Today’s BoomeR

Today’s

Vol.2 No.2

Featuring The Only B2B Featuring The Only B2B Featuring The Only B2B ---Business 2 BoomeR Marketplace!Business 2 BoomeR Marketplace!Business 2 BoomeR Marketplace!

Auto Boom for Boomer BuyersAuto Boom for Boomer BuyersAuto Boom for Boomer Buyers 1 Year 1 Year

Anniversary Anniversary

Issue!Issue! Boomer Travel Boomer Travel Save Some $ and Save Some $ and Spring for an Spring for an Early VacationEarly Vacation

Tax Time Tips

Best of Show 2014 Corvette Stingray Best of Show 2014 Corvette Stingray Best of Show 2014 Corvette Stingray & Retro Muscle picks from the & Retro Muscle picks from the & Retro Muscle picks from the

Chicago Auto ShowChicago Auto ShowChicago Auto Show

2 Today’s BoomeR

Up Coming Cruises-

Book Now!

The Hawaii Islands Tropical Exploration 2013

“Credit Union Leadership & Growth Strategies Symposium”

July 20-27, 2013

Paris to Prague River Cruise “Credit Union Leadership Exploration

Symposium” August 16-27, 2013

Grand Mediterranean Odyssey 2013 “Credit Union Leadership Challenges

Symposium” September 15-27, 2013

Today’s BoomeR 3

Founder John Vardallas & Alexandra Maragha

Editor-In-Chief Alexandra Maragha

Contributing Writers :

Karyl Richson: Social Security

Chef Eben Atwater: Healthy Eating

Advertising: Team

For Letters to the Editor, articles and feedback

as well as advertising inquiries email

Alexandra@TheAmericanBoomeR.com

The American BoomeR.com

John Vardallas CAE, CUDE

CEO/Founder Professional Speaker

Business/Lifestyle Strategist

Boomer Sage and Blogger

JohnVardallas@TheAmericanBoomeR.com

(608) 577-8707

Alexandra Maragha

Co-Founder, Editor-In-Chief Today’s BoomeR

Alexandra@TheAmericanBoomeR.com

Today’s BoomeR Vol.2 No.2 Today’s BoomeR is published

six times (Jan/Feb, Mar/Apr, May/ June, July/Aug, Sept/Oct,

Nov/Dec) a year by The American BoomeR.com

769 North Star Drive (Suite 207) Madison, WI 53718 All rights

reserved. Reproduction in whole or in part without permission

is prohibited.

The American Boomer

@American_Boomer

Today’s

This Issue

March / April 2013

Volume 2, Number 2

Boomer Fact or Fiction 5

Boomer Finance 6

New Taxes in 2013: What You’ll Pay

Living Better vs. Longer 8

Tips for Growing Like a Sage With Age

Boomer Travel 9

Spring for an Early Vacation

Social Security 11

Getting Down to Brass Tax

Auto Boom for Boomers 12

Muscle Makers Target Boomers

Boomer Healthy Eating 15

Spring Classics: Lamb n’ Ham

B2B Marketplace 18

Business 2 Boomers Marketplace

4 Today’s BoomeR

(feature) p. 10

p. 4

p. 12

One Year Later...

EDITOR’S LETTER

Today’s

Alexandra Maragha

Editor-In-Chief

Send Letters and Feedback to: Alexandra@theamericanboomer.com

With this issue, we celebrate the one year anniversary of

Today’s BoomeR Digital Magazine! It has been an amazing

first year and we are proud to continue into our second

year! We would like to first thank you; our readers,

subscribers, and advertisers, who have motivated us to

develop relevant content, information and resources and

make each issue better than the last.

This issue we celebrate with fierce cars, flavorful food, fun

travel and a few finance tips for tax time. The 2013 Chicago

Auto Show once again displayed top muscle cars that are

bringing boomers to buy retro muscle cars in 2013. Our

Boomer Healthy Eating explores a variation of traditional

lamb and the world of ham in time for spring. Planning a

vacation any time soon? Your wallet will thank you to spring

for an early vacation in Boomer Travel. Avoid the headache

of tax time and become familiar with tax time tips, from

general questions to mobile apps that will help you get

through April 15.

We look forward to the year ahead and will continue to

provide interesting features, information and resources to

enhance the boomer lifestyle and inspire you with each

issue.

Today’s BoomeR 5

Boomer Boomer Boomer Fact or Fact or Fact or

Fiction? Fiction? Fiction?

Mileage rates for business and medical were increased to

$0.565 and $0.24 respectively. The mileage rate for charity

remains the same at $0.14. -True- Source: Internal Revenue Service

There are only 4 tax

income brackets.

-False-

There are seven income

Brackets; 10%, 15%, 25%,

28%, 33%, 35% and 39.6%

individual tax rates for 2013

Source: Internal Revenue Service

Tax Time EditionTax Time Edition

Standard deductions were increased to

$12,200 for those married filing

jointly, $8,950 for those filing as head

of household, and $6,100 for those

filing as single .

-True-

Source: Internal Revenue Service

The IRA contribution limit increased to

$5,500 or $6,500 if the participant is

50 or older.

-True-

Source: Internal Revenue Service

$2,000: The personal exemption amount. -False-

The personal exemption amount has been raised to $3,900.

Source: Internal Revenue Service

$17,500: The amount

an individual can

contribute to their 401(k)

plan for 2013. -True-

Source: Internal Revenue Service

6 Today’s BoomeR

Boomer Finances:

New Taxes in 2013:

What You’ll Pay

By The Motley Fool

The New Year's Day compromise on the fiscal cliff

was designed to prevent massive tax increases

from taking effect that many feared would devas-

tate the economy. Yet even with the compromise,

several new taxes in 2013 will raise tax bills for

millions of Americans, and the groups that are the

most affected by the changing of the calendar may

surprise you.

Here's a list of new taxes that took effect as of Jan.

1:

Payroll Taxes: Returning to Old Levels

For the past two years, just about everyone who

has a job got a tax break of 2 percentage points on

the Social Security taxes withheld from their

paychecks. But on Jan. 1, the rate of tax withheld

from employee paychecks rose from 4.2% to 6.2%,

representing about a $1,000 tax increase for typi-

cal families earning $50,000. Already, anyone

who's received a paycheck in 2013 has likely seen

the impact of this tax, with those who get paid

twice a month having about $40 extra taken out

under the FICA on their paychecks.

Few analysts expected the fis-

cal cliff negotiations to extend this tax break fur-

ther. But given that it hits at just about everyone, it

could have the biggest impact of any of the new

taxes in 2013.

Medicare Surcharge

High-income earners will see a brand-new tax this

year. Single filers earning more than $200,000 and

joint filers with income over $250,000 could be

subject to two new taxes.

With one tax, if your earned income goes above the

threshold, then you'll owe an extra 0.9% of your

earnings in Medicare withholding. In some cases,

this additional money may be taken directly out of

your paycheck, although for joint filers, your em-

ployer may not be able to do so accurately because

it doesn't know what your spouse earns in order to

get the calculation correct.

The second tax applies to investment income, in-

cluding interest, dividends, and capital gains. For

this income, you'll owe an extra tax of 3.8% for any

amount that exceeds the threshold. The idea be-

hind this part of the new tax is to treat investment

income for high-income earners the same way as

earned income, making both types of income sub-

ject to the same higher Medicare tax rate.

New Tax Brackets and Rates for High-

Income Earners

The biggest news from the fiscal cliff compromise

was the return of the 39.6% tax rate for singles

earning more than $400,000 and joint filers with

income above $450,000. This rate is a carryover

from the old rate structure that existed before the

?

Today’s BoomeR 7

? tax cuts of the early 2000s and

represents a 4.6 percentage

point rise from the old 35%

rate.

In addition, taxpayers whose

earnings are above these

thresholds will see their taxes

on dividends and capital gain

income rise from 15% to 20%.

Given that dividend rates could

have risen as high as the 39.6%

ordinary income tax rate, inves-

tors were fairly pleased with the

eventual outcome.

Disappearing Deductions

and Other Hidden Taxes

In addition to the explicit in-

creases in taxes, some old provi-

sions are back that will have the

same tax-increasing impact. In

particular, two separate rules

that phase out certain deduc-

tions for high-income taxpayers

came back this year after having

been absent from tax law since

2009.

The phase-outs target two are-

as: personal exemptions and

itemized deductions. One rule,

known as the PEP, reduces the

value of your personal exemp-

tions by 2% for every $2,500 in

additional income you earn over

thresholds of $250,000 for sin-

gles and $300,000 for joint fil-

ers. The other rule, called the

Pease phaseout, cuts the

amount you can claim in item-

ized deductions by 3% of the

amount of additional income

you earn over those same

thresholds, subject to a maxi-

mum reduction of 80% of your

itemized deductions.

Those calculations are a bit

complicated, but the net result

is that you can end up paying

thousands of extra dollars in

taxes by losing the value of

those deductions.

Finally, the estate tax rate rose

from 35% to 40% this year.

With the $5 million exemption

made permanent, however, the

impact of the tax will be limited

to far fewer families than would

have paid tax without the fiscal

cliff compromise.

Start Planning

These new taxes for 2013 won't

make anyone happy, but by

knowing about them early on,

you can start planning for them

right away. Doing so may not let

you reduce your tax bill too

much, but it'll at least get you

prepared for the hit to your

paycheck and your tax refund

next year.

The article New Taxes in 2013:

What You'll Pay originally ap-

peared on Fool.com.

For more tax information and

advice, visit The Tax Center on

DailyFinance. Fool contributor

Dan Caplinger appreciates your

comments. You can follow him

on Twitter @DanCaplinger.

5 high-tech Free

Apps to Help at

Tax Time

1. TurboTax Snap Tax

File your taxes right from your

smartphone by uploading your w-

2’s via your mobile device. The

program is available for iPhone and

Android devices, but charges

$24.99 to e-file finished returns

(state filing included).

2. Expensify

Get rid of all the paper clutter and

paper receipts! Expensify allows

you to take a picture of receipts

and file them away for review and

sort by expense category that you

set up.

3. Bloomberg BNA Quick Tax

Reference

Have questions about any item in

the tax code? This app is a great

resource and is on iPhone, Android

and BlackBerry.

4. IRS2Go

This app allows access to your ex-

isting tax records on the go from

the IRS and allows you to check the

status of your 2012 return after it’s

filed.

5. Ask A CPA

Helps locate a CPA (certified public

accountant) in your area to help

answer tax questions and also has

an archive of frequently asked tax

questions and tips.

8 Today’s BoomeR

By John A. Vardallas, Founder/CEO

The American BoomeR

Greetings fellow Boomers! Now that spring is coming,

which has always been a time of rebirth on earth, I want

to begin the season with some thoughts on how we can

live better, versus worrying about living longer.

I cannot help but notice how much is being written and

talked about our individual health this past year. In ad-

dition to our medical community, pundits and politi-

cians have made healthcare a huge issue in America.

Not that I don’t think its an important issue, on the con-

trary, I think it’s a priority that we have a national

health care system that provides all citizens with quality

care when needed. However, I think quality care begins

with each of us being responsible in doing the best we

can to take care of ourselves, loved ones and friends,

both mentally and physically.

I was reminded of this issue while on a Mediterranean

cruise I took last fall. I was on a ship that had over 3000

persons on board who were mostly Europeans. I be-

came friendly with a good number of passengers, many

of who were in their 50s, 60s and 70 plus age group.

What struck me most about them were their attitudes

and behaviors while on the ship. They seemed to posses

a carefree-ness about their eating and drinking habits,

weight, and the activities they participated in, including

just people watching, sleeping and meditating onboard.

Regardless of how their bodies looked, they all had one

common characteristic they shared with me—

They truly enjoyed who they were as individuals and

living!

The result of my experience with these foreign cruisers

really made me think that maybe, we as Americans,

should focus more on quality versus quantity living.

Many Boomers seem to be embracing this outlook on

life. I want to pass along and few tips and lessons

learned and heard during my life journey.

Staying Healthy and Aging Successfully may include

the following physical and mental mindset:

Maintain A Sense of Purpose

Keep Connected with Family, Friends as well as

a wider Community Circle

Stay Positive and Surround Yourself with Posi-

tive People

Stay Physically Active & Mentally Stimulated

Maintain a Sense of Spirituality

Eat a well balanced diet

Do for Others

Avoid anything in the Extreme (the old Greek

Golden Mean applies here: Nothing in Excess!)

Plan for Your Future Security

Do things that Make You Happy

Learn to Adapt and be Flexible to the Changes

Life Brings

And, as Deepak Chopra says, “take time to listen to

what your body is telling you”.

It is also important to age with grace and piece of mind.

As a lover of good wine, I am reminded as wine ages, it

can become better or bitter.

We all have the power to make the choices that will set

us on the path of living a more mellow and joyous life.

May spring be a season of rebirth for you in

remembering that life is a gift---so enjoy the present!

Living Better versus Longer:

“Tips for Growing Like A Sage With Age”

Today’s BoomeR 9

B

OOMER TRAVEL

BOOMER TRAVEL

Destination Fun & SunDestination Fun & SunDestination Fun & Sun Beat the heat and cost of summer and Beat the heat and cost of summer and Beat the heat and cost of summer and

spring for an early vacation! spring for an early vacation! spring for an early vacation!

Destination360.com

Spring vacation destinations are appealing to more than just the college crowd. Savvy travelers know that the shoulder season is one of the best times to travel, and value for your money and lack of crowds are two of the top reasons to research spring travel. This season is known for getting back outdoors after a long winter and enjoying the pleasures of nature. If you’re more of a city person, many of the best spring vacation spots are cities, where you can easily walk between major attractions and even enjoy the first picnics of the season. Whatever your motivation is for traveling in the spring, there are many offers that will help you save money in comparison to a summer trip.

More Travel Resources:

Cruise Critic.com

Expedia.com

Trivago.com

Priceline.com

Kayak.com

10 Today’s BoomeR

There is another whole type of trip that is taken in the spring as well. Eve-ry year, college students research spring break vacation packages to blow off some steam in the middle of a busy semester. Warm weather getaways are usually the trip of choice, and all inclusive vacations from Mexico to the Caribbean and beyond all design pack-ages to lure masses of college stu-dents. Although students will consider these to be the best spring vacation spots, families should avoid these trips at all costs. Partying, drinking, and late nights are the ingredients for this kind of trip. There are many spring vacation destinations families can enjoy without crowds of col-lege students.

While there are travel agents and web sites that spe-cialize in spring break vacation packages, there are also those that specialize in alternative forms of spring fun. Some of the top spring vacation destinations showcase Mother Nature, and allow families or groups of friends to reconnect with nature. The

springtime is the perfect time to plan a hiking expedition, when the wildflowers are in bloom and trees are just coming back to life. Explore your local state park, go biking in the mountains, or rent a cabin on a lake where you can give fishing a try. From the Adi-

rondacks to the Smoky Mountains to the Rockies, there are many national parks that are ideal for spring exploration.

The best spring vacation spots for cultural travelers might be a little different. Europe is very popular in the springtime, as the cold weather of winter gives way to sunny, longer days and the crowds still haven’t arrived. Cities such as Paris or London have a real buzz in the spring as locals come out of winter hibernation, and the coastline from Spain to Italy to Croatia begins to wake from their winter slumber. You might find lo-cals most welcoming during the spring months, when they are happy to have the business in hotels and res-taurants. Many travelers who make the trip to Europe every year would only visit in the spring and fall, when crowds are smaller and the weather is most pleasant.

While some travelers might assume that spring break vacation packages are the only deal available in this

season, that isn’t the case. Cruises for example have great packages in the spring, and are often excellent value for families. Between cruise vaca-tions, resorts, and deals on vacation rentals from owners, there is not a single reason to avoid travel in the spring. Instead of waiting for the heat of summer to come around, plan a spring vacation. Whether you choose hiking, exploring culture and history, or kicking back on a cruise, your wallet will thank you.

Today’s BoomeR 11

Social Security:

Getting Down to Brass Tax

April’s showers bring more than just May’s flowers — they

also bring the deadline day for filing taxes. Don’t wait until

the showers arrive to prepare for tax season. Whether you

are a small business owner, a retiree, or a new parent, here

are some Social Security tax tips that may help you.

Are Social Security benefits taxable? They are for some

people. About one third of those receiving benefits must pay

taxes on some of their Social Security. If your total income,

including Social Security and all of your other taxable income,

is $25,000 or more and you file federal taxes as an individual,

you’ll need to pay federal taxes on some of your benefits.

(That amount is $32,000 for married couples filing a joint re-

turn.)

Will I get a tax form for my Social Security benefits?

Yes. In fact, you should have already received it. Social Secu-

rity Benefit Statements (Form SSA-1099) for tax year

2012 were mailed to beneficiaries and should have been re-

ceived by January 31, 2013. If you receive Social Security and

haven’t received your 1099, you can request one online at

www.socialsecurity.gov/1099.

We had our first child in 2012. Does our baby need a

Social Security Number? Yes. Most people apply for their

baby’s Social Security number while they’re still in the hospi-

tal at the same time they apply for the birth certificate. But if

you didn’t, you’ll need to apply for your child’s Social Security

number in order to claim the child as a dependent on your

tax return. You’ll also need it if you ever apply for govern-

ment benefits on behalf of the child or your family. Learn

more about Social Security cards and numbers at

www.socialsecurity.gov/ssnumber.

I changed my name when I got married last year. Do I

need to report it to Social Security? Yes. If you’ve legally

changed your name due to marriage, divorce, court order, or

for any other reason, make sure you change your name with

Social Security, as well as with your employer. If you change

with one source but not the other, it could cause your earn-

ings to be improperly recorded. That could result in you not

getting all the benefits you earned when you become eligible

for Social Security in the future. You can learn more about

your Social Security number and how to change your name at

www.socialsecurity.gov/ssnumber.

I own a small business. Can I report the W-2s of my

employees online to Social Security? Yes, and we encour-

age you to do so at www.socialsecurity.gov/bso. Filing your

W-2s electronically is free, fast, and secure! Plus there’s an

added bonus: when you file electronically, you receive an

extra month to file because electronically filed W-2s aren’t

due until March 31st. You’ll also receive an electronic

acknowledgement receipt. And when you file electronically,

you can print out your W-2s for your employees.

Does Social Security have any advice to make tax filing

and future benefit applications go smoothly? We en-

courage you to carefully check your name, Social Security

number and all of the data on your W-2s, your online Social

Security Statement, and Social Security card to make sure

they all match. If you don’t have access to your card or State-

ment but know your Social Security number, make sure the

number and information is correct on your W-2s. A mismatch

could delay your tax refund and cause problems with your

Social Security benefits in the future. Such errors are much

easier to fix now. If you do notice an error, you should con-

tact Social Security at 1-800-772-1213 (TTY 1-800-325-0778),

or if the information on the W-2 is incorrect, notify your em-

ployer.

For more information about Social Security, visit

www.socialsecurity.gov.

By Karyl Richson , Social Security Public Affairs Specialist

12 Today’s BoomeR

LifestyleLifestyle

Auto Boom for Boomer Buyers

Top makers continue to perform and target Boomers at the

2013 Chicago Auto Show By Alexandra Maragha

Indulgence Indulgence

EfficiencyEfficiency

Today’s BoomeR 13

The purr of the engine that makes your heart skip a

beat. The grip of the wheel that lures you to become

the ruler of the road with charging horsepower felt at

your fingertips. The heavy body with sleek curves and

gripping wheels take you to your destination while

sending you back in time to a moment where the only

thing to rival the adrenaline of a muscle car was the

feeling of driving one. Combine these with lighter ma-

terials, a splice of technology (that now puts “Knight

Rider” to shame) and added personal touches that

are stock options and you have a new bread of mus-

cle autos that are once again stealing the hearts of

Boomers to buy in 2013.

A report by Edmunds Auto Observer placed Baby

Boomers as “an extremely powerful force in the mar-

ketplace” and they “account for a third of the driving

population and almost half of all new vehicle purchas-

es”. Car buying

for Baby Boom-

ers includes fac-

tors of efficien-

cy, lifestyle and

indulgence, al-

lowing for the

new generation

of muscle cars to

grab their atten-

tion. The nostalgia of the past has now offered new

life to Detroit muscle over the past few years.

The 2013 Chicago Auto Show displayed the top mus-

cle machines that are now available as well as new

2014 models that will be out in a few months. Chevy,

Ford and Dodge did not disappoint unveiling their

most competitive additions and new models to date -

with each one trying to outdo the other. Take a look

at the top performers.

2014 Chevrolet Corvette Stingray

Visually stunning, the '14 Corvette's sculptured, aerody-

namic exterior and track-capabilities is worthy of the icon-

ic "Stingray" designation. This marks the seventh-

generation of "America's Sport Car," and as the C7, goes

farther than ever, thanks to today's advancements in de-

sign, technology and engineering. Matching the dramatic

two-door hatchback exterior is a new 6.2 liter (376 cubic

inch) LT1 V-8 engine that pumps out 450 horsepower and

450 lb.-ft. of torque to the rear wheels. Consumers have

their choice of a six-speed paddle-shift automatic or seven

-speed manual gearbox with "Active Rev Match" that an-

ticipates gear selections and matches engine speed for

perfect shifts every time. Either way, we're talking 0-to-60

mph in less than four seconds. For 2014, the latest Cor-

vette shares only two parts with the previous generation

model. Underneath is an all-new frame structure and chas-

sis that helped shift weight rearward for an optimal 50/50

weight balance. Lightweight features include a carbon fi-

14 Today’s BoomeR

ber hood and removable roof panel;

composite fenders, doors and rear

quarter panels. Slide into the cockpit

composed of premium materials,

smaller-diameter steering wheel,

standard dual, eight-inch configurable

driver/infotainment screens and avail-

able color head-up display. You can

see the 2014 Corvette Stingray roll

into Chevrolet dealerships the third

quarter of 2013. Visit the official site

for more information

2013 Ford Mustang

Continuing its evolution, the Ford

Mustang enters the 2013 model year

with a more prominent grille and

splitter, redesigned front and rear

fascias, standard high-intensity dis-

charge headlamps, painted body-side

rockers, LED tail lamps and a new

wheel lineup. Available

as 2+2 coupe and con-

vertible, the original

pony car continues with

rear-wheel drive and is offered in V-6,

GT, Boss 302 and Shelby GT500 trim

levels. Engine selections range from a

3.7-liter V-6 that delivers 305 horse-

power, up to the Shelby with its super-

charged 5.4L V-8, generating 550 hp.

Engines are available with six-speed

manual or new six-speed automatic

transmissions. Two optional packages,

the Reverse Sensing System and Secu-

rity Package and HID Headlights and

Security Package continue, as does a

unique exterior paint shade called,

Lava Red Metallic. The 2013 Mustang

offers selectable steering that tailors

the driving experience to fit the driv-

er's needs, and on the convertible,

enhanced structural rigidity. Updated

wheel selection ranges from standard

17-inch wheels for the V-6 all the way

up to 19-inch optional wheels on the

GT and V-6 Performance Package. Visit

the official site for more information

2013 Dodge Challenger

Pony and muscle car fans have a lot to

examine with the 2013 Dodge Chal-

lenger models. This year, the Challeng-

er lineup starts with the SXT, SXT Plus

and Rallye Redline with standard 305

horsepower 3.6-liter Pentastar V-6

engine, cold-air induction system, dual

exhausts and a five-speed Auto Stick

transmission. For the performance

enthusiast, the '13 Challenger R/T, R/T

Plus and R/T Classic models feature

the legendary 5.7-liter Hemi V-8 en-

gine that delivers up to 375 horsepow-

er. The Hemi can be matched to a six-

speed manual shifter or optional five-

speed automatic transmis-

sion with steering-wheel

mounted paddle shifters

and Sport Mode. With spir-

ited driving, power, seating

for five, coupled with best-

in-class cargo space (16.2

cubic feet), Dodge Challeng-

er is an authentic 21st cen-

tury prodigy of its iconic

1970-74 ancestry. Visit the

official site for more

information

“Baby Boomers are an extremely

powerful force in the marketplace.

They account for a third of the

driving population and almost half

of all new vehicle purchases”

Today’s BoomeR 15

BOOMER HEALTHY EATING:

Spring Classics: Lamb n’ Ham

Tzatziki Sauce If you’ve never had Tzatziki sauce before, you’ve got a real treat in store. Tzatziki is, hands down, one of the finest condiments there is, and the pin-

Ahhhh, spring, when a young man's heart.... Oh, to hell with young men. Our sensible, experi-

enced hearts and stomachs turn toward luscious things! In the midst of this season of rebirth

comes Easter, a day not just for chocolate and marshmallow, but for great dinners as well.

This time around, we're going to offer you a fantastic Greek-style option for lamb served with tzatziki sauce as a centerpiece for that

meal. For the Ham half of the equation, rather than just offering another recipe, we're going

expand your culinary horizons a smidge. There's the agenda, so let's go!

nacle of great uses for cucumber. In Greek cooking it’s often served with lamb as we suggest, but I’m here to tell you that Tzatziki is excel-lent on eggs, fantastic on flat bread, pleasant on poultry, and beautiful on burgers; in oth-er words, like hot sauce, it’s good on every-thing. Build your Tzatziki first so it has plen-ty of time to blend. It wants at least 2 or 3 hours in the fridge, and 5 or 6 is even better. Ingredients: 1 8 oz container of Greek Yogurt, (You can use regular too) 1 med cucumber 2 Tablespoons Extra Virgin Olive Oil 1 fresh lemon 1 teaspoon Dill, (You can also use mint) 2 cloves Garlic Salt to taste First off, check out your yoghurt. Nowadays, you can get really fine Greek style yoghurt that is firm and thick right out of the carton. If it's not like that, or if you decide to use regular yoghurt, you'll need to drain it first. To do that, line a colander or strainer with paper towel, plop your yoghurt into that and allow it to for about 30 minutes. Peel, seed and grate your cucumber; hold the skin side and grate from the inside out, that way, you'll avoid the stringiest parts.

Eben Atwater is a Chef and writer who began cooking professionally in the 1970’s in Washington State and Idaho. In addition

to a food blog he publishes with his wife and partner-in-crime Monica, Eben is an accomplished musician and instrument mak-

er. He lives in western Washington State where he manages a bakery-café. Visit www.urbanmonique.com

Recipes and Photos from

Chef Eben & Monica Atwater

www.urbanmonique.com

16 Today’s BoomeR

Juice the lemon and reserve. Peel and either crush or mince the garlic, the finer the better. Combine everything in a non-reactive bowl and mix well by hand, (Blending or pro-cessing makes your yogurt break down). Serve chilled.

Real Deal Greek Roast Leg of Lamb Some folks in this country don’t care for lamb because they find it gamey. It can be, but we’re here to say that the rest of the meat eating world can’t be all wrong. Choosing great meat, along with proper preparation and cooking, will guarantee you a top shelf meal, so here, as with all good things, go as local as you can with your lamb. Be sure to trim the lion's share of the fat prior to roasting as well. When cooking, consider the advice of my Greek pals, who say that lamb is always cooked to well done; that's an-other key consideration in avoiding funky fla-vors. This recipe will provide a fine feast for 6 to 8. Ingredients: 5 lbs bone-in leg of lamb 16 – 24 small new potatoes, (Variety of your choice, or mix and match) 12 cloves garlic Zest of two lemons, grated

2 tablespoons Oregano 2 tablespoons Rosemary 1/2 cup extra virgin Olive Oil 1 cup dry Red Wine 3/4 cup fresh Lemon Juice 1 tablespoon Dijon Mustard 1/4 Cup plus 2 tablespoons extra virgin Olive Oil salt and Pepper to taste Wash the lamb thoroughly and pat dry with paper towel. Depending on the cut, you may want to tie yours as I did, to keep everything nice and neat. Peel and dice 8 cloves of the garlic and toss them into a non-reactive bowl large enough to hold all the ingredients. Add 4 teaspoons each of oregano and rose-mary, a 1/4 cup of the olive oil, the wine, and the lemon zest and juice. Place lamb in the bowl, rubbing it in and turning to coat well on all sides; cover and re-frigerate overnight.

Remove lamb from marinade and reserve all the marinade. With the tip of a paring knife, poke a bunch of holes into the lamb on all surfaces. Preheat oven to 350º F. Crush remaining cloves of garlic and combine with the mustard and the rest of the oregano, rosemary and 2 Tablespoons of olive oil.

Today’s BoomeR 17

Hand rub the garlic-herb-mustard mixture thoroughly over the lamb, pressing into inci-sions as much as you can. You may add salt and pepper at this point if you like. Place the lamb on a rack in a shallow roasting pan. Toss potatoes in the reserved marinade from the lamb to coat thor-oughly and set aside. Roast uncovered to an internal temperature of 100º F, about 90 minutes, then turn the lamb once so that it'll have a nice crust all around. Remove pota-toes from the marinade and add them to the roasting pan after the lamb flip. Roast for about another 45 minutes, to a final internal meat temp of 155º F. Remove the roast and allow it to rest for 10 minutes. As our Greek pals insist, serve nice, thick slabs of lamb with plenty of fresh, crusty bread, a big ol’ salad, and plenty of red wine or nice light beers like a Pilsner or Lager. εύ γεύστος! (Delicious!),

Part II - The Ham OK, now be honest, when we write 'Ham', y'all think of a big ol' hunk from the grocery store, right? Would it bum you out if we told you that this would be classified as an Urban ham, or at best, a Brine-Cured ham, styles described as mass produced, the end result of which is generally considered low quality and bland? If so, then good for you; it's time to expand our horizons and review the world of ham. Every country has a ham tradition of some note and antiquity, and virtually everywhere, aged hams are king. Depending on the coun-

try, hams are aged for up to ten years; the re-sults of all that time and care are meats of exceptional flavor, quality, (and cost).

From the French Bayonne ham, to the Ger-man Westphalian, the English York, Canadi-an Bacon or Italian Prosciutto, there are va-rieties from all corners of the world that are worth a try. And with gourmet food purvey-ors easy to find on the internet, world-wide sampling is a snap. So, instead of that same old ham next time around, why not make a nice smorgasbord of varieties, coupled with crusty, fresh bread, pickles, olives, cheese, and fresh fruit? Throw in a few bottles of de-cent vino and you've got a feast to remember and repeat, without a doubt. Now, before we adjourn for dinner, might you wonder just how expensive 'expensive ham' is? Well, to our knowledge, the fabulous Jamo n ibe rico from Spain would be the top of the heap, and in particular, the bellota paleta variety thereof; that heavenly stuff will set you back around $180 per pound. Could it possibly be worth it, you ask? In a word, yup. It's unbelievable. It melts on your tongue with an astounding myriad of flavor notes. It's the piggy equivalent of Beluga cav-iar. Are y'all ready for that?

18 Today’s BoomeR

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