Bob Triscari and Sam Qadri are partners in Aadvance Driver Training LLC. Photos by Beverly Kehe-Rowland

After friends Bob Triscari and Sam Qadri, both driver education teachers, realized there was a need for driver training in the Jamestown area, they set out to start their business, Aadvance Driver Training.

“After a summer of teaching Driver Ed at two different BOCES sites, we sat down and talked about the students that couldn’t get into a Drivers Ed program. We researched and discovered there was a need,” says Qadri.

He went on to tell how they went through the process to become certified and authorized by the New York State Department of Motor Vehicles to open a driving school.

“We’re the only commercial driving school within Chautauqua and Cattaraugus Counties that offers the services of behind the wheel driving lessons, pre-licensing course and insurance point reduction. We’re licensed and certified by the New York State Department of Motor Vehicles and the State Education Department to perform the instructional services.”

“We take them out in the car and we often take students to the test site. We give them an evaluation and a plan. Sometimes a student may need just a couple of sessions to be safe and be defensive,” he says. “We pick them up at work, school or wherever. Our base is Jamestown, but we go out of town in any direction from where a client reaches out to us. We’ve gone to Warren, Pennsylvania, Silver Creek, Westfield, Dunkirk, Clymer, Gowanda and Salamanca. We bring them into the city for practice.”

“We’ve had students, literally of all ages. Whoever needs driving experience. There is no age limit from teen through senior citizens who are looking to be reevaluated,” says Qadri. “We’ve worked with students who are developmentally disabled, with disabilities and short attention spans. There seems to be a void in driver improvement instruction and Aadvance Driver Training happens to be at the right place and time to offer services.”

They hold a five-hour course at Gloria Dei Lutheran Church every week in the summer and every other week throughout the rest of the year. Cynthia Lawson of Woltz Insurance Agency, Incorporated speaks to the classes, breaking down a scenario of a real collision that was caught through a DashCam in one of the school’s cars. She identifies who is at fault, why they are at fault and how the accident could have been prevented. She takes the prospective of both drivers and discusses liabilities and insurance responsibilities.

“Although the DashCam is not a requirement, we decided to install them because we often times use footage for instructional purposes,” says Qadri. “We sometimes give our students a recording of their experience so they can view it at home and it helps.”

Bob Triscari talks about the clients he has come to know on a personal basis and of their multi-cultural backgrounds.

“Nun Le, owner of Spa Nails in the Southside Plaza on Foote Avenue, was born in Vietnam. Until she came to Jamestown five years ago she had only driven motor scooters. She took driving lessons from ADT to obtain her NYS drivers license. She told me as soon as she passed she would give me a full pedicure.”

“Joan Hult is 85-years-young and of Swedish decent. She lost her husband a little over a year ago. She feared she was not a safe driver because she had not driven for many years. I am so proud to say she drives better than most drivers that are 40 to 50 years of age.”

“I first met Dan and Tonya Ribbing in early spring 2016 when Dan asked me to teach his wife the fine art of driving. Tonya spent the first 53 years of her life in Russia, educated as a veterinarian. She moved here five years ago after marrying Dan. She spoke very little English. When Tonya passed her road test she couldn’t stop crying because she was the first family member (male or female) from Russia to hold a driver’s license. She showed my wife and me how grateful she was by having a real Russian Thanksgiving dinner for us.”

“The Italian Easter Cookie recipe was given to me by Rosemary Ognibene, who is a dear Friend, housewife and an ADT customer of Italian decent. John and Karen Finson of Cowing Road, Jamestown are of Swedish decent and fellow members of Gloria Dei Lutheran Church. All six members of the family are ADT customers.”

Since JoAnn Anderson took his defensive driving class, she and Triscari now play cards weekly.

Triscari shares two of his signature recipes, Lucky Popcorn and Nonu Bob’s Veggie Haters Surprise.

“I now have five grandchildren ages six to 11 years of age. When one or all of them come over to Gramma Linda’s and my home they always ask for Nonu Bob’s popcorn. I won’t use microwave popcorn and buy the cheapest bag of popcorn. I pull out the largest pan with lid that we have in the cupboard, cover the bottom of the pan with canola oil and turn the heat up to medium. I completely cover the bottom with kernels and when I hear the first pop coming from the pan I have my grandchild start to vigorously shake the pan until all popping stops.”

“We melt real butter and pour it over it. The lucky part of this treat is when I sprinkle fortune cookie papers in the popcorn bowl. They can all read now and have fun comparing their fortunes. I finish off this treat with a count down. If at the bottom of the bowl we are left with six kernels or less that are not popped, we will all have good luck for a week. There is no way we can do this with microwave popcorn. We are bound to have bad luck for a year.”

“The Veggie Hater’s Surprise was created with love for my nine-year-old granddaughter, Emma McIntyre of Erie, Pa. She has been a devoted veggie hater for seven of those nine years but I have been a devoted prankster for my whole life.”

“Sayyadiya is a traditional meal that’s usually cooked by many residents of a fishing city called Gaza, of and within the Palestinian Territories. A variety of this dish may be found in the country of Egypt and the rest of the Middle Eastern Countries,” Qadri informs. “When my wife and I cook this dish, we can’t help but start talking about how my mom used to make this dish a couple of times a week for the family, while announcing to her friends and our neighbors how she did a better job this time around and that she was a better cook than any of my aunts and my mother-in-law all put together. We’d all start laughing and picking on each other’s mom and aunts.

Sam Qadri taught Drivers Education at Jamestown High School and Ashville BOCES in the past. He has taught technology at JHS for 20 years. He was born and raised in Palestine in the West Bank and came to this country when he was eighteen years old in 1985. He graduated from SUNY Buffalo and later moved to Jamestown in 1995.

“I claim to be an Arab-American.”

Bob Triscari teaches driver education at The Resource Center and Fredonia Central School and is native to Jamestown. He is of Italian decent. Sam shares his family’s favorite recipes and Bob shares his own concoctions. Some of their students share their recipes, as well.

“What do we do when we’re not driving; we cook & eat! Please don’t ‘Eat-N-Drive.’ You eat, you drive, you’re distracted! Nothing better than a home-cooked meal with family. But, first, you’ve got to arrive home safe & in one piece,” says Sam Qadri.

The Driving School Office number is 484-1230. The web address is www.DriverTrainingLLC.com.

Ricotta Cheese Cookies

Submitted by JoAnn Anderson

2 c sugar

¢ lb butter or margarine

15 oz ricotta cheese

3 eggs

2 tsp vanilla

4 c flour

¢ tsp salt

1 tsp soda

In a large bowl, cream together sugar, butter, ricotta, eggs and 2 tsp vanilla. Sift together flour, salt and soda. Add to creamed mixture, mixing well. Drop by teaspoon onto greased cookie sheet. Bake at 350 degrees until light brown on bottom (about 10 minutes). Cool then frost.

Frosting

4 oz cream cheese, room temperature

2 tsp butter, room temperature

2 c confectioners’ sugar

¢ tsp vanilla

Cream cheese and butter. Gradually add sugar. Add vanilla. Dip in red and green sprinkles.

Italian Easter Cookie (Buppa Culolva or Egg in a Basket or Jesus in the Tomb)

Submitted by Rosemary Ognibene

1 c milk

1 ¢ c sugar

2 ¢ c shortening

5 eggs

2 ¢ T baking power

8 c of flour

20 eggs

Mix in large bowl. Divide mixed dough into 20 even cookies. Place on greased sheet. Place one raw egg into center of each cookie dough

Bake @ 350 degrees for 30 minutes. Frost cookies after cool. Bake on Good Friday and eat on Easter morning.

Vietnamese Beef Soup

Submitted by Nun Le

8 oz rice noodles

12 oz lean beef sirloin, fat trimmed

kosher salt

freshly ground pepper

1 large onion, halved

1-4inch piece ginger, unpeeled, halved

3 c low sodium beef broth

5 Star anise pods

1 cinnamon stick

4 scallions

2 jalapeno peppers, red or green

¢ c fresh cilantro

2-4 T fish sauce

1 c fresh bean sprouts

Prepare noodles according to package directions. Meanwhile, place a large pot over high heat. Poke the meat all over with a fork to tenderize it and season with salt and pepper. Sear the meat until charred but still rare, 2 to 3 minutes per side, and then transfer to plate. Add the onion and the ginger to the pot, cooking about 4 minutes. Add broth, 3 cups water, the star anise and cinnamon. Reduce heat and simmer about 20 minutes. Meanwhile, thinly slice the scallions and jalapenos (remove seeds for less heat) and tear the cilantro. Thinly slice the meat against the grain. Drain noodles. Add fish sauce to the broth and boil 5 minutes. Discard ginger, star anise and cinnamon stick. Remove and slice the onion. Divide noodles between 4 bowls. Top with the broth, beef, scallions, cilantro, bean sprouts, jalapenos and onion. Serves four. Calories: per serving- 334

Swedish Melting Moment Cookies

Submitted by John and Karen Finson

1 c butter

1 c cornstarch

1/3 c powdered sugar

1 c flour

Mix ingredients well and chill for one hour. Form into small balls and place on an ungreased cookie sheet. Press down gently and bake at 350 degrees for 15 minutes or until light brown on bottom.

Cool and frost with light orange frosting

Frosting

2 T butter

1 c powdered sugar

1 T orange juice

2 drops orange food coloring

Russian Cutlets (Kotleti)

Submitted by Dan and Tonya Ribbing

¢ lb ground beef

¢ lb ground pork

2-3 slices of wheat bread, crust removed

1 c milk

1 medium onion, finely chopped

2 cloves garlic, crushed

1 egg

flour or dried breadcrumbs

salt and pepper

olive oil for frying

1. Soak bread in a bowl with milk and set aside for a little while.

2. Mix ground beef with egg, finely chopped onions, garlic, black pepper, salt, and add bread soaked in milk. Don’t forget to remove crust from bread, otherwise you might end up with lumps in your cutlets and also make sure that you get rid of as much milk as possible from the soaked bread, do not pour mild in the mixture, and mix everything by hand to form a well-blended mixture.

3. Normally kotleti are not that big, to help you find the right size you can measure 2-3 tbsp. of the mixture and form petite oval-shaped kotleti. I like them a little bigger.

4. Now you can roll the kotleti in bread crumbs or flour until they are completely coated, then place them on a preheated oiled skillet.

5. Cook the kotleti on both sides on medium to high heat until golden color, then add a little water (2-tbsp. or more depending on how many kotletas are in your skillet), cover and cook for additional 15-20 minutes until ready.

Rotmos med Flask (Mashed Potatoes & Turnips with Pork)

Submitted by Joan Hult

2 lb. spare ribs or lean pork

2 tsp salt

¢ tsp whole allspice (optional)

3 lbs rutabaga (1 large yellow turnip)

4 lbs potatoes

Boil meat with salt & allspice until tender. Remove meat and set aside. Strain meat broth. Cook turnip (cut into small pieces) Put in broth for about 30 minutes. Add potatoes (cut into small pieces). Drain broth into bowl when vegetables are cooked. Mash potatoes and turnip together, adding enough broth so it will be a little softer than regular mashed potatoes. Remaining broth may be thickened for gravy. Serve with spare ribs or pork.

Nonu Bob’s Veggie Haters Surprise

Submitted by Bob Triscari

2-13.5 oz cans chopped spinach

10 oz artichoke hearts

2 cans minced clams

3 raw eggs

1 box macaroni and cheese, prepared

bread crumbs

6 slices Swiss cheese

6 oz black olives

Combine spinach, artichoke hearts, clams and eggs. Bake in a greased 13″x9″ dish for 40 minutes. Pour macaroni and cheese over all. Sprinkle with bread crumbs. Add a layer of cheese. Cut several olives in half, then arrange on casserole and bake 10 minutes or until cheese is melted.

Sayyadiya

Submitted by Sam Qadri

For the rice:

1 c of Egyptian or short grain rice, rinsed

1 ¢ c of water

2 T tomato paste

2 tsp salt

1 tsp ground black pepper

1 medium onion, chopped

2 T olive oil

For the seafood:

6 red mullet fish

400 g medium large prawns

20 large cloves of garlic, minced

™ c lemon juice

4 tsp salt

2 tsp pepper

1 tsp cumin

¢  tsp dried coriander

For frying:

1 cup all purposes flour

1- First prepare fish and shrimp, rinsing well. Mix all seafood ingredients together in a bowl. Add the fish and shrimp and rub the marinade well inside the fish. Marinate for 30 minutes to 2 hours (the longer, the better).

2- To cook the rice, place the oil in a pan, add the onion and saute until golden.

3- Add the tomato paste, water, salt and pepper, mixing well. Add rice and stir. Cover on high heat until it comes to a boil, then stir again. Reduce heat to simmer and let cook for about 15 minutes or till done (Check after 10 minutes to see if it needs more water. If so, add 3 tablespoons)

4- Dredge fish in the flour, shaking to remove any excess flour. Fry in oil that has been heated to 180 degrees for about 5 minutes or until golden brown. Serve with rice and salad.

Note:

You can use any kind or quantity of seafood with the same marinade. I used red mullet fish and prawns. Use Egyptian short grain rice. Long grain rice doesn’t taste as good.

Falafel

Submitted by Sam Qadri

1 c dried chickpeas

5 c water

1tsp baking soda

1 tsp salt

1 tsp cumin seeds

1 tsp coriander

1 onion, quartered

2 tsp minced parsley

2 cloves garlic, mashed

2 tsp black pepper

1 tsp lemon juice

pinch chili pepper

vegetable oil

fresh pita bread.

Soak peas for 24 hours in water then drain. Run through grinder with other ingredients. Heat oil. Form mixture into patties and fry. Once fried, gently remove from frying pan and place on strainer. To serve: cut pita bread in half. Open a pita pocket and spread 3-4 (depending on size) fried falafel pieces inside. Add a dash of tahini sauce, sliced tomatoes and lettuce.This can also be made into a pita wrap with foil.

Falafel Yogurt Dip

Submitted by Sam Qadri

1c yogurt

2 tsp Tahini (sesame seed paste)

2 tsp lemon juice

1 clove garlic, minced

1 tsp ground cumin

Mix ingredients together. Spoon on top of falafel inside the sandwich.

Tabouleh

Submitted by Sam Qadri

§ c burghul (cracked wheat) med or fine plus § c flour

2 large bunches parsley

1 large bunch of fresh mint or 3 tsp of dried mint

4 scallions (green onions)

juice of 2 lemons

1 ¢ tsp salt

™ c olive oil

2 ripe tomatoes.

Place burghul in a bowl with water. Soak ¢ hour. Chop everything fine. Serve over pieces of lettuce.

Simple Homemade Ice Cream

Submitted by Sam Qadri

2 cans evaporated milk

1 can sweetened condensed milk

1 tsp cardamom (seed or powder)

chopped pistachios or almonds

1 tub cool whip

Mix ingredients together and freeze. Takeout ¢ hour before serving.

Palestinian-Style Split-Chicken Meal

Submitted by Sam Qadri

2 fresh hens, clean well and split in (half long side)

§ c lemon juice

8 lg garlic cloves, minced

2 tsp thyme

1 tsp paprika

§ tsp cayenne pepper

1 ¢ tsp ground cumin

Whisk lemon juice, minced garlic, thyme, paprika, cayenne and cumin. Cover chickens w/marinade, refrigerate about 6 hrs. or over night, turning chickens occasionally. Pre-heat oven to 425 degrees. Put all in a roasting pan; add salt & pepper as desired. Bake for 50 minutes, covering occasionally with its own juices.