Photo Detective Coming to Town

Exeter, NH…Do you have old photographs hidden in your attic? Are you interested in learning more about the lives of the subjects in the photos and how to preserve these genealogical treasures? Maureen Taylor, “The Photo Detective” will be at the Folsom Tavern in Exeter on Saturday, November 14 at 1 p.m. for a lecture to benefit the American Independence Museum.

Ms. Taylor, called “the nation’s foremost historical photo detective” by the Wall Street Journal, will be speaking about her techniques for photo interpretation and care. She has authored several books, numerous magazine articles, and appeared on many national television shows such as “Today”, “Good Morning America”, “The View” and “Martha Stewart”. Taylor was featured in The History Channel’s series “The Photo Detective”.

After learning that she was working on a book about the American Revolution, the American Independence Museum invited Ms. Taylor to come to Exeter for a lecture. Her latest book The Last Muster: Images of the Revolutionary War Generation, will be published by Kent State University Press in the Spring. Attendees of the lecture will be able to order the book at a pre-publication price.

Admission to the lecture is $10 per person, but a limited number of fifteen-minute personal consultation spots will be available following the event. The fee for the lecture and consultation is $25 and pre-paid registrations are necessary. For more information, to sign up online or to register call 603-772-2622 or visit http://www.independencemuseum.org/. To learn more about Maureen Taylor, visit www.photodetective.com.

The Folsom Tavern is located at 164 Water Street in Exeter, New Hampshire and is part of the American Independence Museum, a nonprofit with a mission to connect America’s Revolutionary past to the present.

Candy For Costumes This Weekend

Candy for Costumes.
That’s what Activities Director Debby Eastman is calling the costume collection extravaganza planned for Oceanside Center nursing home on Lafayette Road in Hampton on Sunday Oct. 18.
Eastman, who has worked with the elderly in nursing homes for 30 years, said Oceanside residents will collect used Halloween costumes for the Seacoast Family Food Pantry in Portsmo uth.
“I am really excited about this and so are the residents of our home,” said Eastman. The residents will be on hand to collect the costumes, she said.
“We are hoping that the children will come with their parents to drop off their costumes,’ said Eastman. “Nursing home residents seldom get to see children, and they just love it when they visit. On top of that, they miss seeing children trick-or-treating so this should be great.”
Eastman said she hopes this early trick-or-treat event will be a great experience for everyone.
“We hope to get a lot of costumes for the (Portsmouth) Seacoast Family Food Pantry,’ she said. “It can be expensive to buy Halloween costumes, and we hope this will give a hand to parents who are financially challenged.”
The Candy for Costumes collection will take place from noon to 2 p.m. Parents are encouraged to bring their children. Nursing home residents will be on hand in the lobby to collect the costumes and give the kids a treat.
“I believe the Seacoast community is so generous and I am trusting this is going to be a great day,” said Eastman.
Oceanside Center, Skilled Nursing and Rehab, which is managed by Genesis, is the former Haven Health Center on Tuck Road.
For more information, call Eastman at 926-4551 Ext. 4314.

Eat Breakfast with the President

Guess Who’s Coming to Breakfast at the Folsom Tavern?
George Washington returns November 7

Exeter, NH…President George Washington visited Exeter on November 4, 1789, and had a light breakfast, known as a collation, at the Folsom Tavern. On Saturday, November 7, history will repeat itself as Mr. Washington returns to greet local families as they enjoy Mrs. Folsom’s flapjacks!

“This is such a fun event; it really appeals to families,” said Stephanie Rohwer, Programs and Visitor Services Coordinator at the American Independence Museum. “We’ll have two sessions on November 7, and children will be able to meet the President, have breakfast in the tavern, make a craft and then take a child-friendly tour of the Ladd-Gilman House.”

Sessions will be at 10 a.m., and 11:00 a.m.; each session, with the tour, will run approximately 90 minutes. Prepaid registrations are necessary as seating is limited and the cost is $10 for adults, $8 for children. Museum members are offered a $2 per person discount. To make reservations, call 603-772-2622, email education@independencemuseum.org or sign-up online from the museum’s Calendar page. Please note that online registrations are subject to confirmation and depend on availability.

The American Independence Museum, located at One Governors Lane in Exeter, New Hampshire, is a nonprofit organization with a mission to “Connect America’s Revolutionary Past with the Present.” For directions or more information on the museum and its programs, visit http://www.independencemuseum.org/.

AIM Celebrates Purple Heart Day, Honors Military

The American Independence Museum will be celebrating the Friday, August 7th anniversary of the Badge of Military Merit, also known as the “Purple Heart” by offering free tours to all active and retired military personnel.
General George Washington issued an order on August 7, 1782 to acknowledge the meritorious actions of enlisted men. The badge was to be “the figure of a heart in purple cloth or silk…to be worn on the left breast.” Three men were known to have received the honor at that time, but there is no surviving written record of others who were honored with the badge.
The museum will be displaying two Purple Hearts that are in their collection, along with other medals and military ephemera. One of the badges is made of faded purple cloth and was acquired by Society of the Cincinnati member William Willey from a barn in Deerfield, NH in the 1920s. The name of the recipient is not known. The World War II medal on display belonged to J. Phillip Webber and was donated by his widow, Mrs. Alice Webber.
All active and retired military personnel are invited to take a free tour of the Ladd-Gilman House and the Folsom Tavern on Friday, August 7 during the regular tour hours of 10 to 4pm. The last tours will begin at 3pm; admission is $5 for adults, $3 for students, and those under 6 years of age are free. A Purple Heart craft activity will be available for children, and everyone is invited to enjoy special refreshments.
The American Independence Museum is a not-for-profit organization in Exeter, New Hampshire with a mission to connect America’s Revolutionary past with the present through its tours, programs, and special events. For more information on the museum, to become a member or for directions, please visit http://www.independencemuseum.org/ or call 603-772-2622.

Local Music Show Starts on WXEX

I've heard that Dr. Andy Inzenga, the well-known music teacher at the Cooperative Middle School, is doing a new Saturday morning music and talk show on our very own WXEX, along with Peter Taylor.

The show called "Tayles and the Doctor" kicks off each week at 9 a.m. and includes tidbits and discussion on songs and songwriters from the Rock 'n Roll era as well as the Motown years of the 1960s and 70s.

If you don't happen to have your radio handy, you can now listen live on line at http://www.1540wxex.com/

My Neighbor's on the Radio

My neighbor Sharon O'Connor, of Atlantic Complementary Medical Solutions, will be on the radio in Concord tomorrow. She'll be on the show Your Health Matters on Concord Community Radio WKXL, with host Chris Lauer, of Catholic Medical Center. They'll talk a little about hypnosis for medical purposes, hypnotherapy and how it could help you.
In the Concord area, you can listen to WKXL 1450AM Monday, July 13 at 2:07PM The show will also be archived on line.

Now That The Sun's Arrived, Here's Some Grilling Tips from The Pros

By Lara Bricker
Special to the Union Leader
PORTSMOUTH__After a cold and rainy June, many people are ready to fire up their grills for some summer time grilling.
A number of those people opt for already marinated steak, chicken or turkey from one of the growing number of specialty food shops around the state. But just because that meat is already marinated and seasoned doesn’t mean that grilling it up is a no-brainer, according to Justin Rosberg, co-owner of The Meat House.
A common mistake backyard grillers make with pre-marinated meats is opening the package over the grill, which can cause a “flare up” and burn the meat, Rosberg said. Meat that has been marinated for grilling shouldn’t need extra marinade applied during grilling.
“You don’t need to do anything with it,” Rosberg said.
He suggests placing the steak or chicken into a bowl and then using tongs to transfer it to a grill.
Other things to consider with steak tips that may be very tender to start with is that the “feel test” is not an accurate method to determine doneness. Rosberg recommends using a thermometer to check the internal temperature of meat on the grill. Using a fork to turn meat is not a good idea because it can pierce the exterior, causing the juices to escape.
Rosberg and his business partner Jason Parent, who are both originally from southern Maine, opened their first Meat House location in Portsmouth in August of 2003. Since then, they have expanded to include 10 locations around the state, southern Maine and Massachusetts, where they specialize in top quality meats and overwhelming customer service. “We wanted to bring a fine dining experience into a retail atmosphere,” Rosberg explained.
Both men are avid grillers who cook on the grill year round, which has given them a depth of experience in how to grill well, and what to avoid when grilling.
Before cooking any red meat on the grill, you should let it sit at room temperature for about 10 minutes, said Parent. By allowing the meat to come up to room temperature it will need less time on the grill, Parent said, which means that it won’t become overcooked on the outside while waiting for the inside to come up to the desired temperature. Along the same lines, it is important to let red meat rest after cooking to allow the juices to settle back into the meat.
With chicken an important thing to remember is not to turn it more than twice during grilling, Parent said.
“Chicken can attach to the grill,” he said of overturning.
If you’re opting for a choice steak instead of marinated steak tips, Parent suggests it is important to start with a high quality piece of meat. Cuts of steak that lend themselves well to grilling include ribeyes, porterhouse or sirloins. Filets are not a good choice for the grill because they are too lean.
“You’re going to look for a level of marbling,” Parent said. “Marbling really separates the grading system of beef. Something with a higher level of marbling is going to give you more of that robust meaty flavor that you’re looking for.”
Another thing to consider when grilling beef is that a dry aged beef cooks differently than a non dry aged beef, according to Chris Carragher, the director of marketing for the Meat House.
“You want to cook it a shorter period of time than you with a wet aged meat,” Carragher said, adding that is due to the fact that dry aged beef has less moisture. “When you put it on, it’s going to cook that much faster because the moisture is actually evaporated from the steak already.”
Most importantly, according to both Parent and Rosberg, is to take time to enjoy the experience of grilling.
“We’re in New England, our window of opportunity to truly be outside and take advantage of the warm days and long nights with friends and family, it’s here now,” Rosberg said. “The year flies by so quickly.”
You can find recipes at www.themeathouse.com