Vision becomes reality with a groundbreaking behavioral health partnership.

By Mark Stewart

The future of healthcare is a topic of considerable debate in this country. Experts will argue endlessly the pros, cons and particulars of the various industry sectors, and consumer advocates will probably be battling with insurance companies until the end of time. Interestingly, there is one thing everyone seems to agree on: Integration of services is the key to any real progress. It was against this backdrop that Trinitas Regional Medical Center and St. Joseph’s Regional Medical Center in Paterson forged an Integrated Behavioral Health Network—one of the largest and most comprehensive in the region. The partnership was announced in late 2016.   

Both hospitals offer behavioral health programs, services and treatment centers on their main campuses and satellite facilities in their respective counties (Union and Passaic). Both have points of access in Essex County, as well. With the Trinitas-St. Joseph’s Behavioral Health Network, patients in all three counties can get the specialized care they need throughout the entire Trinitas–St. Joseph’s system. 

The goal of the initiative is to promote behavioral health by making the process seamless and less stigmatizing for the patient, says Dr. James McCreath, the Network’s Executive Director.

“We’re looking for ways to bring behavioral health to the primary care office,” Dr. McCreath explains. “For example, if your doctor is treating you for a heart condition and notices signs of depression, we want it to be easier for you to arrange that evaluation or consult right then and there—without having to make a lot of frustrating phone calls or hunting for information on web sites. This integration of services recognizes how mental health impacts other health issues, and vice versa.”

The genesis of the Network was a discussion between Gary Horan, President and CEO of Trinitas, and Kevin Slavin, his counterpart at St. Joseph’s, about how their hospitals could provide integrated services. The obvious first step was to have one Chair of Psychiatry oversee both sites. Trinitas had a chairperson retiring, while St. Joseph’s was in the process of hiring one. The individual they chose to manage the entire system was Dr. Carlos Rueda. It made sense to integrate on the administrative side as well, so the two hospitals agreed to share the management expenses. 

“One of the great challenges facing patients with mental health needs is getting into the right program that offers the greatest benefit,” says Dr. Rueda. “Our vision for the integration at a system level was to be able to offer uniform services over larger geographical areas. So, for instance, patients with an emergency visit in Elizabeth who want to follow up with a Paterson doctor can be managed with a simple release. That convenience factor of having a system large enough to provide all the services a person might need has myriad benefits.”   

This is especially true in cases where one hospital has a particular strength or specialized service. For instance, St. Joseph’s offers psychiatric services for the hearing impaired. If a hearing-impaired patient of a Trinitas physician needs mental health services, that office can make an immediate referral, rather than just handing them a phone number. Likewise, if St. Joseph’s doctors see elderly patients dealing with anxiety issues, they can set up appointments with the Trinitas program that sends staff out to the homes of the elderly. The Network is likely to have a major impact on children and adolescents in need of psychiatric care who come to St. Joseph’s. Before, their doctors had to call around to locate a bed. Now there is a protocol to have those patients admitted to Trinitas, which excels in this area.

There are significant benefits to the two hospitals, of course. In addition to creating a system that promotes better patient outcomes, Trinitas and St. Joseph’s put themselves in a stronger position to negotiate and be a more active partner with insurance companies.

“From the consumer side, dealing with the healthcare system can be very complex at a stressful time,” Dr. McCreath says. “Getting authorizations and approvals is difficult. But having a system large enough so that you can go through us to identify resources—rather than dealing with the insurance companies—relieves a lot of that stress.”

“It’s not just about being bigger,” adds Dr. Rueda. “It’s about offering greater access to people who may not have known where or how to get these critical services.” 

 

 

THE NETWORK

The Trinitas-St. Joseph’s Behavioral Health Network brings together more than 700 employees and staff members with an annual budget of $50 million. Patients will have access to more than 40 psychiatrists. The Network will provide more than 350,000 outpatient contacts in 2017 and over 3,000 inpatient admissions. 

DID YOU KNOW?

In 1933, Elizabeth General (the precursor to Trinitas) created the first inpatient psychiatric program east of the Mississippi. In 1972, the hospital opened the first community mental health center in the state.

What you don’t know can hurt you. 

By Alison Hemstitch

Over the next couple of months, Spring Break stories will be taking up a lot of bandwidth. College students and 20-something singles will be invading beach towns around the country for a week of drinking and debauchery. Lost in the blur of bikini parties is the fact that a huge number of young families also fly south to catch a week of sunshine before the first whispers of spring.      

Unfortunately, a certain percentage of vacationing families will be victims of illness, accidents and other mishaps. The better prepared you are and the clearer you are in terms of your actions and options, the less likely they are to be vacation-killers.

“Spring vacation is a great time for families,” says Yelena Samofalov, MD, of the Trinitas Pediatric Health Center.“

Making it safe is just as important as making it memorable. Before you travel, find time to visit your family doctor to make sure you and your kids receive any necessary vaccines. For instance, flu season might be over here in New Jersey, but in other parts of the world it could still be a factor.”

Most warm-weather vacation problems start at—where else?—the water’s edge. The obvious ones involve the sun. Keep in mind that your kids have probably been dealing with a New Jersey winter for several months and that they will burn quickly and easily. A lot of families will check in to their hotel, tear off their travel clothes and sprint toward the water, making up for lost time, as it were. An hour frolicking on the sand or at a resort pool is all you need to get a bad burn. 

BURNING LOVE 

Needless to say, any time spent under an open sky demands sunscreen with a minimum 30 SPF. Most adults can go 20 minutes before having to cover up. However, on a hot, sunny day a child with sensitive skin can start burning in less than 10 minutes without protection. If kids sweat or go swimming, you’ll have to reapply. So either travel with a plentiful supply of sunscreen or make sure you can buy it easily where you’re staying. If you rent a car, it’s a good idea to take an extra container and throw it in the glove compartment. Okay, so now your child is beet-red and in excruciating pain. First of all, know when it’s time to seek medical attention. As a rule, a temperature of 101 or more is the tipping point. And a severely burned baby (one year or younger) should generate a call to the doctor, because sunburns are extremely dehydrating. By definition, this is an emergency.

For older children, hotel-room treatments and remedies are fairly straightforward. The first move is a cool (not cold) shower or bath. No soap. No rubbing dry. Next, a visit to the ice machine. Wrap a handful of cubes in a damp hand towel and apply it to the reddest areas. If pure aloe vera gel is in your survival kit, apply it liberally and often—it speeds healing and moisturizes. You can also soak a washcloth in milk and use it as a compress. Milk will create a kind of protein film that will reduce the heat. Also, monitor how often your patient is urinating. You’ll want to give them water and juice to keep them hydrated for then next few days. 

DON’T EAT THAT!

Another source of vacation misery is food poisoning. Many families will try to save time or money by packing sandwiches for the beach and tossing them in a cooler. Be aware that anything involving meat, cheese, mayo and other condiments may spoil quickly and cause problems later. Better to plan a day at the beach between meals and bring dried fruit or cookies to keep up the energy of the little ones. 

Of course, most of your vacation meals will be prepared by someone else. So there is no telling how diligent they are about food safety. And then there is the resort buffet, where your fellow guests have an opportunity to contribute their germs to the mix.

Should your child develop nausea, a stomach ache, diarrhea or start vomiting, don’t panic. Food poisoning is ugly but it is not a total vacation-killer. In many cases, with enough rest, the kid will bounce back in two or three days. The key is to avoid dehydration—this happens in a child much faster than in an adult. Make sure they consume (and keep down) five ounces of clear liquid per hour. And station them close to the bathroom. If abdominal cramping is severe, a heating pad on the stomach will provide much-needed relief. 

Once the nausea and diarrhea have stopped, reintroduce food gradually. Bananas are ideal in a vacation setting. A room service order might include toast, noodles or rice and eggs. One mistake parents make is to give milk to a recovering child. The enzymes in their small intestine have been wiped out and they may not be able to process the lactose. 

The good news is that what appears to be food poisoning might not be food poisoning at all. Sometimes, on vacation a child will try some unfamiliar food and discover he or she has some kind of intolerance. Also, babies and toddlers have been known to eat sand. Yeah, that happens. In both cases, evacuation is usually fast and furious and your vacation won’t miss more than a half-beat.

SKIN DEEP

Less likely to ruin a vacation but more common are the scratches, scrapes and cuts a child will suffer in an unfamiliar environment. The same is true of insect bites and stings.  Skin cuts and abrasions get the same treatment on vacation as at home. Wash them thoroughly with soap

under running water for several minutes, and make sure to gently scrub away dirt with a washcloth. Cover the wound with a bandage and some Polysporin, and change the dressing once or twice a day, or more often if it gets wet. Better yet—especially if you’re on vacation near a body of water—use a liquid bandage product. You may get through the entire vacation with a single application.

With bug stings and bites, it is very important to monitor your child’s reaction. If you already know your child is allergic to, say, bee stings, then you are familiar with the immediate action steps—an Epinephrine injector is a must. If not, then facial swelling, a severe rash, dizziness, labored breathing—or any combination—are signals to locate a doctor ASAP. Remember, in a vacation setting you may encounter an entirely new creature. In Mexico, for instance, baby scorpions are known to hide in all sorts of odd places. 

Pain, itchiness and swelling are typical results of insect encounters. Without an allergic reaction, though, they are rarely causes for panic. If an area becomes infected, however, that can turn serious. It is important to treat stings and bites quickly and intelligently. Wash the site with soap and water, apply ice on and off 5 to 10 minutes at a time, and feel free to use children’s ibuprofen or acetaminophen. Calamine lotion can also keep the site from itching. In a pinch, a baking soda paste will work just as well. An antihistamine cream is a good option, though not for infants and toddlers.

BRING IT

So how best to fill one’s survival kit? Responsible parents will bring knowledge, experience and an arsenal of emergency remedies. According to Dr. Samofalov, don’t leave home without the following:

• Thermometer to check for fevers
• Sunscreen SPF 30 (x2)
• Children’s Tylenol or Advil to control fever or pain
• Instant cold pack for minor injuries
• Antihistamine spray for insect bites
• Adhesive bandages for cuts and scrapes, including a large patch-size
• Polysporin to prevent cuts from getting infected
• Calamine Lotion or A and D ointment
• Aloe Vera Lotion
• Insect repellant spray or wipes (use on clothing to avoid skin irritation)
• Heating Pad
• Liquid bandage

You’d think these Spring Vacation survival essentials would be available at your destination, day or night. You’d be wrong, cautions Dr. Samofalov.

“Getting sick on vacation is never part of the plan,” she adds, “but if it happens, don’t be shy about visiting a doctor or emergency room. Remember, it’s better to be safe than sorry.”  EDGE

PLANE SPEAKING

For some families, a spring vacation can “go South“ at the end of the jet way. Follow these three rules and at least you’ll get to your destination unscathed.

• Put kids at the window or in the middle seats. Aisle seats can be hazardous to little fingers and toes—and heads. Adults stumbling to the rest room or fumbling with the overheads are accidents waiting to happen. And then there are those drink carts. Imagine spending a week at Disney World nursing your kid’s crush injury.
• Keep kids belted. Sudden turbulence can send a small body flying. You may have a vague recollection from high school physics class about how this works. Just as important, belted children are less likely to annoy the passengers directly in front of them.

Think big. Most/many airlines still allow a “lap child” under the age of two at no charge. If you can afford the extra seat, buy it. Bookending your vacation with a screaming, squirming infant is the definition of sheer misery. Same goes for a toddler. This is the beauty of car seats. Check to see if yours hooks into airline buckles.

GO-TO SPOTS

According to Travel Channel, these warm-weather destinations are among the hottest family vacation targets for Spring ’17:

Club Med • Dominican Republic

South Seas Island Resort •

Florida

Kauai Surf School • Hawaii

Loews Coronado Bay • San Diego

Sandy Lane • Barbados

Paradise Island Resort • Bahamas

 

Yelena Samofalov, MD Trinitas Pediatric Health Center 908.994.5750

TOYS FOR TOTS MAKES A SPECIAL DELIVERY

Toys for Tots paid a visit to the Trinitas Pediatric Health Center and brought along two surprise guests. NFL Player Desmond Bryant (center) and Marine Ramon Perez (far right) made a special delivery for all the children visiting the health center on December 15th. The gifts were donated to the center as part of  Toys for Tots’ continuous effort to make the holidays special for every child. Nadine Brechner, VP of the Foundation (far left) and Dr. Samofalov made sure the gifts were distributed to some of the center’s proudest patients.

 

POPP CULTURE 

Summit Mayor Nora Radest joined salon owner Vicki Jimenez and her team of stylists to celebrate the opening of the new Vicki Popp Salon in Summit. Jimenez is passionate about great hair care and is committed to offering area residents a personalized beauty experience in her new state-of-the-art salon. “Our goal is to ensure that our clients’ hair doesn’t just look good the day they leave the salon,” says Jimenez, “but that they will be able to style it easily themselves and look amazing every day.” The salon is located at 456 Springfield Avenue.

 

KEEPING TRADITION ALIVE

The George Miller Art Society kicked off the holidays by donating its artistic services to the Trinitas Child and Adolescent wing of New Point Campus. George Miller, a North Arlington based high school teacher, touched the lives of many students in his 30-year career before his passing in 1993. Co-founders and former students Andrea Jennings (left) and Daniel Marck (right) strive to continue this tradition to spread cheer and promote artistic expression in Miller’s memory. Special thanks to the family and friends of George Miller for their help in keeping one of Mr. Miller’s finest philanthropic traditions alive.

 

ROOM TO GROW

Chatham Day School recently completed a $6 million expansion project, which includes a new wing for Upper and Middle Schoolers. Students have a new theater, dining hall and S.T.E.A.M. Suite. 

 

TRINITAS EMS RAISES THE BAR  FOR SAVING LIVES       

The American Heart and Stroke Association honored Trinitas Regional Medical Center Mobile ICU with the 2016 Mission: Lifeline EMS Recognition Gold Award for decreasing the “door-to-needle” timeframe for cardiac patients. The success of the Trinitas Mobile ICU program is due in great part to the joint effort between the Trinitas EMS squad and the local Elizabeth Fire Department. 

 

DEDICATED TO EXPANSION

From Left to Right: Kathleen Shevlin, Nadine Brechner (Trinitas Health Foundation) and Gary Horan (President & CEO of Trinitas), pose with Beth Levithan, PhD and Marsha Atkind, from the Healthcare Foundation of New Jersey, and Dr. John D’Angelo  as they dedicated three key areas of the new Emergency Department at Trinitas Regional Medical Center. The Foundation granted$500,000 for the geriatric unit, $250,000 for the diagnostic suite, and$1 million for the transitional care unit.

 

 

 

HOSPITALS JOIN FORCES  TO FIGHT DRUG OVERDOSES 

Trinitas Regional Medical Center in Elizabeth, Overlook Medical Center in Summit, and Robert Wood Johnson University Hospital in Rahway, all recently signed memorandums of understanding with the Union County Prosecutor’s Office to provide the counter-active drug — commonly known as Narcan — to all police departments in the county at no charge to the police. This drug is used to counteract opioid overdoses, and saved 124 lives in the first 10 months of use by police officials throughout Union County.

 

Movement. Energy. Color. To the trained eye, New Jersey offers an endless bounty of subject matter. Throughout 2017, EDGE will celebrate artistic excellence in its new Local Talent section. We begin the year with the work of Thomas Wacaster, an illustrator by trade whose body of work includes oils and pastels. A graduate of Newark’s School of Fine and Industrial Arts, Tom studied under legendary illustrator Irv Doktor in Greenwich Village. His paintings have been displayed at numerous exhibits and galleries in New Jersey. More than 40 of his paintings, commissioned by the Ford Foundation, have graced the walls of the McGraw-Hill building in New York City.

Editor’s Note: Tom Wacaster is a resident of Clark. His work took first place in the 2016 Union County Senior Citizens Art Exhibit and second place in the state-wide seniors competition.

 

 

How to get your dream pool…without getting in over your head.

By Caleb MacLean 

March is swimming pool season. As winter recedes, our thoughts turn to summer fun. This is when New Jersey pool-builders get busy, pressured to complete their projects by Memorial Day. Or sooner. If you’re just now getting ready to pull the trigger on a pool project, might I make a suggestion: Rather than rushing into things, consider taking the summer to educate yourself. Ask friends and co-workers what they would change about their pool, and what they wouldn’t. Find out what they might do differently if they could have a do-over.   

In the world of backyard swimming pools, you don’t want to learn from your mistakes. Better to learn from someone else’s.  

FIRST THINGS FIRST

Before meeting with a salesperson or a construction outfit, there are some basic decisions to be made. First and foremost, a family must be clear on how a pool will be used, and by whom. Is it primarily for kids to splash around in? Is it for exercise or, down the road, might it need to fulfill a hydrotherapy function? Do you envision the pool area as an entertainment space? Is it part of an overall landscaping makeover? The more succinct your vision is, the better your chances of getting the pool you want/need instead of the pool someone is trying to sell you.

Many people find it helpful to think about the poolside experiences they’ve had at the homes of family, friends and neighbors. What worked and what didn’t?  What things might work for you and what might not? Rank those pools in your head and do a deep dive into pool number one: How close is it to the one you envision in your own back yard? Remember not to develop “pool envy.” That’s a real thing. Just because you had a blast at someone else’s house, doesn’t mean that their excellent water slide and multimedia tiki bar are a good fit for your circumstances. Or budget.

THE B WORD

Ah, yes. Budget. Once you have a sense of what you want in a pool, you can then ask yourself the big question: How much can we afford to devote to the project? This number must take into account every expense, down to furniture and accessories, as well as seasonal upkeep and general maintenance. 

For most people at this point a reality check is required. Because your pool budget has to cover the actual cost of the finished project, you’ll need to know what the finished cost will be. There are two numbers to calculate: the cost of a fully realized recreational and entertainment “oasis” and the cost of a nice backyard pool. 

Why price out both? Because you are likely to end up somewhere in between. No one gets absolutely everything they want in life; the same is true of pools.

The good news is that, to a certain extent, a major pool project can be accomplished in stages. If your ultimate aim is to surround your pool with a gourmet kitchen, sports bar, deluxe pool house and cutting-edge outdoor AV array, it will be more cost-effective to run the utilities out to the site while the ground is open than to do so after the fact. You can add those neat things down the line. Needless to say, the high and low numbers you end up with will have a significant spread. While a basic pool installation may run you $25,000 (that figure comes courtesy of Angie’s List), your future wish-list pool could come in at 10 times that number, or more.  

So what is a really nice pool going to cost you? The principal contributing factors are likely to be its size and shape, systems, materials and finishes, and those must-have extras. 

POOL SIZE

Ha-ha. Yes, it does matter. If anyone in your family is intent on swimming laps, you’ll want something in the 35- to 40-foot range. Otherwise, a 24-foot pool should be adequate for a typical family. Most pool builders like dealing with rectangular configurations in “off-the-rack” dimensions of 10’ x 20’ or 15’ x 30’ or 20’ x 40’ with an average depth between five and six feet, and a deep end around eight feet. A good builder can execute any size, shape and depth, of course. A big pool is tempting, but a small pool has two major advantages: It costs less to maintain and leaves more room at poolside (and also in your yard) to do other things. 

MATERIALS

For in-ground pools, there are three basic choices when it comes to liners: concrete, fiberglass or vinyl. A concrete (aka Gunite) pool can be any size or shape or depth you can imagine. If you can draw it on a piece of paper, a builder can make it happen. It takes longer to install than vinyl or fiberglass and will probably have to be totally renovated in 15 years or so. Concrete pools also require more chemicals to maintain and should be cleaned more often, so your pool service bill will be higher.

Pools using vinyl liners cost less to construct and are good for kids because there are no abrasive surfaces. Vinyl is also less likely to harbor algae growth. The downside of vinyl is water loss. A small puncture can drive you crazy and cost a lot to repair. Also, liners rarely last more than 10 years before you need to think about replacing them. However, the replacement cost is about a third of redoing a concrete pool.

Fiberglass pools are pre-fabricated (kind of like giant bath tubs), trucked to your site and can be fully installed within three weeks. Their initial cost is about the same as concrete. In terms of having to be resurfaced, that’s not something you’ll ever have to worry about—you’ll be long dead before the liner wears out. There is a savings on chemicals, and also on accessories such as steps and ladders, because they are incorporated into the design. The issues that many people have with fiberglass pools include the meager selection of sizes and shapes, and the fact that they cannot be more than 16 feet wide, because of trucking limitations.

The construction cost of an average concrete pool is slightly north of $100 a square foot. It’s about the same for fiberglass. So for a nice 15’ x 30’ pool, you’re looking at$40,000 to $50,000. That includes a high-quality pump and heater, nice-looking tiles and other finishes, some basic lighting, a few feet of perimeter surfacing, safety fencing and a motorized cover. The same size pool with a vinyl liner might run 20% less. 

BUT WAIT…THERE’S MORE!

A kidney-shaped pool that fits the same footprint runs a bit higher. More customized shapes will nudge the per-foot cost ever upward. If you’re planning something really unique, it might be wise to consult with an engineer—likewise if your pool or decking requires a retaining wall. Incidentally, here’s a good rule of thumb in that regard: If a pool builder says you “might” need a retaining wall or if you yourself think you might need one…you will need a retaining wall. Also, unless you’ve got a strong back and a green thumb, you’ll easily get into four figures on landscaping and plantings. And you’ll probably want some cool lighting to highlight the landscaping, in addition to lights for nighttime safety.

Another cost that catches prospective pool owners by surprise is the surface around the pool. Most quotes include three or four feet of concrete and that’s it. If you need more than that, or if you desire special materials or finishes, such as slate or fancy tiles, you’ll be paying through the nose (and by the square foot). Other “hidden” costs in pool construction include removal of the dirt, as well as driveway repairs. Demand that dirt and debris removal be included in the price quoted and in the contract. In terms of your driveway, the heavy equipment required to dig a pool will almost certainly mess it up. That cost is on you

Finally, there is the question of including a spa or jacuzzi or hot tub in your pool plans. Building one after the fact can run $8,000 to $10,000. If you fold it into your original design, it can share the same plumbing and heating, which translates to a huge savings. Still, expect to add an additional $5,000 for a first-rate spa.

DEEP DIVE

Anyone with a pool will tell you that one of the first questions posed to them when negotiating a new homeowners insurance policy is Do you have a diving board? That is because diving boards are inherently dangerous. A pool with a diving board needs to be significantly wider than a pool without; many towns actually have ordinances that dictate minimum sizes now. The reason should be obvious: Anytime you or a guest goes airborne, swimmers within 10 feet are potential insurance claims. Children do stupid things on diving boards, yes, but it’s the grown-up reliving a childhood moment who is the real idiot. At three or four times the body mass of a child, an adult becomes a deadly projectile—especially if there’s a kid on the receiving end of a flip or belly-flop. Depending on your carrier and policy, expect a diving board to increase the liability portion of your insurance by at least 50 percent

If, after weighing the pros and cons of a diving board, you decide it’s right for you, then there are two basic types to consider. Jump boards offer varying degrees of flexibility and spring action, while dive boards are fixed and relatively stiff. Some people get them mixed up because their names kind of describe each other. Jump boards are what we used to call “springboards”—the ones that literally had visible springs coiled at the base. Today’s jump board assemblies look more like the curved leaf springs you see under a truck.

Other details you should be aware of before purchasing a board include durability, weather sensitivity and weight capacity. If you know 350-pound Uncle Willie or Aunt Wilma will be demonstrating their famous jack-knife dive, make sure the board you buy can accommodate them. There are also industry standards about the ratio between the length and height of a diving board and the depth of the pool. As a rule of thumb, figure at least an eight-foot depth below the point of entry for a typical dive. 

THREE MORE THINGS TO THINK ABOUT 

As with any addition to your property, there is a question of aesthetics involved. Everyone wants a nice-looking pool, but do you want it to be an extension of your home’s architecture or existing outdoor elements? If you live in a funky old Victorian house, you may have trouble finding someone to build a funky old Victorian pool. However, it’s not impossible. Every architectural style has a pool design to match, or at least to complement it. On the other hand, you may want your pool area to offer a completely different environment from your home—especially if you own a large property. In this case, consider the creation of a transitional area between the house and pool. That will add some design and landscaping costs to your budget, but it will be worth the extra expense.

Most towns in New Jersey have a specific set of ordinances covering pool installation and operation. Make sure you know what they are, because there is no guarantee your pool builder will. In some cases, zoning and building laws may determine the size and location of your pool. For instance, where rainwater drainage is a concern, many municipalities want to know what percentage of your yard will no longer be grass, and how a new pool might change runoff patterns. Also, some towns require notification of neighbors prior to construction, so there may be some surprises there. Another surprise may be a bump in your property tax assessment.

What if you want that dream pool now but haven’t tucked away nearly enough cash to complete it? There is always the financing option. Many pool builders can arrange this for you through a third-party lender. These loans are typically short-term (three years or less) at a reasonable interest rate (usually in the neighborhood of 5%). If your credit and income check out, pool loans can be unsecured so as not to tie up equity in your home, as a traditional second mortgage or home equity line of credit might. Some people do take loans out against their homes to finance a pool project (as there may be some tax advantages). 

One last word…be aware that a swimming pool is not an investment. You can’t count on recouping this cost. It is purely for your family’s enjoyment. Keep that in mind and you will get the pool you want and keep your head above water.  

WHAT LIES BENEATH

Not every property is suitable for every type of pool. Some of the conditions that can add significantly to the expense of an in-ground pool are loose, sandy soil or soil that contains numerous large rocks and boulders. Also, depending on where you live, it may be worth checking how the land was used before a house was constructed on it. Someone is living on top of the 1890 town dump, right? Is it you? A surprise like that could add $10,000 or more (a lot more, actually) to the price tag of pool construction. Professional soil testing is a smart first step.

Editor’s Note: Caleb MacLean “inherited” a previous owner’s swimming pool when he bought his current home. It was not kid friendly (nor adult friendly, for that matter) and when it came time to re-line it, he chose to make it into the biggest goldfish pond in the county instead. 

 

“Roasted lamb belly was the first-round standout, a yin-yang of tenderness of texture  and strength of seasoning.”

By Andy Clurfeld

INC

302 George St., at the corner of New Street, New Brunswick

Phone: (732) 640.0553

Reservations and major credit cards accepted. Hours: Open Monday through Friday from 4 p.m. till 2 a.m. and Saturday from 5 p.m. till 2 a.m. Closed Sundays. 

Prices: Bites: $8.50 to $24.50. Vegetable-based starters: $8 to $13. Entrees: $17 to $26. Extras: $4 to $7, Burgers: $12 to $15. Desserts: $6 to $8.

Our server needs to be flagged down because I forgot to order the House Made Spicy Pickles INC has become justifiably famous for its bill of whiskey fare and cleverly monikered cocktails notwithstanding

How could I do this? I’d prioritized the items on the menu days ahead of time. The pickles were the first item I’d checked off on the list that needed to be winnowed down or risk overloading the kitchen (Server to Intake Chef: “Table 17 wants to run the table—er, menu.” Intake Chef: “Are you waiting on the Olympic Sumo Wrestling Team?”) or merely alarming the back-of-the-house crew. Who could not want these pickles, served in a crammed-full Ball-style jar with jalapeno, garlic, dill, a dash or five of Tabasco, and aromatic from 20 paces?

“Andy,” Erin says, two seconds after our amiable server departs tableside, ample order in hand. “You did not order the pickles.” The pickles were Erin’s only requirement for dinner on this belly-up-to-the-table night. Her tone was gently accusatory. My response was genuinely remorseful. Had I lost my mind in anticipation of the slow-roasted lamb belly? Was the idea of Bacon Bolognese with a poached egg enough to shut down my brain? Pickles normally are a priority in my life; Erin, at age 9, is an experienced and easygoing collaborator on my eating missions and asks for precious little in return for her always-excellent company.

“Sir!” I say to our server the next time he passes by our table. “I forgot to order the pickles. Can we still get the pickles?” Erin’s eyes are hopeful

“Of course,” he says. “Just so you know, there are a lot of pickles in one order. You probably won’t be able to finish them.”

Erin and I smile. We know better.

INC, which doesn’t refer to anything incorporated, but stands for “Ingredients-N-Craft,” is properly subtitled American Bar and Kitchen. It’s a New Brunswick whiskey bar, with a deep selection of brown liquors, and a spirited craft cocktail list sporting drinks named to prompt smiles and even giggles. Lavender Holyfield? Laird’s Gin, St. Germaine, fresh lemon juice, and a simple syrup scented with blueberries and lavender. Fallen Angel stars Angel’s Envy and a supporting cast of cold-weather add-ins. You can get a Who Killed Roger Rabbit, with Bulleit Bourbon, carrot juice, ginger beer and a bolt of thyme-infused simple syrup, or down Brunch on the Lower East Side without missing a trend: house-made bacon-infused bourbon, Knob Creek Smoked Maple Bourbon, vermouth and orange bitters. Catch the scene? You are supposed to have fun here.

We did. How could we not, with a platter of Tennessee-style “prosciutto,” a thick-cut ham with layers of smoke and a mere suspicion of sweet sitting in front of us. The plate was perfectly partnered with mild whipped ricotta, a mound of olive tapenade, and a splay of old-fashioned health salad that shouted Jewish deli circa 1960. Speaking of crunch, the pickled daikon radish and cukes gave backbone to the Vietnamese-style steamed buns, filled with pork belly and given a wash of hoisin sauce. The much-anticipated roasted lamb belly was the first-round standout, a yin-yang of tenderness of texture and strength of seasoning. You’re given much to play with on this plate, including lemon-licked yogurt that gave Middle Eastern nuance to the lamb, mint, and cranberries that offered throwback accenting tastes, and shavings of zucchini that provided a kind of palate cleanse between the variously spiced bites. Good stuff.

Skip the eggplant “meatballs,” which have a glutinous mouth-feel that clashes with the ricotta, tomato sauce, and olives co-habiting the plate. Better in the vegetable-strong segment of starters: the kimchi fried rice, which has a roster of produce within that could nourish a family of six for a week, and Kung Pao cauliflower, which marries the current craze of cauliflower-cauliflower-everywhere (and every way) with the ubiquitous sweet-sour sauce found in zillions of strip-mall Chinese dishes. Only INC does it better: The sauce doesn’t even approach cloying; sour and a touch of tart makes it feisty, punching up the cruciferous vegetable.

By the time our entrees were arriving, INC had started to swing. There were couples at high-top tables, folks lounging around the regular dining tables and a lively bar scene. The space that once was home to Daryl, a wine bar that made a splash years back, sits astride the Heldrich Hotel in the heart of the downtown district. It was revamped and re-imagined by Mark Farro, who also owns Uproot in Warren, and his chef, Ryan Anderson, early in 2016. So far, in a competitive restaurant city, it’s holding its own.

It should, if the Bacon Bolognese continues on the menu. It’s a kind of make-it-yourself carbonara, with a perfectly poached egg sitting atop peppery cavatelli tossed with applewood smoked bacon, tomato, and mozzarella. Prick the egg, let it run into the rest, toss (and toss some more), and you have a pasta dish for the ages. We liked it far better than the bland shrimp and grits, which had little presence of either the billed smoked cheddar or the lemon-garlic butter. Roasted Scottish salmon is the better choice in seafood, with a hot-sour broth fueled by tamarind and a stir-fry of tannic spinach that provided a counterpoint to the rich fish. A nightly special of steak tips plied with lemongrass didn’t make the point of why the beef needed that particular accent; it’s a dish that needs work. But Texas barbecue-style brisket? Sure thing. Belly up to that plate, complete with a Thanksgiving-ready creamy green bean-corn casserole and a splay of long-simmered onions.

When you’re having fun, dessert’s a natural. What do you expect at a place designed around fun other than a sweet called “Milk ‘n’ Cookies”? It’s a layering of the stated elements, with cream and crunch and nibbles of chocolate. Everything nice. I kept at it, trading off bites with a whiskey’d chocolate fudge and a silky lemon custard with just the right pop of zesty citrus. Cheesecake, though nicely made, was the lackluster also-ran.

INC is where you go when the doldrums strike, and you want a little lift. It’s where you go when you’re with a crowd of friends who can’t agree on one type of cuisine and want congeniality, not conflict. It’s where you go when life’s presented you with a pickle of a problem, and you crave a jar of spicy spears to solve it.

WHISKEY. GO. GO.

INC has a multi-page whiskey menu that is presented at the start of a meal. The time it could take to digest this whiskey bill of fare might prevent you from actually dining, but it is a major attraction for whiskey lovers. Take the Manager’s Reserve List: There’s Corsets, Whips and Whiskey, Elijah Craig Barrel Proof, and Noah’s Mill. You also can do whiskey flights: Where There’s Smoke There’s Islay Scotch, Rye Not? and In ‘Bond’ We Trust. It’s all in good fun.

Test your Bad Medicine IQ!

 

The 2018 Fox series The Resident came under fire from the medical profession for its myriad inaccuracies, and for casting physicians and administrators as “bad guys.” However, compared to some of the dicey doctors that have been portrayed on stage, screen and in literature over the years, the characters on the show are strictly minor league.

 

What was Dr. Hannibal Lecter’s specialty before he turned to cannibalism?

1. Brain Surgery 
2. Podiatry 
3. Dentistry
4. Forensic Psychiatry

Which of these actors has not portrayed Dr. Victor Frankenstein?

1. Sting
2. Robert Duvall
3. Kenneth Branagh
4. Benedict Cumberbatch

 

What was the name of Dr. Henry Jekyll’s violent alter ego?

1. Henry Hyde
2. Francis Hyde
3. David Hyde
4. Edward Hyde

 

 

Which of these was not a Dr. Evil plot for world domination?

1. Death Star
2. Preparation H
3. Independence Day
4. The Alan Parsons Project

 

 

 

Which famed Broadway actor played the title role in the 1940 Technicolor classic Dr. Cyclops?

1. Lionel Barrymore
2. Laurence Olivier
3. Albert Dekker
4. José Ferrer

 

The Island of Dr. Moreau, which was populated by human-animal hybrids, was located in

which body of water?

1. Atlantic Ocean
2. Pacific Ocean
3. Indian Ocean
4. Black Sea

 

 

 

What was the name of the deviant psychopath played by actor Tim Curry in The Rocky Horror Picture Show?

1. Dr. Frank N. Furter
2. Dr. Al R. Nuthin
3. Dr. Smart E. Pantz
4. Dr. Mark U. Absent

Who played Dr. Otto Octavious in Spider-Man 2?

1. Albert Finney
2. Albert Brooks
3. Alfred Molina
4. Benjie Molina

 

Which 2009 horror film featured the unspeakable experiments of Dr. Josef Heiter?

1. a) Doghouse
2. b) My Bloody Valentine
3. c) Zombieland
4. d) The Human Centipede

 

 

 

Which group of superheroes considers its arch-nemesis Dr. Victor von Doom?

1. The Fantastic Four
2. The Avengers
3. The Power Rangers
4. The League of Extraordinary Gentlemen

‰

Answers: 1D, 2B, 3D, 4C, 5C, 6B, 7A,
8C, 9D, 10A

KNOT A PROBLEM

After our special OUR TOWN: SUMMIT insert special ran a year ago, an EDGE reader requested extra copies to include in the gift bags for his daughter’s Spring ’18 wedding. We were happy to oblige, but with one “hitch”—we asked for a PEOPLE PAGE wedding shot in return. So we hereby present newlyweds Annie Ferguson and Phillip Henderson—hiding behind EDGE cover boy Reid Scott—who tied the knot on May 19th at St. Teresa of Avila Church in Summit.  

 

WELCOME TO PENSACOLA 

Union’s own Petty Officer 1st Class Leon Welcome is now an instructor at the Naval Air Station in Pensacola, Florida. An accomplished structural mechanic, Welcome is pulling double-duty, lecturing on a wide range of topics—including personal finance and nutrition—at the Naval Air Technical Training Center. He was born in Guayana and raised in Union.

 

BY GEORGE!  

Growing up in Elizabeth, Petty Officer 3rd Class George Garces absorbed life lessons that have accelerated his career in the Navy. He is now a Ship’s Serviceman—responsible for management and operation of shipboard retail and service activities. “I learned to work hard [in Elizabeth], which helps me do better at my job in the Navy, while improving my job skills and being a leader,”  says Garces, who continued a family tradition when he enlisted after graduating from high school.

 

When drugs won’t work for depression, what’s the next move?

By Yolanda Navarra Fleming

According to the Centers for Disease Control, 1 in 30 people in America will deal with major depression this year. The prevalence of major depressive episodes increases with age, with the rate climbing to 1 in 20 for people between the ages of 46 and 64. Over 65, the number of severe cases declines, but about 10 percent of American adults over 65 will develop what could be considered “mild depression”—which is a gentle way of saying it’s a diagnosable depressive disorder.

Overall, women are at least 50 percent more likely to report a significant depressive episode. Roughly 11 percent of adolescents will deal with a depressive disorder by the age of 18, while 30 percent of college students report that they felt sad or depressed to the degree that it affected their ability to function in school.

You can quibble with these numbers—they rise and fall depending on clinical criteria and also who’s doing the studies—but there is no arguing that depression has a crippling effect on almost every aspect of the pursuit of happiness in America. On one end of the spectrum, it may involve temporary sadness (aka “the blues”). On the other end, it can last indefinitely, profoundly diminishing quality of life to the point of complete dysfunction. According to the Anxiety and Depression Association of America, depression is the leading cause of disability worldwide. People with depression may also suffer from anxiety disorders, which are different, but share similar symptoms—including insomnia, the inability to concentrate, nervousness, and irritability.  

The good news is that doctors have an ever-growing arsenal of pharmaceutical solutions. These medications have changed the game for millions of sufferers. The not so- good news is that a high percentage of individuals—as many as half of the 15 million people experiencing depression—either cannot tolerate or do not respond to these drugs.

Enter Transcranial Magnetic Stimulation (TMS), an FDA cleared non-invasive treatment that uses magnetic fields similar to an MRI to stimulate the brain. The treatment has no systemic side effects and requires no hospitalization or anesthesia. To date, the therapy has been proven in more than 60 clinical trials worldwide.

The Trinitas-St. Joseph’s Behavioral Health Network has partnered with HPR Treatment Centers (a division of TMS Centers of America) to offer BrainsWay Deep TMS at two treatment facilities in Essex County, followed by another six sites throughout Northern New Jersey over the next year.

Despite being a newer treatment for depression, TMS is a proven option with impressive efficacy rates and research results.

“TMS is indicated for the treatment of adults with major depression who have not responded to at least one antidepressant,” says Dr. Carlos Rueda, Chairman of Psychiatry for the Trinitas-St. Joseph’s Behavioral Health Network. “We are excited to bring this therapy option to the residents of New Jersey, offering new hope for a complex condition.”

“This partnership allows us to work with two of the leading medical institutions in the state to provide a comprehensive continuum of care to treat those suffering from depression,” adds Ben Klein, Founder and CEO of HPR Treatment Centers. “We have been offering TMS to patients across the country and know firsthand the significant impact the treatment has on patients. We have seen people with depression—who have lost hope— regain it when they achieve remission through TMS.”

“Depression is believed to be caused by electrical dysfunction of one region of the brain, known as the dorsolateral prefrontal cortex,” explains Dr. Rueda. “Through a highly focused and targeted magnetic stimulation, we’re able to boost the function of the brain in this region, allowing for a remission of the depression.” Because TMS is a non-drug, non-invasive treatment, patients are awake during the procedure and can get back to daily activities, including driving, immediately following the session.

“We look forward to working with HPR Treatment Centers to help Trinitas and St. Joseph’s deliver optimal mental health solutions to their patients and partner with them in this initiative that will address a growing challenge in treating mental health patients,” says Joe Perekupka, Vice President at BrainsWay. “HPR Treatment Centers have demonstrated true leadership in increasing access to Deep TMS for patients across the country. By providing the tools necessary to help these facilities treat patients who are suffering from mental disorders, we are enabling better outcomes for patients.”

 

Trinitas Expands Behavioral Services to Bayonne

Elizabeth-based Medical Center assumes ownership of Bayonne Community Mental Health Center The healthcare world is in a rapid state of transformation where new opportunities often arise to elevate the level of care. Such an opportunity presented itself in 2017, when the Board of Trustees of Bayonne Community Mental Health Center (CMHC) elected to have Trinitas Regional Medical Center assume ownership of the CMHC. “This transition to ownership by Trinitas promises to be as seamless as possible. There are no plans for any interruption or major changes in the name, services, personnel, hours, location or anything else that would impact the clientele or the community,” explained Joseph M. Kadian, Psy.D., President and CEO of the CMHC. 

According to Gary S. Horan, FACHE, President & CEO of Trinitas, “In line with Trinitas’ historically strong leadership role in mental health and substance abuse treatment, the Bayonne community can expect to receive the highest level of care it has come to know and rely on during the span of the Center’s 46 years of service. Trinitas plans to upgrade important elements of administration, including electronic medical records, computerized registration and billing software, and high-speed telecommunications equipment.”

Questions can be directed to Dr. James McCreath at 908-994-7060 jmcreath@trinitas.org.

 

THE ROOTS OF TMS

The field of Electrophysiology (of which Transcranial Magnetic Stimulation is a part) is nothing new. In fact, it dates back centuries. Near the end of the 18th century, Luigi Galvani first performed the same experiment you probably did in high-school Biology: noting that the legs of a dead frog twitched when touch by an electrical current. Galvani’s name is still with us today (galvanization). Several decades later, another giant in the history of science, Michael Faraday, did groundbreaking work in electromagnetism and electrochemistry, which established the foundation for research on brain stimulation through electricity and magnetism. By the mid-1900s, electroconvulsive therapy was widely used to treat major depression and other forms of mental illness. The first use of magnetic fields on electric signaling in the brain began in the 1980s, primarily for diagnostic purposes. By the early 2000s, however, researchers started noting the therapeutic possibilities of TMS.

 

Editor’s Note: BrainsWay Deep TMS was developed in collaboration with the National Institute of Health (NIH) and is FDA and CE cleared to treat patients with depression who are not currently responding to medication. The treatment is widely covered by most insurance payers. For more information or to make an appointment, call (631) 807-5759.

 

 

…you ask your phlebotomist if he got

the whole phleb.

…you use DNA, DNR and DMV interchangeably.

…when your doctor asks you to “Fill this cup for me”

you can’t resist asking “From here?”

…when the same doctor finishes your colonoscopy she says,

“Bad news. I think you’re head’s still up there.”

…you have to spell-check MRI.

…there is no part of your body

you wouldn’t use to stop an elevator from closing.

…instead of doing chest compressions to

the beat of Stayin’ Alive, you do them

to Another One Bites the Dust.

…you stifle a laugh whenever someone says “dopamine.”

…your advice to someone who broke their leg in

three places is Wow, make sure not to go

back to those places.

…you named your dog MCAT.

…you consider Cyrus Virus

a pre-existing condition.

…“fecal-oral spread” makes you think of hors d’ouevres.

…after all these years, no one has ever laughed

when you tell someone they’re a “sight for

psoriasis.”

…you think Pepcid AC is a

South American soccer team.

…it can’t be important if it’s not on the midterm.

…“clinicals” sounds like something you’d scrape off a clinic.

 

News, views, and insights on maintaining a healthy edge.

A New Line in the Sand 

Is it possible to develop high blood pressure without seeing your blood pressure rise? The answer is yes. A team of experts assembled by the American College of Cardiology and the American Heart Association has concluded that the new cutoff should be 130-over-80. That immediately puts more than 30 million people in the U.S. into high blood pressure category. The most-affected group is men under the age of 45; the number of men who are “over the line” now triples. The good news is that the new cutoff does not mean that these folks will have to go on medication. The 130-over-80 number will more accurately identify individuals who are at a higher risk for stroke and heart attack—and hopefully a wake-up call to smokers and people who don’t get regular exercise.

Danger Alert for TV Binge Watchers 

Doctors have been telling us for years to “get up off the couch” and exercise. Now they are telling us that this won’t do much good if we simply return to the couch. A study conducted by the University of Vermont on the TV-watching habits of more than 15,000 people has found those who say they watch “very often” are 1.7 times more likely to develop dangerous deep-vein blood clots. That in and of itself is hardly surprising. The eye-opening part of the study concerned middle-aged subjects; heavy TV-watchers in that age range who also got 150 minutes of exercise a week appear to have a slightly higher risk of DVT. Bad news for binge-watchers. Bad news for Netflix!

Now Hear This 

Surgically implanted hearing aids have had a spotty history. Often they fail for the simplest reason: the middle ear is not a one-size-fits-all environment. At a December meeting of the Radiological Society of North America, researchers presented an exciting breakthrough that combines CT scans with 3D printing to produce custom-design implants for the middle ear, where three tiny bones (ossicles) transmit vibrations from the eardrum to the cochlea. Damaged ossicles are reconstructed with prostheses made of stainless steel and ceramics, which have a high failure rate. Dr. Jeffrey Hirsch, who authored the study, points out that the odds of getting a perfect fit are less than 1 in 1,000. In its first trial run, the CT+3D method had spectacular results. “This study highlights the core strength of 3D printing,” says Hirsch of the ability to very accurately reproduce anatomic relationships in space to a  sub-millimeter level. “With these models, it’s almost a snap fit.”

Is Chocolate a  “SAD” Solution? 

As spring creeps ever closer, the light is at the end of the tunnel for those who suffer from Seasonal Affective Disorder, aka SAD. To make it through these last few weeks, science offers some tools to keep up your spirits. Helping others can be a surprisingly uplifting experience, even if it’s not something you usually do. While volunteerism is at its peak around the holidays, by February and March there is a need for help at local shelters, food pantries, etc. Another option is 30 to 60 minutes of strenuous exercise, such as fast walking or aerobics. Exercising outdoors, even in cold weather, can boost your focus and reduce stress. New research also suggests that exercising under bright lights will have similar benefits. Even when not exercising, exposing yourself to bright light (such as a light box) for a half-hour a day has been shown to be effective for some people as anti-depressants. Here’s the best news: eat high-quality chocolate. It’s a proven mood booster and can relieve anxiety. We’re not talking about candy bars here—they may give you a quick pop, but may also contribute to negative feelings as you come back down.

Double Trouble 

One of the many ways social media has changed our lives is through the spread of information on alternative cancer therapies. But has it changed our lives for the better? According to a study published in the Journal of the National Cancer Institute, people who choose alternative treatments for commonly curable cancers may double their risk of death. The authors defined “alternative” as a medical treatment administered by a non-medical person. Conventional therapies include chemo, radiation, and surgery. Patients who pursue non-medical options run the risk of allowing their cancers to spread to other parts of the body, including the lymph nodes. The study offers the example of stage-one breast cancer. With traditional treatment, a patient’s five-year survival rate is almost 100 percent. If that cancer is allowed to reach stage four, that survival rate is reduced to 25 percent. The study covered the most common cancers and looked at outcomes of 280 patients who chose alternative medicine versus the outcomes of 560 patients who went the traditional route.     

Is That Cigarette Really  Worth Seven Years?  

Whether we admit it or not, we all keep score as we age. We weigh our bad habits against our good ones and temper those estimates with what we know about our genetics. It’s an inexact science, to be sure…yet not as much as it used to be. University of Edinburgh researchers looked at the genetic makeup of 600,000 individuals from three different continents, zeroing in on genes related to lifestyle choices, including smoking, drinking, overeating and substance abuse. They were able to come up with a fascinating scoring system. For instance, people live an average of two months less for every kilogram they are overweight. Pack-a-day smokers shave off an average of seven years. The study also found that people live an average of 11 months longer for every year of schooling they have. Genes related to cholesterol levels and the immune system also appear to have a dramatic impact on life expectancy. The conclusion drawn by the researchers was that genes play a major role in determining life expectancy, but our lifestyle choices have a far greater impact than most people imagine.

 

EDGE takes you inside the area’s most creative kitchens.

The Thirsty Turtle • Tacos

1-7 South Avenue W. • CRANFORD (908) 324-4140 • thirstyturtle.com

Look out for our tacos as they bring the flavors of the South West to the North East.

— Chef Rich Crisonio

 

The Thirsty Turtle • Wings

186 Columbia Turnpike • FLORHAM PARK (973) 845-6300 • thirstyturtle.com

Our wings make the mouth water and always wanting more!

— Chef Dennis Peralta

 

The Famished Frog • Assorted Desserts

18 Washington Street • MORRISTOWN (973) 540-9601 • famishedfrog.com

Our unique desserts will satisfy any sweet tooth.

— Chef Ken Raymond

 

Arirang Hibachi Steakhouse • Sushi Tacos

1230 Route 22 West • MOUNTAINSIDE (908) 518-9733 • partyonthegrill.com

Crispy wonton taco shells—featuring your choice of tuna, salmon, shrimp or crab—with rice, cucumber, red onions, avocado, cilantro and lime juice, topped with spicy mayo.

 

Daimatsu • Sushi Pizza

860 Mountain Avenue • MOUNTAINSIDE (908) 233-7888 • daimatsusushibar.com

This original dish has been our signature appetizer for over 20 years. Crispy seasoned sushi rice topped with homemade spicy mayo, marinated tuna, finely chopped onion, scallion, masago caviar, and ginger. Our customers always come back wanting more.

— Chef Momo

 

Luciano’s Ristorante & Lounge • Pan Seared Scallops

1579 Main Street • RAHWAY (732) 815-1200 • lucianosristorante.com

Pan-seared scallops over butternut squash risotto and wilted spinach, finished with a brown butter emulsion. This is one of the signature dishes featured on our menu since we opened 10 years ago.

— Joseph Mastrella, Executive Chef/Partner

 

Garden Grille • Cauliflower Steak

304 Route 22 West • SPRINGFIELD (973) 232-5300 • hgispringfield.hgi.com

Sautéed cauliflower steak, blistered grape tomatoes, roquette and lemon supreme sautéed in extra virgin olive oil.

— Chef Sean Cznadel

 

LongHorn Steakhouse • Outlaw Ribeye

272 Route 22 West • SPRINGFIELD (973) 315-2049 • longhornsteakhouse.com

LongHorn Steakhouse of Springfield is celebrating its One Year Anniversary. Come celebrate with us! Join us for Lunch or Dinner. We suggest you try our fresh, never frozen, 18 oz. bone-in Outlaw Ribeye – featuring juicy marbling that is perfectly seasoned and fire-grilled by our expert Grill Masters.

— Anthony Levy, Managing Partner

 

Outback Steakhouse • Bone-In Natural Cut Ribeye

901 Mountain Avenue • SPRINGFIELD (973) 467-9095 • outback.com

This is the entire staff’s favorite, guests rave about. Bone-in and extra marbled for maximum tenderness, juicy and savory. Seasoned and wood-fired grilled over oak.

— Duff Regan, Managing Partner

 

Arirang Hibachi Steakhouse • Volcano Roll

23A Nelson Avenue • STATEN ISLAND, NY (718) 966-9600 • partyonthegrill.com

Hot-out-of-the-oven, crab, avocado and cream cheese rolled up and topped with a mild spicy scallop salad.

 

Ursino Steakhouse & Tavern • House Carved 16oz New York Strip Steak

1075 Morris Avenue • UNION (908) 977-9699 • ursinosteakhouse.com

Be it a sizzling filet in the steakhouse or our signature burger in the tavern upstairs, Ursino is sure to please the most selective palates. Our carefully composed menus feature fresh, seasonal ingredients and reflect the passion we put into each and every meal we serve.

 

Do you own a local restaurant and want to know how your BEST DISH could be featured in our Chef Recommends restaurant guide?

Call us at 908.994.5138

EDGE takes you inside the area’s most creative kitchens.

The Thirsty Turtle • Pretzel Burger

1-7 South Ave E. • CRANFORD (908) 324-4140 • thirstyturtle.com

Our mouthwatering burger is topped with American cheese, bacon, shredded lettuce, and Russian dressing on a soft pretzel bun…this classic evokes nostalgia.

— Chef Rich Crisonio

 

The Thirsty Turtle • Irish Nachos

186 Columbia Turnpike • FLORHAM PARK (973) 845-6300 • thirstyturtle.com

These special nachos are made with potato crisps, bacon, cheddar and Monterey Jack, scallions and Guinness sour cream…truly a house favorite!

— Chef Dennis Peralta

 

The Famished Frog • Assorted Flatbreads

18 Washington St. • MORRISTOWN (973) 540-9601 • famishedfrog.com

My unique spin on the California flatbread was inspired by my work with world-famous chef, Wolfgang Puck.

— Chef Ken Raymond

 

Arirang Hibachi Steakhouse • Wasabi Crusted Filet Mignon

1230 Route 22 West • MOUNTAINSIDE (908) 518-9733 • partyonthegrill.com

We prepare a crusted 8-ounce filet mignon served with gingered spinach, shitake mushrooms, and a tempura onion ring.

 

Daimatsu • Sushi Pizza

860 Mountain Ave. • MOUNTAINSIDE (908) 233-7888 • daimatsusushibar.com

This original dish has been our signature appetizer for over 20 years. Crispy seasoned sushi rice topped with homemade spicy mayo, marinated tuna, finely chopped onion, scallion, masago caviar, and ginger. Our customers always come back wanting more.

— Chef Momo

 

Luciano’s Ristorante & Lounge • Warm Goat Cheese Salad

1579 Main Street • RAHWAY (732) 815-1200 • lucianosristorante.com

The warm goat cheese salad with tender greens and a mulled cabernet dressing and toasted pine nuts is a signature appetizer at Luciano’s, where fresh ingredients and personable service in a beautiful Tuscan décor create a fine dining experience. Our menus are seasonally influenced to feature the best of what’s available in the market.

— Joseph Mastrella, Executive Chef/Partner

 

Garden Grille • Grilled Chicken Paillard

304 Route 22 West • SPRINGFIELD (973) 232-5300 • hgispringfield.hgi.com

Grilled chicken paillard with roasted corn, asparagus, cauliflower, baby arugula and grape tomato, extra virgin olive oil & aged balsamic.

— Chef Sean Cznadel

 

LongHorn Steakhouse • Outlaw Ribeye

272 Route 22 West • SPRINGFIELD (973) 315-2049 • longhornsteakhouse.com

LongHorn Steakhouse of Springfield is celebrating its One Year Anniversary. Come celebrate with us! Join us for Lunch or Dinner. We suggest you try our fresh, never frozen, 18 oz. bone-in Outlaw Ribeye – featuring juicy marbling that is perfectly seasoned and fire-grilled by our expert Grill Masters.

— Anthony Levy, Managing Partner

 

Outback Steakhouse • Bone-In Natural Cut Ribeye

901 Mountain Avenue • SPRINGFIELD (973) 467-9095 • outback.com

This is the entire staff’s favorite, guests rave about. Bone-in and extra marbled for maximum tenderness, juicy and savory. Seasoned and wood-fired grilled over oak.

— Duff Regan, Managing Partner

 

Arirang Hibachi Steakhouse • Volcano Roll

23A Nelson Avenue • STATEN ISLAND, NY (718) 966-9600 • partyonthegrill.com

Hot-out-of-the-oven, crab, avocado and cream cheese rolled up and topped with a mild spicy scallop salad.

 

Ursino Steakhouse & Tavern • House Carved 16oz New York Strip Steak

1075 Morris Avenue • UNION (908) 977-9699 • ursinosteakhouse.com

Be it a sizzling filet in the steakhouse or our signature burger in the tavern upstairs, Ursino is sure to please the most selective palates. Our carefully composed menus feature fresh, seasonal ingredients and reflect the passion we put into each and every meal we serve.

 

Do you own a local restaurant and want to know how your BEST DISH could be featured in our Chef Recommends restaurant guide?

Call us at 908.994.5138

 

The word “million” has to be one of the handiest in the English language. It conveys with elegant simplicity a number that is, at once, tangible and inconceivably large. Which means that anyone can use it to convey a wide range of thoughts, in any number of ways—including some of history’s most quotable people…

Let your soul stand cool and composed before a million universes.

—Walt Whitman

 

If the boy and girl walk off into the sunset hand-in-hand in the last scene, it adds ten million to the box office.

—George Lucas

 

The company accountant is shy and retiring. He’s shy a quarter of a million dollars…that’s why he’s retiring.

—Milton Berle

 

You can get a million comments about how beautiful you look and how awesome you are, but the one comment that says they hate you and you’re ugly is the one that sticks.

—Kendall Jenner

 

When I take action, I’m not going to fire a $2 million missile at a $10 empty tent and hit a camel in the butt. It’s going to be decisive.

—George W. Bush

 

The President has only 190 million bosses. The Vice President has 190 million and one.

—Hubert H. Humphrey

 

Money doesn’t make you happy. I now have $50 million but I was just as happy when I had $48 million.

—Arnold Schwarzenegger

 

I’ve kind of fashioned my life after a Slinky. Bend me in a million shapes, and eventually I’ll spring back to what I originally was.

—Sylvester Stallone

 

One death is a tragedy; one million is a statistic.

—Josef Stalin

 

Each time a man stands up for an ideal, or acts to improve the lot of others, or strikes out against injustice, he sends forth a tiny ripple of hope, and crossing each other from a million different centers of energy and daring, those ripples build a current that can sweep down the mightiest walls of oppression and resistance.

—Robert F. Kennedy

David Levy adores the purity of geometric forms. He is drawn to bridges, automobiles and musical instruments. Levy’s crisp, elegant lines, bold colors and the visual record of his brushstrokes move the eye and the intellect.

Born in Manhattan and raised on Long Island, David Levy has been a New Jersey resident for more than 30 years. Levy was an Optical (Op) artist at age 15—well before he established his hard-edge style of painting he dubbed Engineered Abstraction as a Fine Arts major at Lehigh University, where he also earned a master’s degree in Art History. For more on David Levy’s story, visit edgemagonline.com.

New Jersey’s auto racing history is full of surprising twists and turns. Here are a dozen fun facts you need to know…

Martin Truex Jr. (left), the 2017 NASCAR champion, grew up in South Jersey, where his father owned Sea Watch International, one of the country’s major seafood purveyors. Martin Sr. was called the “Clam King.”

Mark Donohue, winner of the 1972 Indianapolis 500, grew up in Summit and attended the Pingry School. He graduated from Brown University with a degree in Mechanical Engineering.

During the Great Depression, auto racing’s top builders, mechanics and drivers called “Gasoline Alley” in Paterson’s Fifth Ward home.

During the 1980s, the Meadowlands Sports Complex was home to the Meadowlands Grand Prix. It was held on a course laid out in the stadium parking lot and offered the second-highest purse in the sport, behind the Indy 500.

During the 1920s, New Jersey’s most famous racer was Orie Steele (left), who was nearly unbeatable in motorcycle Hillclimb events—a hugely popular spectator sport in the years between the two World Wars.

One of the country’s first auto racing tracks was a half-mile dirt oval at the Trenton Fairgrounds. It was enlarged, paved and renamed the Trenton Speedway in 1957, and was home to NASCAR’s Northern 300. Today it is the location of the Grounds for Sculpture.

In 1909, 22-year-old Alice Huyler Ramsey of Bergen County—accompanied by a 16-year-old friend and two older sisters-in-law—became the first woman to drive across the country. It took her 59 days.

The Ho-Ho-Kus Speedway (right) in Bergen County regularly drew crowds of 5,000 or more to its Saturday races in the 1920s and 30s. Director Howard Hawks filmed heart-pounding racing scenes there for the 1932 Jimmy Cagney film The Crowd Roars.

2012 NHRA Top Fuel champion Antron Brown was born in Trenton and grew up in Chesterfield. He began racing dirt bikes on the family’s property at the age of 4.

Ray Evernham, the crew chief behind Jeff Gordon’s greatest successes, was born and raised in Monmouth County, where his father owned a service station. He began building and racing cars at the age of 14.

Tri-City Stadium, a midget car and motorcycle track, covered a mere fifth of a mile. Each time a rider completed a lap, he passed through slivers of Newark, Irvington and Union.

Raceway Park in Old Bridge, opened in 1965, became one of the nation’s top drag racing venues. In 2018, it ended its association with drag racing after more than a half-century, citing insurance and other costs.

Home improvement begins with the wisdom of the crowd.

By Sarah Rossbach

I’m standing precariously on a small, beautifully landscaped but overgrown traffic island, allergies raging, clippers in hand, debating whether to deadhead a browned Montauk daisy or leave it to feed the birds in winter. Cars are whizzing by, sometimes inches from my fellow gardeners, who are raking dried leaves. You have every right to wonder: Why do we— accomplished women of a certain age—risk our health and lives, and subject ourselves to the stiff backs and unpaid toils of weeding and pruning local mini-parks? 

A dirty pick-up truck slows down and a man with a beard leans out the window and shouts. Is it something vulgar? No. He merely yells above the traffic din, “You make our town more beautiful!” He adds with a smile, “When you’re done, my place could use your help!” 

That’s all we, members of our local garden club, need… knowing that we’re appreciated and making a difference in our community. 

I wasn’t always this civic-minded. My friend Andrea reminds me that 15 years ago she asked me if I wanted to join and my answer was an adamant No! Yet here I am, a member in good standing, watering and weeding public gardens, propagating plants from cuttings and seeds, entering flower shows, butchering a blooming peony “tree” (it’s really a shrub) to create a dazzling floral design. What happened? How did I go from blissfully forgetting to attend meetings—and receiving stern warnings—to planting and nurturing flowers months (and sometimes years) ahead to enter a statewide flower show?

Pick your answer: Garden club (a) saved my life; (b) ate

my life; (c) enriched my life; (d) all of the above.

Bingo. Yes, (d) is correct.

As a writer and consultant with limited free time, I scrupulously avoid committing to book clubs, tennis teams, bridge games and girls’ nights out. Yet, step-by-step, I became captivated by nearly all disciplines of my garden club as well as the camaraderie of working and lunching with members of all ages. Some members joke that their enjoyment and enthusiasm of their garden clubs is “drinking the Kool-Aid,” but that metaphor implies that they are unwitting victims. I’m no victim; I’m more of an addict, a horti-holic seeking the next horticultural high. There. I said it. Don’t even try to cure me. 

The addiction starts slowly. Funny things happen when you join a garden club. First it’s the mild stuff. You get a craving for the informative, often amusing, lectures on beneficial bugs, composting, historic gardens, holiday floral arrangements. Then a planting workshop might start you hankering for propagating herbs, lettuces and annual flowers. And before you know it, you have an overwhelming desire to get into more hardcore pursuits, the headier cultivation arts, such as starting a new plant or two from cuttings. I knew I was hooked when I requested a grow light for Christmas to propagate plants during winter’s dark months. And then, in spring, there’s no resisting the sensual pleasures of viewing your garden’s kaleidoscopic colors and experiencing the scents of the aromatic herbs, flowers and fruits of your labors. Others are lured in by a floral design workshop and demonstration and, voila, creativity blossoms: Discovering you can create masterpiece after masterpiece with plant material that you’ve grown in your garden is pretty heady stuff. Or you might catch the conservation bug as one friend—a former climate-change denier—did. Now she is an ardent environmental activist. Score one for saving our planet! 

Garden club membership can be dizzying. You find you’re accomplishing feats way out of your wheelhouse. I got elbowed into applying for a grant to partner with a local national park to remove invasive species and replace them with native plants and shrubs. Score another for horticulture, civics and conservation all rolled into one! Actually it’s been an enjoyable and rewarding project for all involved, including our garden club, the park seasonal workers, the local high school and, we hope, the Boy and Girl Scouts in the future. 

Home Games

As I age, inanimate physical objects mean less to me. On my birthday, don’t send a dozen cut roses. Drop off, instead, transplanted peonies or a pond lotus. Nothing symbolizes enduring friendship and love like a beautiful perennial that I can plant and enjoy year after year. Even when the garden is dormant, I still have bulbs and the joy and sense of satisfaction I get from the moment a fragrant blossom opens on a paperwhite, or a stunning exotic flower appears on an amaryllis stalk.

 Which is why, in the dozen-plus years I have been a garden club member, I have come to regard this association as a very special kind of “home improvement.” Between horticulture lectures and helpful advice from my fellow members, my garden is more varied and natural appearing. And now I pay attention to whether a plant will attract or feed a bee or butterfly, important crop pollinators. So now milkweed, salvia and beebalm are ensconced among my flowerbeds. I love to bring in greens in winter and flowers the rest of the year to arrange in my own unique way for dinner parties for all to enjoy. There is one complaint from my husband: it’s the pots, trowels, bags of soil that fill my office/potting shed with the promise of warmer, greener days to come.

I admit I am an enabler, luring my friends to join my garden club with genuine enthusiasm. Garden clubs are down-to-earth. One novice noted that few garden club members sport fingernail polish What’s the point? It will only chip with repotting. And a garden club can be life-changing in unexpected ways. I’ve known a few shrinking violets and wallflowers who have personally blossomed from the exposure to all that garden clubs have to offer.

As winter grinds on, it’s actually a good time to survey the garden club scene in your area. If you are interested in joining a garden club, there are a few different gardening organizations—all wonderful. It’s worth shopping around to see where you would best fit and enjoy the programs and club members. Choosing any club is a win-win and attending an open-to-the-public meeting is an excellent way to start. Whatever club you join, you will come to appreciate the art and science of nurturing a garden…and cultivate a whole new world of knowledge, skills and friends. 

EDITOR’S NOTE: Sarah Rossbach has written for EDGE on a wide range of topics. She is a member of the Rumson Garden Club.

We welcome the community to our programs that are designed to educate and inform. Programs are subject to change.

SEMINARS

Visit www.TrinitasRMC.org for seminar listings or check for updates on our Facebook page, www.facebook.com/TrinitasRMC.

 

TUESDAY, FEBRUARY 12

5:30 PM

Going Red for Women

Trinitas Regional Medical Center will host this annual event. Come learn about “Women and Heart Disease.” The public is welcome to this free event, but registration is limited. Call 908.994.5139 to register.

Presenter: Dr. Mirette Habib Interventional Cardiologist, Trinitas RMC

Garden Restaurant, 943 Magie Avenue, Union

 

WEDNESDAY, FEBRUARY 20

1:00 PM

Be the Match Bone Marrow Registry Drive

Did you know that a spinal tap is not required to donate your bone marrow? All Trinitas community members are urged to come learn how to help save a life by supporting Brandon Dillagard, an 8-year-old New Jersey resident, and many other local patients searching for a match. As a parent you’re only ever a 50 percent match for your own child. Seventy percent of the time, a complete stranger can save your loved one’s life.

Stem cell is a cure for blood cancer patients. Learn how YOU can help save a life. You could be the lifeline for a patient searching for a match. For more information, call 895-494-6882. If you can’t make it, text 61474 to join. Hit enter “cure65,” and help save a life.

Trinitas Café in the main hospital, 225 Williamson St.

 

TCCC SUPPORT GROUPS

 

Conference Room A or Conference Room B Trinitas Comprehensive Cancer Center 225 Williamson Street, Elizabeth New Jersey 07207

All events take place from 1:00 – 3:00 PM. Call (908) 994-8535 for 2018 schedule.

Living with Cancer

Viviendo con Cáncer, Grupo De Apoyo

Living with Breast Cancer

Viviendo con Cáncer de Mama

Caregiving Support Group

Viviendo con Cáncer, Grupo De Apoyo

Viviendo con Cáncer, Apoyo Familiar

For more information on any TCCC support programs and to RSVP, please contact Roxanne Ruiz-Adams, LSW, (908) 994-8535. Por favor llame al (908) 994-8535 para confirmar su asistencia.

 

SPECIAL PROGRAMS

 

Health Services with Women In Mind

Trinitas helps provide women access to vital health services with a focus on preventive measures. These include educational programs and cancer screenings. Programs offered in English and Spanish.

To learn more about these services, contact Amparo Aguirre, (908) 994-8244 or at amaguirre@trinitas.org

Ask the Pharmacist: Medication Management

Free of charge, by appointment only. Monthly on the 4th Tuesday, 11:30 AM – 1:00 PM

Call (908) 994-5237

 

TRINITAS HEALTH FOUNDATION EVENTS

SATURDAY, FEBRUARY 23

15th Annual Evening at the Races

Meadowlands, Rutherford, NJ

VIP Reception 5:30 PM Gourmet Dinner 6:30 PM First Race 7:15 PM

 

THURSDAY, MAY 9 6:00 PM

Annual Gala Dinner Dance

The Venetian, Garfield, NJ

Join the foundation at this beautiful black tie event complete with fantastic live music, dancing, an incredible auction and amazing food and drink.

For more information about the Foundation or to learn more about its fundraising events, (908) 994-8249 or kboyer@trinitas.org.

Proceeds from these and other events benefit the patients of Trinitas Regional Medical Center. Making reservations for Foundation events is fast and easy on your American Express, MasterCard, Visa or Discover card!

 

MEDICAL AND BEHAVIORAL HEALTH SUPPORT GROUPS

 

Diabetes Management Support Group

Monthly, First Monday, 2:00 – 3:00 PM

Kathleen McCarthy, RN, CDE (Certified Diabetes Educator)

Open to both diabetics and non-diabetics who want to learn more about diabetes prevention.

65 Jefferson Street, 2nd Floor, Elizabeth, New Jersey Call (908) 994-5502 for further information or registration

 

Sleep Disorders

If you or someone you know experiences problems sleeping, consider contacting the Trinitas Comprehensive Sleep Disorders Center in Elizabeth. Another location can be found in Cranford at Homewood Suites by Hilton with easy access on and off the Garden State Parkway. Both centers are headed by a medical director who is board certified in sleep medicine, internal medicine, pulmonary medicine, and intensive care medicine, and is staffed by seven certified sleep technologists.

For further information, call (908) 994-8694 to learn more about the Trinitas Comprehensive Sleep Disorders Center or visit www.njsleepdisorderscenter.org

 

Narcotics Anonymous

Monday 7:00 – 8:30 PM Sunday 12:00 noon – 2:00 PM; Sunday 5:00 – 6:30 PM

Jean Grady, Community Liaison, (908) 994-7438

Grassmann Hall, 655 East Jersey St., Elizabeth

 

Alcoholics Anonymous

Friday 7:30 – 8:45 PM

Jean Grady, Community Liaison, (908) 994-7438

Grassmann Hall, 655 East Jersey St., Elizabeth

 

HIV Education and Support Program for HIV Positive Patients

Monthly. Call for scheduled dates/times.

Judy Lacinak, (908) 994-7605

Early Intervention Program Clinic, 655 Livingston St. Monastery Building, 2nd Floor, Elizabeth

 

Mental Illness Support Group (NAMI) for Spanish Speaking Participants

4th Friday of each month except August, 6:30 – 8:30 PM

Mike Guglielmino, (908) 994-7275 Martha Silva, NAMI 1-888-803-3413

6 South Conference Room, Williamson Street Campus 225 Williamson Street, Elizabeth

 

TRINITAS CHILDREN’S THERAPY SERVICES

899 Mountain Avenue, Suite 1A, Springfield, NJ • (973) 218-6394

 

“10 Tips…” Workshops The Ten Tips Workshop Series is back and as informative as ever! The series consists of 10 workshops appropriate for parents, teachers, or individuals who work with young children and focus on practical strategies that can be easily implemented into daily classroom and/or home routines. All workshops offer suggestions that are appropriate for all children. A special emphasis is placed on children with special needs and those with an Autism diagnosis.

All workshops take place at the Trinitas Children’s Therapy Services Center, 899 Mountain Ave, Suite 1A, Springfield NJ. Workshops are $15 per class. Register for all 10 classes and pay in advance for the discounted rate of $120.00 (A savings of $30.00).

 

February 19, 2019 6:00 – 7:30 PM

10 Tips for Improving Executive Functioning Skills

 

March 19, 2019 6:00 – 7:30 PM

10 Tips to Understanding How to Implement Mindfulness in Your Classroom

 

April 16, 2019 6:00 – 7:30 PM

10 Easy to Make Sensory Activities

 

May 21, 2019 6:00 – 7:30 PM

10 Tips for Improving Fine Motor Skills

 

June 11, 2019 6:00 – 7:30 PM

10 Tips for Creating Fun Summer Activities (Indoor and Outdoor)

For more information or to register, please contact Kellianne Martin at Kmartin@trinitas.org or by phone at (973) 218-6394 x1000.

 

Winter/Spring Programs: All programs are offered one time per week, for 45 minutes at Trinitas 

Children’s Therapy Services, 899 Mountain Avenue, Suite 1A, Springfield, NJ 07081

These programs and/or group therapy sessions are a great alternative to individual therapy. They give children the opportunity to address key developmental areas in structured but busier environments that are more reflective of typical real-life home and school situations. Classes are grouped by skill and age level.

 

Scribbles to Script

Children from preschool (prewriting) through elementary school (cursive) have the opportunity to use the Handwriting Without Tears program to learn pre-writing skills, proper letter formation, and writing within the given lines. Multi-sensory fine motor, visual-motor, and visual-perceptual activities help to reinforce learning and make writing fun! 45-minute classes held once weekly.

 

Sports 1 Step at a Time

Children between the ages of 4 & 12 will have the opportunity to work with a PT to refine their skill set for several sports, including soccer, basketball, and kickball, in a non-competitive group setting. 45-minute sessions held once weekly.

 

Social Butterflies

Children between the ages of 4 & 12 have the opportunity to become social butterflies by engaging in fun non-challenging therapeutic activities overseen by a speech & language pathologist. Skills taught include turn-taking, topic maintenance, appropriate question asking, following non-verbal cues, and using manners. 45-minute sessions held once weekly.

 

Typing Whizkids

Children from 1st grade through middle school will participate in functional tasks that will allow them to learn efficient keyboarding/typing skills. From key location and finger placement, to speed and accuracy children will learn this valuable skill the correct way while working with an OT. 45-minute sessions held once weekly.

To register for any programs or for more information, please contact Kevin Nelson at knelson@trinitas.org, (973) 218-6394, ext. 1300, or fax (973) 218-6351. To learn more, visit www.childtherapynj.com

This page is sponsored by

Elizabethtown Healthcare Foundation

Inspired to Care, Inspired to Give

 

Singing the praises of America’s favorite sandwich.

By Caleb MacLean

The combination of inexpensive meat and cheese, topped with greens and oil and vinegar, wrapped in a long, crusty roll dates back to the 1800s in Italy, where it was a traditional sandwich. As Italian-Americans opened grocery stores and sandwich stands in northeastern cities in the early 1900s, their signature creation grew in popularity and complexity.

Who “invented” the hero? The city of Portland, Maine claims this honor, insisting that the very first one was served up by Giovanni Amato, who ran a restaurant that’s still in business more than a century later. The more likely story is that versions of this sandwich existed throughout New England in the early part of the 20th century. During World War I, a sandwich shop in Boston was selling hero sandwiches by the hundreds to sailors at a nearby naval installation. This is where the nickname “sub” supposedly originated.

But wait. Our very own city of Paterson says that’s wrong. No evidence of the actual term found its way into print until the 1920s, when a group of enterprising boys managed to raise the hull of a sunken submarine from the Passaic River and donated it to the Paterson Museum. After visiting the museum, Dominic Conti, who sold hero sandwiches from his grocery store on Mill Street, rechristened his lunchtime offering the submarine sandwich. New Jersey has another important connection to the sub: the first Blimpie store opened in Hoboken in the 1960s.

Still another origin story for the sub involves Benedetto Capaldo, a shop-keeper in New London, who sold tasty “grinders” to his Connecticut customers. When the nearby naval base began constructing submarines in the late-1930s, daily sandwich deliveries numbered in the hundreds. Naturally, they became known as submarine sandwiches, too.

The term “grinder” has a dockyard history, as well. In New England, the Italian-American workers who sanded rusty hulls were called “grinders.” Their go-to sandwich took on the same name—although some claim that the sandwich got its nickname because of how difficult it was to chew through. Until recently, there actually was an acknowledged difference between subs and grinders: subs were always cold and grinders were usually hot. So back in the day, a meatball sub would have been a meatball grinder.

What bout the hoagie? Italian-American workers at Philadelphia’s Hog Island shipyard supposedly shortened “Hog Island” to “hoagie.” But Hog Island closed down long before the nickname came into common use, so the story everyone in Philly knows is just that: a story. A better explanation is that the name started in a sandwich joint run by Al de Palma, a former jazz musician. He opened a sub shop in the City of Brotherly Love during the Depression and called his extra-large sandwiches “hoggies” (big enough to feed a hog). He eventually opened several stores around the city and, thanks to that Philly accent, hoggie became hoagie.

As for the name “hero,” it became popular in the New York/New Jersey area in the late 1930s. The theory that it is derived from the Greek gyro sandwich doesn’t quite work—gyros didn’t become popular in New York until the 1960s. In 1936, a food columnist for the New York Herald Tribune described an Italian sandwich so huge you had to be a “hero to eat it.” The paper had a circulation of 300,000 at the time, so thousands of readers began calling the sandwich by its new name. Cops, bank guards and armored car crews popularized the term by the end of the decade.

Did You Know?

During the many decades when the hero sandwich was a staple of the working man’s lunchbox, one of its key construction details was the placement of the cheese. The first and last layer was almost always made of cheese slices. They prevented oil, vinegar and other condiments from migrating into the bread.

Did You Know?

Other names for the iconic sandwich include torpedo, wedge, Dagwood, zep and bomber. In New Orleans the “poor boy” (pronounced po’boy) resembles the traditional sub, but was originally constructed to mimic the courses of a meal.

In the trenches with New Jersey’s heroic food producers.

By Andy Clurfeld

Morning has broken, and I’m rough-chopping Terhune’s Winesaps, an apple that’s a little more tart than sweet, and tossing the cubes into a small stovetop pot moistened by melted Valley Shepherd butter. I add a couple of cups of Morganics oats, a dash of cinnamon, and stir, coating the oats and apples with the spice and butter. A minute later, I add water to cover, pump up the heat till the liquid bubbles, then turn down the flame and cook my oatmeal, stirring now and again, for a handful of minutes until the oats and apples are soft. Should I add a splash of maple syrup from Sweet Sourland Farms? Honey? Why not a tad bit of both? I lower the heat under my pot of oatmeal to the barest of simmers and grab myself a bowl and a spoon.

The skies are cloudy and the air outside damp, but my morning is about to take a turn for pure bright: Morganics Family Farm oatmeal is the ideal breakfast, the jump-starter of any day at all, be it crammed and tense or lazy with time for dreaming. Scott and Alison Morgan’s farm in Hillsborough is where the couple oversee operations that result in the freshest possible grains—grains grown in sustainable, eco-responsible fashion. When you eat fresh, sun-dried grains, “your body will reap the benefits,” the Morgans say I agree. My breakfast of oatmeal made with Morganics oats, Valley Shepherd butter from the creamery in Long Valley, apples from Terhune Farms in Mercer County, honey from Top of the Mountain in Wantage, and maple syrup from Sweet Sourland in Hopewell, revs up my mind, body and heart. I am inspired, fueled and gratified to be eating an all-star New Jersey meal.

It’s what I most love to do. Once upon a not-so-long-time-ago, it was much harder to do. But today there are myriad and many farmers and food artisans who are the Garden State’s true unsung heroes, people who are plying the various soils and waters of a peninsula packed with some 8.9 million people and offering an array of foods that have not traveled thousands of miles over the course of weeks before transfer to supermarket shelves. These heroes increasingly farm and produce fresh foods year-round, employing new techniques and technologies to serve forth a bounty with an impeccable pedigree: New Jersey, the Garden State. Jersey-born, Jersey-bred, Jersey-proud.

River Bend Farm/Gladstone Valley Pasture Poultry • Far Hills

Dakota and Duke are loving life. They’re doing their job, these 4-year-old guardians of livestock bred in the Italian Alps and best known by their breed name, Maremma. Huge, hairy and armed with a ferocious bark, the dogs seem to be everywhere they need to be in order to protect Corné Vogelaar’s chickens from harm that may come by air or land. “Right now, they’re guarding the layers,” Corné says. “They guard against the aerial predators and they guard against the fox and the coyotes. It’s all instinct. They are not vicious; their weapon is their alertness and their bark.”

They work where the girls are, the egg-layers, the turkeys, the broilers—those Cornish crosses that are the pasture-raised chickens sold under the Gladstone Valley Pasture Poultry label. A sibling enterprise to River Bend Farm, headquartered in Far Hills, Gladstone Valley chickens are the American equivalent to the Bresse chicken in France, the anointed “queen of poultry, poultry of kings.”

“They’re out on grass and rotated on fresh grass daily,” Corné says, describing the efficiency of the “chicken tractor,” which pulls the chickens’ homey coop to new servings of the good stuff. Dakota and Duke appear to smile as Corné gives them each a good rubbing behind the ears. Then it’s Corné’s turn to smile. He’s been loving life at River Bend Farm since 1996, shortly after he graduated Rutgers with a degree in animal science. Born and raised in Holland, he came with his family to the United States in 1988. Farming was his goal. He spent his first 10 years at River Bend, then all-cattle and all-Angus, improving the species.

“I really love the genetics and the breeding of better cattle,” Corné notes. Slowly, he “started harvesting beef and marketing it. The meat business is now our main business, and we also supply breeding stock to other farmers.” In more recent years, he’s added Berkshire pigs (“the Angus of pork”) and a few Mangalistas as well to his stock. There’s lamb and there are the chickens and there are eggs.

Corné sells to an A-List of restaurants, including the Ryland Inn, Pluckemin Inn and the Harvest Group eateries. “We are fortunate to work with excellent chefs who know how to work nose-to-tail and use everything,” he says. But home cooks also are in the River Bend/Gladstone mix: Along with a self-service egg cart, Corné keeps an on-farm store open for retail sales of frozen beef, chicken, pork and lamb on Friday afternoons and Saturday mornings. He sells at the in-season Bedminster Farmers’ Market.

As manager of the privately owned farm, Corné tends to the needs of a sizable span of animals. But he doesn’t do it alone. There are a couple additional full-time employees; his two oldest sons also work on day-to-day operations. Corné and his wife, Dawn, have eight children, six boys and two girls ranging in age from a baby born this past January to a 21-year-old whose welding skills are useful on the farm. Corné invites me into one of the cattle pastures. “Come meet Clover,” he says. “She’s more of a pet.” He maneuvers the sweet bovine in my direction and nods when I pet her. I’m loving life, too.

Hillcrest Orchard & Dairy/ Jersey Girl Cheese • Branchville

Sal Pisani is scooping ricotta into baskets set atop trays, allowing the fresh, warm cheese to drain, and talking in Italian to Raffaelle “Ralph” Saporito, who is both balling up and braiding batches of mozzarella. Sal and Ralph talk cheese in Italian almost every day, a language that bridges the near-35-year difference in their ages. Ralph was born in Raritan; at age 3, his family returned to Naples, Italy. A revered cheesemaker in Italy, he returned to the United States to teach Sal the art and craft of making classic Italian cheeses. “I’m an apprentice,” says Sal, 27, “and Ralph is my teacher.”

Professor in a doctoral program is more like it. Sal Pisani grew up under the tutelage of his father Rocco, who was born and reared in Calabria, Italy, but moved to the U.S. at 21, settling in Morris County. There, on threeacres, the Pisani family created their own Little Italy. “My father brought with him the traditions he picked up from his mother,” Sal says. “Dad would make cheese, cure meats. Every September, we’d make tomato sauce. It was all about food, when I was growing up, homesteading, not selling what we made.” There was a vegetable garden, animals – “chickens, goats, a horse, sheep, a peacock and an alpaca, but never more than 15 animals”—and the constant rhythm of time at the table with family and friends.

Sal graduated Monmouth University in 2014 and returned home. Cheesemaking was his passion; it drew him in as a career when he learned of a buffalo farm in need of someone to make the herd’s milk into cheese. After that ended, Sal found a new home at Hillcrest, an apple orchard and dairy in Branchville, Sussex County, owned and operated by farmer Jimmy Cuneo. His prize Jersey cows, which yield creamy, high-fat, high-protein, high-quality milk ideal for making Sal’s favorite cheeses, were waiting for the right partner. “Dairyfarms are closing every day, it seems,” Sal says. To keep going, “Jimmy had decided to outfit and expand to accommodate cheesemaking and retail. We made the jump with him. Ralph decided to come and work with us. It was the best luck to find this opportunity.”

The best luck for consumers, too. Sal’s Jersey Girl cheese line currently includes fresh mozzarella, fresh ricotta, scamorza (a dry, aged mozzarella), primo sale (a fresh basket cheese), cacciocavalo (a sharp-tasting aged cheese) and burrata, and is sold at farmers’ markets in Sparta, Morristown and Holmdel, as well as Saturdays and Sundays from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. at the farm’s own store in Branchville.

Back in the cheesemaking room, Ralph Saporito finishes braiding mozzarella and his protege scoops a spoonful of the still-warm ricotta from a basket. Clouds to heaven—that’s what pops into my mind as I taste. Sal smiles. I sample the mozzarella, the scamorza, the cacciocavalo and know I have never, ever tasted better examples of these beloved cheeses. Italy is no longer an ocean away.

Rolling Hills Farm • Delaware Township

Opening bells at New Jersey’s farmers’ markets don’t always ring in the kind of bounty stalwart shoppers crave. May and June aren’t July, August and September, after all. Not so if you come upon the stalls of Rolling Hills Farm. Fresh from the farm in Delaware Township, Hunterdon County, May and June see bushels and baskets of cucumbers, beets, new potatoes, summer squash, snap peas, salad mixes, arugula, carrots, head lettuces, scallions, Swiss chard, broccoli, cauliflower…okay, time to catch your breath. You might lose it again when you see, up close and in person, the heart-of-spring produce grown by Stephanie Spock and John Squicciarino on a scant 1½ acres.

“Thanks to reading the works of Eliot Coleman,” John says, referring to the New Jersey-born revolutionary farmer whose Four Season Farm on Cape Rosier, Maine, does exactly what its name promises, “we farm year-round [using] high tunnels that let us have produce in May.”

“Our customers go insane over our carrots—they’re the sweetest carrots!” adds Stephanie. They grow in theground, in high tunnels, or hoop houses—plastic-covered structures that allow a plant’s roots to take in the nutrients of good soil, all the while being protected from storms and other excesses of the elements. Not that the couple wish to defy seasonality.

“No tomatoes in May,” both say, as John adds: “We recognize the seasons.”

On land leased from members of the Hamill family, of Cherry Grove Farm in Lawrence Township, Stephanie and John grow produce following organic practices and sell at the summertime Asbury Fresh Market as well as at farmers’ markets in Wrightstown and Yardley, PA. Their attraction to farming began while they worked on Brick Farm Tavern’s Double Brook Farm in Hopewell, which has become something of a breeding ground for young farmers as well as chefs learning the lessons of the seasons.

“We were 26 when we started here, in 2014,” John says. “It was stressful in the beginning,” Stephanie adds.

But they were determined. In the depths of winter, Oliver Gubenko’s Harvest Drop, which delivers produce and products from area farms to restaurants and small retail outlets, brings Rolling Hills’ fresh greens for salads and more to chefs. “It’s more work for us, but it’s worth it,” says John. The couple’s year-round, smart-farming practices evens out the workload. Rather than getting burned out by summertime work weeks of 80 to 90 hours, they put in 20 to 25 hours a week in the typically fallow cold-weather months by growing those greens and gearing up for the earlier start that results in bumper crops in May. Summer, as a result, makes for more manageable 50-hour work weeks.

“We do things in winter to make for a bounty in May and June,” John says. Meanwhile, Stephanie is studying nutrition with the goal of having a practice that engages the farm. “It all ties in,” Stephanie says. “What we grow, how we eat, how we feel.”

Chickadee Creek Farm • Pennington

Jess Niederer is standing in a propagation greenhouse on Chickadee Creek Farm, her 25-acre year-round farm in Pennington. Jess looks up, smiles and says, “I got married here, right here, on the Winter Solstice, Dec. 21, 2018.” At 76 feet by 30 feet and cloaked in light, it’s not only a lovely place for a wedding but, in Jess’s words, “the proper size for the planned growth on our farm.”

Jess’s new husband is Kevin Riley, a nurse who works at a federal clinic in Trenton; Kevin’s new wife is a veritable rock star farmer, New Jersey’s answer to Eliot Coleman of Four Season Farm in Maine, and a presence at farmers’ markets both seasonal and year-round in towns all over the state: Princeton, Denville, WestWindsor, Morristown, Rutgers Garden, Hoboken, Summit, Metuchen. Full disclosure: I don’t know how to have dinner at home any more, be it a party or an any-old-night meal, without Chickadee Creek produce at hand. Wherever Jess Niederer sells, I’ll travel to buy. So I’m listening to Jess talk in a near-empty propagation greenhouse and longing to see where the harvested produce that I know is going to the next day’s market is kept. I’m going to buy some to photograph, up close and personal, for this story. And then eat.

Jess grew up in a farming family (fourth-generation, she is), went to Cornell, where she studied ecology and conservation biology, spent a couple of years working at nearby Honey Brook Farm, and is as conversant in the business of farming as she is about how to grow, harvest and market the 56 different crops she grows at Chickadee Creek.

To work it all by the numbers: The Niederer family farm is about 80 acres, 40 of which are tillable and 25 of which—Chickadee Creek—Jess leases from her father. She employs nine people full-time, year-round, and is “trying to get every single one of them up to the $15-an-hour benchmark” well before state requirements kick in. Now in her 10th year running Chickadee Creek, she is 35 years old, has approximately 500 members in her CSA (Community Supported Agriculture) program. When we walk into one of her high tunnels, where gorgeous arugula is grown in the ground all winter, she’s quick to note a $14,000 tractor can work the soil of this 196-foot-by-30-foot structure. The number most on Jess Niederer’s mind, however, is $1 million—that’s the amount Jess needs to buy her farmland from her father. “It would be about $4 million if it wasn’t in the state preserved farmland program,” she says. That would not come with a house—just the land that Jess works to feed the thousands of people in New Jersey who love eating Chickadee produce.

Jess’s business model is based on year-round production, which is good for customers and also good for her staff. If you stop growing, harvesting and selling in the cold months, Jess explains, you effectively lay off your staff. “You can’t keep good people that way,” Jess says. By doing regular net-profit analyses, she is able to determine what’s working (new crops, such as ginger and sweet corn), what needs to be “kicked off” (cauliflower just wasn’t selling), and what’s most profitable (salad greens, head lettuces, flowers, tomatoes, cut greens). She’s keen on farmers’ markets: “They’re time-intensive, but the dollar value is the best.” She doesn’t work with restaurants much. She’s devoted to her CSA members. She keeps the just-harvested produce in temperature-controlled containers until that produce is taken to market.

Ah-ha! On that day, I buy several head lettuces, creamy white Japanese turnips, carrots colored purple, yellow and orange. Two days later, I buy more Chickadee produce at the West Windsor Winter Market. Obsessed? Guilty as charged, and proud of it.

Mishti Chocolates

What happens when chocolate meets ginger? Or lavender? Or toffee? How about sea salt, pineapple, chile or orange? What if you learn that these chocolate partnerships, as well as the straight-up chocolates, are vegan, organic, non-GMO, soy-free and gluten-free? When the chocolates are by Mishti, it’s about “bringing a smile to every face, one chocolate at a time.” Which is the slogan chocolatier Arpita Kohli wrote when she first started making the coveted chocolates. Because what’s not in Arpita’s chocolates just might be what makes them irresistibly delicious.

The Scotch Plains resident started making chocolates professionally when she and husband Puneet Girdhar realized their then-baby daughter Mishti had a variety of allergies, including dairy. “We have a healthy household,” says Arpita, a skilled home cook who had been making chocolates since she was a child. “So I started making vegan chocolates.” And it worked. Little Mishti, now 4½, could enjoy chocolates like her mom and dad. Arpita, creative by nature with a career in textiles, kept experimenting and perfecting the chocolate line she named Mishti. She uses 100 percent chocolate; her milk chocolate is made with almond milk and her sourcing meticulous. Her elegant packaging reflects the fundamental simplicity of her recipes and products.

“I don’t want to take all the credit; both my grandmother and mother and all my aunts are excellent cooks. I grew up around great food and wonderful flavors,” Arpita says.

Life’s been busy for the chocolatier. She started the business in 2017 and, in April 2018, gave birth to a second daughter, Seher. “Puneet is my true partner,” she says, praising his support and help in marketing. Indeed, Puneet, Mishti and now Seher are popular regulars at many farmers’ markets, including those in West Windsor, Ramsey and Red Bank, and the chocolates are sold in specialty markets such as Basil Bandwagon in Flemington and Clinton and Dean’s in Basking Ridge and Chester.

 

For Your Little Black Book

Morganics Family Farm 

morganicsfamilyfarm.com

 

River Bend Farm

25 Branch Road, Far Hills • 908-234-1377 

RBFAngus.com • GladstoneValley.com

 

Hillcrest Farm/Jersey Girl Cheese

 2 Davis Road, Branchville • 973-703-5148 

HillcrestFarmNJ.com

 

Rolling Hills Farm

133 Seabrook Road, Delaware Twp. • 609-731-9175

 rollinghillsfarm.org

 

Chickadee Creek Farm

Titus Mill Road, Pennington

 chickadeecreekfarm.com

 

Mishti Chocolates 

206-569-5269 

mishti-chocolates.com