At The Table With: Patricia Jones Nogar
In today’s over relaxed way of living, may I introduce Patricia Jones Nogar. Pat’s is a lifestyle expert, sharing her grace and the best way to enjoy life.
She hails from St. Louis, Mo., where at the young of 8 she and her sister, Delnita, became sous chefs for their mother’s over-the-top entertaining. Pat’s first job was to cut and arrange butter pats, moving on to fashioning radish roses. Mother Edwina was a stern taskmaster. Her signature dish was shrimp cocktail with the shrimp tinted a certain shade of blue. If it didn’t come out as she wished, it was started all over again.
Pat and her husband of nearly 25 years, David Nogar, met in St. Louis. He had traveled there for his work in the transit world. Pat had created and overseen an event which he attended. With their 25th anniversary coming, you can bet there are huge plans in the making for the event.
Pat is a real lady, as well as an accomplished business woman. While director of health services at Lankenau Hospital, she introduced a program on television titled “Health Matters.” This led to her popular show, “Living Well with Pat Nogar.” The show highlights a style with which the Nogars live. I call themmy “socialite” friends, embracing a high degree of living and entertaining. You can view her show on YouTube.
I met Pat on Facebook when she invited me to join one of her pages. The Sophia Group is for “is for ladies of a certain age.” It is networking for ladies from all walks of life, especially business.
It is always an adventure to be invited to one of her gatherings. Christmas is her highlight of the year with her 12 Days of Christmas party featuring 14 (yes 14) decorated trees throughout the house
One of the saddest times of her life waswhen her only child, Timothy, unexpectedly died in his sleep at the young age of 45. Pat truly believes it is her strong faith that enabled her to carry on.
Pat and David moved to the area 20 years ago as David’s family is from nearby Plymouth Valley. His great-grandfather, August Nogar, was a prominent and noted businessman who started a tailor shop in 1913 in Reading. The shop grew into what was known as Nogar Clothing Manufacturing Co., most noted for developing a notear fabric for work clothes with the motto “Made to Stand the Gaff.”
Pat has very heavy schedule, and David commutes daily to New York City via the train from Philadelphia. They enjoy being involved in each other’s events, both hope to combine their talents in a joint project.
Pat shares with us a recipe that her mother traditionally made every Christmas. The secret is to use “browned butter.” The recipe was lost until Pat was going through some old recipes and came across a clipping fromthe St. Louis Post-Dispatch newspaper dated Dec. 10, 1963.
SNOWBALL MELTAWAY COOKIES
1 cup (2 sticks) butter ¼ cup sifted confectioners’ sugar 1 tsp. vanilla 2½ cups sifted flour ½ cup finely chopped pecans Confectioners’ sugar The important first-step: In a heavy pan, over low heat, melt and heat butter until light brown in color. Pour melted butter into small bowl. Chill until firm. Creambrowned butter, sugar and vanilla until light and fluffy. Gradually add flour to make a dough. Chill. Shape into crescent shapes or balls. Bake in a prepared oven of 325 degrees for 15 minutes. Roll in confectioners’ sugar while still hot. Cool on a wire rack. Enjoy!
Let me hear from you: banjack303@verizon.net. Search YouTube for “Look Who’s Cooking with Bette Banjack,” as well phoenixvillenews.com (search bar: Banjack) for this column. Find Bette on Facebook by searching “Bette Banjack’s Downtown Kitchen.”