TOM STEMMLEABOUT THE ARTIST: I was born in Princeton, NJ on January 19, 1945 – the same day (different years) as Dolly Parton, Jack Caprio, Robert. E. Lee, and Paul Cezanne…You’re right…So what?
I started drawing at age 5 by copying Dick Tracy, complete with Gould’s “in-cloud” signature. I sold my first cartoon while a senior in high school to a bi-weekly industial arts paper for a whopping $5! I eked out an Associate of Arts degree from Trenton Jr College in ’66…Was in the Marine Corps from ’66 to ‘72’’’Had my first ‘National’ cartoon published in ’71 with ‘Letterman’ Magazine and became a regular contributor…Worked at the Trenton Times from ’71-’79 doing In-House ads and promotion work for both the ad and circulation departments…Juggled a ‘civilian’ job with freelancing (advertising art, greeting cards, gag cartoons) until ’87 when I sold a gag-a-day sports panel “Grandstand Play” to the now defunct McNaught syndicate.. Thanks to Harry Devlin I was offered to join the National Cartoonist Society and met many ‘tooners’ who are/were “idols”.
I continued freelancing after McNaught’s demise to mags including baseball and football digest…Several medical monthlys too…One ran an on-going feature I created about germs entitled “Micro-Topics”... I’m currently re-working a strip idea that was almost accepted in ’06. It is my great honor to be the chairman of the New Jersey chapter of the National Cartoonist Society (The Monthly Munchers).
I have three children from a previous marriage…Met the wonderful Marie (a teacher) in ’83; wed in ’84 and BOOM! – Gained four more kids! Now, the kids are grown and married..POW! five more (grand) kids to the list! We’re now fully enjoying “empty-nest syndrome” from our, now very quiet “digs” in Piscataway, NJ
tomstem@optonline.net
ABOUT THE RECIPE: Wash meal down with a six-pack of Pepto Bismol and don't call me the morning...
My Grandmother's Hungarian Stuffed Cabbage (Sarma)
(Serves 6)
INGREDIENTS
1 head of cabbage
1 pound lean ground beef
1/2 pound ground pork
1/2 pound ground ham
1 cup uncooked long grain white rice
1 onion finely chopped
1 egg
1/2 teaspoon garlic powder (or 1/2 garlic clove minced)
1 tsp salt
1 teaspoon coarse ground pepper
1 pound sauerkraut
1 cup tomato juice (optional)
Add water to cover
DIRECTIONS
1. Place cabbage in freezer for a few days. Take out to thaw the night before making the dish.
2. In a large bowl combine the beef, pork, ham, rice, onion, egg, garlic, salt and pepper. Mix well.
3. Form meat mixture into oblong balls using 1/2 cup of mixture at a time. Wrap cabbage leaf around each ball.
4. Spread the sauerkraut in the bottom of a large pot.
5. Layer cabbage rolls on top (seam side down) *Pour tomato juice over rolls or just add more water to cover
6. Bring to a boil, then reduce heat to low and simmer for approximately 3 hours (add more water as necessary) My grandmother would often use sauerkraut juice instead of water to add flavor. No, I don't know where she got all the extra sauerkraut juice...
Served best with mashed or boiled potatoes.
