Boomers - February 2012

ers
January 28, 2012
®
ZUMBA
Fitness
craze
A PUBLICATION OF
LANCASTER NEWSPAPERS INC.
FIVE
getaways
to kindle
romance
Vine &
Stein
Bulls Head
Public House
Zumba 3
Take time for tea 5
Romantic Getaways 6
Countdown to the Oscars 6
Vine & Stein:
Bulls Head Public House 7
Featured Boomer:
Melanie Snyder 8
Living large in smaller places 12
Contributors to heart disease 13
Plan Outdoor Updates 14
Flashback: 1960 15
Valentine’s Day Macarons 16
Contents
Don’t forget your
BOOM
ers

®

Card!
Look on page 11 for more
information on how to get your
very own BOOMers
®
card.
The card carri ed by
A PUBLICATION OF LANCASTER NEWSPAPERS, INC.
BOOMers
©
2
BOOMers
®
• January 28, 2012
Featured Boomer: Melanie Snyder
January 28, 2012 • BOOMers
®

3
K
athy Cassidy, 61, wasn’t
sure if the Zumba
Fitness craze around
the world was the sort of
exercise/dance workout for her.
“My friend Brenda Wissler had
been raving about it for years and
my curiosity was aroused. I agreed
to join the class at the Hempfield
Area Recreation Center for a
single session.” Within minutes
Cassidy was moving to the beat,
limbering up and smiling as she
easily got into the groove.
Presently, Zumba Fitness is
the only Latin inspired dance
that blends international music
and exercise.
Sandra Stolsky, the Zumba
instructor at Hempfield, explains
that most teachers generally have
a fitness or dance background or
both. “We have several levels of
Zumba classes that meet the needs
of men and women of all ages and
children,” she says. “Our Zumba
Gold class has is lower impact,
does not require spinning steps
and is a good start for boomers.
They can go at their own pace, it is
non-competitive and anyone can
switch levels at any time. I consider
age, balance and flexibility in the
choreography chosen.”
“There’s a difference between
traditional aerobic exercise
and Zumba.” Aerobics requires
moving and counting beats, the
music is behind the student;
Zumba brings the music to the
dancer. While the Latin beat
includes salsa, cha cha, cumbia
and flamenco, the new trend is
toward international styles such as
African, Indian, Calypso and rock-
and-roll. New and exciting genres
can be mixed by the instructor.
It’s ever changing creative music
and choreography.
The original Zumba was the
result of an accident. In the mid-
1990s, Alberto “Beto” Perez, a
fitness instructor, dancer and
choreographer of Cali, Colombia
forgot to bring his aerobics music
to class. Perez grabbed a bunch
of tapes he stored in his car and
improvised. The students loved
the music and the beat, thus the
birth of an exciting concept, a
“fitness party.”
Perez and his two brothers
incorporated. They decided to
bring the new style to Miami
in 2001 and introduced the
ZUMBA
FITNESS craze
Regular Zumba is set
to a high energy beat.

Zumba Gold modifies
moves as it maintains
the party atmosphere.

Zumba Toning
offers body-sculpting
exercises with a high
energy workout.

Aqua Zumba includes
splashing, stretching,
twisting and lots
of fun.

Zumbatomic is a
program for kids from
4-12 years of age

Zumba in the Circuit
provides a maximum
workout

Zumba Gold-Toning
combines a health
boosting program for
boomers and beginners
CONTINUED ON PAGE 4
program on a world wide scale.
By 2005 they created a Zumba
Academy to certify instructors.
The business has branched out
into clothing, accessories, DVD’s
and CDs.
Sandra Stolsky notes that at
the last count, 12 million people
were taking Zumba ftness
classes in gyms and studios at
110,000 locations in more than
125 countries.
Brenda Wissler, 54, loved the
process, and decided to enroll in a
training program in Philadelphia.
“I practice intensely at home
and am familiar with the music
and movements. I want to teach,
it’s so practical and fexible,”
she says.
In Zumba centers, everyone
is invited to join the party
atmosphere, making new
friends, socializing and shedding
their cares for an hour. There
is no Zumba uniform but loose
clothing is suggested and smooth
soled, light-weight dance shoes
are essential.
“Even people in wheelchairs
can do movement from a sitting
position,” says Stolsky. “At
Hempfeld we have Aqua Zumba,
favored by seniors. However,
anyone can get into the 80 degree
pool, splash, move around and
join the fun.” Many students have
experienced signifcant weight
loss. One participant lost 100
pounds and is planning to become
an instructor. In a 45 minute
high energy Zumba class, people
have been known to burn
800-1000 calories.
Mary Pare, 61, is thin, spry
and well coordinated. “I’ve been
attending for three years. It never
gets boring, is stress free and a
healthy pick-me-up.”
Students on all levels are
invited to the occasional Friday
night Zumbathon, a delightful
treat for the Zumba community.
Zumba classes are given in
many Lancaster County health,
dance and recreation sites such
as Universal, YMCA, Gold’s
Gym, Lancaster Recreation
Commission, Lititz Recreation
Center, the Puerto Rican Cultural
Center and many others. While
they all have regular Zumba,
they may not offer all levels.
Single classes run from about $6
to $10. Some classes at different
sites are free to members, others
offer a package deal that reduces
the cost.
4
BOOMers
®
• January 28, 2012
n
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January 28, 2012 • BOOMers
®

5
W
ith robust favor,
storied tradition
and abundant
health benefts
packed in each and every leaf, is
it any wonder tea is the one of the
most widely consumed beverages
around the world?
While January is offcially
National Hot Tea Month, there’s
a place in your life for it all
year long!
Many people have fond
memories associated with tea. It
may have been at the centerpiece
of cozy afternoon chats among
friends. Tea has also soothed
and warmed individuals who
have needed a little comforting.
Tea takes on various cultural
signifcances around the world.
In Russia, for example, tea is
traditionally sipped from glasses
set in silver holders, where strong
and sweetened tea is preferred.
Japanese engage in a ceremonial
preparation of green tea called the
“Way of Tea” or chanoyu. Tea has
also long been used for medicinal
purposes, and its high antioxidant
content helps fend off certain
illnesses, including cancer.
While tea may be healthy and
steeped in tradition, taste may be
one of the primary reasons tea
is enjoyed world-over. Because
tea is one of the most popular
beverages around, Hot Tea Month
is celebrated every January to help
extol its merits.
Although all tea comes from
the Camellia sinensis plant, a
warm-weather evergreen, how
the tea is picked, processed and
brewed can affect its taste. Tea is
not merely a meeting of leaves
and hot water. There’s an art to
brewing the perfect cup of tea —
and not just any tea will do.
It’s also important to know that
freshly brewed tea tends to be
healthier than bottled varieties.
An August 2010 study presented
by WellGen, Inc. suggests that
freshly brewed tea offers more
of the polyphenols needed to
promote optimal health. Some
bottled tea products studied
actually have levels of polyphenols
and antioxidant activity 10 to 100
times lower than conventionally
brewed tea.
It’s time to get excited about
tea. Tea can be enjoyed at any
time of day. With half the caffeine
of the average cup of coffee, it can
be a pick-me-up in the morning or
a way to unwind after a long day.
Tea Trivia

While enjoying your
perfect cup of tea,
pour over these other
interesting tea facts.

Aside from water, tea is
the most widely consumed
beverage in the world.

Differences among the four
types of tea — black, green,
oolong, and white — result
from the various degrees
of processing and the level
of oxidization. Black tea is
oxidized for up to 4 hours and
generally tastes the strongest.

Tea is nearly 5,000 years old.

When enjoyed straight, tea is
a no-calorie drink and makes
a nutritious addition to most
people’s diets.

The Tea Association of the
United States says that on
any given day, about one half
of the American population
drinks tea.
Take time
for Tea
n
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6
BOOMers
®
• January 28, 2012
Countdown to the
OSCARS

O
n Sunday, February 26,
2012, comedian Eddie
Murphy will host the
84th Academy Awards. Each year,
motion picture industry experts
nominate and cast their votes for
the top films, directors, actors,
and behind-the-scenes moviemak-
ers. Academy members vote at the
end of December to determine
the official nominees in conten-
tion. This year, nominees will be
announced on Tuesday, January
24, 2012, with the polls closing on
February 21.
Watching the Academy Awards
and seeing who will take home
an Oscar has become an annual
tradition in the United States and
across the globe for decades.
Here’s a look back at
the last 20 year’s worth
of movies that earned the
Academy Award for “Best
Picture.”

“The King’s Speech”

“The Hurt Locker”

“Slumdog Millionaire”

“No Country for Old Men”

“The Departed”

“Crash

“Million Dollar Baby”

“Lord of the Rings: Return
of the King”

“Chicago”

“A Beautiful Mind”

“Gladiator”

“American Beauty”

“Shakespeare in Love”

“Titanic”

“The English
Patient”

“Braveheart”

“Forrest Gump”

“Schindler’s List”

“Unforgiven”

“The Silence
of the Lambs”

ESCAPE ON A CRUISE
Put away your smartphone,
shun the hassle of cooking and
don’t even think about making
the bed. A cruise ship is the
perfect place for couples to skirt
reality for a while. Pretty much
anything you could want is at
your disposal and you hardly have
to lift a finger. The top cruise
lines have really upped their
game in the culinary realm, so
try a few different entrees and
a few different desserts, and
splurge for a drink package. For
uber-relaxation, book a couples’
massage. Celebrity Cruise’s
AquaSpa, for example, pampers
its guests as they literally watch
the ocean float by.
SPLURGE FOR A DREAM
VACATION
Hawaii embodies the words
dreamy, romantic and sensual
like almost nowhere else. The Big
Island of Hawaii was named by
Away.com as a top-10 destination
for a honeymoon vacation on a
budget. “Hawaii is a great choice
for a honeymoon, but many
people think they can’t afford
it. The trick is to look beyond
the name-brand places on the
Big Island, like Kona, in favor of
a hidden-gem like Kealakekua
Bay,” says Away.com’s senior
editor Kate Chandler. Hawaii is
known for its sandy beaches, but
it has so much to offer, such as
snorkeling expeditions, rolling
golf courses, interesting cultural
and natural history and plenty
of yummy food choices. You can
also choose to do nothing at all
besides just basking in your love
somewhere indescribable.
TAKE A HOT AIR
BALLOON RIDE
What better way to experience
the beauty of Napa and Sonoma
wine country than with a birds-
eye view? Book a sunrise or sunset
tour, complete with a mini-picnic
and local sparkling wine to set the
mood as your drift above the vines
and wineries. Very few things can
match the serene energy you feel
as you watch the first rays of sun
begin to paint the morning sky.
HEAR A GIG
The saying goes that it takes
two to tango. But in Austin, Texas,
you might well swap in the two-
step instead. Orbitz.com named
Austin one of its 2012 Hotspots,
and for good reason. Austin is
the self-proclaimed “Live Music
Capital of the World,” and this
music mecca is living up to its
reputation. It’s home to more
live-music venues per capita than
anywhere else in the United
States, so any time, day or night,
just follow the sounds to find
something playing. While you
listen, loosen your belt and enjoy
the good eats that Austin has to
offer. The city is well known for its
barbecue and Tex-Mex dishes.
WATCH THE STARS
For those who prefer to
experience the outdoors with a
touch of luxury, head somewhere
like Amangiri in Canyon Point,
Utah. This resort rests on 600 acres
and was consciously designed
to blend into its surroundings;
every window has a sweeping view
toward Grand Staircase-Escalante
National Monument. One of
the best aspects of the American
Southwest, whether you’re
staying at a ranch or roughing it
in a tent, is that you’re never too
far from an unobstructed view of
the night sky. Grab a blanket or
two and snuggle up for some truly
romantic stargazing.
The heat is on: Five getaways to
kindle romance
R
omance is in the air. Whether you are celebrating
Valentine’s Day, planning a honeymoon, or just
looking for a fun getaway with your better half,
these trip ideas are guaranteed to ignite a spark.
■
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January 28, 2012 • BOOMers
®

7
T
he review on the Web
site yelp.com summed
it up: “This is a beer
geek’s heaven.”
So where did this suds enthusiast
fnd paradise? In Lititz, where the
Bulls Head Public House has been
flling the glasses of thirsty patrons
for two years.
And they should know what
they are doing. If the name “Bulls
Head Public House” sounds like
an English pub, that’s because
it is, even if it’s on this side of
the Atlantic.
“It’s run like a typical English
pub. This is not a restaurant,” says
Stephen Fletcher, chief operating
offcer, a title that sounds like
something from the Royal Air
Force (That’s appropriate: prints
of RAF planes in action adorn the
wall in one corner).
Of course, there is food to be
had — more on that later — but
don’t expect a waiter or waitress
to bring it. And don’t wait to be
handed a menu. You see, as in
England, “you order at the bar,”
Fletcher said, and the menu is on a
chalkboard. That might take some
getting used to for us Yanks, but
it’s part of the experience.
However, let’s get back to
the brews.
You’ll fnd an average of 14 beers
on tap, and 70 or more varieties of
the bottled kind.
“We want to keep things
interesting,” sums up Fletcher.
Well, how can things not be
interesting with names such
as Bayerische Staatsbrauerei
Weihenstephan and Tommyknocker
potentially on tap? (Fletcher
says the Wells & Young’s Double
Chocolate Stout is a customer
favorite). Or bottled beer with
names like Skullsplitter and Pretty
Things Hedgerow Bitter? (Familiar
names such as Amstel and Corona
are also available).
If you are a beer lover, you will,
indeed, fnd Nirvana here. And if
you’re a beer novice, you might
learn a thing or two at the Bulls
Head, where Gary Simons and
Liverpool native Paul Pendyck are
principal partners in the pub.
“The guys we have behind the
bar are all certifed in the beer
expertise department,” Fletcher
says. “It’s the beer version of a
sommelier,” or wine steward.
And there is a difference in how
Americans defne brew from our
English cousins.
“What most Americans call a
lager is not what we call a lager,”
Fletcher states. “Most English
beers are bitters or ales. A lager
in England would be more like a
Budweiser. The average English
beer is amber color, with a tint to
it, to a light brown, with the reds
in between.”
If you are more of a wine fan
or a martini man (or woman),
there’s no need to despair at the
Bulls Head; they have a selection
of pretty much anything you like.
In any event, you’ll probably
want to eat while you’re there.
And, as Fletcher states, the Bulls
Head is a pub, not a restaurant,
there is food to be had.
Of course, it’s the kind you’ll
fnd in the United Kingdom: Ham
Steak and Peas, Shepherd’s Pie
(a customer favorite, Fletcher
notes) and the intriguing
Scotch Egg, “a hard-boiled egg
surrounded by sausage meat and
deep-fried,” Fletcher explains.
Fancy something sweet? There’s
also Sticky Toffee Pudding on the
menu.
One friendly warning: the Bulls
Head does not take reservations.
So you might want to start your
visit before sundown. Or go early
in the week.
“Thursday, Friday and Saturday
nights,” Fletcher says, “you can’t
move in here.”
Bulls Head
Public House
n
The Bulls Head Public House is located at 14 E.
Main St., Lititz, next to the General Sutter Inn.
Hours: Mon: 11:30 am-4 pm • Tues-Thurs: 11:30 am-11 pm
Fri & Sat : 11:30 am-2am • Sun: 11:30 am-11 pm
Call (717) 626-2115 or log onto bullsheadpublichouse.com.
No reservations; beers selections rotate.
Vine
&
Stein
Written By STEPHEN KOPFINGER
Photos By JOyCE FITzPaTRICK
Presenting
Sponsor January 28 & 29
12 - 4 pm
Chocolate
Moose
Daze
400 College Ave., Lancaster
291-3941
www.northmuseum.org
More chocolate, more moose, more fun!
8
BOOMers
®
• January 28, 2012
January 28, 2012 • BOOMers
®

9
A
ccording to Snyder, 50,
when she grew up she
wanted to be a doctor or a
writer and wanted to change
the world. However, after a
troubling incident where she worked after
graduating from college, Snyder decided
that she wanted to pursue her MBA and
go into the corporate business world.
Snyder spent 20 years in the corporate
world for three different companies,
Singer-Link Flight Simulation, Armstrong
World Industries, and LexisNexis.
“Though I had lots of different jobs titles
over the years, essentially what I did for
all of these companies was manage large,
complex projects — implementing new
computer systems and new business
processes. I also did a lot of employee
training and technical writing over
the years.”
Snyder and her family moved to
England in late 1996 due to her husband’s
job transfer. During those years in Great
Britain, Snyder and her family traveled
throughout Europe. The Snyders
returned to the U.S. at the end of 1998
where they lived in Charlottesville, Va.,
and Snyder took a job with LexisNexis, an
international publishing company.
It was during her time that Snyder’s
life began to circle back to her childhood
dream of infuencing the world for good.
“After a couple of years with LexisNexis,
I had a really unique opportunity to
participate in an ‘executive loan’ program
that my manager, the chief technology
offcer, created,” relates Snyder. “The
idea was to fnd a nonproft organization
in the community whose mission was
connected somehow to the LexisNexis
corporate mission, and then, loan one
of the company’s employees to the
nonproft to work for them for a year, to
help advance the nonproft’s mission and
beneft the community.
“So I got to work for the Virginia
Piedmont Technology Council (VPTC)
for one year, managing projects to address
the digital divide, develop technology
literacy among at-risk youth, and other
workforce development and economic
development initiatives.”
After her year was up with VPTC, Snyder
was elected to its board of directors and
served as its CEO and chairwoman of
the board for a few years. “I learned a
tremendous amount about the nonproft
world, and about building community
partnerships to address signifcant
community issues,” says Snyder.
“It was a really pivotal experience
for me, and I’m immensely grateful to
Allan McLaughlin, the visionary chief
technology offcer at LexisNexis, who
crafted the executive loan program and
allowed me to serve as the frst ‘loaned
executive.’”
Snyder returned to LexisNexis after
her one year loan to VPTC and worked
there until 2005. Due to the company’s
downsizing, Snyder’s job was eliminated.
At around the same time, the Snyders
moved to Lancaster County. At this
time, Snyder decided to start her own
business. Today, she handles contract
project management, training, and
freelance writing.
Soon after the Virginia Tech shootings
in April 2007, Snyder was asked to develop
and teach a confict resolution and
anger management course for angry
teens at the Lancaster Area Victims
Offender Reconciliation Program,
which is now known as the Center for
Community Peacemaking.
From there, Snyder wanted to get
some help with reaching these kids with
her program. “My friend, Jean Moyer,
from the Elizabethtown Church of the
Brethren, told me about a woman from
State College, named Marie Hamilton,
who used to teach confict resolution and
anger management to prison inmates.
“Jean had met Marie 15 years earlier, but
had no contact with her since .... Through
an amazing, and really providential set of
events, Jean and I met Marie months later.
Marie agreed to help me with the confict
resolution training program for teens.”
After that meeting, Snyder revitalized
her dream to be a writer. Hamilton was
looking for someone to write her story of
30 years volunteering in Pennsylvania’s
state prisons. “She told us just a few of
the stories from her prison work and it
was clear: this was a book that had to be
written,” states Snyder.
Snyder spent the next two years
researching and writing the book, “Grace
Goes to Prison,” published by Brethren
Press. After the book’s publication in
2009, Snyder drove a camper van more
than 9,000 miles to 30 different cities
within 75 days. During this two and a half
month time span, Snyder spoke to 40
different groups about issues associated
with the American criminal justice
system and the positive potential of
restorative justice.
“I continued to learn all I could
about our criminal justice system and
about teaching restorative justice, as I
met and talked with people all over the
country who are involved in these felds,”
says Snyder.
Indeed, Snyder’s life has come full
circle. Today, Snyder volunteers with the
Lancaster County Reentry Management
Organization, and she continues to
speak to civic and faith groups, as well as
colleges and universities about the U.S.
criminal justice system and educating
people about restorative justice.
“If someone had told me fve or six
years ago that this would be my path now,
I would have thought it sounded crazy. If
I had never met Marie Hamilton, never
gone into the prisons, never written this
book, I wouldn’t have started on this
‘second career,’” Snyder says. “In some
ways, it feels like I’ve come full circle
— back to the kind of work I started
with juvenile delinquent girls almost 30
years ago.”
Melanie was born
in Philadelphia Naval
Hospital in 1961.
Melanie has been
married to her best
friend, Bruce, for 29
years. They have two
children, Eric, 24 and
Hannah, 20. Together,
Bruce and Melanie
are remodeling a
Lancaster city row
home where they now
live.
Favorite
Lancaster eatery:
El Maizal on Mulberry
Street in Lancaster.
“Great, authentic
Columbian food and a real
family atmosphere. The
owner is a really gifted
musician and artist, in
addition to being a great
chef — so you can hear his
wonderful South American
guitar music and see his
paintings while enjoying
the food!”
Boomer women have made great strides in the
workplace and they’ve also found ways to start a
second career during the second half of their lives.
Melanie Snyder of Lancaster is
one of those women.
Life
comes
full
circle
What’s the
best part of being a Boomer:
“I feel as though, at age 50, I have
attained a respectable amount of
inner wisdom — about the world,
about life, about myself. I’ve been
incredibly blessed; I’m keenly aware
of that and I have a deep desire to
use what I’ve been given wisely, in
ways that can really make
a difference.”
n
fun
facts
Written By WEndy KoMAncHEcK
8
BOOMers
®
• January 28, 2012
January 28, 2012 • BOOMers
®

9
A
ccording to Snyder, 50,
when she grew up she
wanted to be a doctor or a
writer and wanted to change
the world. However, after a
troubling incident where she worked after
graduating from college, Snyder decided
that she wanted to pursue her MBA and
go into the corporate business world.
Snyder spent 20 years in the corporate
world for three different companies,
Singer-Link Flight Simulation, Armstrong
World Industries, and LexisNexis.
“Though I had lots of different jobs titles
over the years, essentially what I did for
all of these companies was manage large,
complex projects — implementing new
computer systems and new business
processes. I also did a lot of employee
training and technical writing over
the years.”
Snyder and her family moved to
England in late 1996 due to her husband’s
job transfer. During those years in Great
Britain, Snyder and her family traveled
throughout Europe. The Snyders
returned to the U.S. at the end of 1998
where they lived in Charlottesville, Va.,
and Snyder took a job with LexisNexis, an
international publishing company.
It was during her time that Snyder’s
life began to circle back to her childhood
dream of infuencing the world for good.
“After a couple of years with LexisNexis,
I had a really unique opportunity to
participate in an ‘executive loan’ program
that my manager, the chief technology
offcer, created,” relates Snyder. “The
idea was to fnd a nonproft organization
in the community whose mission was
connected somehow to the LexisNexis
corporate mission, and then, loan one
of the company’s employees to the
nonproft to work for them for a year, to
help advance the nonproft’s mission and
beneft the community.
“So I got to work for the Virginia
Piedmont Technology Council (VPTC)
for one year, managing projects to address
the digital divide, develop technology
literacy among at-risk youth, and other
workforce development and economic
development initiatives.”
After her year was up with VPTC, Snyder
was elected to its board of directors and
served as its CEO and chairwoman of
the board for a few years. “I learned a
tremendous amount about the nonproft
world, and about building community
partnerships to address signifcant
community issues,” says Snyder.
“It was a really pivotal experience
for me, and I’m immensely grateful to
Allan McLaughlin, the visionary chief
technology offcer at LexisNexis, who
crafted the executive loan program and
allowed me to serve as the frst ‘loaned
executive.’”
Snyder returned to LexisNexis after
her one year loan to VPTC and worked
there until 2005. Due to the company’s
downsizing, Snyder’s job was eliminated.
At around the same time, the Snyders
moved to Lancaster County. At this
time, Snyder decided to start her own
business. Today, she handles contract
project management, training, and
freelance writing.
Soon after the Virginia Tech shootings
in April 2007, Snyder was asked to develop
and teach a confict resolution and
anger management course for angry
teens at the Lancaster Area Victims
Offender Reconciliation Program,
which is now known as the Center for
Community Peacemaking.
From there, Snyder wanted to get
some help with reaching these kids with
her program. “My friend, Jean Moyer,
from the Elizabethtown Church of the
Brethren, told me about a woman from
State College, named Marie Hamilton,
who used to teach confict resolution and
anger management to prison inmates.
“Jean had met Marie 15 years earlier, but
had no contact with her since .... Through
an amazing, and really providential set of
events, Jean and I met Marie months later.
Marie agreed to help me with the confict
resolution training program for teens.”
After that meeting, Snyder revitalized
her dream to be a writer. Hamilton was
looking for someone to write her story of
30 years volunteering in Pennsylvania’s
state prisons. “She told us just a few of
the stories from her prison work and it
was clear: this was a book that had to be
written,” states Snyder.
Snyder spent the next two years
researching and writing the book, “Grace
Goes to Prison,” published by Brethren
Press. After the book’s publication in
2009, Snyder drove a camper van more
than 9,000 miles to 30 different cities
within 75 days. During this two and a half
month time span, Snyder spoke to 40
different groups about issues associated
with the American criminal justice
system and the positive potential of
restorative justice.
“I continued to learn all I could
about our criminal justice system and
about teaching restorative justice, as I
met and talked with people all over the
country who are involved in these felds,”
says Snyder.
Indeed, Snyder’s life has come full
circle. Today, Snyder volunteers with the
Lancaster County Reentry Management
Organization, and she continues to
speak to civic and faith groups, as well as
colleges and universities about the U.S.
criminal justice system and educating
people about restorative justice.
“If someone had told me fve or six
years ago that this would be my path now,
I would have thought it sounded crazy. If
I had never met Marie Hamilton, never
gone into the prisons, never written this
book, I wouldn’t have started on this
‘second career,’” Snyder says. “In some
ways, it feels like I’ve come full circle
— back to the kind of work I started
with juvenile delinquent girls almost 30
years ago.”
Melanie was born
in Philadelphia Naval
Hospital in 1961.
Melanie has been
married to her best
friend, Bruce, for 29
years. They have two
children, Eric, 24 and
Hannah, 20. Together,
Bruce and Melanie
are remodeling a
Lancaster city row
home where they now
live.
Favorite
Lancaster eatery:
El Maizal on Mulberry
Street in Lancaster.
“Great, authentic
Columbian food and a real
family atmosphere. The
owner is a really gifted
musician and artist, in
addition to being a great
chef — so you can hear his
wonderful South American
guitar music and see his
paintings while enjoying
the food!”
Boomer women have made great strides in the
workplace and they’ve also found ways to start a
second career during the second half of their lives.
Melanie Snyder of Lancaster is
one of those women.
Life
comes
full
circle
What’s the
best part of being a Boomer:
“I feel as though, at age 50, I have
attained a respectable amount of
inner wisdom — about the world,
about life, about myself. I’ve been
incredibly blessed; I’m keenly aware
of that and I have a deep desire to
use what I’ve been given wisely, in
ways that can really make
a difference.”
n
fun
facts
Written By WEndy KoMAncHEcK
10
BOOMers
®
• January 28, 2012
ALWAYS NEW TO YOU
21 S. Broad Street (Route 501)
Lititz • 627-5435
MIRACLES CONSIGNMENT SHOP
3545 Marietta Avenue
Lancaster • 285-0058
RED WING SHOE STORE
106 S. Centerville Rd. Lanc.
509-1990 • [email protected]
SECRET SNEAKER
409 Granite Run Dr.
Lancaster • 569-6101
BARRY’S PAINT SHOP
Ephrata • 733-6900
barryspaintshop.com
LANCASTER HONDA
2350 Dairy Rd. • 898-0100
www.lancasterhonda.com
LANDIS LUXURY COACHES
4412 Oregon Pike • Ephrata
859-5466 • www.landisenterprise.com
BULLY’S RESTAURANT & PUB
647 Union St., Columbia
684-2854
COLUMBIA FAMILY RESTAURANT
960 Lancaster Ave • Columbia Plaza
Columbia, PA • 684-7503
CONESTOGA RESTAURANT & BAR
1501 E. King St. • Lancaster
393-0290 • www.theconestoga.com
EDEN RESORT INN & SUITES
569-6444
www.edenresort.com
FOXCHASE GOLF CLUB
300 Stevens Rd. • Stevens
336-3673 • www.foxchasegolf.com
HERSHEY FARM RESTAURANT & INN
Rt. 896 • Strasburg, PA
www.hersheyfarm.com
IRON HILL BREWERY &
RESTAURANT
781 Harrisburg Pk • Lancaster
291-9800 • www.ironhillbrewery.com
IRON HORSE INN
135 E. Main St. • Strasburg
687-6362 • www.ironhorsepa.com
La CASETTA
360 Hartman Bridge Rd.
Strasburg • 687-3671
LANCASTER ARTS HOTEL
300 Harrisburg Ave. • 299-3000
www.lancasterartshotel.com
NEPTUNE DINER
924 N. Prince St. • Lancaster
399-8358 • www.theneptunediner.com
PRUDHOMMES CAJUN KITCHEN
50 Lancaster Ave. • Columbia
684-1706 • www.lostcajunkitchen.com
SHANK’S TAVERN
36 S. Waterford Ave. • Marietta
426-1205 • www.shankstavern.com
SPILL THE BEANS CAFE
43 E. Main St. • Lititz
627-7827 • www.spillthebeanscafe.com
SYMPOSIUM RESTAURANT
125 South Centerville Rd.
Lancaster • 391-7656
T. BURK & CO. DELI RESTAURANT
2433A Old Philadelphia Pike
293-0976 • [email protected]
THE CHERISHED PEARL
BED AND BREAKFAST
Honeybrook • 610-273-2312
www.thecherishedpearl.com
WILLOW VALLEY RESTAURANT
2416 Willow Street Pk • Lancaster
464-2711 • willowvalley.com
CHOO CHOO BARN, INC.
Route 741 East, Strasburg
687-7911 • www.choochoobarn.com
DUTCH APPLE DINNER THEATRE
510 Centerville Rd, Lancaster
898-1900 • DutchApple.com
LEISURE LANES
3440 Columbia Ave.
Lancaster • 392-2121
JUKEBOX NIGHTCLUB
1703 New Holland Ave. • Lancaster
394-9978 • Jukeboxnightclub.com
NEW SINGLES
713-1494
www.newsinglesusa.com
SOVEREIGN CENTER
Reading, PA
www.sovereigncenter.com
TELL LIMOUSINES
18 Richard Dr., • Lititz
www.telllimo.com • 1-866-469-8355
AMERIPRISE FINANCIAL
30 E. Roseville Rd. • Lancaster
Ted Williams • 431-0522
AMERICAN SLEEP CENTER
1957 Fruitville Pk. • Lancaster
560-6660 • www.specialtysleepcenter.com
THE BED & FURNITURE
WAREHOUSE
166 Arrowhead Dr.
Rapho Industrial Park • 653-8096
www.bedandfurniture.com
FURNITURE THAT FITS
3515 Columbia Ave
Mountville • 285-2547
HERITAGE DESIGN INTERIORS
1064 Main St., Rt. 23 • Blue Ball
354-2233 • [email protected]
WICKER IMPORTS
1766 Oregon Pike
Lancaster • 560-6325
WOLF FURNITURE
Rohrerstown Rd. exit of Rt. 30 • Lanc
209-6949 • wolffurniture.com
A THERAPEUTIC EFFECT
123 Oakridge Dr.
Mountville • 285-9955
ALBRIGHT & THIRY ORTHODONTICS
1834 Oregon Pk • Lancaster
569-6421
AMERICAN LASER CENTER
898-9170
www.americanlaser.com
COCALICO AREA HEARING
SERVICES
3 Cardinal Drive • 336-8198
DR. BENJAMIN F.D. CHIKES
Practice limited to orthodontics
Ephrata • 738-4901
HARMONY FITNESS-A Women’s Gym
3695 Marietta Ave. • Lancaster
285-3476 • harmonyfi[email protected]
HARTZ Physical Therapy’s
Medically Adapted Gym (M.A.G.)
90 Good Drive • Lancaster
735-8880 • www.hartzpt.com
HEALTH e-TECHNOLOGIES
538-8392
www.healthe-tech.com
HOME FITNESS EQUIPMENT
1955 Manheim Pk. (Foxshire Plaza)
Lancaster • 509-7752
JUICE PLUS+/HURST PARTNERS
INTERNATIONAL, LTD.
800-384-1962
www.yourhealthstyles.us
L & E MASSAGE THERAPY CENTERS
Lancaster and Ephrata locations
560-6788 and 721-3254
MERLE NORMAN COSMETIC
STUDIO
Park City Center • Kohl’s Wing
Lancaster • 393-2393
PATRICIA’S HAIRSTYLING CENTER
3844 Columbia Ave.
Mountville • 285-2838
PAVELKO SENIOR CONSULTING
SERVICES, LLC
517-8871 • www.pavelko.org
POUNDS TO FREEDOM
900 B Centerville Rd.
892-7448
SUSQUEHANNA HEARING CENTER
24A E. Roseville Road
Lancaster • 569-0000
THE REJUVENATION CENTER
616 Paxton Place • Suite 102
Lititz • 569-3040
THE SPA AT INTERCOURSE VILLAGE
3544 Old Philadelphia Pk • Intercourse
768-0555 • 800-801-2219
YOUR HEALTH STYLES FOR LIFE
(Laser Skin Care)
148 E. Main St. • Leola • 405-0881
CALDER DOOR & SPECIALTY CO.
1296 Loop Rd. • Lancaster
397-8295
CDR IMPROVEMENTS, INC.
P.O. Box 192 • Denver
800-543-9896 • [email protected]
DEB’S PET BUDDIES
Lititz • 283-4438
www.debspetbuddies.com
FURNITURE MEDIC
2274 Manor Ridge Dr.
Lancaster • 393-8545
GOCHNAUER’S HOME
APPLIANCE CENTER
5939 Main St • East Petersburg
569-0439 • www.gochnauers.com
HERITAGE DESIGN INTERIORS
1064 Main St., Rt. 23
Blue Ball • 354-2233
www.heritagedesigninteriors.com
HOME INSTEAD SENIOR CARE
Serving Lancaster County • 207-0755
homeinstead.com/589
INDEPENDENT STAIR LIFT SOLUTIONS
401 Granite Run Dr. • Lancaster
626-4401 • yourIHS.com
ISLAND PAINTING, INC.
3806 Concordia Rd
Columbia, PA • 285-9074
KEN GUNZENHAUSER & ASSOC.
BASEMENT DAMP PROOFING
171 Ridgeway Ave. • Ephrata
368-6183
KREIDER’S CANVAS SERVICE
73 W. Main St. • Leola
656-7387 • www.KreidersCanvas.com
LANCASTER BUILDING SUPPLY
WINDOWS DOORS and MORE, LLC
1851 Lincoln Hwy East • Lancaster
393-1321 • www.
lancasterbuildingsupply.com
LANCASTER DOOR SERVICE
1851 Lincoln Hwy East • Lancaster
394-4724 • www.lancasterdoor.com
DIRECTORY
Present your BOOMers
®
Card at these fine establishments for special discounts.
®
C
A
R
D
B
O
O
M
e
r
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®
Check store offers on LancasterOnline.com, click on Special Sections and find Boomers
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HOME SERVICES
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DINING & LODGING
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AUTOMOTIVE
HEALTH & BEAUTY
January 28, 2012 • BOOMers
®

11
Present this card to a participating business and receive a special offer. If
you were born between 1946 and 1964, you’re considered a Baby Boomer.
The participating businesses are generously offering you a special deal
just for presenting your card. It is that simple! A directory of participating
businesses appears in each issue of BOOMers
®
. How do you get your
BOOMers
®
Card? Just fill out the form below, send it in or drop it off to
us and we’ll rush the card out to you. Use it as often as you like at as many
participating businesses.*
Fill out this form today and then either mail it to:
BOOMers
®
Card • Lancaster Newspapers, Inc.
Retail Advertising Department
P.O. Box 1328, Lancaster, PA 17608
Or bring it to us at 8 W. King Street in Lancaster
Special Discounts for
BOOMers
®
readers!
Lancaster Newspapers
announces a special feature
for Baby Boomers. We are
offering, at no charge to you,
this BOOMers® Card.
The card carri ed by
A PUBLICATION OF LANCASTER NEWSPAPERS, INC.
B
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©
Complete this form and mail to:
Lancaster Newspapers, Inc. • Boomers Card PO Box 1328 • Lancaster, PA 17608
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click on Special Sections and find Boomers
or call individual stores for offers, details,
exclusions and expiration dates.
Save this directory for reference
until the next BOOMers arrives with
the Saturday combined editions.
LANDIS at HOME
www.landisathome.org
PREMIERE CARPET CLEANERS
www.premierecarpetcleaners.com/boomers
842-2015
SCOOTER WAREHOUSE
401 Granite Run Dr. • Lancaster
393-8213 • LancasterScooterWarehouse.com
SIEGRIST DECORATING
232 W. Main St.
Leola • 656-2826
STERMER BROTHERS STOVES & SPAS
1330 Harrisburg Pk • 207-0901
www.stermer.com
TRIANGLE REFRIGERATION CO.
Brownstown • 656-2711
ZIMMERMAN’S ROOFING, LLC
325 B West Main St. • New Holland
354-3737 • www.zimmermansroofing.com
PARKHILL JEWELRY
Ephrata • 733-8800
VINCENT & CO. FINE JEWELERS
1633 Lititz Pike • Lancaster
299-GEMS
DREAM DINNERS
Lancaster • 509-4530
www.dreamdinners.com
AMERICAN TASTES
Suite E, Silver Spring Center
3545 Marietta Ave. • Lancaster • 285-1361
ELLEN’S HUMMELS
2495 Lincoln Hwy, Quality Center
Lancaster • 394-8138
FLOWERS BY PAULETTE
258 N. Queen St. • Lancaster
295-5411 • www.flowersbypaulette.com
IHDE’S STUDIOS
25 N. Charles St. • Ephrata
738-0835 • www.ihdestudios.com
KEYSTONE EQUINE PET & WILDLIFE
781 E. Main St.
Mount Joy • 492-0027
LEGACY USED BOOKS & COLLECTIBLES
145 E. Main St. • New Holland
351-0740
www.legacyusedbooksandcollectibles.com
NIMBLE THIMBLE
45 N. Market St. (next to Quilt Museum)
Lancaster • 299-5244
[email protected] • nimblethimble.biz
PENNSYLVANIA TOY ACADEMY &
THE PARTY SHOP INC
705 Olde Hickory Rd • Lancaster
569-2286 • [email protected]
PUFF N’ STUFF
253 N. Queen St. • Lancaster • 393-9772
Myspace.com/puffstuff253
SUK SHUGLIE GALLERY
1320 B Manheim Pk (beside Essis)
Lancaster • 393-0966
JEWELRY
SPECIALTY STORES
MEAL ASSEMBLY
12
BOOMers
®
• January 28, 2012
T
he American home may
be shrinking, but not
the Great American
Dream. Americans are
still living large, just doing so in
smaller spaces.
To some trend-watchers, the
downscaling of the American home
comes as good news. Architects,
designers and social observers
say our willingness to resize our
floor space means Americans are
rethinking the way we really live
and how we use whatever space
we do have. Home, they say, has
become less about impressing
others and more about making
ourselves happy. And since we are
mostly baby boomers -- that tidal
wave of Americans born between
1946 and 1964 -- who have long
been accustomed to getting
what we want, happiness is often
defined in terms of luxuries and
personal amenities.
This new definition of luxury
-- top-quality, mostly natural
materials, careful attention to
architectural details like natural
wood window frames and
mouldings -- is one that architect
and author Sarah Susanka agrees
with. And what Susanka thinks
matters.
In 1998, her professional
hunch launched what has become
the “build-better-not-bigger”
movement, when she published
the first in her best-selling series of
“The Not So Big House” books.
Gale Steves, author, editor and
design industry consultant sums
up a similar concept in her book
about “Right-Sizing Your Home.”
According to Steves, “Right-sizing
is about making the best use of
the spaces you have for the way
you live.” She suggests these ways
to best enjoy the shrinking and
changing American home.
“Create a room within a room,”
Steves advises. Her ideas begin
at floor-level. Install hardwood
flooring throughout to unify
the spaces and make them look
larger, then use area rugs to define
separate areas. Lay hardwood
on the diagonal to set off special
architectural features. Create a
“rug” under a dining table with
an inset frame of contrasting
hardwood. Or outline an entire
room with two courses of
contrasting hardwood.
More ideas: Use a sectional sofa
to delineate an intimate seating
area within an open floor plan.
And -- of special interest to the
many boomers who are eschewing
retirement -- find a standing wood-
panel screen to create privacy
or isolate a work space, say, in a
bedroom office area.
And don’t forget to make it
sustainable. Living green is a high
priority for the anti-McMansion
generation. As Susanka sees it, we
should think of the 21st-century
house as “a well-tailored suit:
you use less material, but it fits
you perfectly.”
So while the size of the “average”
U.S. home may be shrinking,
remember that it’s more about
space that works and that satisfies
the psyche in the process that
defines the ultimate in luxury.
Think custom kitchens with pro-
quality appliances, posh home-spa
baths, stone countertops and the
beauty and warmth that only come
with hardwood flooring, cabinetry
and millwork.

For more information
on American
Hardwoods, visit
www.HardwoodInfo.com.

LIVING
LARGE
in smaller spaces:
The shrinking,
changing
American home
Her mantra is indeed, think smaller, and she also believes that
“luxury comes from the materials we surround ourselves with.
Beauty comes from natural materials. You can see where they come
from — in the grain, the veining. The more natural the materials,
like real hardwoods and granite, the more content you are.
There’s a quality you can’t name, but you can feel it.”
Sarah Susanka
■
1-877-445-7799 º www.martinsflooring.com
Fivepointville Just off Rte. 897, 608 Dwight Rd., Denver
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Harrisburg Next to Interiors, 4405 Lewis Rd., Harrisburg
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January 28, 2012 • BOOMers
®

13
White pasta and breads
Researchers have found that
eating a diet high in refned
grains, including those in most
store-bought pastas and white
breads, can double the risk of
heart disease. These foods are
those that have a high glycemic
index, or GI. Foods with a high
GI quickly release sugar into
the bloodstream. Doctors have
found a correlation between high
GI and heart disease, mainly in
women, according to research at
the University of Milan. The study
questioned 32,578 women and
15,171 men. Those who consumed
the largest concentration of high
GI foods were 2.24 times more
likely to develop heart disease
than those with the lowest.
Nutritionists advise that, when
choosing grain products, it is
important to select those made
from whole grains. Not only
do these products provide the
nutritional benefts of whole
grains, including fber, they also
help reduce cholesterol and the
risk for heart disease.
Sugary items
While many people associate
sugary snacks, beverages and
sugar itself with dental decay or
unnecessary calories, these items
also impact cholesterol levels.
The average American eats the
equivalent of 21 teaspoons of added
sugar a day, which is two to three
times the amount they should,
according to an article in the
Journal of the American Medical
Association. Researchers found
that individuals who consumed
the most sugary products had the
lowest HDL, or good cholesterol,
and the highest blood triglyceride
levels. Eating large amounts of
sugar can then be a major risk
factor for high cholesterol and
heart disease.
In its 2010 guidelines, the
American Heart Association
recommended limiting added
sugar in the diet to no more than
100 calories a day for most women
and 150 calories for most men.
That’s 6 teaspoons for women and
9 for men. To put those guidelines
in perspective, consider that a
12-ounce can of soda has between
8 and 10 teaspoons.
In addition, many processed
foods contain sugar even if
sugar’s inclusion seems foolish.
Some restaurants and food
manufacturers have admitted
to adding sugar to foods
—especially those geared
to children — to make
them taste better and be
more appealing. Therefore,
sauces, ready-made dinners
and other items may have
sugar, and the consumer may
not know it without reading
the nutrition label.
Also, it’s important to note
that beverages are the leading
supplier of added sugar for many
people. Simply reducing the
amount of juices, sports drinks
and sodas in your diet can greatly
reduce sugar consumption.
Contributors to
heart diSeaSe
Daytime
drowsiness
Do you fnd yourself
reaching for a can
of soda or a cup of
coffee during the day
to banish fatigue?
Many do. But you
may want to grab a
glass of water instead.
Research indicates
that lack of water
is the No. 1 trigger
of daytime fatigue.
Therefore, not only
can drinking adequate
supplies of water
keep you refreshed, it
can also help to keep
you more awake —
even during a boring
business meeting.
Red meats, hydrogenized oils — these are the foods we
associate with heart disease and high cholesterol.
But a few other things many people eat rather frequently
could be contributing to future heart problems.
COUrteSY OF ara CONteNt
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14
BOOMers
®
• January 28, 2012
Winter months provide the
perfect opportunity to prepare
your outdoor space for the warmer
months. Planning and prepping
now will ensure that you get full use
of your outdoor space for the entire
season once warm weather arrives.
Get a head start by planning some
of these spring projects now:
Bulbs
Some bulbs grow best when
planted in the early spring when
the ground is still cool. Do some
research to fgure out the best
bulbs for your region so you can
determine the ideal planting time.
There’s nothing better than having
a yard full of colorful fowers
providing great curb appeal early in
the season.
Grass
Before you know it, you’ll be
peeling off your wool socks and
walking around your yard feeling
the soft grass between your toes.
To ensure a lush lawn, spend time
this winter researching grass seed
options so you can repair any sparse
areas in your yard. Planting grass
seed early gives the seed plenty of
time to germinate which will give
you a healthy, green lawn in the
spring. In addition to research, you
can also chat with someone at your
local nursery for help choosing the
appropriate type of grass to plant in
the early months of spring.
Deck
Sitting on your deck enjoying
warm, sunny days or cooler evenings
is something everyone looks forward
to. Adding a new deck to your home
or replacing an existing one adds
value to your real estate investment.
Homeowners have been consistently
choosing composite decking over
wooden decks over the past several
years because composite decking
is high performance and low
maintenance, unlike wood decking
which can splinter and crack, and
often requires staining and sealing.
Composite decking is long-lasting,
durable, made of recycled materials,
and resists mildew, warping and
insects. According to Remodeling
magazine 2009-10 Cost vs. Value
Report, adding a composite deck to
your home has a 70 percent return
on investment.
You can fnd free online tools to
help you plan your new decking
project during winter months. Visit
www.timbertech.com to learn which
decking materials are best for you
by taking a quick quiz. Create free
deck designs with the Online Deck
Designer. Mix and match decking
and railing colors with the Color
Visualizer and be inspired by other
deck designs in the Photo Gallery.
Before you know it, you’ll have
the perfect plan for your dream
deck so when warm weather hits,
you’re ready.
Trees and shrubs
As you’re deciding on the deck,
consider a plan to plant trees and/
or shrubbery to provide a more
natural outdoor atmosphere. The
right type of landscaping will not
only be visually appealing, but will
also provide privacy and shade.
Planting your selections early can
have many benefts including time
for each tree or shrub to establish
a strong root system so that it
fourishes for many years to come.
Stop dreaming of warm weather
and put that energy into planning
your outdoor space. From decking
to landscape updates, your efforts
during the winter months will
bloom into big results once the
spring thaw hits.
Why winter is the right time to
plan ouTDoor upDaTes
CourTesY oF ara ConTenT
D
oes the bitter cold weather have you dreaming of warm days
spending time with friends and family in your backyard? The
cold may keep us indoors, but professionals in the landscape and
remodeling industry are still thinking about the outdoors and use
the winter months to plan spring projects, and so should you.
n
January 28, 2012 • BOOMers
®

15
EVERYDAY LIVING
Average Cost of a New Home ............... $16,500
Average Monthly Rent .................................. $98
Cost of a Gallon of Gas ..........................31 cents
Average Cost of a New Car ...................... $2,600
Loaf of Bread .........................................20 cents
23 Inch Television ................................... $219.95
Dozen Eggs .............................................. 57 cent
Postage Stamp ..........................................4 cents
TOP SONGS
FLASH BACK »
1960
• Theme from “A Summer Place” by Percy Faith
• He’ll Have to Go by Jim Reeves
• Cathy’s Clown by Everly Brothers
• Running Bear by Johnny Preston
• Teen Angel by Mark Dinning
POPULAR FILMS
• Ben-Hur
• Can Can
• Alfred Hitchcock’s Psycho
• Operation Petticoat
• Only The Lonely by Roy Orbison
POP CULTURE
• Lady Chatterley’s Lover goes on sale in
England 32 years after it was banned.
• Coronation Street Soap premieres on ITV
in the UK.
• The Flintstones premiers.
• Rawhide.
• Chubby Checker and The Twist start a
new dance craze.
• Over one hundred million television
sets in use worldwide.
• Aluminum Cans used for the first time.
• The United States launches the first
weather satellite, TIROS-1.
POP TV SHOWS
• Bonanza
• The Andy Griffith Show
• The Ed Sullivan Show
• Gunsmoke
• Laugh-In
WHAT HAPPENED
John F. Kennedy wins
presidential election.
American Heart Association Links
smoking to heart disease and death
in middle aged men.
The United States launches the world’s first
nuclear powered Aircraft Carrier the
USS Enterprise.
In Louisville, Kentucky, Cassius Clay (who
later took the name Muhammad Ali) wins
his first professional fight after having
won the Gold Medal in Rome in the
Olympic games.
Following major food shortages in East
Germany 160,000 refugees cross to
West Germany, Nikita Khrushchev orders
the construction of the Berlin Wall.
U2 plane shot down by Soviet missile.
The United States announces that 3,500
American soldiers are going to be sent
to Vietnam.
Fifteen African countries gain independence
and South Africa leaves the
commonwealth.
OPEC ( Organization
of Petroleum Exporting
Countries ) is formed
during meeting in
Baghdad, Iraq.
Over one hundred
million television
sets in use worldwide.
Matthieu Chamussy, certifed
executive pastry chef and chef
instructor in the Baking & Pastry
Program at The International
Culinary School at The Art Institute
of California — Inland Empire,
suggests a wonderfully French
confection for this Valentine’s Day:
the macaron.
Not to be confused with
the shredded coconut dessert
macaroons, macarons have become
increasingly popular stateside.
Some news articles say it may be
overtaking the cupcake as the “au
courant” “must-have confection.” If
you search online for macaron gift
boxes you can fnd
a number of options
ranging from $20 for a
dozen to $90 for 35 from a
high-end retailer.
If you want to try making
your own meringue-based treat,
Chef Chamussy offers up his recipe
below for pink, heart-shaped
macarons encircled with
raspberries for this Valentine’s
Day. Chamussy, born and raised
in Paris, learned the art of bread
and confection making from his
grandfather early on and had
the opportunity to learn from
the prominent French pastry
chef Francois Payard. Since then,
Chamussy has worked all over the
world including Paris, New York
and Los Angeles.
When trying out the recipe,
Colleen Johnson, lead instructor
in the Baking and Pastry Program
at The International
Culinary School
at The Art
Institute of
C a l i f o r n i a
— Orange
C o u n t y ,
a d v i s e s
“ ma c a r o ns
look fairly
simple, but
there are a lot
of tricks that
you will learn
with practice.
“Let your egg
whites sit out at room
temperature for 48 hours.
I like to use a ceramic bowl
and put a cloth over my whites. I
also suggest grinding your almond
four and powdered sugar really
well in a food processor, and then
sifting it,” add Johnson, who also
teaches a “Mastering Macarons”
course at a cookware retailer in
Costa Mesa, Calif.
“For my baking and pastry
students at The Art Institute of
California — Orange County,
I like to have them check out
a YouTube video about the
macarons of renowned pastry
chef Pierre Herme. It’s in French,
but the video shows you how
the ingredients come together,”
says Johnson.
Even if your frst attempt at
baking macarons is imperfect,
Johnson mentions that
presentation is another important
element of the culinary arts.
“Proper presentation and plating
can make even the tiniest morsel
of dessert seem sumptuous and
something to be savored,” she says.
For a plated dessert like heart-
shaped macarons: “I like clean
lines and color. So I would say a
pink macaron would look simply
great on a white plate,” she says.
“Or, if you want to give your treats
as a gift, I’d put them in long, thin
cellophane tube and tie both ends
with a lovely ribbon.”
Another great way to make this
dessert even more special is to
serve it with a glass of champagne,
prosecco or cava, adds Chamussy.
16
BOOMers
®
• January 28, 2012
Out-of-the-chocolate-box
ideas for Valentine’s Day treats
IngredIents: (MIxture 1)
2/3 cup almond four
2/3 cup confectioners’ sugar
1/4 cup egg whites
red color
MIxture 1
2/3 cup granulated sugar
1.3 fuid ounces water
1/4 cup egg whites
FInIshIng touches
Fresh raspberries
raspberry sauce
rose petals
Almond four, food color and raspberry
dessert sauce can be found at Trader
Joe’s. User may use bottled egg whites
from the grocery store.
V
alentine’s Day usually
brings to mind a box
of chocolates for your
sweetheart. As delicious as
solid milk chocolate hearts
and raspberry creams are,
how about something a
little different this year?
1. Preheat oven at 300 F.
2. For mixture 1: Sift the almond four
with the confectioners’ sugar, stir until
combined, set aside. Stir the red color into
the egg whites. Add the colored egg whites
to the almond four and confectioners’
sugar, set aside covered with plastic.
For mixture 2: In mixer bowl, or in a
stainless steel mixing bowl, start whisking
the egg whites slowly. Mix the granulated
sugar with water in a pot, set on stove to
boil. When the syrup reaches 238 F., remove
from stove. Start whisking the egg whites on
high speed, add the syrup slowly in a steady
stream onto the egg whites. Let mixture
whip for four minutes. When mixture is
done, it should be dense, glossy, very similar
to a marshmallow.
3. Fold in 1/3 of mixture 2, into
mixture 1, making sure the mixture looks
homogenous. Fold in the rest of mixture
2 into mixture 1, folding a little more
energetically. Put this mixture in piping bag
with a round tip.
4. On a parchment paper, draw heart
shapes, spacing them out evenly to facilitate
heat circulation in oven. This will be used as
a stencil. Place another sheet of parchment
on top. Pipe the mixture following the
traced heart, making sure not to pipe too
thick in order to preserve that heart shape.
Start with the outside of the heart, fnishing
with the inside of the heart. Let set at room
temperature approximately 30 minutes
until a “skin” is formed on the macaron.
5. Bake in the preheated oven, making
sure to leave the door of the oven partially
opened for the frst 13 minutes of the baking
process. Close the door after 13 minutes are
up and bake another 10 minutes. Rotate.
Bake another eight - 12 minutes depending
on macaron size. They should be set up, not
moving at all on the sheet and with no extra
color. Let cool one hour. The macaron
should gently come off the paper and be
slightly moist in the center.
6. To fnish the dessert, you will need
two macaron shells. Place one upside down;
start placing fresh raspberries on the edges,
trim them if necessary to make them sit
straight. Fill the inside with a good quality
jam of your choice. Place the other side
of the macaron on top of the raspberries.
Decorate with a fresh rose petal (organic
preferably), and a fresh raspberry. Serve
with a good quality vanilla ice cream and a
raspberry sauce.
Valentine’s Day Macarons with Raspberries
COURTESY OF ARA CONTENT
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