THE SPIRIT OF GIVING AT MARIA LUISA

We hope everyone had a wonderful Thanksgiving – and thank you for supporting us this past weekend, especially during Small Business Saturday.

Every day, really, offers the chance to shop small and shop local – but we’ll certainly take this nationwide recognition!

Today, is Giving Tuesday – an “official” chance to donate during the holiday season. Our food drive for People to People and our clothing and cold-weather accessories collection for the Nyack Homeless Project continue. We also ask you to consider making a donation to the ML by Maria Luisa Scholarship Fund, which supports young students in our county. It’s a most important effort for us – and one we’re grateful that you continue to support.

ML by Maria Luisa Scholarship Fund

Of course, we’re also sharing another recipe (actually two) from members of the Maria Luisa team in this edition of our blog, which we’ll do throughout the holiday season – we hope it inspires you to try out some new recipes or just pull out some of you own favorites that perhaps you haven’t made in awhile. We’d love to share some of yours, too, so get in touch if you have one you’re willing to divulge.

Join us!

Keep in mind, too, that our annual Holiday Wish List Party is set for Dec. 7, and we’ll soon be kicking off our expanded holiday-season hours. Full details on all in next week’s blog – and as always, through continuous updates to our social media.

And now, for those recipes, this week from Mary, our newsletter editor.

STUFFED CELERY

Ingredients

1 8-ounce package cream cheese, softened

1 4-ounce package of blue cheese crumbles

2 teaspoons Worcestershire sauce

1 tablespoon milk

Garlic powder, salt and pepper to taste

Celery stalks, rinsed and cut into sticks

Directions

• Put cream cheese and milk into bowl and mix well.

• Add garlic powder, salt, pepper, Worcestershire sauce and mix until all combined well.

• Crumble in blue cheese and mix until smooth.

• Fill stuffing into celery sticks. Refrigerate until serving.

CHEESE BALL

Ingredients

• Blue cheese mixture, as above

• 2 cups chopped walnuts

• 2 tablespoons parsley (fresh or dried)

Directions

• Spread the blue-cheese mixture onto a sheet of wax paper, on a baking sheet (which keeps it contained).

• Form the cheese into a ball and slowly roll it onto a mixture you have made of the nuts and parsley until cheese is completely covered.

• Place on a plate and refrigerate at least three hours (or overnight).

• Serve with crackers.

What I like about these recipes – My mother made these for years – only around the holidays. Though simple, we never had them the rest of the year, so they have come to be associated with Thanksgiving (stuffed celery) and New Year’s  (the cheese ball), a tradition my sisters and I continue.

Remember, as always, stop by to say hello. We’re always happy to offer suggestions on all of your holiday-shopping needs.

 

Nyack Events

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Contact:

Maria Luisa Whittingham

845-664-8492

845-353-4122

LONGTIME NYACK MERCHANT ANNOUNCES ARTISTIC COLLABORATION

Maria Luisa Boutique teams with award-winning illustrator Johanna Goodman

Maria Luisa Whittingham, who has owned and operated Maria Luisa Boutique in Nyack for more than 30 years, announces a new venture – an artistic collaboration with award-winning, Nyack-based artist and illustrator Johanna Goodman.

The effort, another example of Whittingham’s ongoing commitment to supporting local arts and artisans, has yielded an exclusive collection of accessories and home goods designed in close collaboration with Goodman,

The collection will be formally unveiled during the South Broadway boutique’s annual Holiday Party, an open-to-the-public event set for 4 to 8 p.m. Dec. 7.

The initial offerings will feature designs from Goodman’s distinctive “The Catalogue of Imaginary Beings,” an ongoing series that Goodman launched in 2015 and is based on more than 20 years of portraiture and collage work. Products in the debut collection for Maria Luisa Boutique will include pillows, shower curtains and tote bags.

Of the collaboration, Whittingham says it “brings ‘Imaginary Beings’ into a lifestyle setting, which is really what Maria Luisa is all about, bringing creativity into our homes.”

Whittingham particularly sees the tote bags, featuring strong women characters, as ideal holiday gifts for all ages, offering “great, positive imagery for young people.”

BIOS/BACKGROUND

• Johanna Goodman studied at Boston University’s School of Fine Art and Parsons School of Design in Manhattan, where she graduated with a bachelor’s of fine arts in illustration in 1992. Since then, she has worked as a freelance illustrator for clients ranging from The Metropolitan Transit Authority of New York to The Rock and Roll Hall of Fame, West Elm to Habitat Skateboards and for publications including Time Magazine, Rolling Stone, The New York Times and The Washington Post. Her work has been honored by organizations including The Society of Publication Design, American Illustration and Communication Arts. In 2017, Goodman was awarded a NYSCA/NYFA Artist Fellowship grant for Printingmaking/Drawing/Book Arts for her work on “The Catalogue of Imaginary Beings.”

• Maria Luisa Whittingham, who opened her eponymous Nyack boutique in 1987 and today is also the owner of sister store ML by Maria Luisa, is noted for her small-business success as she helms two brick-and-mortar boutiques while maintaining a thriving web-based business on both her own site, marialuisaboutique.com and through Shoptiques.com.

Having also lived in Rockland County for more than 30 years, Whittingham is both rooted in the local community and its issues – and willing to lend a hand to causes she believes in. Past and continuing efforts support causes ranging from the arts to racial equality, women’s issues to economic development, education to gender issues. Whittingham has been recognized over the years, having being named the “Woman of the Year” by the Rockland Business Women’s Network and the “Latina Entrepreneur of the Year” by the Business Development Center and RCC College Foundation and has also been honored by Friends of the Nyacks with its “Distinguished Citizen Award.”

--

Maria Luisa Whittingham
75-77 SOUTH BROADWAY, NYACK NY

HAPPY THANKSGIVING FROM MARIA LUISA
Another Recipe… and SALE DETAILS

We want to wish you all a very Happy Thanksgiving – and simply say that we are grateful for each one of you – for your friendship, loyalty and support since we first opened in 1987.
With the wintery weather having arrived a bit early, we’d like to remind you that we are again collecting winter coats and accessories to be donated to the Nyack Homeless Project. In addition to our food drive for People to People, this coat drive will also help those less fortunate in our community – so we hope you’ll drop by and add a gently used (or new) item to our collection bin.
And of course, we wish you all a relaxing holiday – one that you’ll share with family and friends. As we’ve been doing, the blog will end with another recipe from a member of the Maria Luisa team – and this time, it’s from Maria herself.
But… of course, Thanksgiving naturally leads to Black Friday – and a weekend full of holiday shopping. If you’re like us, you love shopping for distinct gifts with meaning, supporting artists, artisans and small businesses (like ours!), so read on for a few details that we think you’ll really love.                                                                  

                                                 
HOLIDAY WEEKEND SAVINGS
                                                                                 
Join us after Thanksgiving – we’ll be closed Thursday, so our team members can celebrate – but after that – let the shopping begin on Friday morning and continue til…

Throughout the weekend, we will be offering a few deals you won’t want to miss.
In both Maria Luisa Boutique and ML by Maria Luisa, shop Friday through Sunday and – no coupons required! – enjoy:
•  25% off outerwear (coats and jackets) as well as our perennial favorite, footwear.
• Stock up on gifts and save more: save 20% when you purchase 10 or more candles; and save 20% when you purchase four or more scarves.

And if you can’t make it in, our CYBERSALE will be running throughout the weekend at MariaLuisaBoutique.com – Use code blackfriday to receive $50 off a $175 purchase.

We hope to see you in store – or online – and are happy to get your holiday shopping (or a splurge for yourself) under way. Remember, we’re always here to offer suggestions, as well.
                                                                                   
And that recipe, one of Maria Luisa’s own favorites, ideal for any day of the holiday season –

Meringues
Ingredients
4 egg whites
1 pinch salt
¼ teaspoon cream of tartar
1 and 1/3 cups sugar
½ teaspoon grated lemon zest

Directions
• Preheat the oven to 275 degrees F. Line baking sheets with parchment paper.
• In a large clean glass or metal bowl, whip the egg whites with salt and cream of tartar until they can hold a soft peak. Gradually sprinkle in the sugar while continuing to whip to stiff peaks. Fold in the lemon zest. Drop by heaping spoonfuls onto the prepared baking sheets.
• Bake for 35 minutes in the preheated oven or until they peel off of the sheet without resistance. • Cool on wire racks, then store in an airtight container at room temperature.

What I love about this recipe – Meringues take me back to baking with my mom in my childhood home of Puerto Rico. 

Once again, Happy Thanksgiving to you!


Just in case that you missed these recipes, here you go.

Susan's Smashed Potatoes  

Lindsay's Pumpkin Bread

SHARING THE ABUNDANCE

SHARING THE ABUNDANCE

MACKENZIE83 for C4SC

As we inch closer toward Thanksgiving, thoughts naturally turn to … were you going to say long lines at the grocery store? No – ha! – we mean gratitude.

Here at Maria Luisa, we continue to welcome the holiday season and embrace that spirit of gratitude, so first up, thanks to all who joined us Nov. 8 for our special evening dedicated to sustainable shopping. We not only hosted a trunk show featuring MacKenzie83 – a brand founded by a charming local accessories designer with a real commitment to sustainability – but also raised funds for the Center for Safety and Change.

And in that spirit of giving, as started here last week, we’re going to continue to share some of the Maria Luisa team members’ favorite recipes. (And if you’d like to share one of your favorites with the Maria Luisa “community,” let us know – we’d love to help you do just that, in a future blog or via our social media platforms).

This week, we continue with a dish from Susan that sounds just fantastic.

Perhaps you’ll try it out, as we plan to, and add it to your holiday or year-round repertoire, something delicious you can make when sharing a meal with friends and family.

And during this holiday season, we know you’ll again join us in sharing our abundance with those less fortunate. Won’t you consider stopping by and dropping off some non-perishable food items that we will, in turn, donate to People to People, which works year-round to feed Rockland’s hungry? Suggested items that we’ll continue to collect into December include cereal or oatmeal; canned juice and 100-percent juice boxes; canned vegetables; fruit snacks (applesauce, peaches, fruit cocktail in juice); soup, dry and canned; beans, dry and canned; pasta and pasta sauce; macaroni and cheese; peanut butter and jelly; and tuna fish in water.

We thank you for considering this simple-but-important donation – and know that People to People will be grateful, as well.

We can always count on the Maria Luisa community to come through, as it does year after year…

Now – for that recipe:

SUSAN

MARIA'S RECIPE IS UP NEXT

VISIT NYACK

GOOD FRIENDS, GOOD FOOD…OUR RECIPES

Here at Maria Luisa, we look forward to the holidays – and now that it’s November, are really just around the corner.
From Diwali to Thanksgiving, Hanukkah to Christmas, Kwanzaa to New Year’s Eve, there is plenty to celebrate this month and next.

A big part of celebrating is gathering together with family and friends, sharing stories and making memories – and yes, very often memorable food and drink are shared to mark the special occasions.
While not all of us are gourmet cooks here, we do love to join in the holiday spirit by making special dishes, entertaining – or just going to a lot of parties!

This month in our blog, we’ll be sharing some of the Maria Luisa team members’ favorite recipes – no, Maria’s not yet ready to share her famed Coquito recipe (yet) – but we hope these recipes will inspire you to try them out or head back to the kitchen to whip up your own favorites that you may have neglected in recent years.

And if you’d like to share one of your favorites with the Maria Luisa “community,” let us know – we’d love to help you do just that, in a future blog or via our social media platforms.
First up, our Lindsay offers two of her favorite seasonal recipes, Autumnally Addictive Pumpkin Bread and Brussels Sprouts with Pancetta & Raisins.

We’re already drooling – and bet you will be, too.
Thanks for reading – and hope you’re inspired to add these delicious dishes to your seasonal menus. (And tell us, or Lindsay, if you do next time you’re in; don’t forget our Nov. 8 special sustainable shopping night with MacKenzie83, benefitting the Center for Safety and Change.)

Directions
•Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Grease a 9-inch loaf pan whatever way you please (I use Pam olive oil baking spray).
•Whisk together the sugar and oil until blended, then add the eggs and pumpkin. Lay out two paper towels, stacked on top of one another. Lay the grated apples over the paper towels. Roll up the paper towels into a log and squeeze gently to remove excess juices from the apples. Add the grated apples to the pumpkin mixture and mix to combine.
•In another bowl, stir together the flours, spices, salt, baking powder and baking soda. Add the pumpkin mixture to the dry ingredients and stir until combined. Let batter rest for 15 to 20 minutes.
•When ready to bake, pour the batter into the prepared loaf pan. Bake until the loaf is very dark and a tester inserted deep into the middle comes out clean, about 1 hour and 15 minutes. Transfer to a cooling rack and cool in pan for ten minutes, then turn onto rack to cool completely.

What I Love About This Recipe
Nothing says autumn like pumpkin and apple! I always make a few loaves from my seasonal apple-picking bounty. The apples keep the loaves deliciously moist. Serve at room temperature with your morning coffee or warm a slice with a scoop of vanilla bean ice cream for an after-dinner treat (!).

Directions
•Heat oil in a large heavy skillet over medium heat. Add the pancetta and cook, turning occasionally, until crisp, about 5 minutes. Using tongs, transfer pancetta to paper towels to drain. Let cool.
*While pancetta cools, add Brussels sprouts to drippings in skillet; season with salt and pepper. Cook, stirring often, until well browned in spots and beginning to soften, 5–7 minutes. Reduce heat to low and add raisins, shallot and butter; cook, stirring often, until shallot is soft, about 3 minutes. Add stock to skillet; increase heat and bring to a boil, scraping up browned bits from bottom of pan. Reduce heat to medium-low and simmer until broth has evaporated, 1–2 minutes. Stir in vinegar and pancetta. Season to taste with salt and pepper.

What I Love About This Recipe
You'll find this as a side dish on my Thanksgiving table every year! I also love to turn this into a homemade pizza topping or toss with fresh pasta/hearty grains as a “sauce.” To mix it up, you can add other seasonal vegetables in with the Brussels sprouts - butternut squash complements the flavors perfectly.

Lindsay Owen

JOIN US THIS THURSDAY FOR A SPECIAL EVENT

C4SC