Bitter greens are among the most nutritionally dense foods that one can eat but their bitterness needs to be toned down and sweetened for most of us to enjoy them. A common way of doing this is to first boil them, drain off the liquid, and then cook them for a long time in fat back until they turn dark, mushy, and sweet. I must admit that when I first tasted collards that way accompanied by a slice of hot corn bread and pinto beans I thoroughly enjoyed them. The problem, I learned, is that a lot of the nutritional benefit goes down the drain with the cooking water and fat back can contribute to obesity and high cholesterol.
The good news is that there is another great way to cook and enjoy collards, kale, mustard greens, chard, dandelion greens, and all sorts of exotic bitter greens appearing in the fresh vegetable section of the supermarket and in local farmers markets.
The bitterness in greens can be tamed by first caramelizing onions in a small amount of olive oil until their natural sugar turns sweet, adding the greens to the onions and then steaming them covered, over low heat, in just the water which clings to them after they have been rinsed.
The following recipe that I use often for kale illustrates this simple technique and can be used successfully for all the other greens.
Kale with caramelized onions and ginger 1 large bunch of fresh kale
1 Tbs. olive oil
1 medium size yellow onion, peeled and diced
½ tsp. sugar
1 inch piece of fresh ginger
2 tsp. naturally brewed low-sodium soy sauce
Wash each kale leaf under cold running water carefully opening all the curly edges to rinse away all sand and grit. Tear the leaves off the tough part of the stems and place aside in a bowl. Discard the stems.
Caramelized onions Heat the olive oil in a large, deep, skillet. Stir in the onions, cover the pan, and cook over low heat until the onions are soft and moist (5-10 minutes). Uncover the pan, add the sugar and cook stirring frequently over moderate heat until the onions are very soft and a deep brown color (10-15 minutes).
Peel the ginger using the side of a kitchen spoon or small paring knife and grate it or place it on a cutting board and cut it into very small pieces. Stir the ginger and soy sauce into the onions. Chop the kale leaves into bite size pieces and add them to the skillet. Toss the mixture over moderately high heat to thoroughly coat the kale with the onions and seasonings. Reduce the heat to low and cover the pan.
Continue cooking, removing the cover occasionally and stirring, until the kale wilts and softens (add a little water if the kale starts drying out). Note: caramelized onions have many different uses and are delicious on pizza, served with grilled fish, used fish cakes, cooked with beans and lentils, stirred into homemade onion dip, used in meatloaf or a topping for burgers etc.
Henry Schliff’s kitchen experience is long and varied over the past 30 years. He has been the chef of a French, Italian, and Mexican restaurant and most recently the chef/owner of the Orange Blossom Bakery in Buxton. He is the author of two cookbooks and now is delighted to share his love of cooking from his Ocracoke home kitchen.
Yoga is a word many people are familiar with and know it is a path to health and wellness. On Ocracoke, for the past 14 years yoga classes have been available, thanks to Amy Hilton’s dedicated teaching specializing in Anusara Yoga. Now with Henry Schliff and Terrilynn Grace West moving to the island, their blend of Kripalu and Vini Yoga offers even more opportunities. Amy says “the more yoga the better!” Choosing to come to yoga classes you will quickly learn there are many paths or different kinds of yoga.
Yoga, an ancient practice came to America via India. Through engaging in the breath work, movements and relaxation of yoga your body will feel stronger and more flexible, your mind calmer, and your spirit lighter. The teachers on Ocracoke – Amy, Henry and Grace – are guides, offering their expertise coming from extensive training while encouraging you to do or not do what is best for your body. A friend of mine went to yoga class for many weeks and did not do any of the movements, she simply relaxed. Her Mother had died recently and the comfort of being with others and yoga brought her great comfort. Often instruction includes how yoga movements (postures or asanas) can be adapted for your unique needs.
You can just show up to yoga class which lasts for one to one and a half hours. Wear comfortable clothes. You are invited to bring a towel to lie on, or yoga mat if you have one, some mats are provided. Most often yoga movements include standing, sitting, lying on your back and stomach. Water is always a good idea to bring along. On Ocracoke yoga classes are located at Deep Water Theater on School Road. NEW this year: Amy has added an early bird class Tuesday mornings 7:30 am-8:30 am!! This class is for all levels. Great way to start your day! Through April Amy also teaches Tuesday, Thursday and Saturday from 9:00 am-10:30 am.
Henry, with Grace assisting, is teaching Monday afternoons 4:00 pm-5:30 pm. This is an entry level class: GENTLE. Henry and Grace are also teaching Wed morning 9:00 am-10:30 am which includes both gentle yoga, qigong and tai chi (Chinese movements that help you warm up and increase balance).
See the bulletin board on the front page for class information, including contact information for questions.
Check out Amy’s website for lots more information about Anusara Yoga, and benefits of yoga:
For residents and guests to the island yoga is accessible, why not try a class or two?
Driving along the winding lanes that border marshlands in eastern North Carolina, one might notice a tall, lovely grass, its feather-like tassels rustling gently as it sways in the breeze. It looks natural in its wetland setting, as if it has always been there; and in fact it has lived here for thousands of years. Something, however, is different. A century ago the reed would have been part of a complex ecosystem comprised of many plant species, supporting a wide variety of animal life. Today it most likely dominates its habitat, forming a mono-culture that is unnatural and uninviting for many of the animals that live in the marsh. The reed now acts as an invasive rather than a native species, destroying other natives and creating a vista that is nearly barren of other life forms.
Phragmites australis, otherwise known as common reed, is a species of wetland grass usually found in low-lying areas where there is a large amount of water in the soil and ample sunlight. It can grow from three to thirteen feet high, reaching its maximum height between the ages of five and eight years. It has cane-like stems, large feathery plumes, and an extensive root system of thick, white, leathery rhizomes which may be close to the surface or buried deep in the substrate. Its flowers are arranged along the canes in spikelets with tufts of silky hairlike fibers. A perennial, it spreads through seed dispersal and by branching rhizomes, which can break off and re-root. According to Clemson University professor Jack M. Whelston, the rhizomes produce monotypic stands of clones which are genetically identical, and which can exist for over a thousand years. The common reed is one of the most widely distributed flowering plants in the world, growing naturally on most of the continents and now throughout the continental United States, barring Alaska, and in Canada. Why and how it changed its behavior in the United States from that of an uncommon native marsh resident to that of a non-native, monopolistic invasive has puzzled scientists for years.
Some fifty thousand species of non-native plants and animals have been documented living in the United States, some introduced on purpose, others by accident. Some, such as dandelions and Queen Anne’s-lace, often referred to as exotics, can co-exist with native species without doing any real harm. Others, labeled as invasives, can wipe out native species and destroy whole ecosystems. Examples are the Japanese vine kudzu, found in the south-east; zebra mussels, which are devastating the Great Lakes; and Burmese pythons, now proliferating in the Everglades of Florida. Invasive species have been responsible for massive die-offs of elm, chestnut, and other native trees. It is estimated that the economic cost of invasive species in this country is 120 billion dollars a year, and Phragmites australis is now included.
Recent research has come up with some answers to the mystery of the “un-common” common reed in America. According to the North Carolina Forest Service and a report put out by the NC Department of Transportation, “Invasive Exotic Plants of North Carolina,” genetic testing shows that there are native and non-native haplotypes (family lineages) of Phragmites australis growing in our coastal marshes. It is the non-native plants that are overtaking wetland ecosystems. They probably arrived accidentally in the late 18th or early 19th centuries, perhaps in the ballast of ships coming from Europe. Once here, they began spreading out across the continent, displacing the native Phragmites australis and other native grasses, and forming mono-cultures where there had been healthy ecosystems. They are presently moving into the Great Plains, where they threaten to alter important habitat for several endangered species of birds.
Through genetic research scientists have identified as many as eleven haplotypes or strains of Phragmites australis—including communis, americanis and austalis, which may help to explain the deviant behavior. The invasive, European variety of Phragmites australis is far more common now in North Carolina than the native plants. They can be found growing in tidal and non-tidal brackish and saltwater marshes, along river edges, on the shores of lakes and ponds, in disturbed areas and pristine sites. They are especially common in roadside ditches. Described by Dr. Whelston as “ecosystem engineers,” they can alter entire aquatic ecosystems as they spread, reducing the productivity of fish, shellfish, birds, and other wildlife. They do provide shade, some food and nesting sites for a limited number of species.
The European strain of these plants is grown commercially in Europe and used for thatching, livestock feed, and cellulose production. Ironically, European Phragmites australis are in decline in their original territory, causing concern because of their economic value.
It is difficult to distinguish the non-native from the native reeds without genetic testing, but generally, large stands of phragmites, such as one often sees growing along roadsides, can be assumed to be European invasives. Phragmites may also be confused with the native “giant cordgrass” (Spartina cynosuroides.)
Eliminating or controlling non-native phragmites is now a priority with North Carolina’s wetland management organizations and many environmental groups, but the job is difficult and labor intensive. Attempts to eradicate it have included burning, cutting, draining, flooding, disking, mowing, and the use of insect pests and herbicides. Some of these methods have worked in the short term, but were ineffective over the long run. J.L. Boone, PhD in Ecology, wrote in 1987 that he had had some success in using a three-prong method which included manual cutting, burning, and the covering the area with sheets of clear plastic for 70 to 120 days.
The use of the herbicide Glyphosate, labeled for use in aquatic sites, has been found to be somewhat effective. Using herbicides in wetlands, however, presents an environmental risk, so must be done with great care. The North Carolina Forest Service has had success treating the reeds with Glyphosate in late summer and early fall, followed by prescribed burns and successive treatments for several more years. It is imperative, they stress, to follow up with monitoring to prevent the reeds from re-invading.
As always, the first step in addressing an environmental concern is identifying the problem and preventing its spreading. The invasive haplotype of Phragmites australis already had a head start before it was identified as what it was, but now, as scientists learn more about it and how to remove it, perhaps North Carolina’s wetlands can be spared the worst of its effects.
During the dark days between Thanksgiving and Christmas, we will all be bombarded with advertisements, songs and carols, and movies and TV shows about this wondrous time of the year.
We will see images of horses pulling sleighs up to the front of brightly lit mansions bedecked with wreaths and lights. We will see large family groups gathering in big kitchens, happily getting along and smiling together. There will pictures of generations of well adjusted, prosperous families gathered around a dining room table decorated by Martha Stewart, loaded down with more food than any one family could eat at one sitting.
We will see ads showing clean-cut men sipping a beer while watching a football game. There will be examples of beautiful and rich people sipping champagne from crystal flutes. There will banquet tables with stylish people sniffing wine in matching goblets.
There will be songs EVERYWHERE from just after Halloween until Christmas advising us “to have ourselves a merry little Christmas”, to take the sleigh “over the river and through the woods to grandmother’s house”, and to roast “chestnuts by an open fire.”
But for many people this is not a time of joy in the world. While the assault of sounds and images of what a proper holiday should look like goes on, many people find themselves caught in a different reality.
Not everyone sips fine wines and champagnes during the holidays. Some drink too much. Some act badly after drinking too much. Many suffer and remember the consequences of this during this time of year. In Pennsylvania, where I grew up, all liquor and wine are sold in state owned and operated stores, appropriately named “State Stores”. The busiest single day of the year, the day when more alcohol is sold than any other, is Christmas Eve.
Popular culture tells us that it is a time for family gatherings, that everyone should be happy. But not all families get together or get along. Not all of those who do get together do so happily.
For some there is the painful separation from loved ones by death. Grief is a constant companion of those who have had loved ones die. It can be especially strong during the holidays when the fading memories and the lost expectations are brought to the surface by the barrage of holiday “good cheer”. Mourning is a continuous process and can be intensified by images of family groups in commercials and movies.
The friction between what we are told we should have and the reality of our lives is never greater than the time between Thanksgiving and Christmas. The pain that this creates leads to sadness, depression, and worse. Ask anyone who has worked in an emergency room—the worst shift of the year is Christmas Eve.
You see there really aren’t any families out there like the ones you see on the TV. Not everyone has big kitchens, happy families, and lots of gifts and food. Some don’t have gifts. Or kitchens. Or families. Or food.
While it is carefully ignored by TV advertisers, script-writers and song writers, for many, this is a sad time. It is a time of loneliness. It is a time to grieve those not present through death or distance. For an awful lot of people, this is not “the hap, hap, happiest time of the year”.
If you find yourself among the many for whom the holiday season is lonely or painful, reach out. When we are in emotional pain, we tend to isolate from others. We tell ourselves that we shouldn’t bother people, we should be strong or that we aren’t worthy of help and support. The best advice is don’t feel your feelings alone. If you are in emotional pain, talk to someone—a clergy person, a trusted friend or relative, or a medical provider. Share your unhappiness and pain. You are not alone.
Health & Wellness Holiday 2011 By Terrilynn Grace West
As the inclination to hibernate comes with the colder weather, I’d like to make a plug for honoring your need for stillness by practicing mediation, while not forgetting your bodies need for activity.
Choosing this topic was a good excuse for me to look up the latest guidelines about aerobics and strength training on HYPERLINK “http://www. mayoclinic.com/” http://www.Mayoclinic.com. I wasn’t surprised to see that the amount of time recommended for maintaining a healthy body (especially heart) has increased! The good news is that the ways of fitting this time into your weekly schedule has become more flexible.
How much aerobics? The Department of Health and Human Services recommend for most healthy adults a minimum of two and a half hours of moderate exercise (think walking, swimming, biking) per week. Ideally spread out throughout the whole week.
The focus is on an active lifestyle. Longer less frequent sessions of aerobic activity have no clear advantage over shorter more frequent ones. So, for example 3 ten minute walks during a day counts! You don’t have to do 30 minutes at a time! Doing the math, it does mean that you want to be active most every day for a minimum total of 30 minutes.
Why aerobics? We’re all familiar with the perks of preventing heart disease and maintaining optimum weight with aerobics. During this time of year with less daylight, many people suffer from the ‘winter blues’ and aerobics helps significantly to keep your spirits up during these dark days of winter.
What does moderate level of exercise mean? You can check out all the details on the Mayo Clinic website to figure out your target heart rate using their formula OR (I prefer this method) you can gauge your intensity by how you feel!
What I use is: Light exercise: (great to begin after your ‘vacation’ from exercise) you can carry on a full conversation and even sing; you don’t break a sweat (unless it’s hot and humid).
Moderate exercise: (highly recommended) you can carry on a conversation but not sing; you break a sweat after about 10 minutes of activity.
Vigorous exercise: you can’t say more than a few words without pausing for a breath; you break a sweat within minutes of activity. *Beware of pushing yourself too hard, too often, you want to support your heart, not stress it. If you are short of breath, in pain, or can’t complete the amount of time you planned for, you are probably exceeding your level of fitness right now. Best to back off and build more gradually. Of course, if you have any questions about what your best intensity level for exercise is talk to your Doctor.
A word about weight and exercise
Being active is an important part of any weight-loss or weight-maintenance program. When you’re active, your body uses more energy (calories). And when you burn more calories than you consume, you lose weight loss.
Because 3,500 calories equals about 1 pound (0.45 kilogram) of fat, you need to burn 3,500 calories more than you take in to lose 1 pound. So if you cut 500 calories from your diet each day, you’d lose about 1 pound a week (500 calories x 7 days = 3,500 calories). Exercise along with cutting calories helps boost your weight loss. Exercise is also important for maintaining your weight and not regaining weight.
Calories and exercise The following chart shows the estimated number of calories burned while doing various exercises for one hour for a person weighing 160 pounds. Specific calorie expenditures vary widely depending on the exercise, intensity level and your individual situation. I’ve included resources on Ocracoke that you may want to check out. Details about classes can be found on the Observer’s Bulletin Board.
Aerobics, high impact 511
Aerobics, low impact 365
*Ocracoke Free Workout by Barbara Jemison at the Community Center
Basketball game 584
*Ocracoke School teams (I wonder how many calories for cheering?)
Bicycling, – 10 mph, 292
*Many places you can rent bikes on Ocracoke and enjoy our new off road bike path to the beach.
Jogging, 5 mph 584
Running, 8 mph 986
*Ocracoke School Cross Country team
Walking, 2 mph 183
Walking, 3.5 mph 277
*Ocracoke has so many beautiful places to walk alone or with a buddy.
Tai chi 292
Strength training
Do strength training exercises at least twice a week. No specific amount of time for each strength training session is included in the guidelines.
Weightlifting, free weight, Nautilus or universal type 219.
Explore what’s right for you, have fun, be healthy.
Meditation I began meditating when my Doctor recommended it because of high blood pressure. It worked or me, with lots more benefits that surprised and delighted me. The basic added benefit for my and many people who use meditation is the increase in peace of mind. Like aerobics you basically only need your body to engage in meditation, it can be done alone or with others and helps you feel better overall. There is no pressure because there really is no wrong way to meditate. Coming to Ocracoke to visit, or living on this beautiful Island invites you to live more in the precious present moment so this is a perfect place to experiment with different ways to meditate.
Ways to meditate When you meditate, you clear away the information overload that builds up every day and contributes to your stress. There are many ways to meditate, some of my favorites are
Guided meditation. Sometimes called guided imagery or visualization, with this method of meditation you form mental images of places or situations you find relaxing. You try to use as many senses as possible, such as smells, sights, sounds and textures. You may be led through this process by a guide or teacher. You can even purchase guided meditation CDs.
Mindfulness meditation. This type of meditation is based on being mindful, or having an increased awareness and acceptance of living in the present moment. You broaden your conscious awareness. You focus on what you experience during meditation, such as the flow of your breath. You can observe your thoughts and emotions but let them pass without judgment.
Qi gong. This practice generally combines meditation, relaxation, physical movement and breathing exercises to restore and maintain balance. Qi gong (CHEE-gung) is part of traditional Chinese medicine.
Tai Chi. This is a form of gentle Chinese martial arts. In tai chi (TIE-chee), you perform a self-paced series of postures or movements in a slow, graceful manner while practicing deep breathing.
Yoga. You perform a series of postures and controlled breathing exercises to promote a more flexible body and a calm mind. As you move through poses that require balance and concentration, you’re encouraged to focus less on your busy day and more on the moment.
Fortunately, on Ocracoke there are opportunities to easily join with others to support your meditation practice. Ann Erhinghaus has organized a weekly 30 minute meditation group which meets at Oscar’s Bed and Breakfast most Sunday mornings at 10:15am. Folks who come simply sit in silence using whatever method of meditation suits them. At the end of our time together, there is a short time for optional sharing. Yoga classes offered by both Amy Hilton and Henry Schliff happen several times a week.
Elements of meditation Different types of meditation may include different features to help you meditate. These may vary depending on whose guidance you follow or who’s teaching a class. Some of the most common features in meditation include:
Focused attention. Focusing your attention is generally one of the most important elements of meditation. Focusing your attention is what helps free your mind from the many distractions that cause stress and worry. You can focus your attention on things as a specific object, an image, a mantra, or even your breathing.
Relaxed breathing. This technique involves deep, even-paced breathing using the diaphragm muscle to expand your lungs. The purpose is to slow your breathing, take in more oxygen, and reduce the use of shoulder, neck and upper chest muscles while breathing so that you breathe more efficiently.
A quiet setting. If you’re a beginner, practicing meditation may be easier if you’re in a quiet spot with few distractions — no television, radios or cellphones. As you get more skilled at meditation, you may be able to do it anywhere, especially in high-stress situations where you benefit the most from meditation, such as rushing to get to the ferry in time!
A comfortable position. You can practice meditation whether you’re sitting, lying down, walking or in other positions or activities. Just try to be comfortable so that you can get the most out of your meditation.
Everyday ways to practice meditation Perhaps you live or visit Ocracoke more for solitude, and you can practice meditation easily on your own. Some of the keys in engaging in meditation that have been helpful to me include: deep breathing, gently bringing your attention back to your breath when it wanders (and it will wander!); scan your body by paying attention to different parts of your body noting any sensations for example: pain, warmth, tension, relaxation; walk or read with moments of quiet reflection; focus on love and gratitude allowing your thoughts to keep coming back to saying thank you. Although I often luxuriate in allowing more time for meditation, I’ve found that even a few minutes makes a difference during my day. People have often asked me if prayer is meditation. I like to think about prayer and meditation as having much in common. For me, the experience of prayer is more talking with God while meditating is more listening.
So how do you get to Carnegie Hall? You practice, practice, practice. And so meditation is called a practice because it gets easier and more focused the more you do it. Especially if you can resist judging yourself when your mind wanders, and instead calmly invite your attention to come back to your breath, or walking steps, or book or prayer.
I encourage you to experiment and you are likely to find different types of mediation suit you at different times. And whether you are exercising aerobically or meditating, enjoy being more and more in the present–healthy and well.
Seventy-five years ago an Ocracoke fisherman, Stacy Howard, commissioned a master boat-builder, Tom ‘Neal, to begin building him a fine new fishing boat. The work was finished by another island boat-builder, Homer Howard, who added a rounded cabin near the prow. Proud of his well-designed craft–a traditional deadriser—Stacy Howard gave it the name of his teenaged daughter, Blanche. (He had another boat, the “Lela”, named for his older daughter.) Blanche Howard Joliff, now in her nineties, still remembers how happy she was when her father named the boat for her.
This past spring the “Blanche,” now belonging to the Ocracoke Preservation Society, was once more the object of much sawing and hammering, as boat-builders and volunteers set out to restore her to her former glory. (Boats are traditionally referred to in the feminine gender.) Craig Wright, a boat-builder at the North Carolina Maritime Museum in Beaufort, NC, was commissioned to oversee the work. He, along several volunteers from the Maritime Museum, worked with Ocracoke volunteers Tom Wright and Tom Payne to replace the rotten wood in the deck, the rub-rails, the washboards and the gunwales, and apply a new coat of paint. With the work near completion, the Blanche looks great!
Today she sits in a wooden cradle in the yard of the Ocracoke Museum, where she serves as an exhibit of Ocracoke’s maritime heritage. Her story provides a fascinating look at the island’s fishing traditions from the 1930s until 2006. In that year, the “Blanche” was donated to the museum by another island fisherman, James Barrie Gaskill (the son of one of the boat’s former owners) and since then she has shown how, through contributions of time, hard work, and money, a community can save and preserve a part of its culture.
The history of the Blanche was compiled by talking to islanders and fishermen who remembered and worked on the boat. Maurice Ballance was about seven years old when his uncle by marriage had the “Blanche” built. Maurice recalled the day they “set her up” with keel and ribs of juniper brought over on one of the freight boats that used to run between Washington NC and Ocracoke. Once the boat was finished, he said, they got a Ford car engine, geared so low that there was no reverse, and added a propeller and a cooling system using water that moved through a kicker-pipe. The “Blanche” was now ready to go, and Stacy’s daughter Blanche went out fishing on her with her father. “One day I caught 57 bluefish and I thought I had done something,” she smilingly recalled.
Stacy Howard used the “Blanche” to long-haul (in which two boats drag a long net to shore and one circles around to bail the fish) for trout, spot and sea mullets. He also did sink-netting in the ocean for bottom fish, according to Maurice, and one time, “Stacy and Murray Spencer, who was fishing with him, like to get swamped coming in. They were running before the sea—the boat will run with you, then snake before the breakers. Another breaker swamped her, and she was half full of water!”
He later started taking out fishing parties–visitors to the island who wanted a real fishing experience. Maurice Ballance and Ronald “Conk” O’Neal crewed for him, baiting hooks and taking the fish off the lines.
“That boat’s been through hell…” mused Maurice. “It was wrecked up some during the Storm of ‘44, when it broke the stake it was tied to in the harbor and went into a piling. Preacher Dixon and I waded out and cut her loose and retied her, but some boards were damaged.”
After Stacy died, the “Blanche” went to his son-in-law, Archie Wahab, who transferred her to his cousin, Elisha “Lishe” Ballance. Lishe was a former Coast Guardsman who worked for the National Park Service. His son Gene, who was in high school at the time, remembered him moving the boat to the Base Docks, where he repaired the cabin. He worked on her for a year or two, but never got an engine for her. He sold her to Lum Gaskill, who rechristened her the “Candyjoe” after his grandchildren Candy and Joe. Vince O’Neal, who now owns the Pony Island Restaurant, remembered swimming around the Candyjoe (or Blanche) when she was tied up near Lum Gaskill’s dock.
“Yeah,” admitted Vince. “We snuck up on her sometimes at night when no one was watching and jumped off. We were kids, you know!”
Upon Lum’s death in 1975 Bill Patman (a grandson of Bill Gaskill, owner of the Pamlico Inn) acquired the boat. Then Maurice took her to Qwawk Hammock, where he planned to use her for long-hauling. Somebody broke into her and stole the battery, anchor, and other items, so Maurice abandoned his plan. “The Blanche” sank to the bottom of the creek, and it looked as if she would meet the same sad ending as many another old wooden boat.
Instead, Anthony “Moose” Mutro bought her, pulled her up and, in cooperation with his uncle, Irvin Styron, started putting her back into working shape. In 1977 Moose got a job in Elizabeth City, so he transferred ownership of the Blanche to his uncle. Irvin installed a rebuilt Chrysler Marine engine in her and later, with the help of his daughter Ada and Junius Austin, put on a new cabin and deck.
He used her for mulleting and crabbing, always accompanied by his black Labrador retriever, Pisces. Moose’s son, Dale Mutro, now the postman at Ocracoke, remembered going clamming on the “Blanche” with his dad, Irvin, and Irvin’s son Ray over at Lewes Shoal, near Portsmouth.
Ocracoke fisherman Rex O’Neal also recalled going out crabbing with Irvin.
“He would go out when other fishermen couldn’t,” he said. “She (the “Blanche”) was such a seaworthy boat.”
Captain Rudy Austin added that “a lot of them would be out crabbing on the other side of the Lehigh, back in the ‘80s when crabbing was good. When it got rough and the rest of us were having a hard time in our flat bottom boats, Irvin would be riding along crabbing at ease.”
Irvin’s daughter Ada worked often worked with her father, and she remembered “I ran the boat and he pulled the pots. One day while we were fishing pots I looked up and there were two waterspouts out on the sound. They sat down on the water and it got real rough. I wanted to go in, but Daddy said ‘we’re going to finish the pots—there’s only twenty-five left. Well, the waves started breaking over the boat and stalled the engine. The new deck boards had swelled up so the water couldn’t get through to where the bilge pump was, and the boat was filling up with water. We were scrambling around, ripping up boards and trying to get her started again. We got her running and we finished the pots, but I quit when we got back!”
Ada chuckled a bit as she recalled the incident, adding that she’d quit quite a few times but always went back to work with her father.
Irvin also used the “Blanche” for shrimping, according to Moose. He attached a short mast and used removable outriggers so that he could shrimp on the back side of the island and down Core Sound.
Irvin’s son, Ray Styron, inherited the “Blanche” upon his father’s death in 1986. He re-named her the “Shoestring” and used her for shrimping. Ocracoke fisherman James Barrie Gaskill recalled the time he, in his boat the “Lady Ellen,” pulled Ray off a shoal when he had run aground on Six Mile Reef. Later, Ray pulled the boat on shore and lived in her for a while. Then his cousins Stevie and Tubba O’Neal bought her, removed the mast, and installed a diesel engine, though they never got her running.
It was after this that James Barrie Gaskill, the son of Lum O’Neal, acquired the “Blanche.” He began, along with his friend Don Wood, restoring her to use as a pleasure boat. When Don died, James Barrie gave up the project and asked the Ocracoke Preservation Society if they would like to have her. The transfer was a long and involved process, but on April 29, 2006, the old deadriser officially became the property of OPS.
The “Blanche’s” life at sea was over, but her new role as a museum exhibit was just beginning. A “Save an Old Boat” committee was formed and fund-raising began. Grants from the Marion Stedman Covington Foundation, the Mary Duke Biddle Foundation, and the Ocracoke Occupancy Tax Board helped fund the project, as well as generous donations from individuals. Meanwhile, volunteers worked hard to construct a wooden cradle to hold the boat securely and then to move her. With the assistance of a backhoe and lots of warm bodies she was brought from Oyster Creek to the museum, lifted from her trailer, and placed in the cradle.
The following year a shelter was built to protect the “Blanche” from the weather, and two years later a viewing platform was added. Then, in late 2010, plans were firmed up for actual restoration work to begin. OPS contracted with Craig Wright, a self-described “Yankee-Tarheel” (he was born in North Carolina but spent most of his life in Connecticut) who worked as a boat-builder at the NC Maritime Museum. Craig has been building boats since he was nine years old, he said, and he arrived back in North Carolina “single-handing” (sailing solo) an ocean-going boat that he had built.
Tom Wright and Tom Payne, both Ocracoke residents, took a trip to Beaufort to meet with Craig and get some ideas for starting the work. The two Toms began building ribs, according to Craig’s instructions, in the spring of 2011. Craig Wright came to the island and worked for two days a week through the month of May and into June, bringing with him different volunteers from the museum in Beaufort. Ernie Ortiz, Vic Fasolino, Walt Geist, and Bill McDade are great guys, Craig said, and all donated their time and services to restore the Blanche.
Tom Wright and Tom Payne donated not only their time but also the use of their shops and tools to further the project. Other Ocracokers helped out as well, providing meals, taking photos, and doing whatever else was asked.
The work on the Blanche is not yet complete, however, and more donations are needed to finish it. The next steps will include building a rounded cabin, similar to the one depicted in a 1936 photograph, and attaching an engine similar to the original one Maurice Ballance described.
If you come to the island be sure to come to the Ocracoke Museum, located near the Park Service Visitor Center, and stop by the back yard to see this lovely boat and learn about Ocracoke’s commercial fishing tradition.
If you want to make a donation for her continuing restoration, you can send a check to “Save an Old Boat Fund” Ocracoke Preservation Society Box 1240 Ocracoke NC 27960, donate online, or donate at the Ocracoke Museum Gift Shop
Laughing gull in breeding plumageLaughing Gull in basic plumage, from late August till early spring
The Laughing Gull, Larus atricilla, is the most common black-hooded gull that can easily be seen along the coasts of the Carolinas, especially flying along the ferries to Hatteras and back. They prefer to breed on islands without predators. During the late 18th and 19th century they were in danger of extinction due to the harvesting of feathers and eggs. Once they received protective status, their numbers rebounded. Today, one of their threats is the increasing population of the larger Herring Gulls and that will feed on their eggs and chicks. There are approximately 12,000 nesting pairs in North Carolina. They are named because their call in flight sounds like a loud laugh.
I chose this bird for September because at this time of year, they molt and lose their black hoods leaving the plumage around the head to have a smudgy look. Many years ago when I started birding, I visited the island of Chincoteague, Virginia in August and again in September. I thought that the Laughing Gulls that were so common a few weeks earlier must have migrated. After some study of the Peterson Field Guide to the Birds and, more importantly, some field observation, I realized that the gulls without the black hoods were one and the same. When this molt occurs, you can tell them apart from the similar sized Ring-billed Gulls by their darker slate-colored mantles (backs) and black bills. Occasionally you may see them flying circles over the village feeding on insects; and in late fall they sometimes will land on the cedar trees to feed on their berries.
For a gull, they do not like cold weather. I compile both Ocracoke and the Portsmouth Island Christmas Bird Counts (CBC) that take place usually just before New Year’s Day.’ If the preceding weeks are cold, we find very few of them present. Last year, a group of fifteen or more observers managed to find only two birds on Ocracoke and three on Portsmouth Island.
As you may imagine, the Laughing Gull is named after its call which sounds na bit like ha-ha-ha ha-haaaaaa. Since I don’t have any cultural references for these guys, I’ll play off its name and tell one of the two funny bird jokes I know. (Yes, the other involves a parrot and you won’t read it here.) A guy was caught roasting four Bald Eagles. He begs for mercy from the court. “Your honor, I got lost in the woods for two days and stumbled across this eagle’s nest. It was them or me; I was starving.” The judge frowned, “I’m not sure I buy this, but I’m fining you only $250. Case dismissed.” A few moments later, the judge calls him back and says quietly, “I’m a hunter, just between you and me, how did they taste.” The defendant’s eyes light up and he says, “The best I can describe it, the taste is a cross between a Whooping Crane and a Spotted Owl.”
I was in Tradewinds Tackle the other day and overheard Alan sharing his opinions on insect repellent and sun block with a shopper. He finds it interesting that deer hunters will go to great lengths to hide their human scent and fishermen will buy scented baits but will handle their baits and lures with sun block and bug spray on their hands.
It was not the first time I heard Alan expound on this topic. I decided to do a little on-line research.
While some fish are primarily visual feeders, many of the near shore species targeted by surf and sound fishermen use scent to find their food. This includes red drum (and other members of the drum family such as croakers), sea mullets and sharks. The scent feeders have developed extraordinary sensitivity to scents in the water. Although the red drum has sharp eyesight, it relies most heavily on its sense of smell when foraging for food.
Fish have nostrils with an organ called an “olfactory rosette”. The larger the olfactory rosette, the more sensitive the fish is to the odors in the water. Additionally, fish have taste buds in their mouths, on their tongues, and in some cases outside their mouths in the form of barbells. This combination of smell and taste organs allow fish to find food as well as avoid danger.
Some fish (such as sharks, rays, eels, and salmon) can detect chemical levels as low as 1 part per billion. That means they can detect 1/200th of a drop of a substance in 100 gallons of water.
A fish’s ability to detect the wrong or unnatural taste and smell can affect your ability to catch fish. If your bait has traces of human scent, gasoline, oil, sun block, insect repellent, rust, mold, or even your after shave and cigarettes on it, a fish might avoid it. In the same way that you would not eat something which smelled or tasted wrong, a fish will not eat a bait that has the wrong smell or taste.
You can decease your offending odors by simply washing your hands before handling your bait and lures. Avoid deodorant soaps since they have perfume in them. Ivory Soap is a commonly recommended soap. Lemon Joy and Lemon Sunlight dish detergents are also mentioned. There are “fisherman soaps” on the market as well. Some sources recommend rubbing your hands with a combination of salt and baking power. It is more important that you wash your hands after contacting a potentially fish offending scent than which product you use.
Some writers recommend periodically cleaning your rod and reels. Foam or cork rod handles can accumulate oils and other foreign chemicals. Last week’s fish slime transferred from your hands to the rod handle can spoil and become a source of bacteria and odors. Scrub rod handles and reel seats with dish soap and rinse well. The addition of bleach will kill bacteria that can create odors.
Reels need to be lubricated, but over time oils and sticky goo can accumulate. Pay special attention to reel handles where your hands will (hopefully) be spending a lot of time.
Once you have done all you can to eliminate the odors that could drive fish away, you need to look for ways to attract fish to your baits and encourage them to bite. Change cut and dead baits often. The blood and oils from a chunk of cut mullet will diminish over time and loose attractiveness. Change chunk baits every 20 minutes.
Consider using one of the new scented artificial products like Berkley Gulp Salt Water Series or Fishbites Saltwater Extreme. Both come in a variety colors and patterns. Both products claim to release 400 times more scent into the water than live bait.
Soft scented baits provide a taste and texture (feel) that may prompt a fish to hold the bait in its mouth longer which will mean more hook-ups.
There are also many oils and sprays that one can apply to baits or lures to cover human odors and attract fish.
Keep the negative and positive effects of scent in mind the next time you go fishing. Wash your hands often, use scented baits, and you might have more success in your fishing.
Oh yeah, the next time you are in Tradewinds, ask Alan if he agrees with me about the sun screen and bug spray.
Ken DeBarth lives and fishes on Ocracoke. He washes his hands a lot
Questions: What fish are caught locally? When are they available? What are some good cooking methods?
Bluefish: A dark meat, full-flavored fish rich in healthful Omega 3 fat. Baby blues, called snappers, are in good supply May – December. Because of their high fat content the flesh can spoil quickly but, when handled properly and cooked quickly, small bluefish are very flavorful and a bargain at the price they usually sell for. Small fillets are good fried, grilled, broiled, blackened or cooked in a highly seasoned sauce (see recipe below).
Spanish Mackerel: Another dark meat, fatty (healthful Omega 3 fat) fish that is in good supply May-December. It is moist and sweet when cooked soon after it is caught. Small filets are good fried, grilled, broiled, blackened, or cooked in a highly seasoned sauce.
Flounder: Good availability May to December. A very popular fish due to its flaky white meat that is delicate in flavor and texture. A whole fish is excellent stuffed and baked with crabmeat or shrimp. Filets are good fried, broiled, and baked in cream sauces.
Yellow Fin Tuna: Fair availability spring through early fall. Considered by many as a gastronomic treasure, its meat is rich and flavorful. It is delicious seared, grilled, broiled, or blackened. Tuna’s texture and sweetness is best when it is cooked rare – medium/rare and its flesh dries out quickly when over cooked.
Mahi Mahi: Fair availability late spring through early fall. A very popular, meaty, white flesh fish that is delicious fried, grilled, broiled or baked.
Pompano: Fair availability early June to August. Small cleaned and dressed whole fish are sweet and succulent grilled or pan fried.
Tile Fish: A deep water fish caught along the continental shelf which has a dense white meat that is mild and flavorful. It is available on a limited basis during the summer months and it is very good grilled, broiled, pan fried, and baked.
Puppy Drum: Limited availability April to December. Puppy drum (smaller size drum) is highly prized for its delectable, sweet flavor. It is delicious fried, grilled, broiled, baked and blackened (the blackened red fish of Cajun cooking). It is also excellent for fish chowder.
Speckled Trout and Sea Trout: Limited availability June – December. Not to be confused with freshwater trout, speckled trout and sea trout are members of the saltwater drum family. Their delicately flavored white meat is delicious fried, broiled and baked.
Many other varieties of fish available from time to time but many species are depleted and there are restrictions as to how much can be taken.
Question: How much fish should I buy? Answer: For fish fillets, which are cut the length of the fish, six ounces is an ample serving size. For fish steaks, which are crosscut slices of the fish, six ounces is a good portion size for boneless steaks and eight ounces for bone-in steaks.
Question: What is the best way to handle the fish that I buy before I cook it? Answer: Very carefully! All fish are highly perishable. A fish is adapted to live in a cool environment and when exposed to warmer temperatures it spoils rapidly due to an increase in bacterial activity (fishy smell). In addition, a fish uses a great many digestive enzymes in order to function in its environment and upon death these enzymes attack the flesh causing further degradation (autolysis). To minimize these factors wrap fish in air-tight heavy plastic and place it in a large sealed container surrounded by cubes of ice in the refrigerator. Always cook fish the same day that it is purchased.
Question: I’ve heard that overcooking can cause fish to dry out. How can I prevent this from occurring?Answer: Watch your fish carefully when cooking no matter what cooking method is chosen. The old adage “a watched pot never boils” does not apply to fish cookery. Do not walk away. Fish can overcook in a heartbeat and its best to check for doneness often and before you think it will be done. It’s also good to remember that a fish continues cooking from its residual heat when removed from the fire (I have sadly watched a piece of tuna turn from a rosy-pink inside to a pale grey in a matter of minutes after removing it from the grill). Check for doneness by using the tip of a small knife to open the flesh. If the flesh is still very moist and somewhat opaque (white, not fleshy) it is almost done and it will usually finish cooking when removed from the heat.
Question: I’d like to buy some fish while I’m here to take home. What’s the best way to retain maximum freshness? Answer: Immediately after purchase wrap it air-tight in heavy plastic and place it in the freezer. When going home immerse the frozen package in a cooler filled with ice cubes and place it in a freezer when arriving home. But even frozen fish will continue to deteriorate. Leaner species will keep satisfactorily a maximum two months and fatter species for one month. Always defrost fish slowly overnight in the refrigerator before cooking to prevent the cellular membranes from bursting and causing it to dry out.
Henry Schliff’s kitchen experience is long and varied over the past 30 years. He has been the chef of a French, Italian and Mexican restaurant and most recently the chef/ owner of the Orange Blossom Bakery in Buxton. He is the author of two cookbooks and now is delighted to share his love of cooking from his Ocracoke home kitchen.
Bluefish with Tomatoes and Green Olives 2 Tbs. olive oil
1 ¼ lb. small bluefish filets
sea salt
1 cup peeled and chopped onion
1 Tbs. peeled and chopped garlic
1 cup canned whole tomatoes, cut into bite-size pieces
½ cup of the tomato juice from the can
½ cup pitted green olives, roughly chopped (no pimentos)
1 Tbs. canned, sliced jalapenos, seeds removed, chopped
2 tsp. of the liquid from the jalapenos
With a sharp knife cut away the dark blood line that runs down the center of each filet and remove any small bones. Lightly salt the filets. Heat 1 Tbs. of olive oil in a large skillet and add the filets skin side down. Cook for about 4 minutes over moderate heat and turn. Cook an additional 4 to 5 minutes on the second side. Place the fish in a serving dish and reserve.
Add the remaining olive oil to the skillet and cook the onions slowly until they are lightly browned (about 8 minutes). Stir in the garlic and cook for 2 minutes. Add the tomatoes, tomato juice, green olives, jalapenos, and jalapeno liquid. Simmer, partially covered, for 20 minutes (add a little water if the sauce has become thick). Remove half of the sauce to a bowl. Add the reserved fish to the skillet. Pour the sauce from the bowl over the fish. Cover the pan and simmer until the fish is heated through (about 5 minutes).
August visitors to Ocracoke are privileged to experience an annual island tradition-the harvesting of Ocracoke figs. For the uninitiated, this experience will be a culinary highlight. One bite of a ripe, juicy, sweet fig will make anyone a true convert to man’s centuries-old love affair with this luscious treat.
Ficus carica is a deciduous shrub (not a real tree) native to Southwest Asia and the Mediterranean. With bright green heavily lobed leaves and ample branching, it makes an attractive addition to any suitable landscape. Moderate climate, sandy soil with ample drainage and low acidity make the ideal environment. It is believed to be one of the first plants cultivated by humans as evidenced by fig fossils found in Neolithic villages dating to 9400-9200 B.C.
Figs were first transported to the New World by Spanish and Portugese missionaries in the early 16th Century. Records indicate that figs were cultivated in 1526 in Espanola (now Cuba) and that only one fig bush per family was allowed in order to prevent competition with Spain. Ficus carica is unique in a genus of perhaps 1,000 species of mostly giant “rubber trees” because is bears edible fruit. This fruit is actually an inverted flower that blooms internally.
There are four types of figs: the Common fig which requires no pollination because all of the flowers are female, the Caprifig which contains both male and female flowers and therefore requires a visit from a specialized wasp, the Smyrna which requires cross pollination with a Caprifig, and the San Pedro which bears an independent first crop like the Common fig but whose second crop is dependent on pollination. These peculiar differences were the source of much frustration for early cultivators who were often confounded by barren plants. Much information has been written about the fig including the familiar passage in 1 Kings, 4:25 –“Each man under his own vine and fig tree” denoting peace and prosperity.
To get the inside story about figs on Ocracoke, I knew just the man to ask. Chester Lynn, an Ocracoke native, florist and storyteller, is the go-to guy for all things “figgy”. Chester is certain that figs were grown on Portsmouth and Ocracoke Islands before 1810. Since figs are highly perishable and once picked, a fig will ripen no more, most early figs were preserved in some way. Cloves, coconut and cinnamon were favorite additives to preserves. Figs were also candied whole with the stems intact. Drying, a technique so popular in fig preservation throughout the world, was not widely used on Ocracoke.
Chester has identified more than nine cultivars growing on the island. The Brown Turkey is really more reddish in hue, is a mid-season ripener and is very prolific. It is very popular for traditional Ocracoke preserves. The Pound Fig, so called because it is very large, is more purple in color and smells of cinnamon. The Pound Fig bush can grow quite tall, too. Chester can remember a Pound Fig at his aunt’s that had a porch swing dangling from its branches. The Sugar Fig, with its coppery skin, is the smallest local fig. It is best eaten right off the bush-there are only 3 or 4 Sugar Fig bushes on Ocracoke and they don’t produce enough to make preserves. The small yellow Lemon Fig is a late bearer, and is also called a Marseilles Fig. It is very sweet and not the least bit lemony. The big, green Portsmouth Fig is not sweet, and looks like small watermelon. It is best used in a cooked mixture with other types of figs. The Late Fig is a very dark purple cultivar that ripens in October but does not produce abundantly. The Blue Fig is rare on Ocracoke and is actually purple. It is delicious and prolific but not widely grown here. And the most popular, the Celeste Fig, is a more compact plant full of leaves that produces early in the season and is very easy to grow.
While you are strolling through the village, see if you can spot some of these local fig plants. The plants will probably be surrounded by a thick ring of oyster and other shells since it is believed by many that these shells provide necessary lime to fertilize the figs. Chester told me an old Ocracoke story to help prove his theory that the current shell mulch practice is not really effective. He remembers that as a child, people would say that a dying fig tree was lonely and had lost its will to bear when the people living near it moved away. He says that the left-over pot liquor from boiled fish and vegetables was poured on the fig bushes and that the freshly shucked shells of oysters and clams were tossed around them. It wasn’t the actual shells that fertilized-it was the bits of meat and juices that provided the required nutrients. When someone ceased this routine by moving away, the fig did suffer though not from loneliness.
No conversation about figs can end without mention of the famous Ocracoke Fig Cake. We all take it for granted that there was always our beloved fig cake. Not so, according to Chester. While fig preserves were used as filling between layers of cakes for ages here, it was Margaret Garrish who invented the one we all adore. She didn’t have any dates for her date cake so she substituted figs instead. Figs are most versatile. They can be grilled, broiled, boiled and pureed. They can be sweet or savory. And they can be baked into Margaret’s delicious cake. Enjoy some while you are here and take some home to remind you of Ocracoke all through the winter.
