Q.: For 14 years I worked at Sears at Rolling Acres and we sold the most delicious fruitcakes. I never thought I would enjoy fruitcake, but they had a buttery cake batter and was loaded with fruit. I haven’t been able to find out who made them or when they stopped selling them. Is there any way you can find out if there is a bakery who still makes that recipe? I believe they were called Sears Masterpiece Fruit Cakes. Any help would be appreciated.

— Joe Yacso, Akron

A.: Well, there’s good news and there’s bad news.

The Sears Masterpiece Fruit Cake and Sears Butter Batter Fruit Cake were made by the Beatrice Bakery Co. of Beatrice, Neb.

Company President Greg Leech said Beatrice made the cakes for Sears from 1987 through 2005, but no longer. The bakery still has the recipes, but isn’t under contract with Sears to make them.

However, Beatrice does make its own fruitcakes, which can be ordered from www.beatricebakery.com, and many customers believe they are worthy substitutes. “We think we have the best fruitcake,” Leech said.

Beatrice’s original Grandma’s Fruit and Nut cake is the closest the company makes to the Sears Masterpiece, while the company’s Ye Olde English Cake is comparable to the Sears Butter Batter cake.

The main difference between the Sears Masterpiece and the Grandma’s Original, Leech said, is that Grandma’s has brandy, bourbon and rum in it, while the Masterpiece did not. In fact, aside from cherry and pineapple juices, the liquors are the only liquids in the Grandma’s cake, Leech said. I don’t know about you, Joe, but Grandma’s sounds like a masterpiece to me.

Got a food question? Lisa Abraham has the answer. Call 330-996-3737; email her at labraham@thebeaconjournal.com with “Ask Lisa” in the subject line; or write to her at 44 E. Exchange St., P.O. Box 640, Akron, OH 44309-0640. Please include your name (initials will be printed on request), hometown and phone number.

The Cucina at Gervasi Vineyard, Canton, www.gervasivineyard.com.

Demystifying Wine Tasting, with Todd Steiner, 7-9 p.m. Thursday. $50.

Down-Home for the Holidays, with Scott Fetty, 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. Saturday. $75.

A Scrumptious Winter Brunch, with Marilou Suszko, 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. Sunday. $75.

Hors d’Oeuvres from the Orient, with Victoria Todd-Smith, 6-9 p.m. Tuesday. $75.

Hot Spiced Wines, with Jennifer Wolfe Webb, 7-9 p.m. Dec. 13. $50.

Holiday Cookies for Children and Parents, with Ellen Conrad, 1-4 p.m. Dec. 15. $125.

Fishers Foods, North Canton, 440-729-1110, www.lpscinc.com.

World Taco, with Chef Tim McCoy, 6 p.m. Thursday. $45.

Sparkling Holiday Brunch, with Chef Loretta Paganini, 6 p.m. Tuesday. $45.

An Italian Christmas Eve, with Chef Loretta Paganini, 6 p.m. Dec. 17. $55.

A Colonial Christmas, with Chef Tim McCoy, 6 p.m. Dec. 18. $45.

Michaels craft store, Cuyahoga Falls, 330-929-2012.

Wilton cake-decorating classes, $22.50 each; call for times.

Quirk Cultural Center, Cuyahoga Falls, 330-971-8425.

Indian Cooking Class, 7-9:30 p.m. Thursday. Registration: $3 resident/$5 nonresident. Class: $30.

Western Reserve School of Cooking, Hudson, 330-650-1665, www.wrsoc.com.

Holiday Entertaining: Make & Take Cookie Dough Workshop, with SynDee Bergen, 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. Friday. $85.

Friday Night Date Night: Cooking With Champagne, with Anne Haynam, 6:30-9:30 p.m. Friday. $75.

Entertaining with Healthier Fare: Elegant Vegetarian Dinner, with Betty Shewmon, 1:30-4:30 p.m. Sunday. $70.

Holiday Entertaining: Holiday Appetizer Workshop, with Catherine St. John, 6:30-9:30 p.m. Monday. $75.

Holiday Entertaining: Lobster Workshop, with Catherine St. John, 6:30-9:30 p.m. Dec. 14. $90.

Now that Thanksgiving is out of the way, maybe we can talk about something that is really important: oatmeal.

Let’s be specific. What most Americans think of as “oatmeal” is really rolled oats. You know, the stuff that comes in the big cardboard tube with the smiling Quaker on the front. These are oat groats (the grain with the husk removed) that have been steamed to soften them and then rolled flat. This process lets you cook them more quickly at home. The difference between rolled oats that are labeled “old-fashioned” and “quick-cooking” is how thickly they’re rolled.

Real oatmeal is made from raw oat groats that are chopped to a fairly uniform size. It takes longer to cook and has a firmer texture than rolled oats.

I use rolled oats for making cookies and things like that, but you can’t match the real stuff for cereal. And because there is no kitchen project too minor for a kitchen geek to overthink, I have made something of a small science out of cooking my morning oatmeal. It’s not hard, but I’m convinced that it makes a difference in flavor.

I use the McCann’s Irish Oatmeal that comes in cool tins. Use a dry saucepan, one quart is fine for two or three people. Cook the oatmeal over medium heat until it smells nice and toasty. That’ll take about 3 or 4 minutes, depending on the heat. You’ll hear it start to pop when it’s ready.

When your cereal begins to sing, add four times the volume of oats in water (⅓ cup of oats, enough for two people, will take 1⅓ cups water). Increase the heat to high until the water starts to boil, give the pot a good stir, then turn the flame to low to maintain a decent simmer.

Partially cover the pan with a lid, but be sure to prop it askew with a wooden spoon or a whisk. This is important: If the lid is on too tight, the oatmeal will boil over, and there is no cleanup project worse than scraping baked-on oatmeal off your burners.

Let the oatmeal simmer for a good 20 minutes or so. You don’t need to pay much attention, but if you’re going to walk the dog, put a flame-tamer underneath the pan to keep it from scorching. When the oatmeal is done, there will probably be some liquid on top, and there may be a thin layer of dried flour-skin. This will disappear when you stir it. The oatmeal itself will be tender but still have a bit of “pop.”

Whisk in butter according to your conscience, toss in a small handful of dried fruit (I use a mix of raisins, sour cherries and cranberries), cover tightly and let stand off heat for five minutes for the fruit to soften.

You can doctor this base however you want. I like a mix of brown and white sugar (brown for molasses, white for sweetness) or maybe some maple syrup. Then some chopped toasted nuts — almonds or walnuts. Finally, I add just enough milk to make the mixture creamy. If I have leftover steamed milk from the morning coffee, I might use that. And if I’m feeling splurge-y, nothing but half-and-half; that’s just how I roll.

Those quicker-cooking rolled oats are great for granola. And when I’m not eating real oatmeal (foolish consistency, etc.), my breakfast is usually fruit, yogurt and granola from Christine Moore’s excellent recipe in her new Little Flower cookbook. I say “based on” because, after following Moore’s script exactly the first time, I’ve thrown in a few little changes, honoring the recipe in structure if not in detail.

In the last month I’ve made this recipe at least once a week (depending on how quickly we go through it). And I don’t think I’ve ever made it exactly the same way twice. I change the mix of the nuts and dried fruit depending on what appeals to me at the moment (and depending on what I have left from other cooking — this is a great way to clean out all those odds and ends of nuts you probably have in your freezer).

Start with a bunch of fruit, then add a handful of granola and top with a good dollop of yogurt sweetened with honey.

This granola mix would make a terrific gift too, packaged in storage jars. Be sure to include the recipe, because folks will definitely want to fix it again.

And, after all, there are more holidays just around the corner.

GRANOLA

½ cup vegetable oil

½ cup light brown sugar

½ cup maple syrup

½ tsp. salt

1 tbsp. vanilla extract

4 cups old-fashioned rolled oats

3 cups mixed chopped nuts (almonds, pecans, walnuts, pistachios, hazelnuts and pumpkin seeds)

4 cups mixed chopped dried fruit (sour cherries, cranberries, apples, pears, apricots, raisins, dates)

Heat the oven to 325 degrees. Line two jellyroll pans with silicone mats or parchment.

In a saucepan over medium-low heat, heat the oil, sugar, syrup and salt until clear, stirring occasionally. Remove from the heat and stir in the vanilla extract.

Place the rolled oats and the mixed nuts in a large mixing bowl and pour the sugar mixture over. Stir with a spatula to coat the oats and nuts evenly. Divide the mixture between the lined jellyroll pans, patting with the back of a spatula to make thin, even layers.

Bake until golden brown, about 30 minutes, rotating the sheets and stirring halfway through.

Cool slightly before stirring in the dried fruit and storing. The mixture will keep in a tightly covered container at room temperature for at least a week.

Makes 16 cups.

Note: Adapted from Christine Moore’s Little Flower: Recipes From the Cafe (Prospect Park, $25).

Wally Waffle fans will be happy to know that the Akron favorite has moved and officially reopened at 845 W. Market St., the site of the former Metro Burger in Highland Square.

Wally Waffle, a fixture near Akron Children’s Hospital, had to move when its building was purchased for hospital expansion.

At the new location, the restaurant is now open for dinner, too. Wally Waffle in Highland Square is open 7 a.m. to 9 p.m. daily. Phone 330-374-4915.

Also opening up is the second location of the Office Bistro in Cuyahoga Falls. Owner Steve Turner said the new place is nearly identical to the original restaurant in Akron’s North Hill, with the same menu and hours.

Look for the new restaurant at 1846 Front St., 330-376-9550. Hours are 11 a.m. to 11 p.m. Monday through Thursday; 4 p.m. to 2:30 a.m. Saturday and 10 a.m. to 8 p.m. Sunday.

Historical holiday dinners

A new business is offering folks the chance to dine back in time.

The Ohio Living History Society is serving up holiday meals at the historical Everett Farnam Manor, 4223 Brecksville Road, Richfield.

The Victorian Suppers are prepared with recipes from the 1860s, and guests get to dine along with re-enactors portraying actual characters from the era, society President Shelley Kamlowsky explained. The evening also includes period music and parlor games.

The dinners are $60 and are offered from 6 to 9 p.m. Friday, Saturday, and Dec. 14, 15, 22 and 29. There is a maximum seating of 15 guests per meal, but special arrangements and discounts are available for large groups.

For reservations or more information visit www.olhs.org or call 234-200-OLHS (6547).

Holiday wine tasting in Kent

Riverside Wine, 911 N. Mantua St., Kent is hosting its Holiday Wine Tasting from 1 to 3 p.m. Sunday.

There will be 24 wines to try from four distributors, along with appetizers. The event is $25. Call 330-677-4400 to reserve a spot.

All wines featured will sell for less than $20 per bottle, and the store will offer a 10 percent discount on a case, including mix and match.

Secret Tea Society pops up

Hudson’s Secret Tea Society will be holding a Holiday Pop-Up Salon and Shop now through Dec. 22 at the Brewster Mansion, 9 Aurora St., downtown Hudson.

The temporary retail tea salon and shop will offer a selection of specialty teas, tea pots and accessories. Tea tastings will include herbal blends, rooibos, white, green, oolong, black and pu’erh teas, and will be held daily, along with an opportunity to chat about issues of the day, tea society founder Angela Strach-Gotthardt said.

Strach-Gotthardt founded the Secret Tea Society in 2010 as a way to engage “smart, savvy ladies” in lively conversation and to indulge her love of tea. The Holiday Pop-Up Salon will be open 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Wednesday, Friday and Saturday from 10 a.m. to 7 p.m. Thursday.

Gingerbread parties offered

Reeves Cake Shop, 2770 Cory Ave., Akron, is holding Gingerbread House Parties through Dec. 19, and they will come to you.

Groups of 10 or more can hold parties, in which every member receives an 8-inch gingerbread house, icing, and candy pieces to decorate it. It’s $20 per person.

Rick Reeves said large groups are no problem. He has done church groups, PTAs and Christmas parties of 100 or more. A decorator will explain how to assemble and decorate the houses.

Call 330-848-1036 to reserve or visit www.reevescakeshop.com for information.

Kudos to KSU kitchen

The Campus Kitchen Project at Kent State University recently received an Excellence in Programming Award for its efforts at the Haymaker Farmers Market in Kent.

Campus Kitchen is a national nonprofit organization with branches on college campuses, which provide meals to those in need, prepared and served by student volunteers.

Kent State’s members also provide cooking demonstrations and nutritional information at the weekly farmers markets. That outreach was recognized by the national chapter at its recent annual conference.

At Haymaker, the students foster relationships with members of the community and local farmers, many of whom donate excess produce to the Campus Kitchen.

“The farmers are happy that the produce doesn’t go to waste, we’re happy because we have this great product and the community is happy because we’re using it to feed those in need,” said Ann Gosky, senior special assistant for quality initiatives and curriculum, and project adviser for the Campus Kitchen at KSU.

Campus Kitchen started at Kent in March 2011 serving 60 meals each week. Today the group prepares 260 meals weekly for the needy.

Campus Kitchen at Kent State is open to all volunteers; for more information visit www.kent.edu/studentlife/activities/cblv.

Lisa Abraham can be reached at 330-996-3737 or at labraham@thebeaconjournal.com. Find me on Facebook, follow me on Twitter @akronfoodie or visit my blog at www.ohio.com/blogs/lisa.

Everyone knows — or at least every Jew knows — the story of Hanukkah’s origins, the story of how just a tiny amount of oil miraculously burned for eight days. And they know that, in the spirit of that story, Hanukkah is celebrated in part by eating foods fried in oil, such as latkes and doughnuts.

But in much of the world, Hanukkah also is celebrated by eating salty cheeses. And for that, there is another and equally fascinating — though in the United States lesser known — story.

The short version goes something like this: Around 2 B.C., a Jewish widow saved her people by ingratiating herself with an enemy general, plying him with salty cakes of cheese, then wine to quench the thirst it brought. When he fell into a drunken stupor, she lopped off his head with his own sword.

When this story became associated with Hanukkah is unclear. Jewish cookbook author Joan Nathan says that Hanukkah most likely was originally celebrated around the winter solstice and that the role of oil was related to the light it helped create during this darkest time of year.

Olive oil became an important part of this “festival of lights” and the foods eaten during the celebration were a nod to this, as was the story of the miraculous and essential oil. Latkes, or pancakes fried in oil, were initially made of eggs and flour or sometimes cheese, and this could be when the story of the salty cheese cakes took off.

Jews in Southern Europe gravitated toward the Hanukkah dairy tradition and often prepared a variation of savillum, a traditional Roman cheesecake made with ricotta, eggs, flour and honey.

The potato latke came later, says Nathan, when locals adapted the fried pancake tradition to a crop they had on hand in great abundance.

Dennis Wasko, a kosher chef from Chicago, grew up with the oil tradition of Hanukkah, but in recent years has added dairy to his family’s tradition. He likes to make a Sephardic-style cheese fritter called bunuelos de queso, which are made with eggs, flour and a salty dry cheese such as Greek mizithra, ricotta salata or even farmer’s cheese.

The mixture is formed into little balls or pancakes, then fried in oil (tying in the other popular Hanukkah tradition) and served drizzled with honey.

Wasko says that he has even commemorated the story of the widow and the general more literally by serving a dish of salty cheese along with some wine to quench the thirst it inevitably creates. Of course, he leaves the beheadings out of the celebration.

About 15 years ago, chocolate chip cookies were my go-to Christmas treats. I would bake batch after batch to give away and take to holiday parties and cookie exchanges.

Then one year I gave a batch to my friend, Neil. He immediately asked for the recipe, and before I knew it, he was hard at work baking batches in his own kitchen.

As the years passed, I moved on to other Christmas treats, but my friend kept baking that tried-and-true chocolate chip cookie. He baked so many batches that they became known around the neighborhood as “Mr. Neil’s Best Ever Chocolate Chip Cookies.”

These are crispy oat and chocolate chip cookies, not your traditional Toll House cookies. They spread as they bake; when hot out of the oven, they are moist and gooey-good. After cooling on a wire rack, they get crispy and are perfect with a hot beverage or a cold glass of milk.

But the best part is they are perfect to give away.

Whether stored in a tin or on a platter wrapped in foil, be sure to include a copy of the recipe. But watch out, they will soon become someone else’s “Best Ever Chocolate Chip Cookies.”

If you have a favorite holiday cookie recipe to share, send it in an email to Alicia KitchenScoop.com.

Best Ever Chocolate

Chip Cookies

1½ cups all-purpose flour

1 tsp. baking soda

1 tsp. ground cinnamon

½ cup firmly packed light brown sugar

1 cup sugar

1 cup (2 sticks) butter

1 large egg

1 tsp. vanilla extract

1½ cups old-fashioned oats

1 cup semisweet chocolate chips

Mix together flour, baking soda and cinnamon. Set aside. Using an electric mixer, cream together the sugars and butter until light and fluffy. Add egg and vanilla and mix well. On low speed, beat in the flour mixture just until blended. Stop mixer and fold in the oats and chips with a wooden spoon. Cover the cookie dough with plastic wrap and chill 1 hour.

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Grease or line 2 baking sheets with parchment paper. Roll the dough into 1-inch balls and place about 2 inches apart on prepared pans. Bake 10 to 12 minutes, or until light brown around edges. Cool on pan 5 minutes, then transfer to wire racks to cool completely.

Store in metal tins or on foil-wrapped platter.

Makes about 4 dozen cookies.

Each cookie has about 84 calories, 4 grams fat (3 grams saturated), 14 milligrams cholesterol, 1 gram protein, 10 grams carbohydrates, 1 gram dietary fiber, 61 milligrams sodium.

Alicia Ross is the co-author of three cookbooks. Contact her c/o Universal Uclick, 1130 Walnut St., Kansas City, MO 64106, email tellus@kitchenscoop.com, or visit http://kitchenscoop.com.

Does your loved one stand over a pot of boiling water with a thermometer? Wonder why salt makes steak juicy? Muse out loud about why russets make fluffier mashed potatoes than red bliss? Give these cookbooks as gifts:

• The Science of Good Cooking (America’s Test Kitchen, $40) by the folks behind Cook’s Illustrated magazine doesn’t just offer “400 recipes engineered for perfection,” it also covers 50 basic concepts explaining why the recipes work. Useful sidebars showcase tips and techniques — use a skillet, not a wok to stir-fry — and charts that check your measurements (a cup of all-purpose flour should weigh 5 ounces) make it a handy reference guide.

• Modernist Cuisine at Home (The Cooking Lab, $140) is even sexier. The laboratory that last year produced Modernist Cuisine, a six-volume encyclopedia of molecular gastronomy by Nathan Myhrvold, has turned its blow torches and sous vide machines on home cooking. It’s a monstrously fun and shockingly practical cookbook that truly lets you get your geek on. Who knew that a touch of citric acid makes the ultimate grilled cheese? Or that scrambled eggs can be dispensed from a whipping canister, and that baking soda helps caramelize vegetables?

— Michele Kayal

Associated Press

With Hanukkah stretching over eight nights, there’s plenty to celebrate. And often plenty of leftovers.

Classic dishes such as brisket and latkes are wonderful, but even the hungriest families can handle them straight up only so many nights. That’s why many families are selective about which nights they cook, and which nights they reinterpret the leftovers from the day before.

For Noah Bernamoff, chef and owner of the popular Mile End Jewish deli in Brooklyn, N.Y., it was his grandmother who was the holiday cooking powerhouse during his childhood in Montreal.

“Candles one, two and seven on the menorah represented the nights my grandmother made special meals,” Bernamoff said, referring to the tradition of lighting candles for each night of Hanukkah. The leftovers from those meals became the building blocks of dinners for the rest of the week.

For example, potato latkes, while beloved, are as plain as a glorified piece of toast, says Bernamoff. And as such, they can be used as such to create open-faced sandwiches of sorts. Bernamoff likes to top crisped leftover latkes with such savories as reheated slices of brisket with chopped pickled vegetables for contrast.

And at his deli, Bernamoff says the latke often becomes the vehicle for other restaurant favorites, such as lox, duck pastrami or a creamier version of their house-made whitefish salad.

Hash, says Bernamoff, is another great way to turn leftovers into a quick meal. As long as you have onions and some blanched, diced or shredded potatoes, you can add almost any ingredient, such as brisket, roast veal or chicken, or even smoked fish. Crisp the mixture in a saute pan or in the oven, top with a poached or fried egg and you’ve turned leftovers into a deli classic.

Joan Nathan, author of Joan Nathan’s Jewish Holiday Cookbook, takes a different — and cross-cultural — approach to her Hanukkah leftovers. Nathan regularly takes the remainders of her roasted lamb or brisket and transforms it into a classic Bolognese sauce to serve atop pasta.

Here, we’ve taken shredded, cooked brisket and combined it with store-bought shredded potatoes, onions and egg whites (omitting the yolks yields crispier results) to create this latke-like Hanukkah hash. Using roasted chicken or lamb in place of the brisket works nicely, as well.

HANUKKAH HASH PATTIES (LEFTOVER BRISKET LATKES)

6 tbsp. all-purpose flour

1 tsp. kosher salt

1 tsp. ground black pepper

¼ tsp. baking powder

1 cup grated sweet onion

20-oz. bag fresh shredded potatoes (about 4 cups)

¾ lb. finely shredded or chopped cooked brisket

4 egg whites, beaten with a whisk until frothy

Peanut or vegetable oil, for frying

In a small bowl, whisk together flour, salt, pepper and baking powder. Set aside.

Place the grated onion on a clean dish cloth or several layers of paper towels. Gather up the edges then, over the sink, squeeze out at much liquid as possible.

In a large mixing bowl, combine the squeezed onion, the potatoes, brisket, flour mixture and egg whites. Mix well to make a batter that is loose, but holds together well, adding a bit more flour if necessary.

In a large skillet over medium-high, heat about ½ inch of oil until a shred of potato dropped into the oil sizzles immediately. Drop the batter into the oil, ⅓ cup per patty. Flatten the patties slightly with the back of a spatula. Working in batches, fry the patties for 2 to 3 minutes per side, or until browned. Transfer to a platter lined with paper towels. Repeat with remaining batter.

Serve immediately. Or to reheat, place the pancakes on a baking sheet in a 400-degree oven until hot.

Makes about 16 latkes.

Back during my days at Gourmet magazine, my many duties included teaching cooking classes. I used to tell my students — especially the cooking-impaired ones — that if they made sure to greet dinner party guests with a special homemade drink, they would always win, no matter what else happened that evening.

Let them buy take-out food, rearrange it artfully on platters, then claim it as their own. Nobody would think twice as long as they were handed a special drink on their way in the door. Festive drinks scream, “Party!”

The holiday season boasts any number of festive libations. My favorite is eggnog. After all, if you’re trying to crystallize holiday excess in liquid form, how better than to combine sweet cream with strong rum or brandy.

But what if — just this once — you don’t want to overdo it? How do you cut down the fat and calories in eggnog without losing the drink’s signature richness? More precisely, is there a way to keep it creamy without cream? I tried making eggnog using nonfat milk, both regular and condensed. I even tried thickening the mixture with cornstarch.

My daughter Ruthie, a connoisseur of cocktails, rejected both of these strategies. Nonfat milk made the drink too watery. Cornstarch successfully thickened the drink, but in a way that reminded my expert of a loose pudding, not eggnog.

Ruthie suggested losing the nonfat milk in favor of 2 percent milk, which is still much lighter than cream. That did the trick. Then I added Chai spices, which contributed their own luxurious and exotic notes that work so nicely with the more traditional nutmeg.

My second concoction, Christmas sangria, required much less experimentation, if only because traditional sangria — a mix of wine and fruit — is a fairly healthful punch to begin with. Essentially, all I did was swap out the drink’s usual summertime fruits for their wintertime counterparts — pomegranates, clementines and apples, along with some fresh fruit juice.

Reformatted in this fashion, a warm weather stalwart suddenly looks and tastes just right for the holidays.

CHAI EGGNOG

2 cups 2 percent milk, divided

3½-inch stick cinnamon, smashed using the side of a knife

½ vanilla bean, split lengthwise

10 whole cloves

½ tsp. whole black peppercorns, coarsely crushed

½ tsp. ground ginger

4 cardamom pods, crushed (or ½ tsp. ground cardamom)

Kosher salt

2 large eggs

¼ cup sugar

Brandy or rum, for flavoring (optional)

Grated nutmeg, to garnish

In a small saucepan over medium heat, combine 1½ cups of the milk with the cinnamon, vanilla bean, cloves, peppercorns, ginger, cardamom pods and a hefty pinch of salt. Bring the mixture to a simmer, then turn off the heat and let it stand for 15 minutes.

Strain the mixture through a sieve, discarding all of the solids except for the vanilla bean. Scrape the seeds from the vanilla bean into the milk; discard the vanilla pod.

Wipe out the saucepan and return the milk to the pan over medium heat.

Meanwhile, in a medium bowl beat the eggs with the sugar for 2 minutes, or until they are light and lemon colored. Add the heated milk in a stream, whisking gently. Return the egg-milk mixture to the saucepan and cook over medium heat, stirring constantly with a wooden spoon, until it thickens and coats the back of the spoon, about 4 to 6 minutes. Do not let the mixture come to a simmer or the eggs will scramble.

Quickly add the remaining ½ cup of milk to the pan to stop the cooking. Transfer the mixture to a pitcher and chill for at least 2 hours or until very cold.

To serve, divide the eggnog among four chilled glasses, stir in a dash of brandy or rum, if desired, and top with a sprinkle of freshly grated nutmeg.

Makes four servings.

CHRISTMAS SANGRIA

1 (750-milliliter) bottle fruity red wine, such as Beaujolais

½ cup fresh clementine or orange juice

½ cup unsweetened pomegranate juice

½ cup Grand Marnier liqueur

1 firm pear with the skin, cored and cut into ½-inch cubes (about 2 cups)

2 clementines or 1 orange, quartered lengthwise and thinly sliced crosswise

Seeds from 1 pomegranate

2 tbsp. superfine sugar

In a large bowl combine all ingredients and stir until the sugar has dissolved. Chill, tightly covered, at least 8 hours before serving.

Makes eight servings.

Judges Linda and Thomas Teodosio turned the pain of losing their 22-year-old daughter into a foundation that honors her legacy by helping others.

“She had a heart for people. We were in Chicago, when she was about 16 years old, and we had picked up a pizza to take back to our hotel room. As we were walking, Andrea saw this homeless man and she asked if I would mind if she gave him our pizza,” Linda Teodosio recalled.

“She put her hand on his shoulder and said, ‘My mom and I have all of these packages and can’t carry this pizza. Do you mind taking it?’ She did it in such a way that it saved his dignity. That was Andrea.”

The Teodosios will be honored Friday as this year’s recipients of the Bishop Cosgrove Justice Award during the annual dinner of the Catholic Commission of Summit County. The dinner also will highlight the work of an individual and organization that have worked to bring people together to affect the community in a positive way, and will honor two youth — one posthumously — for their service to the needy.

The Teodosios’ award, named for the late Bishop William M. Cosgrove, is given to individuals or organizations that demonstrate a strong commitment to social justice in harmony with biblical values.

“The Judges Teodosio have been an ongoing example of persons with a deep faith and a strong and active commitment of inspiring and empowering others to do the same,” said Karen Leith, Catholic Commission director. “We honor them for their continuing empowerment of others as they fundraise and keep alive the spirit of their daughter, Andrea Rose, through the foundation started in her name that helps so many vulnerable people among us.”

Last year, Andrea died from injuries suffered in a skiing accident at a resort in central West Virginia. To continue her legacy as someone who cared for those in need, her parents established the Andrea Rose Teodosio Memorial Foundation (www.andrearose.org).

The foundation, which Chris Teodosio, the couple’s son, administrates, aims to assist with the needs of the underprivileged and senior population, to address environmental issues and to promote community service and education. At the time of her death, Andrea, a John Carroll University graduate, was working as a research and strategy development assistant and member of the Green Team for Hitchcock Fleming & Associates, a marketing communications firm in Akron.

To date, the foundation has provided a raised garden at Laurel House in Hudson, sponsored a food drive for the Akron-Canton Regional Foodbank, distributed homecoming dresses to girls in foster care, served as a sponsor for a girls CYO state basketball tournament, donated to United Way’s Bridges Out of Poverty program and awarded scholarships to college students. Plans are in the works for a project to feed the hungry in partnership with the American Red Cross.

“The foundation has given us an opportunity to share her story. She should be the one getting the award because she really did care for those that we call ‘the least of these.’ We have been so blessed to have two wonderful children,” Thomas Teodosio said. “For as young as she was, I learned so much about how to live. Andrea was so nonjudgmental.”

The Teodosios said their faith and the support of the community have given them the strength to cope with the tragedy of losing their daughter. Their faith, they said, is also the source of their commitment to treating everyone who comes before them — Judge Linda Teodosio in Summit County Juvenile Court and Thomas Teodosio in Summit County Common Pleas Court — with dignity.

Nanci Self, who nominated the couple for the award, said she did so because of their unselfish commitment to making the community a better place and how they turned their tragedy into something positive. Self serves as director of the Nazareth Housing Development Corp.

“I really don’t know them very well, but I am so impressed with their service to the community and with their union as a couple that is choosing to work well together. When they lost their daughter, their response was to be of service to the community,” Self said. “They live out their faith with a willingness to go into dark places where the light really needs to shine.”

In addition to awarding the Teodosios with the Cosgrove Award, the Catholic Commission will honor the Emancipated Youth Task Force of Summit County Children’s Services and Sally Reidle, of the First Friday Club of Greater Akron, with the Bishop Anthony M. Pilla Leadership Award.

The Pilla award is named for the bishop emeritus of the Cleveland Catholic Diocese. It is given to individuals or groups working to bring the community together around a common cause.

Reidle is being honored for her longtime volunteer service to numerous church and community organizations, including Loyola of the Lakes, National Council of Catholic Women, Ronald McDonald House of Akron, United Way of Summit County, Leadership Akron and Immaculate Heart of Mary Parish. She is a founding member of the First Friday Club of Greater Akron and continues to serve as vice president of its board.

The First Friday Club is a Catholic organization that seeks to promote a better understanding of issues that affect church, family, work and community life.

The Summit County Emancipated Youth Task Force was established in 2009 by Summit County Children Services. It brings together more than 50 community agencies to help youth who age out of the agency’s custody. It developed the purple umbrella decal to identify places that help emancipated youth.

Youth Justice awards will be given to the parents of the late Danielle Rose and to Anthony Burns, a student at Archbishop Hoban High School and a parishioner at St. Sebastian Parish in Akron.

Burns earned an award for his time in service to others and for promoting respect, empowerment and service to the poor. He volunteers at South Street Ministries and the Catholic Worker’s Peter Maurin Center.

Rose, a graduate of Walsh Jesuit High School and parishioner at Holy Angels Parish in Chagrin Falls, died of a heart attack in September at the age of 20. At that time, she was a second-year student at John Carroll aspiring to become a doctor who would serve as a missionary to the poor. She is being honored posthumously for her missionary work and service to the poor through the Labre and Arrue societies at the university.

“Danielle’s heart was oriented to the service of the poor and those most in need. ... she died with a Bible on her bed stand and two rosaries at her side,” said the Rev. Daniel F. Schlegel, pastor at Holy Angels. “As my youth pastor stated the evening of the funeral, ‘I think Holy Angels had the funeral of a saint today.’ ”

All of the awards will be presented during the Catholic Commission’s annual dinner at the Father Silva Center at St. Matthew Parish, 2603 Benton St., Akron. Tickets are $40 per person. Reservations can be made by calling 330-535-2787 or emailing axcoplan@clevelandcatholiccharities.org.

The commission is celebrating its 40th anniversary and the 100th anniversary of Cleveland Catholic Charities.

Colette Jenkins can be reached at 330-996-3731 or cjenkins@thebeaconjournal.com

• An item in the People Helping People charity listing on Nov. 29 incorrectly said the Christmas Shoebox Campaign is a project of the Akron Girl Scouts. Incorrect information was provided to the Beacon Journal.

• Serrin Scrutchings’ name was misspelled in a caption on the Community front Tuesday. Incorrect information was provided to the photographer.

The Akron Beacon Journal is committed to fairness, accuracy and objectivity. We recognize that errors occur and are eager to make corrections, which are published here. If you believe we have made an error, leave a detailed message at 330-996-3016. Please include your name and phone number in case we need more information.

Ohio lawmakers took a major step on Tuesday to tackle head-injury risks for thousands of young athletes statewide.

The Ohio Senate approved a measure to require all youth athletes to get clearance from a doctor or other medical expert before returning to competition if they show signs of concussion.

The plan — backed by Akron Children’s Hospital, Summa Health System and other medical groups and hospitals statewide — also requires youth coaches, officials and referees to complete free basic online training about concussions.

In addition, the Ohio Department of Health will develop a fact sheet about signs and symptoms of head injuries to distribute to parents.

Young athletes risk lifelong learning disabilities and other problems if they don’t treat their head injuries correctly, said Hollie Kozak, a licensed athletic trainer and manager of the Summa Center for Sports Health. The center provides services to high school sports programs and youth organizations throughout the region.

“It’s not just about sports, it’s about their academic futures,” said Kozak, who testified before lawmakers in favor of the rules.

A slightly different version of the proposal, House Bill 143, already passed the state House of Representatives.

The measure now is back in the state House, which could decide as early as today to approve the changes. If that happens, the rules would go into effect 90 days after being signed by the governor.

Ohio is one of only nine states without back-to-play rules to protect youth athletes from concussion complications.

The plan for youth sports in Ohio closely mirrors rules already enacted in 2010 by the Ohio High School Athletic Association (OHSAA).

Under those standards, student athletes can’t return to play after a suspected concussion without a release from a doctor or athletic trainer. However, the existing rules don’t cover youth sports and activities not sanctioned by the OHSAA, such as lacrosse.

Athletes 14 or younger are at even greater risk because their brains still are developing and they don’t have the same muscle strength as older athletes, according to Dr. Joseph Congeni, director of the Akron Children’s Hospital Sports Medicine Center. Congeni also testified before lawmakers in favor of the proposed rules.

During a recent appointment at the Sports Medicine Center for her son, Dawn Hoopengardner of Doylestown said she supports the state’s plans to protect young athletes.

Parker Hoopengardner, 10, began seeing double after sustaining a head-to-head hit during a youth football game in September.

Because of lingering problems, he missed the remainder of the season and playoffs, as well as two weeks of school, his mother said. He finally got cleared last month to start basketball practice.

“We weren’t going to take any chances,” his mother said. “A leg can be fixed with surgery, but a brain, you can’t do much except rest.”

Breast cancer patients taking the drug tamoxifen can cut their chances of having the disease come back or kill them if they stay on the pills for 10 years instead of five years as doctors recommend now, a major study finds.

The results could change treatment, especially for younger women. The findings are a surprise because earlier research suggested that taking the hormone-blocking drug for longer than five years didn’t help and might even be harmful.

In the new study, researchers found that women who took tamoxifen for 10 years lowered their risk of a recurrence by 25 percent and of dying of breast cancer by 29 percent compared to those who took the pills for just five years.

In absolute terms, continuing on tamoxifen kept three additional women out of every 100 from dying of breast cancer within five to 14 years from when their disease was diagnosed. When added to the benefit from the first five years of use, a decade of tamoxifen can cut breast cancer mortality in half during the second decade after diagnosis, researchers estimate.

Some women balk at taking a preventive drug for so long, but for those at high risk of a recurrence, “this will be a convincer that they should continue,” said Dr. Peter Ravdin, director of the breast cancer program at the UT Health Science Center in San Antonio.

He reviewed results of the study, which was presented Wednesday at a breast cancer conference in San Antonio and published by the British medical journal Lancet.

“The result of this trial will have a major, immediate impact on premenopausal women,” Ravdin said.

People Helping People is a list of charitable causes in our area that need donations or volunteers. The Beacon Journal has not investigated these causes, so donors should verify their worthiness and the tax-deductibility of contributions.

A link to a form for submitting requests to People Helping People can be found at www.ohio.com/charity, along with tips on researching charities and a list of causes already published.

Questions about submitting information? Call Mary Beth Breckenridge, 330-996-3756.

MCC Connections, 4080 Kidron Road, P.O. Box 19, Kidron, OH 44636, is a not-for-profit thrift shop raising funds for the relief, service and development work of the Mennonite Central Committee around the world. The shop strives to provide quality, affordable clothing and household items.

It is seeking the following:

• Donations of clothing, kitchen items, furniture, toys, plants, bedding, books, collectibles and antiques. Items should be clean, good quality and salable. Donations are accepted during store hours (9 a.m. to 5 p.m. Mondays through Saturdays and until 8 p.m. Thursdays).

• Volunteers to process donations and prepare items for sale.

For information, call Virgil, Cindy or Jenny at 330-857-7802 or email connections@zoominternet.net. The store’s website is http://thrift.mcc.org/shops/kidron-thrift-shop.

Catholic Charities Community Services of Summit County, 812 Biruta St., Akron, OH 44307, provides programs to improve the lives of youth and families, older adults, people with developmental disabilities and those needing assistance meeting basic needs.

The organization is seeking donations of money and items for its recreational respite program for people with developmental disabilities, including board games, Wii games, magazines, puzzles and art supplies. A donation of $350 provides a full weekend of respite to a family, $150 provides one full day of respite and $50 provides one hour of nursing care for participants.

Donations may be dropped off between 9 a.m. and 4 p.m. weekdays.

For information, contact Tess Flannery at 330-762-2961, ext. 224, or tflannery@clevelandcatholiccharities.org. The organizations’ website is www.ccsummit
county.org.

Researchers from the University of Akron and the Austen BioInnovation Institute in Akron are developing a software-based program that will help people get healthier.

The “personalized wellness management” project recently received a $1.3 million award from the National Science Foundation, an independent federal agency that promotes science and engineering through research and education.

During the next several years, technology will be designed to track activities and incentivize participants for making healthy lifestyle choices, such as staying active and eating well, said Shiva Sastry, an associate professor in the Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering at the University of Akron.

Surveys will be conducted to identify barriers and motivations to leading healthy lifestyles, Sastry said.

Sastry is working on the initiative with Victor E. Pinheiro, chair of the Department of Sports Science and Wellness Education at the University of Akron, and Dr. Frank L. Douglas, president and chief executive of the BioInnovation Institute.

“If we can put our fingers on what motivates them, then our hope is to say, ‘Now that I know what motivates people, can I develop incentives?’ ” Sastry said.

The program will be developed and tested during a pilot study in the next couple of years with UA employees. Participants might use computers, smartphones and other devices to access the program’s tools.

The BioInnovation Institute also will use the software and other tools that will be developed through the study as part of its ongoing Accountable Care Community project.

The Accountable Care Community effort is receiving between $500,000 and $2 million a year for five years from the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

The project brings together public health, medical providers, health systems, higher education, safety-net services, researchers, mental-health services and other community agencies to develop community-wide health-improvement programs. More than 60 other social service and medical organizations have agreed to participate.

The BioInnovation Institute is talking with area employers about joining the project and using the wellness program, Douglas said. Participating employees would receive personalized exercise and nutrition suggestions, as well as help tracking their goals.

“The idea is when you look at wellness, people are different,” he said. “There are different things that motivate people [to] eat correctly, etc.”

Employers increasingly are interested in adopting wellness strategies to improve the health of their workers and reduce rising insurance costs.

According to a recent survey from the Society for Human Resource Management, about 21 percent of employers discount the employees’ share of insurance premiums when workers complete a health-risk assessment. About 20 percent offer discounts to workers who don’t use tobacco products.

The goal is to develop easy-to-use, affordable solutions that employers can adopt nationwide, Pinheiro said.

“We know you need to eat well,” he said. “You need to sleep well. You need to exercise. But that’s not going on.”

Cheryl Powell can be reached at 330-996-3902 or cpowell@thebeaconjournal.com. Follow Powell on Twitter at twitter.com/abjcherylpowell.

People Helping People is a list of charitable causes in our area that need donations or volunteers. The Beacon Journal has not investigated these causes, so donors should verify their worthiness and the tax-deductibility of contributions. A link to a form for submitting requests to People Helping People can be found at www.ohio.com/charity, along with tips on researching charities and a list of causes already published.

Questions about submitting information? Call Mary Beth Breckenridge, 330-996-3756.

Manicures for Mamas and Papas, P.O. Box 337, Randolph, OH 44265-0337, provides free manicures to nursing home residents in Portage County.

It is seeking monetary donations to buy supplies, as well as donations of fairly fresh nail lacquers and enamels in any color, preferably name brand polishes such as Revlon, OPI, Milani and Sally Hansen; base coat; top coat; metal nail files; 100 percent acetone polish remover; nail oil; cuticle oil; hand cream; body lotions; alcohol wipes; and cotton cosmetic removal pads, oval or square. Donations can be mailed.

In addition, volunteers are needed to perform manicures one or more days a week on a consistent basis. Volunteers must have reliable transportation and be willing to work four to six hours on the day selected.

Volunteers need not be licensed manicurists, but they must have a pleasant personality and enjoy conversing with senior citizens. Training and supplies will be provided. Transportation costs are not reimbursed.

For information, contact Deborah Wears at 330-592-1056 or dwears@neo.rr.com.

Heaven Can Wait, P.O. Box 4865, Akron, OH 44310, rescues animals from Summit County Animal Control and Ohio high-kill facilities, provides necessary medical and behavioral care, and then places the animals in permanent homes.

The organization is seeking donations of dry and wet dog and cat food, treats, scoopable cat litter, collars, leashes, dog beds, cat and dog toys, dog sweaters, ceramic or stainless steel bowls, dog and cat flea preventative, shampoos, grooming supplies, crates, cages, kennels, food storage containers, dish soap, laundry soap, sponges, trash bags, paper towels, folding tables, a pop-up tent, a lawn mower, weed whacker, postage stamps, envelopes, paper, money and pet store gift cards.

Items can be dropped off at any scheduled weekly event or on the porch of the Heaven Can Wait House, 51 Vesper St., Akron. For large items, contact the organization to request pickup. For information, email adoptions@heaven-can-wait.com or visit www.heaven-can-wait.com.

A Republican proposal to raise the eligibility age for Medicare may save the federal government more than $100 billion while increasing health-care costs to senior citizens, states and employers.

People age 65 and older could pay an extra $2,000 for health insurance if they’re excluded from Medicare, the federal health-care program for the elderly, according to the nonpartisan Kaiser Family Foundation. Other government and private health plans would see costs rise as would-be Medicare recipients seek care elsewhere.

The proposal, which President Barack Obama has signaled a willingness to consider in talks over a deficit-reduction deal, would fail to address Medicare’s more-pressing fiscal issues. These include the high cost of providing end-of-life care, said Paul Keckley, executive director of the Deloitte Center for Health Solutions in Washington.

Unless the president and Republicans reach a deficit deal, George W. Bush-era tax rates will expire Jan. 1 for income earners — a dreaded scenario that has become known as the “fiscal cliff.”

Raising the eligibility age is “math that works very well for reducing the federal outlay for Medicare,” Keckley said. “It doesn’t mean costs will go away. It’ll be someone else’s problem.”

House Speaker John Boehner, R-West Chester, proposed the increase as part of a potential accord to stave off the more than $600 billion in tax increases and spending cuts slated to begin next month. Obama said Tuesday that while he has his own ideas on reducing entitlement spending, “I’m happy to entertain other ideas Republicans may present.”

The Boehner proposal is only viable because the elderly have alternative sources of insurance under Obama’s 2010 health-care overhaul, said economist Paul Van de Water of the nonprofit Center on Budget and Policy Priorities in Washington.

Medicare’s eligibility age — 65 — hasn’t been increased since the program began in 1966. That’s fueled complaints that it hasn’t kept pace with increases in longevity. People turning 65 in 1940 could expect to live another 14 years, according to the Congressional Budget Office. They can expect an additional 20 years today.

“We’re living longer, right?” said Rep. Trey Gowdy, R-S.C. “We haven’t updated the law to reflect that.”

Gradual changes

Congress agreed in 1983 to increase the retirement age for full Social Security benefits to 67, a change that doesn’t take complete effect until 2022. Seniors would accept a similar gradual alteration to Medicare, Republicans say.

The savings to the federal budget would depend on how much the age is lifted and how quickly. While Boehner’s proposal doesn’t offer specifics, House Republicans called for increasing eligibility to age 67 in their fiscal 2013 budget. Medicare spending would be cut $148 billion over a decade if eligibility increased two months each year to age 67 in 2027.

Savings to the government would accumulate slowly as Medicare begins paying benefits to fewer people. The Treasury would collect more in Medicare payroll taxes because many seniors previously eligible for the program would keep working instead, to retain their health insurance. By 2035, the change would reduce projected Medicare spending by 5 percent, according to the CBO.

Government spending would increase elsewhere as many erstwhile Medicare beneficiaries become eligible for other health-care programs. Some would join Medicaid, the federal-state insurance program for the poor. Others would receive subsidies to buy private coverage under Obama’s health-care overhaul, the Affordable Care Act. That would reduce the federal government’s net savings to $113 billion, the CBO said.

Uninsured numbers to rise

The number of uninsured people would go up, Keckley said, because some seniors would forgo purchasing insurance and wouldn’t be eligible for Medicaid, particularly in states that decline to expand that program.

Two-thirds of seniors would see their health-care bills climb by $2,200 if lawmakers immediately raised the age to 67, according to a study last year by the Kaiser Family Foundation of Menlo Park, Calif. Employers’ costs would grow by about $4.5 billion, Kaiser said, because their health plans would cover more elderly workers with health problems.

Former Congressional Budget Office Director Douglas Holtz-Eakin said that shouldn’t be a concern.

“I don’t see why it’s a presumption that the federal government should pay for everyone’s health care,” said Holtz-Eakin, a one-time adviser to President George W. Bush. “The real cost shift is when people go on Medicare and make everybody else pay for their health care.”

The proposal would squeeze spending on some of Medicare’s cheapest beneficiaries — younger recipients tend to be healthier so they place fewer demands on the program — without addressing older, more expensive seniors.

Average Medicare spending among those between the ages of 65 and 75 amounted to $5,887 in 2006, according to Kaiser. The program spent more than twice that, $12,059, on those ages 85 and over.

Spending on those in their last year of life represented 28 percent of all Medicare costs in 1999, according to the program’s actuaries.

AARP, the advocacy group for the elderly, sent volunteers yesterday to warn lawmakers of the additional costs.

“There are lots of other things we can do to reduce health-care costs without passing the buck onto beneficiaries,” said Rep. Chris Van Hollen, D-Md.

HOWELL, MICH.: Authorities say burglars have broken into more than 40 churches in mostly rural areas of Michigan and Ohio since August.

The Detroit Free Press reports Friday that break-ins have been reported in Michigan’s Lenawee, Monroe, Washtenaw, Hillsdale, Livingston and Genesee counties, as well as Fulton County, Ohio, near the states’ border.

Police believe the burglaries are connected and may have been committed by the same thieves. Churches in Lenawee, Monroe, Washtenaw, Hillsdale, Livingston and Genesee counties, as well as Fulton County, Ohio, near the Michigan border, have been hit.

Most of the churches targeted didn’t have security systems, and thieves got in by prying open windows and doors. They’ve ransacked offices, rifled through drawers and forced open safes. Officials say they’ve gotten away with cash, change or sometimes nothing.

Author shares nostalgic tales 
of Christmases in Cleveland

He’s right there on the cover, as you’d expect of a book called Cleveland Christmas Memories. Mr. Jingeling, the Keeper of Santa’s Keys, has an entire chapter of Gail Ghetia Bellamy’s nostalgic book, including the original lyrics to his theme song (the revision added that Mr. Jingeling could be found “on Halle’s seventh floor.”)

There’s much, much more to this sweet, photo-filled book, and Bellamy includes the reminiscences of more than 100 contributors who recalled shopping at downtown department stores (many as children who bought gifts at Higbee’s Twigbee Shop), parades and local delicacies like Hough Bakeries’ cakes.

Some memories reflect the ethnic diversity of Cleveland’s population, as author Erin O’Brien describes her grandmother’s Hungarian jellied pig’s feet as a “dish with very low curb appeal,” Italian families observe the Feast of the Seven Fishes, and Poles and Slovaks serve their Wigilia and Bubulki dinners. Bellamy’s family contributes stories, including one excerpted from a 1951 Cleveland News column written by the author’s mother, in which she depicts a catastrophic cookie-making session with 2-year-old Gail.

Cleveland Christmas Memories (123 pages, softcover) costs $17.95 from Gray & Co. Gail Ghetia Bellamy also wrote Cleveland Food Memories.

Bellamy will sign her book at the Brooklyn branch of the Cuyahoga County Public Library (4480 Ridge Road), 7 to 8 p.m. Monday; at the Bay Village branch (502 Cahoon Road), 7 to 8:30 p.m. Thursday; and at the North Royalton branch (14600 State Road), 2 to 3:30 p.m. Saturday.

Building a canal boat

The appreciation of the rich canal history of Northeastern Ohio has led to restoration of old locks, forming recreation and entertainment venues, and preservation of buildings like the Mustill Store at Lock 15 of Akron’s Cascade Locks Park. But what of the boats? In Building the St. Helena II, Carroll M. Gantz tells of the efforts to construct the first authentic replica of a 19th-century canal boat.

Work began in 1966. Gantz recounts the financial, political and physical hurdles that had to be crossed to get the project going, and the author enters the picture in the planning stage. The original St. Helena, which operated in Canal Fulton from 1858 to 1933, inspired the name of the new boat, which served from 1970 until it was replaced by the St. Helena III in 1992.

Building the St. Helena II (144 pages, hardcover), an engrossing salute to historical preservation and community cooperation, costs $29.95 from Kent State University Press.

The book will be for sale at Cascade Lock Park’s holiday open house from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. Saturday at the Mustill Store, 248 Ferndale, St. Mary McClure (High Bridge Glens of Cuyahoga Falls), Boone Triplett (Canals of Ohio: A History and Tour Guide; The Bizarro Book of U.S. Presidents), Jeri Holland (Murder & Mayhem in Akron and Summit County), and Lisa Abraham (Famous Chefs and Fabulous Recipes) will sign their works; Gantz will not be present.

Events

Ss. Robert and William Church (351 E. 260th St., Euclid) — Cuyahoga Falls resident Lee Friend signs Sister Said, her memoir of Catholic school, in the church’s gift shop at 12:30 p.m. today.

Ohio Theatre (Playhouse Square, 1511 Euclid Ave., Cleveland) — Best-selling political satirist (Don’t Vote — It Just Encourages the Bastards) P.J. O’Rourke continues the Town Hall Speaker Series, 6 p.m. Monday. $45; call 216-241-1919.

Akron-Summit County Public Library (Norton branch, 3930 Cleveland-Massillon Road) — The Friends of Norton Branch Library annual meeting is followed by Kachina Riley, who speaks about her book Tattered Phoenix, 6:30 to 8 p.m. Monday.

Akron-Summit County Public Library (Green branch, 4046 Massillon Road, Uniontown) — Lisa Abraham signs Famous Chefs and Fabulous Recipes at 6:30 p.m. Wednesday. Registration requested; call 330-896-9074.

Mac’s Backs (1820 Coventry Road, Cleveland Heights) — Poets Diane Borsenik, Bonnie de Blas and John Burroughs read from their work, 7 to 9 p.m. Wednesday.

Cleveland Public Library (325 Superior Ave. NE) — Connie Schultz discusses and signs … And His Lovely Wife, noon Thursday; Laura Taxel signs her book (with Marilou Suszko) Cleveland’s West Side Market, 2 to 3 p.m. Saturday.

Stow-Munroe Falls Public Library (3512 Darrow Road, Stow) — Charlotte Marky appears as part of the Living History speaker series and talks about escaping communist Hungary in the 1950s, signing her book Journey to Freedom, 7 p.m. Thursday.

Loganberry Books (13015 Larchmere Blvd., Shaker Heights) — Thea Gallo Becker signs Legendary Locals of Cleveland, 7 p.m. Friday.

Berean Christian Store (143 Rothrock Road, Copley Township) — Stow resident Melissa Staehli signs her picture book Charlie’s Gingerbread House, 11 a.m. Saturday.

Books-A-Million (6727 Portage Road, North Canton) — Robert Spirko signs his spy thriller The Palestine Conspiracy, 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. Saturday.

Barnes & Noble (28801 Chagrin Blvd., Woodmere) — Maria Isabella discusses and signs In the Kitchen with Cleveland’s Favorite Chefs, 1 p.m. Saturday.

— Barbara McIntyre

Special to the Beacon Journal

Send information about books of local interest to Lynne Sherwin, Features Department, Akron Beacon Journal, P.O. Box 640, Akron, OH 44309 or lsherwin@thebeaconjournal.com. Event notices should be sent at least two weeks in advance.

For years, LaTisha Styles gained weight every holiday season — as much as 10 pounds.

From office parties to holiday parties to her kitchen at home, sweet temptations were a constant of the season: the chocolates, pies, macaroni and cheese.

“I am in charge of the sweet potato pie and we had a few in the house, and honestly, one year, I went through a half a pie cutting and slicing a little taste here and there,” Styles said.

In a pattern familiar to many Americans, Styles expanded her waistline during the last couple of months of the year. And then she started the new year with a serious diet to shed the holiday pounds.

But a couple of years ago, Styles, now 29, started taking a different approach to the holidays by exercising more and being more mindful of her eating. It’s the sort of strategy experts embrace.

Styles’ goal is simple: Come Jan. 1 when she gets on the scale, she will weigh what she does today.

“I used to slow down this time of year,” said Styles, who lives in Atlanta and works as a database analyst, “but I want to keep things more even-keeled and not be so far behind in being in shape after the holidays.”

During the weeks between Thanksgiving and New Year’s, nibbling on chocolates, sugar cookies, pumpkin pie seems to be a way of life.

The good news is it may not be as bad you think. The average American gains about 1 pound during the winter holiday season, far less than the 5-8 pounds commonly believed, according to the National Institutes of Health.

But the bad news is that people often don’t lose the weight and it can pile on over the years. People who are overweight are more likely to gain 5 pounds during the holidays, according to the NIH.

Experts agree it’s perfectly fine — even healthy — to indulge during the holidays; just don’t go bonkers. And don’t starve yourself or skip meals because that only sets you up for grabbing the closest plate of brownies.

Dr. Stacy Mobley, a naturopathic doctor in Atlanta, suggests eating hummus and vegetable sticks and drinking a glass of water before leaving the house.

“That way, you can go to the party and you can socialize and catch up with people instead of being in this ‘feed me’ mode,” Mobley said.

When you’re at a holiday party, scan the table of delicacies to decide which three high-calorie foods you really want. Devote half of your plate to waistline-friendly choices such as fruits and vegetables.

Lanier Dabruzzi, a nutrition affairs manager for the Southeast Dairy Association, said one way to ensure the party offers at least one guilt-free treat is to bring one yourself.

And remember, all of those bites of food (broken Christmas cookies included) really do count. So do the wine, soft drinks and eggnog (which can pack 400 calories in one mug).

Another way to stave off weight gain is by exercising. Mobley said a little exercise — as little as a 10-minute walk around the neighborhood — can go a long way with keeping on track.

“People think of exercising as going to the gym,” Mobley said. “But it can be as easy as walking around the house for 10 minutes or playing with your kids and grandkids — they will love it, and before you know it, it will add up to 30 minutes in one day.” At the same time, don’t forget to get enough sleep. When you are sleepy, you are more likely to grab food for an energy boost.

Meanwhile, Styles is running four days a week instead of two, and said she finds herself less tempted to overdo it.

“When you run, you have that sense of accomplishment and you feel on top of the world, and then when you see something heavy with honey dripping on it, you don’t have that urge as much to eat it,” Styles said.

She still eats sweet potato pie but limits herself to one slice.

“This way, I can be bathing suit ready all year long,” she said.

Indulge with care

Tips for keeping holiday eating under control:

• Plan ahead: Before you go to the mall, slip a cheese stick and carrot sticks, or another low-fat snack, into your purse to fight off temptations in the food court.

• If you are going to a party, eat small, healthy meals beforehand such as a low-fat sandwich for lunch.

• Never go to a party hungry. Take the edge off by eating a healthy snack such as apple slices, yogurt or vegetable soup.

• Drink plenty of water. And drink a glass before the party to help fill you up.

• Bring your own guilt-free dish to a party.

• Use a small plate so it looks full.

• Remember, you can eat whatever you’d like, as long as it’s in moderation.

• Don’t drink your calories. Consume alcohol in moderation, if at all.

• Don’t hang out by the buffet table. Chatting beside it will only tempt you to graze.

• If you want dessert, eat fewer calories during dinner and eat only the desserts you really want.

• Before going back for seconds, wait 20 minutes for your food to “settle.” You might feel full and lose interest in more munching.