DIRTY ASHTRAY FOUND ON TABLE OF STONE TURTLE

Chef Gregory Baumel overheard a customer talking about the then new non-smoking law at restaurants. The customer said something to the effect of "Well now you won't find a dirty ashtray on any of the tables". Baumel, suddenly coming up with a great idea, told the customer that he would make it happen and he did. It is a dessert in the mold of an ashtray made with Callebaut chocolate. Sitting underneath is vanilla ice cream and house made fudge. Cigars are made of meringue and other ditties are placed in and around this tasty dessert.



I recently went to his restaurant, Stone Turtle, located at 4160 Austin Blvd. in Island Park, New York for a cooking lesson. The restaurant atmosphere is comfy, rustic and "steakhouse" in decor with paintings on the walls. Forget about a cuisine as there really isn't one. Simply good food with Baumel´s creative talent.

Prior to the lesson I sampled some of the appetizers. Tuna Tartini, small chunks of sushi grade tuna tossed in Ponzu atop guacamole, served in a martini glass with housemade waffle chips. Surf-n-turf Spring roll of filet mignon, jumbo lump crab, and baby arugula, served with ponzu and pickled carrots. Spicy Thai Meatballs made with pignolis and cilantro...and other goodies, including the meat, of course.



One other dish that interested me was his Chipotle Apricot Roasted Half Chicken Over A Cheddar Maple Waffle. Soulfood dish with a twist. Chicken, almost boneless, sits atop baby bok choy aside the white and yellow cheddar malted maple waffle. Ummm…that´s tasty.



Now it's time to go into the kitchen and prepare his famous Paella Pot. First we talked about his knives that were made just for him. When it comes to preparation Baumel wants to make sure that he has just the right knife to do the work. It reminded me that I needed to sharpen the knives I have at home.

Paintings on the kitchen walls have significance to him. He touches one in particular each time he is about to cook.

The lesson began with items that were already prepped such as the rice pilaf and the proportioned amount of lobster, clams, shrimp, chicken, crab meat, andouille sausage house roasted peppers and olives.

Heat up the pan and add fresh chopped garlic to the blended oil. Mussels and clams are first sautéed as the shells open even further. When using shellfish such as this, you should always make sure that there is some opening. First place those particular ones in warm water to make sure that they begin to open. If not they are not safe to consume. As they open during the cooking process the juices are released.

After adding the main ingredients. Baumel showed me how to flip the contents in the pan versus just stirring. I was concerned that some of the contents would flip out…and yes, it some did. Does the 5-second food on the floor work? I don't think so.

White wine, stock and butter were then added. I asked him why butter was added. "For the weight gain", he chortled. Next came the rice pilaf, followed by some breadcrumbs that were mixed with olive oil and parmesan cheese. The pan was then put under the broiler for a short time just to crisp up the breadcrumb mixture.

The Paella looked so wonderful when plated. Serving it in a "pot" makes it all the more appetizing to the nose as the cover is removed. As for the taste buds, the various flavors of the protein, liquids, vegetables, and spices did wonders to make them dance for joy...or should I say, dance for Esther and Eunice

Did I tell you that Esther and Eunice, my two rubber chickens from the Rubber Chicken Forest at the Twisted Oak Winery in California….just in case you don´t know who they are…came along? Accept for viewing those pieces of chicken, they were fine.

You can view their adventures on www.estherandeuniceadventures.blogspot.com

Merle Exit

As a native New Yorker, my childhood days were spent living in a housing project in Queens. Life´s educational traumas began during the first month of second grade when I was kicked out and forced to enter third grade. Teacher: (surrounded by principal, mother and teacher next door) "You can go to third grade or if you stay in second grade, you can´t raise your hand anymore." I believed it had something to do with my IQ and reading skills. I chose third grade and stopped reading.
A few months later my family moved to a housing projects in the Bronx, where my third grade teacher immediately presented me with a white plastic instrument called a "flutophone", but no instructions except the ones that come with the toy. I figured it out for myself…as well as the recorder, the next year, and the piano, during the summer. With an opportunity to join the orchestra, I requested to play the clarinet. The teacher turned me down on this just because I´ve never played the instrument. I offered to then play the piano. When I told her that I had been playing it for two months (having gone through at least the first three books), she still denied my participation. Personally, I thought that the teacher had a mental or emotional problem, simply backed away and joined the glee club.
Vowing to complete my education ASAP, I skipped yet another grade and announced my career as a comedienne. My Junior High School education was filled with extra credits (whatever would get me out of class) and participation in the school play.
I attended the High School of Music and Art, but dropped out after two weeks (I was under the impression that I´d be playing the piano and singing all day) and opted for Christopher Columbus High School and taking up the oboe.
My chosen career commenced when I teamed up with Joel Brooks and joined a repertory group headed by Franklin R. Levy. Our first paid gig was actually working at a bakery where, when customers asked if the bread was fresh would respond by saying, "Yes. As a matter of fact we have to slap its face every hour."
Most likely due to my now poor reading level I barely made the grades to enrolling into Queens College (and eventually moved to Queens), where I graduated "cum hella high water"….or was it, "summa or later".
Summer came around after my freshman year and having just turned 17, still needed working papers. CCHS was a block away from my house, so I opted to have my former principal do the paper work. It was that particular day that a movie scout was seeking students for roles in the movie "Up The Down Staircase". When Director Robert Mulligan and Producer Alan Pakula said that they want me to be in the movie I knew that I would be enjoying a rather interesting summer job.
Although I tried to explain to our non-paying repertory director that I was going to be busy, he talked me into the role of Musical Director for a full production of "The Roar of the Greasepaint, the Smell of the Crowd". I "only" had to compose an overture, play 5 songs, transpose music and teach the musical numbers to about 15 teenagers. Two weeks into rehearsal, Franklin informed me that the girl playing third lead had to go away for the summer and would I take her part….
Picture my running cockney dialogue with Joel, exiting the stage and running down a flight of stairs, "silently" swinging the doors open to get to the piano in order to accompany his singing, "Who Can I Turn To".
I continued to complete my college degree, majoring in Communication Arts and Sciences with a minor in Psychology.
Despite my inability to get much more than a C+ on any term paper, I secured my first full time day job involving writing a monthly newsletter with information on where one can obtain grant money.
Needing a break from my job and show biz, I whet my travel appetite when, at the age of 21, I purchased a "See America" bus pass and, for a few months, traveled across the country.
When I returned home, I wrote and performed my solo nightclub act and changed my last name to "Exit", so that I could see my name "up in lights." The act included scenes from "The Wizard of Oz", Jerry Lewis imitations, show tunes and humorous songs.
In 1985 I submitted an article to a local newspaper, ceased my show biz career focusing on dining, entertainment and travel…and the rest is herstory.
Presently, I am the Arts and Entertainment Editor of the Queens Times and contributing writer for Empty Closet, La Voz Latina, Edge Publications, as well as several local and out of town publications.
In addition I was non-employed by the New York Sharks Women´s Tackle Football Team to do their publicity, the reason being that they have been voted as the top women´s football team in the country and not everyone knows who they are. I have succeeded in getting a signed football into the Pro Football Hall of Fame as the first item ever from a women´s football team. I have also gotten a permanent exhibit of the NY Sharks into the Museum of World Treasures in Wichita.
I recently secured my own radio show, Whirl With Merle, on www.blogtalkradio.com with several focuses; travel being the heart of it as well as having a blog site www.merleswhirls.blogspot.com.
In 2008 I decided to write and publish a book called "Whirl With Merle: It's A Humorous Life". It does not contain my numerous adventures. I will at some point follow up with "Whirl With Merle: It's An Adventurous Life".
I have recently acquired Esther, from the Rubber Chicken Forest located at the Twisted Oak Winery in California. She travels with me and manages to get into many of the photos.

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