Coast-Host-Post
By Lisa Zaslow Segelman
Pam and Rob Kornfeld of Ocean City began their shore adventure back in 1992. Both natives of the Philadelphia area, they grew up with sand in their shoes at the Jersey Shore. Once they married and had toddlers, Ocean City was the perfect vacation spot. After many long hotel weekends, they got the good-life-at-the-shore bug.
They’re not alone. One minute they decided to “just look” during open houses of homes for sale, the next, but before you can say “Johnson’s World-Famous Popcorn,” they were proud homeowners of a second home.
“When we bought our shore house in 1992, we couldn’t afford to live in it,” says Pam. “We rented it out for all but two weeks of the summer. Those two weeks became our cherished summer vacation.”
When the Kornfelds moved to Michigan 28 years ago, spending more time with their relatives back East became even more important.
“We’re so grateful that as the decades went by we were able to come to the shore for longer,” says Pam. “Rob has a business in Michigan, but once Covid hit, like the rest of the world he realized that he was able work more effectively from home than he ever thought possible. Now we come for about six weeks and rent it out the rest of the time.”
“Now we come down more,” says Rob.
That makes me laugh because of course he’s not coming “down the shore” from Michigan, but beloved figures of speech are hard to give up, especially when they’re set in musical stone by the likes of Bruce Springsteen. Philly and Jersey people will always go “down the shore” no matter the departure point.
Pam and Rob pride themselves on being accommodating hosts. They beach, eat, shoot the breeze, and enjoy friends and family. They even ask their guests in advance what their hopes and dreams are for their vacation. It usually involves the beach, boardwalk, a few rides in their golf cart and bringing home saltwater taffy and fudge for their friends.
The Kornfelds inquire about any food restrictions, be it gluten-free or allergies. They lend guests their beach umbrellas, cool cabana and chairs. They even pull the golf cart out and park it on the street to save their guests a parking spot. Rob makes beer can chicken (see recipe below) and Pam makes walking tacos.
“For weekend guests we usually cook one night, go out one night, and get takeout one night,” says Pam.
Sounds like a great vacation itinerary to me.
“You’d be surprised though,” says Pam. “As aware and accommodating as we try to be for our guests, we often feel like we don’t enjoy much accommodation back. It’s not just friends; it’s family, too.”
I asked Pam if she was sure she wanted to go rogue and share her hosting issues here in Shore Local.
“I see your Host-Coast-Post column as the perfect opportunity to hang my grievances on the refrigerator with a seagull magnet,” deadpanned Pam.
She went on to share how her friend “Paul” once brought a flat of Hammonton blueberries as a thank you for his stay. “Well that sounds nice,” I said.
“Yeah, but he took whatever was left home with him,” she said.
This was the same cousin who brought a few bottles of liquor as a gift, but then saw that Pam and Rob had better, more top-shelf choices. So he drank the good stuff and brought his own stash home.
“This all paled in comparison to when the same friend overstayed his welcome. He was still at our place the day following his scheduled departure as our next guests were arriving for dinner,” says Pam. “What could I say except ‘pull up a chair and meet my great Aunt Edna!’”
“I try and head off errant guests at the pass,” says Rob. “After they settle in I take them into the kitchen and say, ‘let me introduce you to the dishwasher.’”
At the end of the stay, the Kornfelds simply ask that guests look alive and realize that they’re not a hotel, and that they’re on vacation, too.
“With a little thoughtfulness and consideration,” says Pam, “We can all make memories (and beds).”
With that, read the Kornfelds’ list of Top Ten Tips for Guests, which accompanies this column.
Rob Kornfeld’s
Beer Can Chicken
Ingredients for Rub:
- 1 cup of brown sugar
- 1 cup of Hungarian or Spanish paprika (not smoked)
- ½ cup of Kosher salt
- 1 t of black pepper
- 1 t of garlic powder
- 1 t of onion powder
- ½ t of cayenne pepper*
- ½ t of cummin*
- ½ t of ground turmeric*
- ½ t of ground coriander*
- 1-2 or more whole chickens, rinsed and dried
*optional ingredients
Method:
Make this large quantity of rub at the start of the summer so you always have it on hand. This rub can be used on other meats, too.
Dry the skin well with paper towels. Chickens can be air dried in the fridge overnight. Any moisture takes away from the crispiness.
Rub the chicken with oil and the prepared rub in every nook and cranny and inside the chicken.
Set up your beer cans filled halfway with beer or use a beer can chicken holder available online or in stores.
Place the chicken onto the open can or holder so it’s upright. Yes, looks funny. Add back any rub that fell off in this process.
Cook chicken on the grill at 325° to 350° or medium heat. Shut the lid and let the chicken cook for 1 hour and 15 minutes.
You can use the juice to baste while cooking and it eliminates flare ups. Use the drippings and remaining liquid from the beer cans to make a sauce by transferring the liquid and drippings to a sauce pan and reducing on low heat.
Test the chicken for doneness with an instant-read thermometer in the thickest part of the thigh. Temperature should read 165 °F.
Lisa is an advertising copywriter (think ‘Madmen’ without the men), journalist and columnist. Claim to fame: Lou’s waitress for four teenage summers. For column comments, story ideas, or to get on her “quote” list for future columns: redshoeslzs@gmail.com
