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June 9, 2025

Centreville Spy

Nonpartisan and Education-based News for Centreville

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Food Friday: Weekly Challenges

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Oh, I am going to miss those slow, lazy days of summer. When there was some time to think; I miss the time we had for making choices. School has started and we are back in our familiar, though swift-moving, routines. We leap out of bed to shower, Hoover up breakfast, gather lunch, dash out the door, work, learn, play, volunteer, weed, grocery shop, home to chop, slice, dice, cook and scrub. Whew. Not to mention getting ready to do it all again tomorrow. And laundry.

This is when we have to get strategic, and plan ahead, just a bit – even if the future only means saving enough time and energy to read a chapter of Lessons in Chemistry before bed. And maybe we’ll talk to our family while doing all the food prep. How else are we to experience teen angst all over again, if not through our children? (I’ve noticed it is hard to be glued to an iPhone when you are chopping onions, too.) We can conduct our own Cordon Bleu school of cooking – where else will you be able to experiment with different methods for peeling garlic? They certainly will never acknowledge us in the moment, but the children will learn more through osmosis and experience in your kitchen than from YouTube. As Julia says: “…no one is born a great cook, one learns by doing.”

We like having a couple of recipes on our steady weekly meal rotation: Monday is pasta, Friday is pizza. I’m usually happy and ambitious on Mondays, and by Friday I can barely drag the stand mixer out of the pantry to make the pizza dough. If Monday is frantic we will have a simple, no extra-shopping-required pasta, like spaghetti with butter and garlic, or Cacio e Pepe. Recently the New York Times published a Baked Spaghetti lasagna-type casserole which is one of its most popular recipes. It is insanely easy, and has the added benefit of being perfect for left-overs: for dinner or lunch. Baked Spaghetti.

Baked spaghetti is as satisfying as lasagne, without the terrifying process of layering slippery, boiling hot, ribbons of lasagne in a pan, or remembering the proper order of sauce, mozzarella cheese, Parmesan cheese, ricotta cheese, hot pasta, sauce, which cheese? And with baked spaghetti you don’t have to make enormous commercial-kitchen-size pans of baked spaghetti. You can adapt it to the moment and the number of folks home for dinner tonight. This Sunday I am going to assemble a pan of spaghetti to bake on Monday night, to have again for lunch on Tuesday, and for dinner (again) on Thursday. I’ve never been able to re-heat Cacio e Pepe satisfactorily, so once we get this dish into the meal rotation it will simplify life. Which will save time and aggravation and will give us a brief moment of breathing space.

I can’t begin to contemplate dense and complicated fall and winter casseroles, and while this is warm meal, this pasta dish isn’t just for winter weather. It bakes for 40 minutes, so we won’t be heating up the kitchen too long. And it doesn’t require much in the way of fancy techniques or ingredients: it’s not Boeuf Bourguignon or Baba Ghanouj. It is warm, satisfying, and it re-heats well, making leftovers an added treat in our busy week.

If you have time on your hands on a Sunday afternoon, as I did last week, go ahead and bake this chocolate cake. We have been doling out pieces for lunch every day, and the cake just gets better as the week goes on: Ruth Reichl’s Giant Chocolate Cake https://cooking.nytimes.com/recipes/1017692-ruth-reichls-giant-chocolate-cake?unlocked_article_code=TkDK1ae-xVzuIIpW28vv9oEDVKoUiJaoio5wmt3_MpWXHF4UTRDT8sxmjrvUxmSrstkKld723jhGp65Gy0zI_v1REzz8m_JJjn3-IODZo-YEnjC-cyOnrhtRyQ__WDOSydOPSOgaocLjMbnCJMzZS0XwRFCf1l64lt4fe6fNOax8l_oudo9aLlXNamlwkNrAoL8zH4t5_pBhyY1OYqrJ682VVZFxQoUIc3UeuLKyyZ2jT9H3XCiEk2YvO5_SQjG3bPQlRChjooMrDaX8d64zvgPHEYE-PHVB2JAcrYa3sHMYj-v4L_sOjdYvgZu4pQBpBmN0EvzEBukqQ0EZrGmOjywk06fzYQ&smid=share-url I made it as a sheet cake, not a layer cake, and I halved the recipe, because we didn’t need that much cake tempting us every day. Deelish.

It helps to read the email notes from NYT readers who have already cooked the recipes. They tend to be amusing, acerbic, and insightful. One reader suggested substituting ziti for the spaghetti noodles – they thought the spaghetti dried out too much during the baking process and ziti stays moist and hefty. One other of the notes: “Classic! Whenever I use marinara from a jar, I rinse the jar out with 1/2 cup of red wine, which I add to the sauce. It transforms any off-the-shelf marinara.” That is pure inspiration. I love it when folks openly admit to buying jarred sauce. We are not alone.

“‘If you are careful,’ Garp wrote, ‘if you use good ingredients, and you don’t take any shortcuts, then you can usually cook something very good. Sometimes it is the only worthwhile product you can salvage from a day; what you make to eat. With writing, I find, you can have all the right ingredients, give plenty of time and care, and still get nothing. Also true of love. Cooking, therefore, can keep a person who tries hard sane.’”

― John Irving

The Spy Newspapers may periodically employ the assistance of artificial intelligence (AI) to enhance the clarity and accuracy of our content.

The Journey of Needle’s Eye Academy

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Nicolle Moaney during Easton’s 51st Waterfowl Festival 

In April 2020, almost at the start of the pandemic, Jaelon Moaney, a recent political science graduate from Williams College in Massachusetts, asked a friend and former classmate, educator Nicolle Vittini Cabral, to help build a curriculum for an idea he had been developing. During his time in college, Jaelon had established a cohort program that had brought together high schoolers and Williams students to discuss, in small groups, a single book each semester. Since he was returning to the Eastern Shore, Jaelon thought a similar program could work in Talbot County.

He was right.

A Leadership Team was formed, comprised of the now-married Jaelon and Nicolle and joined by Jaelon’s sister Mikayla (Mika). They shared a dream – to spark a love of reading and civic participation in young people who rarely see themselves in textbooks. This vision became the heartbeat of Needle’s Eye Academy (NEA), which is described on their social media as a “multilingual, multinational means of unapologetic literary empowerment for the Black & Brown youth of MD’s Eastern Shore.”

In 2021, Cohort One launched as a virtual three-week summer experience for students of color entering ninth grade at Easton and St. Michaels High School. Their first book was a collection of short stories, Fresh Ink, edited by Lamar Giles. “We wanted to provide them an opportunity to engage with texts they might not otherwise have access to,” said Nicolle, Director of Academic Strategy. 

Cohort Two, which began this summer, evolved beyond its initial scope with an addition of social-emotional learning and community-building components, overseen by Mika, Director of Belonging and Impact. NEA also expanded the admissions to eighth, ninth, and tenth graders. “We’re trying to engage folks that wish they had an opportunity to participate in something like this, with the ultimate goal of boosting their appetite or even their enjoyment of being civically engaged,” said Jaelon. This engagement, Jaelon hopes, will extend to their immediate community and ultimately to Talbot County and beyond.

NEA recognized during the 2023 Light of Literacy Awards. l to r- Nicolle, Jaelon, and Mika Moaney

In this, Jaelon leads by example, and his dedication to the Eastern Shore community is palpable. As a 10th-generation Talbot County resident, he has an impressive curriculum vitae, which includes serving on the Talbot County Board of Education during his high school years, working as a Regional Director for US Senator Chris Van Hollen, and being appointed by Governor Moore to the Maryland Commission on African American History and Culture.

With such a rich background, Jaelon does not rule out running for political office in the future, and his involvement with NEA might be a good breeding ground for that possibility–he truly cares about the people in his community. Elaborating on his approach as Director of Authentic Partnerships, he said: “We want anything that we’re building with another person, another family, another organization to be mutually beneficial, and ultimately, to uplift the people.” 

Like her brother, Mika is an Easton High School graduate and now a senior at Barnard College of Columbia University in New York City. She feels her experience coming from a small-town environment into a big city has prepared her for her involvement with NEA. “What drives my work at the Academy is making sure everybody feels seen, heard, and valued. And I think that drives my work in the community as well.”

After graduating from Williams College, Nicolle worked as an elementary school science teacher in DC. She lasted about two and a half years. “I was just so burned out. I knew I wanted to continue to make a change in education, but being in the classroom in the traditional way was not going to be sustainable for me in the long run. So now I work in teacher recruitment in DC, and l stay connected with the classroom by leading these cohorts.”

Despite their differences and similarities, the Leadership Team is deeply committed to those they have taken under their wing. And in that, they have a lot of support. Besides an impressive array of board members on their team, their partnerships have been the key to their success. Talbot County Public School (TCPS) has cooperated in recommending students to their program. As has the Chesapeake Multicultural Resource Center (ChesMRC), which helped expand the program to include multilingual cohorts. Victoria Gomez Lozano, Hispanic Outreach Coordinator for ChesMRC, found the program a great opportunity, particularly for those to whom English is a second language. Lozano also said the participating NEA scholar reported being enthusiastic about her experience. 

NEA is particularly grateful for the collaboration with Chesapeake Bay Maritime Museum (CBMM), which has given the students the opportunity to connect literary exploration with hands-on, real-world issues. Nicolle explained, “CBMM has allowed scholars to learn more about the rich maritime history right here in the Chesapeake region. They have also given us the ability to delve and make parallels into themes the scholars read, like climate change and community resilience, and then engage with resources from the museum to amplify their learning experience.” 

NEA believes that this unique approach, coming at a time when adolescents are in a critical phase of self-discovery, enables scholars to understand how literature directly relates to their lives and community, empowering them to use their distinct experiences and perspectives for positive change. The goal, said Jaelon, is to equip them with the tools and confidence to embrace their potential as change-makers. “We want scholars to believe that no matter what it is they believe in, what they want to fight for, that it is the power within them to be able to do so,” he said.

As NEA looks to the future, the Leadership Team has ambitious plans for expansion and scholar engagement. They foresee engaging more counties and year-round programming. “We’re also thinking about how we can incentivize participation and get scholars to say, ‘I’m going to participate in the Needle’s Eye Academy instead of trying out for the soccer team,’” Nicolle said.

Whatever the future may hold, the Moaneys are committed to ensuring that NEA remains a community of support and guidance for scholars. Mika said, “We want this to be a legacy, a resource for students, no matter where they are in their academic journeys and whether or not they go to college. We want to make sure that they always know they have people who are more than happy and willing to help, motivate, and give them mentorship and connections. And as a kid of color, that’s not always the case. This is not just for one summer. We want this to be for a lifetime.”

Coming up:

With September designated as International Literacy Month, NEA will be holding their 

inaugural fundraiser, ‘Coloring the Canon,’ on September 9, at the Harriet Tubman UGRR Visitor Center Pavilion from 2-3:30. The event is described as: “a ranger-led welcome followed by an afternoon of light refreshments, inspiring remarks from a Tidewater author of color and an opportunity to design your very own book cover art.” To learn more and register, go to: https://m-scf.networkforgood.com/…/58546-coloring-the…

On September 20, NEA is co-hosting a community dialogue, ‘Read the Room,’ with the Easton branch of the Talbot County Free Library.

Starting in September, the Maryland Commission on African American History and Culture is launching a book drive in every county across the state. NEA will partner with Talbot County Free Library to support that initiative. 

Next year (date TBD), NEA will be a part of the Talbot Family Network Conversations on Race,

Look for NEA’s bookmarks at Black and Brown businesses, libraries, and bookstores. They will also be partnering with the Black Caucus of the Maryland Library Association on additional sets of commemorative bookmarks. 

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For more information about NEA and any of the upcoming events, go to: https://neaest2020.wixsite.com/maryland/about 

The Spy Newspapers may periodically employ the assistance of artificial intelligence (AI) to enhance the clarity and accuracy of our content.

Human Geographies on the Eastern Shore

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Before my memory begins, but not really so very long ago, the only way to cross the Chesapeake Bay was in a boat. Even after the first span of the Bay Bridge was built in 1952, a culture of geographical isolation persisted. Even after the second span was added, a trip to the Western Shore was a big, rare, deal in my growing up years in Centreville. As a result, pretty much everyone on the Eastern Shore lived a life deeply rooted in farming and immersed in the world of watermen. Even if you didn’t grow food in the soil or pull it out of the water yourself, blood or business linked you to those who did. Anyone you saw in the post office, be they teachers or bankers or car mechanics, were entwined in the specific geographies of this area in a material, dirt-beneath-your-fingernails, river-water-in-your-ears kind of way. 

The defiant old refrain, “Don’t give a damn ’bout the whole state of Maryland, I’m from the EASTERN SHORE” came from resistance to building the Bay Bridge, and reflected the pride and fierce insistence on retaining a self-sufficient existence entwined in community and developed over centuries. There were two sides to this coin, of course (or more, if you want to get inter-dimensional about it). Self-sufficiency and a deep sense of place and community in the “land of pleasant living” also meant insularity, a lack of opportunities and resources from the outside world, and new ideas coming as fast as molasses going uphill in January, as my mother used to say.

It’s a bit different today. I left, as so many of us do, and returned years later to find that change does come eventually, even here, where the culture and the landscape seem to measure time on an entirely different scale from the outside world. Nowadays, farms and fishing no longer connect the whole of the population to the rhythms of the seasons, the taste of brackish water, and the squidge of mud caked on tractor tires. People can live on one side of the Bay and work on the other. Retirees are drawn here, contributing experience and perspectives from illustrious lives and all kinds of careers in all kinds of places. And of course, a generation of digital nomads can live where they choose while working in industries that weren’t dreamt of, not so very long ago. 

Unequivocally, this is progress. Like all progress, it creates opportunities and uncovers gaps that didn’t previously exist… or hadn’t been recognized. It means things are different for the crop of farmers and custodians of the land who have been coming up into 21st century Eastern Shore life. They have access to resources, ideas, and possibilities unavailable to previous generations—but peers and colleagues are a little harder to find, and the average post office interaction is less apt to include someone who can tell you where to get a water pump for an old 1972 John Deere tractor, or how to navigate the paperwork for the newest USDA farm program, or how to ensure that the farm will still be here for your kids decades from now—that is, if the kids want anything to do with it. 

Enter Next Generation Land Stewards! 

NGLS is a new program under the ShoreRivers umbrella, conceived and created by two ShoreRivers staff members: Agriculture and Outreach Coordinator Laura Wood, and Director of Community Engagement, Darran Tilghman. Laura and Darran were each navigating this 21st century landscape with their families, and knew they couldn’t be the only ones asking the same questions and working through the same challenges. With a healthy dose of the hallmark Eastern Shore mindset of self-sufficiency, they recognized the need and invented a solution. 

Darran and Laura sent out a call for others in similar situations to join an inaugural cohort of up and coming land stewards, assembling a group of active farmers with a variety of interests and specialties, people with non-farm day jobs, and members of upcoming generations preparing for the responsibility of protecting and preserving family farms. With a grant from the National Fish and Wildlife Foundation, they developed a plan for a new program offering support, community, and resources to people working to preserve and protect Eastern Shore land while making them productive, profitable, and joyful for current and future generations. The first year, a pilot, would feature four gatherings where the group would eat together, hear from local experts on relevant topics, learn about each other’s farms and properties, and get to know each other. After the first two convenings, the program is already, without reservation, a raging success.

The first gathering took place on a sparkling late spring evening on the historic Hermitage Farm, beside the Chester River outside of Centreville. Dan Small, a field ecologist and manager of the Natural Lands Project at the Center for Environment and Society spoke and answered questions about how he helps public and private landowners navigate the incentive programs and access available funding to help generate income and support wildlife and clean water by installing wetlands and habitat buffers. Wildly Native Flower Farm in Chestertown hosted the second get-together, on an unbelievably hot morning in July. Liza Goetz led a tour of the farm and answered eager questions about the intricacies of a multi-generational business including grandparents, parents, and adult children participating and living on site. Michael Ports and David Satterfield of the Eastern Shore Land Conservancy led a lively discussion about conservation easements. 

Common themes emerged from the earliest moments of the first event: Love of the natural beauty and native flora and fauna; hope that today’s children will feel as profoundly connected to the place as their parents, and that they’ll be able to make it work on the Eastern Shore if they choose to stay. The struggle to make a small farm a viable business, and the creative approaches people have taken to generate additional revenue, such as Airbnb-ing, events hosting, and other side-businesses—or, indeed, full-time day jobs. The challenges of multi-generational decision-making and maintaining relationships with stakeholders who may be faraway and may or may not understand the joys and miseries of protecting, preserving, and working the land. Concerns about climate change, sea level rise, and market fluctuations.

Connecting the future with the past

Farms and workboats are still iconic elements of Eastern Shore life, but unlike in years gone by, it’s perfectly possible in 2023 to to live outside the daily dirt-beneath-your-fingernails, river-water-in-your-ears experience that was a matter of course until so very recently. The losses and gains of such changes are part of a natural flow; humans have always moved around and explored. What is constant are the impacts: of humans on the land and each other, and of the specificities of environments such as the Eastern Shore on the people who inhabit them. Our lives are enriched in these intersections, and at the same time, what we lose in the process makes us pine for a past that seems to slip away just as we begin to appreciate it. 

Already, Next Generation Land Stewards seems to be charting a course between overcoming the challenges and embracing the possibilities of a forward looking vision. I foresee it becoming an enduring and essential source of information and community for upcoming farmers and custodians of the land as they find ways, in Laura’s words, “to navigate the responsibilities of multigenerational land stewardship,” in community with others who are also caring for the land with an eye on the future while managing it for financial and agricultural success in the present, and preserving the sense of timelessness and singularity that makes it feel so special. 

Laura and Darran are full of visionary ideas for growing Next Generation Land Stewards beyond this initial year. Indeed, based on enthusiastic requests, additional informal get-togethers are in the works for this year to give the the group more chances to connect, share, ask questions, and hang out without agenda. ShoreRivers has already applied for funding to continue the program next year., If all goes well NGLS will become a deeply resourced and ongoing element of the organization’s portfolio, connecting and empowering successive new cohorts of Eastern Shore farmers and land stewards for years to come. 

Maria Wood traveled throughout the country as production and tour manager for award-winning musician David Grover, with whom she co-founded a non-profit organization dedicated to enhancing education and fostering positive social change through music and music-making.  She returned to school mid-career, earning a BA in American Studies and a Certificate in Ethnomusicology from Smith College. More recently, she has written and taught on the meaning and impact of the musical Hamilton, served as Deputy Campaign Manager for congressional candidate Jesse Colvin and was Executive Director of Chestertown RiverArts. She lives in a multigenerational human/feline household in Chestertown. 

The Spy Newspapers may periodically employ the assistance of artificial intelligence (AI) to enhance the clarity and accuracy of our content.

Food Friday: Looking Ahead

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It was the hottest summer on record, and it is not exiting gracefully, or nearly fast enough for me. Petulant Hurricane Idalia has just swept through our neighborhood, bringing rain and downing some branches, but finally the hydrangeas feel relief after the parched arid summer month. The tomatoes haven’t fared as well. They’ve tumbled over, and the last few green tomatoes have nose-dived into the dirt of the raised bed. I am tempted to just walk away, and yearn to revel in crisp autumn weather and some crisp apple strudel. It is time for summer’s last hurrah.

Labor Day is a good time to get all of our summer ya-yas out. Let’s take one last trip to the beach, or the neighborhood pool. Let’s finally see Barbenheimer and sit in the dark, frigid air conditioning and eat greasy pawfuls of delicious popcorn. We haven’t cooked nearly enough hot dogs on the grill. We never spiked a watermelon. The Dairy Queen is about to close for the season – we should go get a Blizzard. We missed lying out on the back lawn watching the Perseid meteor showers this year, so thank goodness for the big Blue Moon this week. I did see it one night – before Hurricane Idalia blew into town.

Now that COVID is almost behind us we can see some old friends. Carefully. Let’s have folks over for an impromptu crab feast this weekend. I am like Jamie Kirkpatrick, from Chestertown, and I would rather bring my own poultry entrée to the event, although I tend toward a Stouffer’s Chicken Pot Pie, compared to Jamie’s gourmet treat of Royal Farms chicken, than spend hours picking and hammering away at crabs, but I do enjoy the spectacle. I love watching everyone pounding away on the steamed crabs with wooden mallets, drinking beer, licking Old Bay seasoning and crab bits from their fingers, gnawing on corn, elbowing each other for more room around the newspaper-covered picnic table. Luke the wonder dog wanders around, nosing for a surreptitious handout. Hope springs eternal in an old dog.

When I was a student at Washington College, in those bright and shiny days, we started every new school year off with huge, communal crab feast. We sat outside, under the big trees, happy to see each other again. This was back in the golden era when we were legally of age to drink beer. And yes, we did. The college sponsored a welcoming beer wagon for the incoming and returning students. No wonder we were so happy. My mother looked askance. I am sure it is a much healthier environment now for the students, with their abstemious and vegan ways. But I don’t think Pilates can be half as much fun as a crab feast with friends.

But here, in the grown-up times, without a cohort of Eastern Shore pals close by, we will have an end-of-summer feast of our own. We need to be sure that at least once this summer we ate coleslaw, potato salad, grilled sausage, strawberry shortcake, and shelled some peas out on the back steps. We haven’t made any ice cream! How about you? Did you grill enough hamburgers? How about corn on the cob? There is nothing like melting your fingerprints on a steaming-hot ear of corn, with a glossy trail of butter cascading down your chin. It is a feeling that you won’t ever enjoy in the delightfully cool autumn. It would just ruin your sweater.

I’m looking ahead to fall. I’ve already ordered next spring’s daffodil and crocus bulbs. I’m going to start some pansy seeds this weekend, too. I am already thinking about how the window boxes are going to look this winter. Last night, while the rain from Hurricane Idalia pelted the roof, Mr. Sanders tried his hand at making macaroni and cheese from scratch. Not from a box, with powdered cheese, which was another of my Washington College staples, but with Gruyère and sharp cheddar cheeses, with a white sauce and fresh bread crumbs. And we thought it would make a fine side dish to have with pulled pork for Christmas dinner. Because you know that Christmas is just around the corner.

Have an excellent Labor Day weekend. I hope it cools off soon.

“The crickets felt it was their duty to warn everybody that summertime cannot last for ever. Even on the most beautiful days in the whole year – the days when summer is changing into autumn – the crickets spread the rumor of sadness and change.”
― E.B. White

The Spy Newspapers may periodically employ the assistance of artificial intelligence (AI) to enhance the clarity and accuracy of our content.

How Coffee at Dunkin’ in Centreville became a Beacon of Support, Storytelling, and Community

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Standing – Manager Denae Green, Fred,Brad McDaniel (District Manager) Sitting clockwise from left – John Wright, Bob Nilsson, James Watson, Charles Nesbitt, Bob Bailey, Robin Afron, Dave Peterson, Bill Moore & Frank Sprang

There’s a group in Centreville that’s been gathering weekly for a late morning coffee break and social hour centered around a single loosely enforced qualification. It’s a fun, laid-back hang with a group of interesting characters from diverse backgrounds who all have at least one thing in common: they’ve served in our nation’s armed forces, serve those who have, or just want to show their support. 

Fred McNeil, a U.S. Army vet, retired teacher and coach, and longtime Centreville civic booster, likes to invite potential new recruits to the group to “Come have a cup of joe with G.I. Joe.”

The group is an offshoot of a Veterans Book that meets at the Centreville branch of the Queen Anne’s County library. Supported in part by a federal grant, the book club meets the second Tuesday of every month from 6:30 to 8 p.m. and aims to bring vets of all eras, ranks, branch, and length of service together to talk about their military and post-service experiences while providing, according to the mission statement, “an informal, supportive environment through works of literature.”

Diving in to both military fiction and nonfiction, the books that the group members read and talk about range from classic war stories to contemporary accounts of struggling with PTSD. McNeil, the moderator of this group, has seen firsthand that the material chosen can prompt therapeutical discussion by bringing up “closed off memories and emotions that are tough to share, particularly with those who haven’t experienced anything like it.”

Bob Nilsson & Gred McNeil

Bob Nilsson, a Vietnam-era Marine who lives in Symphony Village, heard about the start of the Veterans Book Club, signed up at the library, went to the first meeting, and even though he didn’t know anyone there he was impressed by the group’s motivating goals and fellowship.

Six months into the book club, a desire among attendees to get together more often led to the weekly Veterans Café.  They landed at the Centreville Dunkin Donuts where they meet every Monday from 11 a.m. to noon.

“It’s grown like wildfire,” says Nilsson. “Started out with a handful, now we get over a dozen vets almost every week, sometimes 20 or more. We talk and share stories. It’s an opportunity to socialize. Conversation and camaraderie – there’s no agenda, no leaders, no membership, no dues, no application necessary, and just three rules: no religion, no politics, and no rank. It’s just friendship.”

“Really,” he says, “anybody can come. Vets, their caregivers, relatives of people who served, people who just want to learn more about the experiences of veterans, but primarily we just want to provide a safe place for these vets to discuss their experiences openly with people who can relate and maybe help when and how we can.”

Helping vets is something Nilsson knows about. After his USMC stint, Nilsson made a career in the international construction business, traveling the world to manage massively complex projects. During the Gulf War, he began making trips to Bethesda Naval Hospital to visit veterans. These early trips led to over 4,000 visits over 20 years, which in turn resulted in his non-profit organization, the 100 Entrepreneurs Project which mentors and supports vets looking to start their own business. Nilsson utilizes his business connections to bring veterans and mentors together and to help companies understand the importance of supporting the veteran community.

Nilsson also stresses the importance of supporting veterans caregivers. He says, “Caregivers who have a loved one who was severely injured during their service may have to provide not only the care of that loved one but an income to maintain all aspects of their lives. We want to give those caregivers the emotional support and understanding that there are others who know what they’re going through. They’re a huge part of this effort and we want to support them as well as the veterans in their care.”

Regarding efforts to assist veterans through these social opportunities, Fred McNeil says, “Most people who have served get out, go along with their lives and maybe never even need the VA benefits due them, but there are veterans out there who need help. There are over 3,000 vets in Queen Anne’s County. Under the umbrella of the Centreville Veterans Information Center or CVIC, which helps support all these endeavors, our goal for this year is to make personal contact with at least 10% of those people. Some of these folks might be dealing with all kinds of personal issues – limited income, isolation and loneliness, malnutrition, physical and mental health difficulties, housing and transportation problems, and technological challenges like access to computers and internet.”

“Social media is one of the keys,” adds Bob Nilsson. “A majority of vets are over 65. We should educate older people in how the internet can keep them connected to friends and family, but also to meet new people who they have so much in common with or who may be able to help satisfy some of their specific needs. Some of our members might be entitled to pensions. To collect, they wouldn’t know how to begin navigating the online bureaucratic hurdles that can be so frustrating. We want to help them fix that.”

“We want to assist our fellow vets,” says McNeil, “and as a group, we’ll work with existing service organizations, auxiliaries, the VA, whoever can help the vet get what they need.”

The Monday get-together in particular has opened lines of communication and established relationships with others outside the world of service vets.   For instance, the vets have bonded with the Dunkin employees. Nilsson says, “I believe that interacting with those of us who have been in the military helps put a real face to some things they might have only heard about, if that. History is right here. Right in their own backyard. And we’ve grown close to the people who work there. We think the world of them.”

The lovefest is mutual. Of the vets group, Dunkin manager Denae ‘Dee’ Green says, “They’re amazing. They’re so positive and they brighten everything up. Every time I see them it makes me smile. I wish they could come in every day.”

On the Monday I sat in with the group, a message about the Veterans Café from Dunkin corporate senior management was being passed around. “This is fantastic,” it read. “Thanks for sharing – I’ll make sure the local restaurant team sees this and is recognized. Love that Dunkin can play such a role.”

Random customers get in on the fun too. They buy gift cards for the group or rounds of coffee or donuts by the dozen. The good vibes are palatable.

CVIC has also initiated other efforts to serve local vets. A boat trip is planned as are field trips to the Washington D.C. war memorials and the Air Force Museum in Dover. There’s a glee club starting that will go to hospices and other facilities and sing for their patients and also attend events to sing the national anthem.

Thank You For Serving, viewable on QACTV & YouTube, are half hour episodes released every two weeks with McNeil taking some time to introduce a veteran to the community and share their experiences. Seeing the faces and hearing the stories of the servicemen and women who have lived them, “Lets the community know there are people who have sacrificed a part of their own lives for the sake of others,” says McNeil. “They’re not asking for anything. They just want you to know they’re there.” Those interviews will be forwarded to the Library of Congress for their collection.

“Also,” says McNeil, “the military is a sister and brotherhood. Though women are always welcome in any of these groups, there are plans for a women’s veterans club in Queen Anne’s County to address more specifically the needs and concerns of female vets.

“It’s past time to organize area vets in an organic way that asks nothing of them except show up,” he says. “We can’t help them if we don’t see them.

“Two veterans talking together is good. More is better.”

Drop in on a Monday Veterans Café at Dunkin or sign up for the Veterans Book Group at the Centreville Library. Contact Fred McNeil at 410-758-2850 or Bob Nilsson at [email protected] for more info regarding the Centreville Veterans Information Center. Find out more about the 100 Entrepreneurs Project on your socials and at 100entproject.com.

Brent Lewis is a native Chesapeake Bay Eastern Shoreman. He has published two nonfiction books about the region, “Remembering Kent Island: Stories from the Chesapeake” and a “History of the Kent Island Volunteer Fire Department.” His most recent book, “Stardust By The Bushel: Hollywood On The Chesapeake Bay’s Eastern Shore”won a 2023 Independent Publishers award. His first novel, Bloody Point 1976, won an Honorable Mention Award at the 2015 Hollywood Book Festival. He and his wife Peggy live in Centreville, Maryland.

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Food Friday: Back to School 2023

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This is the Spy Test Kitchen’s favorite time of the year – when we pull out our annual sandwich ingredients list. Have an excellent school year!

I always loved that first day of school: new shoes, new notebooks, new pencils, and a pristine box of still-pointy, aromatic crayons. I always forgot about my crippling anxiety about remembering my locker combination over the summer. I never thought about the social implications of lunchroom seating during those leisurely hours, either. As a responsible parental-unit, I loved shopping for school supplies, and shoes, and new lunch boxes. It was only the night before school started that I confronted the horror: the woeful lack of organization in our lives.

While the young ’uns were setting out their new sneakers for the morning, and frantically paging through books that should have been read weeks before, I was peering into the fridge and taking stock of our jumble of foodstuffs. What nutritional and tempting combinations could I conjure that would actually be eaten? Once, when Mr. Sanders had been out of town for a very long business trip, we attempted to set a world’s record for eating pizza for every meal, for many days in a row. I understand that that sort of tomfoolery doesn’t set a good example nowadays.

Now everyone has cute, eco-friendly, bento box lunch boxes, Mr. Sanders included. They have cunning little containers for vegetables, for fruits, for proteins. Some people cut vegetables on Sunday afternoons, and put them in the fridge for easy access on school mornings. They roll up lettuce wraps, dice carrots, prepare tuna salad, bake muffins and stack little cups of applesauce. These people also involve their children in the lunch assembly process. The despair I often felt in those dark, early mornings racing to get lunches made before the school bus arrived no longer exists, because now people are organized and thorough. And you can be, too.

While we are still leftover-dependent in this house, these folks know what to do about school lunch organization: Make Ahead Lunches

A handy guide to Sunday night preps: https://www.realmomnutrition.com/lunch-packing-stations/
And at Food52, the ever-clever Amanda always has some really fab lunch ideas. Amanda’s Clever Lunch Ideas

And now, with shameless drumroll, is the Spy Test Kitchen lunch list, which I haul out, shamelessly, every fall. Feel free to make your own spreadsheet, Google Doc or PowerPoint deck so you never have another moment of lunch ennui. The Test Kitchen came up with this flexible list of ingredients for packing school lunches a few years ago.
It is just as timely today:

Luncheon Variations
Column A
Let’s start with bread:
Ciabatta bread
Rye bread
Whole grain breads
Hard rolls
Portuguese rolls
French baguette
s
Italian bread
Brioche
Flour tortillas
Croissants
Bagels
Challah bread
Crostini
Cornbread
Naan bread
Focaccia bread
Pita bread

If storing overnight, layer bread with lettuce first, then add the spreads, to keep sandwich from getting soggy.

Column B
Next, the spread:
Mayo
Sriracha
Ketchup
Dijon mustard
Honey mustard
Italian dressing
Russian dressing
Cranberry sauce
Pesto sauce
Hummus
Tapenade
Sour cream
Chutney
Butter
Hot sauce
Salsa
Salsa verde

Column C
Cheeses:
Swiss cheese
American cheese
Mozzarella
Blue cheese
Cream cheese
Havarti cheese
Ricotta cheese
Cheddar cheese
Provolone cheese
Brie cheese
Cottage cheese
Goat cheese

Column D
The main ingredient:
Meatloaf
Turkey
Chicken
Corned beef
Bacon
Crumbled hard-boiled eggs
Scrambled eggs
Corned beef
Salami
Italian sausage
Ham
Roast beef
Egg salad
Tuna salad
Ham salad
Crab salad
Shrimp salad
Chicken salad
Turkey salad
Lobster salad
Tofu

Column E
The decorative (and tasty) elements:
Tomatoes
Lettuce
Basil
Onion
Avocado
Cucumber
Cilantro
Shredded carrots
Jalapenos
Cole slaw
Sliced apples
Sliced red peppers
Arugula
Sprouts
Radicchio
Watercress
Sliced pears
Apricots
Pickles
Spinach
Artichoke hearts
Grapes
Strawberries
Figs

Column F
Finger foods:
Cherries
Carrots
Strawberries
Green Beans
Broccoli
Celery
Edamame
Granola
Rice cakes
Apples
Bananas
Oranges
Melon balls
Raisins
Broccoli
Radishes
Blueberries

And because we live in a time of modern miracles, there are even apps for your phone so you can plan lunches ahead of time. Ingenious! LaLa Lunchbox and Little Lunches are among many apps.

“ ‘We could take our lunch,’ said Katherine.‘What kind of sandwiches?’ said Mark. ‘Jam,’ said Martha thoughtfully, ‘and peanut-butter-and-banana, and cream-cheese-and-honey, and date-and-nut, and prune-and-marshmallow…’”
-Edward Eager

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Food Friday: Cream Puffs

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During the last summer before COVID we took a memorable trip to New York City. It was July, and it was hot. We pretended that we could keep up with the speedy New Yorkers, striding along the melting sidewalks, jogging in the full sun along the High Line, muscling into the Metropolitan Museum. It gave us plenty of excuses to seek out ice cream, or tall cool drinks. I have never enjoyed air conditioning more than I did that summer.

Near Washington Square, where we caught some nostalgic whiffs of pot wafting above the chess players and skate boarders among the folks fully occupying the park benches, we found a nearly empty restaurant in the afternoon lull between lunch and dinner. We sat at the polished wood bar, dangling our hot feet over the smooth black and white tile floor, drinking restorative Italian beer. It was dark and cool and almost quiet, with muffled clinks of silverware as tables were set for the dinner service, and distantly Frank Sinatra was singing. It was another era.

We met friends for dinner at a restaurant with poised apron-clad waiters, white table cloths and many, many courses. We saw other friends and so enjoyed their neighbor’s pot luck that we missed the Fourth of July fireworks. We went to the theatre. We went to museums. We ate bagels and street vendor hot dogs and New York pizza. On our last night I wore pearls. We strolled through the plaza at Lincoln Center, watching the people milling, and others sitting near the sparkling spray from the fountains while the sun set. We walked through the golden summer evening to a restaurant where we drank frou-frou cocktails and giddily eavesdropped on our closely-packed fellow diners. Dinner proceeded: moules frites for Mr. Sanders, steak frites for me. And then there were the profiteroles. Divine.

As it has been stinky hot here, there and everywhere this summer, I decided last weekend to heat up the kitchen yet again and spent an afternoon attempting to recreate the dessert experience we had had in New York City, back in the before times. I wasn’t going to attempt profiteroles, because I didn’t want to deal with melting ice cream. I thought cream puffs might scratch the itch. And yes, they were everything I had hoped for. I hope you enjoy them, too.

Cream Puffs and Éclairs This is a straight forward recipe; it is just methodical and time consuming. I didn’t need to go to the store, for once: flour, butter, salt and eggs. The basics for choux pastry. I baked 2 dozen cream puffs and froze half of them, which feels like money in the bank. On Thursday morning I still have a plate of 5 filled cream puffs sitting in the fridge; such tempting riches! There will be 4 remaining after my lunch.

I abandoned the King Arthur website’s filling and icing recipes after I baked the choux puffs. I have much better solutions. One of the best cooking secrets I have ever stumbled over is about whipped cream. I am pretty sure the Brits are onto this, because they have Bird’s Custard Powder. We, plucky Americans, have instant vanilla pudding mix. I took 1 cup of heavy cream and whipped it until it was stiff, and then added 1 tablespoon of instant vanilla pudding mix, and 2 teaspoons of powdered sugar. The result is richer than regular whipped cream, but it is lighter than pastry cream. From now on I will be using this lighter homemade-ish pastry cream. Vanilla pudding mix and whipped cream

The icing that the King Arthur site suggests I think is too sweet. The crisp, eggy pastry and the cool, creamy filling deserve a snappy, sophisticated dark chocolate shell. I melted 3 ounces of good bittersweet chocolate (Ghiradelli, thank you very much) with 3 tablespoons of unsalted butter, and a tablespoon-ish glug of cognac. (You can use bourbon.) This was enough chocolate icing for generously dripping over a dozen cream puffs. Here is my Instagram of pouring the chocolate.

Be careful out there. COVID is roaring back. Stay home and enjoy your own cream puffs, and wait for the weather to cool down.

“Travel changes you. As you move through this life and this world you change things slightly, you leave marks behind, however small. And in return, life—and travel—leaves marks on you.”
-Anthony Bourdain

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Food Friday: Peach Salads

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It is still hot, sticky August. We are counting down to the first day of school, the beginning of fall, the leaves turning, Labor Day, a break in the weather. As ever, torpid, slow moving August seems like the longest month. Spare me the pumpkin-spiced items that are popping up already. Do not put out displays of Halloween candy. It’s still August. It is National Peach Month. In fact, August 22 is National Eat A Peach Day and August 24 is National Peach Pie Day. I’d like to be a fly on the wall in the office that makes these bold pronouncements.

In the meantime, until National Day Of folks come calling, I feel honor-bound to celebrate peaches. Mr. Sanders and I wandered through our farmers’ market last Saturday, buying an assortment of colorful heirloom tomatoes and warm, fuzzy peaches. It looks like it has been a bountiful peach season despite the heat. The cheerful sunflowers are in bloom and the crape myrtles are nodding in their ruffled glory. As luck would have it, peaches, tomatoes and basil all make deelish salads, some of which don’t require much effort on my part beyond slicing, which is good because it has been so relentlessly hot that I have taken to napping in the afternoon, in a darkened room, alone with my Kindle and Gabriel Allon. It has even been too hot for Luke the wonder dog to go for an afternoon walk. Last night he had a twilight stroll around the block, when the sidewalk had cooled, and the fireflies lighted the way.

Our clever friends at Food52 have the perfect recipe for all those peaches and tomatoes; they call it the “supreme salad of summer.” It is lighter and tangier than the Caprese salads we have started to take for granted; no heavy, slick balsamic vinegar, but a tart apple vinaigrette. Tomato, Peach, Chèvre, and Herb Salad with Apple Vinaigrette. The goat cheese is lighter than fresh mozzarella, and has a little kick. Not that I will ever completely tire of Caprese salads, but I can always make use of another cool, easy-to-assemble dinner. The shallot is attractive and tasty, too. The chèvre was a challenge to find in my little grocery store, since we do not live in Brooklyn, but I was able to score a package, tucked away in the deli department. Be persistent! (I also used Heinz apple cider vinegar, not fancy-pants vinegar from Williams Sonoma, as the recipe suggests. We are on a budget.)

Martha suggests a Peach Panzanella, which I heartily endorse. I happen to have some day-old foccacia that will pair beautifully with the sweet peaches. Peach Panzanella. I am going to toss in a few home grown tomatoes, too, because we are experiencing a second wave of ripening tomatoes, just as the zinnias have started blooming.

Light, cool cheeses help vary summer meals. I love burrata cheese, but it is hideously expensive, and you have to use it up in mere minutes. It does not do well staying in the fridge; bring it home, eat it up. So plan on an early supper tonight. And get some great bread for grilling. I like to rub a garlic clove over the surface of the grilled bread , after it has cooled a little. Yumsters. This is a meal fit for your Tuscan fantasy: warm tomatoes, peaches and bread, with mouthfuls of cool, creamy burrata. Add a nice glass of cheap white wine. A veritable feast.
Tomato Peach Burrata Salad

We have lots of color in the garden these days. Ripening tomatoes, ranging from pale green, to yellow, to Indian summer scarlet. There are the tall and straggling zinnias, and a couple of bright green clumps of basil. The mystery guests have finally stopped noshing on the basil plants, so we have armfuls of basil again. I am hoping the enormous yellow garden spiders have been practicing their stitch-witchery magic in the raised garden bed because suddenly we seem bug-free. I saw the spider busily wrapping white bundles of writhing legs yesterday. Though the busy interstate traffic parade of ants continues, unabated.

“Training is everything. The peach was once a bitter almond; cauliflower is nothing but cabbage with a college education.”
– Mark Twain

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Dream to Reality: How Daniel Meeks Built a Gaming Haven in Centreville

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Since he was a child, Daniel Meeks was positive he’d one day own a game store. In fact, that’s what he told his parents the first time he stepped into one when he was only seven years old. ‘Don’t worry,’ they told him, ‘you’ll have plenty of time to find something better.’ But Meeks never let go of the dream, and gaming continued to be important to him as he grew up.  “It helped me communicate, make friends, and gave me an outlet to learn and grow,” he said.  Besides, there were no gaming stores around Centreville, and Meeks figured they could use one. 

Daniel Meeks – Owner Central Gaming Corps

And so it came to pass that Central Gaming Corps (CGC) became a reality for this 20-something-year-old entrepreneur. But it happened at an inopportune time–28 days before the COVID-19 pandemic resulted in widespread shutdowns. Meeks recalled, “It was definitely a blow to be told, ‘Hey, go ahead and close down’ right after starting.” Luckily, he still had some funds left from his business loan, which provided a small safety net.

The mandatory closure was difficult, but the unanticipated challenge also brought Meeks an unexpected benefit as he watched the community rallying around his store, supporting the new business. “We got phone calls every day,” he said, “asking if I had puzzles or games they could buy. I would happily take their order and drive to their homes to drop them off.” 

The store is everything Meeks, now 31 years old, wanted and yet totally different from what one expects from a gaming shop. That’s because, In a refreshing twist, they don’t sell anything electronic. “When people hear game stores, they immediately think of video games. But we literally encourage people to come and get unplugged.”

To help achieve that, CGC offers an extensive selection of traditional tabletop games, all set in an inviting retail space. So, whether someone is looking for board games, card games, party games, roleplaying, or war games, they will likely find it here. “We encourage people to come in, hang out, and discover something new that they’ve never seen or played before,” Meeks said.” 

In a move to lure gaming enthusiasts to his store, Meeks organizes frequent gaming events. He’s even hosted acclaimed voice actors, Steve Blum and Mary Elizabeth McGlynn. During her visit, McGlynn hailed CGC as ‘the best game store on the Eastern Shore.’ The Eastern Shore probably agrees. At a 24-hour sale event, he held last year, he had almost 200 people in line. This year he anticipates doubling that number.

With globenewswire.com estimating that the “global tabletop gaming industry will reach $12 billion by the end of 2023,” it is not surprising that CGC is seeing such a positive response. The popularity of gaming bars and cafes is a phenomenon being seen worldwide. Not only do they provide a platform for connection by both adults and children, but they also offer customers the chance to discover new games. 

All of this is precisely what Meeks had intended: making gaming a hobby accessible to all ages and interests. “I want to prove that anybody can game. I don’t care if you’re four years old and just learning to read or 90 years old and want something to bond over with your grandchildren or great-grandchildren. I genuinely want everyone to realize that this is something everyone can enjoy.”  To ensure that commitment, he stocks a selection of games that are incredibly user-friendly. “I have games I can teach you to play in under 30 seconds, and where you’ll be a master in 60 seconds. Some of them don’t even require the ability to read,” he said. 

As for customer favorites, Meeks says, “We sell a lot of trading card games such as Pokémon and Magic: The Gathering. Board game bestsellers include Catch the Moon, a stacking game appropriate for all ages, and Avalon, a strategy game he says, ‘is as complicated as chess, but easier to learn than checkers.” One of Meeks’ favorites is Monolyth, a puzzle game where players draft pieces to build a three-dimensional cube.

In addition to the wide selection of games, CGC is known for its commitment to the community. Beyond the store’s day-to-day operations, CGC actively engages with various local events and organizations. From sponsoring family game nights to supporting school fundraisers, Meeks is prominent in the town’s community-oriented initiatives. 

There is a good reason for this wholehearted engagement: his roots on the Eastern Shore are long, dating back 14 generations. It even includes a relative who was a signer of the Charter of the Town of Chestertown. Meeks grew up, studied, spent time on the water, and worked around the area. It’s no surprise that he wants to give back to a town that has been supportive and enthusiastic about him and now his store. “Centreville is amazing, and there are so many opportunities here,” he said, crediting the town’s representatives and Carol D’Agostino, who is in charge of Centreville Main Street, for their assistance. “Carol pulled me aside when we first met and advised me how the town could help. Anytime I’ve had a crazy idea for an event, she’s been 100% behind me, guiding me.”

A regular customer of the store, Noah Farris, said: “Daniel’s success in building his business lies mostly in his drive to create a place for people to enjoy and find an outlet for their passions coupled with his desire to give back to the town in which he grew up.”

That sentiment is exactly what Meeks hopes to convey to others. Because to him, Central Gaming Corps is more than just a business; it expresses the positive impact gaming has had on his life. “Gaming literally saved my life,” he said. “It gave me a support system and taught me how to make compromises and be a better human in everything from sportsmanship to humility. It helped me analyze my decisions and lose my impulsivity.” He attributes his business acumen to the insights he accumulated from his gaming experiences. “This knowledge reinforces my belief that I’m on the right path, even in moments of self-doubt,” he said.

Despite this occasional doubt, he is a role model for others. Jackie Marie Royer, a Chemistry Account Manager who has known Meeks since they were teens, said, “On the Eastern Shore, new businesses are popping up every day, but most of the time, they’re attached to well-established groups or by people who have a lot of money. Seeing someone I grew up with, someone I know wasn’t from a wealthy family, accomplish it and thrive was inspiring. As a millennial, it always feels like our options are limited in what we can do, but Daniel was determined and just went out there and accomplished the dream!”

So, for now, Meeks is content to pay off any debt he has acquired from starting the business. After that, he’s open to exploring expansion possibilities. This could mean moving to a larger location in Centreville, opening a second store, or hiring employees to help manage the growing demands. 

But even if he never expands, Meeks is already making a difference in Centreville. He provides a space for people of all ages to come together and enjoy gaming while fostering community ties. That’s quite an impact for a young entrepreneur who never gave up on his dreams.

Central Gaming Corps is located at 2478 Centreville Rd # C, Centreville, MD 21617. For hours, events, and game availability go to: https://centralgamingcorps.com/

 

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Special Olympics Maryland Kayaking Competition on the Chester

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It’s that magical time of year again when Special Olympics Maryland takes over the Hodson Boathouse for the annual Kayaking Time Trials and Kayaking Championships! Athletes from all across the state of Maryland will be competing in 100M, 200M, 500M, and the famous, 1K races!

The race will be held August 12 and 19 from 8 am-4:30 pm. Volunteers to help as race stagers, athlete escorts, timers, and support kayakers, please register below.

They’re welcoming both on the water, on the shore, and on the dock volunteers to assist as support kayakers, timers, start line assistants, and kayak stagers!

No kayaking experience needed unless you would like to be a support kayaker! Kayakers of all levels are welcome, as well as your family/friends who may be more inclined to stay dry!

This is a great opportunity to see our athletes in action as well as enjoy an exciting day on the Chester River! Also for anyone who may need service hours for school, work, resume building, and more, SOM provides service verification letters!
Any questions can be commented or emailed to Samantha Boyd at [email protected]. The easiest way to register is here.

Not a Kayaking fan or looking for more state competition opportunities? SOM will be at Queenstown Harbor Golf in September for our annual State Golf Tournament, already listed on the website linked above!

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