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SCHENECTADY
Legislator shares love of cheese on TV
Santabarbara demonstrates parents’ recipe on ‘Let’s Cook’
BY JUSTIN MASON Gazette Reporter

    Angelo Santabarbara may not be a big cheese in county politics yet, but the freshman legislator from Rotterdam certainly knows how to produce his fair share of the dairy staple.
    The first-generation Italian-American will feature his cheesemaking prowess on “Let’s Cook,” a popular home-cooking program hosted by Delores Scalise on Schenectady’s public access TV station. Santabarbara spent Tuesday afternoon at Channel 16’s Broadway studio, demonstrating a recipe his parents brought to Schenectady County from the old country decades ago.
    “My parents did this all the time when I was a little boy,” he said after filming the segment, which will air at 7:30 tonight. “It always tastes better when you make it yourself.”
    During the show, the District 4 Republican demonstrates turning about two gallons of fresh milk into “basket cheese.” The mild, often soft-textured cheese is used in traditional Italian Easter dishes.
    “It’s all about keeping a tradition alive,” he said. “One of these days, I want to teach my own children how to do this.”
    Basket cheese is formed when rennet — a liquid or powder enzymatic additive — separates fresh cream into cheese curd and whey. After several hours, the whey is drained off and the curd is packed into a basket.
    The baskets are refrigerated for several hours, leaving a cheese that is similar to fresh mozzarella, a cheese made using a much different process. Santabarbara said the basket cheese is ideal for serving over fresh tomatoes with basil or added to pasta with sauce.
    The cheese can also be topped with salt and stored for several weeks to create a hard cheese. Santabarbara said this cheese is ideal for grating.
    The process of making basket cheese probably began in antiquity, when fresh milk was stored in animal stomach linings. Residual enzymes in the lining sometimes had a curdling effect.
    Though they didn’t know each other in the old country, both Santabarbara’s parents immigrated to the United States from a small town outside of Naples during the 1970s. His father, also named Angelo Santabarbara, fondly recalled preparing the recipe on his family’s farm using cream milked from their cows.
    “We’ve been doing it generation after generation,” he said.
    The younger Santabarbara approached Scalise earlier this month about featuring his family’s traditional process on her cooking show, which often demonstrates classical Italian dishes. Scalise said the idea seemed to fit well with both the time of year and the theme of her show.
    “It is an art,” she said of the cheesemaking. “It’s something not too many people do these days.”
    In keeping with the concept of tradition, Santabarbara even visited Seven View Farm in Duanesburg over the weekend to gather his own milk for the cheese. During the show, farmer Seymour VanderVeen guides Santabarbara through the process of milking a cow.
    “It was quite an experience,” he said.
Reach Gazette reporter
Justin Mason at 395-3113 or
jmason@dailygazette.net.

ANA N. ZANGRONIZ/GAZETTE PHOTOGRAPHER Angelo Santabarbara grates basket cheese onto a pasta dish Tuesday alongside Delores Scalise on the set of “Let’s Cook” at SACTV in Schenectady.

I guess this is a nice personal/community/political touch....I guess!?! :-/

Surhada makes candy and SantaBarbara makes cheese.  How about helping the taxpayers by rolling up your sleeves and doing what you were elected to do.  Work for us.  Not these egomaniacs!!!!

I think this article showed an important, and forgotten, tradition...How can anyone criticize him for this?!

Look if it were SantaBarbara's Mom or Dad I would not be so jaded but.... as stated Surhada makes candy and spews venom, Griesemer makes fish and does Tomassone's bidding, Parisi and Saccocicio make pizza and then shackle the taxpayers with out of scope charges, Amedore makes houses, wears nice suits and does what????? SantaBarbara makes cheese and votes no, no, no, no without ever explaining his vote, (but that boy can make a helluva cheese!)  The Republicans are shameless at self promotion and ego satisfying hype on what great legislators and key political leaders they are.  What a sham!  And they all stoop to bow to the shameless of them all.  The holyier than though, next comimg of Jesus Christ, never met a camara he didn't like, Lou Dobbs regular contributor, none other than Jimmy A. Tedisco
  
Just my observations.

You have to admit that the Dems jump in front of the camera or get their picture in the Gazette every chance they get as well so one party is as bad as the other. As we've stated b4 on this site the present system of government is broke and desperately needs to be overhauled completely.

The Dems bring substance, ideas and potential solutions.  The Reps bring negativity, finger pointing, grandstanding and DIRT!  This is just the plain facts in Rotterdam, Schenectady and NYS.  What has Tomassone, mertz, signore, surhada,santabarbara, della villa, amedore, tedisco done besides cash their checks, look for more money in thier pockets and rail against hard working professionals?  That is the sham!!!!  Critisize, critique, balme, blast away.  But they can make cheese, candy, fish, houses, pizza and the false sense they have delivered.  Hey I call em the way I see em.  These guys have been dismal and the voters will heed the call for results and change!  Mark my words..........

What did the Dems bring Rotterdam when they were in power besides the Reval. Rotterdam hasn't changed the way they run the town in 50 years and it didn't seem to matter who was in control. Constantino brought us corruption and child abuse. I'm not a fan of how Rotterdam is being run but you have to be fair and tell both sides of the story.

Quoted from PDQ

The Dems bring substance, ideas and potential solutions.  The Reps bring negativity, finger pointing, grandstanding and DIRT!  This is just the plain facts in Rotterdam, Schenectady and NYS.  What has Tomassone, mertz, signore, surhada,santabarbara, della villa, amedore, tedisco done besides cash their checks, look for more money in thier pockets and rail against hard working professionals?  That is the sham!!!!  Critisize, critique, balme, blast away.  But they can make cheese, candy, fish, houses, pizza and the false sense they have delivered.  Hey I call em the way I see em.  These guys have been dismal and the voters will heed the call for results and change!  Mark my words..........

I'm starting to get tired of the Dems vs. Reps political dialog.  Both parties represent the same ideas.  Politicians from both parties believe government is here to solve all the problems of the people.  Substance, ideas and potential solutions = government programs, government patronage jobs and higher taxes.  I can go and name local democrats who have done nothing for Schenectady County or upstate New York, but I'm not going to waste my breath. Sure.....Dems have had more if not all of their proposed policies passed  in Schenectady County, even if they had to steal those ideas from their political counterparts and sell them as their own.  That's because they hold the majority.   Statistics speak for themselves.  Don't forget, Schenectady County is the 8th highest taxed in the NATION.  I don't know how any of these politicians can take credit for anything,,,,,they've done nothing.  Especially the party that holds the majority.  

Maybe they all should try doing less.  Smaller government, less government programs, less taxation.  What a radical idea.

I honestly can't tell the difference between the partys any more! And where are the 'good' candidates? There are none to be found.

We can complain about the dems, but we had a rep for a governor and NOTHING CHANGED.

We can complain about the reps, but we have had dems in power of the county for years and as Cicero stated...we are the eigth highest taxed in the nation.

Neither party REALLY listens to the residents. They are all self serving. They don't know what the word service means.

Perhaps it is time for a new party case these two just ain't cuttin' it anymore!

The system has had too much 'stuffing'----ya know stuff this law here, it might be covered; stuff this program here, it might work,,,and the public is NEVER told that their crying and bantering for government involvement is actually bad medicine.......WHERE ARE THOSE LEADERS------none of them could stand not being voted for class president........

Honestly, Angelo Santabarbara seems to be a nice enough guy. But I really don't see this whole 'cheese thing' as grabbing the people's interest. I mean what was the purpose here? It's not a 'bad' thing, just not necessary, IMHO. I would rather have seen him on Channel 16 discussing his plans for change as opposed to making cheese. Again..just my opinion, here.

He is a known figure now.....he can promote the local little tv station......this 'promotion' may boost the city arts stuff and connect with Proctors and their actors......maybe Hollywood will be next(save me if it so).......

I know Angelo Santabarbara.  I met him during his campaign for the Schenectady County Legislature.  I did not know him prior to the campaign.  After speaking with him extensively about his personal values and his political ideology, I offered to support his campaign.  I assisted Angelo (and Carolina Lazzari) in his write-in campaign to win the Conservative Party endorsement, which he rightfully won because of both his message to the voters and his hard work.  I have met his family and know that he comes from a good, upstanding, and hard working people.

The man was sworn into office in January 2008, barely TWO MONTHS AGO.  Angelo has attended many community events that have been held in the Town of Duanesburg both prior to and since his election.  He has not abandoned or forgotten those who he was elected to serve like so many politicians do.  Those of us in the Town of Duanesburg have seldom seen Legislator Dagastino over the past two years or newly elected Legislator Jasenski since his recent election, despite their responsibility to represent the people of District 4.

For people to be critical of politicians is understandable given the state of affairs in our county, our state, and our nation.  However, I would suggest to all that you consider giving Mr. Santabarbara the benefit of a doubt.  I stand squarely behind him and will continue to do so as long as he governs according to the conservative principles on which he campaigned.

Angelo Santabarbara, Carolina Lazzari, and Joe Suhrada are ALL people of integrity who genuinely care for the residents who they serve(d).  Ms. Lazzari and Mr. Suhrada have been targets of slander campaigns because they are/were not intimidated by the Democratic party that has a monopoly on power in the City of Schenectady and in Schenectady County.

As for PDQ, you are a partisan fool.  (I will say what the others on this board won't).  Until and unless you can discuss issues, few here will take you or your postings seriously.  Behind the anonimity of your screen name is a Democratic party insider; either a party leader or the relative of an elected Democratic politician.  Come out from behind your screen name and make yourself known so that all will understand your perspective and objectives.

To my other friends on this forum, those with whom I agree as well as those with who I occasionally disagree, I apologize for the tone of this post.  However, I will not stand idley by and allow a newcomer and intentional troublemaker to spew his unfounded nonsense without comment.

PDQ---let's hear your platform......I'm all screen......and when I say hear your platform, I dont just mean listen to it and say no no no or yes yes yes.....I mean I will pick it appart just like I would my own mind......

I basically just ignore PDQ! And obviously no one on this message board takes him/her seriously to say the least. We all know he/she is a democratic hack. That was a no-brainer!!!

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(I will say what the others on this board won't).

The only reason you didn't see what I wrote is because the built in censors translated everything to "you &@(*$&$(*^&@$^ piece of *$^%*($Y^."  It got lost in the transaction, so I deleted the entry.

Mr. PDQ&^%*$^()*^)(    Attack the issues, not the person - that's a familiar mantra on another local forum. It seems to work well there, and in real life.

My platform is that I am a taxpayer who is not happy with the do-nothing Republicans in this county, town and state.  What has any of them done to make for a better quality of life for my kids?  Where's the park on W.Campbell that Tomassone and Mertz touted??? Any one with half an ounce of integrity knows that Tomassone's tax decrease was a result of the re-val.  Where is the Republican economic development????  The county Dems have done more for the economic development of this Town than Tomassone, Mertz and Siggy could ever dream of.  Where is the "open" government???  You go to Town Hall and you never see Tomassone or any of them there.  Too busy with their own patronage jobs in the county and state goverments.

When the going gets tough they spew venom about Constantino.  Your former Republican County Chairman (Tebano) is also a child abuser.  You whip Ed Kosiur about his educational background yet George Amedore has no more than a High School diploma.  Hey I like a fair fight and most of you Republican sympathizers are nothing more than common hypocrites who can't handle the political pressures associated with being elected leaders.

Get used to it because there is a change coming and everything is fair game.  Patronage, education, residency, legal fees, budget gimmicks, FBI investagations, no-show jobs, bid-rigging, conflicts of interests, questionable contracts, unpaid taxes, late campaign filings, intimidation, to name a few issues.  Buckle in Republicans there is a new wave of discontent brewing and his name is "Reggie Hammond."  ROTFLMAO    

What do you mean by "do nothing republicans"??  Does doing nothing mean not signing police contracts that pay your cop buddy's $90K a year to retire?  Or have the school board cave to the teacher demands and give them a over inflated contract?  Or keep an incompetent assessor in a position because his daddy is some sort of town folk hero.  Please PDQ, your overt bias for democrats is shameless.  Instead of telling all of those who read this forum the Republican short comings, tell them ideas which democrats have enacted or proposing, and it's proven success.  And please.....be specific.    

LOL  Cicero take off the rose colored glasses.  Tomassone, Buchanan and Surhada will go down in the annals of Rotterdam politics as being the least effective leaders of either party.  Steve Tomassone's administration is no better than Joe Signore's.  Two terms and out.  John Mertz tasted a nasty defeat at the hands of Tonko that doesn't bode well for re-election and Signore has been reduced to emptying garbage cans at the county jail and has the nerve to seek a pay raise.  Maybe Joe should consider the empty soda cans in the County dumpsters to supplement his income instead of saddling the taxpayers with that golden nugget.

How about the inflated raise in salary for Town Hall staff and elected officials, in particular an assessor who needs a road map, telephone book and a lesson in whose is who to get through his daily routine.

The Democrats brought stabilty, knowledge, history, along with a feeling of togetherness.  This crew craps all over our Town Clerk, employs people based on political leanings and lacks the integrity that the Democrats brought to make the Town of Rotterdam a Nice Place to Live.

I have no use for Steve Tomassone and crew because as a new resident to this town, I don't trust them!  Tomassone and Mertz and Signore promised they would deep six the reval and all they did was make a decent family man with a family the scapegoat and put him on the street!  I don't even know the man's father or him but I find some compassion for a guy just trying to do his job.  

Oh and how about DellaVilla's invovlement with the Schalmont teachers contract?  Is that fair game for future campaigns?  The retirement clause for the Rotterdam police was in place long before Rick Collins retired.  In my opinion John Mertz got too emotionally invovled with that based on his "friendship" with Collin's brother-in-law, none other than Mike Griesemer.  

So again Cicero, do your homework and admit you have a different "interpretation" of what is real!!!!

You can always move to Guilderland if you don't like it here.

Quoted from PDQ

Tomassone and Mertz and Signore promised they would deep six the reval and all they did was make a decent family man with a family the scapegoat and put him on the street!  I don't even know the man's father or him but I find some compassion for a guy just trying to do his job.  

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Well Cicero the Town of Rotterdam residents are not accounts.  Rotterdam employees do their best to be exceptional public servants.  Mr. Macejka is a trained professional who obviously enforced the rules that he swore to uphold to the best of his ability.  The man was a prominent fixture in town hall following the distinguished career of his Dad. You might want to check your obviously big ego at the door the next time you visit Town Hall.  These are under paid human beings just trying to survive the daily grind of waiting on people of your ilk.  Get a frickin life!!!

You don't know his father, yet you know his father had a distinguished career.  Interesting. :-/  

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The Democrats brought stabilty, knowledge, history, along with a feeling of togetherness.

Do you mean stability and knowledge like Jimmy Constantino taking kick backs from Timmy Larned stability and knowlege.  Or Jimmy Constantino fondling    of the residents daughters type of togetherness.  Or Paulino's one and done supervisor stint after passing an unpopular town wide reval.  He didn't even have the BALLS to run again and see through what he started.  He jumped ship to take a patronage job for Mayor Sta-sta-sta-Sratton.  Is that the type of stability and togetherness you're talking about.  Or Ms. Marco's choice not to run again, instead excepting a patronage job in the city for Stratton.  How about our former County rep Kent Gray, who left his county seat as Rotterdam's representative for a high paying patronage job appointed by a now legendary governor Mr. Eliot Spitzer. Our state rep Mr. Tonko also left his position as our representative for a high paying patronage job appointed by Mr. Spitzer.  That's dedication to public service.

These people are career politician.  They could care less about those they represent.  They are just biding their time for when their guy/gal gets into a position that can benefit themselves.

Oh you poor, pitiful, bitter man.  I pity the fool who who obsesses over envy.  The people you mention are political institutions that Steve Tomassone and crew will never, ever be mentioned in the same breath.  Steve is a lying buffoon who has shaped an administration built on years of desperate political hyjinks, This is the same guy who publically ripped his own party when the Republicans beat Constantino and company.  I lived in this county for a number of years, was a former republican and watched in horror as he ripped Joe Signore, John deGeorgio, and every appt. Joe S. made.  Steve Tomassone is a passing fancy.  Mertz hates his guts and Buchanan isn't far behind.  Wait and see this one play out Cicero.  Mertz, Tomassone and Signore on the same ticket and same campaign trail???  I can't wait for that charade and the self-destruction that will inevitably ensue.

On another note, I will be out of the loop for a while undergoing major surgery.  See you all soon and keep up the good fight!  I know I will!!

I envy nobody.  Especially those who are forever linked to the likes of Eliot Spitzer, like Mr. Gray and Mr. Tonko.  The fallout from the Spitzer, Patterson exploits haven't  been fully felt yet.  That's a lot of fodder to be used during the next election cycle.  Those who once fought for the acknowledgment of Mr. Spitzer will soon be finding ways to disassociate themselves from him.

The self-destruction has begun for the Democrats.  Starting from the top.

Quoted from PDQ

On another note, I will be out of the loop for a while undergoing major surgery.  See you all soon and keep up the good fight!  I know I will!!

While I disagree 100% with your viewpoints and your opinions, Good luck with your surgery.  When you come back I'll finish the battle.

Quoted from PDQ

Oh you poor, pitiful, bitter man.  I pity the fool who who obsesses over envy.  The people you mention are political institutions that Steve Tomassone and crew will never, ever be mentioned in the same breath.  Steve is a lying buffoon who has shaped an administration built on years of desperate political hyjinks, This is the same guy who publically ripped his own party when the Republicans beat Constantino and company.  I lived in this county for a number of years, was a former republican and watched in horror as he ripped Joe Signore, John deGeorgio, and every appt. Joe S. made.  Steve Tomassone is a passing fancy.  Mertz hates his guts and Buchanan isn't far behind.  Wait and see this one play out Cicero.  Mertz, Tomassone and Signore on the same ticket and same campaign trail???  I can't wait for that charade and the self-destruction that will inevitably ensue.

On another note, I will be out of the loop for a while undergoing major surgery.  See you all soon and keep up the good fight!  I know I will!!

WOW! They actually do walk among us!!  And they actually breed and vote!!! OH MY!!!! ;D

Quoted from bumblethru

WOW! The actually do walk among us!!  And they actually breed and vote!!! OH MY!!!! ;D

;D

More politics of hate.  It's exactly these types of comments that facilitate nothing getting done.

The guy, like him or not, is making cheese for crying out loud.

There is a much bigger machine at work in NYS and both parties are tied to it......and we the taxpayers get to pay for our own raping......dont think not a one of these baboons didn't know about the subprime/prostitute rings/drugs/police contracts/teachers contracts etc......our government surely is ineffective(BOTH PARTIES] where they stand......

THOSE WHO CONTROL THE GUNS/TRANSPORTATION/CONTRACTS/ENERGY CONTROL THE MASSES........and they make a good buck off our backs and claim things to run smoother......

Quoted from Michael

More politics of hate.  It's exactly these types of comments that facilitate nothing getting done.

The guy, like him or not, is making cheese for crying out loud.

Everyone has an opinion and a way to get their opinion across. Unfortunately not everyone knows proper, adult, respectable, productive behavior while in the process.

Some people just like to agitate and try and start arguments instead adding another opposing point of view.

http://www.dailygazette.com

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Politician’s family cheese is marketed for charity

    ROTTERDAM — Angelo Santabarbara’s family cheese recipe has drawn enough interest, he’s decided to use it to raise money for charity.
    In the days since the county legislator was featured on Schenectady’s public access TV station, he’s received numerous requests for both the recipe and the fresh-made cheese itself. In response, Santabarbara asked Gerard Parisi, one of the owners of 4 Corners Pizza & Italian Eatery off Guilderland Road, if he’d be interested in featuring samples of the cheese.
    “People were really interested in this cheese,” he said. “You really can’t buy it anywhere.”
    That was until this week, when Santabarbara supplied 4 Corners with about two dozen baskets of the cheese. He said the shop is now keeping both the soft cheese and the hard cheese he displayed on “Let’s Cook,” a popular homecooking program hosted by Delores Scalise. He calls it basket cheese.
    Santabarbara said anyone asking for a sample will be asked to make a contribution to charity. Though he and Parisi haven’t selected a specific one yet, they’re edging toward giving to children’s charity.
    “I figured if people are interested in it, we might as well do it for a good cause,” he said.
    Parisi, who is also Rotterdam’s town attorney, checked with the county health officials and was assured providing the cheese at the store wouldn’t pose an issue. He was unsure how long the cheese will be featured there, but said it will be mainstay as long as it keeps raising money for a good cause.
    “It’s kind of a good match,” he said. “Whatever we sell is a plus for charity.”

Okay! :-/

Oh---the cheese of it......