Happy Halloween!

Here's a maritime post with some spookiness! A legendary ship still haunts the coast of Block Island, Rhode Island. The ship ran aground sometime between Christmas and New Year's in 1783, bursting into flames and sinking into the depths. As the story goes, there were little provisions, bad weather, and the crew suffering from bitter cold, some dying. There is some evidence that a British ship, the Princess Augusta, did founder near Block Island, but time has expanded the story, and now we hear of the haunting. Block Islanders recall the wreck through poetry by John Greenleaf Whittier, with plunderers causing the flames, "like birds of prey, tearing the heart of the ship away, and the dead never having a word to say!"
Happy Halloween! Enjoy all the ghoulish fun the day has to offer!

Bravo, Boccherini!

Today I feel like celebrating the beautiful music of Luigi Boccherini (1743-1805), the Italian composer and cellist. Born in Lucca, Italy, he eventually made his way to Spain, where he was later employed by the Spanish Royals, becoming a court composer. He flourished there until one day the King told him he was not happy with a particular passage in his music. Furious, Boccherini defiantly doubled the passage instead of eliminating it, and he was soon dismissed! He went on live in a little town in the Gredos Mountains in Spain, and composed some of his most famous works. He did have patronage from other "glitterati", but eventually died in near poverty in 1805. He was married twice, and survived by two sons. His blood line continues in Spain to this day.

One of my favorites of his is the "La Musica Notturna delle Strade di Madrid,  Opus 30, No. 6", used in the Master and Commander soundtrack. It takes its inspiration from the evening scenes in the little towns in Spain, church bells ringing, laughter in the square, soldiers sounding the curfew from the garrison. Critics said, outside Spain the piece was useless, with the audience hardly able to comprehend its full significance.
Little did they know, how the music still stands up today, as one of his most charming and enduring of his works. Give it a listen sometime. The version from M&C is wonderful, and a delight when paired with the scene from the film. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iZVN5Y6dtOk&feature=related

Tory, Tory, Tory!

Today marks the day, in 1775, that England's King George III spoke to both houses of the British Parliament about the growing rebellion in the American colonies, which he viewed as traitorous, asking Parliament to take quick action to end the revolt and restore order.

King George III had committed to tax the American colonies to pay for military protection now that the Peace of Paris (1763) was signed, ending the seven year war with France, and England was now thriving under peacetime conditions.

Loyalists in America loved the King, hanging his picture on their walls, and having tea parties in his honor, but the Patriots chose to burn him in effigy as a Tory and a Tyrant. Unfortunately for the King, Thomas Paine's little book, "Common Sense" (published in January 1776), made great sense to the Americans, and fueled the quest for independence.

Funny thing, on July 4, 1776, King George III wrote in his diary, "Nothing of importance happened today."

Cats on the Dog Watch!

This morning, while on my early morning walk, I spied several cats sitting on patio fences and looking out from window ledges, and it gave me pause (not paws!) to remember Shipboard Cats! The history of cats going out to the sea in ships is an old one, with sailors looking on cats as lucky charms, having miraculous powers of protection for man and craft from dangerous weather. Of course, cats were kept aboard to do their duty, ridding the decks of mice and rats, who carried all sorts of disease. Cats made for very effective pest control.

Sailors, being superstitious beings, made sure cats were well-fed and content. The worst thing one could do was throw a cat overboard - nine years of bad luck for sure. Cats could "predict" foul weather, as they became nervous and restless, and sailors took great notice. Their tails became veritable barometers.

By the way, the "Dog Watch" is a naval term for the period of work from  1600 -2000 hours, or 4-8pm, when Sirius, or "The Dog Star" comes into view in the evening sky!

One interesting story involves Captain James Cook (1728-1779) a British explorer and navigator, who carried a cat on board. He kept Tabbies on board during his voyages to te Pacific Islands, many of which were dropped off or stolen along the way.

In 1801, Matthew Flinders of the Royal Navy journeyed to Australia, with "Trim" the cat. He was a favorite of the crew and the first cat to circumnavigate Australia. Trim is the subject of many stories, and a statue of this famous cat sits outside the Sydney Library, in Sydney, Australia. A plaque reads:

To the memory of Trim
The best and most illustrious of his race
The most affectionate of friends,
faithful of servants,
and best of creatures.
He made the tour of the globe, and a voyage to Australia,
which he circumnavigated, and was ever the delight and pleasure of his fellow voyagers.
--Matthew Flinders

See http://www.purr-n-fur.org.uk/famous/trim.html

Welcome to my Nightmare!

Gothic Fiction, or as it is sometimes known as Gothic Horror, is a form of literature combining elements of horror and romance. Its origins are attributed to English author Horace Walpole, and his 1794 novel "The Castle of Otranto", subtitled "A Gothic Story". Gothic fiction fed on a captivating sort of horror, as an extension of the Romantic works of the time.

Gothic literature is associated with Gothic Revival architecture, the ruins of Gothic buildings and the emotion represented by the inevitable decay and collapse of humanity. It embodies the joy of extreme emotions, the thrill of the fearful. English Gothic writers often associated these medieval buildings with what they felt was a dark and forboding period, with its harsh laws enforced by torture and superstitious rituals. There was always psychological and physical mystery, with ghosts and haunted houses. For the good of the season, I always try to read a Gothic story, the best being the old ones, including the classic Dracula and Frankenstein. Though those films are a guilty pleasure, they are a far cry from the original plots, their character development, and of course, the moral side of the question: tampering with nature. There is always a price to pay!
This year I am reading "The Woman in Black" by Susan Hill. Though written in 1986, it harkens back to the early 1800's in England, with all the suspense and horror one could wish for when reading alone, on a windswept Autumn evening! As an added incentive to read this particular work, Daniel Radcliffe of Harry Potter fame, will play the part of the lead character in the film version, coming out next February 2012. I always try to read the book before the movie.

For a great trailer of the coming film, see http://www.thewomaninblack.com/

Cheers to Jerry Hawthorne and Corinthian Tom!

Talking to a friend the other night, we were discussing the traditional holidays drinks, one being the Tom and Jerry. I was unfamiliar with it, so I did some investigating, and found it was invented in the 1820's by a sports writer, Pierce Egan, named after his book, "Life in London, or the Day and Night Scenes of Jerry Hawthorne, Esq. and his elegant friend Corinthian Tom"!
The Tom and Jerry is a variant of the time-honored Egg Nog, originating in medieval England. History tells of "nog" being slang for noggin, or the little carved-wood mug used for serving alcohol. The drink combined an egg and "grog", the Colonial term for drinks made with rum. Later the name was shortened to Eggnog.
By the way, Eggnog crossed the Atlantic in the 18th Century, and since brandy and wine were taxed, rum from the Caribbean was substituted. After the American Revolution, domestic whiskey, and particularly bourbon, was used.

So, that being said, here are recipes for the two drinks (one cold, one hot). Give them a try! Cheers!

TOM AND JERRY - 24 Servings

12 eggs

1-1/4 cup confectionner's sugar
20 oz. brandy
24 cups milk
1 pinch fresh ground nutmeg

Separate the eggs. Beat the whites 'til frothy. Whisk in 3/4 c sugar and beat 'til stiff peaks form. Then, beat the yolks and the remaining sugar, with 5 TBS brandy 'til light lemon colored. Fold in the whites, and refrigerate.
In a large stock pot, heat the milk 'til hot, not boiling. To each mug, add 2 tsp brandy, and 1 large TBS of the egg mixture. Stir, and then fill the mug with hot milk. Sprinkle with nutmeg and serve.

EGG NOG - 6 to 7 Servings
4 eggs, separated
1/3 cup + 1 tsp sugar
1 pint whle milk
1 cup heavy cream
3 oz. bourbon
1 tsp fresh grated nutmeg

Beat yolks 'til light colored. Gradually add the sugar and beat 'til dissolved. Add the heavy cream, bourbon and nutmeg. Stir to combine.

Place egg whites in bowl, and beat into soft peaks. Add a bit of sugar, and beat 'til stiff peaks. Whisk whites into the mixture. Chill, and serve!

The traditional T & J punch bowl set!

A Tribute to England's Greatest Hero

On this day, October 21, 1805, we remember the victory of the British Royal Navy against the French and Spanish Navies at the Battle of Trafalgar, the decisive sea battle of the Napoleonic Wars 1803-1805. It established the supremacy of the British Royal Navy as the premier tacticians at sea, with Admiral Lord Horatio Nelson in command of the fleet. Nelson, in HMS Victory, won the battle by departing from the standard tactics of the time, and employing new vision by engaging his ships in single line parallel to the enemy to facilitate signaling and communication during the action, maximizing field of fire and target areas. Though he fought against a larger enemy force, he won the day!

Of course, as the story goes, it was a victory at a very great cost.

Nelson was mortally wounded by a sniper from a French ship, a musket bullet entering his left shoulder, through his spine, lodging between the sixth and seventh vertebrae. He was taken below decks where he lay dying, with his surgeon, his chaplain, his faithful Captain Hardy and other officers nearby. He murmured, " Thank God, I have done my duty", and his final words were, "God and my Country."

Nelson remains to this day England's greatest hero. His body was placed in a cask of brandy, camphor and myrrh, and lashed to the Victory's mainmast to head home. Upon the Victory's arrival in Gibraltar, the body was put into a lead-lined coffin with "spirits of wine" (again most likely brandy). On its way to London, the body was placed into another lead-lined coffin, and further placed in a wood one made from the mast of the L'Orient, Napoleon's flagship of the French at the Battle of the Nile, 1798. (Nelson was victorious there, too.) There was a three-day viewing in Greenwich up the Thames, and then the enormous funeral procession to London, a special ceremony following at St. Paul's Cathedral where his body lies in the church crypt to this day. I have made the pilgrimage there with my daughter to pay homage. Of course, we also saw the famous Nelson Column, a memorial to him, located in Trafalgar Square in London.

 A great old classic black and white movie, That Hamilton Woman, 1941, with Laurence Olivier and Vivien Leigh, tells the tale of Nelson's notorious affair with the beautiful Lady Hamilton. Fun to watch, even if not exactly accurate.  Hollywood loved to take liberties with history, but enjoyable none-the-less. But today, though, we honor the military leader. Nelson: Courage, Commitment, Charisma!

Off With His Head!

With Halloween fast approaching, you might find this post of interest. I was researching the Legend of Sleepy Hollow, a short story written by Washington Irving, first published in 1820. The story is set in 1790 in Tarry Town, a Dutch settlement in New York, with the rather nerdy, superstitious school teacher Icabod Crane competing against the town rowdy for the hand of Katrina Van Tassel, daughter of a wealthy farmer. Crane is pursued by the HEADLESS HORSEMAN, whose head was shot off in some nameless American Revolutionary War battle by a stray cannonball. The Horseman rides forth in search of his head, terrorizing poor Icabod in the process.  Perhaps the Horseman is really his competitor in disguise. You will have to read the story, but it makes for good and scary Halloween fun.

My favorite version is with Johnny Depp, who plays the worried and harassed Crane to perfection.
By the way, though there are not too many accounts of Halloween in the northern colonies because of the Protestant tradition, however, the southern colonies did indulge in the fun, telling ghost stories, bobbing for apples, playing games and making mischief. Costumes came into play much later, but children's pranks have always been involved.

Something Beautiful, for the Good of the Day

Sometimes, when my day is just ok, or I feel a bit melancholy, I search for The Beautiful. It lifts my spirits. Beauty can be found everywhere, and sometimes, in very different places than one would expect.

Take Lord Nelson's bi-corn hat, for example. (Bicorn as it only has two sides, as opposed to the tri-corn). It's not the hat itself that is beautiful, but the particular ornament that graced it, depicted in the famous painting of Nelson by Lemuel Francis Abbott.

The ornament is called a "Chelengk", a Turkish decoration of the Ottoman Empire, usually worn on turbans, but in this case, given to Nelson by the Sultan Selim III honoring Nelson at the Battle of the Nile, 1798.

This Chelengk is designed in diamonds with flowers and a little bow tying 13 rays that symbolize the ships captured at the battle. Not only is it remarkable in itself, but it has a little clockwork spring that allows it to vibrate and catch the sunlight as the wearer goes forth, adding extra sparkle to its delicate beauty.

The original was part of the National Maritime Museum's Nelson Collection until 1950, when it was stolen. It was never recovered, perhaps disassembled for the value of the stones. But it is beautiful, and gives me joy to think of Lord Nelson wearing it, standing on deck against a turquoise blue sea, 

his chelengk glinting in the sun!

Time Travel: Colonial Williamsburg

This week I have family traveling to the East Coast, with a plan to visit Colonial Williamsburg. It is one of my favorite places. Filled with history, the town is an authentic representation of life in Colonial times with an emphasis on the American Revolution. Shop keepers donning the dress of the period where merchanise that Colonials would have purchased is there for us to purchase today. The main street of the town is Duke of Glouchester Street, lined with quaint shops. I especially love Tarpley's, a general store with candy, toys, soaps, quill pens, little trinckets that folks would have purchased back in the day. There is a post office, smithy, milliner, cobbler, the printing press, the church. There are reanactments of the Continental Congress at the Capitol, and on the grander scale, there is the Governor's Palace. You can go to a lovely concert there at night where the musicians do it up to perfection, by candelight no less! A wonderful museum, The DeWitt, features furniture and furnishings of the period. A powder magazine in the center of town houses the armor, guns with men in military dress. There is a daily parade of the soldiers in their finery, with fife and drum to boot! A feast for the eye for those who love a man in uniform!

My daughter and I visited Williamsburg in 2000, and we soon had a case of "colonial fever"! We loved it all, and so enjoyed the step back in time. We had taken a day trip from Washington DC, and vowed to come back again another day to spend more time. The year 2008 availed us that opportunity, where we stayed this time on site in one of the Colonial Historic houses for two nights. It is a wonderful experience, when most of the tourists leave at day's end, and the visitors that remain can experience a quieter town, enjoy an evening meal of Colonial fare in one of the historic taverns, like Chowding's or the King's Arms Tavern, where Syllabub, a Colonial favorite dessert is served. Below, see recipe for it!

Most of the buildings are accurately restored. A walk down Duke of Glouchester under a star-lit sky really carries you back. There are no street lights, just fire light or candle light. The area is especially beautiful in Winter and at Christmastime, where not a string of electric lights or electronic Santa can be found. All the decorations are made from boughs and fruits and berries. (By the way, the Colonial symbol for hospitality is the pineapple!) I have sworn many a Christmas season to replicate this beautiful scene, but I have to admit, somehow it's hard to put away the mini-twinkle lights. Habits are hard to break. Perhaps this year, though!
For more information on this wonderful adventure, go to http://www.colonialwilliamsburg.com/

Syllabub Recipe

1 cup heavycream
1/2 c sugar
1/4 c white wine
1/8 c lemon juice
1 tsp lemon zest
1/4 tsp nutmeg
mint leaves
lemon slices

Whip the cream and sugar in a chilled bowl. When thickened, whip in slowly, the wine, lemon juice and lemon zest. Whip until fluffy. Cover and chill until ready to serve. Serve in parfait glasses with a dash of nutmeg, and garnish with the mint leaves and lemon slices. A cool and refreshing finish to an elegant meal. Serves about 6.

Therefore we commit his body to the deep!

I attended a funeral yesterday in a gospel-type church. Very different from the tradition I know from the Orthodox church, though it was very respectful and dignified. Funeral traditions, of course, have evolved through the ages and with custom depending on different heritage. In Roman and Celtic Britian, as an example, the remains were buried with their personal possessions of importance, i.e. weaponry, armor, clothing, food, even with faithful animals. Of course, this goes way, way back to Egyptian burials in the pyramids where the pharaohs even stored their boats, chariots, etc to help them on their journey to their new life. Vikings put their warrior dead on long boats that were set aflame, and put out to sea.
At sea, there are particular customs as well. Ancient tradition of burial at sea goes back as long as people have traveled over the waves. In early times, the body was sewn into a weighted shroud from sailcloth, usually with cannonballs at the feet, and sent over the side of the ship with the appropriate religious and/or military ceremony.

On British naval ships, the service was performed by a chaplain, or the commanding officer, with all ship mates and other officers present. The casket or shrouded remains were draped with the national ensign, scripture and prayers were read, including the passage from the Book of Common Prayer, "We therefore commit his body to the deep, to be turned into corruption, looking for the resurrection of the body, when the Sea shall give up her dead." A chief petty officer conducted the firing of 3 volleys, with the command: "Ready, Aim, Fire!" Then the remains were carried overboard, feet first, from under the flag. Salutes were made, and all hands dismissed.
Interestingly enough, sailors are a superstitious lot, and to satisfy tradition, the last stitch of the shroud was run through the nose of the individual, to ensure they were indeed dead! Ouch!

Delightful Demel's!

I was listening this morning to a Mozart opera aria from Abduction from the Seraglio. He wrote it in 1782 in Vienna, and it was a huge success. It established him in Vienna as a serious composer, as previously he was thought of as the "finest keyboard player". Not that that was bad, just that he was so very much more than that. He was 26 at the time.

It got me to thinking about Vienna and its delights! The beautiful music, the fabulous desserts. One of the very best sources for these desserts is Demel's, the incredible pastry shop, established in 1786 on Michaelerplatz. It is still there today, as famous as ever (having also expanded operations to Salzburg, Austria and New York City).

The original confectioner was Ludwig Dehne from Wierttemberg. He later sold it to Christoph Demel in 1857. They are still making the all incredible pastries that the Viennese are famous for, including the wonderful Sacher Torte, the dense, rich chocolate cake covered with its very own smooth dark chocolate icing, over apricot preserves. Served with Coffee mit schlag!Yum!

When I was a child I visited Demel's with my parents. We made the pilgrimage, and I remember picking out my very own dessert and enjoying it with hot chocolate. Then my family purchased a couple Sacher Tortes to send to relatives back home. They package them in beautiful little wooden boxes for shipping. They still do today. That's one of the great things about Europe. They love and keep the age-old traditions!

Look up Demel's on line if you have the chance. It's a tasty treat for the eyes!

The Head and The Heart!

Ah, romance! On this day, October 12, 1786, a lovesick Thomas Jefferson composed a romantic and thoughtful letter to Maria Cosway, who he met in Paris while he was serving as US minister to France. She was English by birth, but lived in Italy at the time. She was an accomplished painter and musician, AND she was also married. But, Jefferson was smitten. They had developed a deep friendship, but eventually he, a lonely widower, was head over heels.No wonder, she was quite the beauty, and being rather worldly, she was up to his intellectual capacity as well. Little is given away as to the intimacy of this relationship.

His famous letter, entitled "A Dialogue between the Head and the Heart" chronicles his ecstasy and his misery. He pines for someone who has made him "the most wretched of all earthly beings". Then he chastises himself for being so emotionally swept away.  He studies Desire v. Integrity. The letter is quite long , though see below a part of it.

He ends by stating that "security against such pain of unrequited love is to retire within ourselves and to suffice for our own happiness." Let it be, let it be!

Later, in 1789, after her husband died, she opened, in Italy, a convent school for girls. And Thomas moved on the presidency, and a hushed, yet scandalous, affair with his mixed race slave, Sally Hemings.

By the way, the movie Jefferson in Paris, a Merchant Ivory film (1995), is an interesting take on the subject. Nick Nolte plays a credible Jefferson; Greta Scacchi, passionate as Cosway. It is lush and beautifully filmed on location in Paris and at Versailles.

It's a guilt pleasure!

Do you take this man?

Over the weekend I attended friends' wedding, a beautiful ceremony in the church, followed by dinner in a lovely garden setting. Got me to thinking about weddings of the past, particularly the weddings performed by Captains at sea. I looked into this a bit, and found that contrary to popular belief, Captains, unless recognized as ministers, are not allowed to perform a marriage on ship board! According to the British Mercantile Marine Office, marriages at sea by a commanding officer are not legal. The myth may have sprung from the "supreme authority" of a Captain on his ship, and perhaps if the ceremonies were performed, it was better to have a recognized individual than a local heathen in some faraway port-of-call do the honors.

I also found some interesting information regarding weddings in 18th Century in Britian and Wales. The Clandestine Marriages Act of 1753 finally required that marriages be valid on a statutory basis, requiring a formal ceremony performed in a church, after a license had been obtained, though the practice didn't apply to the Royals (who were, of course, above the law!)

AHOY There! Communication at Sea

One of the most famous communications at sea is Admiral Horatio Nelson's directive sent from his flagship Victory to the fleet just before the Battle of Trafalgar, 21 October 1805, during one of the most famous actions of the Napoleonic War........ England expects that every man will do his duty!

Signalling communication was developed as the Numeric Flagcode Telegraphic Signals of Marine Vocabulary, as devised by Rear Admiral Sir Home Popham in 1800. It was based on signal books originally created by Admiral Lord Howe, a code assigning digits 0-9 to ten flags which were assigned coded meaning. This book was distributed to all Royal Navy ships, and it was weighted with lead, so if the ship was captured, the book could be thrown overboard! 

An American Revolutionary: Steve Jobs

The dictionary defines Revolutionary as "radically new or innovative; outside or beyond established procedures, or principles. Steve Jobs certainly fit that description. Regardless of what anyone thought of him personally, we must acknowledge that he changed the globe forever. He and his contemporaries changed our business and personal world in ways that we could not even imagine a few years ago. The technology, information highway is unstoppable, and we can thank folks like Steve for that. His vision now colors every aspect of our communication possibilities. So, RIP, Steve. Gone, but very much remembered!

What A Difference A Day Makes!

For quite a while, the American Revolution, or as the American colonists called it "The Glorious Cause", hung by a thread. Wracked by poorly equipped soldiers, bad weather, limited resources and  lack of troops, the Cause was indeed in jeopardy.

On this day, October 6th, 1777, the British captured Forts Mongomery and Clinton in the Hudson River Valley. General Henry Clinton came up the Hudson to the aid of General Cornwallis and the beseiged British army at Ft. Saratoga. Clinton devided his troops, sending Lt. Colonel Campbell to Ft. Mongomery and General John Vaughn to Ft. Clinton. 

Though the American revolutionaries were 700 strong in all, the British outnumbered them 3 to 1. The British also had the benefit of their ships on the river, firing from there. After an intense battle, at both forts, the Americans lost with 300 killed, or captured. The British lost 300 of their 3,000 troops. Though the American patriots were defeated, they delayed General Cornwallis long enough to recieve the necessary aid he hoped for at Ft. Saratoga.  Eventually, the Americans' decisive win at Saratoga persuaded King Louis XVI to send aid to the colonists;  the French helping then to turn the tide of the war effort!

British General Charles Cornwallis

British surrender at Saratoga

Style: A Case for the Founding Fathers

This weekend I read an article about Diana Vreeland, who from 1936 - 1962 was Editor-in-Chief of Harper's Bazaar. A rather ugly woman with dark eyes, angular face and large nose, she embraced her flaws, and turned them into style assets. Frankly, what she determined was fashionable, became the last word!

She made many a bold statement, including " You gotta have Style. It helps you get down the stairs. It helps you get up in the morning. It's a way of life, and without it, you're nothing!" She also said, "All who have style, share one thing...originality! A new dress doesn't get you anywhere. It's the life you're living in the dress!"

As I read the article about Vreeland, it got me to thinking about the correlation between style and the Founding Fathers. They had style! Not in their latest fashion or how they wore their powdered wigs, or danced the latest minuet, but in their ATTITUDE!

They were originals who changed the face of the globe and the dynamics of political thinking as they strove to make a new place of freedom across the pond from Europe.They dedicated themselves to the cause of Liberty. They certainly weren't "politcially correct". They said what they thought, and we can thank them for our freedom of speech, and choice, today.

So I say, the Founding Fathers had a lot of style! Huzzah!