Boston Brick & Stone's online newsletter for February 2018
THE MASONRY MONTHLY
FEBRUARY 2018
2005 Lincoln Ave., Pasadena, CA 91103 | 626-296-7700 | www.bostonbrick.com
BE MINE
The History of February’s Most Charming Candies
It’s Valentine’s Day, and love is in the air. The birds are singing in a manic frenzy, doting romantics are plucking red roses by the fistful, and Cupid is practically blotting out the sun with a flurry of arrows.
profitable enterprise: candymaking. Over the next 60 years, the popularity of these little candies exploded, forming the basis for the New England Confectionary Company, otherwise known as Necco. As Chase’s company grew alongside his riches, his brother began to wonder how he could get in on the action. Not to be outdone, he invented his own machine in 1866, designed to print red vegetable dye onto the Necco dough and cut the candies into shapes. They were an immediate hit. People loved their witty mottos like, “MARRIED IN WHITE, YOU HAVE CHOSEN RIGHT.” In 1902, Necco began to manufacture the candies in their signature heart shape, and over time, the sayings were condensed to match their small size.
Or, at the very least, there’s a lot of candy flying off the shelves. Approximately $448 million worth of it, according to History.com. Chocolate may lead the pack in sheer poundage — 58 million pounds over the course of V-Day week, to be exact — but there’s no more iconic candy than Necco’s signature Sweethearts candies. The chalky, cheeky little buggers have been helping shy romantics articulate their aspirations for 151 years, and they’re a bona fide force of nature. These days, a staggering 8 billion Sweethearts are produced annually, at a rate of about 100,000 pounds a day. But how did these flavorless, yet eternally charming, treats come to be? In the mid-19th century, people were going crazy for apothecary lozenges called troches, small tablets made by hand with a smidgen of a medicinal substance and a dried, sugary paste. To capitalize on this trend, Boston pharmacist Oliver Chase spent hours devising a primitive machine that could cut down on the manual labor involved in manufacturing troches, expertly rolling the “dough” into tubes and chopping it into perfect wafers. Within a year or two, he’d abandoned his pharmaceutical leanings for a much more
Now, the hearts contain dozens of phrases, and they’re updated with new ones every year. Gone are the wafers reading “FAX ME.” They’ve been replaced by “TXT ME,” “#LOVE,” and “TWEET ME.” Whether you love or hate the sandy, goofy Sweethearts, it’s clear they’re not going anywhere anytime soon.
Dave Laverdiere
www.bostonbrick.com |
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Education in the Kitchen What Your Child Can Learn From Baking
With Valentine’s Day right around the corner, you’re probably wracking your brain for the perfect recipe to bake for your loved one. There’s nothing wrong with store-bought chocolate, but there’s no topping the personal touch of some homemade baked goods. If you have kids, baking alongside them can be just as rewarding as enjoying the fruits of your labor. As an added bonus, baking is a hands-on opportunity where your child can learn all sorts of important concepts. Here is a short list of some of the educational lessons hiding in your kitchen. Math Baking is a numbers game. Just take a look at any recipe, and you’ll recognize the importance of math in building a beautiful cake. Having children measure out ingredients helps them learn about fractions and ratios. You can also test your kids by doubling or halving a recipe for multiplication and division practice. With older kids, practice unit conversions by asking, for example, how many pints are in half a gallon. Following Directions
separately and then folded together. It only takes one deviation from the instructions for a pastry to go from delicious to disgusting. Spending time in the kitchen, then, is a great way for kids to learn the importance of reading directions carefully and comprehending what they’ve just read. Cultural Understanding Cuisine is a fundamental part of every culture. Introducing your child to dishes from around the world will expand their horizons. Want your child to be a less picky eater? Involving them in the cooking process is the surest way to get them excited about trying new flavors and ingredients. Nutrition Now, you might not think that baking cookies will encourage greater nutritional awareness, but hear us out. Sugar is often buried within packaged foods. When you bake something at home, a child gets to see, firsthand, just how much sugar goes into certain sweets. Meanwhile, cooking savory dishes also allows them to learn what constitutes a balanced, healthy diet. TESTIMONIALS “We recently purchased a home, and during the routine inspections, we found out that the whole chimney system (two fireplaces) needed an overhaul to bring it up to code and make it safe for use. We contacted BB&S (an independent inspector recommended them) and found them professional and on it from the first call to when the job was completed. Dealing with Keivin and his team was a breeze. He reviewed the inspection report, outlined the work needed (and recommended), and took me through the cost. The job — a rather large one — was booked, and true to their word, the team arrived each day on time, worked diligently, and finished a day ahead of schedule. “Knowing nothing about chimneys myself, you have to take a lot on faith. In this instance, my faith in Keivin and the team was well placed. On completion, Keivin took me through each precise point of the repairs and checked off the work list. “A truly professional company, and we will be calling them back to maintain and upgrade screens when the time comes.” –Andy H.
Not unlike computer science, baking requires a strict order of operations. The wet and dry ingredients often need to be mixed
CHIMNEY
•Inspection •Restoration and repair •Construction •Sweeping
FIREPLACE
•Inspection, restoration, or repair of an existing structure •Installation or reconstruction of new structures
HARDSCAPE
•Backyard patios •Outdoor kitchens and barbecues •Outdoor steps, walkways, and paths •Retaining walls •Outdoor fireplaces •Driveways
HISTORICAL RESTORATION Our previous restoration work includes:
•Restoration of the main lobby chimney system of the El Tovar Hotel on the Grand Canyon’s South Rim. •Repair and restoration of chimneys in 56 original historic cabins on the Grand Canyon’s North Rim. •Historical chimney restoration for the lodge in Bryce Canyon National Park. •Faithful restoration of the chimneys on the Nottingham and Arden properties in Beverly Hills.
BRICK RESTORATION AND CONSTRUCTION DRIVEWAY CONSTRUCTION
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& CHIMNEY Damage
Answers on FIREPLACE
If you’re considering purchasing an old home that has a damaged fireplace or chimney, or if your current fireplace is damaged, it’s good to have it looked at right away. You may wonder what you need to do or why you might need to have it inspected. Here are some answers to common questions about fireplace and chimney damage. If an older home has an unused fireplace, is that bad? When an older home has a fireplace that’s been unused, you can usually assume that something is wrong with it. If a chimney is unused for a span of time, it can develop even more problems. The best thing for you to do is to thoroughly inspect the chimney. If you happen to find any problems such as cracks, weathering, or obstructions, contact a professional.
chimneys were built began to change. At the time, most of them were not reinforced. They had lime and ash mortar and didn’t have a flue liner. The mortar they used wasn’t very reliable, and if you happen to have this type of chimney, it’s a possible safety hazard. Is a cracked chimney worrisome? Bluntly, yes. A cracked chimney could lead to a number of problems in your home, and could even threaten the well-being of your family. The crack could mean that your chimney is falling apart and it’s highly likely that it could collapse. A chimney is supposed to let toxic fumes escape your house, but if there is a crack, those toxic fumes could enter your home.
Can I burn gas in my damaged fireplace and chimney system?
Absolutely not. When you have a damaged fireplace and chimney system, you shouldn’t use it until it’s fixed. Of the fires investigated, over 60% were caused by gas alone. The reason why gas is more likely to cause problems is because, unlike a wood-burning fireplace, a gas fire can keep a constant temperature. They are often forgotten and left unattended for long periods of time, which can be dangerous.
Why recommend inspections for chimneys built before 1940? Before 1940, chimneys weren’t made as soundly as they are in modern times. After the Long Beach earthquake in 1933, the way
MEME CORNER
Bacon-Wrapped Tater Tot Bombs
Sure, your showoff pal can wrap a tater tot with a piece of bacon and call it “The Daniel,” but you can take it a step further. Prepare a couple batches of these savory snacks for your Super Bowl party or the next family get- together. Snag a few for yourself before they disappear!
Ingredients
• 2 cups frozen tater tots, defrosted • 1 ounce sharp cheddar, cut into 1/4-inch squares
• 4 slices bacon, quartered • 1/4 cup brown sugar • 1 tablespoon chopped parsley
Directions
1. Heat oven to 400 F. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper and set aside. 2. Press a cheese square into each tot, then wrap with a piece of bacon. Dredge each tot in brown sugar. 3. Place tots seam side down on baking sheet. Bake for 20–25 minutes, using metal tongs to turn halfway through. 4. Garnish with parsley, if desired, and serve immediately.
(Recipe inspired by ThisGrandmaIsFun.com
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SERVING THE GREATER LOS ANGELES AREA
PRST STD US POSTAGE PAID BOISE, ID PERMIT 411
2005 Lincoln Ave., Pasadena, CA 91103 | 626-296-7700 | www.bostonbrick.com
Meet NECCO’s Sweethearts INSIDE page 1
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Cook Your Way to Better Grades
page 2
Testimonials
page 3
3 Fireplace Questions Answered
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Not Sure What to Bring to the Super Bowl Party?
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The Most Romantic Destinations on Earth
Valentine’s Day is for fancy dinners, heart-shaped boxes packed with subpar chocolates, and fantasizing about the magical places you and your beau would have escaped to — if only you had the PTO. So, grab a glass of bottom-shelf cab sauv, cuddle up next to your special someone, and try to make them feel bad for taking you to Chili’s instead of whisking you away to one of these picturesque fantasy lands. Udaipur, India These days, meandering through the cobblestone streets of Paris with your loved one is très passé . All the real high-rolling romantics are migrating southeast to the famous Oberoi Udaivilas hotel in western India. Set in a traditional Mewari palace, visitors will feel like royalty as they stroll around the labyrinthine gardens that surround the elaborate cream-colored structure. Travelers can relax beside one of the many glassy pools sprinkled throughout the estate, all of which are enthusiastically attended by an unparalleled service staff. Positano, Italy More than perhaps anywhere in the world, this place looks like it was lifted straight from a sappy romance novelist’s imagination. You and your partner can kick back on a balcony overlooking the entirety of this Valentine’s Getaways The Best to Fantasize About
seaside town, taking in the century-old multicolored Italian architecture perched precariously on the verdant mountainside. Too small to accommodate swarms of tourists, it’s the perfect place to while away the hours ambling from shop to shop, sampling the delicious local cuisine, and maybe taking a dip along the 300-meter beach. The Maldives From a water villa smack dab in the midst of the glassy, ultra-blue Indian Ocean, you and your main squeeze can enjoy utter seclusion. Sip champagne in the shade of a palm overlooking an otherworldly sunset or get a little more adventurous, strap on a mask, and check out the abundant aquatic wildlife. Many hotels in the area even include access to an array of boats, perfect for your own private excursion along the mild waves. Of course, you could also always just stare, dumbfounded, into the horizon, wondering how such a place could actually exist on Earth.
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