By JESSICA DAMIANO

OYSTER BAY, N.Y. (AP) — Some places seem to communicate with you when you visit. Not audibly, of course, but they somehow impart the echo of a life lived long ago. That’s the feeling I get at Planting Fields Arboretum State Historic Park.

The 409-acre remnant of Long Island’s grand Gold Coast is one of the region’s last surviving estates with its original acreage intact, which is remarkable when you consider how many of its cohorts have been divided up into housing developments or golf courses.

But it isn’t frozen in time. Recently, the site has been undergoing a multi-million dollar revitalization with a focus on biodiversity and native plantings rather than adherence to the plant palette selected for the property more than a century ago.

It’s a shift in emphasis that’s gaining traction in many historic gardens.

The new focus on sustainability was also evident when the arboretum recently replaced its storied half-mile-long double allée of European beech trees with native oaks. And meadows throughout the property, which have historically been mowed regularly, are now cut back just once or twice a year to allow a natural habitat to thrive.

A new book looks at a layered history

A new book, “Planting Fields: A Place on Long Island,” offers fresh perspective into the now-public arboretum. Full of color photography, both vintage and current (by David Almeida); sketches and plans by the famed Olmsted Brothers, who designed the landscape; and essays by architect Witold Rybczynski, landscape historian John Dixon Hunt and others, it’s an homage to the home and property.

This image provided by Phaidon/Monacelli shows the book cover of “Planting Fields: A Place on Long Island,” edited by Gina J. Wouters and Jerome E. Singerman, out May 21, 2025. (Phaidon/Monicelli)

At Planting Fields, the rolling lawns, gardens and woodland paths still command attention, anchored by Coe Hall, a sprawling Tudor Revival mansion.

The estate started taking shape in 1913, when English immigrant William Robertson Coe, chairman of the marine insurance company Johnson and Higgins, and his wife, Mai Rogers Coe, an heiress to the Standard Oil fortune, bought the land, which had once been a working farm. The couple used it as a country retreat.

Coe Hall was something of a 20th-century fantasy, deliberately built to look centuries old.

“The Coes were new money, but they didn’t want it to look like new money,” said Gina J. Wouters, president and CEO of Planting Fields Foundation and co-editor of the book, with Jerome E. Singerman. “They wanted it to look like they had generations of wealth.”

So, they brought in the best craftspeople of their time. There’s ironwork by Samuel Yellin, murals by Everett Shinn and Robert Winthrop Chanler and interiors by Elsie de Wolfe, who imparted a whimsical flair to the home.

The landscape, originally drafted by Boston landscape architect Andrew Sargent and his partner Guy Lowell, became a full-fledged Olmsted Brothers vision after Sargent died in 1918. There’s a formal Italian Garden, circular pool garden and greenhouses, including one that holds the largest camellia collection in the Northeast.

“Without a doubt, our claim to fame is that Planting Fields is the largest, still-existing Olmsted Brothers residential commission,” Wouters said. “Other properties have been sold off, turned into wedding venues, etc., but Planting Fields is the original 409 acres. Even on a national scale, that’s extraordinary.”

A continued emphasis on craftsmanship

The Coes themselves were hands-on, taking interest in breeding animals, collecting and hybridizing plants, patronizing contemporary artists and interior decorating.

In keeping with the couple’s penchant for hiring first-rate contemporary experts, Planting Fields has recently invited renowned Dutch garden and landscape designer Piet Oudolf to create a 1-acre garden for the property. The plan, Wouters said, is to use Oudolf’s four-season approach and include perennial gardens and year-round beauty in keeping with the historic design of the property.

Wouters hopes the book imparts “an understanding of the incredibly layered history of Planting Fields and the stewardship model that is guiding us today and ushering us into the future.”

She hopes readers will also feel compelled to visit.

“W.R. Coe gifted the property to the people of the state of New York – not the state of New York – the people,” she said. “That’s important.”

Jessica Damiano writes weekly gardening columns for the AP and publishes the award-winning Weekly Dirt Newsletter. You can sign up here for weekly gardening tips and advice.

By MOHAMMED JAHJOUH and SAMY MAGDY

MUWASI, Gaza Strip (AP) — Chaos erupted on the second day of aid operations by a new U.S.-backed group in Gaza as desperate Palestinians overwhelmed a center distributing food on Tuesday, breaking through fences. Nearby Israeli troops fired warning shots, sending people fleeing in panic.

An AP journalist heard Israeli tank and gunfire and saw a military helicopter firing flares. The Israeli military said its troops fired the warning shots in the area outside the center and that “control over the situation was established.”

At least three injured Palestinians were seen by the Associated Press being brought from the scene, one of them bleeding from his leg.

The distribution hub outside Gaza’s southernmost city of Rafah had been opened the day before by the Gaza Humanitarian Foundation, which has been slated by Israel to take over aid operations. The U.N. and other humanitarian organizations have rejected the new system, saying it won’t be able to meet the needs of Gaza’s 2.3 million people and allows Israel to use food as a weapon to control the population. They have also warned of the risk of friction between Israeli troops and people seeking supplies.

Palestinians have become desperate for food after nearly three months of Israeli blockade pushed Gaza to the brink of famine.

Palestinians at the scene told AP that small numbers of people made their way to the GHF center Tuesday morning and received food boxes. As word spread, hundreds of thousands of men, women and children walked for several miles from the sprawling tent camps along Gaza’s Mediterranean coast. To reach the hub, they had to pass through nearby Israeli military positions.

At the center, they waited in long, slow lines in fenced-in corridors. Two people said each person was searched and had their faces scanned for identification before being allowed to receive the boxes. Crowds swelled and turmoil erupted, with people tearing down fences and grabbing boxes. The staff at the site were forced to flee, they said.

The AP journalist positioned some distance away heard gunfire and rounds of tank fire. Smoke could be seen rising from where one round impacted. He saw a military helicopter overhead firing flares.

“There was no order, the people rushed to take, there was shooting, and we fled,” said Hosni Abu Amra, who had been waiting to receive aid. “We fled without taking anything that would help us get through this hunger.”

“It was chaos,” said Ahmed Abu Taha, who said he heard gunfire and saw Israeli military aircraft overhead. “People were panicked.”

Crowds were seen running from the site. A few managed to secure aid boxes — containing basic items like sugar, flour, pasta and tehini — but the vast majority left empty-handed.

In a statement, GHF said that because of the large number of Palestinians seeking aid, staff at the hub followed the group’s safety protocols and “fell back” to allow them to dissipate, then later resumed operations.

A spokesperson for the group told the AP that no shots were fired from GHF. Speaking on condition of anonymity in line with the group’s rules, the spokesperson said the protocols aim at “avoiding loss of life, which is exactly what happened.”

GHF uses armed private contractors to guard the hubs and the transportation of supplies. The hub is also close to Israeli military positions in the Morag Corridor, a band of territory across the breadth of Gaza that divides Rafah from the rest of the territory.

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GHF has set up four hubs around Gaza to distribute food, two of which began operating on Monday — both of them in the Rafah area.

The U.N. and other humanitarian groups have refused to participate in GHF’s system, saying it violates humanitarian principles. They say it can be used by Israel to forcibly displace the population by requiring them to move near the few distribution hubs or else face starvation – a violation of international law. They have also opposed the use of facial recognition to vet recipients.

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu on Tuesday commented on the turmoil at the Rafah center, saying, “There was some loss of control momentarily … happily we brought it under control.”

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He repeated that Israel plans to move Gaza’s entire population to a “sterile zone” at the southern end of the territory while troops fight Hamas elsewhere. Hamas has been designated as a terrorist organization by the United States, Canada and the European Union.

Israel has said the new system is necessary because it claims Hamas has been siphoning off supplies that reach Gaza. The U.N. has denied that any significant diversion takes place.

Throughout the war, the U.N. and other aid groups have conducted a massive operation distributing food, medicine and other supplies to wherever Palestinians are located. Israel says GHF will replace that network, but the past week has allowed a trickle of aid to enter Gaza for the U.N. to distribute.

COGAT, the Israeli military agency in charge of coordinating aid, said on Tuesday that 400 trucks of supplies, mainly food, was waiting on the Gaza side of the main crossing from Israel, but that the U.N. had not collected them. It said Israel has extended the times for collection and expanded the routes that the U.N. can use inside Gaza.

Jens Laerke, spokesperson for the U.N. humanitarian office OCHA, told reporters in Geneva that agencies struggle to pick up the supplies “because of the insecure routes that are being assigned to us by the Israeli authorities to use.” He said the amount of aid allowed the past week was “vastly insufficient.”

Magdy reported from Cairo. Associated Press correspondents Wafaa Shurafa in Deir al-Balah, Gaza Strip, Sam Mednick in Tel Aviv and Lee Keath in Cairo contributed to this report.

By Gretchen McKay, Pittsburgh Post-Gazette

I don’t cook salmon very often, but reading and writing about the Pittsburgh Marathon recently made me question why it’s not on regular rotation in my kitchen.

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The fatty fish is not only heart-healthy, thanks to all of its omega-3 fatty acids, but it’s also good for bone and brain health.

Then I remembered: I don’t particularly like how salmon tastes unless it has been cured and smoked and is served with thin slices of cucumber, dill and cream cheese on a toasted bagel.

My husband, however, loves any and all salmon, so, every now and again, I throw him a culinary bone and prepare it for dinner. You don’t stay married for 40-plus years without making some compromises. But I’m also sure to include a side dish or salad that can double as a main if I pile enough of it on my plate.

This simple spring meal, which comes together in less than a half-hour, is but one example. It pairs salmon fillet poached in white wine seasoned with lemon, shallot and feathery sprigs of fresh dill and Italian parsley with a roasted broccoli Caesar salad tossed in a powerhouse dressing and topped with paper-thin slices of Parmesan cheese.

I consider any vegetable that’s been roasted until it’s sweet and tender to be a rock star, but here, it’s next level. Charred florets are tossed with their uncooked stems in a creamy, tangy homemade Caesar dressing that’s unapologetic in its embrace of garlic and anchovy. (You use three of the briny fishies, and the olive oil they’re packed in, right out of a can.)

The salmon also is pretty tasty (I’m told), and was super-easy to prepare as the broccoli roasted in a 500-degree oven. I served it with a fresh sour cream-based dill sauce.

Easy Poached Salmon

PG tested

I used Faroe Island salmon (farmed between Iceland and Norway), a species known for its mild flavor, firm texture and vibrant orange-crimson color. The wine used for poaching is delicately flavored with bright citrus and fresh herbs.

For fish

1 cup white wine
Several sprigs of dill
1 or 2 sprigs of fresh Italian parsley
1 shallot, thinly sliced
1 lemon, thinly sliced
1-1 1/2 pounds salmon fillet, skin on

For dill sauce

3/4 cup sour cream
1 generous tablespoon Dijon mustard
1 small clove garlic, minced
1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice, plus 1 teaspoon zest
2 tablespoons fresh chopped dill, or more to taste
Pinch of sea salt

Pour the wine into a large saucepan set on medium heat. Add dill, parsley, shallots and half the lemon slices and bring to a simmer.

Season salmon fillets with salt and pepper. Place fillets skin-side down in the pan and cover with a lid.

Poach fish for 5-10 minutes, depending on the thickness of the fillet, or to desired doneness. Be careful not to overcook — the fish is done when it’s pink and opaque and flakes easily with a fork. (It should have an internal temperature of 125-130 degrees on an instant-read thermometer.)

While fish is poaching, stir together dill sauce. In small bowl, combine sour cream, Dijon mustard, minced garlic, lemon juice and zest and dill until smooth. Season to taste with salt and then set aside for serving.

Serve poached salmon either immediately, at room temperature or chilled from the fridge with a slice or two of lemon on the side and plenty of dill sauce.

Serves 2-4.

— Gretchen McKay, Post-Gazette

Broccoli Caesar Salad

PG tested

This might be one of the best broccoli dishes you eat all year. It pairs roasted florets with raw, thinly sliced stems so you get a nutty roasted flavor and crisp crunch in every bite. And who doesn’t love shaved Parmesan on a salad? I used cubes of baguette for the croutons instead of white bread.

1 1/2 pounds broccoli crowns, trimmed, halved lengthwise
2 tablespoons olive oil
1/4 teaspoon salt
2 slices rustic white bread, bottom crusts removed
3 anchovies, drained and minced, 1 1/2 tablespoons oil reserved
1/4 cup grated Parmesan cheese
1/4 cup mayonnaise
1 tablespoon lemon juice
1 1/2 teaspoons Dijon mustard
1 garlic clove, minced
1 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce
1/4 cup shaved Parmesan cheese
Freshly cracked black pepper

Adjust oven rack to middle position and heat oven to 500 degrees.

Place 1 broccoli crown half, cut side down, on cutting board and slice stalks 1/8 inch thick up to base of florets. Reserve sliced stems.

Break or cut florets into 1-inch pieces, then transfer to a rimmed baking sheet. Repeat with remaining crowns.

Drizzle florets with oil and toss well to coat. Sprinkle with salt and toss again.

Arrange florets so they cover three-quarters of the sheet pan. Place bread slices on remaining quarter sheet. Brush both sides of bread with reserved anchovy oil and season to taste with salt.

Roast until bread it crisp and golden brown, 5-8 minutes. (My cubes took 5 minutes.) Transfer bread to cutting board. Spread florets over entire surface of sheet and continue to roast for another 5 minutes. Transfer sheet to a wire rack to cool for 5 minutes.

While broccoli is cooling whisk together minced anchovies, grated Parmesan, mayonnaise, lemon juice, mustard, garlic, Worcestershire and pepper together in a large bowl. Tear bread into 1/2 -inch pieces.

Add reserved broccoli stems, florets and half of croutons to bowl with dressing and toss to combine. Transfer to serving bowl.

Top with remaining croutons, shaved Parmesan and freshly cracked black pepper, to taste.

Serves 4.

— Cook’s Illustrated

©2025 PG Publishing Co. Visit at post-gazette.com. Distributed by Tribune Content Agency, LLC.

By Anna Helhoski, NerdWallet

Shoppers who are concerned about tariffs driving up the costs of their favorite products might think that “Made in USA” goods could offer financial relief. But finding domestically manufactured, budget-friendly items may take effort.

Americans like the idea of buying more American-made products. A November 2024 poll by Morning Consult, conducted for the Alliance for American Manufacturing, found that 60% of Americans said they made an effort to buy U.S.-made goods over the past year. And 82% said they’d buy more if retailers made those products easier to find.

‘Made in USA’ won’t always mean tariff-free

Buying American products doesn’t mean avoiding tariffs or the global supply chain. Even the most well-known U.S. companies depend on imported components to make finished goods.

Take Crayola, for example: It’s headquartered in Pennsylvania and has manufacturing facilities in the U.S., but it also produces some of its products in Mexico. Some other iconic American brands base at least some — if not all — of their manufacturing outside the U.S. where labor and other production costs are lower. That includes Levi’s jeans, L.L. Bean apparel, Converse’s Chuck Taylor All Star sneakers, Ray-Ban sunglasses, Major League baseballs, American Girl dolls, Fender guitars and essentially everything Nike.

Even distinctly American auto companies like Ford, General Motors and Stellantis assemble cars domestically but need to source parts from elsewhere. Some 30,000 parts go into assembling a car. In the process of sourcing, producing and shipping, many components will be subject to tariffs each time they cross borders.

In essence, any U.S.-made goods that require imports somewhere in the production process will face higher production costs while tariffs are in place. And when import prices go up, the final products made in the U.S. could become more pricey for consumers.

Something else to consider: Even if “Made in USA” products are 100% sourced and produced domestically, it doesn’t mean those goods will be cheaper than foreign or import-dependent, U.S. goods that come with tariffs. The cost of labor, materials and regulatory compliance can make U.S. manufacturing expensive. Shoppers need time to find and compare their options.

What happened when I went looking for a pan

Finding “Made in USA” products that are fully produced in America — as in, sourced and manufactured here — can be a needle-in-a-haystack pursuit. But it truly depends on what you’re looking for.

Recently, I went looking for a cast-iron pan. It’s the one kitchen item that I grew up with but don’t currently own. And because it somehow feels American in my mind, I went hunting for an American-made cast-iron pan. Turns out, in this case it wasn’t too hard! But costs varied pretty widely.

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I started with a well-known U.S. brand: All-Clad, a cookware company that’s headquartered in western Pennsylvania and bases its manufacturing there, as well. Its boundless stainless steel cookware is made entirely in the U.S. But when I looked at the product specifications on its 12-inch enameled cast-iron skillet with a stainless steel lid, it says it is made in Vietnam. Not a deal breaker for me, personally, but for the purposes of this article it’s not a winner. For the record, the price tag was $109.99 — on sale from $189.99.

Another Pennsylvania-based cookware company, Lancaster Cast Iron produces every one of its products in-state, including its No. 10 skillet, a nearly 12-inch pan that runs for $225.

Then there was Field Company, a small cast-iron skillet company based in New York City. Its No. 10 pan — at almost 12 inches and advertised as a “smoother, lighter” cast-iron skillet — came in at $215, while the matching cast-iron lid was $140. A pan-and-lid set was $300. All of Field’s sourcing is done in the U.S., and its production is in Indiana, Illinois and Wisconsin.

Finally, I looked for a budget cast-iron-specific kitchenware company and found Lodge Cast Iron — a 129-year old company based in Tennessee. It prides itself on producing 80% of its products in the U.S.; some are produced overseas, like its enamel-coated cast-iron. But its classic seasoned 12-inch cast-iron skillet is made in the U.S. Last I checked, it was on sale for $24.90. A cast-iron lid cost around $30.

Given my limited kitchen prowess, I went with Lodge — the most affordable option.

What it takes to get the ‘Made in USA’ label

To promote products as “Made in USA,” the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) says the products must meet its standards. It’s been that way for decades, but it wasn’t until 1997 that the FTC provided specific guidance to companies on using the “Made in USA” label. In order to advertise that a product is “made,” “manufactured,” “built,” “produced,” “created,” or “crafted” in the U.S., the majority of that company’s products must actually be “all or virtually all” made in the U.S.

All-Clad and Lodge Cast Iron can broadly promote themselves as “Made in USA” because the overwhelming majority of their products are. But in advertising specific products, companies can’t claim the products are made in the U.S. when they’re not.

Ultimately, choosing to purchase American-made products is a matter of personal priorities. Whatever the reason — cost, quality, ethics or desire — shoppers will need to do some research. Depending on the product, cost-conscious consumers may have to make the decision between supporting domestic manufacturing and buying what’s affordable.

Are tariffs bringing manufacturing back to the U.S?

It’s unclear if President Donald Trump’s tariffs will bring more manufacturing to U.S. soil — as he says they will. Even with tariffs, some companies may still find it cheaper to manufacture goods in countries where costs of labor, sourcing and production are less expensive.

Still, domestic manufacturing is growing: The most recent data shows that in March 2025, spending on manufacturing construction was 3.7% higher than a year earlier. It’s part of a broader upward trend that began in 2011.

But bringing manufacturing back to the U.S. — also known as reshoring — won’t happen overnight. It takes time to build factories, fill positions and get production going. That means that even if investments are being made, there’s bound to be a lag before more “Made in USA” products become available.

Anna Helhoski writes for NerdWallet. Email: anna@nerdwallet.com. Twitter: @AnnaHelhoski.

The article Facing Tariffs, Should Shoppers Seek ‘Made in USA’ Goods? originally appeared on NerdWallet.