The Daily Item from Lynn, Massachusetts • Z14

B2 THE DAILY ITEM WEDNESDAY, JULY 29, 2009 CLOSE TO HOME STORE SLICED U.S.D.A. CHOICE SIRLOIN TIP SANDWICH STEAK GRADE A FRESH FAM. PACK CHICKEN LEG QUARTERS COUNTRY STYLE PORK RIBS U.S.D.A. SELECT SIRLOIN STRIP STEAK 1.79LB 6.79LB 65 Boston Street, Lynn 593-2997 SALE DATES: WED. SAT.

VISA, MASTERCARD, EBT CARDS FOOD STAMPS 1.09 LB Freshness! Value! Service! BONE IN 7:30 7:00 7:00 6:00 WE ACCEPT VISA, MASTERCARD, DISCOVER E.B.T. CARDS GRADE-A-FRESH FAM. PACK CHICKEN DRUMSTICKS 5.59LB 3.99LB4.29LB STELLA PROVOLONE CHEESE TRIPLE RARE ROAST BEEF 2 LBS FOR 1.00 BANANAS SPINACHPEACHES, PLUMS, NECTARINES LB 2 10 OZ. BAGS 1.00 FRESHLY SLICED Still, lots of kids and parents hate the fact that summer assignments hanging over their as Sara Bennett put it. should be a time to have a real break.

Most schools assign four or five books, so the kids never get to develop their own reading said Ben- nett, who blogs at StopHome- work.com and is the co-author of Case Against Home- She noted that summer read- ing is also something pretty heavy. It's never that happy fluff reading I'd take on a Maggie Schiff Gieseke, a mom from Cincinnati, says her oldest daughter, a rising high school senior, is supposed to read ''The Oedipus and Farewell to among other things. Her younger girl, who'll be a freshman, must read Hob- and House on Mango by Sandra Cisneros. But the thing I have actually seen them reading this summer is People said Gieseke, joking that she hopes for change in the fall curriculum which focuses more on Jon and Kate, Michael Jackson and celebrity fashions. My kids could ace that Drew McLellan's daughter Kelsey is plowing through sum- mer reading for an AP English class she'll be taking this fall at Valley High School in West Des Moines, Iowa.

She'll have to turn in a paper when school starts on a book called to Read Literature Like a Profes- and on Stephen King's memoir, Her other assignments include readings for an online discus- sion group and annotating books from a list with choices like and Bookseller of understand what the teach- ers are trying to do trying to keep their heads in the McLellan said. if it's sum- mer break, it should be sum- mer Ruth Radetsky, who teaches math and statistics at Balboa High School in San Francisco, says most AP teachers give summer homework, but she doesn't. my school, in my subject, summer homework is either make-work or it puts stu- dents who join the class in the fall at a she said. Some parents approve of summer work. always gave my children reading, writing and math to said Claudia Krefetz in New York City.

and learning skills require practice, and 10-plus weeks of vacation is too long a break Kim's research shows kids who read four or five books in the summer don't experience the drop in scores that typi- cally takes place between spring and fall. But he noted that what kids read, at least in elementary school, mat- ters. They have to be motivated to do the reading, which means giving them some choice of material based on their interests. But he said they also have to be guided, so that what they pick is neither too hard nor too easy. Other- wise they won't maintain and build their literacy skills.

Kim added that most research on summer learning losses has involved elemen- tary school students, not high school, so whether summer homework benefits teenagers is not known. But he offered some addi- tional food for thought: Stud- ies show leisure reading over- all is down in the U.S., and there's evidence the cy with which you read pre- dicts your literacy Literacy levels are also ly correlated with the kind of job you have and how much money you he said. So if you're having trouble getting your 16-year-old to fin- ish of the or Flew Over the Cuckoo's tell them that someday, how well they read might determine a lot more than how they fare in AP English. PARENTING FROM PAGE B1 In other berry news, I thought the pomegranate was going to be the new raspberry since you can now find pome- granate in everything from martinis to cranberry juice to chicken dishes. And I was excited about this because I happen to like pomegranates and not a huge fan of rasp- berries, in fact they are my least favorite berry, although never actually had a logan- berry or a whortleberry or even a ligonberry.

Nonetheless, I thought I was finally rid of all things raspberry but no. It appears that the yellow raspberry is quickly becoming a hot commodity. a poser for you, if lemon-fla- vored slushies are yellow and raspberry flavored are blue (I can only surmise because they were out of colors) then what color would a yellow raspberry slushie be: green? Apparently, yellow raspber- ries are no more difficult to grow than red or black, but are deemed a specialty item because only a handful of growers are producing them. They came to light for me because my muse said he had some over the weekend. Did he bring me any? That would be a no.

I have heard, however, that they are sweeter and a little less raspberrier than the red ones, so maybe I might like them. I think my colleagues Jill or Robin will be trying them anytime soon though. They equated the appearance of the golden droplets with bug larvae and said yellow made them think sour. If you can close your eyes and take the plunge you might find a surprising treat that, like blueberries, are ridicu- lously good for you. I will give them a go just so I can say I tried them.

But if they are anything like their red cousins returning to my pomegranate and blueber- ries and never looking back. Yellow Raspberry Crisp from the oven, they are hidden, like drunken dumplings hissing under a crust of rosemary- spiked that sound fantastic I wish I had written it but I this recipe comes from Well Seasoned Raspberry Spiced Syrup 3 heaping cups raspberries (any color will do nicely) cup sugar cup dry white vermouth cup water 2 Tbsp. fresh ginger, peeled and minced 2 tsp. mild black peppercorns cracked Rinse and lightly dry the berries. Set aside.

In a large saucepan over medium-low heat, combine all other ingredients, bringing them just to a boil. Simmer, stir- ring occasionally, until mixture reduces and thickens to a light syrup. Remove from heat and allow to cool before gently adding the berries. Set aside. For Rosemary Crisp Topping cup flour cup light or dark brown sugar cup old-fashioned oats (not quick cooking) 4 Tbsp.

cold butter 2 Tbsp. chopped fresh rosemary leaves In a medium bowl, combine all ingredients with your fingertips, working mixture until resembles crumbs. Now, preheat oven to 375-degrees. Divide the berries in syrup among 4 ramekins or individual baking dishes, about a half cup each. Next divide the crisp mixture evenly over the berries.

Arrange ramekins on a baking sheet and place on middle rack of oven. Bake for 35-40 minutes or until the topping is browned and the berry syrup is bubbling over the sides of the ramekins. Remove ramekins to a rack to cool for at least 10 minutes; they will be very hot. Best served while still warm with a dollop of fresh whipped cream or vanilla ice cream. Pan Seared Duck Breasts with Blueberry Ketchup This is from the U.S.

Highbust Blueberry Council and sounds intriguing to me and sure it would be just as good with chick- en thighs as with duck breasts (both dark meat) 1 cups fresh blueberries cup chopped shallots cup honey cup sugar Tsp. Lime zest teaspoon tsp. Orange zest teaspoon Star anise tsp. cinnamon 8 (6 oz.) boneless duck breasts (or chicken thighs, skin on) tsp. salt ground black pepper For ketchup In a blender or food processor, place blueberries, cup water, shallots, honey, sugar, lime and orange zests, star anise, and cinnamon; blend until smooth then set aside.

With a sharp knife, score duck breast skin, being careful not to cut into the flesh and season with salt and pepper. Heat a pan over medium-high heat; place duck breasts in pan skin- side down and cook until most of the fat has rendered, and skin is golden brown, about 7 minutes. Turn and sear other side until brown, 2 to 3 minutes. It will be less time if you use chicken breasts. In the meantime, preheat broiler, spread 1 tablespoon blueberry ketchup on the skin side of each duck breast and broil them until the glaze bubbles.

Cover loosely with tinfoil and let rest for about 5 minutes. Slice the meat on the diagonal and serve with the rest of the ketchup on the side. Blueberry Betty I know who Betty is but I like her blueberries. cup blueberry preserves (your favorite) 3 cups fresh blueberries 5 slices white bread torn into pieces 2 Tbsp. butter 3 Tbsp.

sliced almonds 3 Tbsp. maple syrup In an 8-inch square pan, microwav- able dish stir blueberry preserves with two tablespoons of water and microwave on high for about 30 seconds or until the preserves melt. Mix in blueberries and microwave 1-2 minutes, until blueberries are hot but not burst- ing. Set aside. Whirl bread pieces in a food processor until coarsely crumbled and set that aside.

In a large non-stick skillet, melt butter over medium high heat. Add breadcrumbs and almonds and cook, stirring frequently until gold- en brown, 4-5 minutes. Stir in maple syrup and cook until mix- ture begins to thicken, about 1 minute. Remove from heat. Top blueberry mixture with crumb mix- ture and serve immediately with a scoop of lemon sorbet or sherbet.

SIDE DISH FROM PAGE A1 Julia legacy, beyond tools and techniques BY HOLLY RAME ASSOCIATED PRESS CONCORD, N.H. From the time- saving tools and French techniques she loved to a famously dropped din- ner, Julia Child left a lasting impres- sion on a generation of cooks. In the forthcoming biographical movie, Meryl Streep channels first celebrity chef. As the movie opens, chefs and food magazine editors remember the real vast contributions to American home cooking a scholarly yet accessible approach to recipes, an enthusiasm for efficiency and above all, a spirited sense of fun. At the most basic level, Child intro- duced home cooks to their stoves, knives, pots and pans, said chef Jacques Pepin, longtime friend and collaborator.

in a country where we have to cook very, very fast with the microwave or very, very slow with Crock Pot cooking. Then you have the regular stove lost in the mid- he said. He said he most remembers great love for life and the great pleas- ure she took in cooking as well as eat- ing. often see people cook and never taste. For her, it was cook, taste, cook, taste, cook, taste.

With a little sip of wine on the he said. Chef Alice Waters of Chez Panisse said Child emphasized that cooking was important but need not be seri- ous business. think of her sense of humor, her joie de vivre about cooking and really about her interest in gastronomy her academic insistence on writing the recipe said Waters. was curiosity and exploration and learn- ing all folded together to make food an art. what she And she gave novices the confi- dence to try, added Art Smith, former personal chef to Oprah Winfrey.

He made a whole meal out of blanched asparagus for his first girlfriend after watching Child on TV. Child was not only an amaz- ing cook but taught America that it could learn to said Smith. spirit continues to this day, and this why we have great cooking Tina Ujlaki, executive food editor at Food Wine magazine, said she often thinks of Child when she has kitchen mishaps. think, would Julia I just do what she would do: Keep on she said. was a real- ly big part of the Julia liberation.

Not only did she teach the techniques she said, OK. Relax. It have to be That said, there are certain process- es or gadgets that Ujlaki associates with Child. cut up a chicken without thinking of her and how lov- ingly she would cut it she said. And Child did not shy away from modern appliances or tools if they made cooking easier, she said.

She put her blender to work on a variety of classic soups and once told Ujlaki that she even used a stand mixer to make mashed potatoes for a crowd instead of the food mill she favored for small- er amounts. probably used more gadgets than they used in typical French she said. was always very quick to embrace anything that made sense, but I think she had silly gadgets or gizmos. She like Her kitchen tools reflected her utter lack of pretense, said John Willough- by, executive editor of Gourmet mag- azine. something worked well, for example, she really care less if it was traditional or not; efficiency in the kitchen was always to be he said.

The food processor is a perfect example, he said. it was first introduced, I remember thinking that I probably should just ignore it, since chopping things by machine rather than by hand possibly be right. Then Julia endorsed it, and like hundreds of thousands of other American cooks, that convinced me to give it a try. Think of the millions of hours of chopping that she has saved by her openness to new Child had a sure, unpretentious con- fidence in knowing who she was and what she loved, said Christopher Kimball, publisher of Illus- trated magazine. hopping around like so many food magazines doing the hot, latest he said, recalling how he joined Child to watch the 2000 election returns on a small TV in an alcove off her kitchen.

was just about the food and the he said. all about the whisk for Lucinda Scala Quinn, editorial director of food at Martha Stewart Living Omni- media. Quinn cooked her way through the Art of French as a teenager, discovering the many uses for whipped egg whites and cream, from meringue to Swiss buttercream to butter. alchemy of it all and the mag- ical transformational possibilities of that one tool, the whisk, has never ceased to amaze she said. Tanya Steel became a fan of at an even younger age, after declar- ing at age 8 that she would not spend the rest of her life eating her moth- awful cooking.

literally learned every single thing from Julia said Steel, editor-in-chief of epicurious.com, the online home for Gourmet and Bon Appetit magazines. Like others, Steel cites abili- ty to make cooking accessible and fun as her chief contribution to the culi- nary world. But in terms of tech- nique, she counts roasting as the one that has meant the most to her over the years. passed the technique on to her own children, who tackled their first roast in honor of Day earlier this year. one technique that became my infallible, go-to technique is roasting because the most basic thing turns out the most delicious she said.

roasted a chicken about 10 dif- ferent times based on watching her on the Chef until I felt like I had gotten it Eve Felder, associate dean for culi- nary arts at the Culinary Institute of America, said legacy lies in taking the mystique out of fine cook- ing techniques that up until her time were not available to home cooks. tell you the number of friends I have who self-taught them- selves by going through her she said. Felder, a former chef at Chez Panisse, remembers feeling in awe as Child toured the kitchen. just had such a spirit. Not only her physical size, but her emotional size, and the fact that she just embraced This Aug.

13, 1992 file photo shows chef and author Julia Child show- ing off tomatoes in the kitchen at her home in Cambridge, Mass. More so than the tools and techniques she popularized, Child's most last- ing legacy may be her spirit and sense of humor. That was the con- clusion of several chefs and food magazine editors asked to describe Child's memorable contributions to American home cooking as a new movie about her life is about to open..