Livin’ in Liverpool: Awaiting one last blast from Ol’ Man Winter

Village of Liverpool Department of Public Works Superintendent Bill Asmus predicts a late-winter snowstorm on March 13. How does he know a blizzard is coming on that particular Tuesday?

“It always snows on March 13,” he said when I bumped into him at Nichols Supermarket last week. “That’s my birthday, and I always end up working it.”

DIVA Orch returns

The DIVA Jazz Orchestra, the hot-as-a-pistol all-female big band, returns to Liverpool to perform a concert hosted by the New York State Band Directors Association at 8 p.m. Friday, March 2, at the Liverpool Holiday Inn, 441 Electronics Parkway. Suggested donation is $10 per person; nysbda.org.

DIVA musicians and leader-drummer Sherry Maricle will also give workshops and a noon concert at Solvay High School the previous day, March 1, but those events will be open only to students and parents there.

Section work and solos

The Holiday Inn engagement on March 2 marks the band’s second appearance in Liverpool in the past year. The ensemble performed at the Liverpool High School Jumpin’ Jazz Jam in April 2017 entertaining a large and enthusiastic audience. My friend, photographer John Herr, shot them at LHS and last covered the orchestra in November at Hamilton College, and he reports they’re playing better than ever, with tight section work and assured solos.

At that show, they concentrated on the original material band members wrote for their celebratory new CD, “The 25th Anniversary Project,” tunes such as baritone saxophonist Leigh Pilzer’s propulsive “East Coast Andy,” multi-reedist Janelle Reichman’s “Middleground,” trumpeter Barbara Laronga’s “Jami’s Tune” (written for long-time trumpet section anchor and band manager Jami Dauber), alto saxophonist Alexa Tarantino’s pensive “Square One” (a showcase for flugelhornist Rachel Therrien and the composer) and pianist Tomoko Ohno’s buoyant “La Americana,” with bandleader Sherrie Maricle pushing the beat at the drum kit.

Jambalaya pasta

Regular readers of this column know I dig Southern-style barbecue. Over the years, I’ve often sung the praises of the Dinosaur Bar-B-Que downtown and more recently I’ve reported on the fiery fare at Limp Lizard Barbecue at 201 First St., where pulled pork, ribs and brisket rule the menus.

A few years ago, the Bull & Bear Roadhouse opened out at 8201 Oswego Road (Route 57) in Clay, and — while the prices are a tad higher than Limp Lizard’s — the quality of the Roadhouse’s burgers, wings and racks compare favorably.

The Roadhouse also offers a few items not found at CNY’s other barbecue joints, including lemon-grilled salmon, poutine, firecracker shrimp, a Hawaiian-style chicken sandwich and — best of all — jambalaya pasta.

I know, I know. Jambalaya is traditionally made with rice. But the Bull & Bear Roadhouse’s jambalaya comes with tortellini swimming in a light and luscious Cajun cream sauce filled with diced andouille sausage and chicken.

When I make my award-winning jambalaya at home, I usually add a half-pound of shrimp or crawfish, and the Roadhouse chefs share my hankering for seafood. They drop a healthy handful of crunchy grilled shrimp on top of the pasta dish, which tastes as good as it looks.

The jambalaya pasta goes for a reasonable $16 and could easily feed two; bullandbearsyracuse.com; (315) 652-2327.

Parkway redux

Mike Hennigan, the owner of Nichols Supermarket and Nichols Discount Liquors, both on First Street, has some advice for the state Department of Transportation officials who are concerned about the safety of the Onondaga Lake Parkway:

“What they should do is lower the speed limit to 35 mph,” Hennigan said. “I guarantee that would cut down on serious accidents on that road.”

On the other hand, shutting off First Street and South Willow Street as the DOT has suggested “makes no sense,” he added. Mike applauded Liverpool Mayor Gary White for his strong opposition to the DOT proposal.