Before I get into my thoughts and feelings on this month, I wanted to say THANK YOU to all those that attended and to everyone who helped make the Wayne Lifestyle Inner Circle Celebration happen. LeLane and the kids were so happy to meet all of you. It was better than I hoped it could be. We took a few pages in this issue to show just some of the photos from that evening. It really was something. Thank you again to everyone! As for my Lifestyle Letter:
I don’t know about you but I love any opportunity to recognize the women in my life who make life richer and more beautiful. Our wives, mothers and daughters are some of the most influential women in our lives and we need to make sure they feel our appreciation and our love.
And of course, with Mother’s Day this month, all eyes are on moms… but it’s not just our biological mothers but the mother figures in our lives who have made an indelible impact on us. It’s the family members, teachers, friends and neighbors doing awesome things in our communities, pouring into our lives - making themselves unforgettable and irreplaceable.
I want to give a special shout out to Janet, my dad’s wife, one of the “Moms Of My Life” I mentioned last year. It is so warming, and so loving to wake up to sweet, caring texts from her. She seems to know the exact days when I need them the most.
While it’s always important to shop local and support our area businesses, this month is the perfect time to patronize businesses owned by women in our communities. That’s one of my favorite parts of this roleconnecting with and championing the best of the best when it comes to the women of our communities.
They are movers and shakers, builders and makers. They are both seen and unseen. Their silent service blesses those who are under their care. Their attention to detail shows us something about beauty that can’t be seen or understood any other way.
I hope you’ll take a few minutes to send a text, make a phone call or get your kids on a video call with the women in your life who deserve recognition. It only takes a minute to brighten someone’s day and remind them how much you love them.
After you do that, come visit some of my childhood by enjoying make my mom’s stuffed artichokes (recipe on page 38). I miss you mom.
May 2023
PUBLISHER
Phillip Barone | phillip.barone@citylifestyle.com
EDITOR
Don Seaman | don.seaman@citylifestyle.com
PUBLISHER ASSISTANT
Jasmine Matulewicz | wayne@citylifestyle.com
SOCIAL MEDIA COORDINATOR
Lindsay Bernero | lindsay1833@yahoo.com
CONTRIBUTING WRITERS
Don Seaman, Alessandra Guarneri
CONTRIBUTING PHOTOGRAPHERS
John Agnello, Dina Drew Duva, Kali Wallace, Kim Wilkisson, Janet Ryan, Phillip Barone
CHIEF EXECUTIVE OFFICER Steven Schowengerdt
CHIEF SALES OFFICER Matthew Perry
CHIEF FINANCIAL OFFICER DeLand Shore
DIRECTOR OF SOCIAL MEDIA Mindy Hargesheimer
ART DIRECTOR Sara Minor
OPERATIONS DIRECTOR Janeane Thompson
WEB APPLICATIONS Michael O’Connell
AD DESIGNER Hunter Richie
LAYOUT DESIGNER Kelsi Southard
PHILLIP BARONE, PUBLISHER @WAYNELIFESTYLEMAG
Your legend starts here! Boys & Girls Clubs Of Northwest NJ is hosting their Golf Classic on Monday, June 5 at Bowling Green Golf Club (53 Schoolhouse Rd, Oak Ridge). Check-in and breakfast will start at 8:30 am, Shotgun start promptly at 9 am. Driving range, putting practice, BBQ lunch, contests & awards. Players and Sponsors wanted. Contact Gina Radice for tickets and sponsorship opportunities at gradice@bgcnwnj. org or call 973-956-0033 (ext 115)
Get in touch by heading over to our landing page to connect: CityLifestyle.com/Wayne
St. Joseph’s Health Totowa Health Campus is home to expert physicians specializing in a variety of medical and surgical care areas — all under one roof. Coupled with caring, compassionate staff — and a focus on ensuring that every patient has a positive experience — our new campus offers a modern, comfortable setting for all your health needs. Our specialists work in partnership with you and your primary care physician to determine the most appropriate treatment in the right place, at the right time. Many of our specialists are fellowship-trained and board certified in their field of expertise, meaning we offer our patients the most current and advanced treatments available.
Welcome to Primary Care at Totowa!
We look forward to working with you on your health journey. Caring for you means more than just providing a diagnosis and treatment. Having a trusted primary care provider allows you to get to
know us, as we get to know you and your personal health history, along with insights about your lifestyle. What’s more, a primary care doctor can help coordinate and streamline your care among St. Joseph’s Health specialty care providers, as needed.
orthopedic conditions, as well as sports and work related injuries. We are delighted to partner with PT Solutions, a leading national physical therapy provider, bringing their expertise in physical therapy, occupational therapy and speech therapy in a comfortable and friendly atmosphere. Whether you’re recovering from an injury, recently had surgery, or looking to reduce pain, the PT Solutions therapists are ready to help.
The Outpatient Rehabilitation Center at Totowa offers comprehensive therapy to individuals with a wide range of
Life can sometimes take a turn for the worse. Sometimes it’s an injury. Other times, you or a loved one may develop a sudden illness that cannot wait until your doctor’s office opens for care. That’s why the St. Joseph’s Health Totowa Urgent Care is here, bridging the gap between your doctor’s office and emergency care. We’re here seven days a week, offering treatment to patients ages 2 and up, and no appointments are needed, walk in any time!
We’re growing and expanding to bring you the highest quality care in a modern, state-of-the-art setting
We offer state-of-the-art imaging technology and radiology services to help you and your physician form a precise diagnosis in order to develop the most effective treatment plan. Accredited by the American College of Radiology, our board-certified radiologists and radiology technicians are committed to providing fast, accurate medical imaging services. With convenient hours to meet your busy schedule, our new Totowa
location means you don’t need to travel far for the best in diagnostic technology. Imaging services include Ultrasound, X-Ray, MRI, and CAT Scan.
Meridian Health
Cancer Center at Totowa
If cancer is a journey, then the very first step you take — the very first place you go — is one of the most important choices you will ever make. Our cancer physicians
and support teams are committed to delivering the highest quality, evidencebased care. Beginning at the first visit and lasting throughout your cancer journey, rest assured, you and your family will be treated with the utmost respect in a warm, caring and comfortable environment. Affiliated with the prestigious Hackensack Meridian Health John Theurer Cancer Center (JTCC), with locations across the state providing top-quality care, we can now offer access to the latest technology
and research to provide the most effective treatment possible. Whether you have been recently diagnosed or you are seeking a second opinion, JTCC offers the expertise of leading cancer specialists, treating patients with all types and stages of cancer, at any point in their journey.
The Ambulatory Surgery Center(ASC) at Totowa is a facility where surgeries that do not require a hospital admission are performed. Patients who elect to have surgery at our ASC arrive the day of the procedure, have their surgery in one of
our state-of-the-art operating rooms, and recover under the care of our outstanding nursing staff, all without hospital admission. Our affiliated physicians offer a wide variety of minimally invasive outpatient procedures, combined with compassionate care, to ensure your personal comfort and rapid recovery.
If there was ever a case of “not judging a book…”, it might just be this one.
Sometimes, when you’re on the hunt for one thing, something completely different emerges, as if by magic, or witchcraft, or fate, like finding a Rembrandt amid a pile of old Halloween decorations.
That’s precisely what happened recently as I was researching a story for this very issue of Wayne Lifestyle. I accidentally found a unicorn here in Wayne. A very talented one.
Kismet, if you define it as the propensity to be in the right place, at the right time, with
the right people, seems to be endemic to Kali Wallace’s life. I was lucky enough to stumble into its power and found an internationally acclaimed artist among us.
This uniquely talented woman is genuinely humble about what she’s done. She often uses the word “average” to describe herself, yet she may need to consult a dictionary to rethink that word choice. Average artists don’t win full collegiate scholarships. Nor do they choose to challenge themselves by pursuing their MFA abroad. In China. Nor do they graduate with a triple major.
WAYNE'S KALI WALLACE TAKES ART TO EXOTIC NEW PLACES
ARTICLE BY DON SEAMAN | PHOTOGRAPHY BY JOHN AGNELLO AND KALI WALLACE
Not bad for someone who wasn’t sure she’d even go to college.
While she was a senior at Wayne Hills High School, she questioned if she would go to college at all, knowing that she wanted to pursue art but didn’t want to invest the money without more direction. But along came William Paterson’s “Art Start” show for local high school students. Her submission won the best painting award. As such, they offered to review her portfolio.
She was accepted on the spot with a full scholarship.
Eventually, her time at WPU led her to an opportunity to study abroad.
This is not a person who rests upon her talent alone. She’s passionate about what she does. Going to school in China was a revelation for her. Because there are so many people there with such limited space, “everyone there was amazing.” That’s when she realized that she wanted to go somewhere where she was the “absolute worst, lowest on the totem pole, and work my way up.”
Humility, like her talent, is innate to Kali.
When she went to China, the language barrier was the first to fall. The program requires fluency before any other program can be started, so the first year is simply language classes. Beyond that, all her class time was conducted in Chinese.
The drawback to this is that she learned standard Mandarin, which isn’t very “life conversational.”
“It’s like learning proper British English, where you speak like the Queen, then the first place you go is
Louisiana Bayou. That was a tough year. But I’ve loved languages since I was a little kid, now I had the opportunity to do it, so I had to.”
Not only did she go to China without speaking any Chinese, but also knew nothing about her circumstances. Not where she was staying, nor any of her circumstances at school other than what she was studying. Yet she courageously did it anyway. She was told, “we’ll tell you when we pick you up at the airport.”
“I’ve come to realize that if I can do that, I can do anything.”
Being an American living where she was in China was a surreal experience. Despite her ability to speak the language, Kali was very obviously not Chinese. And living in “the boonies” while at Guizhou Minzu University, she was a curiosity. “It was almost like being a celebrity. People watch what you buy - I'd hear people say in Mandarin, as they don't know that I understood what they're saying - 'look, she's buying toilet paper! She's buying water.' It was such a cool experience. You get the royal treatment, no matter where you are.”
Her Asian art career wasn’t simply limited to China. After graduating from WPU, she also held a prestigious internship working with a Jewish Indian artist based in Montclair (apparently, unicorns tend to find each other), leading to a few weeks in India for a documentary about her mentor’s story. Little did she know that soon her life would take an even more transformational path through the Far East.
“I’ve come to realize that if I can do that, I can do anything.”
Kali wasn't looking for a life of international intrigue and wanderlust. She simply found a new way to challenge herself to be a better artist, and that happened to be 8,000 miles away from home.
Yet all this Asian influence isn’t where Kali’s style is, well, oriented. She also studied some of her favorite Baroque artists like Caravaggio in Italy for a few weeks. Although she reveled in the rigor and discipline of the Chinese educational experience, her own work
and inspirations align far more with the drama of the Baroque period. Visually, it’s her favorite time period for Western art and is a large focus of her career. It even shows up in her pet project — literally, being commissioned to paint portraits of pets combined with a Baroque or Renaissance painting, portraying the pet as anything from royalty to a court jester to a military general. She even documents her process for these on TikTok.
“When
Ironically, despite the courage required to unmoor yourself and plunge headlong into a foreign land for a few years, Kali also suffers from anxiety and OCD. She’s shared her struggles with this on her Youtube channel in a very open and honest way. “When I first started doing this, there weren’t many people online talking about that. And I just got flooded with people saying, ‘Oh my God, this is exactly what I’m going through, I’m crying.’ Every single day, even for videos I posted years ago.” The creative outlet that she found through Youtube has allowed Kali to impact people on a deeper, far more personal level than she ever dreamed.
But the influence of people in her personal life had a deeper impact upon who she is. The bedrock of her support is her remarkable family.
“I was very fortunate to come from a family that encouraged what I wanted to do, never saying, ‘Well, you should do something else, something more stable.’ It was always if this is what you want to do and you love it, then do it.’’ These family roots are strong and deep. Her time away reinforced in her the sense that this is where she wants to be.
Nowadays, Kali is entrenched in life here in Wayne. She spends her days working at DePaul Catholic High School doing administrative work as well as teaching art classes. She says that she finds it gives her life some needed structure, and even inspiration. Having all the time in the world doesn’t open up creativity with a wandering mind. "I find that I think of things there and think 'I can't wait to get home to do this.' When I get home, it feels like a reward, to do the things I want to do."
Despite Kali’s admitted struggles with anxiety, she won’t back down from a challenge, whether it’s solving an unsolvable murder mystery game, teaching high schoolers, or upending her life and going to China. “Don’t underestimate me.”
Average? Hardly.
Kali is, quite simply, a unicorn.
To see more of Kali's work, go to kaliwallaceart.com or her Youtube channel (@kaliwallaceart) for more about her art journey and life experiences.
Homeschooling isn’t a new phenomenon. It’s really the earliest form of schooling, long before the classic “one-room schoolhouse.” But it’s taken on new life for a variety of reasons, from philosophical, to unease about school security, relocation, and any other reason that parents may decide homeschooling is a better option for their children than the public or parochial school systems.
For Rosemary, the change was a faith-based one.
Her daughter was in public school in first grade. They’d moved midyear and found they didn’t align with what the school had been teaching. She’d considered homeschooling leading up to this and when an early encounter with a school bully made the situation untenable, the school’s lack of support deepened Rosemary’s concerns.
A meeting at church and some trusted guidance led to her ultimately taking the leap of faith that it was the right move.
Once she made the decision and told her daughter, she literally jumped for joy.
Rosemary needed no more convincing she was doing the right thing.
In Thomas’ case, the pandemic was the catalyst.
“My son’s just in grade school, but he always struggled with ‘getting it.’ Then when they were all on Zoom during the pandemic, there was this great turnaround. His work improved and he was ‘plugged in.’ That’s when we knew we had to do something better for him to keep his momentum going. It was harder for me, honestly. I never had any inclination to teach. But to see him blossom like he has, it’s worth it.”
“The biggest upside for this is that I get to spend more time with my son, watching him learn and discover, always rising to the oddball challenges I set out to push him out of his comfort zone,” Thomas shares. “I think it’s helped him to relax about learning. He’s found some joy again. Above all, he’s learned that he can handle the pressure to succeed. That’s a tough lesson to learn while you’re still learning fractions.”
Choosing to homeschool isn’t a casual decision. Self-reflection and self-doubt are the first stumbling blocks for a parent, especially one who wasn’t a great student themselves. There are the inevitable parenting decisions – “am I making the right choice for my child with this?” “Will my daughter be able to go to the prom?”
Luckily, parents of school age kids keep society child-focused.
“THE GOAL IS THAT WE’RE REALLY HOME SCHOOLING FOR LIFE. SINCE WE CAN INDIVIDUALIZE THEIR LESSONS, THEY CAN LEARN FROM A VERY EARLY AGE WHAT THEY LOVE AND ARE MEANT TO DO.”
“One of the biggest myths to overcome is that children lose out on socialization,” explains Rosemary. This isn’t done in isolation. Homeschoolers participate in ‘normal’ school activities, including sports (in some districts) and, yes, the prom. Rosemary even helped change the policy in her district to allow homeschooled children to participate, as long as they’re following a comparable curriculum.
In fact, homeschooling offers some social advantages. With flexible schedules, they can use “school time” off-hours for things like bowling outings and other outside events during non-peak hours.
“The homeschooling community tends to be generous with their time and resources, whether it’s online or in person, Rosemary explains. “They take a cooperative approach. Swapping is very common.” Parents who might be experienced (or simply better) with certain subjects can be instructors for groups of children in “co-ops”. So if you’re a parent considering homeschooling your child yet dread trying to teach them math, it’s not a lost cause.
“Homeschoolers bend over backward to help people who are looking to get into homeschooling because they understand the challenges that come with starting.
“You’re homeschooling for life. Children learn to take more initiative, to be more resilient. They learn that there’s more than one way for things to be done. Homeschooling is a way that more of those individual gifts and talents can be cultivated. They get to learn early what their individual gifts and talents are, with specialized learning situations to develop not only the skills but the character for stewarding those talents and gifts directly. It gives them an opportunity to discover at an earlier age what they were created to do.”
If anyone is interested in homeschooling, or has questions, you may email Rosemary Hayda, a homeschooling veteran of 11 years, directly at: Rosemary@FruitfulFinances.Life
For a child in foster care, there may be no more important gift than hope.
For Kim Wilkisson, finding a way to share that gift became her calling.
After a lifetime in sales and marketing and owning her own local business, Kim was looking for a bigger purpose. Her first foray was certainly bigger, but a world away, a charity for elephants in Sri Lanka. But she added a new mandate closer to home when she found NJ Angels, the state’s chapter of a national nonprofit dedicated to reinventing what foster care can be.
“There’s a statistic that really got to me — nationally, 50% of the homeless population have spent time in foster care. Through no fault of their own, they wind up in this system. I really wanted to help make a difference
in these children’s lives. It’s time to change the stats!”
When we think of “foster children,” we imagine broken homes, negligent parents, and problem children. We often turn a blind eye to the trauma suffered by the innocent, acknowledging that there’s a need but not offering that hope that’s gone missing. NJ Angels are working hard to change that narrative.
The label of “foster children” is stigmatizing. The correct description is “children in care.” Improving lives isn’t helped by branding them with a stigma. Everything NJ Angels does has an all-embracing spirit of positivity for every child, every family, every volunteer. Removing the negative cloud that permeates the situation is a start.
“Everyone can make a difference,” Kim points out. “It’s not just the foster families. It’s the scores of volunteers who want to give back, even in small ways. Mechanics who will help donate time to help foster families fix broken cars. Organizations will donate tickets for events. Bakeries who will provide birthday cakes for kids who may have never celebrated them. People will simply come a few times a month to just hold babies or take kids sledding. We support the foster family holistically because everyone’s needs are different.”
Foster care isn’t a punitive experience, or at least that shouldn’t be the conclusion. Children in care end up in that situation for a myriad of circumstances.
“Some of the most heartbreaking situations end up with the most heartwarming results,” Kim says. “Seeing broken families reunited when things improve is a powerful thing to watch.”
The hard fact is that 50% of foster homes close within a year, as foster families cite a feeling of isolation and often don’t have support. New Jersey Angels step in with volunteers, who through intentional giving and mentorship, build relationships with these families and children. This support is transformational, turning an impossible situation into a future filled with success, with pride. They help give them chances, to graduate from high school, to go to college, to live out dreams instead of nightmares.
It all begins with trust. Children living in these situations often have none. Entering into foster care is painful for any child, no matter the circumstances. Usually, children will desperately want to remain in a situation they know, even if they’re hungry, or neglected, or abused. The unknown is scary for everyone, particularly for a child. Foster care will never be ideal. But it can be necessary to restore hope and offer a chance to heal from despair.
They need to learn how to build that trust in others, sometimes for the first time in their lives. NJ Angels give that potential, without reservation.
“For a child to trust you — that’s a gift.”
For Kim, her bigger purpose is a gift far bigger than an elephant.
Kim Wilkisson is North Jersey’s case manager for NJ Angels. To reach out to Kim and get involved, she can be reached at kim@newjerseyangels.org.
There are always interesting things included in NJ Angels Love Box program.
Four hours of sleep and a pulsing migraine won’t stop mothers from forgetting to pack their children’s lunches, but it might cause them to put their own needs on the back burner.
Picture this: you’re leaving the office a bit later than expected and now only have 10 minutes until you’re expected to pull up at the carpool lane at your daughter’s school. You’ve had three hours of sleep and have been completely dependent on caffeine since before you can remember. You’re still thinking about what you’re going to make for dinner and if you’ll have time to get that work report done before tomorrow morning.
Wellness becomes an afterthought.
Janet Ryan, a devoted mother and daughter, knows all about the struggle of prioritizing her own health as well for her loved ones while effectively still managing her own career.
After her mother started showing signs of early onset Alzheimer’s, she leveraged her 25 year experience in sales and marketing for health clubs to begin heavily researching nutrition, detoxification, and supplementation. Eventually, Ryan became a certified anti-inflammatory eating coach and began working regularly with naturopathic doctors.
“Between my mother’s condition and my son's ADHD and learning disabilities, I became very passionate about getting as much education as I could to help myself and my family,” Ryan explained. “I want others to understand how to live a better, healthier, and longer life.”
It was Ryan’s passion for her family and helping others boost their health that led her to become a wellness innovator.
Working with her daughter, along with support from licensed physicians, they created SpectraSpray, an oral spray vitamin company that uses nano-technology to spray vitamins in your mouth with high absorption. In small tubes designed for convenience, users can easily take them on the go and finally begin focusing on stabilizing their mood and energy levels.
SpectraSpray’s “Super Mom” kit combines three different sprays: one for stress, one for sleep, and a hand and surface sanitizer. For others, there is also a ‘Mood Support Kit’ with sleep, stress, and energy support. There are sprays and kits that fit and support every lifestyle. Different formulas help balance and stabilize both mood and energy levels while others help with vitamin repletion. Their website offers a specialized quiz that points consumers in the right direction when it comes to what sprays will best support their needs.
“We feel that the energy-enhancing and stress reduction support that we provide along with other vitamins is really crucial - especially for women so that they can have better days and a lifestyle to take care of themselves and their families,” Ryan adds. “These are completely natural and give you the support you need for mental focus and stress support.”
SpectraSpray provides consumers with three to five times higher absorption when compared to traditional vitamins. Spray vitamins have a 93% absorption rate, far superior to their alternatives – intramuscular injections, pills, and transdermal patches, according to pharmacological research.
Each bottle is completely recyclable and sized to throw right into a purse or briefcase. Each delivers 240 sprays and are completely vegan as well as gluten, sugar, and wheat free. And for those who have trouble swallowing pills, SpectraSpray is a godsend.
Ryan explains, “Because of how easy they are to use and how well they absorb, these are truly the future of vitamins.”
The hustle and bustle of a busy lifestyle can be challenging, especially when putting other people’s needs before your own. Finding a new way to keep up your health, energy, and outlook can make life a bit easier.
To find out more about Janet and SpectraSpray, go to spectraspray.com
“I want others to understand how to live a better, healthier, and longer life.”
IF YOU ARE READING THIS... SO IS YOUR BEST CLIENT.
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On March 15th, Wayne Lifestyle hosted a celebration for many of the people who have had a place between the covers of any of our issues since our launch back in September 2021.
We had 98 wonderful people at our “Inner Circle Celebration,” but honestly, so many people have had a hand in this that MetLife Stadium might not have been big enough to get you all in. We serve four towns and beyond, and everyone who reads Wayne Lifestyle is part of our community.
There were so many thanks to go around, it’s hard to name all the names. But we’ll give it a shot.
Thanks to Dina Drew Duva, who photographed the heck out of the night. Thanks to Judy Rosen who jumped in so far with both feet that you would’ve thought she was planning her own wedding. To Sarah Molnoski, Pam Stommel, Jerry Vinci, Kim Wilkisson, Dave Faccone, John Abbate, Michelle Vernuccio, Karyn Cordero, Denise Fuchs, Robin Wilson, Erin Gilgur, Frank Guagliardi, M&T Bank, Janet
Ryan, Joe Rude, Michelle Forlenza and so many more for so many things you donated and supplied for the event. Thanks to LeLane, Ava, PJ, Colin, Jasmine and Rosemary for getting us all setup and then cleaned up. Thanks to Pete D’Angelo and Ed Alstrom for their music. And a big shout out to Gary & Meg's Chicken and Ribs as well as the Columbia Inn for their outstanding food, PJ's Coffee Of New Orleans for the java and to 7 Tribesmen Brewery for sharing such great local brews.
And a big thank you to Tiffany Perez and the Ink Gallery Tattoo Studio for hosting our event. For anyone questioning the sanity of using a tattoo shop for a big event such as this, you don’t know the Ink Gallery.
We’re grateful for each and every one of you who have made Wayne Lifestyle part of your lives. To us, you’re all family, all our Inner Circle.
And we’ve only just begun.
Phil and Don ARTICLE BY DON SEAMAN | PHOTOGRAPHY BY DINA DREW DUVA
Where we started, where we've been, where we're going - all under one roof.
DIRECTIONS:
Growing up, my mom made these somewhat regularly. It’s a delicious, easy meal. And the heart, at the end? It doesn’t get much better than that! Bring some of that Barone childhood back to your home.
• Large Artichokes
• Bread Crumbs
• Grated Pecorino Romano Cheese (alternatively Parmigiano-Reggiano)
• Parsley Flakes
• Salt & Pepper
• Olive Oil
• Lemon Juice
• Optional: Finely Minced Fresh Garlic/ Garlic Powder
Prepping: Cut tops of the artichokes, trim tips off the leaves with kitchen shears, and cut stems flat so they don't roll. Loosen the leaves then rub the end of the leaves with lemon juice.
Stuff: Mix bread crumbs, cheese, parsley, salt, pepper (and garlic) in a large bowl. Over casserole dish or baking sheet, spoon mixture onto the artichokes as well as between each leaf.
Cook: Fill a large pot with an inch of water and place the now stuffed artichokes in the water, making sure water level is below the first stuffed leaf. Better yet, place them in a steamer basket just out of the water. Before you cover the pot, drizzle olive oil over the
top of each artichoke. Steam for 1 to 1.5 hours. Add water as needed to maintain the level. You'll know they are ready when the leaves easily pull away from the center.
Optionally, you can then transport the steamed artichokes into a casserole dish and bake in the oven for 20 -25 minutes at 425 degrees.
Eating: Pull a leaf out and scrape the mixture and top layer (the “meat”) off of each leaf. When you get finished with all the leaves, spoon out from the center all the tiny hairs. This will leave you with the artichoke heart. Add the slightest dash of salt and savor that which you have worked so hard to reach.
Send us pics of how they turned out..I want to see them!
ARTICLE BY PHILLIP BARONE
