Leven Ashby Knows Oyster Bay
Leven Ashby of Hampton, Virginia called to answer the Nov. 23 mystery picture in the Enterprise Pilot. He said, “It’s a photo of Raynham Hall. Is the debris in the photo the result of Hurricane Sandy?” He is correct.
Our apologies to Mr. Ashby for a past mystery picture column. His answer to the Nov. 9 mystery picture was credited to Tony Pilla in the Nov. 16 issue of the Enterprise Pilot. Our apologies to both gentlemen.
“That looks like the tree down in front of Raynham Hall after Hurricane Sandy,” said Patricia Aitken, Friends of the Bay executive director.
“This is the boyhood and later adult home of one ‘Culper Junior,’ member of a Revolutionary War Spy ring, a history that is being used as a recent story arc for the TV Show White Collar filmed out of NYC. We, of course, call it Raynham Hall Museum. No word if the TV people are looking to make an Oyster Bay connection.” said Gregory Druhak.
Belle Santora called to identify the mystery picture in the Nov. 16 issue. She said it looks as if it is near Firemen’s Field. She was close, it was near the Bayville fire house.
She was looking forward to having Thanksgiving at her granddaughter’s house in Floral Park. She remembered fondly when she made big dinners for the holidays for 12 to 14 people and a card table for four children too. “I put three leaves in the table that ran from the back door to the living room. It was for my family and friends, those who had no place to go for the holidays. I don’t think anyhone should be on their own then,” she said.
Ms. Santora mentioned a favorite recipe of hers, Pasta Fagiola. Here is the recipe: “I make a marinara sauce and put in canned cannelloni beans, rinsed a bit, and then add the small little pasta. I took linguini and cut them to an inch and a half long pieces, and cooked them al dente with a few basil leaves. Eat it with Italian bread. if you want something hearty.”
Belle also freezes basil. “Take the good leaves one by one and dry them in a salad spinner, put them on paper towels till dry and put leaves into a plastic container, layer by layer.”
And here is a tomato salad recipe: use homegrown tomatoes if possible. “Cut the tomatoes in wedges and put in a bowl and add cut up green and red peppers and garlic and olive oil, salt and pepper, and basil leaves: fresh and torn into pieces. What a flavor. The next day it is even better to dip bread into the sauce.”
The mystery photo in the Nov. 23 issue of the Enterprise Pilot was taken by Nicole Menchise, Raynham Hall Museum collections manager. She said the tree, one of three in front of the museum on West Main Street was toppled in Hurricane Sandy. She said, “It was a linden tree and over 120 years old and we plan to replant it.” Please, keep calling the Enterprise Pilot mystery picture.
—DFK
