Community Corner
Patch Picks: Memorial Day Weekend Goings On
Honor our fallen soldiers and gratefully enjoy our freedom with these events and cooking ideas.
The summer season unofficially starts with the three-day Memorial Day weekend and many of us will stop and contemplate plans for the long weekend.
Before we all run out to take in some extra fun with the longer weekend, we should take note of the significance of this holiday.
Annually observed on the last Monday of May, Memorial Day commemorates all men and women who have died while serving in the United States military. Wherever you may happen to be at 3 p.m. on that day, take a minute of silence as an act of national unison to remember, acknowledge and honor these courageous warriors.
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Three o'clock was chosen by Congress because most Americans enjoy their freedom at that time on the national holiday.
Since Memorial Day weekend has also become about parades, fireworks, shopping sales, getaways, picnics and barbecues, here are our Patch picks for the weekend:
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- “Live Your Fantasy” - San Francisco Carnaval’s Grand Parade and Two-Day Festival on Saturday and Sunday highlighted by the Grand Parade on Sunday starting at 9:30 a.m. Event activities start 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. both days except for the parade which starts earlier on Sunday. Experience a family-friendly showcase of top Latin American, Caribbean traditions and other cultures of the world with a diverse array of food, music, dance and artistry, with children’s activities included. Location: Harrison Street between 16th and 22nd Streets. Parade begins at Bryant and 24th Streets and proceeds down Mission to 17th Street. Cost: Free, however, grandstand seating is available for $30 and can be purchased at www.sfcarnaval.com. Telephone: 415-642-1748 for more information or go to the website mentioned here.
- Memorial Day Concert by the San Jose Metropolitan Band in San Jose on Memorial Day from 10 to 11:30 a.m. The San Jose Metropolitan Band is a contemporary concert band, playing in the tradition of a community band serenading an afternoon picnic. Location is Los Gatos Memorial Park at 2255 Los Gatos Almaden Road, San Jose. Telephone: 408-623-4167.
- Memorial Day Ceremony in Milpitas on Memorial Day at 9 a.m. Join this community for a Presentation of Colors by the Knights of Columbus, a 21-Gun Salute and reflections on our Nation’s day of remembrance. Ceremony will be held rain or shine. Light refreshments will be served following the ceremony. For more information, call Milpitas Parks & Recreation Services at 408-586-3210. Location: Flag Plaza, Milpitas City Hall. 455 E. Calaveras Blvd. Between City Hall & Community Center, Milpitas. Click here for city website.
- Memorial Day Weekend – All-You-Can-Eat BBQ Buffet in Gilroy, Saturday, Sunday, and Monday from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. with the BBQ-ing from 12 to 2 p.m. Gilroy Gardens will host the special BBQ in the Events Plaza. Location: Gilroy Gardens, 3050 Hecker Pass Highway, Gilroy. Telephone: 408-840-7100. Cost: $29.99 includes Memorial Day admission and BBQ, only this weekend. Click here for website and more information.
Plan to do some grilling? Here are some collective ideas on safety and delicious recipes to help ensure an enjoyable long weekend.
Safety first. Throw the food in the cooler and run to a picnic spot and fire up the pit. But it’s so easy not to consider the little things that can put a damper on the fun. The following safety tips were recommended by national advocate for food safety, Nancy Donely, and founder of STOP Foodborne Illness:
- Keep a small cooler in the trunk of your car to transport food. Bags of ice can be purchased and added to the cooler over time.
- Always store raw meats in a separate cooler than fully cooked items and beverages.
- A marinade that was used on raw meat, poultry or seafood should not be re-used for basting.
- When temperatures hit 90 degrees or higher, perishable foods that are served outside should be eaten first. After one hour, throw them out.
- If you do not have access to a sink, use hand sanitizer when preparing food.
- Use separate platters and utensils for raw and cooked food. Also, don't serve cooked food on platters that were used to transport raw food to the grill unless they have been washed thoroughly with soap and water.
- Use a thermometer when cooking meat. Ground meat should reach an internal temperature of 160 degrees before it can be served safely.
- Immediately after eating, cool and refrigerate leftovers in shallow containers. Anything left out for more than two hours should be discarded.
Credit: Mary Elizabeth Dallas, Health.com
Here are tips on how to create perfect grilled foods. Author of Taming the Flame, and Soaked, Slathered and Seasoned and a New York Executive Chef, Elizabeth Karmel has these tips for grilling:
- Learn the difference between direct and indirect heat and how to use them. Direct for food that cooks through in twenty minutes or less, indirect for food that needs more than twenty.
- Treat your grill like your cast-iron skillet, i.e. season and don’t scrub clean. Season by "slooooowly" grilling a bunch of sausages, rendering the fat and letting it coat the grill. Cook until deep golden brown.
- Oil the food, not the grate. Oil on a grate burns quickly, gets tacky and glues food to the grate. Oiling food prevents juices from evaporating, stops sticking and promotes caramelization.
- Use the Grilling Trilogy: coat food with olive oil, black pepper, adding salt just before grilling, so meat doesn’t dry out.
Credit: Elena Ferretti, Fox News, Tips for the Ultimate Memorial Day BBQ
Below is a recipe for Dry Rubbed Mustard Ribs which is simple and flavorful and is from Chef Roberts, the new host of TLC’s “BBQ Pitmaster.” Roberts believes that good bbq ribs requires “slow ‘n’ low” grilling and he likes to rub mustard on them to keep their moisture.
Ingredients
- 1 full rack baby back or spare ribs
- 1 cup yellow mustard
- 4 teaspoons paprika
- 2 teaspoons salt
- 2 teaspoons pepper
- 1 teaspoon brown sugar
- 1 teaspoon garlic powder
- 1 teaspoon cayenne pepper
Preparation
Wash the ribs, pat dry and rub with mustard, evenly coating.
In a bowl, mix the paprika, salt, pepper, brown sugar, garlic powder and cayenne pepper. Rub the dry rub on top of the mustard, evenly coating the ribs. Wrap up ribs and let marinate for as long as possible, up to 8 hours in a refrigerated place or cooler. Grill until desired doneness.
Credit: Today Food at msnbc.msn.com
This Memorial Day Weekend, have fun, be safe, enjoy delicious barbecue and remember our country’s brave warriors.