in the military now. May you all have the blessing of a
safe return.
Lizzy
Questions...Comments...? email Lizzy
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Should the Constitution be amended to allow Arnold Schwarzen-
egger to run for President?
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