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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.

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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......