Summit Neighborhood News - January Edition

How ‘Bout Them Apples?

What appeared to be an ordinary pie, but hid a kick of jalapeno pepper, was voted the best-tasting example of an apple-based culinary concoction at an SNA-sponsored competition held Oct. 27 at Seven Stars bakery.

About 40 neighbors gathered starting at 6:30pm, after regular business hours, in the popular Hope Street fixture to taste and compare 11 offerings brought by people who had been alerted to the event by the SNA blog and posters displayed by businesses.

The convivial group ranged from retirees to babies barely able to crawl. The available fare included traditional pies, cakes and muffins, but also offered a purple apple-cabbage mixture, an apple-celery gazpacho, a quinoa-apple dish and cider cookie bars. The bakery also contributed cookies, danish and other tidbits. Adding to the festivities, Swan Liquors, from just a few doors down on Hope, hosted a beer and wine tasting, staffed by several of its personnel.

Ballots were distributed and the count produced a four-way tie for most delectable. A second round of voting yielded the jalapeno-apple pie the winner, with the quinoa dish and cider bars in a dead-heat for second. All three winners received gift certificates to area businesses.

By 8:30 pm, with most of the candidate dishes consumed, voters headed out into the rainy – and snowy – night, but more information and winning recipes are still available on the SNA website.

Survey of Neighborhood Concerns

According to a recent informal poll taken by SNA, the top concern of people in the community is, in the words of one respondent, the “safety of the neighborhood and the people in it.” During the Hope Street Festival on Oct. 2, the SNA asked people to rank nine areas of concern set out on a questionnaire that also had room to add subjects not included.

Of the questionnaires completed, most ranked safety as the number-one issue. That was followed by quality-of-life projects, such as community gardens. Then came economic develop- ment (such as the revitalization of North Main Street), crime prevention (such as block-by-block watches) and community-wide events (such as the Summit Music Festival). Completing the list were - in order - neighbor services (such as snow shoveling for the elderly), social events (such as wine tastings), government involvement (such as zoning and taxation policies) and communications (such as SNA newsletter or website). “Other” concerns cited were road conditions plus the need for residential overnight parking, stop signs and hedge trimming.

Mindful of these concerns, SNA is seeking people for a neighborhood crime watch program and to participate in a snow-shoveling service.

Come to a board meeting every third Monday of the month at 7pm at Summit Commons on 99 Hillside Ave. or join the listserv at: sna.providence.ri.us/mailman/listinfo/summit_sna.providence.ri.us.