The Season of Thanks!

2020 brought us many obstacles due to the unprecedented pandemic that took over our lives.  We had to postpone and cancel events, exchanges, and meetings due to travel and crowd restrictions; however, in this season of thanks, we count our blessings.

 

Thankful

We are extremely thankful for the programs and fundraisers we were able to host this year: the Sister Cities Annual Young Author/Artist Competition, the 18th Annual Edward T. Houlihan Halfway to St. Patrick's Day event and silent auction, and the 8th Annual Lexington Sister Cities Golf Scramble. 

We are thankful for the new virtual programs we have instituted because of the pandemic, as well as all of our upcoming projects! We are grateful for the Lexington community for their continuous support in making this program strong. Please know that our office, volunteers, commission, and members remain dedicated to the mission of Lexington Sister Cities and we are, above all, thankful for every person that supports the program and has remained supportive during this past year. 

Cook with us!

TIPSY TURKEY

Recipe by Mary Parlanti

 

1 Turkey Breast

1 tablespoon curry powder

1 tablespoon fines herbs  

1 teaspoon salt

1 teaspoon paprika

1 small onion, quartered

1 large or 2 small ribs celery, cut into pieces

2 carrots, cut into chunks 

1 unpeeled orange, sliced

1 cup water

1 cup gin 

 

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Wash and dry the turkey breast. Mix curry, herbs, salt and paprika in a small bowl. Rub mixture on turkey and inside the cavity. Place turkey in a roasting pan and surround with onion, celery, carrots and orange slices. Combine water and gin and pour over the turkey. Roast for 2 1/2 hours, basting frequently. 

Fast Facts

Where was the first Thanksgiving?

Colonists and Wampanoag Indians shared an autumn harvest feast in 1621 in Plymouth, Massachusetts that is widely acknowledged as one of the first Thanksgiving celebrations.

What did they eat at the first Thanksgiving?

The Thanksgiving meal in Plymouth probably had little in common with today’s traditional holiday spread. Although turkeys were indigenous, there is no record of a big, roasted bird at the feast. The Native Americans brought deer and there would have been lots of local seafood (mussels, lobster, bass) plus the fruits of the first pilgrim harvest, including pumpkin.

 Our Book Recommendation                    

A Charlie Brown Thanksgiving

Celebrate Thanksgiving with Charlie Brown, Snoopy, and the rest of the Peanuts gang in this retelling of the beloved Thanksgiving TV special! Find a copy of the book here! 

 

 

 

Exploring our Sister Cities - November 19, 2020

 Exploring Our Sister Cities

"Travel makes one modest, you see what a tiny place you occupy in the world." - Gustave Flaubert

Cook with us!

Enjoy this recipe from Mary Parlanti! Mary, a long-time Lexington Sister Cities ambassador, Chair person of our County Kildare committee and chef. She has her own cookbook "From the Kitchen of Mary Parlanti, With Love" available for purchase at the Lexington Sister Cities office!

Pumpkin Bread

3 cups sugar

1 cup salad oil

4 eggs, beaten

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

15-ounce can pumpkin

3 1/2 cups all-purpose flour

2 teaspoons baking soda

2 teaspoons salt 

1 teaspoon baking powder

1 teaspoon nutmeg

1 teaspoon allspice

1 1/2 teaspoons cinnamon

1/2 teaspoon cloves

2/3 cup water

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Cream sugar and oil in a large mixing bowl; add eggs, vanilla extract and pumpkin. Mix well. Sift together flour, baking soda, salt, baking powder, nutmeg, allspice, cinnamon, and cloves. Add alternately with water to the pumpkin mixture. Pour into 2 loaf pans that have been sprayed with non-stick cooking spray. Bake for 1 1/2 hours or until tests done. Let stand for 10 minutes. Remove from pans to cool. Makes 2 loaves. 

For Muffins: use an ice cream scoop to fill muffin cups for uniform size. Bake for 25 minutes. 

Fast Facts

Famed for its celebrity boardwalk, American Film Festival and multi-colored parasols, Deauville is Normandy's most chic and glamorous seaside resort.

Our Book Recommendation

Newmarket: A Year at the Home of Horseracing

Author John Carter has interviewed and shadowed 14 racing personalities throughout a year at Newmarket, the home and headquarters of British horseracing. His subjects range across the racing world, from top male jockey Frankie Dettori, who has also written the foreword, to top female jockey Hayley Turner; from leading trainer Jeremy Noseda, to the clerk of the Newmarket courses Michael Prosser to its former managing director Lisa hancock, now on maternity leave. Carter provides a fascinating glimpse into the often secret world of horseracing. 

You can find a copy of the book here. 

Tourist Attraction

A major tourist attraction in Shinhidaka, Japan is the Nijukken Road Cherry Blossoms. Nijukken Road has a 7 kilometer row of over 3,000 cherry blossom trees. Widely noted for its size, this Hokkaido heritage has been voted as one of the "Top 100 Cherry Blossom Viewing Sites", as well as one of the "Top 10 Roads of Japan". A vast number of tourists flock here each year in may in order to glimpse the magnificent row of trees!