Month: December 2015

BY MAUREEN WERTHER

Preparing and serving great food for holiday
parties and gatherings can add another layer of
stress to a person’s already hectic schedule.

Since chefs, caterers, and restaurant owners
experience that kind of stress every day as part of
their jobs, they have insights on managing the angst
associated with entertaining and food preparation.

Kevin Myers of Gaffney’s restaurant in Saratoga
Springs has one remedy for reducing stress during
the holidays.

“When I’m home, I don’t go near the kitchen.
I leave all the cooking to my fiancé.” Fortunately,
his fiancé enjoys preparing food and is very good
at it. For those who don’t have a partner willing or
able to step up to the plate in the kitchen, there are
plenty of other solutions ranging from relaxing teas
to cooking with wine.

The U.S. Mint joined the National Park
Service on Nov. 17 to launch the Saratoga
National Historical Park quarter.

The quarter’s reverse (tails side) depicts
a close-up of the moment British Gen. John
Burgoyne surrendered his sword to American
Gen. Horatio Gates, a turning point many believe
marked the ‘beginning of the end of the
American Revolutionary War.’ Inscriptions
are “British Surrender 1777,” “Saratoga,” “New
York,” “2015,” and “E Pluribus Unum.”

“This new coin honors the patriots who
fought so bravely to defend our fledgling nation
and whose victory forever changed the
face of the world,” said Mint Acting Quality
Manager Ron Harrigal.

Hundreds of schoolchildren were on hand,
with several of them participating in the ceremony
which was live-streamed to the public.
Additional event participants included Mint
Artistic Infusion Program artist Barbara Fox,
designer of the coin’s reverse side; Saratoga
National Historical Park Superintendent Amy
Bracewell; park ranger and historian Eric
Schnitzer; and Matt Scollin, regional director
for U.S. Rep. Elise Stefanik.