Hello friends! Long time no see, or should I say long time, no hear from me. More on that later, I promise a new post very soon.
I received an email from Dennis Ragan and Jim Ragan informing me that there is going to be a special broadcast of Jim Ragan’s documentary,“Flowers and Roots, Ambassador of the Arts,” on Sat. Nov 5 at 9 pm on “Filmmakers Corner.” Arina Films had chosen to document his life in the arts, including the influence his Duquesne upbringing and ethnic roots have had on his poetry, drama, and films, as well as his role on the international stage.
BE SURE TO TUNE INTO WQED ON SATURDAY, NOVEMBER 5th AT 9 PM.
Dennis, Jim’s nephew has also sent me some valuable Hunky information as we roll into the beginning of the holiday season! Learn how to make a REAL iconic Hunky dish…
“Real Potato” Halusky Class
For anyone interested in learning how to make “real” halusky like Baba (grandma) made it, I’ll be doing a cooking class at Westmoreland County Community College in Youngwood (on the Duquesne side of Greensburg). This is the real stuff made with potatoes and flour (not noodles), a real Slovak dish brought to this country by our grandparents and great-grandparents. The class is this Tuesday, Nov. 1, from 6 pm to 9 pm. I do a brief talk about halusky, then we proceed to the WCCC culinary kitchen to make it. Then we have a halusky meal afterward. I’m from Duquesne of course and have been teaching this course for about seven years. WCCC charges a tuition fee of $22 plus $5 material fee. To register, contact Sylvia Detar, director of Continuing Education, at WCCC. 800-262-2103 x 4190 or email her at detars@wccc.edu
The Duquesne Hunky 
Any discussion of HUNKY FOOD makes me salivate.Last year a West Mifflin friend sent me a Nut Roll, I bought a pound of REAL BUTTER & for 3 mornings I had buttered Nut Roll washed down with freshly ground STARBUCKS KOMODO DRAGON COFFEE.Just texting about it makes me BUZZ a little.Do you think an experience like that is a SIN?
If you would, please send on jim’s email address , I like to congratulate him on a life well lived. I have lost touch with Jim since hanging out with him in his early days in Beverly Hills. Some say portions of the wedding scene in the Dear Hunter were inspired by my and my wife’s ( Peggy Bodnar .also DHS) 1968 wedding at the Croatian Club which Jim attended. Sent from my iPhone Steve Fodo DHS class of 1960
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Will do Steve!
Hi Jim, As usual, The Duquesne Hunky keeps me informed as to special Duquesne influenced happenings in the arts, wine & food and film world – hot diggetty. That Napa Film Festival sounds like a real winner and I’ll put that on my list of things to do, as I get out to the Bay Area occasionally. Now I’ll make sure I get there in September for that one. I wish I lived nearby so I could watch the documentary Flowers and Roots on WQED about James Ragan. Can somebody DVR it and save it? Here’s some more info about the film I’ve attached below. Have a ball teaching others about how to make the real ‘halusky.’ Important and fun to keep these traditions alive. I hope to see where Ragan penned his “Too Long a Solitude” written on the balcony of Havel’s iconic family home in Prague in a few weeks–my first visit to the Czech Republic. Now I have an even better reason to visit. Here’s a PR release from St. Vincents College–some of the music featured in the production was composed by his son, Jameson, a 2015 graduate of Saint Vincent College. Till next time.
Debra
https://www.stvincent.edu/svcWebsite/community-events/newsroom/2016/10/24/jim-ragan-to-be-featured-on-wqed-tv-nov-5