On April 29, 2022, Don Brandes, illustrator of ‘Old Manatee A to Z’ and ‘Tales from the Table’ will be visiting with the Saint Stephen’s 1-6 grade students.

If you order a book, it will be delivered to your child on that day and they will have the opportunity to have it signed by Mr. Brandes.

Orders must be placed by 5pm on Friday, April 22, 2022.

In 2020, Realize Bradenton published the first children’s book to explore the history of the Bradenton area, “Old Manatee A to Z”.

Click here for a preview of “Old Manatee A to Z”.

Realize Bradenton’s second book “Tales from the Table” features recipes and stories with a twist of education!  

Click here for a preview of “Tales from the Table”.

The bright green sign advertising Connect Bradenton was an indication that something interesting must be going on in the downtown office building that traditionally houses law firms, CPAs, and insurance agencies. The concept behind Connect Bradenton was originally based on a growing trend in the business world: to offer customizable office spaces for working individuals and businesses. According to Wade Hamilton, Community Manager, “Connect Bradenton is a place for people working from home to focus on tasks and meet with clients, provide meeting places for a variety of businesses and offers options for  co-working, virtual, and public/private offices.” Memberships start at $95 a month and include office access from 8:30 to 5, Wi-Fi, and the use of meeting spaces. More than a receptionist, Stephanie Foley, Office Coordinator, is on hand to greet members and clients, when she’s not at her Pilates class!

But the mission of Connect Bradenton has evolved far beyond offering physical office space to truly connecting Bradenton. As Wade explains, “Connect Bradenton is focused on creating opportunities to bring business owners together to share ideas, offer support, and explore innovation.” Like the personalized work spaces it offers, Wade and other local business and government partners have created a variety of casual networking experiences for businesses and owners at all levels in their development. “We want to create  the conviviality of a small town where everyone knows you, but in a more expansive business environment.  The goal is to offer opportunities for startups and new entrepreneurs to learn good business practices  from seasoned professionals and experts.  We want to connect people with others who have  the knowledge and skills you need to succeed and make your dream a reality.” Networking sessions are held at different times and on different days to accommodate a diversity of work schedules and a variety of topics: grant writing, marketing, finance, to name just a few. By making this space and expertise available to a new entrepreneur issues can be resolved before they become serious problems.

While the pandemic has created challenges, Connect Bradenton used the time to listen to their members and others in the business community to assess ways Connect Bradenton could provide additional services. They have added modular classroom space, created additional meeting rooms, increased the number of private offices, and added to technology options. Thinking back on the isolation of the past year, it’s comforting to know there are options for professionals, not only in terms of people to talk to but welcoming places to be.

You can reach Wade or Stephanie through the website, ConnectBradenton.com or call them at 941.822.8741.

Thank you to guest blogger, Maureen Zaremba, for this Good News!

Realize Bradenton’s latest book Tales from the Table: Flavor, Families, and Friends is a storybook cookbook with a twist of education! The book features recipes from local community members, the special stories behind them, and engaging learning activities. 

Click here for the answer keys for the Tales from the Table Learning Together activities.

Click here to purchase your copy of Tales from the Table.

Thank you to our Champions of Education for supporting Tales from the Table

Enjoy these recipes from our weekly Chef at the Market demos at the Downtown Bradenton Public Market.

Realize Bradenton has published two books to connect people through stories.

Tales from the Table: Family, Friends, and Flavor is more than a cookbook, it is also an educational tool. Below are the answer keys for each recipe’s Learn Together activities.

Page 9, Henry Blyden, Creole Style Fish

Social Studies 

1. Tortola is the largest of the British Virgin Islands. The island is about 3 miles wide and has a lot of steep hills. The climate is generally tropical and hot. 

Language Arts 

1. Answers will vary.
2. The steps in the recipe in the correct order:

e. In a medium bowl, mix the eggs and milk into a wash.

c. Dredge the catfish in flour then the egg and milk wash.

a. Coat with breadcrumbs.

d. Place the fish in a skillet coated with oil.

b. Lightly brown in oil for 3-4 minutes.

Mathematics

1. The picture should have a shape (circle, square, rectangle) divided into four equal parts. One of the four parts should be shaded in. 
2. The recipe calls for ½ of a medium onion and ½ of a bell pepper. These fractions are not equivalent because the whole is not the same shape or size. Although they are both ½, you can’t compare fractions if the whole is not the same. 
3. The table below lists some of the necessary ingredients to make this recipe. It shows how much of each ingredient is needed for one batch, which serves 4 people. It also shows how much would be needed if you wanted to make enough for 12 people. 

Ingredient	Amount needed for one batch	Amount needed for 3 batches
Flour	1 cup	3 cups
Eggs	2 eggs	6 eggs
Milk	¼ cup	¾ cups
Seasoned Breadcrumbs	2 cups	6 cups
Vegetable Oil	½ cup	1 ½ cups
Black Pepper	¼ teaspoon	¾ teaspoons
Tomato Sauce	One 10-ounce can	Three 10-ounce cans

Page 13, Catherine and Ruben Ferrer, Arepas

Social Studies

1. Coro, Venezuela is located on South America. The Caribbean Sea is north of Venezuela. 

Language Arts 

1. Answers will vary. 
2. Answers will vary. 
3. Reading Comprehension
   1. Possible Answers: You are able to mix it better with your hands. It might not stick to your hands as much as the spoon. You can really work the dough together with your hands. 
   2. The dough is on the right track when it STARTS pulling away from the sides of the bowl and sticks to itself rather than your hands.

Mathematics 

1. Ingredients from the least amount to the greatest: 1 teaspoon salt, ¼ cup vegetable oil, 2 cups pre-cooked white corn meal, 2 ½ cups lukewarm water. 
2. This recipe serves 8 people. If you are inviting 23 people to your party (don’t forget to include yourself), you will need to make 3 batches. (8×3=24) You will need 6 cups of cornmeal (2×3=6) and 3 teaspoons of salt to make all the batches. (1×3=3)

Science 

1. Water is a liquid and salt is a solid. A liquid has a definite volume, but does not have a fixed shape, as it takes the shape of its container. A solid has a definite shape and volume. Items in the kitchen will vary.
2. The new solution is a liquid, since the salt has dissolved in the water. You can’t remove the salt from the water solution once it has been mixed together. However, if the water evaporates, salt crystals will be left behind.

Page 17, Trudy Williams, Tomato Pie

Social Studies

1. Michigan is located in the Midwest region of the United States. If you took a road trip there, you would most likely drive through Florida, Georgia, Tennessee, Kentucky, Indiana and Michigan. 

Language Arts

1. There are many ways that life for a child today is different from in the past. A big difference is technology. Our elderly family members did not have computers, television and smart telephones when they were younger. There have also been major advances in medicine, which has helped control childhood illnesses that were around many years ago. 
2. Answers will vary. 

Mathematics

1. If you put it in the oven at 3:36 p.m., and it cooks for 25 minutes, it will be finished at 4:01 p.m. 
2. If this pie is circular and serves four people, you would cut the pie into 4 equal pieces. Two slices would be 2/4 or 1/2 of the pie.

Science 

1. Tomatoes are fruit and part of the nightshade family. They grow on vines that have a weak stem. Tomatoes are grown in many places, but the top producers are China, India, the United States and Turkey. The primary tomato growing season is May through October.

Page 21, Louis and Cristina Najmy, Stuffed Grape Leaves

Social Studies 

1. New York is in the Northeast region of the United States. Some well-known landmarks in New York are the Statue of Liberty, the Empire State Building and Central Park. 
2. Immigration is when people move to a foreign county to live permanently. Some reasons people immigrated to the United States of America were for religious freedom, job opportunities, better living conditions, and to escape their country for various reasons. Many people traveled by ships and trains.  

Language Arts

1. Answers will vary. 
2. The story said, “There is an art to rolling the grape leaves. (My mother will tell you if you don’t roll them tightly enough!)” This is probably an important step so the filling does not fall out.

Mathematics

1. ¾ cup of rice is greater than ½ cup of water. A picture would show two identical shapes (circle, square or rectangle). One would be divided into four equal parts with three parts shaded. The other shape would be divided into two equal parts with one part shaded.

Science

1. This recipe uses grape leaves. Grapes grow on vines and need full sun. Leaves are an important part of the plant because that is where the food for the plant is made. Plants make their own food through a process called photosynthesis. 

Page 25, Alfredo Garcia, The Get Together Tacos de Asada

Social Studies 

1. Mexico is on the continent of North America and has rain forests, deserts, mountains and canyons. Mexico has a Native American heritage, and the primary language spoken there is Spanish. People in Mexico enjoy many different types of food, especially corn, rice and chili peppers. Mariachi bands are often heard playing folk music at celebrations. Many natural resources can be found in Mexico, such as silver, copper and oil. There are a lot of reptile and mammal species living in Mexico, and some common creatures are jaguars, monkeys and iguanas. The climate of Mexico is varied based on the altitude, however a lot of Mexico is sunny for most of the year with hot summers and mild winters

Language Arts

1. Possible answer: Some crops that grow locally are strawberries, blueberries, oranges, tomatoes, and many more. Most plants are seasonal and grow best during certain times of the year based on the weather. Purchasing locally-grown produce helps support local farmers. Some crops grow well here due to the warm climate, rainy season, mild winters and plenty of sunshine. Other crops do not do well with Florida’s heat.  
2. Reading Comprehension 
   1. The author says the first step in making tortillas is boiling the corn.
   2. According to the story, food feeds your body and art feeds your soul. Possible answer: Our bodies need food to survive and grow. It feeds our bodies with energy and nutrients. Art helps our soul by encouraging creativity, decreasing stress and expressing ourselves.  
   3. Answers will vary.
   4. Instead of a machine, the author’s grandmother preferred to grind the boiled corn into dough using a traditional metate stone to make tortillas.
   5. Are the following sentences fact or opinion?
      1. My grandma’s traditional Mexican kitchen is made out of clay, and she uses a wood fire to cook.- Fact
      2. …she makes huge tortillas! You have two, and you are full! -Opinion

Mathematics

1. If you want to double the recipe, you will need 10 tomatoes (2×5=10), 2 onions (1×2=2) and 10 jalapeños. (5×2=10)
2. If you need 4 pounds of New York strip steak to serve 6 people, you will need 12 pounds will you need to serve 18 people. (6×3=18, so 4×3=12)

Science 

1. Onions are a bulb, which grow underground. They have shallow roots, and the tops of the onion plant grow above ground. They are commonly grown in China, Japan, Mali and South Korea. Tomatoes are fruit and part of the nightshade family. They grow on vines that have a weak stem. Tomatoes are grown in many places, but the top producers are China, India, the United States and Turkey. The primary tomato growing season is May through October. Jalapeños grow best in warm temperatures with plenty of sun. The jalapeño is considered a fruit and grows to be about 3 inches long. If left to mature, it will turn red. They grow all over the world, especially in the United States, China and Mexico.
2. Answers will vary. It is important to eat a balanced diet so you can focus better in school, sleep well, have energy to be active, and feel great! ‘MyPlate’ is a graphic that was introduced by the United States Department of Agriculture to show the different components (vegetables, protein, grains and dairy) that make up a balanced meal. It can be used as a tool to help parents and children develop healthy eating habits.

Page 29, Lynette Edwards, Felecia Diane Jett, PhD, Carolyn Major-Harper, Diana Lanier Smith, PhD, Sweet Potato Pie

Social Studies

1. Mary McLeod Bethune demonstrated volunteerism and civility in the early 1900s by selling the delicious sweet potato pies from her bicycle, and raising money to build a school for Black girls. Some ways you could help your local community are by picking up garbage on the beach, raising money for a local charity or donating toys to a children’s hospital. (Possible answers are given.)

Language Arts

1. Answers will vary.
2. Both potatoes are root vegetables, very nutritious and a good source of fiber. Sweet potatoes are from the morning glory family and typically have brown skin and orange flesh. Regular potatoes are nightshades and have brown, yellow, or red skin with white or yellow flesh.

Mathematics

1. A circle is a round closed shape around a central point. Since line segments make something a side, a circle does not have any sides or angles. The radius of the circle is the length from the center of the circle to a point on the circle. The diameter is a line segment from one point on the circle, through the center, to another point on the circle. The circumference of a circle is the perimeter. 
2. If you cut the circular pie in half, you would have 2 total pieces. If you cut those halves in half, you would have 4 pieces. You would write one of those pieces as a fraction of the whole pie as 1/4.  
3. If you cut the pie into 12 equal slices and ate 3 slices, you would have 9 slices left. (12-3=9) The fraction of the pie that is left is 9/12. The fraction of the pie that was eaten is 3/12.
4. There are 3 teaspoons in one tablespoon. There are 16 tablespoons in one cup. There are 48 teaspoons are in one cup. 2 cups of condensed milk are equal to 32 tablespoons. (2×16=32) ½ cup of sugar is equal to 24 teaspoons. (48/2=24)

Science 

1. The milk, vanilla extract and raw eggs are liquids. The sweet potatoes or yams, butter or margarine, sugar, brown sugar, salt, nutmeg and pie shells are solids. 
2. The main parts of a plant are roots, stem and leaves. The roots anchor the plant in the ground and absorb nutrients and water from the soil. The stem carries water and nutrients to the leaves and holds the plant up. The leaves make food for the plant in a process called photosynthesis. Sweet potatoes grow best in the south, as it is a tropical plant. They do not start from seeds, but instead from sprouts of other sweet potato plants. They take about 3-4 months to reach maturity. The sweet potato is a root.  
3. You keep track of the time by using a timer or watching a clock. If you cooked it too long it would burn. If you didn’t cook it long enough it would be raw or undercooked. If you started cooking it at 1:20 p.m. you should first check for doneness at 2:10 p.m., as this is 50 minutes later.
4. It is important the oven has time to preheat to allow it to reach the cooking temperature before putting the dish in and starting the baking time. If you cooked it at a higher temperature for the same amount of time it would burn, and if you cooked it at a lower temperature for the same amount of time it would be undercooked. 

Page 33, An Ha Young and JT Turpin, Japchae

Social Studies

1. Korea is located on the continent Asia. 
2. Answers will vary. Thanksgiving in Korea is called Chuseok, and is a time where family members gather to remember their ancestors and enjoy delicious food together. It is a celebration of harvest for the year and celebrated on the 15^th day of the eighth lunar month. A popular food is songpyeon, which is rice powder is kneaded into a small ball and filled with ingredients such as beans, sesame seeds or chestnuts. 

Language Arts

1. Answers will vary. 
2. Answers will vary. 
3. Answers will vary. 

Math 

1. Answers will vary. 

Science

1. The ingredients in this recipe that came from a plant are: 

• Sweet potatoes were used to make the sweet potato noodles, sesame was used to make sesame oil, soy was used to make soy sauce, and sugar cane was used to make sugar.  
• Red bell peppers and green peppers are considered a fruit because they have seeds. This plant grows best in tropical climates and like warm soil. If you want green peppers, pick them when they reach full size, firmness and form, before they start to change color. Bell peppers are commonly grown in China, Mexico, Turkey, Indonesia and the United States. 
• Carrots are a root vegetable and prefer full sun and cooler soil. They are commonly grown in China, Uzbekistan, the United States and Russia. 
• Onions are a bulb, which grow underground. They have shallow roots, and the tops of the onion plant grow above ground. They are commonly grown in China, Japan, Mali and South Korea. 
• Garlic is a flowering plant growing from a bulb. It can grow year-round and does well in mild climates. They are commonly grown in China and India.

Page 37, Nasheka Craddock, Sour Cream Pound Cake

Social Studies

1. Naples, Florida is south of Bradenton, Florida. Naples is about 130 miles from Bradenton, but the distance from your actual location will vary. If you traveled at 70 miles per hour, it would take 1 hour and 51 minutes to travel 130 miles.

Language Arts

1. Reading Comprehension-Search and Find
   1. The grandmother first started cooking after she married the grandfather.
   2. The grandmother’s specialty was Sour Cream Pound Cake.
   3. The current age of the grandmother is 87 years old.
2. The correct order of the steps in the recipe: 

    f.   Spray and coat cake Bundt pan.

   d.  Mix softened butter and sugar in a bowl.

    i.   Add eggs and vanilla extract.

   h.  Slowly mix in the cake flour and baking powder.

   a.  Add the sour cream.

   c.  Pour batter into cake pan.

   b.  Bake for 1 hour.

   g.  Stick toothpick into cake to check for doneness. 

   e.  Allow the cake to cool for about 1 hour.

Mathematics FINISH

1. If you sold 14 slices at $2.00 each, you would make $28.00. (14 x $2.00=$28.00)
2. The recipe to make one cake calls for 6 eggs and 3 cups of flour. If you made 5 cakes, you would need 30 eggs (6 x 5= 30) and 15 cups of flour. (3 x 5=15) 
3. This cake needs to bake for 1 hour, which is equal to 60 minutes and 3,600 seconds. If you started baking a cake at 9:35 a.m., it would be ready at 10:35 a.m. If you baked a second cake and the timer went off at 4:55 p.m., you would have put the cake in the oven at 3:55 p.m.
4. Your total for the sour cream, eggs and butter would be $5.33. ($1.59 + $0.75 + $2.99= $5.33) If you pay with a $20 bill, your change would be $14.67. ($20.00- $5.33= $14.67)

Science

1. As the cake batter is baking in the oven, the parts of the cake that touch the pan will cook first and look different from the middle of the cake. The thermal energy from the oven will heat the metal pan quickly and transfer this heat to the outside of the cake, which will make it cook a little faster than the middle.
2. Once the cake is baked, you cannot reverse the process. This a chemical change.

Page 41, Jocelyn Geraldson Burness, Marinated Tomatoes

Social Studies

1. Wisconsin is located in the Midwest region of the United States. The capital of the state is Madison. If you were to drive there, you would travel north and west. The states that border Wisconsin are Minnesota, Iowa, Illinois and Michigan. The major bodies of water that touch Wisconsin are Lake Michigan and Lake Superior. 

Language Arts

1. Answers will vary.
2. Answers will vary.
3. Answers will vary.

Math

1. The ingredients from the recipe from the greatest amount to the least amount are: 

a. Vegetable or olive oil- ¼ cup

e. Vinegar- 2 tablespoons

b. Salt- 1 teaspoon and c. Sugar- 1 teaspoon

d. Pepper- ¼ teaspoon

Science 

1. Tomato seeds are most likely dispersed by animals. Some animals might carry the half-eaten tomato to a new location and drop it. Other animals might eat the tomato and the seeds will be dispersed in a new location through their waste.  Tomatoes are a fruit and part of the nightshade family. They grow on vines that have a weak stem. Tomatoes are grown in many places, but the top producers are China, India, the United States and Turkey. The primary tomato growing season is May through October. 

Page 45, Ashley and Oscar Ciferno, Pozole

Social Studies 

1. Mexico is on the continent of North America and has rain forests, deserts, mountains and canyons. Mexico has a Native American heritage, and the primary language spoken there is Spanish. People in Mexico enjoy many different types of food, especially corn, rice and chili peppers. Mariachi bands are often heard playing folk music at celebrations. Many natural resources can be found in Mexico, such as silver, copper and oil. There are a lot of reptile and mammal species living in Mexico, and some common creatures are jaguars, monkeys and iguanas. The climate of Mexico is varied based on the altitude, however a lot of Mexico is sunny for most of the year with hot summers and mild winters. The Aztecs were warriors in Mexico in the 13^th century. They built cities and an empire, with their capital in the city of Tenochtitlan. They ruled the area for over a hundred years, until the Spanish invaders arrived in 1519. 

Language Arts

1. Answers will vary.
2. Answers will vary.
3. Distinct means separate or different.

Mathematics

1. You need 1 pound of chicken to make this recipe and would use mass to measure it. 1 pound of chicken is equivalent to 16 ounces.
2. There are 13 different ingredients listed in this recipe. The salt is measured in tablespoons and the oregano is measured in teaspoons. You would use a tablespoon and teaspoon to measure these ingredients. 
3. This recipe serves 8 people. You could serve 16 people if you doubled the recipe. (8×2=16) You could serve 24 people if you tripled the recipe. (8×3=24)
4. Answers for an item that is approximately 1 inch long will vary. You can estimate the length of an inch when cutting the leaves by thinking of the item that is approximately 1 inch long. You could use a ruler and measure the leaf to make sure the pieces were exactly 1 inch long. 

Science

1. Possible answer: A native plant is one that originated naturally in an area without human interaction. There are many different native plants in Florida. Florida has some native milkweed plants that attract butterflies. The Sabal palm is native to Florida and has a central core which is edible. 

Student Illustrations

These spot illustrations were created by the students of William Ferrell, the Commercial Art Instructor at Braden River High School. The illustrations are part of the Tales from the Table cookbook project and an opportunity for high school students to work on real-world assignments.

LINE-UP
March 19 – Kettle of Fish – Blues Rock
March 26 – Memphis Rub Band – Blues, Classic Rock
April 2 – Ariella (Ari and the Alibis) – Jazz Blues
April 9 – Jah Movement – Reggae Funk
April 16 – Eric Von Band – Island Country
April 23 – Doug Deming and the Jewel Tones – Blues
April 30 – The Divebombers – Good ol’ American

To register to attend a future concert, please visit https://www.manateeperformingartscenter.com/

Approved vendors for the Downtown Bradenton Public Market may use the drop down menu to pay weekly or monthly fees.

Payment Frequency

One Week $40.00 USD 4 Weeks (Monthly) $136.00 USD 5 Weeks (Monthly) $170.00 USD

Conducted: Fall 2019 – December 2020

Conducted by: Community Land Use + Economics Group (CLUE Group)

Coordinated by: Realize Bradenton, in partnership with the City of Bradenton and the Manatee Chamber of Commerce

Funded by: Knight Donor Advised Fund at the Manatee Community Foundation

Purpose: to conduct a retail market analysis for downtown Bradenton and to recommend strategies for strengthening the district’s retail/commercial composition, with particular attention on cultivating young entrepreneurial talent.