tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-30081794777425931952024-02-07T04:03:01.362-06:00VISUAL TRAVELERCopyright © by lisa waterman gray, 2008-2010lisa waterman grayhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08834450254783595218noreply@blogger.comBlogger242125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3008179477742593195.post-51129263357307481602010-03-31T12:01:00.001-05:002010-03-31T12:04:56.046-05:00San Francisco's Ultimate Chinatown Tours<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi1Ii0KS7oMfqEjqe5vOFNHZ3N1AI_GTMmMnOwSmfA5jWE5ngMkQQB_T4PBuYxsQQFxddSaD9Q8_5ZAB2015KkAUj5uoNolbMZCfkQyRUumaAMWhFOVmesBaO9tipIH_JRcNdBRz-JJTZw0/s1600/Wiz+shows+off+veggies++WARDELL.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjG4AUR-wA6L54jFhr0i8fHWl9xAL9Uq0iikCfJ1woYu90q9X6VpHNDIVJewW6CL321q8U8dCgV-ijIrLVA3c9z-kYUTwquAFP7wGTlMNjCxgKJB7lCYokIGEsaEbb_gBWCtVFdLq2Xww6D/s1600/Chef+Shirley+Fong-Torres+stirfries+yummy+adventures.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" nt="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjG4AUR-wA6L54jFhr0i8fHWl9xAL9Uq0iikCfJ1woYu90q9X6VpHNDIVJewW6CL321q8U8dCgV-ijIrLVA3c9z-kYUTwquAFP7wGTlMNjCxgKJB7lCYokIGEsaEbb_gBWCtVFdLq2Xww6D/s320/Chef+Shirley+Fong-Torres+stirfries+yummy+adventures.jpg" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><em><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: x-small;"> photo courtesy of Shirley Fong-Torres</span></em></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
</div><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Within moments after joining Shirley Fong-Torres on a tour of her beloved Chinatown, it’s easy to understand why, in 2007, San Francisco Weekly named her company, <a href="http://www.wokwiz.com/">Wok Wiz Chinatown Tours and Cooking Company</a>, 'The Best Chinatown Tour in San Francisco.' The <em>New York Times, Gourmet,</em> and <em>Cooking Light</em> also have called the tours top San Francisco attractions. </span><br />
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</div><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Fong-Torres lives and breathes Chinese history, culture, and cuisine as she shares the area she knows so well, coupled with a dazzling smile and boundless energy. She and her guides enchant visitors during the <em>Wok Wiz Daily Tour</em>, and the <em>I Can't Believe I Ate My Way Through Chinatown!</em> tour. </span><br />
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</div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: x-small;"><em>photo courtesy of Shirley Fong-Torres</em></span></div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"><br />
</div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Because each tour leader speaks fluent Cantonese, visitors can experience some of Chinatown’s oldest restaurants. </span><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">A traditional Chinese breakfast or dim sum luncheon; visits to a Chinese temple or a neighborhood farmer’s market; history lessons about Chinese immigration to the area, and tips regarding the best places to shop, are only a few tour highlights. </span></div><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">If Wok Wiz tours can help participants achieve a greater understanding of Chinese immigrants and their contributions to American life – while introducing them to great food – then Fong-Torres believes she has accomplished her mission.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">While this 5’2” human dynamo lights up San Francisco’s culinary and cultural world, Wok Wiz is far from her only pursuit. Fong-Torres is a passionate food-lover and traveler who also has shared her infectious enthusiasm with <em>Good Morning America</em>, the <em>Food Network</em>, the <em>Discovery Channel</em>, <em>Fine Living TV</em>, <em>PBS</em>, and Rachel Ray viewers, plus European and Australian networks. She frequently gives talks and seminars, and has been a guest chef at food fairs such as Goldsboro, North Carolina’s "Feast in the East,” and the Iowa State Fair.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Fong-Torres’ books include her most recent, <em>The Woman Who Ate CHINATOWN: A San Francisco Odyssey.</em> This freelance travel writer also has appeared on the History and Discovery Channels and in (in-flight) videos for Qantas and Hawaiian Airlines, and JetBlue. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">The next time you visit San Francisco, sign up for a tour of Chinatown with Fong-Torres. You'll learn a lot, eat well - and have a blast!</span><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhRGiPo_nw0pYmhtFW7kKMhRHrBXUVMsfbkf6MQQtgfpjdfaf1nrCRFy3d05mFyX8IKQp4q77OwA39-vmiFXGk_ZKr7baz1630Z7cvoRzl81fEy3nBkDmK28gVEV64k39ZAV9hc_mV53rzP/s1600/The+Happy+Wok+Wiz+chef.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" nt="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhRGiPo_nw0pYmhtFW7kKMhRHrBXUVMsfbkf6MQQtgfpjdfaf1nrCRFy3d05mFyX8IKQp4q77OwA39-vmiFXGk_ZKr7baz1630Z7cvoRzl81fEy3nBkDmK28gVEV64k39ZAV9hc_mV53rzP/s320/The+Happy+Wok+Wiz+chef.jpg" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><em><span style="font-size: x-small;">photo courtesy of Shirley Fong-Torres</span></em></div>lisa waterman grayhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08834450254783595218noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3008179477742593195.post-43569118963672457752010-03-23T10:42:00.002-05:002010-03-23T10:46:44.539-05:00Author of 101 Optimal Life Foods Talks Nutrition<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhqv53u5tBQvrKbdkMrRI2FWVcVBgda6CbfEBkj4lydDKzKlt7naHHlh8EoUEeY12SHFrIv_CRuJFt_oE6Adg3ysd422bStZrxIF7vN6azkcAX16VNHate3V8U3c0FlfGJ9XoC_689xr7AL/s1600-h/101OptimalLifeFoodshires.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhqv53u5tBQvrKbdkMrRI2FWVcVBgda6CbfEBkj4lydDKzKlt7naHHlh8EoUEeY12SHFrIv_CRuJFt_oE6Adg3ysd422bStZrxIF7vN6azkcAX16VNHate3V8U3c0FlfGJ9XoC_689xr7AL/s320/101OptimalLifeFoodshires.jpg" vt="true" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><a href="http://davidgrotto.wordpress.com/">David Grotto's</a> second book, <em>101 Optimal Life Foods</em>, debuted in January 2010 with a forward by Montel Williams, and rave reviews by <em>MORE</em> magazine and John La Puma, MD, director, Santa Barbara Institute for Medical Nutrition and Healthy Weight and co-author of <em>ChefMD’s Big Book of Culinary Medicine</em> and <em>The Real Age Diet</em>, among others. His 2007 book, <em>101 Foods That Could Save Your Life,</em> has already been translated into 16 different languages.</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Not bad for a fellow who initially wanted to be a rock and roll accordion player or a broadcaster. But a comment by a customer in the health food store where he worked changed all that.</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: Arial;">"Someone came in and noticed that I was kind of chubby and asked me if I ever ate fruits and vegetables - and I acted on his advice," Grotto says. He later owned and operated another natural foods store. </span><span style="font-family: Arial;">As his broadcasting degree program wound down, family and friends encouraged him to follow his passion for nutrition. He graduated from the University of Chicago with honors, and a degree in dietetics and nutrition , and never looked back.</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; clear: both; text-align: left;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhIeiXG0puAUD39B7EzAI7Yb2RieRuOKnCytTPqmwHpoQ19jHeksCUOT-M7KbBbYhpYxl-ahj7V5qB8Mnf_PLmNQCOZ289KBl8gtQL_dy3Hv-vZXVVbv_XZjKo4xCVL_7BmSnuQgWv0ncG4/s1600-h/Grotto_D_184.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; cssfloat: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhIeiXG0puAUD39B7EzAI7Yb2RieRuOKnCytTPqmwHpoQ19jHeksCUOT-M7KbBbYhpYxl-ahj7V5qB8Mnf_PLmNQCOZ289KBl8gtQL_dy3Hv-vZXVVbv_XZjKo4xCVL_7BmSnuQgWv0ncG4/s320/Grotto_D_184.jpg" vt="true" /></a><span style="font-family: Arial;">"First and foremost, I love food more than I love nutrition," Grotto says. "My major focus is on 'taste + doability + familiarity + cost = sustainability.' And what I've noticed for about the last five years is that people are coming to me about quality of life challenges." </span></div><div class="separator" style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; clear: both; text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">A radio call-in show host for 10 years (<em>Let's Talk Health, CHICAGO!),</em> and host of the national television show <em>Health and Lifestyles, Weekly,</em> for two, </span><span style="font-family: Arial;">Grotto currently offers nutrition counseling and spokesperson services, recipe and menu development, and corporate wellness programs. </span></div><div class="separator" style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; clear: both; text-align: left;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; clear: both; text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: Arial;">He has high hopes for his second book too. </span><span style="font-family: Arial;"><em>101 Optimal Life Foods</em> provides loads of suggestions about foods that people can eat to improve their skin quality, sexual performance, or sleep as well as blood circulation and heart health; restore tired muscles, reduce stress, and protect their bones or eyes. </span></div><div class="separator" style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; clear: both; text-align: left;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; clear: both; text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: Arial;">"[I believe] that what's good for the heart is good for every other part - it's more of a nod to a Mediterranean lifestyle," Grotto says.</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: x-small;">PHOTOS COURTESY OF DAVID GROTTO</span></div>lisa waterman grayhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08834450254783595218noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3008179477742593195.post-18170650653146295432010-03-20T15:19:00.001-05:002010-03-20T15:20:37.652-05:00Birthday Baking With Chocolate and Coffee<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgV1noYwNRg_6pv3nuzeYdcqi7YmqNDlFpKJ8QdCMjadBCGeoT7jNUvJ32Q0ZUA6e9IRVQiLrRKSl1pVDYwzsmzeQjEcjTIZjqxHZPt2xleeeYG_k4kTi5Db-KOpX7hly5S6HXzRx99KkFJ/s1600-h/IMG_0870.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgV1noYwNRg_6pv3nuzeYdcqi7YmqNDlFpKJ8QdCMjadBCGeoT7jNUvJ32Q0ZUA6e9IRVQiLrRKSl1pVDYwzsmzeQjEcjTIZjqxHZPt2xleeeYG_k4kTi5Db-KOpX7hly5S6HXzRx99KkFJ/s320/IMG_0870.JPG" vt="true" /></a></div><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">My birthday was coming up in several days and my husband, Mark, asked how I wanted to celebrate. Among other things, I mentioned that I might want a birthday cake.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial;">But then this baking enthusiast realized that Mark wouldn't want to make a cake - great grilling and awesome breakfast food are his favorite kinds of cooking - and I really didn't want him to buy a cake. So I decided to combine two of my favorite flavors - chocolate and coffee - while celebrating my birthday and my joy in baking.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial;">I started with a Chocolate Buttermilk 'Sheet Cake' recipe from <em>Better Homes and Gardens NEW COOK BOOK </em>and the tweaking began, with substitution of whole wheat pastry flour for unbleached flour and olive oil for half of the butter, a little less sugar, the addition of coffee. Then I put the batter in round cake pans so that I could create a layered cake with loads of frosting. See what you think:</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Lisa's Dark Chocolate Layer Cake</span><br />
<em><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: x-small;">Makes 16-20 servings</span></em><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial;">2 cups whole wheat pastry flour</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial;">1 3/4 cups sugar</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial;">1 teaspoon baking soda</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial;">1/4 teaspoon salt</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial;">1/2 cup butter </span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial;">1/3 cup unsweetened cocoa powder</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial;">1 cup water</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial;">1/2 cup olive oil</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial;">2 eggs</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial;">1/2 cup buttermilk</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial;">2 tablespoons strong coffee</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial;">1 1/2 teaspoons vanilla</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial;">Grease and flour two 9-inch round cake pans and preheat oven to 350 degrees. Then combine flour, sugar, baking soda and salt; set aside.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial;">In a medium saucepan combine butter, cocoa powder and water. Bring mixture just to boiling, stirring constantly. Add and incorporate olive oil. Add chocolate mixture to flour mixture and beat with an electric mixer on medium to high speed, until thoroughly combined. Add eggs, coffee, buttermilk and vanilla. Beat for 1 minute - batter will be thin. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial;">Pour batter into the prepared pans. Bake 25-30 minutes until toothpick comes out clean; do not overbake. Cool completely, remove from pans (VOE-be very patient as you remove the cakes, they're quite tender and may break easily) and allow to rest on parchment paper. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial;">Put one layer on cake plate or tray and spread thick layer of frosting on top (see recipe below). Place second cake layer on top of frosting and then frost entire outside of cake. Keep refrigerated until 15-20 minutes before serving, allowing to reach room temperature. ENJOY!</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial;">Chocolate frosting</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial;">4 tablespoons butter, softened</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial;">4 ounces low-fat cream cheese, softened</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial;">1 teaspoon vanilla</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial;">2 tablespoons strong coffee</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial;">1/4 cup plus 1 tablespoon cocoa</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial;">2 1/4-2 1/2 cups confectioners sugar</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial;">milk as needed</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial;">Combine butter and cream cheese until smooth and creamy. Add vanilla, coffee and cocoa and mix thoroughly. Slowly add confectioners sugar, stirring to combine until all sugar is incorporated. Add milk by the tablespoon to thin, if needed.</span>lisa waterman grayhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08834450254783595218noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3008179477742593195.post-17233189955066892462010-03-17T18:15:00.000-05:002010-03-17T18:15:39.887-05:00Winter Harvest at Seghesio Family Vineyards<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhOa5vksxaOWtIeTUjC7uST6kN_c_eJk_RksN0Vdpe2A0lXuuuoD6RMmv3zsF_bDVba3qf7fDTao8nWOSe8XXVQY7fIJL03FOLIMIQLJ5d5uYimNc538F2aJwJovDkibTG4-WJioihwCa22/s1600-h/sausageGROWERSpete.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhOa5vksxaOWtIeTUjC7uST6kN_c_eJk_RksN0Vdpe2A0lXuuuoD6RMmv3zsF_bDVba3qf7fDTao8nWOSe8XXVQY7fIJL03FOLIMIQLJ5d5uYimNc538F2aJwJovDkibTG4-WJioihwCa22/s320/sausageGROWERSpete.jpg" vt="true" /></a><br />
<em><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: x-small;">Pete Seghesio (center) continues his family traditions with fellow wine growers.</span></em><br />
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<div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">For Pete Seghesio, nothing tastes better than freshly made sausage served atop a slice of crusty bread, with a glass of Zinfandel, at 10 o’clock in the morning. It’s a flavorful way to celebrate two family traditions – making wine and handcrafting Italian sausage. </span></div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"><br />
</div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><a href="http://www.seghesio.com/">Seghesio Family Vineyards,</a> located in Sonoma County, has long been known for quality wines, including their 2007 Zinfandel, which appeared on <em>Wine Spectator’s</em> list of the top 100 wines. But when harvest season has ended each year, the family shares another tradition - making sausage amidst the wine barrels.</span></div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"><br />
</div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">The Seghesio family creates 2,000 pounds of sausage every December. They use Boston butt with 10 percent fat blended back in, because pork is much leaner now than when Pete’s grandmother created this recipe. Once the meat has been spread across a long table, family members pour a mixture of Zinfandel and fresh garlic across every 100 pounds of meat. Healthy doses of salt, pepper, nutmeg, clove, and allspice follow. Then dozens of gloved hands knead the meat to incorporate the seasonings.</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj6z3V9UJpzcbPk4tlLHbBQSfGQswu82lRgf-980Mb7fdKk73WMhyphenhyphen9oAL_rGVFrQX2DvMW1KigZ3QFCNmymI8Y6NjZkKloN7dZxbRKsaG8cdTq1n_3DZOq5-5uAr_ta1Jn-jJrkpLfkZcQB/s1600-h/sausageEQUIP.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj6z3V9UJpzcbPk4tlLHbBQSfGQswu82lRgf-980Mb7fdKk73WMhyphenhyphen9oAL_rGVFrQX2DvMW1KigZ3QFCNmymI8Y6NjZkKloN7dZxbRKsaG8cdTq1n_3DZOq5-5uAr_ta1Jn-jJrkpLfkZcQB/s320/sausageEQUIP.jpg" vt="true" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: x-small;"><em>The sausage machine (circa 1859) that has been used by the family since the late 1800s</em></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">In the early days, the Seghesios used an 1859 sausage machine. Although their grinding machines are newer now, filling the casings still requires plenty of hands-on attention. Pete blows into a sheath of cow intestine before placing it on a spout and then holds it tightly as meat fills the long casing. Expert hands tie-off the casing in six-inch lengths and then hang dozens of sausages on clotheslines near the wine barrels.</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh3zt_QARwUbDez8usaJvoyfJNUh9_KeSwDCfocCclvG1LDCdrujBqlS479uPBEKylK104tY1yBAvNOKgTp85ebnr0Pcfum5GQtOJESgfjwIrINFRPYtqPvsEk2m8t_o7enKmjBk915fDWZ/s1600-h/sausagePETE.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh3zt_QARwUbDez8usaJvoyfJNUh9_KeSwDCfocCclvG1LDCdrujBqlS479uPBEKylK104tY1yBAvNOKgTp85ebnr0Pcfum5GQtOJESgfjwIrINFRPYtqPvsEk2m8t_o7enKmjBk915fDWZ/s320/sausagePETE.jpg" vt="true" /></a></div><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: x-small;"><em> Pete Seghesio fills cow intestine with sausage</em></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">The Seghesio family also has turned this event into an annual party, attended by many members of their Centennial (wine) Club; some even help to make the sausage. As everyone works the wine flows, finished sausages sizzle in frying pans and neighbor, Frank Passalacqua, cooks risotto to accompany the freshly made meat. Pete shares samples of his own Sicilian-inspired sausage recipe with friends, full of fennel, fennel pollen, red pepper flakes, pepper, fresh garlic and secret ingredients.</span><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiYjMGE41vSy7IGJak4qXdO3G5_bRIhsjYJ8sPGTZxKjcPR0M7DP-dOwO407zjJBL3Jz2dcoZRUuPCefNppnaAhKB8PhtuyycJW_ugVGo0TkDwHv8BkIcXVq8mtDn0l8wwORyJwGeFZXUng/s1600-h/seghesio_0204.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiYjMGE41vSy7IGJak4qXdO3G5_bRIhsjYJ8sPGTZxKjcPR0M7DP-dOwO407zjJBL3Jz2dcoZRUuPCefNppnaAhKB8PhtuyycJW_ugVGo0TkDwHv8BkIcXVq8mtDn0l8wwORyJwGeFZXUng/s320/seghesio_0204.jpg" vt="true" /></a></div><em><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: x-small;"> Ed Seghesio, Chef Jon Helquist, Will and Pete Seghesio taste testing in the winery kitchen.</span></em><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">If you’d like to learn more about this lovely winter tradition, see their YouTube video, <a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NoJVmhR-XcQ">http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NoJVmhR-XcQ</a>.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: x-small;">PHOTOS COURTESY OF SEGHESIO FAMILY VINEYARDS</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: xx-small;">Lisa visited Seghesio Family Vineyards during a press trip, in February 2008</span></span>lisa waterman grayhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08834450254783595218noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3008179477742593195.post-19155018601906667682010-03-16T08:58:00.001-05:002010-03-16T09:10:01.491-05:00Broadmoor Culinary Students Create Stellar Cuisine<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi59ps_RN2BAju0Kr7iIuuEbdrtCcJ9Zw_56okGzag5y3YT0QTwQ6hOgi6R1jpRJ_1AertcBlVYRcUaqd0Z9elU0mAbIUlBCBZzKQGVs1_3bhUm2ZDMAZz8d-bRD_D2uOnp1M1EzwNOTFgd/s1600-h/boat+018.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi59ps_RN2BAju0Kr7iIuuEbdrtCcJ9Zw_56okGzag5y3YT0QTwQ6hOgi6R1jpRJ_1AertcBlVYRcUaqd0Z9elU0mAbIUlBCBZzKQGVs1_3bhUm2ZDMAZz8d-bRD_D2uOnp1M1EzwNOTFgd/s320/boat+018.jpg" vt="true" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Early each morning, during the school year for the <a href="http://www.smsd.org/">Shawnee Mission School District</a>, a fully-equipped professional kitchen springs to life as high school culinary students begin another day of hands-on learning. These Overland Park, Kansas kids have decided, early on, that they're passionate about cooking. And they receive an incomparable education at Broadmoor Technical Center and their professional restaurant - <a href="http://www.broadmoorbistro.com/">Broadmoor Bistro.</a></span></div><div class="separator" style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgeylk70amhKEtZFTRyBJ27Ok9lAAxUrh83fUqvCa2jqeZxdi9lrm34yCrPfQLhPmna3eC15lya02ZBe70sH8voI5IP-vESTtVgIK2IrTLS3143z0Z0UWB4mBKX-3ZBx2rhQXVh4Cc7JSWY/s1600-h/Broadmoor+restaurant+-+1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgeylk70amhKEtZFTRyBJ27Ok9lAAxUrh83fUqvCa2jqeZxdi9lrm34yCrPfQLhPmna3eC15lya02ZBe70sH8voI5IP-vESTtVgIK2IrTLS3143z0Z0UWB4mBKX-3ZBx2rhQXVh4Cc7JSWY/s320/Broadmoor+restaurant+-+1.jpg" vt="true" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; clear: both; text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">In fact, this program has been nationally recognized for the exceptional culinary education it provides, for nearly a decade, and recently became an affiliate of the James Beard Foundation. Under the direction of Chef Bob Brassard and Chef David Finn, who both have plenty of professional restaurant experience, students create original recipes, prepare food for the Bistro, and then run the restaurant on nights when it is opened to the public. And that's in addition to the basic food prep skills, which they learn and hone daily.</span></div><div class="separator" style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; clear: both; text-align: left;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiM4GyBqpUUVx0AxMt_stiseZshC60aNAnpRxe9mtkMNSEiQyI-OTs9fQmep14boloEJ5uTX7H95Xf1wFZA-gAI2fGy7wjnR8JHsjAT0DkQ9ND-heyYg0muTQ_45wysInep5eSC7FJWFgku/s1600-h/boat+019.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiM4GyBqpUUVx0AxMt_stiseZshC60aNAnpRxe9mtkMNSEiQyI-OTs9fQmep14boloEJ5uTX7H95Xf1wFZA-gAI2fGy7wjnR8JHsjAT0DkQ9ND-heyYg0muTQ_45wysInep5eSC7FJWFgku/s320/boat+019.jpg" vt="true" /></span></a></div><div class="separator" style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; clear: both; text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Fresh ingredients, inventive flavor combinations and meticulous preparation result in restaurant menus such as: Porcini Dusted Roasted Poussin; Shrimp Cocktail with Assorted Sauces; La Rosa Lettuces Tossed with Smoked Grape Tomatoes, Baby Fennel and Peppered Goat Cheese; and Chocolate Flourless Cake, Raspberry Ganach or Mini Truffle. Students also sell freshly baked pies, tarts, cookies and cakes during designated Broadmoor Baking Fridays.</span></div><div class="separator" style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgSk9XsaRhFJs-Xta7QB-2NnU4sOQZaODsU6IfyjydEfjegqTftt-ZA7ZZie5R-eQ3FhMqjRETgFBIJCkeWzcWkLZJ0Yhu2uY9FJHeq5iTcHQON1uccsix_F9Y2VlgJTkWs1-98PAlkllwX/s1600-h/Broadmoor+kitchen+-+1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgSk9XsaRhFJs-Xta7QB-2NnU4sOQZaODsU6IfyjydEfjegqTftt-ZA7ZZie5R-eQ3FhMqjRETgFBIJCkeWzcWkLZJ0Yhu2uY9FJHeq5iTcHQON1uccsix_F9Y2VlgJTkWs1-98PAlkllwX/s320/Broadmoor+kitchen+-+1.jpg" vt="true" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; clear: both; text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">These students often win national culinary competitions and they also are highly sought after by professional, post high school culinary programs including Johnson and Wales. In fact, program graduates have already received upwards of $750,000 in culinary scholarships. </span><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"></span></div><div class="separator" style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; clear: both; text-align: left;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; clear: both; text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Experienced culinary instructors, world-class facilities, and passionate students make Broadmoor Technical Center's culinary arts and baking programs among the best in the nation; and Overland Park diners among the most privileged.</span></div><div class="separator" style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; clear: both; text-align: left;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; clear: both; text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: x-small;">PHOTOS BY LISA WATERMAN GRAY</span></div><div class="separator" style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; clear: both; text-align: left;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; clear: both; text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: xx-small;">Lisa has previously worked with Broadmoor Bistro through the Kansas City Originals - a group of locally owned restaurants.</span></div>lisa waterman grayhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08834450254783595218noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3008179477742593195.post-78818239148971323402010-03-06T21:34:00.001-06:002010-03-06T21:36:32.133-06:00Slow Food Kansas City Hosts Pork 102<div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; clear: both; text-align: left;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiSYrIIOG-GH5a-sk58zZQ8COJcRbqM2hX-ZnoDShO9r_vzNCfULBf_3G2J-UJinyeSJMJsDhi0EGOwoIeTezaFGsZEAXv9BDk1oSo90TKpJS39J4e3xBZJEfyHsPv4qifiZyPsfoqEIgZ-/s1600-h/IMG_0568.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; cssfloat: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" kt="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiSYrIIOG-GH5a-sk58zZQ8COJcRbqM2hX-ZnoDShO9r_vzNCfULBf_3G2J-UJinyeSJMJsDhi0EGOwoIeTezaFGsZEAXv9BDk1oSo90TKpJS39J4e3xBZJEfyHsPv4qifiZyPsfoqEIgZ-/s320/IMG_0568.JPG" /></a><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Nearly 50 people gathered on the cozy enclosed porch at <a href="http://www.jasperskc.com/">Jasper's Restaurant</a>, overlooking Indian Creek, to enjoy a multi-course dinner titled 'Pork 102.' Presented by <a href="http://www.slowfoodkc.org/">Slow Food Kansas City</a> and Chef Jasper Mirabile and Chef Kay Johnston Tucker, the event was both educational and delicious. </span></div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; clear: both; text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Throughout our meal, we enjoyed wine pairings provided by Dennis and Cindy Reynolds, of <a href="http://www.somersetridge.com/">Somerset Ridge Vineyard and Winery</a>. </span><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Much to my amazement, I found myself sitting beside a dear friend who I'd reconnected with only a few weeks earlier, and a young woman who had attended my older daughter's slumber parties during high school.</span></div><div class="separator" style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiC1jhmbLCl87TdMyB3ZNbztdwJOKmqWJLWjorkJA7yvVVQ2VLA4ABism1PBKPLUrY15nR4OMg5c2E_ZCnaY7Bw5aHnCoIiPAcE4SxEfXjdoBkf1cgUEKAphG3CBpe_yINtO0KjiPgDPqKf/s1600-h/IMG_0575.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; cssfloat: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" kt="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiC1jhmbLCl87TdMyB3ZNbztdwJOKmqWJLWjorkJA7yvVVQ2VLA4ABism1PBKPLUrY15nR4OMg5c2E_ZCnaY7Bw5aHnCoIiPAcE4SxEfXjdoBkf1cgUEKAphG3CBpe_yINtO0KjiPgDPqKf/s320/IMG_0575.JPG" /></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh1xbZHTc0mgYP8ERSk9PYsd7GHrx4-tsLxuwUEB4dkZoMJFW90mUNFrD1-hoz5syGq2vRPJZRsNyI5U_iZAHXkHZTmhBWWBAP6MveJRQS_ebvuu8uaorcLBCgMmBW_sR0K77OqhxpSvRsk/s1600-h/IMG_0561.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" kt="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh1xbZHTc0mgYP8ERSk9PYsd7GHrx4-tsLxuwUEB4dkZoMJFW90mUNFrD1-hoz5syGq2vRPJZRsNyI5U_iZAHXkHZTmhBWWBAP6MveJRQS_ebvuu8uaorcLBCgMmBW_sR0K77OqhxpSvRsk/s320/IMG_0561.JPG" /></a><span style="font-family: Arial;"></span></div><div class="separator" style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; clear: both; text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: Arial;">Our pork feast began with small cups of</span><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"> Jasper's Kitchen Cookbook Tuscan Bean Soup - a tasty and aromatic 'brew' that was served with Somerset Ridge Traminette and adorable Salt and Pepper Crunchy Pig Crackers provided by local purveyor, <a href="http://www.meadowlark-acres.com/">Meadowlark Acres</a>. </span><span style="font-family: Arial;">Tuscan Pork Pate with Red Currant Sauce, Copa de Teste with Somerset Ridge Port Reduction, and Chef Kay Tucker's Zampone (head cheese) came next. </span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg3WMyzy3QNE4FqZuITsFQjotCJ-MgZDnEqXJHKcQWeW3z6omppCuHGJ9ZMVXNkCtBK0Q0j401fMN4MyHGAHDS9lrBd864QjHbIOyyJXxlX61-ywiqJHWU4DHrAYUofYi13mLw1EGPo2gRd/s1600-h/IMG_0572.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" kt="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg3WMyzy3QNE4FqZuITsFQjotCJ-MgZDnEqXJHKcQWeW3z6omppCuHGJ9ZMVXNkCtBK0Q0j401fMN4MyHGAHDS9lrBd864QjHbIOyyJXxlX61-ywiqJHWU4DHrAYUofYi13mLw1EGPo2gRd/s320/IMG_0572.JPG" /></a></div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; clear: both; text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: Arial;">Mama Mirabile's Sunday Sauce served with neck bones was one of my favorite dishes. Somerset Ridge Signature Focaccia with Olive Oil, Butter and Traminette accompanied the dish, along with Schiacciata alla'uva - Grape Harvest Focaccia, and glasses of crisp Somerset Ridge Chardonel.</span></div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; clear: both; text-align: left;"><br />
</div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; clear: both; text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: Arial;">More and more dishes arrived, from Pasta del Giorno served with Somerset Ridge FlyBoy Red wine, to a salad of</span><span style="font-family: Arial;"> Wild Greens with Guanciale (pork) Balsamic Reduction, and </span><span style="font-family: Arial;">Tuscan Porchetta. Jasper said that Tuscan Porchetta often is found on sandwich carts in Italy, made with rosemary, fennel, garlic, Chardonel, red pepper, carrots, onions and garlic. The meat fell apart with the slightest touch and sat atop rich, creamy Gorgonzola Potatoes. </span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiNhX929a5vWKIE0564E9aXvLe_h8GiMwYgPIr2I-yZlhnSNMCexXBtRXcs2djvbL2JgU6GjNjFT2WaHDPVJqMXKKbq8i6akFD7_XcS46fG6pcLrnhByuBFWw5ipaMD-fMbD1R5_eAbDeM2/s1600-h/IMG_0577.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" kt="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiNhX929a5vWKIE0564E9aXvLe_h8GiMwYgPIr2I-yZlhnSNMCexXBtRXcs2djvbL2JgU6GjNjFT2WaHDPVJqMXKKbq8i6akFD7_XcS46fG6pcLrnhByuBFWw5ipaMD-fMbD1R5_eAbDeM2/s320/IMG_0577.JPG" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">My second favorite course was ultra-moist XV Olive Oil and Limoncello Cake, with a side of Caramelized Pancetta Gelato that had a tiny burst of salt and crunch. Piggy Pops (Grand Marnier Glazed Cake Bites Dipped in Chocolate) and Somerset Ridge Tawny Port completed our fantastic meal.</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Can't wait for Pork 103!</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: x-small;">PHOTOS BY LISA WATERMAN GRAY</span></div>lisa waterman grayhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08834450254783595218noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3008179477742593195.post-31994841544655653232010-02-24T20:55:00.003-06:002010-02-25T12:18:56.377-06:00Molten Chocolate Cake With Candied Walnuts<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiTahrP3qsdD-S-_QJgwgcYtMN6fOx-WvU61Uv9Z2lKQrsGIfZs6tUkpYSOXgDpdduQS4IXaXsyxxHA84tXPl3q3dhjHu0lW7jyfRCQoDUsfDrpIYObIoR2UMX5sBsrDDSlP45Y666WMcPJ/s1600-h/IMG_0554.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" kt="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiTahrP3qsdD-S-_QJgwgcYtMN6fOx-WvU61Uv9Z2lKQrsGIfZs6tUkpYSOXgDpdduQS4IXaXsyxxHA84tXPl3q3dhjHu0lW7jyfRCQoDUsfDrpIYObIoR2UMX5sBsrDDSlP45Y666WMcPJ/s320/IMG_0554.JPG" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">I only learned that February is National Chocolate Month a couple of days ago and I absolutely had to make something with dark chocolate today - despite the fact that we're still working on a small pan of brownies from last weekend. Some whipped cream remained from last week's citrus curd tart and there was plenty of chocolate in my cupboard so I got busy this afternoon.</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: Arial;">I've been craving molten chocolate cake for quite a while. I visited my recipe file and sorted through a few different options before I settled on this one, from napavalleyholiday.com and Terlato Wines International.</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: Arial;">I've given you the entire original recipe. However, I'm not a huge fan of candied nuts so I didn't use that part of the directions, myself. But this is one easy and luscious dessert - whether or not you add nuts. The recipe is also something that you can prepare ahead and then bake just before you share it with appreciative dinner guests.</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Molten Chocolate Cake with Candied Walnuts</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: x-small;"><em>Makes 8 servings</em></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: Arial;">6 ounces semi-sweet chocolate</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: Arial;">2 ounces bittersweet chocolate</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: Arial;">3/4 cup unsalted butter</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: Arial;">3 egg yolks</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: Arial;">3 whole eggs</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: Arial;">3/4 cup sugar</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: Arial;">3/4 cup whole wheat pastry flour</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: Arial;">cocoa powder (my addition)</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: Arial;">Butter 8 six-ounce ceramic ramekins and dust with flour. In a bowl over a double boiler, melt butter and chocolate, set aside and let cool. </span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br />
</div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; clear: both; text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: Arial;">In a mixing bowl, use electric mixer to combine eggs and sugar until pale yellow batter holds shape and forms ribbon on beaters. </span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj_sTkh9Lj_4AQyaC_4djSPOEuibtXE0Eolm0NsnZoFFCyRDRFSkaVPNUwQyhDQrpYzZJ-O8gfwDOsjltcHhlu_0llSWgFeYzhrL-xWNiwKvaLvLAof2j-lNDcrBVLloB6PqJ2LjAUMu-aI/s1600-h/IMG_0557.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" kt="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj_sTkh9Lj_4AQyaC_4djSPOEuibtXE0Eolm0NsnZoFFCyRDRFSkaVPNUwQyhDQrpYzZJ-O8gfwDOsjltcHhlu_0llSWgFeYzhrL-xWNiwKvaLvLAof2j-lNDcrBVLloB6PqJ2LjAUMu-aI/s320/IMG_0557.JPG" /></a></div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; clear: both; text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: Arial;">Blend flour into egg-sugar mixture with the mixer for 3 minutes. Add chocolate mixture, being careful to incorporate everything; mix for 2 more minutes.</span></div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; clear: both; text-align: left;"><br />
</div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; clear: both; text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: Arial;">Pour about 6 ounces of batter into each ramekin and refrigerate for 1 hour (VOE - I cooked one after an hour of refrigeration and then several more after three hours of refrigeration and the creamy, gooey texture was the same in both cases). </span></div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; clear: both; text-align: left;"><br />
</div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; clear: both; text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: Arial;">In preheated 475 degree oven, bake ramekins on a cookie sheet for 10-12 minutes, or until they are puffed up and don't jiggle when moved. Remove from oven and serve immediately (VOE - despite the high temperature, these babies cool off quickly so you'll only need to let them rest for about five minutes before serving). Can be served with chocolate sauce or cocoa powder, whipped cream and candied walnuts (see below).</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgxLYsnr_EHvigLKfgt_Z1sS7DAIA5ctMLPtkRZlP21FBIZi0IGJzyR29ZcmUlXOO9cYYURrs8nBu2vTOmtmwFsFweqTyq_iprneve1w307CxsTkRQ4w_g0dqxaGLwIWrxB9fK5RfEwVvw-/s1600-h/IMG_0558.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" kt="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgxLYsnr_EHvigLKfgt_Z1sS7DAIA5ctMLPtkRZlP21FBIZi0IGJzyR29ZcmUlXOO9cYYURrs8nBu2vTOmtmwFsFweqTyq_iprneve1w307CxsTkRQ4w_g0dqxaGLwIWrxB9fK5RfEwVvw-/s320/IMG_0558.JPG" /></a></div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; clear: both; text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: Arial;">For walnuts:</span></div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; clear: both; text-align: left;"><br />
</div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; clear: both; text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: Arial;">3 cups walnuts, toasted</span></div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; clear: both; text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: Arial;">1 3/4 cups sugar</span></div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; clear: both; text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: Arial;">pinch of kosher salt</span></div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; clear: both; text-align: left;"><br />
</div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; clear: both; text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: Arial;">Cook sugar until melted and slightly amber colored. Mix walnuts, sugar and salt together, being sure to coat the nuts and let cool on a non-stick surface such as a slit pad or baker's paper.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: xx-small;">PHOTOS BY LISA WATERMAN GRAY</span></div>lisa waterman grayhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08834450254783595218noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3008179477742593195.post-80882328818260577292010-02-22T08:53:00.000-06:002010-02-22T08:53:02.195-06:00Aldaco's Mexican Cuisine - Blanca Aldaco<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjS86dsOMImxBe_2XGwo_xqmTM_iYFnB_mvEpaT0l8KjuGAUzPOYBrF0kvft5qACNYFUX3bqcalDYLheVt1-LiHfbSGqeGbsXmtczDNEU6FqJSnLrLObHKzgbsGj0evg3l3uACMqMiSYz9A/s1600-h/IMG_0684.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" ct="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjS86dsOMImxBe_2XGwo_xqmTM_iYFnB_mvEpaT0l8KjuGAUzPOYBrF0kvft5qACNYFUX3bqcalDYLheVt1-LiHfbSGqeGbsXmtczDNEU6FqJSnLrLObHKzgbsGj0evg3l3uACMqMiSYz9A/s320/IMG_0684.jpg" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">I met Blanca Aldaco at Aldaco's Mexican Cuisine, in San Antonio's Historic Sunset Station, during a spring 2008 press trip. Her eyes sparkled and she spoke enthusiastically as she taught each of us how to make the ultimate margarita under her watchful eye. Aldaco then circulated through the dining room as we sat down to dinner, and served us the restaurant's signature avocado margarita.</span></div><div class="separator" style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; clear: both; text-align: left;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgEl9TYhH8lgEORKNQBE-uok_Z41wTNOEy5-zaIaRn7UZ5Xj7Dqp_LtWjRUUQiHNIjR7A5LyUy3L0F_OeNVMErA2fi9wQsdS7wUrA-FsSPeHhks0qE7zdOLU4V5SVh5AEdOb0_OIpbTcjoY/s1600-h/IMG_0700.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; cssfloat: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" ct="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgEl9TYhH8lgEORKNQBE-uok_Z41wTNOEy5-zaIaRn7UZ5Xj7Dqp_LtWjRUUQiHNIjR7A5LyUy3L0F_OeNVMErA2fi9wQsdS7wUrA-FsSPeHhks0qE7zdOLU4V5SVh5AEdOb0_OIpbTcjoY/s320/IMG_0700.jpg" /></a><span style="font-family: Arial;">Ever since Aldaco opened her first restaurant, nearly 21 years ago, she has taken inspiration from childhood experiences in Guadalajara. And Aldaco's has become a San Antonio favorite and a Zagat-rated dining destination. </span></div><div class="separator" style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; clear: both; text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: Arial;">"We ate with my grandmother and grandfather every Wednesday and Friday," Aldaco says. </span><span style="font-family: Arial;">"She had a cook and it was very formal, with soup, salad, entree, and dessert. On Sundays we went to the club, and you could smell steaks cooking outdoors. </span><span style="font-family: Arial;">When I came to the U.S. I knew how to make a great salsa, and tacos, and I had a great, great palate." </span></div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; clear: both; text-align: left;"><br />
</div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; clear: both; text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: Arial;">Nowadays, Aldaco spends most of her time at her bustling two-year-old second location, on Stone Oak Parkway. Here, customers can enjoy steaks grilled outdoors, and billiards plus a Bloody Mary bar on many Saturdays and Sundays. </span></div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; clear: both; text-align: left;"><br />
</div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; clear: both; text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: Arial;">Aldaco has added 'lighter' items to both menus. One of the newest dishes, Arrachera a la Brava, combines beef skirt steak with a marinade of lime, fresh jalapeno, garlic and one secret ingredient. The restaurant</span><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">s also offer items for individuals with celiac disease and gluten intolerance.</span></div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; clear: both; text-align: left;"><br />
</div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; clear: both; text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">"I want [dining at Aldaco's] to be an experience, rather than just an outing," Aldaco says. "I also want to cultivate friendships."</span> </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
</div>lisa waterman grayhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08834450254783595218noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3008179477742593195.post-4485290175449157402010-02-17T17:09:00.002-06:002010-02-20T09:35:59.214-06:00The Savory Spoon Cooking School and Marketplace<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgiZ8iFGQbvsv92PrJKwiicPrYvUYBYyWDqNehYw2QwgXkz32696RLJGI89lHLyZojB-2-0kHj01fN-LH34s5nbAV2AOr-pOVmvxgtiSHyTkDbznDVl_j88DPyTOpvYxzhZemmkAKW2WUJb/s1600-h/IMG_0830.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" ct="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgiZ8iFGQbvsv92PrJKwiicPrYvUYBYyWDqNehYw2QwgXkz32696RLJGI89lHLyZojB-2-0kHj01fN-LH34s5nbAV2AOr-pOVmvxgtiSHyTkDbznDVl_j88DPyTOpvYxzhZemmkAKW2WUJb/s320/IMG_0830.jpg" /></a></div><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Morning sun illuminated whitewashed cabinets and gleaming stainless steel appliances as our press group of 15 people donned aprons and washed our hands. Dressed in chef whites and standing behind a butcher-block countertop owner, Janice Thomas, a member of the <a href="http://www.iacp.com/">International Association of Culinary Professionals,</a> gave us prep instructions for the morning. We divided into five small groups that each prepared a dish together, from </span><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgDeGNA1rYzcr-6CpwpzgRBrDSc63Tec7DIn7XokwgpeDOYs5AeAshrM8ZBAOSnBOdGSdTrdFM05qkLgZo9U_tqrKNkbUR4Po42SgR3PrZqHyEs4Waa8Jq6X9P03s6u-34QNkLlV9paaLXF/s1600-h/IMG_0843.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" ct="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgDeGNA1rYzcr-6CpwpzgRBrDSc63Tec7DIn7XokwgpeDOYs5AeAshrM8ZBAOSnBOdGSdTrdFM05qkLgZo9U_tqrKNkbUR4Po42SgR3PrZqHyEs4Waa8Jq6X9P03s6u-34QNkLlV9paaLXF/s320/IMG_0843.jpg" /></a></div><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Swiss Chard and Black Olive Tart to </span><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Roasted Apple, Pecan, Cherry and Black River Blue Salad, Green Beans with Orange and Toasted Maple Pecans, </span><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjQkAMhkIIPmn6eNYi4GwjY3Dkf0q-_4JjGbK5R1DrANLcTkhjAcYNhWzqm6jb7FS-9p2WD52yzKcBVl86EzWZsJ9vfiT9yL6IBmmiNMFBkzv68ZN1C5dL-Cab_1BPOXOvNxVxRANryfc3M/s1600-h/IMG_0839.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" ct="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjQkAMhkIIPmn6eNYi4GwjY3Dkf0q-_4JjGbK5R1DrANLcTkhjAcYNhWzqm6jb7FS-9p2WD52yzKcBVl86EzWZsJ9vfiT9yL6IBmmiNMFBkzv68ZN1C5dL-Cab_1BPOXOvNxVxRANryfc3M/s320/IMG_0839.jpg" /></a></div><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Pork Tenderloin Medallions with Cherry Sauce and </span><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjO5S-ULyK0qTsxvTplh2QkOdso8FFGGOrUhgvJ6MQb-BcubYdxDYBIPIpp01wcKHMOXcj89ZyhoczplcL0257B8IYwS5zb01u-wRz4obBSOlHa5uTdXmHnOFW8DG7aIPr0_hbXDWBP08JY/s1600-h/IMG_0841.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" ct="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjO5S-ULyK0qTsxvTplh2QkOdso8FFGGOrUhgvJ6MQb-BcubYdxDYBIPIpp01wcKHMOXcj89ZyhoczplcL0257B8IYwS5zb01u-wRz4obBSOlHa5uTdXmHnOFW8DG7aIPr0_hbXDWBP08JY/s320/IMG_0841.jpg" /></a></div><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Fresh Blueberry Tart. An hour later, we savored our feast.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">The <a href="http://www.savoryspoon.com/">Savory Spoon Cooking School and Marketplace,</a> in Ellison Bay, <a href="http://www.doorcounty.com/">Door County,</a> Wisconsin, has offered cooking classes since 2003, often with a focus on locally produced foods such as cherries, cheese, and whitefish. </span><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Housed in a circa 1879 schoolhouse renovated by Thomas' husband, The Savory Spoon offers cooking classes from June through October. State-of-the-art kitchens feature SubZero/Wolf cooking and refrigeration appliances, plus the finest culinary tools and small appliances. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">“We’re a hands-on cooking school,” Thomas said during my August 2008 visit. “And August is a big month for local foods.” Other classes range from India’s Melting Pot to Truffles Galore and Timpano Delight. The school also hosts private events. The Marketplace offers kitchenwares, cookbooks, artisanal cheeses and cured meats, fresh baguettes/pastries, treats from in-house chocolatier, The Sweet Spot, and specialty foods, from quiche to sticky buns.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial;">When The Savory Spoon is closed, Thomas leads annual culinary trips to France, Italy, and China, with a new Mexican destination added for 2010.</span><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhzJ79mzUhUbISPpHBBXBLCE3Ai5H5ZkCTVJxKijySxrmz-RCGBM2ckftLLwkUhCXKWyN0aYKa1WuzzwAxsaid9nWVTIJrhHdueZjGLuilud767h-Px-yoVE3uf2_h0BNFo5jg_fXEg2oq8/s1600-h/IMG_0829.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" ct="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhzJ79mzUhUbISPpHBBXBLCE3Ai5H5ZkCTVJxKijySxrmz-RCGBM2ckftLLwkUhCXKWyN0aYKa1WuzzwAxsaid9nWVTIJrhHdueZjGLuilud767h-Px-yoVE3uf2_h0BNFo5jg_fXEg2oq8/s320/IMG_0829.jpg" /></a></div><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Whether you want to hone your own cooking skills or explore the cuisine of other cultures, check out Door County's The Savory Spoon Cooking School and Marketplace.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial;"></span>lisa waterman grayhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08834450254783595218noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3008179477742593195.post-4852172202537543782010-02-17T12:39:00.000-06:002010-02-17T12:39:49.870-06:00Citrus Curd Tart<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEicodu5AgYjkK-NeQLZgsPC1O4o4gPre1DjlmOEwymkvbhFB4UUqayZiT75M96wOV6JMfYFRGrWp3_SezgrZ_V8cmyF-9ZcGTV4Of2bwbaN4WZb6UlG-vPDiK0JG9paiK7dqv_NwNs7D3Hz/s1600-h/IMG_0521.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" ct="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEicodu5AgYjkK-NeQLZgsPC1O4o4gPre1DjlmOEwymkvbhFB4UUqayZiT75M96wOV6JMfYFRGrWp3_SezgrZ_V8cmyF-9ZcGTV4Of2bwbaN4WZb6UlG-vPDiK0JG9paiK7dqv_NwNs7D3Hz/s320/IMG_0521.JPG" /></a></div><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Two ancient limes and an equally old lemon stared at me accusingly every time I opened the refrigerator fruit drawer. After I learned that I could still safely use them, from a local cooking expert, I began to consider possible flavor combinations.</span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-family: Arial;">As those of us living throughout the Kansas City area endure one of the coldest, most snow-filled winters in recent memory, a tropical-tasting dessert sounded like the perfect solution. So I tracked down a lemon curd recipe (unfortunately, I have no idea where it came from, for attribution) - and decided that I could use a combination of lemon and lime instead. I then located a simple recipe for no-bake graham cracker crust, in my <em>Better Homes & Gardens New Cook Book. </em></span><span style="font-family: Arial;">Here's the result:</span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-family: Arial;">Citrus Curd Tart</span><br />
<em><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: x-small;">Makes 8 servings</span></em><br />
<br />
<span style="font-family: Arial;">Curd:</span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-family: Arial;">3 eggs</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial;">1 cup sugar</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial;">1/2 cup fresh lemon & lime juice</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial;">1/4 cup butter or margarine</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial;">1 tablespoon grated lemon and/or lime peel</span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-family: Arial;">In the top of a double boiler, beat eggs and sugar together. Stir in citrus juices, butter and lemon peel. Bring water to a boil, reduce to simmer and cook/stir continuously for 15 minutes, or until thickened. Pour warm curd into another bowl and set aside.</span><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiRMqbriJG7mRwlAaxMs5VCVPE-Egr6mkW-CTP7sJYyhgmW4EaeyX8mHE8tjXJ-UniGAk2oyYvt-SYpUqYO0b2Vfa_vjOBV58ce9-Oo5cnsMom7IuD8InNB5YDOXgukVk73Yo8KcZxvbF8G/s1600-h/IMG_0511.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" ct="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiRMqbriJG7mRwlAaxMs5VCVPE-Egr6mkW-CTP7sJYyhgmW4EaeyX8mHE8tjXJ-UniGAk2oyYvt-SYpUqYO0b2Vfa_vjOBV58ce9-Oo5cnsMom7IuD8InNB5YDOXgukVk73Yo8KcZxvbF8G/s320/IMG_0511.JPG" /></a></div><span style="font-family: Arial;">Graham crust:</span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-family: Arial;">1/3 cup butter</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial;">1/4 cup sugar</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial;">1 1/4 cups finely crushed graham crackers (about 18)</span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-family: Arial;">Melt butter and stir in sugar. Add crushed crackers, toss to mix well. Spread evenly into a 9-inch pie plate. Press onto bottom and sides to form a firm even crust. Chill about 1 hour or until firm (or, bake in a 375 degree oven for 4-5 minutes or till edge is lightly browned. Cool on a wire rack before filling.) </span><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhabWpZDZ1OLXILuHf7ufRzPVV-ZtFh0o7EIi2NEZrWvZa0UWBefxxkKUXLJyeLZenq1MFCC-GQCkPW3iGpUTzQDcs5JpQ4LhASMMdSlESUMWZwrUXDoor8o6yVcL6nTLjDsCV_bQpT3w5B/s1600-h/IMG_0517.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" ct="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhabWpZDZ1OLXILuHf7ufRzPVV-ZtFh0o7EIi2NEZrWvZa0UWBefxxkKUXLJyeLZenq1MFCC-GQCkPW3iGpUTzQDcs5JpQ4LhASMMdSlESUMWZwrUXDoor8o6yVcL6nTLjDsCV_bQpT3w5B/s320/IMG_0517.JPG" /></a></div><span style="font-family: Arial;">Pour curd into chilled (or baked/cooled) crust. Chill overnight. </span><span style="font-family: Arial;">When ready to serve, top with lightly sweetened whipped cream,* and lemon or lime zest. </span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-family: Arial;">*VOE - Although I have a big sweet tooth, the curd + crust seemed too sweet even for my tastes. The whipped cream helps tone down the sweetness a bit. Add only 3 (or 4) tablespoons of confectioners (or granulated) sugar to one cup of whipped cream. Then spoon a big dollop onto your slice and ENJOY!</span>lisa waterman grayhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08834450254783595218noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3008179477742593195.post-41434237414952663132010-02-10T20:57:00.000-06:002010-02-10T20:57:31.418-06:00Jasper Mirabile Jr.'s Applecello<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi3BN6pkgpucAG_Rzshgn-FCGGvWKfBM9JAh3H_4pOObXCmHGm0uypHXLSTjrbxiCgVvhAufGmYItf2ELZS4zTLgW-0OeLrcoAK5RNOjOf6q-8BzBRlZZlI4Zz5F5_ov5n3S5dLq03A4RX3/s1600-h/IMG_0491.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" kt="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi3BN6pkgpucAG_Rzshgn-FCGGvWKfBM9JAh3H_4pOObXCmHGm0uypHXLSTjrbxiCgVvhAufGmYItf2ELZS4zTLgW-0OeLrcoAK5RNOjOf6q-8BzBRlZZlI4Zz5F5_ov5n3S5dLq03A4RX3/s320/IMG_0491.JPG" /></a></div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; clear: both; text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">When Jasper Mirabile, Jr., had too many apples and too much cider from <a href="http://www.louisburgcidermill.com/">Louisburg Cider Mill</a> in Louisburg, Kansas, six years ago, he created Applecello. Then he introduced it to customers of his family's five-decade-old family restaurant in nearby Kansas City, Missouri (which he co-owns with his brother, Leonard) - <a href="http://www.jasperskc.com/">Jasper's Ristorante.</a> </span></div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; clear: both; text-align: left;"><br />
</div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; clear: both; text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: Arial;">A veteran maker of homemade limoncello (as well as mozzarella, pasta sauce, salad dressings and more), Jasper combined excess apples and cider with sugar, vodka, and grain alcohol, and then flavored the brew with cloves and cinnamon sticks - and he's been doing it ever since. This year's brew features Louisburg Cider Mill's Honey Crisp apples. </span></div><div class="separator" style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; clear: both; text-align: left;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj8bNBdR8_akrA2XvidjV0XJo9CbzSOxd2UXnvmNGp5Q7wF9nTLHCdZVy3y9uHDqzjYeixV5sB9jLm6ROuSgDSHvi2yZdTI09vAvUxrYeGYX4XdfH9SjNyon1Z3QbiKZ6ZOzi4rc92tVMD0/s1600-h/IMG_0500.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; cssfloat: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" kt="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj8bNBdR8_akrA2XvidjV0XJo9CbzSOxd2UXnvmNGp5Q7wF9nTLHCdZVy3y9uHDqzjYeixV5sB9jLm6ROuSgDSHvi2yZdTI09vAvUxrYeGYX4XdfH9SjNyon1Z3QbiKZ6ZOzi4rc92tVMD0/s320/IMG_0500.JPG" /></a><span style="font-family: Arial;"></span></div><div class="separator" style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; clear: both; text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: Arial;">Customers at the restaurant can't seem to get enough of this luscious stuff. Each fall they consume more than seven gallons of Applecello, in everything from Applecello Martinis to Applecello & Cream. Jasper adds Applecello to fruit-based breads and cakes (including his signature Applecello cake), pours it over fruit salad, and serves it warm, beside apple strudel and vanilla bean gelato. "It reminds me of fall," Jasper says. "It tastes like mulled cider with a little kick to it."</span><br />
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgkyR9Y5CR1GxDS-eJUrFNkJMyUHCicEJIbRV39PB1Zikc1h1P4wYFrmiToAGLby9Peh-8va56gPMXAS6A8D6ZvTSMJ2XB-e1t98Q8ppPh213cjtzW34npu2BSYliRN3Tw8zTmlFTqcUk7a/s1600-h/IMG_0503.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" ct="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgkyR9Y5CR1GxDS-eJUrFNkJMyUHCicEJIbRV39PB1Zikc1h1P4wYFrmiToAGLby9Peh-8va56gPMXAS6A8D6ZvTSMJ2XB-e1t98Q8ppPh213cjtzW34npu2BSYliRN3Tw8zTmlFTqcUk7a/s320/IMG_0503.JPG" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: Arial;">Want to make Applecello yourself? Here's the recipe:</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: Arial;">Jasper's Missouri Applecello</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><em><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: x-small;">Makes 1 1/2 gallons</span></em></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: Arial;">6 apples, seeded and crushed</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: Arial;">8 ounces apple cider</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: Arial;">12 cloves</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: Arial;">4 cinnamon sticks</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: Arial;">6 tablespoons sugar</span></div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; clear: both; text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: Arial;">10 ounces vodka</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: Arial;">10 ounces grain alcohol</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br />
</div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; clear: both; text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: Arial;"><em>Tools: 2, 32-ounce Mason jars, 2-quart stockpot, 1 gallon jug with a cork or cap, very fine strainer, 1-ounce glasses</em></span></div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; clear: both; text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: Arial;">Place all ingredients, except vodka and grain alcohol, in stockpot. Bring to a boil, lower heat and let steep for 15 minutes.</span></div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; clear: both; text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: Arial;">Pour mixture into a sterilized 1-gallon jug and then add vodka and grain alcohol. Place cork or cap on jug and store in a cool, dry, dark room. Let the mixture sit for 14 days.</span></div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; clear: both; text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: Arial;">Strain mixture and place in Mason jars, let sit for 14 more days, and then refrigerate until ready to use. Serve chilled.</span></div><div class="separator" style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj35va8656Njdvfrhv1x4nsz9NpmptBIxI3e5qqrAENrlTDimusIISAiaAKmmW5-fr2P-DVuhhEwbrBU-hp488wNdaY2_k2uh-_He7ClH23kMtpTJhD8HYkU7UeVyDbs_l1kiIqAEWsL5_h/s1600-h/IMG_8923.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; cssfloat: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" kt="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj35va8656Njdvfrhv1x4nsz9NpmptBIxI3e5qqrAENrlTDimusIISAiaAKmmW5-fr2P-DVuhhEwbrBU-hp488wNdaY2_k2uh-_He7ClH23kMtpTJhD8HYkU7UeVyDbs_l1kiIqAEWsL5_h/s320/IMG_8923.JPG" width="212" /></a></div>lisa waterman grayhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08834450254783595218noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3008179477742593195.post-60486514047539661152010-02-08T18:31:00.000-06:002010-02-08T18:31:15.497-06:00Easy Homemade Hash Browns<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjiUGja-x2zaTHIb1pvipmJdfz3gMiLCQNlZuYWqd5b9VWjC-TmrR9Uijd5dNwygQtwAoJhWoa9-2elq74wC02k0DUsGzWn2mU1f5f1yFWpiwlCpc9nxS-aBipvjO5nsdUts87Xxv3Q-x8L/s1600-h/IMG_0485.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" kt="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjiUGja-x2zaTHIb1pvipmJdfz3gMiLCQNlZuYWqd5b9VWjC-TmrR9Uijd5dNwygQtwAoJhWoa9-2elq74wC02k0DUsGzWn2mU1f5f1yFWpiwlCpc9nxS-aBipvjO5nsdUts87Xxv3Q-x8L/s320/IMG_0485.JPG" /></a></div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; clear: both; text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">My husband, Mark, and I. have been empty nesters for about 4 1/2 years. About two years ago, we began a Sunday tradition of sharing a big, homemade breakfast. I most often make French toast or pancakes while Mark fries turkey bacon or sausage, and cooks fried eggs or a two-person omelet. Once in awhile we enjoy biscuits and gravy or a sweet homemade bread.</span></div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; clear: both; text-align: left;"><br />
</div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; clear: both; text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: Arial;">Last week, Mark said that he wanted to try making hash browns for our Sunday breakfast. I had Yukon gold potatoes on hand but we agreed that russets would probably provide a better texture. So I grabbed the largest russet that I could find during my weekend shopping trip. Then, yesterday, Mark made us a huge pan of easy and delicious hash browns, reminding him of his days as a short-order cook. With toast made from English muffin bread, eggs, and juice, we enjoyed a weekend feast.</span></div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; clear: both; text-align: left;"><br />
</div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; clear: both; text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: Arial;">If you like hash browns too, give these a try!</span></div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; clear: both; text-align: left;"><br />
</div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; clear: both; text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Homemade Hashbrowns</span></div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; clear: both; text-align: left;"><em><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: x-small;">Makes 2-3 servings</span></em></div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; clear: both; text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">1 large russet potato, approximately 6 inches long</span></div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; clear: both; text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: Arial;">2 tablespoons butter</span></div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; clear: both; text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: Arial;">2 tablespoons olive oil</span></div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; clear: both; text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: Arial;">salt and pepper to taste</span></div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; clear: both; text-align: left;"><br />
</div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; clear: both; text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Prick potato frequently with a knife, cover with water in a large saucepan. and then bring to a rolling boil. Turn down heat and simmer for 20 minutes.</span></div><div class="separator" style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiPJHWcKg-gOmRiSIORTW2NTCUnC8m6vNaVVO2eiv8p8LsPSwK3dZY7nRYASuIS_CDeFVF2cws-wZVoqFEDQie30OqNPpxQiXOjBiMtBdi8SueMT6BQ8krPCEOdQdBPd3CitlaRoh-8zpOc/s1600-h/IMG_0483.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" kt="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiPJHWcKg-gOmRiSIORTW2NTCUnC8m6vNaVVO2eiv8p8LsPSwK3dZY7nRYASuIS_CDeFVF2cws-wZVoqFEDQie30OqNPpxQiXOjBiMtBdi8SueMT6BQ8krPCEOdQdBPd3CitlaRoh-8zpOc/s320/IMG_0483.JPG" /></a></div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; clear: both; text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: Arial;">Remove potato from saucepan and cool completely. Peel off skin. Using a hand grater - or the grater blade of a food processor - grate entire potato, put in a large bowl, and set aside.</span></div><div class="separator" style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhAt_Tn9Lm2Wag2eQ346zpcE2tyLJraY5o8jG89S4lk31o4Y8DPaXT3t7tvaDN3SXlequksQxfvF6imROQ-dIeuW2B7owqecnBlTacrBDTLy0bBjCV2zL9cVE4QAbF0JIsMu84pTeq5bD_P/s1600-h/IMG_0481.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" kt="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhAt_Tn9Lm2Wag2eQ346zpcE2tyLJraY5o8jG89S4lk31o4Y8DPaXT3t7tvaDN3SXlequksQxfvF6imROQ-dIeuW2B7owqecnBlTacrBDTLy0bBjCV2zL9cVE4QAbF0JIsMu84pTeq5bD_P/s320/IMG_0481.JPG" /></a></div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; clear: both; text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Using an iron or nonstick skillet, oil lightly to minimize sticking, and set over medium high heat. </span></div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; clear: both; text-align: left;"><br />
</div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; clear: both; text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Add butter and oil and warm until butter melts. Place grated potato in the skillet and cook potatoes to golden brown. If using an oven-safe skillet, place the hash browns in a warm oven until ready to serve.</span></div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; clear: both; text-align: left;"><br />
</div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; clear: both; text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: Arial;">Enjoy with ketchup, hot sauce, sour cream or any other favorite condiment. </span></div>lisa waterman grayhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08834450254783595218noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3008179477742593195.post-15920779446855949002010-02-01T21:16:00.000-06:002010-02-01T21:16:09.158-06:00Breakfast Trail Ride at Tanque Verde Ranch Resort<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEip5_kfDflSY3Rbb_ZGQGxgRbw5JaSG2F00kTnZr_lTbmr-uQoSTQ8ORK40WiaAOZ8IPNiycD-LurmBGEWpAjX8K0m1wPpBjKMwvWGa8ztrSjzJka7txtJHD902oN6VzBnSgK1ZMILfn3xO/s1600-h/T+V+breakfast+ride+cacti+III+10-19-2009+9-26-06+AM.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" kt="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEip5_kfDflSY3Rbb_ZGQGxgRbw5JaSG2F00kTnZr_lTbmr-uQoSTQ8ORK40WiaAOZ8IPNiycD-LurmBGEWpAjX8K0m1wPpBjKMwvWGa8ztrSjzJka7txtJHD902oN6VzBnSgK1ZMILfn3xO/s320/T+V+breakfast+ride+cacti+III+10-19-2009+9-26-06+AM.JPG" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Our breakfast trail ride at <a href="http://www.tanqueverderanch.com/">Tanque Verde Ranch Resort,</a> outside of Tucson, began on a gorgeous, warm morning in mid-October. I had slathered loads of sunscreen on my arms, shoulders, neck, and face and retrieved a baseball cap to shield against the desert sun. We met at the stables where, based on my riding experience, the horse handlers paired me with a gentle white/gray horse named Dale. </span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEigx5mw8ob3sJTrau8uBYT9SN3NHpJUZLutdPqCYRmzVGoE16Bl69fLbpYYeQ331oSdaB1tdIyTnvjM56QtwK76fCD6aF7H8MkQICYGcsJykfdpgP0efHB4zEoT0gw5DIAwyKfEdK3UW-fm/s1600-h/image0.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" kt="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEigx5mw8ob3sJTrau8uBYT9SN3NHpJUZLutdPqCYRmzVGoE16Bl69fLbpYYeQ331oSdaB1tdIyTnvjM56QtwK76fCD6aF7H8MkQICYGcsJykfdpgP0efHB4zEoT0gw5DIAwyKfEdK3UW-fm/s320/image0.jpg" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><em><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: x-small;">above image courtesy of photographer </span></em></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><em><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: x-small;">at Tanque Verde Ranch Resort</span></em></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Before long, our press group had entered a sea of saguaro cacti, which I thought of as a 'transparent forest.' We rode to a high hilltop, with the gentle Dale navigating rock, sand, cacti, narrow trails and steep inclines as I gently pulled him away from tasty bushes along the way. By the time we reached our breakfast site, everyone was hungry. And what a feast awaited us!</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><img border="0" kt="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi0g2hQIVJrJii1gnCTBQVTrOrx_aYIUKNwxDcy-vdw03IfSaaUAEimxp8zXLSD_yGVFUhKgkU3Lsli2T8XFRTQyNzVm3qyVNOG4WaDgToZ62mz2BsYhhoe39g3w0tg77DAdr5r0VuqI2ax/s320/T+V+trail+breakfast+10-19-2009+9-11-28+AM.JPG" /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">The staff had transported a huge cookstove and grill up the mountain, where regular and blueberry pancakes turned golden brown, with crispy hash browns, chile and cheese-spiked scrambled eggs, bacon, sausage and fresh, flaky biscuits on the side. Coffee woke us up and lemonade cooled us off. But, perhaps the most impressive part of this breakfast feast was how they served it - on gingham tablecloths atop picnic tables - plus sturdy plastic plates and real silverware. </span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjtbAjCZ2ip4otGBgGUvSJT-Zy3s6a-zEYeIt_lA0hc3ZjrzKWs_BhQCzrVglA5W0eRGavT8ylfR9hed6kwwSf7fjzssfgZ6iqmued1VJEwm0FsFb6kH-E6xIy1m-BLXz74JKQ5_XvbCTRC/s1600-h/T+V+breakfast+ride+cacti+10-19-2009+9-23-50+AM.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" kt="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjtbAjCZ2ip4otGBgGUvSJT-Zy3s6a-zEYeIt_lA0hc3ZjrzKWs_BhQCzrVglA5W0eRGavT8ylfR9hed6kwwSf7fjzssfgZ6iqmued1VJEwm0FsFb6kH-E6xIy1m-BLXz74JKQ5_XvbCTRC/s320/T+V+breakfast+ride+cacti+10-19-2009+9-23-50+AM.JPG" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">The temperature hovered near 90 degrees as we cleared the tables, and looked down on miles of cacti. Then we headed back to the stables, ready for shade but happy for a great start to our day. </span></div>lisa waterman grayhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08834450254783595218noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3008179477742593195.post-44485457609278191932010-01-27T21:41:00.000-06:002010-01-27T21:41:05.381-06:00Portobello Spaghetti Sauce<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh0dSWswLovbfRJ9SBEBKmpkGK2VniGoAv7bKT3lxzKwe3B5zPqnh0fz8WUr67md71xBupoWgvaGdtTbCKYuklDTekL-ZSCQ_dEK-DV7xo4Bs3PDnxPWUnIW7K0yrVEvVzNhcg59Uph4Vyc/s1600-h/IMG_0460.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" mt="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh0dSWswLovbfRJ9SBEBKmpkGK2VniGoAv7bKT3lxzKwe3B5zPqnh0fz8WUr67md71xBupoWgvaGdtTbCKYuklDTekL-ZSCQ_dEK-DV7xo4Bs3PDnxPWUnIW7K0yrVEvVzNhcg59Uph4Vyc/s320/IMG_0460.JPG" /></a><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">What is it about gray winter days that makes pasta and sauce so appealing? Maybe it's the soft and filling noodles that are as versatile as the flavors you pair them with. </span><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">But how can you enjoy vegetarian spaghetti sauce while still satisfying a meat lover? Try using portobello mushrooms. Saute 1/2 a pound of sliced portobellos and then chop them in a food processor until they have a similar texture to ground beef. The rest of this recipe is pretty familiar, from pureed tomatoes and tomato paste, to fresh basil and garlic - and quite delicious.</span><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: Arial;">ENJOY!</span><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: Arial;">Portobello Spaghetti Sauce</span><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: Arial;">1 1/2 tablespoons olive oil</span><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: Arial;">8 ounces portobellos, sliced</span><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: Arial;">1 tablespoon olive oil</span><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: Arial;">1 medium onion, diced</span><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: Arial;">3 cloves of garlic, minced</span><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: Arial;">4 tablespoons fresh basil, minced</span><br />
</div><span style="font-family: Arial;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: Arial;">28 ounces imported crushed tomatoes in heavy puree </span><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: Arial;"> (VOE - they're lower in salt than many </span><span style="font-family: Arial;">domestic varieties)</span><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: Arial;">6 ounces tomato paste</span><br />
</div></span><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: Arial;">2 tablespoons fresh oregano, minced</span><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: Arial;">2 tablespoons fresh thyme, minced</span><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: Arial;">1-2 tablespoons dry red wine</span><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: Arial;">1-2 teaspoons honey</span><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: Arial;">In a large skillet, warm 1 1/2 tablespoons olive oil over medium heat and then saute portobellos until lightly browned and soft. Place portobellos in food processor and chop fine. Set aside.</span><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjo2KVjJiBUFBlVQova6s_dS0muJk1YHJqFp-1RJpJHCrWmoqrzKsWLkMiqvWAlmhDYbeN50FgDL8s3omJDaZzCs4Wjp4HfUxBQtHHb7NScshAnhguiYM14Gp0bHVmsCAqVCebrjA-Xlopl/s1600-h/IMG_0462.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" mt="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjo2KVjJiBUFBlVQova6s_dS0muJk1YHJqFp-1RJpJHCrWmoqrzKsWLkMiqvWAlmhDYbeN50FgDL8s3omJDaZzCs4Wjp4HfUxBQtHHb7NScshAnhguiYM14Gp0bHVmsCAqVCebrjA-Xlopl/s320/IMG_0462.JPG" /></a><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: Arial;">Warm 1 tablespoon olive oil in skillet, over medium heat, and then saute onion and garlic until they become translucent. Add tomatoes, tomato paste, oregano, thyme, wine and honey and stir thoroughly to combine. </span><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi1etLa51d8ZDbRL5eKRmYhyphenhyphenT4NgLbUw3DZAlQiO0VkUVVccpNcVmLOIq6AULmbUPVSSFumyGM1NSnp4Exb9yOF5Wqd21twqUCU84pOYrvh-UkzCjrG8Td-CauESXTEr9FiRoe6yhG3gqGa/s1600-h/IMG_0465.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" mt="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi1etLa51d8ZDbRL5eKRmYhyphenhyphenT4NgLbUw3DZAlQiO0VkUVVccpNcVmLOIq6AULmbUPVSSFumyGM1NSnp4Exb9yOF5Wqd21twqUCU84pOYrvh-UkzCjrG8Td-CauESXTEr9FiRoe6yhG3gqGa/s320/IMG_0465.JPG" /></a><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: Arial;">Heat to slow boil until steaming, turn down heat, and then simmer on low for 20 minutes. Adjust seasoning and serve over your favorite pasta.</span><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhX1s7FypWUYtJi_T5NlRN5XN-bnUyFBUxc7IxliqsszXuoQLKJxtjTlZjETdZflZELx-I5m0anGmdcBk7oWHtAfLk_w0K5_caWJ9E7O3JzmfrdcPRWxI9SLVQgaK9OlxxysfY1oLWIINZu/s1600-h/IMG_0470.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" mt="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhX1s7FypWUYtJi_T5NlRN5XN-bnUyFBUxc7IxliqsszXuoQLKJxtjTlZjETdZflZELx-I5m0anGmdcBk7oWHtAfLk_w0K5_caWJ9E7O3JzmfrdcPRWxI9SLVQgaK9OlxxysfY1oLWIINZu/s320/IMG_0470.JPG" /></a><br />
</div>lisa waterman grayhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08834450254783595218noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3008179477742593195.post-12043817430864446882010-01-26T11:20:00.000-06:002010-01-26T11:20:36.384-06:00San Antonio's Sunset Station<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgiL1RYi1lK14I92SqPc0IfbyZLYibvUhSOCdRupmgmxjKLx0Yl8jQjycXFhJoxm5S3PjvfSm0u9s_Bz7u5Nd040Y0Do21RkxJM34iIOgjO71qb_zw8J1fs4apY4VKZ8Hi0FXgtaTj5Bc2g/s1600-h/IMG_0692.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" mt="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgiL1RYi1lK14I92SqPc0IfbyZLYibvUhSOCdRupmgmxjKLx0Yl8jQjycXFhJoxm5S3PjvfSm0u9s_Bz7u5Nd040Y0Do21RkxJM34iIOgjO71qb_zw8J1fs4apY4VKZ8Hi0FXgtaTj5Bc2g/s320/IMG_0692.jpg" /></a><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">We reached San Antonio's Sunset Station at St. Paul Square around dusk, and wound our way through an enormous crowd that drank, sampled appetizers, and socialized on the expansive patio at The Depot. We were headed to Aldaco's Mexican Cuisine - a Zagat-rated restaurant owned by the vivacious Blanca Aldaco, for lessons in margarita-making and an authentic Mexican meal.</span><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; clear: both; text-align: left;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg7lDJtNjBFUE0C28mcNSsyxvyfheZoIwUIvlbdAzXKG5Hxp6uZK085qIgw3S4oMWiAkDjnLkH-TtEjzvy1XC0cDEG9T7QJiTiOr92rRHOD0IeLln1k5xSw8kggqmNxAfZhg24rNdOyPk2B/s1600-h/IMG_0675.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" mt="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg7lDJtNjBFUE0C28mcNSsyxvyfheZoIwUIvlbdAzXKG5Hxp6uZK085qIgw3S4oMWiAkDjnLkH-TtEjzvy1XC0cDEG9T7QJiTiOr92rRHOD0IeLln1k5xSw8kggqmNxAfZhg24rNdOyPk2B/s320/IMG_0675.jpg" /></a><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; clear: both; text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">The complex is a National Historic Landmark that includes 10 acres, 100,000 square feet of indoor and outdoor space for events of all sizes, and a fully restored train depot, which reflects the grandeur of the early 1900s - when trains that passed through here linked San Francisco to New Orleans and San Antonio.</span><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi8nbJApMwoTguAlHXZJTzbo1fop0F8cP0xiFQeCW0f7kmgmkOIwULcQh-rMbpjmXX-qlhVt5Lul4Fc4FafyQcAu9BVAfg1HCMv9sIaKqtDPs2fqeO3_VWS14t-rMVbUjeFoEcF23NQBz4a/s1600-h/IMG_0704.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" mt="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi8nbJApMwoTguAlHXZJTzbo1fop0F8cP0xiFQeCW0f7kmgmkOIwULcQh-rMbpjmXX-qlhVt5Lul4Fc4FafyQcAu9BVAfg1HCMv9sIaKqtDPs2fqeO3_VWS14t-rMVbUjeFoEcF23NQBz4a/s320/IMG_0704.jpg" /></a><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: Arial;">After we finished our meal, our host gave us a tour through The Depot, which has undergone a multi-million dollar renovation and transformation, complete </span><span style="font-family: Arial;">with enormous stained glass windows, a grand staircase and amazing woodwork, painted with painstaking accuracy.</span><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh0U4LRseW-uZaYUVZ8AcQ291sMWjRj11bGL6aYoyIn4bAgoT47uawU4XUoclbMdzqxDc1697qPJ8i691CvQK02prI-UI_MZONiDiKGWfFq0wdN7aGvw-lcGX3zLD8cYrRLAEqRI_XAMWbz/s1600-h/IMG_0702.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" mt="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh0U4LRseW-uZaYUVZ8AcQ291sMWjRj11bGL6aYoyIn4bAgoT47uawU4XUoclbMdzqxDc1697qPJ8i691CvQK02prI-UI_MZONiDiKGWfFq0wdN7aGvw-lcGX3zLD8cYrRLAEqRI_XAMWbz/s320/IMG_0702.jpg" /></a><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Yet, despite the grandeur of this stunning room, it managed to feel inviting and even cozy. And I could definitely envision a bride walking down those gorgeous stairs.</span><br />
</div>lisa waterman grayhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08834450254783595218noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3008179477742593195.post-83252802503729636752010-01-20T20:43:00.001-06:002010-01-20T20:45:27.103-06:00A Passion For Pesto<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiX-EOIaHGi_cD8wdBPS62DIDUamHvdFWDMoP3JIhPGtsouJIErS76hlqfU45LDqa9oMOaZKoydYof0L2yKn3CTxZcu3z2bOpUWsCVRGagbtIHb2YeXEeRMsU5ltOLDWUXByJQC3y_oCcPB/s1600-h/IMG_0442.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" mt="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiX-EOIaHGi_cD8wdBPS62DIDUamHvdFWDMoP3JIhPGtsouJIErS76hlqfU45LDqa9oMOaZKoydYof0L2yKn3CTxZcu3z2bOpUWsCVRGagbtIHb2YeXEeRMsU5ltOLDWUXByJQC3y_oCcPB/s320/IMG_0442.JPG" /></a><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">I was pregnant with our first daughter and nearing the end of my allowed time for plane travel so my husband, Mark, and I flew to southern California for a brief visit with his lifelong friend, Carrie, and her (then) husband. </span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">As dinnertime approached, they picked huge handfuls of basil from their tiny garden, gathered pine nuts, fresh garlic, extra virgin olive oil, and grated Parmesan, and measured everything into a food processor. They cooked spaghetti and added a large dollop of pesto to each plateful. </span><span style="font-family: Arial;">The brilliant green color of this unusual sauce seemed quite odd for food, but the intense, multi-layered flavor immediately stole our hearts and tastebuds.</span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-family: Arial;">That was almost 26 years ago. Early in our marriage, Mark and I never served spaghetti without pesto - even after our young daughters began to eat 'regular food.' In fact, I never made a red sauce for our spaghetti until one of the girls came home from eating dinner at a friend's house and mildly complained about how odd it was to have red sauce, rather than pesto, with pasta.</span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-family: Arial;">Our love of pesto has continued through the decades. Each summer, I fill our freezer with as much of this lovely stuff as possible with basil from our small garden. And each winter, usually sometime between Thanksgiving and Christmas, I mournfully serve our last bit of frozen, garden-fresh pesto before I begin to purchase packaged basil to carry us through until the next growing season. (The winter light in our house doesn't seem quite strong enough to sustain healthy basil plants.)</span><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiV6SwbN8J5PRLC_ASpl0jYezs0GUenHkRqWMvLnrjqhPiueqGwrySjh5Td7kC7MZWuv5Ey_sCPp1tbo-0SpaE_8OhhhUoZnx4h59LDvODSgr3_8icBJzRs6s_fp2A-7lwfFKzA-FdbMhXP/s1600-h/IMG_0450.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" mt="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiV6SwbN8J5PRLC_ASpl0jYezs0GUenHkRqWMvLnrjqhPiueqGwrySjh5Td7kC7MZWuv5Ey_sCPp1tbo-0SpaE_8OhhhUoZnx4h59LDvODSgr3_8icBJzRs6s_fp2A-7lwfFKzA-FdbMhXP/s320/IMG_0450.JPG" /></a><br />
</div><span style="font-family: Arial;">Today, I satisfied my pesto craving again and made a small batch for dinner. Paired with whole grain pasta, some cooked chicken, and a green salad, we can dream of summer as we make our way through winter.</span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-family: Arial;">Simple Pesto Sauce</span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-family: Arial;">2 cups fresh basil leaves with stems removed</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial;">1/2 cup extra virgin olive oil</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial;">1/2 cup grated/shredded Parmesan cheese</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial;">3 cloves of garlic</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial;">3 tablespoons of pine nuts or walnuts </span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial;"> (VOE - we generally use walnuts because we </span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial;"> always have them on hand)</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial;"> </span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial;">freshly ground pepper to taste</span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Place all ingredients in food processor and puree. Serve 1-2 tablespoons per plate of pasta. Cooked chicken, shrimp, or tuna can add flavor and 'bulk' to your meal.</span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">VOE - Pesto freezes, thaws, and re-freezes exceptionally well. Fill an ice cube tray with the sauce and you'll have an instant flavor boost available for all of your favorite dishes.</span>lisa waterman grayhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08834450254783595218noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3008179477742593195.post-36239508381106638042010-01-18T08:33:00.000-06:002010-01-18T08:33:32.987-06:00Chocolate: The Exhibition in Kansas City<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh3wrLmlfeD9Za5DbhE-cLh0azd4GpHRMOdWdoU_zjiJ4mP-r_w_ErrMocRmOnvG3-IHMbxlwV8vhkT6jDqelnLNLb1jnXi8nV76mjV6Vn9txcpmUhQlyPzX2vA8NmM9hiY7WMTy0PJ8Zbu/s1600-h/IMG_0379.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" ps="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh3wrLmlfeD9Za5DbhE-cLh0azd4GpHRMOdWdoU_zjiJ4mP-r_w_ErrMocRmOnvG3-IHMbxlwV8vhkT6jDqelnLNLb1jnXi8nV76mjV6Vn9txcpmUhQlyPzX2vA8NmM9hiY7WMTy0PJ8Zbu/s320/IMG_0379.JPG" /></a><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">If chocolate is food for <em>your</em> soul then <a href="http://www.fieldmuseum.org/Chocolate/exhibits.html"><em>Chocolate: The Exhibition</em></a><em> </em>is a perfect way to educate yourself about this amazing food. I visited the exhibition at Kansas City, Missouri's Union Station, learned some things that I didn't already know, and heard several familiar stories. </span><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: Arial;">The Field Museum of Chicago opened this exhibition at home, in 2002. It also has appeared (or will) in Indianapolis, Kansas City, Memphis,St. Paul, Los Angeles, New York City, Honolulu, Houston, Philadelphia, San Diego, San Francisco, Milwaukee, Atlanta, Cleveland, Ohio; Omaha, NE; Dearborn, MI; Gainesville, FL; Albany, NY; Raleigh, NC; Norman, OK; Anniston, AL; and Anaheim and Redding, CA.</span><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: Arial;">As I handed my ticket to a fellow at the front desk, he offered me a cocoa-dusted almond from a large candy box. An image at the entrance resembled an old-fashioned chocolate candy store. Inside, rainforest sounds and Latin guitar surrounded me throughout the darkened room. I learned that tiny flies or midges pollinate cacao flowers, which grow on lower branches of the trees and that fungi on the forest floor help cacao trees absorb vital nutrients. I also learned that cacao seed pods mature at 3-5 years of tree age.</span><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: Arial;">I was vaguely aware of cacao's importantance in ancient Mayan and Aztec cultures. But here I found out that the Mayan people combined fermented, dried, and roasted cacao paste with cornmeal, honey, and chile peppers to make their renowned cacao drinks, which they frequently used for religious ceremonies. I also found out that the Aztecs considered cacao a luxury drink, to be ingested only by their elite; and it was also used as money and payment to gods or rulers. </span><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: Arial;">I was reminded that, although Spanish explorers did not find gold in the New World, they did find cacao (as well as corn, vanilla, chiles, tomatoes and potatoes). And I learned that the Spaniards were the only Europeans to have a cacao/chocolate beverage for 100 years, after they added sugar to it for the first time.</span><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: Arial;">I learned about cacao harvest and processing and when milk was first added to chocolate. I saw elaborately decorated Mayan vessels used only for serving their beloved cacao beverage, intricately carved wooden chocolate stirrers and porcelain and silver 'chocolate cups' favored by London's aristocracy, by the early 1700s.</span><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Half an hour later, I craved a big chunk of rich, dark chocolate. You know its a great exhibit when it stimulates your tastebuds so profoundly.</span><br />
</div>lisa waterman grayhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08834450254783595218noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3008179477742593195.post-7242744129501712322010-01-14T12:27:00.003-06:002010-01-14T12:36:42.843-06:00CANstruction® Combines Art & Community Service in Kansas City<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgTmMf_8ZaHHFB5DK90aJgLeT0mq-lrjG3Uf1hsM0aGKmOZOmMM0SCmCORYoa3NPZAd5CRq1F_oodO2O002xcD4BdVYv-X5rZts8C6SHThECMWj6jXQGI5-3D0PRiMOOcInAKPw90wuorm6/s1600-h/IMG_0374.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" ps="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgTmMf_8ZaHHFB5DK90aJgLeT0mq-lrjG3Uf1hsM0aGKmOZOmMM0SCmCORYoa3NPZAd5CRq1F_oodO2O002xcD4BdVYv-X5rZts8C6SHThECMWj6jXQGI5-3D0PRiMOOcInAKPw90wuorm6/s320/IMG_0374.JPG" /></a><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">When an affiliate of the American Institute of Architects, the Society of Design Administration, founded the CANstruction ® event 16 years ago, little did they know how enormous their effort would become. The idea behind the project was to create structures using cans and other food/beverage containers, which would later be donated to food-related charities.</span><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Today, the global anti-hunger project takes place in 100+ cities across the nation - including Kansas City, Missouri. </span><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Participants in last year's local event used more than 33,000 pounds of food to create their inventive structures, which translated into almost 27,000 meals for <a href="http://www.harvesters.org/">Harvesters - The Community Food Network.</a> </span><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: Arial;">On January 13, 2010, 16 teams of local architects, engineers, contractors and students created 'sculptures' in the lobby at Union Station, made from food items such as mixed nuts and bottled water, seen in the 'igloo' above, built by students from the University of Kansas Interior Design program. Local event sponsors include Price Chopper, Focus Architecture, BRR Architecture and Henderson Engineers, Inc.</span><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: Arial;"></span><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgJrO635sICG9coFxzZpQ1-CDOlwf4L7Fy4SBlDPsOHLhPiFhY_mEWkePdQxSeszlm5Tq6nsMic2gSaEXnjkF0gzCDRy1bNrl0jWiH5GkoUJP9H-_Cwj8ft9-UmxiOkZZGHqO_WZT3-6BB9/s1600-h/IMG_0375.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" ps="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgJrO635sICG9coFxzZpQ1-CDOlwf4L7Fy4SBlDPsOHLhPiFhY_mEWkePdQxSeszlm5Tq6nsMic2gSaEXnjkF0gzCDRy1bNrl0jWiH5GkoUJP9H-_Cwj8ft9-UmxiOkZZGHqO_WZT3-6BB9/s320/IMG_0375.JPG" /></a><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: Arial;">George Butler Associates worked on a structure whose design they had planned months earlier, which incorporated green beans, pinto beans, and yams, to name only a few 'ingredients.' </span><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhdu5Y4PijQ_WEZflufj45HRtsQjjHUqIKK9GE86IzDbSxRPDPn8PDKUFycTDTtaqxHWq_hqUqqmJe1bdeTSyYZKi8YGOoD5-szIdj7OS05JziDXKHmCCMXFlwID00FbDHv6slwlVEWD7PP/s1600-h/IMG_0376.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" ps="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhdu5Y4PijQ_WEZflufj45HRtsQjjHUqIKK9GE86IzDbSxRPDPn8PDKUFycTDTtaqxHWq_hqUqqmJe1bdeTSyYZKi8YGOoD5-szIdj7OS05JziDXKHmCCMXFlwID00FbDHv6slwlVEWD7PP/s320/IMG_0376.JPG" /></a><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Beside this representation of beverage bottles, Focus Architecture worked to create a tornado effect that included hundreds of cans of black eyed peas.</span><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEivhRN6BZeUltZNEqfCdMZ15K6VYJpc33mPcp5nOXVOMQp_qecorjVxYW8Hieq4KvsGqcXHEpVjlq5ckm0nAfPAqXnaNzmjOlMClxBRKUT1PTuTsNGp-Jucg2c287J53BThNbZbh7UjwXUo/s1600-h/IMG_0378.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" ps="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEivhRN6BZeUltZNEqfCdMZ15K6VYJpc33mPcp5nOXVOMQp_qecorjVxYW8Hieq4KvsGqcXHEpVjlq5ckm0nAfPAqXnaNzmjOlMClxBRKUT1PTuTsNGp-Jucg2c287J53BThNbZbh7UjwXUo/s320/IMG_0378.JPG" /></a><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">A preview party for the massive exhibiton takes place on Thursday evening, January 14 (tickets are $20), and the exhibit opens to the public, Jan. 15-Feb. 10. Visitors can vote for their favorite sculpture by making a donation to Harvesters. Judges will determine winners of Best Meal, Structural Ingenuity, Best Use of Labels, Jurors Favorite and Honorable Mention, and the winners will then participate in the national CANstruction® competition.</span><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: Arial;">Visit CANstruction® at Union Station and cast a vote for your favorite.</span><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br />
</div>lisa waterman grayhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08834450254783595218noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3008179477742593195.post-53817061882899070222010-01-11T19:06:00.001-06:002010-01-11T19:07:12.409-06:00The Buffalo Thunders - Santa Fe<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhLLL0XHX5QZ1j8ap_eBVvJg8IpTyM3vWCpFbq5e3EAuyl80kJQAouqR9xz-OR3aIiOn_u-QYIQUxPM6euyUJuxrhUojGyiU4Ld19vNeaQ_dvrrpy411_SRaRlfOe4EF94eRVQjzMqpnhEc/s1600-h/IMG_1414.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; cssfloat: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" ps="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhLLL0XHX5QZ1j8ap_eBVvJg8IpTyM3vWCpFbq5e3EAuyl80kJQAouqR9xz-OR3aIiOn_u-QYIQUxPM6euyUJuxrhUojGyiU4Ld19vNeaQ_dvrrpy411_SRaRlfOe4EF94eRVQjzMqpnhEc/s320/IMG_1414.jpg" /></a><br />
</div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjbwRtc38uLcCJELNNEpzQopERRRkWDaj5afo216x3e70hP2CtWSg2cKZkoacxjOW9tSdVCICo7hJFIPSRegPyRO43YFChUC2hA9AUCwfOscXLbIlQoXQJWDNWX3BgDZvsGSZibE7SeXGva/s1600-h/IMG_1398.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; cssfloat: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" ps="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjbwRtc38uLcCJELNNEpzQopERRRkWDaj5afo216x3e70hP2CtWSg2cKZkoacxjOW9tSdVCICo7hJFIPSRegPyRO43YFChUC2hA9AUCwfOscXLbIlQoXQJWDNWX3BgDZvsGSZibE7SeXGva/s320/IMG_1398.jpg" /></a><span style="font-family: Arial;">The final evening of our press trip began with a tour through <a href="http://www.buffalothunderresort.com/">Buffalo Thunder Resort</a>, located about 15 minutes north of Santa Fe. After we toured the lobby, the spa and the indoor pool area, we visited the breathtaking Governor's Suite, bi-level accommodations with two bathrooms, an enormous living room with two-story windows and fireplace, multiple bedrooms, and exquisite art and furnishings - often made of natural materials. </span><br />
</div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhSeQCAsXkuk4EX78YjPvlvlkNvbNVqiP0AAsE2UBSI5QTV24rpxIrkOlmLvLoiSsj8nc1eNMjIgOS1vxbdgx0f2D7Ls5KlNKJVARI3qEshUO38kcvN3kWzlyzmaeVR4opJpzNXf6k4FbAU/s1600-h/IMG_1407.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" ps="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhSeQCAsXkuk4EX78YjPvlvlkNvbNVqiP0AAsE2UBSI5QTV24rpxIrkOlmLvLoiSsj8nc1eNMjIgOS1vxbdgx0f2D7Ls5KlNKJVARI3qEshUO38kcvN3kWzlyzmaeVR4opJpzNXf6k4FbAU/s320/IMG_1407.jpg" /></a><br />
</div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; clear: both; text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: Arial;">Then the group assembled on a wide terrace for cocktails and hors d'oeuvres, as roiling clouds that had contained their stormy contents so effectively for the past several days prepared to unleash their fury. Wind whipped across the landscape as thunder growled in the distance. </span><br />
</div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; clear: both; text-align: left;"><br />
</div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; clear: both; text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: Arial;">A sudden gust assaulted the terrace. Pedestal tables teetered, women held down their skirts, and guests grabbed every glass and plate they could carry. The staff ushered the crowd into an adjacent lobby, pulling the portable bar in behind them and, within minutes, the storm 'disappeared' behind thick adobe walls. The storm somehow seemed a fitting tribute to the resort where we shared our last dinner before departing for home.</span><br />
</div>lisa waterman grayhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08834450254783595218noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3008179477742593195.post-32201451389128717652010-01-06T16:06:00.001-06:002010-01-06T16:08:55.839-06:00Red & Blue Cobbler<div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj9JJBADKFrFy8ejbOyLglHO4E4PTteiOt1b9qs9UWNcFNocy8Iqetjh9RiB3jt8lQEgXDIKJFSgGI-Lg-Qr5otIaw99EpZknTqtmW2Ycr8KOwzHGQyv3xss5hASravMLDYBUw8CjsGt8qg/s1600-h/IMG_0371.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; cssfloat: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" ps="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj9JJBADKFrFy8ejbOyLglHO4E4PTteiOt1b9qs9UWNcFNocy8Iqetjh9RiB3jt8lQEgXDIKJFSgGI-Lg-Qr5otIaw99EpZknTqtmW2Ycr8KOwzHGQyv3xss5hASravMLDYBUw8CjsGt8qg/s320/IMG_0371.JPG" /></a><span style="font-family: Arial;">Leftover cranberries and an orange sat in my fruit drawer, and I had plenty of Triple Sec but lacked other ingredients needed to make my favorite margarita. As we endured our 13th day of snow-covered ground, with more on the way (the first time that's happened in the Kansas City area for almost three decades), the idea of comfort foods sounded better and better. I'd already made rustic turkey soup** and homemade spaghetti sauce in the last 48 hours and we'd finally finished all of the holiday desserts. </span><br />
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</div><span style="font-family: Arial;">So, with the help of the cranberries, orange, liqueur, and some frozen blueberries, and taking cues from a cranberry sauce recipe supplied by the Culinary Center of Kansas City* and the topping from an ancient magazine recipe, I made a sweet and satisfying cobbler that I hope you'll enjoy too. </span><br />
<div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"><br />
</div><span style="font-family: Arial;">Let me know what you think!</span><br />
<br />
<br />
<span style="font-family: Arial;">Red & Blue Cobbler</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: x-small;"><em>Makes 9 large servings</em></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial;">Filling:</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial;">1/4 cup orange liqueur</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial;">1/2 cup fresh orange juice </span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial;"> (VOE - my original recipe called for 1/2 cup liqueur and 1/4 o.j.; I </span><span style="font-family: Arial;">have reversed these to reduce the sweetness a bit)</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial;">2 teaspoons cinnamon</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial;">2 teaspoons orange rind</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial;">2 cups sugar</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial;">1 1/2 cups cranberries, after rinsing and sorting</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial;">1 cup blueberries, fresh or frozen (thawed)</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial;">3 teaspoons cornstarch </span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial;"> (VOE - I originally added the cornstarch, stirred into 1/2 cup of water, </span><span style="font-family: Arial;">but </span><span style="font-family: Arial;">this made the mixture too soupy, so I've left it out here)</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial;">Topping I:</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial;">1/8 cup oatmeal</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial;">1/8 cup walnuts</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial;">Topping II:</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial;">4 tablespoons butter</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial;">1/2 cup flour</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial;">1/4 cup brown sugar</span><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiZR6LoiVoKF8kEQhOriD0RAjLaR-4wSY4srS2oDxXqFThVui3NIZwbjWzItxUQag6xsjEnm4sjvBklmja5_O3Rbb5F8k-8FsTwDmLtEBuXa_FG4MkbIoFll3fCA5PHEdyFBtP5fU8tq2nQ/s1600-h/IMG_0352-1.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" ps="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiZR6LoiVoKF8kEQhOriD0RAjLaR-4wSY4srS2oDxXqFThVui3NIZwbjWzItxUQag6xsjEnm4sjvBklmja5_O3Rbb5F8k-8FsTwDmLtEBuXa_FG4MkbIoFll3fCA5PHEdyFBtP5fU8tq2nQ/s320/IMG_0352-1.JPG" /></a><br />
</div><span style="font-family: Arial;">In a crockpot, stir together liqueur, orange juice, cinnamon, orange rind and sugar until sugar dissolves. Add cranberries and cook on high for one hour. </span><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg7CCTxQLz_fUMMxWLsbads90ZoB3DoGa4Sw3fCOoGHEACakhUvzjum48YjqE0Ahh_Y-SD9ZAIfkNs3DxDD6ESyH0BwaHY-DsrSAxBCq-CqgoVVISoeSimAe53G6SpE7IgK7uxcUCIBfhEb/s1600-h/IMG_0354.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" ps="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg7CCTxQLz_fUMMxWLsbads90ZoB3DoGa4Sw3fCOoGHEACakhUvzjum48YjqE0Ahh_Y-SD9ZAIfkNs3DxDD6ESyH0BwaHY-DsrSAxBCq-CqgoVVISoeSimAe53G6SpE7IgK7uxcUCIBfhEb/s320/IMG_0354.JPG" /></a><br />
</div><span style="font-family: Arial;">Stir in blueberries and cook on low, about five hours until all berries are soft. Stir in corn starch and let cook one more hour. </span><span style="font-family: Arial;">Grease a square baking pan and pour berry mixture into it. Spoon off some excess liquid.</span><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgBnoOmpBBpOr_bRrxRe_MxCkz8l0k2t-TvrVU4dJCOLwP_YM0OfiAvL7zn1XOTKqsUdnxD4SZcg-wsnNnpKKS86-earZZM7hLgf_9-xk2pGmnSDtn2fyqXRuln9IDLbla5ATD4crGOA7M7/s1600-h/IMG_0358.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" ps="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgBnoOmpBBpOr_bRrxRe_MxCkz8l0k2t-TvrVU4dJCOLwP_YM0OfiAvL7zn1XOTKqsUdnxD4SZcg-wsnNnpKKS86-earZZM7hLgf_9-xk2pGmnSDtn2fyqXRuln9IDLbla5ATD4crGOA7M7/s320/IMG_0358.JPG" /></a><br />
</div><span style="font-family: Arial;">Topping I: Chop nuts and oatmeal fine, in food processor, and sprinkle over top of mixture.</span><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiBAaGUPzLsIXY3uvzHvjasUU6q56mLrAm31N9qRIyArbcUz7CaPfzfZQr6Ekt9QnZAt1BCQe7QAgSVAOAyv96HuKPjw8iDaOh-bO4jQq3laVOMtSCRPe3OZD-5envwyHTXlm8bEodqwypg/s1600-h/IMG_0361.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" ps="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiBAaGUPzLsIXY3uvzHvjasUU6q56mLrAm31N9qRIyArbcUz7CaPfzfZQr6Ekt9QnZAt1BCQe7QAgSVAOAyv96HuKPjw8iDaOh-bO4jQq3laVOMtSCRPe3OZD-5envwyHTXlm8bEodqwypg/s320/IMG_0361.JPG" /></a><br />
</div><span style="font-family: Arial;">Topping II: Melt butter in medium microwave-safe bowl, about 45-60 seconds. Stir in flour and brown sugar and cover bowl with lid or vented plastic wrap. Cook on high for 2-2 1/2 minutes, stirring after one minute, until slightly bubbly. Distribute mixture across a piece of foil and let cool until easy to handle; 3-5 minutes. Break up topping into small bits and sprinkle across berry and Topping I.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial;">Refrigerate at least 6 hours or until set.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial;">*I work part-time at the Culinary Center of Kansas City</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial;">**see this recipe at <a href="http://visualtraveler.blogspot.com/2009/09/rustic-turkey-soup.html">http://visualtraveler.blogspot.com/2009/09/rustic-turkey-soup.html</a> </span>lisa waterman grayhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08834450254783595218noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3008179477742593195.post-44532248369370861012010-01-04T20:48:00.001-06:002010-01-06T19:00:00.957-06:00Klavon's Ice Cream Parlor - A Pittsburgh Landmark<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi3KpSHvBtRYr48_sM8lBpy3ehXE2xN2uCPMhmSqzQas5f_qK4hRO1UMxRy-4RK17ztcSIhPYG3aZ6kV1_RSfmIE-dsCNZKWACG1oJ_ZRjyUXBLpEvWK-m2GEYaVmudmKO58GZQGLn1H0V4/s1600-h/IMG_8656.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjxnnN3eLqimTbMYGq3KAfpCWbQnboP1_EJ7hhXl0p0TLoI7l5aIdvkE_VwOwXbyWCAKbUv5ArB_vQtBAbn-9dMjr5Ls0qSM3L1aHu_GH4-xrpOB73bcg5n70VeCbBT4HR19e6A9HYZ8R2b/s1600-h/IMG_8656.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" ps="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjxnnN3eLqimTbMYGq3KAfpCWbQnboP1_EJ7hhXl0p0TLoI7l5aIdvkE_VwOwXbyWCAKbUv5ArB_vQtBAbn-9dMjr5Ls0qSM3L1aHu_GH4-xrpOB73bcg5n70VeCbBT4HR19e6A9HYZ8R2b/s320/IMG_8656.JPG" /></a><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">When was the last time you bought a single scoop of premium ice cream for just $2.11? Or a gigantic, decadent Turtle Sundae - with chocolate and vanilla ice cream, caramel and fudge sauce, pecans, whipped cream, and a maraschino cherry, for only $4.75? Or tried a scoop of vanilla ice cream doused in thick, rich hot fudge sauce, and a handful of chopped pecans, for less than the cost of a fast food milk shake?</span><br />
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</div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; clear: both; text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Locally-made Reinhold’s ice cream is what draws most people to <a href="http://www.klavonsicecream.com/">Klavon’s Ice Cream Parlor</a>, located in an Art Deco building near the edge of Pittsburgh’s famed Strip District. In fact, it's been a destination for lovers of old-fashioned soda fountain fare for decades. </span><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiQGXR8gsgVwcYxpKAe3Ff_uMkBvTb1TSOT4yvG36hA0_qjkz29l9mPB_gDdTIN9LA01I70iF7rOtiahyphenhyphens-KmI0afbwwk4Liw7ka64u02yEKtMasb87VynA_0nEx9ucJslLPPQGHKkzbtEJ/s1600-h/IMG_8652.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" ps="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiQGXR8gsgVwcYxpKAe3Ff_uMkBvTb1TSOT4yvG36hA0_qjkz29l9mPB_gDdTIN9LA01I70iF7rOtiahyphenhyphens-KmI0afbwwk4Liw7ka64u02yEKtMasb87VynA_0nEx9ucJslLPPQGHKkzbtEJ/s320/IMG_8652.JPG" /></a><br />
</div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; clear: both; text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">The family-owned Klavon's actually began as a soda fountain drugstore, in 1925. You'll sit amidst m</span><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">ahogany shelves full of 1920s medicine bottles, a plethora of penny candy, and a marble soda fountain that transport you back in time from the moment you take a seat beside the stained glass windows full of 'Christmas' lights. </span><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgh-MfvK9EFlJd32HQuhVoYesoqff1pIlCEdQyaWbOpvKdIKTwaugMXr7ik31NXy-RqxuV-lGj2vEKSUdasZzhgWh2bCSgyJHRkx3g9yGgz2AmUnFrBQR9FOjCFPLej2VQNpUNcf2r3eGwS/s1600-h/IMG_8655.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; cssfloat: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" ps="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgh-MfvK9EFlJd32HQuhVoYesoqff1pIlCEdQyaWbOpvKdIKTwaugMXr7ik31NXy-RqxuV-lGj2vEKSUdasZzhgWh2bCSgyJHRkx3g9yGgz2AmUnFrBQR9FOjCFPLej2VQNpUNcf2r3eGwS/s320/IMG_8655.JPG" /></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh2QIC_u0NC7gi55pNieatSRosIc74coYeDYTtip5M4h9fFZ7IDnzOPnDYWOi3VR0y6cpoBn8akEXhgr6EXWQz-TFvWrNNPrZjZBQ93GAW48-lhBoTsAmoZzO5HzbF8hlqNShGNaCOEJwsZ/s1600-h/IMG_8660.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" ps="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh2QIC_u0NC7gi55pNieatSRosIc74coYeDYTtip5M4h9fFZ7IDnzOPnDYWOi3VR0y6cpoBn8akEXhgr6EXWQz-TFvWrNNPrZjZBQ93GAW48-lhBoTsAmoZzO5HzbF8hlqNShGNaCOEJwsZ/s320/IMG_8660.JPG" /></a><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; clear: both; text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Order a tall, frosty ice cream soda, a phosphate, or the long-time Pittsburgh favorite – Large Pecan Balls. These baseball-sized scoops of vanilla ice cream arrive covered in pecans and smothered with customer’s choice of chocolate, hot fudge or hot caramel topping plus a large dollop of whipped cream.</span><br />
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</div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; clear: both; text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">And there's no need to leave non-ice cream fans at home. They can chow down on a gyro or souvlaki sandwich, or savor a bowl of sirloin beef vegetable soup. But, for the best of both worlds, enjoy your lunch <em>plus</em> ice cream, and then take a nice long walk through the neighborhood. It's an easy bet that Klavon's will quickly become a favorite place to treat yourself. </span><br />
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</div>lisa waterman grayhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08834450254783595218noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3008179477742593195.post-45992629155364902802009-12-28T15:49:00.001-06:002009-12-28T15:50:38.717-06:00Pink Floyd at Albuquerque International Balloon Fiesta<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgGWnj6ieXthUKwjZMX-eXUEATEvHYrA2ELjOWqIfHEI-ewjU_AVrGihOLTvgpone2GKCPdTNs3Q4h54rgZj9T8-v1HuaNFhf1GmnMnlw0m-JSoSKEFnMr-nsjMT2Vs4zgVWLnHcZmrHXs3/s1600-h/IMG_1455-1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" ps="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgGWnj6ieXthUKwjZMX-eXUEATEvHYrA2ELjOWqIfHEI-ewjU_AVrGihOLTvgpone2GKCPdTNs3Q4h54rgZj9T8-v1HuaNFhf1GmnMnlw0m-JSoSKEFnMr-nsjMT2Vs4zgVWLnHcZmrHXs3/s320/IMG_1455-1.jpg" /></a><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">We had planned this trip for more than four months. Now my husband, Mark, and our friends - Jessa and James - were scouting the border of the field where an 'afterglow' event would take place at the Albuquerque International Balloon Fiesta. As the sun began to set we zeroed in on a Pink Floyd balloon, which became a frame of reference throughout the next two days. </span><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><img border="0" ps="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjlC92RlivQCCXvxPnQDSwSZtLJI5qkRqRVC0rHdYJmvNEb0v0e97yeGXJw8BUywmNU1mk-WakqeW-wPG8NNEq__XxFVW342nl6R9qVHLIISRAmkl7lhzDECT7Fo4QU_QLXa7-K476zRXJc/s320/IMG_1462-1.jpg" /><span style="font-family: Arial;"> Balloons grew from nothing, with deep purple mountains in the background, sun-tipped clouds above, dozens of white tents dotting the field and hundreds of people milling about.</span><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg4Qj4VphGp3StZywH40sRPmro53nBOFgbsiOCIKHMWGa-xObAxYlK_8aVpUZSIYaQdDKOPrP-lgx0vUpdqccKXkaREh_2y6ZhhvCnhI_WztrV9YTZYg1pgX1wWJv5lHMSsNw-0jVfnU1Qx/s1600-h/IMG_1460-1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" ps="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg4Qj4VphGp3StZywH40sRPmro53nBOFgbsiOCIKHMWGa-xObAxYlK_8aVpUZSIYaQdDKOPrP-lgx0vUpdqccKXkaREh_2y6ZhhvCnhI_WztrV9YTZYg1pgX1wWJv5lHMSsNw-0jVfnU1Qx/s320/IMG_1460-1.jpg" /></a><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">The evening grew chilly and the scene grew magical as one after another balloon sprang to life with rosy, otherwordly illumination. After dark, I felt like a kid in a candy store while I walked amidst them on the field. Balloons filled with air and a whooshing sound and a ghostly glow surrounded me, from giant strawberries to a Wells Fargo stagecoach, and multi-colored patchwork designs.</span><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgP7aorKv8zIO8auOQhNna7MX6JUe1xvt-oygJ3nXSTXewWgHRoQZOCoFgkKcL2aDDxlbpXiAbA5Qe8NhTn3GKHGeaiySw1d4GXtWKyXoOIAW4KJSFOg67DTsoQhbIglvi8u_3T6YbaEVz1/s1600-h/IMG_1573-1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" ps="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgP7aorKv8zIO8auOQhNna7MX6JUe1xvt-oygJ3nXSTXewWgHRoQZOCoFgkKcL2aDDxlbpXiAbA5Qe8NhTn3GKHGeaiySw1d4GXtWKyXoOIAW4KJSFOg67DTsoQhbIglvi8u_3T6YbaEVz1/s320/IMG_1573-1.jpg" /></a><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">We then arrived near sunrise the next morning, bundled in heavy coats, scarves and gloves, to see as much balloon activity as possible. Jessa and I visited the field again - this time to watch the balloons prepare for their daylight flights. The Pink Floyd balloon slowly expanded, surrounded by a crazy quilt of color and design, as the sun rose higher.</span><br />
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</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Before long, the ever-changing kaleidoscope began its ascent, with the Pink Floyd balloon only one among many hundreds - from castles to pigs and wicked witches, interspersed with ‘traditional’ balloons in a myriad of patterns.</span><br />
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</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: Arial;">For the next several hours we watched, mouths gaping at the sheer beauty of this event, and vowed to return to this magical Fiesta as soon as possible.</span><br />
</div>lisa waterman grayhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08834450254783595218noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3008179477742593195.post-55909892250262067392009-12-22T16:35:00.002-06:002010-01-10T08:53:52.778-06:00Kansas Travel - Free State Brewing Company<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://www.blogger.com/goog_1261514130141"><img border="0" ps="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhHYY4hOX8_g0g38eaARWc7qoFV1AQ-JxcDWXAdTv0vVL0Qj3yJZ-a6zjAZg8O8cb0fdo_4FDegt-R0X1metqUHwuJNyFloAPHy5it-faiu3IYUvripfOVoJUowmc_D-a2wldiw5E0_iHHL/s320/Free+State+II.JPG" /></a><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">It's been 20 years since <a href="http://www.freestatebrewing.com/">Free State Brewing Company</a>, in Lawrence, became the first legal Kansas brewery, in more than 100 years. The thriving company crafts more than 20,000 barrels of beer, annually, in its 14-barrel brewhouse, and also has its own bottling facility. </span><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">And customers can watch as brewers work behind two-story floor-to-ceiling windows of this one-time trolley barn while they sip brews over lunch or dinner. </span><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; clear: both; text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"></span><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi8Hq78mk-40Z-jH0ghNeQly6WI6my89d3L2YOVuWFPlGDAlW1sGUR80GWcEejEej-8go_chkykXkBePlNU8JaDTYjwGbmbrNUZLj7CpNEmktKVyqJXcYSODvx4m1oILcq5VxTD2HPN6QOR/s1600-h/Free+State+X.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" ps="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi8Hq78mk-40Z-jH0ghNeQly6WI6my89d3L2YOVuWFPlGDAlW1sGUR80GWcEejEej-8go_chkykXkBePlNU8JaDTYjwGbmbrNUZLj7CpNEmktKVyqJXcYSODvx4m1oILcq5VxTD2HPN6QOR/s320/Free+State+X.JPG" /></a><br />
</div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; clear: both; text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">There are plenty of choices for beer lovers. In addition to the brewery's original Ad Astra beer visitors may enjoy Copperhead Pale Ale, Ironman Imperial Stout, Oatmeal Stout, Old Backus Barleywine, Wheat State Golden, Lovejoy IPA, Old Stormy and Walloon Gold. Not sure which one to pick? Try a few samples, at $1.35 a pour, and then order a full-sized serving of your favorite. </span><br />
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</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: Arial;">Free State Brewing Company also has a large menu in which many healthy and locally produced items star. Flavorful and filling black bean quesadillas come with Spanish rice with loads of cheese, sour cream and salsa. Hand-cut fries and a dill pickle spear accompany the thick turkey bacon sandwich served on ultra-fresh foccacia bread. </span><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjBRA1kBl0rt9df30sXxDduAbjPg_hYr3dJz_gOR6ecVxLp2MIrYSN7t2jBM67i2xW9uJwZ36unOBi0Yj-V6vHQvcDw7Ns5P9o75_h7ywf5zmlTYYd_c0-rXlgwRbCSRZVwD-cTmyJVshOs/s1600-h/Free+State+VIII.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" ps="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjBRA1kBl0rt9df30sXxDduAbjPg_hYr3dJz_gOR6ecVxLp2MIrYSN7t2jBM67i2xW9uJwZ36unOBi0Yj-V6vHQvcDw7Ns5P9o75_h7ywf5zmlTYYd_c0-rXlgwRbCSRZVwD-cTmyJVshOs/s320/Free+State+VIII.JPG" /></a><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"></span><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: Arial;">Free State Brewing Company offers great beer and good food in historic surroundings, with a clear view of the brewery. And, if you want a souvenir of your visit, they'll even sell you a T-shirt or pint glass.</span><br />
</div>lisa waterman grayhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08834450254783595218noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3008179477742593195.post-80168156870143524802009-12-22T15:48:00.000-06:002009-12-22T15:48:04.221-06:00Becker Vineyards in Fredericksburg, TX<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjW-FuHaMiOXZXZ-WtbGmYm4aaY6oeWeT0H7ThUMxbR8pGev48umk67YL81onHr0vvlFRJQl3gaNukSZdd-IPW-jJVOUFoz8egzSaJtyk_yaReLl44zk54z0dFWdjNPEwVMJuH1fnmIskTC/s1600-h/IMG_7505-1.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" ps="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjW-FuHaMiOXZXZ-WtbGmYm4aaY6oeWeT0H7ThUMxbR8pGev48umk67YL81onHr0vvlFRJQl3gaNukSZdd-IPW-jJVOUFoz8egzSaJtyk_yaReLl44zk54z0dFWdjNPEwVMJuH1fnmIskTC/s320/IMG_7505-1.JPG" /></a><br />
</div><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Located 70 miles west of Austin and 75 miles northwest of San Antonio, <a href="http://www.beckervineyards.com/">Becker Vineyards</a>, of Fredericksburg, Texas, planted their first vines in 1992 and offered their first wines three years later</span><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">. Then the vineyards opened their first tasting room in 1996. Fourteen grape varieties grow across 46 acres. Becker was the first winery in the state to make Viognier or Malbec. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">With the third largest production yield in Texas, Becker crafted <span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">56,000 cases of wine during 2006, and </span><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">65,000 in 2008. And the culinary world has taken notice. These wines have been praised in <em>Food & Wine, Wine Spectator, Saveur </em>and <em>Decanter </em>magazines, to name a few.</span></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Owners and founders, Richard and Bunny Becker won't pour a wine they’re not proud of, and Richard believes that winemakers are like artists. Winemaker, Russell Smith, worked in Napa for nine years and then with other vineyards and wineries in Texas, and award-winning wines line a long display shelf in the winery's front lobby.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial;">Becker Vineyards uses premium French and American oak barrels for aging and only use each barrel twice. The winery <span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">rarely adds sugar or fruit concentrate to their wine; they also</span><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"> tell grape growers when to pick the grapes and what level of sugar goals are required. Visitors can find their favorite vintage while enjoying samples in the large new tasting room.</span></span><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiadKQe2P5-WNhPls1vsamyX6tkrsJiTPZ8vf080bb6MmVMYMgwo_qkWp4iuX9AvAmBLzHXavWoYIM3p24WzqUoMGvq_qRiCnyj4FoggaCGFNkZ_u6BP-vBFBmyaTNPQdlhpKqVVNzrX-Ax/s1600-h/Becker's+fresh+lavendar.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" ps="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiadKQe2P5-WNhPls1vsamyX6tkrsJiTPZ8vf080bb6MmVMYMgwo_qkWp4iuX9AvAmBLzHXavWoYIM3p24WzqUoMGvq_qRiCnyj4FoggaCGFNkZ_u6BP-vBFBmyaTNPQdlhpKqVVNzrX-Ax/s320/Becker's+fresh+lavendar.JPG" /></a><br />
</div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">But more than grapes grow on Becker Vineyards acreage. Lavender fills a three-acre field behind the winery and infuses body care and other products with its heavenly scent, including Lavender Comfrey Salve, lotion, sea salt scrub, eye pillows, candles, room spray, sachets and bookmarks. </span><span style="font-family: Arial;">Finally, each May, visitors can enjoy the annual Lavender Festival. The two-day event features cooking demonstrations, speakers, a luncheon and, of course, acres of fully blooming lavendar.</span><br />
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</div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"><span style="font-family: Arial;">Wine lovers - and lavender lovers - will find a lot to like about Becker Vineyards.</span><br />
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</div>lisa waterman grayhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08834450254783595218noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3008179477742593195.post-23267971410052783932009-12-22T14:30:00.005-06:002009-12-22T14:44:10.202-06:00Thanks, Joy (of Cooking) Redux<div class="separator" style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; clear: both; text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Last December, I introduced Visual Traveler readers to a Joy of Cooking cookie recipe that was a holiday tradition in both my childhood home and my husband's - Almond Crescents. Then I offered my variation on the theme, Walnut Crescents (<a href="http://visualtraveler.blogspot.com/2008/12/thanks-joy-of-cooking.html">http://visualtraveler.blogspot.com/2008/12/thanks-joy-of-cooking.html</a>). </span><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEioYNu-zGK7V64zluNNJ9HsEAgmSUulZ_dd78T9GAcY0PMJtELYESfcsnyws2i_16NmS6ICinyJrP1ScwbeT4gUMorAQ4C5N-zKSDAFV_-qaVdFNEDUV_RX3NPdi9xuI5IFtkreXsRCcHQh/s1600-h/IMG_0317.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" ps="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEioYNu-zGK7V64zluNNJ9HsEAgmSUulZ_dd78T9GAcY0PMJtELYESfcsnyws2i_16NmS6ICinyJrP1ScwbeT4gUMorAQ4C5N-zKSDAFV_-qaVdFNEDUV_RX3NPdi9xuI5IFtkreXsRCcHQh/s320/IMG_0317.JPG" /></a><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; clear: both; text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: Arial;">But, this year, I thought I'd also <em>show</em> you how to make these cookies that my older daughter recently said were 'so much better than the ones you made before you changed the recipe.' For instance, here are the cookies when half-baked. This version looks far more like crescents before they're fully baked (above) than after (below).</span><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; clear: both; text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"></span><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjllVYmNeFrXwzkgNwTkTYebi3pidj8qGNEnaXbKlehNiCLxkm1iEy8Aq82Rj8STvgF4nmUcmwfNidxxOuepNkdMTNcccsJxUxBr30H6x8cjpsLZJycNn0ZQwedNZGIegisr7-HCqhzxFFy/s1600-h/IMG_0320.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="cssfloat: left; margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" ps="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjllVYmNeFrXwzkgNwTkTYebi3pidj8qGNEnaXbKlehNiCLxkm1iEy8Aq82Rj8STvgF4nmUcmwfNidxxOuepNkdMTNcccsJxUxBr30H6x8cjpsLZJycNn0ZQwedNZGIegisr7-HCqhzxFFy/s320/IMG_0320.JPG" /></a><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; clear: both; text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">It's a good idea to place the finished cookies on parchment or waxed paper, atop foil, to completely cool. 'Rolling' each cookie in the powdered sugar/cinnamon mixture requires gentle handling to avoid breakage and a willingness to get your fingers totally covered with this sweet stuff (never a problem, in my case).</span><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; clear: both; text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"></span><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjyekh3ebd6-AEgF2m0ZLElHFSJAZyo_52f2BlwE3RrV3Fw3u_mf33uoJqYwTyk-IP_Zsj0vgWiRPDt5lkL_CjkyrbwjDlSz60A-0zyUjEiymFNcwJ3Cp2QtMtkuPZT41MI65lIwur7w_kD/s1600-h/IMG_0325.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="cssfloat: left; margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" ps="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjyekh3ebd6-AEgF2m0ZLElHFSJAZyo_52f2BlwE3RrV3Fw3u_mf33uoJqYwTyk-IP_Zsj0vgWiRPDt5lkL_CjkyrbwjDlSz60A-0zyUjEiymFNcwJ3Cp2QtMtkuPZT41MI65lIwur7w_kD/s320/IMG_0325.JPG" /></a><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; clear: both; text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">After you've coated all of the cookies thoroughly, put them back on the parchment paper for an hour or so, which will minimize them sticking together when you finally place them in an airtight container.</span><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; clear: both; text-align: left;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjy64lqX1phCcB1wavb2X1g81aaRgrkuM538MhikcaaQxPH3gzpWQ7MZyDdE8eT-6TmpLhhw2Qe5uzspeq0Pd1uuMBFUxRlePVWHKnCxCQxTlx6z6uMoQE_8oSd-7DCCwK5XzFWSKg9K3OG/s1600-h/IMG_0321.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" ps="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjy64lqX1phCcB1wavb2X1g81aaRgrkuM538MhikcaaQxPH3gzpWQ7MZyDdE8eT-6TmpLhhw2Qe5uzspeq0Pd1uuMBFUxRlePVWHKnCxCQxTlx6z6uMoQE_8oSd-7DCCwK5XzFWSKg9K3OG/s320/IMG_0321.JPG" /></a><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; clear: both; text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Then comes the best part - eating these Walnut Crescents - which are light and flaky with just the right amount of sweetness. </span><span style="font-family: Arial;">And, if you use your imagination, you can pretend that the bits of powdered sugar landing on your shirt are the gentlest of snowflakes. </span><br />
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</div><div class="separator" style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; clear: both; text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: Arial;">Happy Holidays!</span><br />
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</div>lisa waterman grayhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08834450254783595218noreply@blogger.com0