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Ramadan in Long Island: The teacher

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Before Ramadan starts, Layla Abdullah-Poulos and her family sit together and share one or two things they want to improve in themselves over the course of the month. The Ramadan resolutions are a tradition her family has adhered to over the years. Abdullah-Poulos, 44, converted to Islam when she was 18. She lives in Mastic with her husband, who is Puerto Rican and Greek, and their six children, who range in age from 2 to 17. She is home-schooling all of them: Her eldest daughter is a graphic artist and is taking a Japanese class at Stony Brook University, while one son is memorizing the Quran and another is an aspiring chef who plans to go into the military. Abdullah-Poulos is an adjunct faculty member at SUNY Empire State College, where she tutors and teaches academic writing. She is pursuing a master’s degree in liberal studies, serves as president of Minority Students in Action, and is a staff writer for The Student Connection. In her spare time, she organizes women’s education programs at the Islamic Center of Mastic-Shirley.

Newsday.com asked five Long Islanders to share their experiences during Ramadan by sending in Instagram photos every day for 30 days: the commuter, the single mom, the teacher, the teenager and the sports fan.

[nd_photogrid title=”Layla Abdullah-Poulos” pgURL=”https://www.newsday.com/long-island/ramadan-instagrams-layla-abdullah-poulos-1.10508671″ promo=”<i class="fa fa-instagram"></i><em>TAG US and JOIN IN</em><a href=https://projects.newsday.com/long-island/share-your-ramadan-photos/ ;#">#ramadan2015nd</a>” pre_author=”<i class="fa fa-instagram"></i>”] Send us your Ramadan photos and thoughts

Ramadan on Long Island: The sports fan

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Siddique Farooqi, 34, doesn’t plan on missing any league softball games because of Ramadan. His family emigrated from Pakistan to Long Island in the early 1970s, and he was born in Floral Park and raised in Locust Valley. The Woodbury resident has built a career around sports. He is an online marketing consultant who doubles as a sportscaster and public address announcer for Hofstra University and the New York Lizards lacrosse team. Farooqi is known to spend 14-hour workdays consulting various companies and tending to his broadcast and announcing duties. But his passion is softball. Farooqi is captain of his team, one of 19 teams in the Long Island-based South Asian Softball League. Throughout Ramadan, they will continue to play, with games scheduled after breaking the day’s fast. He attends late-night prayers at his local mosque during the holy month.

Newsday.com asked five Long Islanders to share their experiences during Ramadan by sending in Instagram photos every day for 30 days: the commuter, the single mom, the teacher, the teenager and the sports fan.

[nd_photogrid title=”Siddique Farooqi” pgURL=”https://www.newsday.com/long-island/ramadan-instagram-siddique-farooqi-1.10508820″ promo=”<i class="fa fa-instagram"></i><em>TAG US and JOIN IN</em><a href=https://projects.newsday.com/long-island/share-your-ramadan-photos/ ;#">#ramadan2015nd</a>” pre_author=”<i class="fa fa-instagram"></i>”] Send us your Ramadan photos and thoughts

Mattituck Strawberry Festival

Long Islanders share their favorite pictures from the 2015 Mattituck Strawberry Festival via Instagram #ndStrawberryFest.

[nd_photogrid title2=”Mattituck Strawberry Festival” pgURL=”https://www.newsday.com/entertainment/long-island-events/festivals/mattituck-strawberry-festival-2015-instagram-photos-1.10507252″ promo2=”<i class="fa fa-instagram"></i><em>TAG US and JOIN IN</em><strong href="#">#ndStrawberryFest</strong>” pre_author=”<i class="fa fa-instagram"></i>”]

Summer cocktail recipes

Summer cocktail recipes

12 signature cocktails from local restaurants

Photo credit: Daniel Brennan
LONG BEACH SUNSET Sutton Place Great American Bar & Grille

LONG BEACH SUNSET

Ingredients:

3 ½ ounces Champagne

1 ½ ounces triple sec

1 ½ ounces orange juice

1 ½ ounces pineapple juice

Drizzle of cranberry juice

Ice

Instructions:

Layer the first four ingredients over ice in a highball glass. Drizzle the cranberry juice on top.

Ingredients:

3 ½ ounces Champagne

1 ½ ounces lime juice

1 ½ ounces orange juice

1 ½ ounces pineapple juice

Drizzle of cranberry juice

Ice

Instructions:

Layer the first four ingredients over ice in a highball glass. Drizzle the cranberry juice on top.

Make it a skinny
Photo credit: Harry Zernike
MAI TAI Nick & Toni’s

MAI TAI

Ingredients:

1 ounce Diplomatico Blanco rum

1 ounce Rhum Clement V.S.O.P.

½ ounce Pierre Ferrand Dry Curacao

1 ¼ ounces orgeat (almond syrup)

1 ¼ ounces fresh lime juice

Round slice of lime

Sugar-cane stick from the grocer (optional)

Ice

Instructions:

Shake in a shaker and strain all ingredients over ice into a 14-ounce glass. Garnish with lime wheel and sugar-cane stick.

Ingredients:

1 ounce Diplomatico Blanco rum

1 ounce Rhum Clement V.S.O.P.

½ ounce Pierre Ferrand Dry Curacao

½ ounce orgeat (almond syrup)

1 ¼ ounces fresh lime juice

Round slice of lime

Sugar-cane stick from the grocer (optional)

Ice

Instructions:

Shake in a shaker and strain all ingredients over ice into a 14-ounce glass. Garnish with lime wheel and sugar-cane stick.

Make it a skinny
Photo credit: Nick & Toni’s
UTTER FIZZBELIEF Left Coast Kitchen & Cocktails

UTTER FIZZBELIEF

Ingredients:

2 ounces Bombay Gin

½ ounce Amaro Lucano

½ ounce clove cane syrup (see note)

1 ounce pineapple juice

3 dashes Scrappy’s Cardamom Bitters

2 ounces Green Flash West Coast IPA beer, or other West Coast IPA (not Imperial IPA)

Ice

Basil leaves

Orange round

Instructions:

Combine all ingredients except the IPA. Shake and then strain over ice in a pint glass. Add the IPA. Garnish with basil and orange. (Note: To make clove cane syrup: Combine 2 cups sugar-in-the-raw, 4 whole cloves and 1 cup water, simmering until sugar is dissolved. Steep cloves while cooling. Strain cloves after syrup has cooled.)

Ingredients:

2 ounces Bombay Gin

½ ounce Amaro Lucano

¼ ounce (or less) clove cane syrup (see note)

1 ounce pineapple juice

3 dashes Scrappy’s Cardamom Bitters

2 ounces Green Flash West Coast IPA beer, or other West Coast IPA (not Imperial IPA)

Ice

Basil leaves

Orange round

Instructions:

Combine all ingredients except the IPA. Shake and then strain over ice in a pint glass. Add the IPA. Garnish with basil and orange. (Note: To make clove cane syrup: Combine 2 cups sugar-in-the-raw, 4 whole cloves and 1 cup water, simmering until sugar is dissolved. Steep cloves while cooling. Strain cloves after syrup has cooled.)

Make it a skinny
Photo credit: Harry Zernike
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PARIS, TEXAS Townline BBQ

PARIS, TEXAS

Ingredients:

1 ½ ounces Bieler Pere et Fils Sabine Rose, other Provencal rose, or Wolffer Estate rose

1 ½ ounces Tito’s Handmade Vodka

1 ounce raspberry puree

1 ounce lemon juice

½ ounce agave mix (equal parts agave syrup and water)

Mint sprig

Ice

Instructions:

Put all ingredients in a mixer glass. Add ice. Shake and strain into a Mason jar over fresh ice.

Ingredients:

1 ½ ounces Bieler Pere Bet Fils Sabine Rose, other Provencal rose, or Wolffer Estate rose

1 ½ ounces Tito’s Handmade Vodka

½ ounce raspberry puree

1 ounce lemon juice

¼ ounce agave mix (equal parts agave syrup and water)

Mint sprig

Ice

Instructions:

Put all ingredients in a mixer glass. Add ice. Shake and strain into a Mason jar over fresh ice.

Make it a skinny
Photo credit: Gordon M. Grant
SUMMER HEAT WAVE MARGARITA Honu Kitchen & Cocktails

SUMMER HEAT WAVE MARGARITA

Ingredients:

1 ½ ounces watermelon-jalapeño-infused tequila (see note)

1 piece seedless watermelon

1 ounce Cointreau

1 ounce orange juice

½ fresh lime, squeezed

Ice to taste

Watermelon slice

Instructions:

Muddle watermelon and tequila and pour into a cocktail shaker. Add remaining ingredients and ice to the shaker and shake until blended. Slowly pour the drink into serving glass. Garnish with fresh watermelon slice. (Note: To make watermelon-jalapeño tequila, add one small watermelon cut into wedges and one jalapeño pepper, seeds removed, to one bottle of Patron Blanco tequila. Marinate in a glass jar for three days, then pass through a strainer.)

Ingredients:

1 ½ ounces watermelon-jalapeño-infused tequila (see note)

1 piece seedless watermelon

½ ounce (or less) Cointreau

1 ounce light orange juice

½ fresh lime, squeezed

Ice to taste

Watermelon slice

Instructions:

Muddle watermelon and tequila and pour into a cocktail shaker. Add remaining ingredients and ice to the shaker and shake until blended. Slowly pour the drink into serving glass. Garnish with fresh watermelon slice. (Note: To make watermelon-jalapeño tequila, add one small watermelon cut into wedges and one jalapeño pepper, seeds removed, to one bottle of Patron Blanco tequila. Marinate in a glass jar for three days, then pass through a strainer.)

Make it a skinny
Photo credit: Bruce Gilbert
ITALIAN MARGARITA The Refuge

ITALIAN MARGARITA

Ingredients:

1 ½ ounces Sauza Hornitos Plata tequila

¾ ounce amaretto liqueur

½ ounce limoncello liqueur

½ ounce fresh orange juice

2 ½ ounces sour or Margarita mix

8 ounces ice

Round slice of lime

Orange peel

Instructions:

Place first five ingredients in a glass without ice. Add the ice. Shake in a shaker and pour cocktail into a salted glass. Garnish with lime and orange peel.

Ingredients:

1 ½ ounces Sauza Hornitos Plata tequila

¾ ounce amaretto liqueur

½ ounce limoncello liqueur

½ ounce fresh orange juice

1 ounce fresh lime juice

½ ounce agave nectar

8 ounces ice

Round slice of lime

Orange peel

Instructions:

Place first six ingredients in a glass without ice. Add the ice. Shake in a shaker and pour cocktail into a salted glass. Garnish with lime and orange peel.

Make it a skinny
Photo credit: Bruce Gilbert
FLORIDITA DAIQUIRIHush Bistro

FLORIDITA DAIQUIRI

Ingredients:

2 ounces Ron Flor de Cana rum

¾ ounce lime juice

½ ounce Maraska maraschino liqueur

½ ounce grapefruit juice

½ ounce simple syrup (equal parts water and dissolved sugar)

Instructions:

Shake all ingredients in a shaker. Strain into a wide-topped stemmed glass.

Ingredients:

2 ounces Ron Flor de Cana rum

¾ ounce lime juice

½ ounce Maraska maraschino liqueur

½ ounce grapefruit juice

¼ ounce (or less) simple syrup (equal parts water and dissolved sugar)

Instructions:

Shake all ingredients in a shaker. Strain into a wide-topped stemmed glass.

Make it a skinny
Photo credit: Bruce Gilbert
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RIVA Navy Beach

RIVA

Ingredients:

Wedge of grapefruit

2 cubes cantaloupe, about the size of an ice cube

Ice cubes

2 ounces Belvedere Vodka

3 ounces fresh orange juice

Instructions:

Muddle grapefruit and cantaloupe in a highball glass. Add ice cubes. Add vodka. Shake and shake some more. Top with orange juice.

Photo credit: Aaron Zebrook
FICOLLINI Verace

FICOLLINI

Ingredients:

1 teaspoon fig marmalade

Ice cubes

½ ounce Figenza fig-flavored vodka

1 ½ ounces cranberry juice

Prosecco to top off cocktail

Orange peel

Instructions:

Spoon the fig marmalade into the bottom of a shaker. Add ice, vodka and cranberry juice. Shake at least 25 times. Pour over fresh ice in a rocks glass. Top off with Prosecco. Circle the rim of the glass with an orange peel and then drop it inside.

Ingredients:

½ teaspoon (or less) fig marmalade

Ice cubes

½ ounce Figenza fig-flavored vodka

1 ½ ounces cranberry juice

Prosecco to top off cocktail

Orange peel

Instructions:

Spoon the fig marmalade into the bottom of a shaker. Add ice, vodka and cranberry juice. Shake at least 25 times. Pour over fresh ice in a rocks glass. Top off with Prosecco. Circle the rim of the glass with an orange peel and then drop it inside.

Make it a skinny
Photo credit: Daniel Brennan
WATERMELON MOJITO Pentimento

WATERMELON MOJITO

Ingredients:

2 lime wedges

½ ounce fresh lime juice

¾ ounce fresh watermelon juice

7 to 9 mint leaves

1 ½ ounces white rum

Ice cubes

1 ounce club soda

1 pressed mint sprig

1 thin slice of watermelon with rind, scored to sit on rim of glass

Instructions:

Gently muddle lime wedges, lime juice, watermelon juice and mint leaves in a cocktail shaker. Add rum and ice. Shake gently. Pour into a Tom Collins glass. Include mint leaves and lime wedges. Top the drink with club soda, stir gently. Garnish with mint sprig and watermelon slice. Serve with a straw.

Ingredients:

2 lime wedges

½ ounce fresh lime juice

½ ounce fresh watermelon juice

7 to 9 mint leaves

1 ounce white rum

Ice cubes

2 ounces club soda

1 pressed mint sprig

1 thin slice of watermelon with rind, scored to sit on rim of glass

Instructions:

Gently muddle lime wedges, lime juice, watermelon juice and mint leaves in a cocktail shaker. Add rum and ice. Shake gently. Pour into a Tom Collins glass. Include mint leaves and lime wedges. Top the drink with club soda, stir gently. Garnish with mint sprig and watermelon slice. Serve with a straw.

Make it a skinny
Photo credit: Daniel Brennan
TIDAL WAVE Wave Seafood Kitchen

TIDAL WAVE

Ingredients:

1 ounce Malibu Original Rum

1 ounce UV Vodka

½ ounce blue Curaçao

Pineapple juice

Piña colada mix

Blue sugar

Ice cubes

Instructions:

Combine rum, vodka and blue Curaçao in shaker with ice. Add a dash of pineapple juice and piña colada mix to taste. Shake well. Rim glass with blue sugar, then pour in drink, straining.

Photo credit: RANDEE DADDONA
LAW OF MOTION Roots Bistro Gourmand

LAW OF MOTION

Ingredients:

Sugar, to taste

Pinch of cayenne pepper

Pinch of sea salt

Simple syrup

2 ounces Figenza fig vodka

½ fresh fig

3 ounces Yuzu juice

Ice

Instructions:

Mix together sugar, cayenne petter and sea salt. Dip rim of cocktail glass in simple syrup, then coat with dry mix. Muddle a dash of simple syrup and the fig at the bottom of glass. Add vodka, Yuzu juice and ice, and stir gently.

Ingredients:

Stevia, to taste

Pinch of cayenne pepper

Pinch of sea salt

Simple syrup

2 ounces Figenza fig vodka

½ fresh fig

3 ounces Yuzu juice

Ice

Instructions:

Mix together Stevia, cayenne petter and sea salt. Dip rim of cocktail glass in simple syrup, then coat with dry mix. Muddle fig at the bottom of glass. Add vodka, Yuzu juice and ice, and stir gently.

Make it a skinny
Photo credit: Bruce Gilbert
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