Foreveryoungfebruary2017

FEBRUARY 2017 |

FREE

Western New York’s FREE Monthly Magazine For Adults 50+, With More Than 70,000 Readers

For the Love of

Chocolate

Chocolate Beers of WNY | Alethea’s Chocolate Shop | Japanese Hot Springs

FEBRUARY 2017

Amaryllis Tips

9

Sponge Candy

20

Heavenly Hells

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On the cover: Bottom middle: The charming, old-fashioned interior of Alethea’s Chocolates. Photo courtesy of Alethea’s. Bottom right: Chinoike Jigoku, Blood Hell Pond, the first stop on the Hell Tour of Beppu.

Photo by Jennifer Merrick

Life & Leisure

Cover: For the Love of Chocolate

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Crossword: Contemporary Authors ...................StatePoint Media

18 Alethea’s.................................................................... Judith A. Rucki

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Springing Forward .................................................................Ted Rickard

20 Sponge Candy Secrets............................................. Rebecca Cuthbert

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Heart-shaped Box ..............................................................Ed Adamczyk

22 Chocolate Beers...............................................Devon Dams-O’Connor

Food 8

Getaways

Chocolate Season......................................................... Jodee Riordan

Home & Garden 9

Glad You Asked!..............................................................Carol Ann Harlos

24 Japan Hot Springs..................................................... Jennifer Merrick

My WNY 26 Highland House........................................................ Daniel Meyer

Arts 10 February Theater Review.................................................Donna Hoke

Being Well

12 Treats for Movie Lovers.......................................Christopher Schobert

27 Cosmetic Surgery Goals.............................Samuel Shatkin Jr., MD

Ever y Issue: Calendars 3 | Bingo Buzz 14 | Classifieds & Companion Corner 28 | Noteworthy 29

Western New York’s Most Trusted Provider For All Of Your Mobility Needs

• Seat Lift Chairs • Compression Stockings • Wrist, Knee & Ankle Braces • Fashion Canes • Walkers & Accessories

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CONVENIENTLY LOCATED AT 1900 RIDGE ROAD IN WEST SENECA, NY CALL 675-6500 OR 1-888-451-0700 AND VISIT US AT WWW.BUFFALOWHEELCHAIR.COM

EDITOR’S NOTE OUR 29TH YEAR

1738 Elmwood Avenue, Suite 103 Buffalo, NY 14207 Phone 716.783.9119 Fax 716.783.9983 www.foreveryoungwny.com

PUBLISHER

Laurence A. Levite

llevite@buffalospree.com

Editor-In-Chief............................................................................Elizabeth Licata

elicata@buffalospree.com

Editor......................................................................... Wendy Guild Swearingen wswearingen@buffalospree.com

Creative Director........................................................................ Chastity O’Shei

coshei@buffalospree.com

Production Director........................................................................ Jennifer Tudor

jtudor@buffalospree.com

Traffic Coordinator........................................................... Adam Van Schoonhoven Lead Designer............................................................................ Nicholas Vitello Senior Graphic Designers.............................................. Josh Flanigan, Kim Miers,

Andrea Rowley, Jean-Pierre Thimot Director of Marketing...................................................................... Brittany Frey

bfrey@buffalospree.com

Director of Advertising............................................................. Barbara E. Macks bmacks@buffalospree.com

Special Projects Manager ......................................................... Marianne Potratz Senior Account Executives............. Wendy Burns, Bruce Halpern, Mary Beth Holly,

Caroline Kunze, Robin Kurss, Robin Lenhard,

Marianne Potratz, Betty Tata, Lori Teibel National Ad Director...................................................................... Terri Downey Spree Marketplace..................................................................... Louis J. Aguglia

From the Editor

Maybe it’s appropriate that Valentines Day and chocolate are so closely linked. The heart shape is the symbol for Valentines Day, and chocolate is said to have some heart-health benefits. According to findings at Harvard Medical School, the flavonoids in cocoa— specifically catechin, epicatechin, and procyanidins—are thought to help the cardiovascular system by lowering cholesterol, reducing inflammation, and preventing blood clots. On the other hand, the chocolate we consume is loaded with sugar and fat, which counteracts some of the health benefits derived from cocoa.

In this issue, read about two great things that go great together: chocolate and beer, which also can improve health. According to the website Organic Facts, the health benefits of beer include anticancer properties, a reduced risk of cardiovascular diseases, increased bone density, the prevention of

dementia and coronary disease, aid to the digestive system, and anti-aging properties, as well as treating diabetes, gallstones, kidney stones, osteoporosis, and hypertension, but too much negates those benefits. The upshot: beer, like chocolate, is best enjoyed in moderation.

Happy Valentines Day and cheers!

Administrative & Finance Director.......................................................................Michele Ferguson Administrative & Marketing Coordinator....................................................... Angela Gambacorta Classifieds Sales............................................................................... Robin Kurss BUFFALO SPREE PUBLISHING, INC.

President & CEO.....................................................................Laurence A. Levite Associate Publisher/Editor-In-Chief............................................... Elizabeth Licata Associate Publisher/Advertising................................................ Barbara E. Macks Senior Vice President/Creative Director......................................... Chastity O’Shei Vice President/Administrative & Finance.....................................Michele Ferguson Vice President/Production.............................................................. Jennifer Tudor Corporate Counsel....................................................... Timothy M. O’Mara, Esq. Forever Young is published monthly, with an annual Senior Directory. Copyright ©2017 by Buffalo Spree Publishing, Inc. 1738 Elmwood Avenue, Suite 103, Buffalo, NY 14207 and is open Mon.–Fri. 8:30 a.m.–5 p.m. The entire contents of Forever Young are copyrighted 2017 by Buffalo Spree Publishing, Inc. and may not be reproduced in any manner, either whole or in part without written permission from the publishers. All rights reserved.

Display advertising information and rates may be obtained by calling (716) 783-9119 ext 2250. Standard mail postage paid at Buffalo, NY 14207. POSTMASTER send change of address to Forever Young, 1738 Elmwood Avenue, Suite 103, Buffalo, NY 14207. Manuscripts and free calendar listings should be sent to the editor (wswearingen@buffalospree.com) at 1738 Elmwood Avenue, Suite 103, Buffalo, NY 14207. Material cannot be returned unless accompanied by a self addressed, stamped envelope of adequate size and strength. The publisher does not take responsibility for the accuracy or legitimacy of the advertising message or any aspect of the business operation or conduct of the advertisers in the paper.

This publication is a member of the North American Mature Publishers Association.

Membership in NAMPA includes verification of member’s print & circulation totals.

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www.foreveryoungwny.com | February 2017

Wendy Guild Swearingen wswearingen@buffalospree.com 783-9119 ext. 2253

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FOREVER YOUNG FEBRUARY CALENDAR

Erie County STAY FIT DINING PROGRAM offers a hot noon meal at 45 locations in Erie County. Menus and site list at erie.gov/ stayfit or 858-7639.

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Springiville SPRINGVILLE CONCORD ELDER NETWORK (SCENE) Activities open to the public age 50+, no residency requirements) held at the Concord Senior Center, 40 Commerce Drive (off Waverly) in Springville; for schedule visit communityalliance.org; 592-2768 or sceldernetwork@gmail.com

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Middleport T.O.P.S. CLUB

Scout House, Rochester Rd., Middleport. Wednesday weigh-in: 3:15-4 p.m.; meeting: 4-5 p.m. Contact Terry at 735-7666

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Niagara Falls SENIOR C O M PA N I O N / F O S T E R GRANDPARENT PROGRAM Looking for seniors who enjoy working with their peers or children. Volunteers receive a tax-free stipend, transportation assistance and supplemental insurance coverage while volunteering. If you are 55+, have a minimum of 15 hours per week to give and want to make a difference, contact Nora Aloian (SCP) at 285-8224 ext. 217or Jennifer Britton (FGP) at 285-8224 ext. 228

1+ West Seneca UNITED CHURCH MANOR’S LUNCH PROGRAM is looking for volunteers in the West Seneca/Cheektowaga area.

Information: 668-5804.

1 Amherst FREE RESPITE CARE

PROGRAM, 10:30 a.m. to 2:30 p.m., Trinity Old Lutheran Church 3445 Sheridan Drive. Held first Wednesday of the month, for those caring for loved ones with Alzheimer’s or any form of dementia. A morning snack and nutritious lunch are provided. For more information on registering for the program, call 836-4868.

1+

Boston HATHA YOGA Wednesday’s at 7 pm. Gentle and meditative. Bring your own mat. Faith United Church of Christ, 8651 Boston State Road, Boston, NY. For more info call church office 716-941-3529

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Williamsville WOMEN’S LYMPHEDEMA SUPPORT GROUP, 5:45 p.m. the first Wednesday of each month. Sheridan Surgical room, 4510 Bailey Ave., Williamsville.

Call 908-4149

2+ Cheektowaga T.O.P.S. MEETING, Thursdays at 9 a.m., St. Luke’s Lutheran Church, 900 Maryvale Drive (corner of Union Road). Come for the love, support and friendship.

For information, call Karen at 2472334 2+

Akron T.O.P.S. CLUB Every Thursday, 5:30-6:45, at the Akron/ Newstead Senior Center, 5691 Cummings Rd. WE offer tools, programs, support, fellowship and recognition for healthy living and weight management. For information call Diane @ 716-542-4980.

2+ Buffalo GENTLE YOGA, 11 a.m. Thursdays, Tosh Collins Senior Center, 35 Cazenovia St. Bring a yoga mat. Info: 828-1093 2+, 7+ WNY IDEAL WEIGHT

CLASSES taught by Ida Shapiro are offered every Tues. at 6:15 p.m. at Zion United Church of Christ (Koening and Parker, Tonawanda) and every Thurs. at 6:15 p.m. at St. Gregory the Great (Maple Rd., Williamsville). Over 40 years experience. 636-3698.

4+

Lockport T.O.P.S. CLUB, weekly meetings 9 a.m. Saturdays at Odd Fellows and Rebekah Nursing Home, 104 Old Niagara Road. Call 433-1693

5+ Buffalo MEDITATION, 2:30 p.m., El Buen Amigo, 114 Elmwood Ave. Free every Sunday. Meditation unites with creative arts and pain management. Practitioner Sondra Holland welcomes people of all ages. Wear comfortable clothes. For information, Sondra: 947-5092; store: 885-6343.

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Tonawanda TONAWANDA TOPS CLUB #50 Weekly meetings on Mondays, weigh-in 6pm/meeting starts at 6:25pm, Zion United Church Koenig & Parker Tonawanda; 716-912-6875

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Buffalo HEADWAY SUPPORT GROUPS, 2635 Delaware Ave. For individuals who have sustained brain injuries as well as their families and caregivers; exchange information and resources, and find mutual support and encouragement. Peer Support (enter at Suite B), first and third Tuesday, 6:30 to 8 p.m.; Caregivers Support (enter at Suite B), first Tuesday, 6:30 to 8 p.m.; Women’s Survivors Support (enter at Suite E), first Tuesday, 1 to 2:30 p.m.

Info: 408-3100 or headwayofwny.org

7,

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WNY RESPITE SERVICES for those with Alzheimer’s and related dementia on first Tuesday, 5:30 p.m. in Williamsville, and third Saturday, 11 a.m. in Amherst. Location info: (800) 272-3900.

7+

Buffalo TAI CHI: MOVING FOR BETTER BALANCE 10:30 a.m. every Tuesday, Tosh Collins Senior Center, 35 Cazenovia St. For more information, contact monicazucco@ gmail.com.

There’s always something happening at

For Independent Seniors Maintenance Free Apartments and Patio Homes Make Our Neighborhood Your Neighborhood!

7+

Niagara Falls T.O.P.S. CLUB, Enjoy light sitting and standing yoga at 5:30 p.m. before weigh in 6 p.m., and a brief interactive educational program at 7 p.m. Facebook: TOPS #173 Niagara Falls, NY. or call 550-1232. Meets Tuesdays at Riverside Presbyterian Church, 815 - 84th St., Niagara Falls

7+

Tonawanda T.O.P.S. CLUB, weekly meetings on Tuesdays, 9:30 a.m. at Blessed Sacrament Parish, Claremont Avenue. For information, call 836-7255.

7+ Farnham T.O.P.S. CLUB weekly meetings held Tuesdays at Holy Cross Lutheran Church, 10633 Church St., starting at 9 a.m. Call 934-9619.

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Williamsville MCGUIRE GROUP MEMORY CARE SUPPORT GROUPS: General Support Group is second Wednesday, 3 p.m. at Harris Hill Nursing Facility, 2699 Wehrle Dr., Williamsville; Daughters’ Support Group is also second Weds., 5 p.m. at Harris Hill Monthly support groups coordinated in conjunction with the Alzheimer’s Association, with caregiving tips and coping mechanisms. For more information, call 632-3700 or visit mcguiregroup.com

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East Aurora PERSUASION What will an unmarried woman do when she encounters her former love upon his return from battle? Learn of the enduring love of Anne Elliot and Captain Wentworth from one of Jane Austen’s novels. 4 p.m., Roycroft Film Society Parkdale School Auditorium, 141 Girard Ave., East Aurora, 14052.

Please stay for the post-film discussion $6 members, $8 non-members, roycroftcampuscorporation.com

Winter Move In Special

Sign a resident apartment contract

by March 15th and receive a FREE Daily Exercise Apartments $100 Rite Aid gift card, Classes ready for Open to Public. move-in! plus we’ll pay for your Call for Schedule moving van!

Fun and Friendship begin here. Visit us and see for yourself!

Call For a Tour | 716.741.7741 | 5945 Vinecroft Drive | Clarence Center, NY 14032 | www.vinecroft.org February 2017 | www.foreveryoungwny.com 3

FOREVER YOUNG FEBRUARY CALENDAR 14

Orchard Park ALIENATED G R A N D P A R E N T S ANONYMOUS, INC., meetings 1 p.m. the second Tuesday of month, 4295 S. Buffalo St.

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Hamburg ALZHEIMER’S CARE-GIVER SUPPORT GROUP for males at Wesleyan Church, 4999 McKinley Pkwy. 2nd Tues. 626-0600, alz.org/wnyc

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Depew BREAST CANCER NETWORK OF WNY Monthly meeting second Tuesday, 6 p.m., Bella Moglie Bldg., 3297 Walden Ave. Call 7060060 or visit bcnwny.org. Professional support group will be held at 8 p.m

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West Seneca FREE BEREAVEMENT SUPPORT SESSION, hosted by The McGuire Group for anyone coping with grief, sadness or loss at 5 pm at Seneca Health

THE ALL

NEW

Jewish Federation Apartments

Care Center, 2987 Seneca St. Held third Wednesday of the month. Those interested in attending can call 828-0500.

St., Springville. Info: The Springville Center for the Arts at 716.592.9038 or springvillearts.org/sca/tickets

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Amherst WNY NATIONAL ALLIANCE ON MENTAL ILLNESS (NAMI) held third Wednesday of the month at 7 p.m. in two locations for families of people living with mental illness: St. Paul’s Evangelical Lutheran Church, 4007 Main St., Amherst. Southtowns: Lake Shore Behavioral Health, 3176 Abbott Rd., Orchard Park.

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Springville THE COMPLETE WORKS OF SHAKESPEARE (ABRIDGED)This is an irreverent, fastpaced performance of all Shakespeare’s 37 plays in one evening! Feb. 16– 26. Mangerson Theater, 37 N. Buffalo

Niagara Falls NIAGARA FALLS SINGLES SOCIAL CLUB An active 50-plus crowd. Dances on the third Friday every month at 7pm at the Buff Social Club, 2565 Young St,.

Niagara Falls, NY. Cost: $6 (Members $4) Monthly activities include game

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Depew WESTERN NEW YORK RETIRED PUBLIC EMPLOYEES ASSOCIATION General meeting and luncheon at the Polish Falcons Hall at noon. Reservation deadline, Feb 10. 445 Columbia Rd., Depew. Info: Maryalice Pellicci 5369867 or Mike Martin, 877-5515

DANCE CALENDAR MONDAYS W. Seneca BALLROOM DANCING BY CAROL is a 6-week class @ St. David’s Church, 3951 Seneca St. 7:30– 9:30 p.m. Info: 824-0504.

RENT ASSISTED APARTMENTS FOR SENIORS & MOBILITY-IMPAIRED ADULTS

Open to all religious denominations

All new Remodeled community space with stone hearth gathering area

Laundry facilities • Full-time social worker Activities • Transportation 24-hour emergency maintenance Computer center Emergency medical call system Chapel and various religious services Pool table Two elevators • Card room Community room • NEW! Fitness facility • NEW! Beauty Salon • Wifi Home theater room with hi-tech equipment And of course our beautiful aquarium!

275 Essjay Road | Williamsville, NY 14221

For application information please call 716-631-8471 • www.JewishFederationApartments.org *Jewish Federation Apartments does not discriminate on the basis of handicapped status in the admission or access to, or treatment or employment in, its federally assisted program and activities.

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www.foreveryoungwny.com | February 2017

Sloan CLOGGING LESSONS

by Kickin’ Rhythm Cloggers, 6:30 p.m. @ St. Andrew’s Parish Hall, 111 Crocker St., Bldg.

1. kickinrhythmcloggers.com, (585) 457-4455.

TUESDAYS Buffalo LINDY FIX 8–10 p.m. @ Polish Cadets Hall, 927 Grant St. lindyfix.com, swingbuffalo.com.

WEDNESDAYS N. Ton. DANCING WITH DOTTIE AND FRIENDS country-style line lessons, 7:30 p.m. @ Pendleton Center Meth.

Church, 6864 Campbell Blvd.

688-6026 or 625-8306.

THURSDAYS Kenmore JACKIE’S THURSDAY NIGHT DANCES @ Brounshidle Post, 3354 Delaware Ave. Lessons: 7 p.m. Open dancing: 8 p.m.

691-8654.

Ongoing WNY BELLYDANCE CLASSES 560-1891, nadiaibrahim.com.

Kenmore JACKIE’S DANCE Monthly dance.

Call 691-8654 for details.

WNY BALLROOM SOCIAL DANCE, Argentine tango and belly dance instruction with Carol Allen; N. Collins and Amherst.

337-3092 or callen8801@aol.com.

West Seneca BALLROOM DANCE classes @ 1761 Orchard Park Rd., 771-3110, ballroomiliana.com.

WNY DANCE W/ ERIN BAHN 997-7190 or erinbahn.com.

ARGENTINE TANGO IN BUFFALO Dancing & Classes www.traviswidricktango.com Contact Travis @ 716.517.7047

CROSSWORD 25. *Sports columnist turned inspiration novel writer 26. Tarzan’s swing 27. Bar 29. *”American Pastoral” Pulitzer- winning author 31. Battery fluid 32. Pneumonia symptom, pl.

33. *”Orphan Train” by Christina Baker _____ 34. Great deal 36. Lucy and Ricky, e.g.

38. Miso bean 42. Pico de gallo, e.g.

45. Rotating parts

49. One of the five W’s 51. Wassailing compositions 54. Bovine milk dispenser 56. Outfit 57. Mystique 58. Not kosher 59. Kennel sound 60. Swim or track contest 61. “Do ____ others as you would do...”

62. Genuine 63. Last letter, pl.

64. Run for exercise 66. *Ken Kesey’s “____ Flew Over the Cuckoo’s Nest”

THEME: CONTEMPORARY AUTHORS ACROSS 1. Hang around for 6. Is no longer 9. *”____ Come Undone” by Wally Lamb 13. Food from heaven 14. Not square 15. Annoy a bedfellow 16. Mountaineer’s tool 17. Anger 18. Length of a forearm 19. *Author of best-selling book series ever 21. *”The Amazing Adventures of Kavalier & Clay” Pulitzer-winning author 23. Mele Kalikimaka wreath 24. ____-friendly 25. Stout relative 28. Small town or hamlet 30. *Many of his novels were made into romantic drama movies 35. Long John Silver’s walk 37. Designer Hugo 39. A way to sell tickets 40. “Ali ____ and the 40 Thieves” 41. Community spirit 43. Hip bones 44. Euphoric way to walk 46. Oscar De La ____ 47. Bad impression 48. Bone filler 50. Locker room supply 52. “Get the picture?”

53. Conclusion starter

55. Sigma Alpha Epsilon 57. *Speculative fiction Booker Prize winner 60. *”One Hundred Years of Solitude” Nobel Prize-winning author 64. One of “12 Angry Men,” e.g.

65. Placeholder surname 67. Prevention measure?

68. Black and white cookies 69. Opposite of WSW 70. Like a gymnast 71. Gamecock’s spur 72. Expose to moisture 73. Leopard marks DOWN 1. Gulf V.I.P. 2. TV’s “Fixer Upper” location 3. All over again 4. Completely 5. What airplane did after landing 6. Patriot, a.k.a. American ____ 7. “____” Jordan 8. Four-eyes’ gear 9. Give the cold shoulder 10. Great Depression drifter 11. Sportscaster Andrews 12. Group of something 15. Escarpments, for short 20. She was turned into Weeping Rock, Greek mythology 22. “For ____ a jolly...”

24. Final results

The solution for this month’s puzzle can be found on page 28.

February 2017 | www.foreveryoungwny.com 5

LIFE & LEISURE

Springing Forward

BY TED RICKARD

A

round this time of year there is a false promise of spring in the air. We know it’s not going to last, but we fool ourselves about that—yet one more time—although not convincingly enough to put away the snow shovel. The snow shovel hanging in our garage is the symbol of the generation gap. What do you do when your boys are no longer boys and are now shoveling their own driveways and the grandsons aren’t nearly big enough to do ours? (Not yet, anyway, although things look promising for a couple years from now, judging by the way they eat.)

In the meantime, where have all the neighborhood teenagers gone?

For a number of years, our local high school fielded winning football teams. And most of the offensive line seemed to be in the snow removal business just as soon as the football season was coming to an end. Now, it seems, they are all fast tracked into basketball. But a fully-manned basketball team has only about half the number of players of a football team. So where did all the other guys go? I don’t mind if my candidate has barely made second string. Just get busy with the shovel and don’t throw all the snow on the holly bush that my wife has been nursing back to health each spring—ever since our own boys played second string and shoveled the snow.

My neighbor has a snowblower.

He literally strolls behind it while tending to the slightest dusting of snow on his driveway. He keeps

looking across at mine, for which I have decided to await a March thaw.

But for appearance’s sake, I make a shovel pass or two at what’s on the side walk, as far as the garage door, and try not to remember any details of last Sunday’s newspaper feature on coronary thrombosis. Meanwhile, my neighbor’s machinery is literally screeching at me: strident accusations of bad citizenship, slovenly housekeeping, or pitiful penury. Whatever he thinks, he’s never offered to loan me his snowblower let alone volunteer to clear off a swath or two for me as a neighborly gesture. And where is the teenager he no longer needs that I could hire?

My neighbor was idling his motor when in a burst of confessional need I asked him this. He took the sound-safety plug out of one ear and listened politely. “Why don’t you call the high school?” He’d obviously been talking with my wife who,

coincidentally, had suggested the very same thing. Twice. And when I did call the high school, the lady in the office said she’d post the job offer for me and maybe somebody would respond. Two hours later, she called back and told me that a junior soccer star named Gene something would be there right after last class.

Then, it snowed some more that day. Between worries about tire tread and trying to avoid eye contact with my wife, I was sure that Gene would not show up in view of the increased snow load awaiting his attention. I even phoned the local hardware store to learn that they had just sold the last residential snowblower they had in stock. However, if I would be interested in the sixty horsepower king-sized one guaranteed to deal with six foot drifts in case we had a storm like the winter of ’96, they could offer it at about the price of a mid-sized sedan. I was almost ready

to entertain this idea, when our doorbell rang and my snow shoveler actually did show up.

It turned out that Gene was actually Jean. Her ponytail already glistened with moisture from the snowfall and there was a fine line of white stuff atop her backpack. My grand-paternal instincts surged to the surface and I was about to offer her cookies and warm cocoa and send her on her way.

“The shovel’s in the garage,” I heard my wife say, as she pointed the way over what was now several inches of white on the walk and driveway. “The door’s not locked.”

“OK,” came back from the girl who turned and was already halfway there. A moment later, I heard vigorous scraping and finally made myself peek out the dining room window to see snow flying in long arcs on either side of the driveway. Soccer apparently provides excellent physical conditioning. Forty minutes later my wife handled the financial arrangements. It had stopped snowing then, and I heard my neighbor’s snow blower roar into action. I’m sure he cast an admiring glance at my pristine driveway and sidewalk as he trod his weary way behind his machine. He looked rather out of shape to me. FY Ted Rickard’s book, Anything Worth Knowing I Learned from the Grandkids, is available from Amazon. com.

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www.foreveryoungwny.com | February 2017

LIFE & LEISURE

Heart-shaped Box of Chocolate

BY ED ADAMCZYK

S

omehow, Valentine’s Day seems less of a minefield when you’re older. The risk involved in presenting the designated sweetheart with the gift to prompt the response to the ceremonial “be mine” request is minimized by experience and what some might call wisdom. Maybe it’s all those Sinatra songs and the knowledge you’ll survive that “she shot me down” moment, something you likely were not aware of in kindergarten. Or high school.

The gift of choice, when it is not diamonds, is typically chocolate; each has a convoluted and messy history, although your children and grandchildren won’t eat the diamonds.

The story of Valentine’s Day itself is so pockmarked with inaccuracy and legends posing as fact—Saint Valentine was any number of Christian martyrs, and his connection to romance did not come until the fourteenth century, when Geoffrey Chaucer’s poetry launched the connotations. By the nineteenth century in Victorian England, the idea of greeting cards caught on, Britain having a particularly robust and efficient postal service.

Then came the gift giving, typically roses and chocolates in heart-shaped boxes. The chocolate business is now a $50-billion worldwide industry.

We regard chocolate as abundant and not exactly exotic. Every Rite Aid and CVS has racks of it on hand. It’s been widely available since roughly the 1760s, at least in Europe. Discovered

by Europeans on Christopher Columbus’ fourth voyage to the New World, the cacao bean was used by Mesoamericans—Mayans, Aztecs, and those around them—since at least 1900 B.C. The court of the king of Spain loved the stuff, if honey, sugar, and a few other ingredients tempered its bitter properties. Other European kings took up the habit, and it filtered down to the common folk. Keeping Europeans stoked on chocolate thus

ignited the shipping industry; the slave trade, since cacao farms needed to be established in Central America and then in West Africa; and pre-Industrial Revolution technology, with new ways invented to crush beans and mix their contents with additives. Even today, it has been alleged that up to 90 percent of cocoa farms in Africa’s Ivory Coast use slave labor. And you thought identifying the cream chocolates from the caramel ones was the only problem represented in that heart-shaped box.

Let’s skip the stories of sourcing and trade practices and Europe’s chocolate addiction. It has been said—again, with more anecdotes than scientific evidence—that chocolate is good for you. A 2006 study suggested the $29-billion statin pharmaceuticals industry would be at risk if it were better known that a half-ounce-perweek dose of chocolate could reduce

cardiac mortality by 50 percent.

Insulin resistance is reduced by consuming chocolate, some studies claim. Chocolate has flavonoids and antioxidants galore. It stimulates production of endorphins, those mind jolts that trigger happiness, and contains the anti-depressant serotonin, which is why some people overdose on chocolate when seeking comfort food after heartbreak. Or that feeling you’ve failed on Valentine’s Day. On the other hand: high-calorie chocolate must be consumed in moderation. The US Food and Drug Administration has offered no recommendations regarding the medicinal properties of chocolate. It’s sold in the candy aisle, for goodness sake, and any six-year-old with a dollar in her hand can take advantage of chocolate’s alleged mind-altering properties.

Valentine’s Day spending in the United States has increased yearly; it was $131 per person in 2013. Clearly that figure is not entirely made of chocolate; the diamond trade and even the automobile business touts its wares as appropriate Valentine’s Day gifts. It nonetheless is the tip of a chocolate iceberg, so to speak. That heart-shaped box is full of history, class warfare, racial tension, religion, quack or legitimate medicine, international commerce, and generations of people toiling—some getting rich, others merely getting tired—to get you to the point that you can present a box of chocolates to your Valentine.

I hope it’s a success for you. FY Ed Adamczyk is a historian and contributing writer for the Niagara Gazette and Forever Young.

February 2017 | www.foreveryoungwny.com 7

FOOD

Chocolate for Every Season

BY JODEE RIORDAN

C

hocolate is seasonal; not in the same way that fruits and vegetables fresh from the field are seasonal, but woven into the celebration of each season. Chocolate is an integral part of the ritual of our holidays.

During the Christmas season, candy dishes are filled with dark chocolates nonpareils with red and green sprinkles.

Stockings are stuffed with Toblerones, Hershey’s Kisses, and holiday M&Ms. Every few years, the chocolate fountain graces the table at our Christmas Eve gathering (it takes a few years for me to forget the nightmare of cleaning the chocolate fountain in the wee hours of Christmas morning after the guests leave and the children are in bed).

The Easter season would not be the same without Cadbury chocolate eggs and the annual pilgrimage to Platter’s Chocolates in North Tonawanda.

Platter’s is magical: The bell jingles as you open the door; the smell of chocolate completely envelops you as you step in, the kids run to the glass cases filled with chocolate as you reach for your number. They pick out the one they want—a long-eared bunny, a racecar, a puppy, a ridiculously large rabbit they are absolutely not getting.

Platter’s relocated in 2016 to the historic Wurlitzer Building on Niagara Falls Boulevard after over forty years on Oliver Street. You can also find their confections locally at CVS pharmacies and for purchase at their online store.

Every town has its local ice cream stand. Hibbard’s Custard (hibbardscustard.com) in Lewiston has served up summer at the corner of Center Street and Portage Road since 1939. When the open sign lights up in late spring, word spreads like wildfire and lines form. Rich and creamy like no other, their custard is

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my all-time favorite, and I find every excuse to stop there throughout the summer season. They also sell their custard by the hand-packed pint, and at the end of each summer, I consider filling my freezer, but I resist. Some things are just best savored in season.

Handmade treats are all the sweeter, no matter the season. Winter is full of little occasions to celebrate with a homemade treat: Cold nights are sweeter with a warm dish of chocolate pudding. A surprise snow day is perfect for a batch of chocolate chip cookies.

Warming up with a cup of hot cocoa makes coming in from any winter adventure (even shoveling) better. I like to give little ones a candy cane for stirring, while grownups enjoy a shot of Bailey’s Irish Cream in their mug.

While we are discussing the joy of seasonal, consider also the gratification of local. Like where to go for the best chicken wings or beef on weck, every Western New Yorker can argue the merits of who makes their favorite sponge candy or other chocolate treat.

Here’s a chocolate sampling of local chocolatiers: Platter’s 908 Niagara Falls Blvd., North Tonawanda; 693-5391 or platterschocolates.com Watson’s Chocolates Various locations; 888-875-6643 or watsonschocolates.com

www.foreveryoungwny.com | February 2017

Fowler’s Chocolates Various locations; 800-824-2263 or fowlerschocolates.com Alethea’s Chocolates 8301 Main St., Buffalo; 633-8620 or Aletheas.com Kelly’s Country Store 3121 Grand Island Blvd., Grand Island; 775-1303 or kellyscountrystore. com Parkside Candy on Main 3208 Main St., Buffalo; 833-7540 or parksidecandy.com (see website for other locations) Chow Chocolat 1438 Hertel Ave., Buffalo; 8834388 or chowchocolat.us Blue Table Chocolates 345 West Ferry St., Buffalo; 8663725 or bluetablechocolates.com Valentine’s Day is all about chocolate.

Store aisles are full of confections and gifts, but why not make your own valentine treat? Chocolate ganache is easy and versatile.

Chocolate Ganache Ingredients 8 oz coarsely chopped good quality chocolate 1 cup heavy cream

Directions Chop the chocolate using a serrated knife, or use chocolate chips in a pinch, just give them a quick, coarse chop. Put chopped chocolate in a heatproof bowl.

Heat the heavy cream over mediumhigh heat, bringing it just to a boil.

Pour over the chocolate. Add a pinch of salt (a coarse, Kosher salt is best).

Let stand for ten minutes (stirring too soon will lead to a grainy, inconsistent ganache). Stir with a whisk, using a rubber spatula to mix in all chocolate from sides and bottom of bowl, until smooth and shiny.

While the ganache is still warm, you can use it to create chocolate-dipped strawberries or pour over a chocolate cake for a shiny glaze. Coat spoons with ganache and let cool to stir into hot cocoa later.

Let the ganache cool for an hour and whip with a mixer into a fluffy frosting, ready to top cupcakes or to pipe as a filling. Make your own truffles by hand-rolling spoonfuls into balls, then rolling in the topping of your choice: chopped nuts, crushed candy, shredded coconut, or simply and elegantly in cocoa powder. Chill for thirty minutes and enjoy! FY Jodee Riordan is a creative and enthusiastic home chef, living in Youngstown, NY.

HOME & GARDEN a piece of potato and push the cut side down into the soil of a plant that you suspect is infected. Wait several days.

Remove the potato piece. If there are fungus gnat larvae present, they will have burrowed into the potato.

Glad You Asked!

Snow White Amaryllis Photo by Carol Ann Harlos

T

his column is devoted to the readers who emailed me questions over the past several months. It’s wonderful to know that folks read the column instead of using it to wrap fish or to line birdcages. (Do people really still do that?)

CAROL ANN HARLOS From MG: My neighbor has a trumpet vine that is migrating under the soil and its roots are in my front yard. It’s so bad that little shoots are coming up in my front lawn. Can I do anything to prevent it from taking over my lawn?

My answer: Well, you don’t want to kill your neighbor’s plant (maybe you do but that is not an option).

Unfortunately you have to dig...dig... dig repeatedly. I suggest you dig a trench near the border between you

and your neighbor. Dig out as much of the roots as possible. This must be done repeatedly because trumpet vines grow from small pieces. (Roundup could then be used on the plants that are coming up in your yard.) If you have cut off the trumpet vines from the parent plant you will kill only them and not your neighbor’s plant.

All of this is going to take time and persistence. Or, you can move. I look forward to hearing about your progress with this problem.

From SB: How come I am finding fruit flies in my house in the wintertime? I don ‘t have any fresh fruit outside the refrigerator!

My answer: You don’t have fruit flies. Indoor plants often get fungus gnats, which are a type of fly. An earlier stage in the life cycle of this fly produce larvae (like tiny worms) that subsist on decaying material and on the roots of the infected plants. This often occurs when plants are overwatered and don’t get a chance to dry out. To be sure, take

What to do? Yes this happens to my plants on occasion too! I remove the infected plant from the pot. I remove and replace as much of the soil as possible. In the future stick your finger into the soil of your potted plants to make sure they really need watering.

From AO: I was given several amaryllis as gifts over the holidays. I can never get them to reflower. What is the secret?

My answer: Don’t hate me. I have twenty-six amaryllis plants that reflower each year; some even reflower several times a year. It’s actually quite simple. When the flowers are finished blooming, cut them off. I also cut off the stems, although some books suggest leaving them. The important

part is the leaves; they feed the bulb.

The bulb frequently feels rather hollow after the plants bloom so your task is to help the bulb “refill” with another flower or multiple flowers. I keep the plant in bright light and continue watering. Sometimes the leaves simply die down. That’s fine. I put the pots in the basement but check on them periodically as they often begin to regrow on their own. They are brought into light and lightly watered. The process begins again. The leaves of other amaryllis never die down. That’s fine with me. I continue feeding and watering. They spontaneously send up new flower stalks.

Periodically, I repot my amaryllis bulbs as they use up the nutrition from the soil. Just be sure not to plant bulbs in a pot that is more than two inches greater in diameter than the bulb. FY I love hearing from you: caharlos@ verizon.net OR herbgardener.net

30th Anniversary Celebrated with an Open House The United Church Manor, a 50-unit housing community sponsored by UCHS, Inc., is celebrating its 30th year of service to seniors in Western New York. An open house and anniversary celebration will be held on Saturday, March 4, 2017, from 1 to 4 p.m., and we invite the public to join us! Visitors will receive tours of the community as well as enjoy refreshments and entertainment.

The Manor, located in a quiet residential area just off Union Road and Clinton Street in West Seneca, will also unveil its recently renovated and modernized apartments. New amenities include full-size appliances, open concept kitchen and living area, walk-in showers and energy efficient

LED lighting. Other community amenities include a library/computer room, lounge with big screen tv and fireplace, and laundry facility.

In addition, Ethel Nuse, the last of the original 50 residents when the Manor opened its doors in 1987 will be honored. Ms. Nuse is the beneficiary of the Manor’s mission that encourages and assists seniors to live independently.

She participates in the community’s noon-day meal program sponsored by Erie County and other community activities.

United Church Manor is located at 50 North Avenue in West Seneca. For additional information, call 716-6685804.

February 2017 | www.foreveryoungwny.com 9

ARTS

February Theater Preview

BY DONNA HOKE

M

usicalFare does double duty this month, opening the Duke Ellington revue Sophisticated Ladies at its Daemen campus theater on February 1, and following two weeks later with the remount of last season’s Ring of Fire at Shea’s 710 Theatre beginning February 16.

Ring of Fire Richard Maltby, Jr. Director/Choreographer: Michael Walline Cast: Steve Copps, Zak Ward, Katie Clark, Theresa Quinn, Phil Farugia, Robert Mazierski, Kevin Craig Back with the same cast and director/ choreographer that delivered the recordbreaking show a year ago, Ring of Fire hits Shea’s 710—but it won’t be the show’s first time on that stage. In 2005, when the building was Studio Arena, it hosted the world premiere of Ring of

C

Fire, which then had a short Broadway run in spring 2006.

Theatergoers can expect to hear Cash hits like “Hey Porter,” “Delia’s Gone,” “A Boy Named Sue,” and, of course, the titular “Ring of Fire,” as the show loosely spins a tale of American life, if not about Cash himself. Director Michael Walline said last season, “The show is an homage to the music of Johnny Cash. No one actually plays Johnny—or June Carter Cash, for that matter—but we try to capture the essence of how he presented a song. Johnny was a master storyteller The cast of Johnny Cash homage production of Ring of Fire at Shea's 710 Theatre Photo by Jesse Sloier

“C” IS FOR CATARACT

ataract, which is clouding of the eye lens, affects more than half of Americans aged 65 years and older. This age-related cause of vision loss can occur much earlier due to exposure to the sun’s ultraviolet (UV) rays and a host of other causes (including smoking, use of corticosteroids, and a family history). It is also thought that cataract formation is linked to oxidative changes in the human eye lens, which makes the case for consuming fruits and vegetables containing high amounts of antioxidants.

In fact, recent research involving 324 pairs of twins over a decade showed there was a 33 percent lower risk of developing cataracts among women whose diets were rich in

foods containing vitamin C. The symptoms of early cataracts may be improved with new eyeglasses, brighter lighting, anti-glare sunglasses, or magnifying lenses. If these measures do not help, surgery is the only effective treatment. To learn more, please call the Legarreta Eye Center at 716-633-2203. Our practice is based on the philosophy of providing high-quality comprehensive eye care. We have served the community for over 35 years. We have office locations in Williamsville, Cheektowaga and Lockport.

P.S. Blurred vision, glare and difficulty reading can be early symptoms of cataracts.

www.LegarretaEyeCenter.com 10

www.foreveryoungwny.com | February 2017

through his music. Each of his songs is very theatrical in itself.”

The concert-style show proved a huge success with MusicalFare audiences, but, “successful as it was, there’s a greater audience out there for it,” says MusicalFare artistic director Randy Kramer of the decision to move it to 710. “When you say Johnny Cash, people can relate to his music, his persona, so it seems like a natural fit for it to have another life, and it does come full circle [to the theater], which is pretty neat actually.”

Kramer says audiences can expect to see the show open up a little more in the larger space. “We don’t go down there just to do the production again,” he notes. “We go down there because, artistically, there is more opportunity for us to realize the images and pictures and the look of the show.” Similar to last season’s remounted Avenue Q at 710, the sets will expand vertically to help fill the space.

Though this is the company’s second

remount downtown, Kramer is hesitant to say that’s any sort of ongoing model.

“It’s one of the things we’re talking about,” he concedes, “but we would like to do a show at 710 next season. I would work hard to make that happen.

[Watch for MusicalFare’s imminent season announcement.] I really look forward to different opportunities working with 710 and any other way we can potentially work with [new Shea’s president Michael Murphy].”

MusicalFare opens Ring of Fire February 16 at Shea’s 710 Theatre (musicalfare.com, 839-8540).

Sophisticated Ladies Book: Donald McKayle Music: Duke Ellington (lyrics by various) Director: John Fredo Cast: Dudney Joseph, Katie Miner, Ben Michael Moran, London Lee, Cece Barron, Annette Christian, Zoe Scruggs Duke Ellington fans, take note: it’s all here—“Take the A Train,” “It

ARTS Don’t Mean A Thing If It Ain’t Got That Swing,” “Satin Doll,” “Don’t Get Around Much Anymore,” and more— in this extravagant salute helmed by Grammy winner George Caldwell with a six-piece onstage band featuring Bobby Militello and Mark Filsinger.

It already sounds like a winner, but the key, says MusicalFare artistic director Randy Kramer, is director John Fredo and his previous experience with the show. “John actually did this show with Maurice Hines in an international tour and was also in New York City back in the seventies when the show was created, and he worked with Maurice and Gregory Hines [Gregory starred in the original production], and Mercedes Ellington, Duke’s granddaughter. He wasn’t in the original Broadway cast, but did do the show, so he understands Ellington’s music and how it works in storytelling in theater. He was the perfect person to helm this.”

Though the original show was lauded for its lavish vignettes, “Clearly, in our space, we won’t have the twelve-step staircase that is often done, but we will have those lavish deco elements and costumes will be significant,” Kramer promises. “And there is lavishness that comes from having the six-member

band on stage and seven performers.

With those, the costumes, sets, and lights, hopefully, we’ll be able to create some of those signature moments but also get to a new experience with the show in an intimate space as opposed to a 3,000-seat space.”

Dance is also important to the show, but Kramer cautions that there isn’t a book per se; the storytelling, mood, and emotional changes come from the music, little vignettes created by the songs, much like 2014’s Ain’t Misbehavin’. “It really comes down to John’s involvement with this show,” Kramer maintains. “His history with it is unique, the kind of thing you work hard to find. He’s not only familiar, he’s invested with the show and the ideas in it. He’s aware of the lineage of this thing, and that gives it an authenticity, just like Victoria [Perez, Raices artistic director] being involved with In The Heights; it’s somebody who has knowledge that far exceeds what we have, and that’s a reason to go to the theater. It also can’t be understated that George Caldwell and the group that’s been put together is pretty sensational.”

Meanwhile, the MusicalFare Premier Cabaret space, now in its second year, continues to grow, and Kramer is seeking to make it more diverse than musical

Also Playing (in order of closing) • Theatre of Youth presents The Shakespeare Stealer through February 12. (theatreofyouth.org, 884-4400).

• Frankenstein continues through February 12 at Road Less Traveled Productions (roadlesstraveledproductions.com; 629-3069).

• O’Connell and Company’s It Shoulda Been You is on until February 26 (oconnellandcompany.com, 848-0800).

• Buffalo United Artists continues Steve through February 11 (buffalobua. org, 886-9239).

OPENING THIS MONTH • Jewish Repertory Theatre opens After the Revolution February 9. (jewishrepertorytheatre.com, 888-718-4253).

• Tony winner A Gentleman’s Guide to Love and Murder comes to Shea’s February 16–22 (sheas.org, 855-797-3952).

• Buffalo Quickies opens at Alleyway February 23 (alleyway.com, 852-2600).

• Subversive Theatre opens Stop Kiss February 23 (subversivetheatre.org, 408-0499).

acts—comedy, poetry, a theatrical reading series are all ideas on the table.

“I’ve had conversations with significant players in comedy and poetry, so I’m really hopeful that we can put together a season of music, theater, spoken word, have the space used in all different ways.

It’s been so well received that I’m finding even if an act has played someplace else once or twice, people are still willing to buy a ticket partially because of the room itself. We’re planning the next five years,

and diversifying what we do in there is a significant part of our cabaret strategy.”

Sophisticated Ladies opens February 9 at MusicalFare (musicalfare.com, 8398540). Check the Premier Cabaret schedule at musicalfare.com/page/premiercabaret.

FY

Playwright Donna Hoke writes about theater for Buffalo Spree and Forever Young.

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ARTS

Sugar-free Treats for Movie Lovers

BY CHRISTOPHER SCHOBERT

F

or couples, finding a unique Valentine’s Day gift can be an extremely difficult task. One idea? Zero in on one of your partner’s passions. If those include cinema, consider one of the books, soundtracks, or DVDs/Blu-ray discs listed here.

Books for Cinephiles The Princess Diarist by Carrie Fisher (Blue Rider Press) Carrie Fisher’s The Princess Diarist, a hilarious and touching look at her life as Star Wars icon Princess Leia, was a must-read even before the sudden,

shocking passing of its author in December. (Fisher’s death, of course, was followed by the equally tragic loss of her mother, Debbie Reynolds.) It is even more poignant now.

Buy it at all major bookstores and amazon.com.

Emma Stone and Ryan Gosling star in La La Land. Photo courtesy of TIFF

The Art of Selling Movies by John McElwee (GoodKnight Books) Anyone with an interest in classic cinema will adore The Art of Selling Movies, a 300-page treat packed with photos and vintage advertisements.

Featuring everyone from Valentino and Pickford to Bardot and Hitchcock, this is a wonderfully entertaining and insightful coffee table tome.

Buy it at amazon.com.

Four of the Three Musketeers: The Marx Brothers on Stage by Robert S. Bader (Northwestern University Press) Bader’s book highlights a fascinating, little-known segment of the Marx Brothers’ career, the twenty-five years the foursome spent on stage. He traces the comic legends’ road from live performance (Groucho made his debut in 1905) to big-screen successes.

Buy it at marxbrothers.net.

Mission: Jimmy Stewart and the Fight for Europe by Robert Matzen (GoodKnight Books) It’s hard to find new ground to cover when discussing the personal life of a legendary figure like Jimmy

12

www.foreveryoungwny.com | February 2017

Stewart, but author Robert Matzen pulls it off in Mission. This thoroughly researched text explores the actor’s wartime exploits, and the effect these experiences had on his later life and career.

Buy it at amazon.com or goodknightbooks.com.

DVD/Blu-ray Delights His Girl Friday (Criterion) Howard Hawks’s His Girl Friday still holds up, and then some. This comic adaptation of The Front Page starring Cary Grant and Rosalind Russell is as funny today as it was upon release, and with this highdefinition restoration, it has never looked or sounded better.

Buy it at criterion.com or amazon.com.

Jerry Maguire: 20th Anniversary Edition (Sony) Tom Cruise gave his best performance in Jerry Maguire, the sports-agent romantic comedy that that gave the world the phrase, “Show me the money!” It remains a surprisingly poignant film, and this Best Buy exclusive Blu-ray limited edition offers a fine reason to revisit.

Buy it at Best Buy or bestbuy.com.

ARTS

Pharmacists Can Do More Than Count Pills BY: STEPHEN GIROUX, RPH (OWNER); RYAN LINDENAU, PHARMD (CLINICAL PHARMACIST); MICHAEL BURNS, PHARMD/MPH AND PATRICK MCCABE, PHARMD/MBA (COMMUNITY PHARMACY RESIDENTS)

Natalie Portman stars in Jackie. Photo courtesy of TIFF

Must-Own Soundtracks La La Land (Interscope) La La Land might have been 2016’s most purely enjoyable film, and the music is a key element of its appeal.

Stars Ryan Gosling and Emma Stone acquit themselves nicely in this witty, moving homage to Hollywood musicals. The songs by Justin Hurwitz are smart and satisfying, especially “City of Stars” and the anthemic “Another Day of Sun.” Buy it in stores and on amazon.com.

Jackie (Milan Records) The musical score for this Natalie Portman-starring film about Jackie Kennedy is strange, haunting, and fascinating—just like the film itself.

Composer Mica Levi’s work here is astoundingly original.

Buy it on amazon.com.

Looking for a Rental?

Looking for something a bit less expensive? Consider one of the following films now available to rent from iTunes, Amazon Instant Video, or Redbox.

Deepwater Horizon Mark Wahlberg and Kurt Russell star in this surprisingly involving action film about the biggest oil spill in US history. It’s a disaster film done right, and Russell, especially, is masterful Florence Foster Jenkins Meryl Streep is predictably wonderful as painfully awful opera singing-heiress Florence Foster Jenkins. However, costars Hugh Grant and Simon Helberg are equally strong in this modest, satisfying film.

Sully While Sully is no classic, Clint Eastwood’s biography of hero pilot Chesley “Sully” Sullenberger is quite involving and often thrilling. It’s a reminder that there is no actor more capable than Tom Hanks. FY Christopher Schobert is the former managing editor of Forever Young. He is a film critic for The Buffalo News and other outlets, and writes a monthly film screenings column for Buffalo Spree.

Tap into Your Pharmacist’s Wealth of Knowledge “Lick, stick, count, and pour.” These are the roles that many people still believe their community pharmacists are limited to. But that is simply not the case. All pharmacists are required by law to screen every prescription for appropriateness based on a host of factors including drug interactions and therapy duplications. Once the medication is filled and inspected for accuracy, the pharmacists then have to counsel the patient on anything that is new or changed. While the patient has the right to refuse counseling, in doing so they are only doing themselves a disservice. Pharmacists are medication experts, with five plus years of schooling centered on keeping you safe. So talk to them, get to know them, and come to them with questions. And if you find that your pharmacy comes off as more concerned with getting you out the door than helping you improve your healthcare, then come talk to us. We at Middleport Family Health Center, Wurlitzer Family Pharmacy, Summit Park Pharmacy, Transit Hill Pharmacy, Rosenkrans Pharmacy, and Oakfield Family Pharmacy believe in spending the time necessary with each patient to provide the highest level of care.

In addition to our knowledgeable and friendly staff, we offer a wide variety of clinical services to help you get the most out of your medications. Our Simplify My Meds program is designed to coordinate all of your routine medications to be filled at the same time every month, leading to fewer trips to the pharmacy and less opportunity to forget to refill or pick up your medicine. By working with you to forecast what you will need, we also have the ability to reach out to your doctor for refills and ensure that we have the medication in stock before you run out. If you have several medications to manage or trouble remembering to take them, our Pill Pack program builds on Simplify My Meds to put your routine medications together into blister packs separated by time of day, similar to a pill box that we fill for you. While you’re visiting the pharmacy, ask about the many adult vaccines that we can provide without a prescription or appointment. And if you would like assistance with quitting smoking for

good or managing your diabetes, we have those covered too, with education classes running several times a year. Whatever your healthcare need, let us know. We are here to help.

Locations Middleport Family Health Center (716) 735-3261 81 Rochester Rd, Middleport Wurlitzer Family Pharmacy (716) 260-1131 521 Division St, North Tonawanda Summit Park Pharmacy (716) 731-3500 2758 Niagara Falls Blvd, Niagara Falls Transit Hill Pharmacy (716) 683-9444 6344 Transit Rd, Depew Rosenkrans Pharmacy (585) 798-1650 526 Main St, Medina Oakfield Family Pharmacy (585) 948-5823 40 Main St, Oakfield

February 2017 | www.foreveryoungwny.com 13

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New Treatments For Spinal Stenosis Three new non-surgical FDA cleared technologies are now being used at the Pain Relief Institute to relieve the symptoms of lumbar and cervical spinal stenosis without drugs or surgery.

Disc Rehydration Therapy unloads of the afferent nerves to transmit pain pressure on neurological, vascular and signals. This treatment also promotes osseous components and is now the healing by means of the depolarization primary non-surgical safe and effective effects on the nerve cells. This computertreatment for patients with spinal assisted treatment offers exemplary stenosis, herniated disc, degenerative patient success in the treatment of pain, joint disease, facet arthritis, disc bulge without piercing the skin. and more. Unlike drugs and injections, The best news is that these new this new therapy is natural and its therapies are suited for almost everyone effects are lasting and often permanent. and unlike some pharmacological Another new technology called Deep solutions, there are no known negative Tissue Laser Therapy is used to reduce side effects. Regardless of the therapies pain, relieve inflammation and restore you’ve tried in the past you still have a mobility. It uses specific wavelengths of chance to relieve your chronic pain or light that have a strong anti-inflammatory other debilitating condition and regain effect. Photons of laser energy penetrate a normal healthy lifestyle. deeply into tissue and accelerate cellular For more information about these reproduction and growth. As a result of therapies please call (716) 650-PAIN exposure to the laser the cells of tendons, (7246) or visit BuffaloPainRelief.com. ligaments and muscles repair themselves Mention this article when you call to faster. As inflammation is reduced, pain qualify for a no-charge consultation subsides very quickly. with Dr. Anthony J. Bianchi D.C. at Additionally, Electroanalgesia is the Pain Relief Institute. now being used to reduce the ability 14

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Bingo Calendar MONDAY CONGREGATION SHIR SHALOM 4660 Sheridan Dr., Williamsville 7:30 p.m......... 633-8877 AMERICAN LEGION MCKEEVER POST 1770 South Park Ave., Buffalo 7:30 p.m......... 822-6400 HOLY ANGELS @ POLISH CADETS 927 Grant St., Buffalo 7:30 p.m......... 875-3211

885-3767 (church) HOLY MOTHER OF THE ROSARY CATHEDRAL Fellowship Hall, 6298 Broadway, Lancaster 11:30 am......... 683-7527 FATHER JUSTIN K OF C 2735 Union Rd., Cheektowaga 7:30 p.m......... 681-7231 VILLA MARIA COLLEGE 240 Pine Ridge Rd., Cheektowaga 7 p.m.............. 896-0700 AM. LEG. POST NO. 567 3740 N. Buffalo Rd., O. Park 7:30 p.m......... 662-9780 ST. AMELIA 2999 Eggert Rd., Tonawanda 7:40 p.m......... 836-0011 SENECA GAMING AND ENTERTAINMENT 11099 Route 5, Irving 7 p.m.............. 549-4389 DOWNTOWN POST NO. 64 A.L. INC. 1770 South Park Ave., Buffalo 7:30 p.m.

VALLEY COMMUNITY ASSOCIATION 93 Leddy, Buffalo 7:30 p.m......... 823-4707 MATTHEW GLAB POST 1965 Abbott Rd., Lackawanna 7:30 p.m........ 825-3733 K OF C HAMBURG COUNCIL 2220 36 Pierce Ave., Hamburg 7:30 p.m............649-983

FATHER JUSTIN K OF C 2735 Union Rd., Cheektowaga 1 p.m.............. 681-7231 ST. ANDREW’S CHURCH 1525 Sheridan Dr., Kenmore 7:30 p.m......... 873-6716 OUR LADY OF POMPEII 129 Laverack, Lancaster 7:30 p.m......... 683-6522 WHEATFIELD NO. 1451 6525 Ward Rd., Sanborn 7:25 p.m......... 731-4712 AMERICAN LEGION TONAWANDA NO. 264 60 Main St., Tonawanda 7:30 p.m......... 692-9785 GEORGE F. LAMM POST 962 Wehrle Dr., Williamsville 7:30 p.m......... 633-9242 RESURRECTION BINGO 130 Como Park Blvd.

7 p.m.............. 683-3712 JOSEPH HRICZKO VFW POST NO. 6245 29 Clemo St., Buffalo 7:30 p.m......... 854-1000 HARTLAND VFC 8945 Ridge Rd., Hartland 7:30 p.m.

ARMOR VOL. FIRE CO. 4932 Clark St., Hamburg 7:30 p.m......... 649-9821 ST. STANISLAUS RCC 123 Townsend St., Buffalo 7:30 p.m......... 849-4980 ST. ANDREW CHURCH 111 Crocker St., Sloan 7:30 p.m......... 892-0425 OUR LADY OF PERPETUAL HELP CHURCH 115 O’Connell Avenue, Buffalo 7:30 p.m......... 852-2671 SENECA GAMING AND ENTERTAINMENT 11099 Route 5, Irving 7 p.m......................... 549-4389

TUESDAY

WEDNESDAY

AMVETS MEDALLION POST NO. 13 25 Review Pl., Buffalo 7:30 p.m......... 874-0559 ASSUMPTION PARISH 435 Amherst St., Buffalo 1 p.m.............. 876-1038

ST. FRANCIS OF ASSISI 4263 St. Francis Dr., Athol Springs 7:30 p.m.................... 627-2710 SHAWNEE VOL. FIRE COMPANY 3747 Lockport Rd., Sanborn 7:30 p.m. .................. 731-3666

Bingo Calendar AM. LEG. MCKEEVER POST 1770 S. Park Ave., Buffalo 7:30 p.m.................... 822-6400 KENMORE K OF C 1530 Kenmore Ave., Buffalo 1 p.m......................... 875-5780 POLISH CADETS CLUB 927 Grant St., Buffalo 7:30 p.m.................... 875-3211 FATHER JUSTIN K OF C — SPONSORED BY THE JUSTINETTES 2735 Union Rd., Cheektowaga 7:30 p.m.................... 681-7231 POLISH FALCONS 445 Columbia Ave., Depew 7:45 p.m.................... 684-2373 FATHER BAKER K OF C 2838 S. Park Ave., Lackawanna 12:45 p.m.................. 825-5150 LANCASTER K OF C 6114 Broadway, Lancaster 11:45 a.m................... 684-1905 RESCUE FIRE CO. NO. 5 1241 Strad, N. Tonawanda 7:30 p.m.................... 695-3923 SENECA GAMING AND ENTERTAINMENT 11099 Route 5, Irving 1 & 7 p.m.................. 549-4389 ST. ALOYSIUS RCC 156 Franklin, Springville 7:30 p.m.................... 592-2701

ST. AMELIA 2999 Eggert Rd., Tonawanda 7:40 p.m.................... 836-0011 ST. MICHAEL’S BINGO 140 Warsaw, Lackawanna 7:15 p.m.................... 825-9415

THURSDAY FATHER JUSTIN K OF C 2735 Union Rd., Cheektowaga 1 p.m......................... 681-7231 AMVETS BINGO 600 Ward Rd., N. Tonawanda 8 p.m......................... 694-6290 BLESSED TRINITY 317 Leroy Ave., Buffalo 8 p.m......................... 833-0301 BUFFALO IRISH CENTER 245 Abbott Rd., Buffalo 7:45 p.m.................... 825-9535 ST. BERNARD’S CHURCH Clinton @ S. Ogden, Buffalo 7:30 p.m.................... 822-8856 PVT. LEONARD POST 2450 Walden Ave., Cheek.

7:15 p.m.................... 684-4371 ST. JAMES DEPEW 500 Terrace Blvd., Depew 7:30 p.m.................... 683-2746 ST. ANDREW’S CHURCH 1525 Sheridan Dr., Kenmore 7:30 p.m.................... 873-6716

(continued)

SENECA GAMING AND ENTERTAINMENT 11099 Route 5, Irving 7 p.m......................... 549-4389 AM. LEG. POST 1041 533 Amherst St., Buffalo 7:30 p.m.................... 875-9276 ST. CLARE’S 193 Elk St., Buffalo 7:30 p.m.................... 823-2358 FOURTEEN HOLY HELPERS 1345 Indian Church Rd., West Seneca 7:00 p.m.................... 674-2374 K OF C MADONNA COUNCIL NO. 2535 755 Erie Ave., North Tonawanda 7:20 p.m.................... 693-5470 NIAGARA FRONTIER AMERICAN LEGION POST 1041 533 Amherst Street, Buffalo 7:30 p.m.................... 875-9276 VFW COL. WEBER POST 989 2909 South Park Ave., Lackawana 7:30 p.m.................... 823-9605

FRIDAY AM. LEG. MCKEEVER POST 1770 South Park Ave., Buffalo 7:30 p.m................... 822-6400 O’BRIEN HALL Lafayette at Grant, Buffalo 7:30 p.m.................... 885-2469 ASSUMPTION PARISH 435 Amherst St., Buffalo 7:30 p.m.................... 876-1038

KENMORE K OF C 1530 Kenmore Ave., Buffalo 7:30 p.m.................... 875-5780 OUR LADY HELP OF CHRISTIANS 4125 Union Rd., Cheek.

7:30 p.m.................... 634-3420 SENECA GAMING AND ENTERTAINMENT 11099 Route 5, Irving 7, 10:30 p.m.............. 549-4389 ST. ALOYSIUS GONZAGA 157 Cleveland Dr., Cheek.

7:30 p.m.................... 833-1715 ST. KATHERINE DREXEL 122 Shiller St., Buffalo 7:30 p.m.................... 895-6813 ST. ANDREW’S CHURCH 1525 Sheridan Dr., Kenmore 7:30 p.m.................... 873-6716 LAKE ERIE CLUB 3200 S. Park Ave., Lackawanna 7:15 p.m.................... 825-9870 DALE ASSOCIATION CENT. 33 Ontario St., Lockport 7 p.m......................... 433-1886 SOUTH BYRON VFC Rte. 237, South Byron 7:30 p.m.

SANBORN VFC 5811 Buffalo St., Sanborn 7:45 p.m.

MILLGROVE VFC 11621 Genesee St., Alden 7:45 p.m.

February 2017 | www.foreveryoungwny.com 15

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OUR LADY OF PERP. HELP 115 O’Connell St., Buffalo 7:30 p.m.................... 852-2671 ST. STANISLAUS RCC 123 Townsend St., Buffalo 7:30 p.m.................... 849-4980 ST. PHILIP THE APOSTLE 950 Lossen Rd., Cheektowaga 7:30 p.m.

SATURDAY ST. AMELIA’S RCC 2999 Eggert Rd., Tonawanda 1 p.m......................... 836-0011 ASSUMPTION PARISH 435 Amherst St., Buffalo 7:30 p.m.................... 876-1038 BLESSED TRINITY 317 Leroy Ave., Buffalo 8 p.m......................... 833-0301 ST. JOHN XXIII 1 Arcade St., W. Seneca 7 p.m......................... 823-1090 CORPUS CHRISTI CLUB 165 Sears St., Buffalo 2 p.m......................... 892-0469 INFANT OF PRAGUE 921 Cleveland Dr., Cheektowaga 7:15 p.m.................... 634-3660

(continued)

ST. ALOYSIUS GONZAGA 157 Cleveland Dr., Cheektowaga 1 p.m......................... 833-1715 VILLA MARIA COLLEGE 240 Pine Ridge Rd., Cheek.

1 p.m......................... 896-0700 LANCASTER ELKS 1478 33 Legion Parkway, Lancaster 1 p.m......................... 685-1478 OUR LADY OF POMPEII 129 Laverack, Lancaster 7:30 p.m. (1st Sa.).... 683-6522 O’HARA BOOSTER CLUB 39 O’Hara Rd., Tonawanda 7:30 p.m.. 695-2600 ext. 326 SENECA GAMING AND ENTERTAINMENT 11099 Route 5, Irving 1, 7, 10:30 p.m.......... 549-4389 ST. ANDREW CHURCH 111 Crocker St., Sloan 7:30 p.m.................... 892-0425 PALLOTTINE FATHERS 3452 N. Falls Blvd., Wheatfield 7 p.m......................... 694-4313 SOUTH WILSON VFC 4193 Chestnut Rd., Wilson 7:30 p.m CARDINAL O’HARA HIGH 39 O’Hara Rd., Tonawanda 7:30 p.m. 695-2600 ext. 326

C. CHRISTI CHURCH 199 Clark St., Buffalo 2 p.m......................... 896-1050 OUR LADY OF BISTRICA 1619 Abbott Rd., Lackawanna 7:15 p.m.................... 822-0818 BUFFALO GAY BINGO/ AIDS PLUS FUND OF WNY Westminster Church, 724 Delaware Ave., Buffalo 7 p.m (2nd Sa.).......... 882-7840

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Bingo Calendar SENECA GAMING AND ENTERTAINMENT 11099 Route 5, Irving 1 & 7 p.m.................. 549-4389 DELEVAN VFC N. Main St., Delevan 7 p.m......................... 492-1910 ST. ANDREW’S CHURCH 1525 Sheridan Dr., Kenmore 7 p.m......................... 873-6716 FATHER BAKER K OF C 2838 S. Park Ave., Lackawanna 7:15 p.m.................... 825-5150 OUR LADY OF POMPEII 129 Laverack, Lancaster 7 p.m......................... 683-6522 CARDINAL O’HARA HIGH 39 O’Hara Rd., Tonawanda 1 p.m....... 695-2600 ext. 326 LOCKPORT ELKS LODGE 41 6791 N. Canal Rd., Lockport 7 p.m......................... 434-2798 PVT. LEONARD POST 2450 Walden, Cheektowaga 7:15 p.m..................684-43710 MATTHEW GLAB POST 1965 Abbott Rd., Lackawanna 7:30 p.m.

(continued)

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COVER

Alethea’s Chocolate Shop

BY JUDITH A. RUCKI

The charming, old-fashioned interior of Alethea’s Chocolate Shop. All photos by Joanne Mitchell

W

hile there are plenty of places around town that offer chocolates, Alethea’s Chocolate Shop is not to be missed. Located at 8301 Main Street in Williamsville, this is my chocolate destination of choice.

It begins with the big outdoor sign: “Come try our chocolate-covered raspberries.” Yes, they mean me!

“Enjoy an ice cream soda on our patio.”

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Alethea’s beckons, and I can’t refuse!

Alethea (pronounced “a-lee-theeah”) means verity, or truth. It is also the name of the owner’s great grandmother, who was known in Kozani, Greece, for her homemade confections.

According to their website, Alethea’s is “still family owned, and continuing in [great grandmother’s] tradition, we create the finest handmade chocolates, using only the purest ingredients.”

Additionally, this is “a family heritage of fine chocolates for over sixty-five years.”

Owner Dean Tassy says the best part of owning the shop is “unlimited access to chocolate.” He adds, “I eat it everyday of my life.”

His father is living proof of its health

www.foreveryoungwny.com | February 2017

benefits. A chocolate aficionado, he retired from the business two years ago at age 100.

Alethea’s is located in a historic building on an estate setting. If you choose to go out on the canopied veranda, which I highly recommend, you will feel like you are sitting in a private park.

As soon as you enter, the temptation begins. Should you turn left into the chocolate shop, or go right and head for the ice cream parlor and dessert café?

I usually go left, make my purchases, and then relax with some ice cream.

Alethea’s chocolate factory is located right behind the shop; so high quality and freshness are assured. Everything is made with pure cocoa butter,

cream, and other natural premium ingredients. As soon as the product cools, it is placed in the display cases.

As they say at Alethea’s, “There’s gourmet chocolate, and then there’s fresh gourmet chocolate. Taste the difference.”

No one has to ask me twice. I have never said “no” when offered a sample.

I always hope chocolate fudge is on the plate. Though if pressed for my favorite, I would have to say it’s the orange chocolate. I’ve yet to taste better.

Alethea’s is also well known for sponge candy, which is hand made in small batches “by a time-honored method.”

What other chocolate delights await?

There are gourmet boxed chocolates, handmade truffles, and cherry cordials.

Here you can find turtles, butter crunch, Charlie Chaplins, chocolate butter cookies, chocolate caramel corn, and chocolate clusters. Want more?

How about chocolate cranberries, minikins, and nut medleys?

Still not satiated? Try chocolate popcorn, potato chips, and pretzels.

There are French-style cream wafers, fresh ginger, and handmade molasses pops. We’re not done yet! Nantucket patties, nonpareils, nutty almond bark, Rocky Road, satin mints, and the aforementioned old fashion slab fudge are all available.

Want your chocolate straight up?

Go for the chunk chocolate.

Just a note—if there is such a thing as someone who doesn’t care for chocolate, Alethea’s offers the “un-chocolate menu,” which features various nuts, fruit slices, licorice, peanut brittle, and caramels. As the folks there say, “A day without chocolate can still be a good day!”

If it’s ice cream you crave, head over to the ice cream parlor and dessert café.

A great variety of ice cream flavors and fancy concoctions await. My favorite is a chocolate soda made with chocolate ice cream, although the friendly staff is happy to blend any flavor combination you like.

You can top off your ice cream with homemade chocolate sauce or hot fudge truffle sauce. If you aren’t craving chocolate, you can always try marshmallow or hot butterscotch sauce.

COVER

Left and middle: The process Alethea’s uses to make sponge candy Right: Alethea’s classic ice cream parlor

Part of the fun is the ice cream parlor itself. When you sit at one of the tables with the heart-shaped chairs, you feel like you are at an old fashioned soda fountain. Those of us of “a certain age” feel transported back to our high school days when we went out for one milkshake with two straws.

Many types of fancy pies and cakes are available, too.

Depending on the season, you

can find chocolate footballs, handdecorated Santa pops, stocking stuffer cookies, and chocolate Easter bunnies of all sizes.

Want to show your Buffalo pride or endear yourself to a former Buffalonian? Check out the herd of Buffalo, chocolate Buffalo pops, or the foiled Buffalo disc pops.

If you are planning a wedding, bridal or baby shower, tournament, convention, or any special occasion,

Alethea’s can provide centerpieces, favors, gifts, or a chocolate buffet.

The foiled chocolate rose bouquet is almost too beautiful to eat. Almost.

When a tasteful business gift is in order, clients, partners, vendors, and employees will be impressed with any one of the fine offerings available.

The complimentary giftwrap and enclosure cards make it an easy choice.

Next time a chocolate craving hits, you know where to go!

Alethea’s is open from 10 a.m. to 10 p.m. Monday through Saturday.

Sunday hours are 10 a.m. to 9 p.m.

Alethea’s Chocolates 8301 Main St., Buffalo; 633-8620 or aletheas.com FY Judith Rucki is a frequent contributor to Forever Young.

February 2017 | www.foreveryoungwny.com 19

COVER

Sweet Traditions

BY TERRI PARSELL HILMEY & REBECCA CUTHBERT

Y

ou might know that Western New York is famous for delicacies like chicken wings, beef on ‘weck sandwiches, and Weber’s horseradish mustard, but we are the proud home of another iconic treat, too: sponge candy.

Watson’s Chocolates The Watson family has been making chocolate since 1946, with the opening of their first restaurant and soda fountain on Delaware Avenue.

It was Louis and John Watson, with wives Ellen and Mary, who started it all more than 65 years ago, and Lou and Ellen’s son Jim who kept it growing. Today, the family business has eight locations across Western New York, from Ellicottville to Victor.

With their trademark sponge candy, Watson’s has become world-famous, even profiled a few years ago by Food Network’s show Kid in a Candy Store.

On the segment, a few sponge candy secrets are revealed and demonstrated by family patriarch Jim Watson.

At Valentine’s Day, sponge candy makes room for a revered tradition: the personalized chocolate heart.

Moms and dads come in and get them for their children, because their parents always got them for them, and

even grandparents buy them for their forty-year old children, because their kids have come to expect them.

Watson’s also makes some Buffalo favorites that are fun to give to people from out of town. Their Buffalo Bites are just what they sound like, little bites of chocolate shaped like buffaloes. They also have a “Buffalo Wings” novelty box, with chocolate chicken wings and white chocolate dressing for dipping. Other specialties include hostess mints, chocolatecovered pretzels and popcorn, and logo chocolate for corporations.

Watson’s keeps its roots strong, even as it continues to grow. The Watsons have always taken their chocolatemaking very seriously, using only the “freshest, costliest, and purest ingredients. No shortcuts are taken, no compromises are made.”

Watson’s Chocolates: see website for locations; watsonschocolates.com; 1-888-875-6643

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www.foreveryoungwny.com | February 2017

Valvo’s Candies Sponge candy is a local treasure with Old World European roots, and for something with a few simple ingredients, it sure is hard to make. Joe Valvo, owner of Valvo’s Candies and Gift Shop on Routes 5 & 20 in Irving, explains why.

“Sponge candy is sugar, corn syrup, water, gelatin, and baking soda,” he says. “But it needs very specific conditions to set correctly.”

A big part of that candy science has to do with humidity, or lack thereof, Joe says. Because high humidity will ruin sponge candy, Western New York is the perfect place to make it (though not in the middle of summer!).

“If the humidity is too high, the sponge candy won’t rise,” he says. “It will stay flat and hard.”

After the ingredients are combined, the mixture is poured into huge, rectangular molds. First it rises, which gives sponge candy its air pockets, and then it settles. After it hardens, the large block of sponge candy is put on antique marble cutting tables and sliced into small squares. Next, those squares are fed through a machine that coats them with chocolate. And, at Valvo’s, it’s always top-of-the-line chocolate.

“We don’t believe in selling an inferior product,” says Joe. “We’ve been in business since 1919. That’s because we make small batches, and we control the quality. We use real chocolate. We don’t have franchises,

because then we would lose control over what gets put out. The largest batch of anything we make here is sixty pounds.”

Joe and his wife Elizabeth took over the business from his parents in the 1950s, and moved to their current location in Irving to have more room.

Now, their daughter Sue handles most of the store’s daily operations, while their son Stephen runs the transport.

Joe and Elizabeth still have their hands in things, though, and for Joe, it comes back to quality again.

“I go over to the store and I look at things, I check the displays,” he says. “If I don’t like something, I take it apart and re-do it. I make sure all of the display cases are full: every tray.

That’s always been very important to me.”

The Valvos sell candy year-round, with busy seasons before Christmas, Valentine’s Day, Easter, and Halloween. Dolly Dimples, a giant doll and famous roadside attraction, beckons customers as they head into Silver Creek, and with Valvo’s selection of sponge candy, and other goodies, no shopper leaves empty-handed.

Valvo’s Candy, 1277 NY-5, Silver Creek, New York; valvoscandy.com or 934-2535 FY Terri Parsell Hilmey and Rebecca Cuthbert are frequent contributors to Forever Young and Buffalo Spree.

COVER question following a day out on the slopes. Here are a few treats to try:

Cheers to Chocolate

Choklat Southern Tier Brewing Company, 10% ABV This imperial stout is brewed with bittersweet Belgian chocolate and chocolate malt. It tastes like a dark chocolate mousse with just the right balance of sweet-bitter with boozy finish. It’s part of Southern Tier’s Blackwater Series, which also includes Choklat Oranj (brewed with chocolate and orange peel) and Mokah (brewed with chocolate and coffee), both of which are available in the spring.

Chocolate Cherry Bomb Ellicottville Brewing Company, 8.2% ABV One of the sweetest-tasting chocolate beers around, this imperial stout is brewed with chocolate malt and Oregon sweet cherries. Its fruity, maraschino and milk chocolate flavors make it drink like a candy cordial minus any hint of alcohol (but beware the high ABV).

BY DEVON DAMS-O’CONNOR

T

he “craft” of craft beer is in the experimentation, creativity—and sometimes consumer trends—that let brew masters play with palates and ingredients to come up with new and interesting beers. Among the latest flavors to grace taps around the country and here at local breweries: chocolate. And the combination is surprisingly delicious.

While some chocolate beers are brewed with actual chocolate or cocoa nibs, most rely on chocolate malt.

Chocolate malt is a kind of malted barley, a quintessential beer ingredient, that has been malted (baked) at higher temperatures to give the grain a dark brown color and a deep, rich chocolate flavor, sometimes with coffee or

bittersweet notes as well. The resulting brews are certainly beer first, chocolate second (as in, stick with chocolate martinis if you don’t like beer), but are pure bliss for people who love both.

An important note: these brown beauties seem harmless on the palate, but they can give a whole new meaning to the term “punch-drunk love” —

many have a high alcohol content at 8% ABV or more (that’s double the alcohol of a Labatt Blue or Genny Light).

These dark, bold beers are perfect for sipping while snuggling in front of the fireplace, for enjoying along with (or instead of) dessert, or as a tie-breaker for that nagging “beer or hot cocoa?”

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www.foreveryoungwny.com | February 2017

Chocolate Milk Money Rusty Nickel Brewing Company, 5% ABV Rusty Nickel brewers call this sweet, creamy stout “chocolate milk for adults” because of a cocoa malt flavor that’s devoid of any bitterness.

It’s a staple in many of the brewery’s “mixologies,” which blend beer with liquor and other ingredients to essentially make beer cocktails (like the Vanilla-Bourbon Milk Stout).

The Whale Community Beer Works, 5.9% ABV A CBW signature, this American brown ale is brewed with two types of chocolate malt for a complex and easyto-drink beer boasting layers of cocoa, roasted coffee, and malt flavors.

Excavator Big Ditch Brewing Company, 5.8% A rye brown ale that is brewed with huge amounts of chocolate malt, this multi-layered smooth beer has notes of bittersweet baking chocolate and a little zing from the rye.

COVER Grave Concerns Double Stout 12 Gates Brewing Company, 8.4% A big beer with bold flavor, this American double stout drinks like a rich dark chocolate milkshake with a thick, creamy head.

Coffee Milk Stout New York Beer Project, 5.8% A good example of the coffee trend that’s also hitting beers these days, this mocha-dark chocolate flavored beer has a pleasant sweetness with comforting toasty notes and is brewed in partnership with Niagara County’s New Day Coffee Roasters.

Grounded Hamburg Brewing Company, 10% Named for railroad slang that means being “derailed,” this boozy Bourbon barrel aged American imperial stout hits your nose with chocolate and roasty coffee aromas, and your tongue with a veritable drunk chocolate bar of vanilla, toffee, and chocolate.

Blizzard Bock Flying Bison Brewing Company, 6.5% This storm-worthy, seasonal beer is a classic German-style dunkel bock with subtle chocolate notes amid a lot of rich, toasty malt flavor. Think malted milk balls.

Sponge Candy Stout Resurgence Brewing Company, 5.5% OK, this beer doesn’t have any chocolate, cocoa, or chocolate malt in it, but your tongue will swear it does.

Brewed with Watson’s sponge candy trimmings, this dark malt-forward beer starts sweet with toffee flavors and finishes like bittersweet chocolate. The Imperial version is aged, boozy, and 10% ABV. Asylum Robust Porter 42 North Brewing Company, 6.8% This aptly named hardy beer is bursting with strong malt, coffee, and dark chocolate flavors, which are underscored by notes of dark fruit and a satisfying bitterness.

Chocolate Stout Pearl Street Grill & Brewery, 4.5% Smooth, sweet, and easy to drink, this dark stout is about as classic and cocoa-y as it gets. This is the brewery’s toasty and black coffee-forward Street Brawler Oatmeal Stout with the addition of chocolate. FY Devon Dams-O’Connor is a frequent contributor to Forever Young and Buffalo Spree.

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February 2017 | www.foreveryoungwny.com 23

GETAWAYS

The Heavenly Hells of Japan: Exploring the Hot Springs of Northern Kyushu STORY AND PHOTOS

BY JENNIFER MERRICK

Chinoike Jigoku, Blood Hell Pond, the first stop on the Hell Tour of Beppu

W

ho knew hell could be so heavenly?

Pink-hued steam billows from the deep red thermal pool, tinging everything it touches with a rose-colored mist.

Jigoku, which translates to hell, are Japanese hot springs, and Chinoike Jigoku, Blood Hell Pond (also referred to as Bloody Hell Pond to the amusement of the British visitors) is our first stop on the Hell Tour of Beppu. Otherwise known as the “Hot Spring Capital of Japan,” Beppu is located in the northern part of Kyushu, the southernmost of Japan’s four main islands. Home to over 2000 hot springs, it’s the world’s second largest source of thermal spring water after Yellowstone National Park.

The striking red color of the Blood Hell Pond comes from the iron oxide in the mineral-rich clay, which reportedly has healing properties for skin. Near boiling temperatures are too hot for bathing, but the gift shop sells the fine-grained earth for use in baths and ointments for skin conditions.

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We could spend more time wandering among the pink mist, but there are other hells to visit. Umi Jigoku, Sea Hell, is next, and its aquamarine water is every bit as stunning as the first site. Walking around the lush gardens while gazing at the steam-engulfed blue water, there’s a sense of heavenly calm.

Each of the eight hells on the tour has its own unique brand from Shaven Head Hell, named for the gray mud that resembles the shaven heads of monks, to the mini zoo at the Mountain Hell and the crocodiles at Demon Mountain Hell.

Steam is everywhere on the tour, not only at the hells themselves, but emanating from the hotels, ryokans (traditional inns), and even individual homes, many of which in Beppu and the surrounding area have access to their own underground source of water.

www.foreveryoungwny.com | February 2017

The Onsen Experience And this ever-present steam brings us to the reason why most visitors travel to this region—not to look at the mineral-infused thermal waters but to bathe in them. Onsens, Japanese bathhouses, are very much part of the culture throughout Japan, but nowhere more so than in northern Kyushu. Gift shops are filled with mineral bath powders and bathing towels, one of which makes us laugh as it depicts an elegant kimono-clad woman, but advertises that when the towel get wet, the kimono disappears.

The kimono disappears because, unlike North American hot tubs, there are no bathing suits allowed.

No tattoos either, but that’s not something I have to worry about.

Nakedness, however, does worry me.

But, when in Rome, or in this case Japan, it seems a shame not to try it.

I put on the cotton robe called a yukata and the slippers the Hotel Resol Hakata provides, and make my way downstairs, wishing I’d had more sake with my dinner. The entrance to the baths looks like any changing room, except that instead of putting on a bathing suit, I leave all of my outerwear, and take only a key and the so-called “modesty towel.” This is very much a misnomer as it’s smaller than a tea towel, but nevertheless I’m grateful for it.

The next step is the cleaning station, which, unlike Western facilities, does not contain a showers, but small stools in front of a sink with buckets and soap. Instructional drawings illustrate the thoroughness expected. I do my best, quickly glancing around to ensure that I was following proper protocol, while trying not to look at anybody, either.

Now for the onsen itself. There are both indoor and outdoor pools, and though the indoor ones are closer, the darkness of the outdoor pool looks infinitely more enticing.

Clutching my towel, and without looking up, I quickly make my way outside. I let out a small sigh when I’m immersed in the dark, warm waters. Tension dissipates as I soak, enjoying the moonlight (not a full moon thankfully), the small waterfall, the rose petals that float on the shimmering water and most of the steaming water that covers my entire body.

This feeling of glorious relaxation lasts for all of ten minutes, after which it starts to become unbearably hot and I have to get out.

Beyond the hot springs As impressive as they are, the thermal pools are not the only attractions worth seeing. Northern Kyushu is a region just waiting to be discovered, with mystic mountain shrines, a buzzing urban scene, and strong culinary traditions. Here are a few activities worth getting out of the onsen for: Historic Kitsuki Savor a meal with a 300-year history at Waekaeya Restaurant in

GETAWAYS seaside town of Karatsu. It takes fresh seafood to a whole new level as the squid that comes to your table is still alive, and you can see the blood still coursing through its transparent skin.

I tentatively try a tentacle and the taste is not so different from other sashimi, though I must say that I enjoy it more when the waiter takes it back and returns it deep-fried.

But I’m glad to have tried it in the

same way that I’m pleased to have experienced the onsen. Travelling is a perfect time to stretch your boundaries and get out of your comfort zone, whether it’s a local delicacy or a naked plunge.

For more information on Japan visit jnto.go.jp/eng FY Jennifer Merrick is a freelance writer and avid traveler based in Toronto.

Live squid served at Fukumanbou Restaurant in the seaside town of Karatsu

the castle town of Kitsuki. Their signature dish is Ureshino, so named because when a feudal lord tasted it, he declared, “Ureshi-no,” which translates to, “I’m happy.”

We’re happy, too, when we taste this traditional Taichazuke consisting of sea-bream fish sliced into thin strips over rice and a sesame sauce. At the table, hot green tea is poured on the rice, and we’re told to wait exactly three seconds—no more or less— before lifting the lid and digging in.

Afterwards, explore Kitsuki, where you’ll find preserved Samurai residences and merchant houses from the Edo period. Slope of the Vinegar Maker “Suya-no-sake” and Slope of the Salt Maker “Shioya-no-sake” are narrow pedestrian paths that rise up to the castle. Climb them to the top for a panoramic view of Beppu Bay. Spiritual Mountains Let your spirit soar at the Hikosan Jingu Shrine, where you venture high into the mountains via funicular (or if you’re feeling adventurous, by climbing 3 km of stairs) to this religious site first built in 740. This venerable shrine has been a training ground for Buddhist monks throughout the centuries, and wandering around its temples and buildings, surrounded by mountain mist and tall pine trees, it’s easy to understand why this site is believed to have mystical powers. There’s a sense of communion with nature, which explains perhaps why this religious

site was one of the first to combine the Shinto religion, which worships nature, and Buddhism.

Hip Fukuoka Sing karaoke in Fukuoka, the biggest city on the island and a vibrant hub that embraces both its historic roots and modern lifestyle. Its downtown core comes to life at night, when trendy youth take to the streets to enjoy its clubs and karaoke lounges.

Don’t worry about embarrassing yourself; as in most of Asia, singing is done in private rooms, and you’re charged a reasonable hourly rate that includes unlimited alcoholic or soft drinks depending on the package.

This flourishing city is home to numerous museums, art galleries, shrines and some of the best shopping in Japan, most notably Canal City.

This sprawling red architectural shopping center is referred to as “a city within a city” and comprises hundreds of shops, restaurants, and entertainment complexes, and even has its own systems of waterways, hence the name. When you’re shopped out or have gotten lost too many times, wander down to the river and sample street food at one of the yatais (food stalls), an ideal spot to people-watch and enjoy the city lights.

Living Lunch Dare to eat the freshest seafood possible by trying squid at Fukumanbou Restaurant in the February 2017 | www.foreveryoungwny.com 25

MY WNY STORY

Highland House Candies

BY DANIEL MEYER

O

wned and operated by Christine Reilly, Highland House Candies in the Village of Hamburg has a storied tradition of serving up handcrafted chocolates, chocolate covered strawberries, and all other things chocolate. The original owner of the business earned her reputation serving great quality chocolate products utilizing personalized customer service tactics for over four decades.

“Back in 2001, my stepmother purchased the name ‘Highland House Candies’ and dozens of the original recipes at an auction,” recalls Reilly. “I purchased another chocolate shop in May 2015 and we ended up becoming Highland House Candies in November 2015 as a way to reintroduce those many great memories people have while implementing some new ways to customize any order for any special occasion.”

Located at 1 Buffalo Street inside the Staub Square shopping complex at the corner of Buffalo and Main Streets in Hamburg’s central business district,

Highland House Candies may best be known at this time of year for their personalized chocolate hearts. Each one of the solid chocolate treats can be uniquely decorated with your loved one’s name or nickname, providing that extra special touch for those people you hold close to your heart.

“The personalized chocolate hearts are an incredible gift that shows someone you care, and what I like about offering them is hearing each person’s story, many of which involve a memory they have of the original Highland House Candies location,” says Reilly.

While there are constant challenges to being a small business owner, Reilly embraces the day-to-day uncertainty of owning and operating Highland House Candies, because she believes in the rich heritage of the company and is passionate about helping rekindle old memories and creating new traditions with her customers.

“I’ve met some wonderful people who used to work for Highland House Candies or regularly shopped there, and it is so amazing to hear them share their memories and detailed stories,” says Reilly. “Some of the things I hear related to Valentines Day and other holidays are so emotional. I feel honored to be able to help them take some time to recall a fond experience or remember how special they felt receiving chocolate or some type of candy that may be long gone, but those memories will remain with them forever.”

Highland House Candies is open Tuesday through Saturday from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. and will offer expanded 26

www.foreveryoungwny.com | February 2017

hours through Valentine’s Day on Mondays and other weekday evenings.

Personalized chocolate hearts and other custom orders can be placed by calling 697-0048 or find Highland House Candies on Facebook, Instagram, and Twitter. FY Daniel Meyer is a freelance writer who contributes to Forever Young and Buffalo Spree.

BEING WELL

2017 Goals: Cosmetic Surgery Y

ou are already through with January, when focus on the new year’s resolutions have come and gone.

Now on to Valentines Day and St. Patrick’s Day when those plans for better choices for 2017 are forgotten. More than sixty percent of Americans make new years resolutions and nearly half of those are focused on self-improvement. It is time to put cosmetic surgery on the to-do list for 2017 if you;

SAMUEL SHATKIN JR., MD • Are looking to soften lines and rejuvenate the tired, aged look of your facial appearance. You may consider a facelift or eyelift, or perhaps start with general non-surgical skin management using peels, lasers, or the newest technologies with ultrasound and radiofrequency. You may want to start with Botox to soften wrinkles or dermal fillers to add volume and youthfulness to your face. Both

women and men will benefit from these no-downtime procedures.

• Want to improve your chest contour. Procedures can enhance the breast size or shape, like breast augmentation or breast lift to correct the mommy changes for women. For those men who are showing undesirable chest fullness, called gynecomastia, reduction of the volume with liposuction can give a sculpted, shapely look.

• Want to recontour your figure.

If you are tired of the bulges, liposuction can sculpt and shape the body, legs, arms and hips to give a more balanced appearance.

A tummy tuck can be an integral part of a mommy makeover to substantially allow women to regain the shape they once had.

Many of these treatments are non-surgical and can done on the same day as your visit. Surgical procedures can be performed in an

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office-based accredited ambulatory surgery center, so your treatments remain confidential. And when you change to your spring and summer wardrobe, you can reveal the new look!

As I have said in the past, don’t let the mirror reflect someone you don’t want to be. Let 2017 be the year that you focus on looking and feeling better about yourself.

Until next month, be well Buffalo! FY Dr. Shatkin is a board certified plastic surgeon at the Aesthetic Associates Centre in Amherst, medical director of Tres Aurae Spa in Williamsville and columnist for Forever Young.

Reverse Neuropathy Without Drugs

As you may know our conventional medical system is a reactive system when it comes to chronic conditions. The US is ranked among the best when saving someone from a near death experience, but we rank last for mortality and health. Doctors commonly try to fit chronic conditions such as neuropathy into this model and fail miserably with drugs, surgeries, and injections.

There are many causes of neuropa­ thy and most patients have multiple contributing factors. Neuropathy can be caused by problems often associated with pre­diabetes, diabetes, or other circulatory challenges. Neuropathy can also be a result of toxins such as chemotherapy, statin drugs or other chemicals. Additionally, structural problems such as spinal stenosis, degenerative disc disease or herniated discs contribute greatly to neuropathy.

Common treatments for neuropathy

such as Cymbalta, Neurontin, Lyrica, Gabapentin or injections cannot regenerate nerves. However if you address the underlying cause of the neuropathy and provide the proper environment then the nerves are able to regenerate. The nerve is an organism just like a plant and if we give a plant what it needs, then it will regenerate but if we feed a plant poison or chemicals the plant will not regenerate. The goal is to drive blood and oxygen to the nerves and fortunately there are many new technologies to accomplish this task.

To learn more about the non­surgical drug free treatment of peripheral neuropathy, call Dr. Anthony J. Bianchi DC at the Pain Relief Institute at (716) 650­ PAIN (7246), to register for one of our upcoming free seminars. You will learn how to stop nerve damage before it’s irreversible through our revolutionary protocols that offer outstanding results.

February 2017 | www.foreveryoungwny.com 27

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LIKE US ON FACEBOOK! Go to www.facebook.com and search for “Forever Young”

YOUR PAGE Forever Young readers: we want to hear from you! Do you know someone who deserves to be recognized? Tell us more. Do you have a story you’d like to share? We want to devote space in Forever Young to what matters most: you. Send your story ideas to editor Wendy Guild Swearingen at wswearingen@buffalospree.com or 1738 Elmwood Ave., Suite 103, Buffalo, NY 14207.

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COMPANION CORNER

www.foreveryoungwny.com | February 2017

Send your letter to: Forever Young, Companion Corner (Dept. #) 1738 Elmwood Avenue, Suite 103 Buffalo, NY 14207 (All ads are assigned a Dept. number.

Please write the Dept. number on outside of envelope and mail in.)

Forever Young and Buffalo Spree Publishing, Inc. takes no responsibility for any contacts made between any parties concerning Companion Corner and each party is responsible solely for any contacts made.

White Man 66, 6’2”, N/S, Great Sense Of Humor, Caring, Sensitive & Thoughtful. Likes Estate Sales, Flea Markets, Movies, Walking Rural Paths.

Desires White Female, Mid 50’s To Early 60’s Who Loves Laughing & Living Life. Please Write to Dept. 1322 or Call 695-2013 AD DEADLINE IS NO LATER THAN FEBRUARY 14TH FOR THE MARCH ISSUE. To Place your ad Call NOW! 783-9119 x2235 Place your ad for ONLY $11.50 for 25 words, each additonal word 30¢. Add your picture for ONLY $5.25

FEBRUARY SOLUTION

NOTEWORTHY February 4 Snowshoe Patrol

February 1 Sophisticated Ladies

Learn about snowshoes, watch a skirmish between reenactors, and try on a pair of traditional snowshoes.

The musical legacy of Duke Ellington is celebrated in this stylish and brassy retrospective revue that has taken audiences and critics by storm.

2 p.m., Old Fort Niagara (Youngstown; 745-7611 or oldfortniagara.org)

Through March 5 at MusicalFare Theatre (Daemen College, 4380 Main St. Amherst; musicalfare.com or 839-8540)

February 10 WEDI Winterfest

February 17 Moon Over Buffalo

This fundraiser for the Westminster Economic Development Initiative features food stations, live music, and live/silent auctions.

This backstage play by Ken Ludwig is a raucous farce about a dysfunctional theater troupe performing at the Erlanger Theater in Buffalo, New York, in 1953.

6:30–9:30 p.m., The Atrium @ Rich’s (1 Robert Rich Way; wedibuffalo.org/winterfest2017)

Through Feb. 26 at Lancaster Opera House (21 Central Ave., Lancaster; lancopera.org or 683-1776)

February 25 Orchid Show

Dozens of amazing exhibits are spread throughout the glasshouses in this annual orchid event, which features educational programming as well as orchids and growing supplies for sale.

Through Feb. 26 at the Buffalo and Erie County Botanical Gardens (1655 South Park Ave.; 8271584 or buffalogardens.com)

February 2017 | www.foreveryoungwny.com 29